James Palmer is a Principal at Blackbird Ventures, one of Australasia’s largest VC firms with more than $7B under management. He invests in ambitious Aussie and Kiwi founders from the earliest stages, often before the idea has a name. James has led investments into Cotiss, Ivo, Kwetta, Nextwork, Vertus Energy and Watchful and supported Blackbird’s bets on OpenStar and Ternary Kinetics.
This guide distills insider insights on what VCs really want — how investors think, what they need to believe before saying “yes,” and the signals that turn a pitch into a funded round.
Inside the VC Mindset: How Investors Really Decide What Gets Funded
Venture capital isn’t validation—it’s fuel for outliers. This guide unpacks how VCs actually decide, the patterns they bet on, and the traction that matters—so you can see your startup the way investors do.
What VCs Want
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Part 1: Is VC Even Right for You?
Part 2: What VCs Look For (and What They Don’t)
Part 3: How VCs Evaluate Startups
Part 4: What Traction Really Means
Part 5: The Power of Narrative
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Learn what makes a company a true VC fit, why power-law returns drive every decision, and the three non-negotiables investors look for before writing a cheque.
Cut through the noise and understand the filters investors actually apply — from market size to timing, and why “good” businesses often get passed over.
VCs aim for fund-returning outcomes—companies capable of $1B+ valuations. That journey begins with you, the founding team.
Traction is proof — but it looks different in SaaS, consumer, and deep tech. Learn what signals matter at each stage and how to show credible momentum.