Top Things Investors Look For: Beyond the Pitch Deck

In the fast-moving world of web3 and tokenized ecosystems, it takes more than a flashy pitch or a well-designed whitepaper to convince seasoned investors. At Yellow Capital, we evaluate dozens of projects weekly, and while each one is unique, the fundamentals we care about tend to stay the same.

Here are the top things we, as well as most serious investors, look for before committing.

1. Strong Token Utility: More Than Just Hype

Too many projects launch tokens that exist primarily to ride a wave of speculation. At Yellow Capital, we’re not interested in empty hype. We’re interested in real utility.

Investors want to see that the token has a clear, compelling use case within the ecosystem. This could mean powering a decentralized network, facilitating access to a service, incentivizing behavior, or securing consensus mechanisms. The key is that the token is integral to how the product works, not an afterthought slapped on for fundraising.

If the token can be removed without affecting the protocol’s value proposition, that’s a red flag.

We ask: Why does this token exist? What would break if it didn’t?

2. The Founding Team: Execution Is Everything

A brilliant idea is only as strong as the team behind it. Experienced investors know that execution risk is one of the biggest threats to early-stage ventures.

We look for founders who have deep domain expertise, a track record of building, and the grit to navigate the unpredictable crypto landscape. This doesn’t always mean a LinkedIn full of Ivy League names – it means strategic thinking, the ability to iterate fast, and the emotional intelligence to lead a team.

Investors pay close attention to:

• The team’s prior startups or products
• How well they communicate their vision
• How they respond to market feedback and stress

We ask: Can this team ship product, grow traction, and pivot when needed?

3. Strategic Partners: Who’s Backing You Matters

Partnerships can act as an early signal of credibility and future scalability. Whether it’s investors, advisors, or ecosystem partners, we look at who else is placing trust in the project.

• If reputable funds or angel investors are involved, that’s a strong signal.
• Partnerships with other web3 infrastructure projects, platforms, or DAOs can suggest market alignment.
• Real commercial or technical collaborations—not just logo placement—carry weight.

We’re cautious of inflated partner lists with no depth or follow-through.

We ask: Who’s aligned with this team? Are these just names, or meaningful alliances?

4. Community & Marketing Strategy: Building the Right Buzz

Even the best tech can die quietly without the right go-to-market. Community is the lifeblood of any crypto project, and the strongest ones begin cultivating it early.

A robust marketing strategy should focus on:

• Educating users and early adopters
• Establishing presence across relevant channels (Twitter, Discord, Telegram, etc.)
• Activating grassroots support through real interaction, not just airdrops
• Evolving narratives as the project grows
  

We’re looking for signs of real engagement, not just vanity metrics. If a project is getting traction organically before the token launch, that’s a very good sign.

We ask: Do they know how to build momentum and keep users excited over time?

At Yellow Capital, we don’t chase trends – we back fundamentals. The projects that excite us combine technical merit with a clear business case, strong leadership, credible partners, and the ability to build and maintain a vibrant community.

If you’re building and you check all four of these boxes, let’s talk.