Clarity beats clever in the pitch room.

I sat down with Edward Keelan, Partner at Octopus Ventures, to unpack what really drives a yes from investors.

We cover:
• The VC hierarchy of needs and why the founder comes first
• Commercial acumen that matters at pre-Series A and beyond
• Capital efficiency, burn ratio, and controlling headcount
• Lean teams using AI and tooling to scale with discipline
• The right time to hire a VP Sales and how to avoid the merry-go-round
• GTM that works: repeatable pipeline before more salespeople
• How founders should diligence a VC and get real post-investment support
• The hidden cost of a bad early commercial hire

Find out more:

Edward Keelan (guest)

Connect with Edward on LinkedIn

Find out more about the Octopus Ventures

Matthew Codd (host)

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Find out more about my business, Cosmic Partners

Why do some startups stand out to investors while others struggle to raise?

I sit down with Richard Harley, Ventures Director at Blackfinch Ventures, to uncover how VCs really evaluate founders, traction, and the difference between innovation and hype.

Richard shares what makes a pitch stand out, looking at founder mindset and the early signs of product–market fit that separate investable startups from the rest. He explains why Blackfinch rarely backs pre-revenue businesses and how traction and data shape investment decisions.

We also dig into the biggest post-funding mistakes founders make, like hiring a Head of Sales too early, and why founder-led sales are often still critical up to £1 million ARR. Richard talks about what he expects to see in early-stage AI companies, and how VCs balance backing ambition with protecting founders from unnecessary pressure.

Find out more:

Richard Harley (guest)

Connect with Richard on LinkedIn

Find out more about the Blackfinch Ventures

Matthew Codd (host)

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Find out more about my business, Cosmic Partners

Why do certain founders land investment while others fall short?

I sit down with Oli Hammond, Partner at Fuel Ventures, to unpack how seed VCs evaluate startups, and why early signals like revenue and customer references matter more than hype.

Oli shares what convinces him a startup is worth backing and how gross margin and churn data influence decision-making at the earliest stages. He also explains why pre-revenue bets now rest almost entirely on founder quality.

We dig into what founder-VC fit means and the realities of fundraising when you only have one term sheet on the table. Oli also shares his view on when to move beyond founder-led sales, and why, in most cases, the founder is still the best person to close deals between Seed and Series A.

If you’re building towards a seed round or want to understand how VCs like Fuel separate promising startups from the rest, this episode is for you.

Find out more:

Oli Hammond (guest)

Connect with Oli on LinkedIn

Find out more about the Fuel Ventures

Matthew Codd (host)

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Find out more about my business, Cosmic Partners