Steven's Angel Investing Strategy
Be the visionary's kingmaker. 1000X+ returns only.
Knowledge Base
Investment Philosophy
Investment Philosophy
Identity
Visionary's Kingmaker. I find founders who can see the future — and I help them get there.
The Three Pillars
Every investment must pass all three. No exceptions.
| Pillar | Question | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Visionary | Can I SEE their future? | Founder's vision is tangible, inevitable, vivid |
| 1000X | Can this return 1000x? | Massive market, outlier potential, power law bet |
| Kingmaker | Can I change their trajectory? | My value add is material, not marginal |
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ VISIONARY'S KINGMAKER FILTER │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ VISIONARY: Can I SEE their future? [ ] │
│ 1000X: Is this a 1000x opportunity? [ ] │
│ KINGMAKER: Can I change their trajectory? [ ] │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALL THREE = INVEST │
│ ANY FAIL = PASS │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Pillar 1: Visionary
The Test: When the founder talks about their vision, can I see the future they see?
This is the rarest quality. Out of 1000+ founders I've met, only a handful have it.
The Visionary Filter
| Ask | Listen For |
|---|---|
| "Why are you building this?" | Origin story, obsession source, personal stake |
| "What does the world look like if you win?" | Clarity of end state, ambition of vision |
| "Why will you be the one to do it?" | Conviction vs hope, self-awareness |
| "What do you see that others don't?" | Contrarian insight, independent thinking |
| "Tell me about your parents." | Source of drive, chip on shoulder, hunger |
When I See It
- I stop taking notes — I'm in their story
- I can describe their future as vividly as they did
- Their conviction feels inevitable, not aspirational
- I leave thinking about their vision, not their metrics
When I Don't See It
- They describe features, not futures
- The vision sounds reasonable but not vivid
- I'm evaluating their pitch, not experiencing their world
- Their "why" is market opportunity, not personal mission
Visionary Signals
| Signal | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Immigrant / 2nd gen | Hunger, chip on shoulder, nothing to fall back on |
| Survived near-death | Proves they won't quit |
| Declined acquisition offers | Long-term conviction over short-term money |
| Mission beyond money | 1000x requires irrational commitment |
| Would keep building with $100M in bank | True obsession, not opportunism |
Pillar 2: 1000X
Target: 1000x returns. Not 10x. Not 100x. Outliers only.
Power Law Thinking
- One winner pays for all losses
- Median outcomes don't matter
- Swing big or don't swing
- Better to miss 10 good deals than fund 1 mediocre one
1000X Requirements
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| TAM > $10B | Can't 1000x in a small pond |
| Contrarian timing | Consensus ideas already priced in |
| Technical moat | Defensibility at scale |
| Category winner potential | #2 doesn't return 1000x |
Pass on "Safe" Bets
- Reasonable valuations with reasonable outcomes
- "Solid" companies with incremental innovation
- Founders optimizing for lifestyle or modest exits
- Markets that are "large enough"
Pillar 3: Kingmaker
The Question: Can I materially change this company's trajectory?
If I can't be the investor they remember, I'm just another check. Pass.
My Leverage Points
| Edge | How I Help |
|---|---|
| Distribution | 800+ CTO intros can unlock first 10 enterprise customers |
| Technical Scaling | Founding engineer at 3 unicorns — I've seen the problems before they hit |
| GTM | Built $10M ARR in brutal market — I know what actually works |
| Network | DeepMind access for AI plays |
Kingmaker Fit by Deal Type
| Deal Type | Strong Fit | Weak Fit |
|---|---|---|
| B2B/SaaS | CTO network opens doors | Consumer plays |
| AI/Infrastructure | DeepMind network, technical depth | Hardware, biotech |
| Early GTM | $10M ARR experience | Post-PMF scaling |
| Technical scaling | 3x unicorn founding engineer | Non-technical products |
When to Pass
- My value add is nice-to-have, not need-to-have
- They already have the networks I'd provide
- The problem space is outside my expertise
- I'd be just filling allocation, not adding leverage
Reference Points
Founders I Identified Early
I joined these founders as an early employee — bet my career on them before it was obvious:
George Ruan (Honey → $4B exit to PayPal) — When I met George, his obsession and conviction were immediately visible. You could see his vision in the room. Rare.
Alex Israel (Metropolis → $5B+) — Same quality. Absolute conviction he would solve the problem. The vision was tangible when you spoke with him.
Ryan Waliany (Ambiguous) — Generational founder. When Ryan talks about Ambiguous, you can see the future he's describing. The next Satya.
Generational Archetypes
Elon Musk — South African immigrant. Bet everything on industries everyone said would fail. First principles thinking. SpaceX nearly bankrupted him; he put his last money in. Tesla almost died multiple times. Never quit.
Jensen Huang — Taiwanese immigrant. Founded NVIDIA at 30, pivoted to AI/GPUs before anyone believed. 30+ years of conviction through multiple cycles when the market said he was wrong. Now $3T company.
Both embody all three pillars: visionary conviction you could see, 1000X outcomes, and they found their kingmakers early.
Quick Filters
Before deep diligence:
| Filter | Threshold |
|---|---|
| TAM | > $1B minimum, $10B+ preferred |
| Stage | Pre-seed to Seed (kingmaker leverage highest) |
| Check size | $10K - $50K |
| Technical founder | Required for technical products |
What I'm Not Looking For
- Diversification (defeats power law)
- "Safe" portfolio companies
- Deals where I'm just filling a round
- Founders who want a comfortable journey
- Consensus opportunities at fair valuations
- Founders who'd quit after a $50M offer
Due Diligence Guideline
Due Diligence Guideline
The Only Question That Matters
Can I SEE their future?
When the founder talks about their vision, do I stop taking notes and start experiencing their world? This is the rarest quality. Out of 1000+ founders, only a handful have it.
Everything else is secondary. If I can't see the vision, the best market and the best terms won't matter.
The Three Gates
Every investment must pass all three. In order.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DUE DILIGENCE FLOW │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ GATE 1: VISIONARY Can I SEE their future? [ ] │
│ GATE 2: 1000X Is this a 1000x opportunity? [ ] │
│ GATE 3: KINGMAKER Can I change trajectory? [ ] │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ALL THREE = INVEST │
│ ANY FAIL = PASS │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Gate 1: Visionary Filter
This is the most important gate. Get on a call with the founder before doing deep diligence. Don't waste hours researching someone whose vision you can't see.
The Vision Test
| Ask | Listen For |
|---|---|
| "Why are you building this?" | Origin story, obsession source, personal stake |
| "What does the world look like if you win?" | Clarity of end state, ambition of vision |
| "Why will you be the one to do it?" | Conviction vs hope, self-awareness |
| "What do you see that others don't?" | Contrarian insight, independent thinking |
| "Tell me about your parents." | Source of drive, chip on shoulder, hunger |
When I See It
- I stop taking notes — I'm in their story
- I can describe their future as vividly as they did
- Their conviction feels inevitable, not aspirational
- I leave thinking about their vision, not their metrics
When I Don't See It
- They describe features, not futures
- The vision sounds reasonable but not vivid
- I'm evaluating their pitch, not experiencing their world
- Their "why" is market opportunity, not personal mission
Visionary Signals
| Signal | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Immigrant / 2nd gen | Hunger, chip on shoulder, nothing to fall back on |
| Survived near-death | Proves they won't quit |
| Declined acquisition offers | Long-term conviction over short-term money |
| Mission beyond money | 1000x requires irrational commitment |
| Would keep building with $100M in bank | True obsession, not opportunism |
Decision: If I can't see their vision → Pass. Don't proceed to Gate 2.
Gate 2: 1000X Filter
Only after passing the Visionary Filter. Is this opportunity big enough?
Quick Checks
| Check | Threshold |
|---|---|
| TAM | > $10B (can't 1000x in a small pond) |
| Timing | Contrarian — consensus ideas already priced in |
| Category | Winner potential — #2 doesn't return 1000x |
| Moat | Technical defensibility at scale |
Market Research
- Independent market size validation
- Competitor landscape
- Why now? What changed?
- Regulatory considerations
Traction Validation
- Revenue quality (recurring vs. one-time)
- Growth trajectory
- Customer testimonials
- Unit economics
Decision: If best case is 50x → Pass. Don't proceed to Gate 3.
Gate 3: Kingmaker Filter
Only after passing Gates 1 and 2. Can I materially change their trajectory?
My Leverage Points
| Edge | How I Help |
|---|---|
| Distribution | 800+ CTO intros can unlock first 10 enterprise customers |
| Technical Scaling | Founding engineer at 3 unicorns — seen the problems before |
| GTM | Built $10M ARR in brutal market — know what works |
| Network | DeepMind access for AI plays |
Kingmaker Fit
| Deal Type | Strong Fit | Weak Fit |
|---|---|---|
| B2B/SaaS | CTO network opens doors | Consumer plays |
| AI/Infrastructure | DeepMind network, technical depth | Hardware, biotech |
| Early GTM | $10M ARR experience | Post-PMF scaling |
| Technical scaling | 3x unicorn founding engineer | Non-technical products |
Decision: If I can't be the investor they remember → Pass.
Pre-Commit Checklist
After all three gates pass:
- Customer reference call
- Cap table and prior investors reviewed
- Legal review of terms
- Check with other investors in the round
- Terms negotiated
Red Flags
Automatic pass regardless of vision:
| Category | Flag |
|---|---|
| Team | No technical capability for tech product |
| Team | Would quit after a $50M offer |
| Market | TAM < $1B |
| Product | Easily replicable by incumbents |
| Traction | High churn, declining metrics |
| Terms | Unusual control provisions |
Not a red flag: Solo founders. Many great companies built by one.
Green Flags
Strengthen conviction after vision test passes:
| Signal | Why |
|---|---|
| Immigrant / 2nd gen founder | Hunger, nothing to fall back on |
| Contrarian bet | Not consensus, not priced in |
| Technical founder | Can build v1, understands depth |
| Survived near-death | Won't quit |
| Declined acquisition | Long-term conviction |
Investor Profile
Investor Profile
About Me
I'm Steven — 3x unicorn founding engineer turned angel investor. I write $10K–$50K checks into pre-seed and seed rounds where I can be more than just capital.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlin14/
My Background
As a founding engineer:
- Honey → $4B exit to PayPal
- Metropolis → $5B+ valuation
- Rubicon Project → IPO
As a founder:
- Built Worca to $10M ARR since 2022 in a hyper-competitive market
What I Bring
| Edge | How It Helps You |
|---|---|
| 800+ CTO network | Warm intros to your first 10 enterprise customers |
| Technical scaling | I've seen the problems before they hit — architecture, infra, team |
| GTM experience | Built $10M ARR in a brutal market — I know what actually works |
| DeepMind access | Direct line to infrastructure team for AI/ML plays |
Best Fit
I'm most helpful for:
- B2B/SaaS needing enterprise distribution
- AI/infrastructure plays
- Technical scaling challenges
- Early GTM (pre-$1M ARR)
Not a Fit
- Consumer plays
- Hardware/biotech
- Post-PMF scaling (Series A+)
- Deals where I'd just be filling allocation
I invest in founders whose vision I can see. If that's you, let's talk.