"Pre-seed and seed fundraising often happens before there's a product, user base, or traction. That means investors are betting on the founder, not the business. And few know how to make that call better than Hudson and Chan. Between them, they've backed hundreds of founders at the earliest stages, before the pitch decks were polished, before there were metrics to show, and often before a single line of code had shipped."
"Charles Hudson, managing partner of Precursor Ventures, has invested in more than 400 companies and supported over 450 founders. He's built his reputation on backing people with bold ideas and unique perspectives, saying recently: "The earlier you invest, the more important it is to believe in the founder's narrative and ability to adapt. It's not just about solving a problem - it's about whether I believe you're the one to do it.""
"Betting on people before the product Wesley Chan, co-founder and managing partner at FPV Ventures, is known for placing bold early bets on category-defining companies. A Google veteran, he helped create Google Analytics and Google Voice before moving into venture, where he's backed unicorns like Canva, Robinhood, and Plaid. His investing philosophy centers on identifying mission-driven founders who can turn scrappy beginnings into lasting impact."
Raising a first institutional check requires telling a compelling story and building trust without measurable traction. Investors at pre-seed and seed stages often bet on founders rather than on products, accepting investments before product, users, or metrics exist. Key traits include narrative strength, adaptability, mission orientation, and the ability to turn scrappy beginnings into lasting impact. Common investor red flags include lack of founder conviction or inability to adapt. Experienced investors who have backed hundreds of early startups prioritize believing in founders and seeking mission-driven founders capable of scaling ideas into category-defining companies.
Read at TechCrunch
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