Tim DraperFounder and Managing Partne, Draper Associate · I back the ideas that look crazy first

The decision that nearly broke our judges! 😱

13 Mar 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:51

In this segment of a startup pitch panel, four judges (labeled A–D) discuss the criteria they use to evaluate the competing companies. Speaker A reflects on multiple lenses for assessing investability, noting that while not every company fits a typical tech‑space investor profile, all are fundamentally investable, with the source of capital being a key factor. Speaker B describes the personal difficulty of choosing between a founder’s heartfelt mission and the venture’s financial viability, highlighting the emotional tension judges face. Speaker C praises the founders’ ambitious missions, emphasizing that the most impressive aspect of the day was the passion and vision each team displayed, which resonated strongly with the judges. The dialogue illustrates the balance judges must strike between emotional appeal, mission impact, and financial pragmatism when deciding which startups to fund.

So I have a couple of different lenses. Not all of you are the right kind of companies for tech space investors. But I was thinking to myself, are all of you investible? And I think the answer is yes. It's just who you get the money from will make a big difference.
I've done other episodes and you can really watch the progression as you get to the semifinals and the impact. I had to make a decision between heart and financial kind of viability, right? And that was the hardest thing for me.
You know, this isn't People saying, I built a tool to peel bananas faster. You guys are dedicating yourselves to really ambitious missions, and I have to just say, more than anything, that's been the most impressive part of today for me. Every one of you struck different parts of us in ways of exciting us.
Okay, I need everybody's attention here.