For early-stage startups, a strong idea or ready product is not enough to secure investment. According to Sprints founder and CEO Ayman Bazaraa, venture capital investors often place greater weight on the founding team and its ability to turn an idea into a scalable business.
Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2026, Bazaraa outlined five factors that can influence funding decisions: the team’s ability to manage limited resources, adapt to changing market conditions, withstand crises, maintain strong relationships among co-founders, and operate with integrity and transparency.
Startups can raise funding before launching a product, generating revenue or building a customer base if founders can demonstrate a clear understanding of the problem they are solving and present a practical path to growth. In these cases, investors are backing the team’s execution capabilities as much as the concept itself.
Bazaraa said investors may assess how co-founders work together beyond formal pitches, including how they handle disagreements and make decisions. He also noted that resilience is critical as startups face competition, economic pressure and cash-flow challenges.
Investors can also bring more than capital, he said. Experienced backers may help founders address knowledge gaps, refine their business model and strengthen operations in exchange for equity. The strongest partnerships, according to Bazaraa, create value for both sides by combining founder ambition with investor expertise.
Source: Fintech Gate
