E306: Can VCs Actually Pick Winners? w/Eric Bahn

Hustle Fund's Eric Bahn discusses how his firm identifies promising pre-seed startups by evaluating a founder's "hustle," defined as execution and high velocity. Observing product managers at Meta, Bahn noted the top performers shipped significantly more code. Hustle Fund invests in teams they are curious about and then assesses their performance during eight-week growth sprints. Bahn argues pedigree is overvalued because its benefits are priced into higher valuations. He emphasizes the importance of founders who are willing to do the "gritty, nasty work" early on, like direct customer outreach. Hustle Fund operates as a media and community platform, generating revenue through sponsorships to support its knowledge and network teams. This model allows the fund to remain small and focused on founder success rather than solely relying on management fees.