How did you arrive at venture capital?
I was working at Princeton’s endowment, where a significant portion of the portfolio was allocated to leading VC funds. Seeing how top investors evaluated technology, markets, and founders inspired me to become an entrepreneur myself. I built and sold my own company, then joined another startup as Chief Strategy Officer. Before becoming an investor, I spent nearly a decade on the founder and operator side.
At TIBAS Ventures, we assess whether a startup is solving an important problem, whether the market is large enough, whether the product can scale, and, most importantly, whether the founding team has the ambition, resilience, and execution capability to build something meaningful.
What are the defining qualities of exceptional founders?
Exceptional founders combine clarity of thinking, deep customer understanding, and a strong ability to learn quickly. Being right from day one is less important than learning faster than everyone else. The best founders test, listen, iterate, and make high-quality decisions with limited information. We pay close attention to how founders think and communicate. Great founders have a strong point of view, but they are not rigid.
What are some common mistakes?
Building before validating the customer problem, trying to do too many things at once, hiring too quickly, and confusing activity with real progress.
How do you view RC’s influence in this landscape?
RC’s greatest strength is its community. The school fosters a culture of support across generations, and I try to give back through mentorship and organizations such as RC Startup Factory.
