What We Look for in Founders

At the earliest stages, everything comes down to the founding team.

Markets shift. Products pivot. The idea you start with may not be the one that wins. But the right team will adapt, attract the right people, and keep pushing forward. That is why at STVL, our evaluation often starts and ends with the people at the center. So what exactly do we look for? ‍

‍Energy That Attracts Others

When we meet a founder, one of the first questions we ask ourselves is: Would I want to work for this person? The best founders don’t just pitch investors. They magnetize people. They pull in top talent, inspire co-investors, and earn the trust of customers.

Commercial Mindset

Ideas are plentiful. Execution is rare. We look for founders who marry passion with commercial mindedness and the ability to translate vision into a viable business. Can you think in terms of customers, capital, and cash flow? Can you make tough calls when the market pushes back? These are the questions that separate dreamers from builders.

Deep Connection to the Problem

The strongest founders do not stumble into their problem space. They live it. They carry a variant perception that others cannot see because of their proximity to the problem as a practitioner, operator, or someone personally affected. That depth gives them resilience when things get hard.

Team Dynamics that Endure

We have seen it firsthand: brilliant ideas collapse when co-founders split. That is why we put real weight on founder dynamics. Are you aligned on vision? Do you challenge each other productively? Are you on the same page when the pressure is on? We have learned to spot cracks early and to walk away if we see them.

Ability to Earn Trust

If we cannot trust a management team’s projections or transparency, no business model can save the deal. We prize founders who communicate clearly, face problems head-on, and invite hard questions instead of dodging them. Trust compounds. Without it, everything else falls apart.

Why This Matters

Founders who meet these tests are the ones who can weather pivots, raise follow-on capital, and grow with integrity. They are also the ones who bring people closer to the real transformation we are investing in across health care, education, and economic progress.

At STVL, we do not just back companies. We back the people capable of turning bold ideas into lasting change.