EVOLVE Expert Session #114 - What Makes a Founder Worth Betting On
About EVOLVE
EVOLVE is a global private network connecting senior commerce leaders, advisors, board members, founders, and operators across more than 50 countries.
Through curated introductions, expert sessions, advisory opportunities, and strategic conversations, EVOLVE helps experienced leaders build meaningful relationships, exchange knowledge, and create new opportunities across markets.
About this Expert Session
EVOLVE Expert Sessions are intimate conversations with exceptional leaders who have built, scaled, and transformed businesses across commerce, technology, marketplaces, retail, logistics, AI, and digital transformation.
These sessions are designed to go beyond theory and surface practical lessons, strategic decisions, and real-world experiences from leaders operating at the highest levels.
Each session includes:
• Expert-led conversation
• Interactive Q&A
• Direct access to experienced operators and executives
Session recordings are available exclusively to EVOLVE members.
About the Speaker
Richard Smith is an investor and technologist with extensive experience supporting founders and helping early-stage companies grow. In this session, he will share insights from his journey as an investor, including how he identifies founders worth backing, what he looks for in great teams, and how he helps startups navigate the challenges of building and scaling. Drawing from both successful bets and hard lessons, Richard brings a practical perspective on founder support, growth, and the realities of early-stage investing.
What We Will Explore
Great investments are rarely just about capital.
They are about judgment, conviction, timing, and the ability to recognize founders who have the potential to build something truly meaningful.
In this session, we will explore what it takes to identify founders worth betting on, how investors think about backing early-stage companies, and what separates promising ideas from truly investable teams.
Together, we will discuss:
How investors spot founders with real long-term potential.
What makes a founder compelling beyond the pitch.
How to evaluate teams, resilience, and execution ability.
The role of investors in accelerating and supporting founders after the first yes.
Lessons learned from both successful bets and mistakes along the way.
What founders should understand about how investors make decisions.
This conversation is designed for founders, operators, investors, and anyone curious about the thinking behind early-stage investing and what it really means to back the right people.
Agenda
• Welcome & Introductions
• Expert Conversation
• Audience Q&A
• Closing Remarks