The VC Whisperer Who Sees Tomorrow’s Winners TODAY

When Accel’s Sonali De Rycker talks, the startup world STOPS AND LISTENS. In a firecracker conversation with TechCrunch’s editor-in-chief, this investment legend dropped truth bombs about spotting game-changers in today’s hyper-competitive tech thunderdome.

“The best founders don’t just ride waves – they CREATE tsunamis that reshape entire industries.”

Sonali De Rycker, Partner at Accel

Her 3-Part Formula for Spotting Future Giants:

• The X-Ray Vision Test: Can she see the company dominating its space in 5 years when others see just a scrappy startup?
• The Founder Fire Check: Does the team burn with an obsession that keeps them coding at 3 AM?
• The Global Domination Potential: Will this play in Peoria AND Paris – or is it just a local novelty?

Why Most Investors Get It WRONG

While others chase vanity metrics, De Rycker hunts for category creators – startups that don’t just enter markets but invent them. She looks for that rare combo of:

• Founders with PhD-level depth in their space
• Products so good they make you say “Why didn’t I think of that?”
• Business models that scale like wildfire across borders

The Hard Truth About Global Scaling

Going worldwide isn’t about slapping translations on your app. De Rycker’s portfolio companies win by:

• Building local dream teams in each market
• Customizing without losing their core DNA
• Moving at startup speed even when they’re no longer startups

“The moment you think you’ve ‘made it’ is the moment someone eats your lunch. True champions run like they’re always one step behind.”

Sonali De Rycker on founder mentality

Your Move, Future Unicorn

For founders reading this: The bar is HIGH but the opportunity is MASSIVE. The question isn’t “Can I get funding?” but “Am I building something that will make Sonali’s spidey senses tingle?”