When I meet a founder for the first time, I am trying to understand one thing above everything else: would I be willing to walk away from my own job to build this with them? It sounds extreme, but it is the cleanest way I know to test conviction.

That line came up in my conversation with Drew Glover on VC Uncovered, and it has stayed with me because it keeps me honest. Early-stage investing is not about predicting markets through spreadsheets. It is about recognizing founders who have such clarity of problem, product, and execution that you want to get in the trenches alongside them. That energy cannot be modeled. You feel it.

We also talked about why I start every investment conversation with an M&A lens. It is not because I believe companies should race toward an exit. It is because understanding the set of possible end states shapes the quality of decisions you make now. Founders deserve clarity around strategy early, not just when things become “serious.”

Our discussion on AI focused on the same principle. I care less about tools that improve margins in existing categories and more about AI-native companies that make entirely new categories possible. The biggest outcomes come from expanding the frontier, not optimizing what already exists.

The rapid-fire segment at the end is a fun snapshot of how I think: Evolution Gaming’s operational rigor, AI note-takers and why I changed my mind about them, and why London should be on any FinTech founder’s radar.

If you want insight into the frameworks I rely on when evaluating founders and long-term outcomes, give this episode a watch (or listen):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3reUrY_pztc&rco=1

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Views expressed represent the opinions of Jump Capital. Jump Capital may have investments in or pursue investments in the technology sectors and companies discussed. References to specific companies do not constitute investment recommendations.