Paige Finn DohertyFounding Partner, Behind Genius · Founding Partner at Behind Genius Ventures

What does rpv Founding Partner Arkady Kulik think about when evaluating companies?

8 Jun 2023 · 1 min

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In this interview excerpt, Arkady Kulik, founding partner of RPV, explains the firm’s approach to assessing very early‑stage companies. The evaluation begins with a focus on the founding team, which he says is the core factor across all investment types. After confirming a strong team, RPV conducts rigorous technical due diligence, often producing extensive (e.g., 20‑page) reports. The firm brings in external scientific authorities—department chairs, and even a Nobel laureate—to review the technology, noting that while such high‑profile input may not always be directly helpful, it adds depth and credibility to the assessment.

How do you think about evaluating companies when, you know, they're very early in their research phases or company building phases?
We always start with the team, and that has been the case for all the types of investments. I think whether it's IT, VC, or private equity, even team is the core thing. However, that's where similarities end. And the next thing we do at RPV is We do deep technical due diligence. Sometimes it's like 20 pages long document. We employ external scientists. Usually those would be the chairs of their specific departments. Or we even talked once to a Nobel Prize winner about that. Not that it was a lot of help, but it was interesting enough. I was about to be like, whoa.
And then you're like, not that they were that much help.
No, it's like they have this beautiful understanding that they're a beautiful mind and like they see the picture at a, you know, 10,000 feet view, but we need a picture at a microscopic level.