How to evaluate startups

A lot of investors tell me they only invest in companies where they can be "helpful" or "value-add." I think they're looking at it backwards…

I want to invest in founders who don't NEED my help to be successful. The best founders rarely do.

Instead, I look for opportunities where I have a uniquely competitive advantage in EVALUATING the company.

This isn't about whether I can make introductions or provide strategic advice — though that often comes naturally when you deeply understand an industry.

It's about being qualified, experienced, or well-networked enough to understand what the company is doing.

The most successful investors I know aren't successful because they're the most helpful. They're successful because they know exactly what they're looking at.

That’s the difference.