Insights for Founders

Straight talk on early-stage investing, term sheets, co-founders, and the stuff they don't teach in accelerators.

What Seed Stage Really Means in 2026
April 10, 2026

What Seed Stage Really Means in 2026

The term "seed" has stretched so much that it barely means anything anymore. Here's how we actually define it — and why it matters for your fundraise timing.

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The 7 Deck Mistakes That Kill a First Meeting
March 18, 2026

The 7 Deck Mistakes That Kill a First Meeting

We've seen hundreds of decks. These are the seven patterns that make us close the PDF before we finish the first five slides.

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Why Austin Is Still the Best City to Start a Company
February 25, 2026

Why Austin Is Still the Best City to Start a Company

People keep predicting the Austin bubble bursts. They've been saying that for five years. Here's why the fundamentals remain strong.

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Reading a Term Sheet Without a Law Degree
January 30, 2026

Reading a Term Sheet Without a Law Degree

Liquidation preferences, pro-rata rights, anti-dilution provisions. A plain-English explanation of the terms that actually matter at the seed stage.

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Why We Don't Pick One Sector
December 12, 2025

Why We Don't Pick One Sector

Theme funds are fashionable. We've deliberately avoided becoming one. This piece explains the logic and what it means for companies pitching us.

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The Pre-Seed Readiness Checklist
November 4, 2025

The Pre-Seed Readiness Checklist

Before you start sending decks, run through this. It's not a formula — it's a sanity check to make sure you're not wasting your own time.

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What Actually Happens in a First VC Meeting
October 14, 2025

What Actually Happens in a First VC Meeting

From our side of the table, here's what we're paying attention to — and what you probably think we care about that we really don't.

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The Cofounder Conversation Every Early Team Needs to Have
September 2, 2025

The Cofounder Conversation Every Early Team Needs to Have

Equity splits, decision-making authority, and what happens if someone leaves. These conversations are uncomfortable until you skip them and things go wrong.

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Why We're Still Bullish on Climate at Pre-Seed
July 28, 2025

Why We're Still Bullish on Climate at Pre-Seed

The hype cycle peaked and retreated. Some investors stepped back. We didn't. Here's what we're still funding and why the fundamentals changed in our favor.

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Hiring Your First 5: What No One Tells You
June 16, 2025

Hiring Your First 5: What No One Tells You

The mistakes founders make when building the initial team are different from every hiring mistake that comes after. This is the one no one warns you about.

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Building in Public: Risks, Rewards, and When It Backfires
April 22, 2025

Building in Public: Risks, Rewards, and When It Backfires

Some founders built their early user base by sharing their journey openly. Others handed their roadmap to competitors. How do you tell which you're doing?

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What We Look For (And What We Don't)
March 5, 2025

What We Look For (And What We Don't)

A direct answer to the question we get most often. No PR spin, just the actual criteria we apply when deciding whether to take a second meeting.

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