The Pitch Season 14: What VCs Really Want
6 snips
Oct 1, 2025 Dive into the world of venture capital as experts reveal what they truly seek in founders. Scrappy, traction-driven entrepreneurs capture attention, while authenticity in founders signals unicorn potential. This season, oddball startups like voice AI and smart inhalers steal the spotlight. Enthusiastic investors share their immediate commitments, illuminating the dynamics of deal-making. Discover the surprising criteria for investment and how to identify standout founders in a competitive landscape.
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Hire Scrappy, Traction-Oriented Founders
- Seek founders who are scrappy, traction-oriented grinders who will blast through obstacles to get results.
- Prioritize passion and subject-matter expertise over building for building's sake.
Expertise And Passion Signal Potential
- Deep subject-matter expertise and founder passion signal a real shot at building a unicorn.
- Josh values founders who excite him and work on genuinely weird or niche problems.
The Founder Matters More Than The Idea
- Identifying a unicorn often comes down to spotting the right person rather than a single metric.
- Josh believes the founder in the chair can determine whether the company has a shot.