Pre-seed is where uncertainty is highest and the cost of false precision is lowest. We do not pretend a spreadsheet can substitute for judgment. We do look for a short list of signals that separate noise from a company worth underwriting.
A non-obvious truth
Most decks restate the consensus. We want a belief that is specific, falsifiable, and slightly uncomfortable—something the market will care about when it wakes up. If everyone already agrees with you, you are late or you are commodity.
Proof of agency
Ideas are cheap. Shipping under constraint is not. We look for founders who make progress without permission: prototypes, design partners, early revenue, ugly demos that teach something real. Agency is the leading indicator; polish is lagging.
AI in the critical path
We invest in AI-native products—where models, agents, or data loops change the economics of the work. A thin UI over a public API is a feature, not a company. Durable advantage usually looks like workflow depth, proprietary feedback loops, or distribution that compounds.
Team shape over pedigree theater
We care whether the team can define a category, not whether the logo wall is impressive. Technical depth, product taste, and the ability to recruit are hard to fake over a few conversations. Ceremony is easy to fake.
How to reach us
Send the sharpest version of what you believe—not a novel. What is the edge, what have you made real, and what do you need next? hello@baus.ai