What Investors Really Want From Founders in 2026 — Giles Bourne

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Mike and Giles also explore what investors really mean by “traction.” It is not just about showing an aggressive hockey-stick forecast. Investors want evidence that the company is learning, customers are engaging, revenue is moving in the right direction, and the founders understand how to manage capital responsibly. Giles also shares why simple storytelling matters so much: founders need to know their story deeply enough to communicate it clearly, naturally, and with conviction.

The conversation covers the point where technical founders often hit a wall: they may deeply understand the product, but not yet understand the next customer segment. Giles explains why that moment often requires new commercial expertise, a different go-to-market strategy, or even an additional co-founder.

They also dig into founding-team dynamics — why complementary skills matter, why listening and mutual respect are essential, and why founders should think about difficult scenarios before problems arise.

The episode closes on a bigger ambition: Giles’ belief that Australia has the talent to make technology a much stronger pillar of the economy. Through Scalare, the Australian Technologies Competition, The Founders Union, and the wider startup ecosystem, the opportunity is to give Australian founders more capital, expertise, community, and support to build globally significant companies from Australia.

In this episode: What investors really look for in founders Why resilience matters more in 2026 How tighter funding markets are changing startup behaviour Why more founders are bootstrapping for longer How to know when it is time to pivot What traction actually looks like to investors Why customer evidence matters more than projections How founders should tell their story Why practice is critical when pitching When technical founders need commercial help How to approach a new customer segment What makes a strong founding team Why complementary skills beat founder similarity The importance of listening and mutual respect How Australia can build a stronger technology ecosystem

If you’re a founder, operator, investor, or growth leader navigating the current startup environment, this episode is packed with practical lessons on building a company that can survive, adapt, and ultimately win.