Top venture capitalist Ben Horowitz once shared a classic founder evaluation criterion: truly great companies often come from founders who possess top-tier capabilities in a core area.



His core point is straightforward—outstanding performance in one aspect can outweigh all other shortcomings. In other words, do not dismiss a truly world-class talent in a key field because of a weakness elsewhere. This sounds simple, but it is often overlooked in actual investment decisions.

Conversely, this also means that investing in a person who is mediocre in all aspects is fundamentally a mistake. Founders lacking any world-class competitiveness are hardly worth betting on. This logic has guiding significance for evaluating startup teams, investment decisions, and even the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem.
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StableGeniusDegenvip
· 4h ago
That's right, but I'm really afraid of those who are almost the same in every aspect, because they really can't afford to gamble.
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VibesOverChartsvip
· 4h ago
Honestly, the saying "a single trick can conquer all" is not wrong. But the reality is that most investors are still concerned with the founder's "character" and "team cooperation," which are superficial, and they tend to overlook the true core competitiveness.
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OneBlockAtATimevip
· 4h ago
Exactly, you just need to find someone who is truly top in a specific field; I can accept all other shortcomings.
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New_Ser_Ngmivip
· 4h ago
Basically, it's about finding that kind of fanatic who can master one exceptional skill that outperforms ten mediocre ones.
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