At FutureSight, we meet with hundreds of entrepreneurs every month. Across industries, stages, and backgrounds, one question consistently comes up:
What does FutureSight look for in an Entrepreneur-in-Residence?
Or more broadly, what are the key attributes of founders who succeed with us?
This post outlines six proven attributes about founder fit at FutureSight and what truly matters when partnering with Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) to build new companies together. (Don’t want to read? Watch the 3 minute and 21 second video below.)
1. Builders Who Have Lived the Journey — and Want to Do It Again
If we had to summarize our philosophy in a single sentence, it would be this:
FutureSight looks for builders who have lived the entrepreneurial grind and feel genuinely excited to do it again — this time, even bigger, with us as their co-founding partners.
We partner closely with founders from day zero. That means we value lived experience, earned perspective, and a deep understanding of what it actually takes to build something from nothing.
2. Repeat Entrepreneur Experience
One of the strongest signals we look for is repeat entrepreneurial experience.
Founders who have been through the early-stage journey understand the rigor, ambiguity, and emotional resilience required to build a company from scratch. An entrepreneurial story that includes a successful exit is certainly a positive signal — it demonstrates the ability to drive meaningful financial outcomes.
However, just as important is having built something meaningful along the way. Navigating uncertainty, iterating on product direction, learning from missteps, and accumulating real “scar tissue” are all invaluable experiences. These lessons shape better decision-making, stronger judgment, and a more grounded approach to building the next company.
This depth of experience gives us confidence that a founder understands what zero-to-one truly demands.
3. Deep Industry and Domain Expertise
Another critical attribute we look for is deep industry or domain expertise.
Many of the companies built at FutureSight start from studio-validated opportunities. In these cases, founders with hands-on experience operating or building within a specific industry bring an immediate advantage. They understand the real pain points, the nuances of customer behavior, and the dynamics that shape the market.
Founders with deep domain expertise often come with strong networks — operators, potential design partners, champions, or early buyers — and the context and access that come with those relationships. This dramatically accelerates early discovery, validation, and traction, increasing the likelihood of building something truly differentiated.
4. Leadership and Team-Building Ability
Great ideas alone do not build great companies — people do.
That’s why leadership and team-building ability is a core attribute we seek in our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence. We look for founders who can shape culture, attract the right talent, and lead teams through uncertainty and change.
This leadership muscle becomes especially critical when taking a company from an early concept to a growing, impactful venture. Founders must inspire trust, align teams around a shared vision, and make thoughtful decisions even when the path forward is not entirely clear.
5. Strong Product Judgment and an Iterative Mindset
We also place a high value on strong product judgment paired with an iterative mindset.
This includes the ability to deeply understand customers, identify the problems that are truly worth solving, and translate those insights into smart product decisions. Founders who excel here are able to balance vision with learning — moving quickly, testing assumptions, and refining their approach based on real-world feedback.
This combination of customer empathy, product intuition, and iteration is a powerful trait in early-stage company building.
6. The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Finally — and equally important — is the entrepreneurial mindset.
We look for founders who are curious, resilient, hungry, and open to co-creating. At FutureSight, we work very closely with our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence as early team members and partners. That means collaboration, openness to challenge, and the ability to stay steady through inevitable ups and downs are essential.
The best EIRs are those who welcome feedback, embrace uncertainty, and remain adaptable as ideas evolve into companies.
Building Shoulder to Shoulder
In summary, FutureSight looks for founders with:
- Meaningful zero-to-one experience
- Deep industry and domain context
- Strong leadership and team-building capabilities
- Sound product judgment and an iterative approach
- A resilient, collaborative entrepreneurial mindset
These are the founders we build alongside — shoulder to shoulder — from the earliest days of company creation.
If you know someone who could be a strong fit for the FutureSight Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, or if you see yourself as a potential founding partner, we’d love to hear from you.
Watch Anu Joshi, Director of Talent describe Founder Attributes
Want to Get Involved?
We’re currently looking for founders, advisors, and design partners to join us. If one of these ventures resonates with you — or if you want to help shape what comes next — we’d love to hear from you.