Why Do VCs Ask: "Why Your Team, and Why Now?"
VC in 33 Seconds
What makes a startup truly stand out? In this video, Greg Baker gets to the heart of what investors want to know: Why your team, and why now? He talks about the power of founder-market fit — teams solving problems they actually understand — and why timing can make or break even the best ideas. Greg shares real stories of startups that were too early or too late, and why real disruption happens when the right team hits the market at the perfect moment.
VC in 33: Why Do VCs Ask: “Why Your Team, and Why Now?”
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In this video, Greg Baker breaks down two of the most important questions every startup must answer: Why your team? and Why now? He explains that great ventures are led by teams who deeply understand the problem they’re solving — and who are striking at the right moment. Timing is everything. Greg shares insights from seeing startups launch too early or too late, and emphasizes that the best returns in venture can often come from bold teams disrupting industries at just the right time.
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Greg Baker
Executive Partner, Bascom Ventures & Towerview VenturesGreg is an Executive Partner with Alumni Ventures. He is the Founder of Bascom Ventures and runs Towerview Ventures, and has made more than 100 investments as a member of Alumni Ventures. These investments include American Gene Technologies, SHINE Medical, Mission Bio, Axiom Space, Matchwell, and many others. Prior to joining AV, Greg was a highly accomplished executive with experience in corporate leadership, business development, startups, M&A, strategic planning, and more. He spent much of his career growing businesses in the electrical products, packaging, and chemical industries. Greg holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin (’86) and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University (’91).
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
You can find the full transcript below:
Greg Baker:
Why your team and why now? Why are you solving this problem? They’re solving a problem that they understand. So the team needs to make sense. So why your team and why now? The good returns in venture capital come from companies that are very disruptive. Why is this the time to disrupt the industry? I’ve seen companies that had amazing products. The market wasn’t ready for them. I’ve seen companies that were too late.
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