Red Flags in Early-Stage Teams

In this episode of VC Talks, we sit down with Timothy Chen, Founder of Essence VC, to unpack his core perspectives on investing in AI startups—and why, despite rapid advances in models and tools, the founder matters more than ever at the earliest stage.

Drawing from his frontline experience in early-stage venture capital, Timothy reflects on the structural shifts in the AI investment landscape before and after 2022. As foundation models and cloud infrastructure become increasingly commoditized, where does true differentiation come from? He also speaks candidly about which layers of today’s AI value chain are likely to capture lasting value, and the seemingly compelling narratives that may look impressive on the surface but, in reality, lack defensible technical moats—clear red flags he watches for when evaluating young teams.

The conversation also looks ahead to a disruption the venture world is just beginning to confront: when AI agents can already run diligence, analyze markets, and even take part in negotiations, how does the role of a venture capitalist evolve? Timothy shares his rethinking of where enduring VC value will lie, offering a key insight—while AI can dramatically amplify efficiency, it cannot replace human judgment or the ability to build long-term trust.

If you’re thinking about how to become a more effective early-stage investor in the AI era, or want to understand how top VCs quickly identify the people and teams truly worth backing for the long run, this episode offers a compelling, first-hand perspective.

在這一集 VC Talks 中，我們邀請到 Essence VC 創辦人 Timothy Chen，深入解析他在投資 AI 新創時的關鍵判斷視角，以及為什麼相較於AI模型與工具，「創辦人」的因素，卻反而比以往任何時候都更為關鍵。

Timothy 從早期創投的第一線觀察出發，回顧 2022 年前後 AI 投資生態的結構性轉變：當基礎模型與雲端資源逐漸商品化，真正的差異化該如何被定義？節目中，他也坦率談到，在今日的 AI 產業鏈中，價值究竟會沉澱在哪一層，以及哪些看似華麗、實際上可能缺乏技術護城河的行銷語言，是他在評估早期團隊時最重視的警訊。

另外，我們也試著思考未來創投圈即將面對的衝擊：當 AI agents 已能執行盡職調查、分析市場，甚至參與談判後，創投的角色究竟又會如何演變？ Timothy 分享他對未來創投專業價值所在的重新想像，也拋出一個關鍵觀點——雖然AI技術可以放大效率，但無法取代人類的判斷與建立長期信任的能力。 如果你正在思考如何在 AI 世代成為極具影響力的早期投資者，或想理解早期創投如何快速辨識，甚麼是「值得長期下注的人與團隊」，這一集將提供極具啟發性的第一手視角。 



📍 About Host: Uly Su
General Partner, Addins Venture
#CrossBorderMentor #StartupExpansion #TaiwanToSiliconValley
🌏 A cross-border mentor who supports startups in entering global markets, with deep experience in fundraising, talent strategy, and international operations across the U.S. and Taiwan.
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulysu/

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