Proof of identity is essential in today's world, but it doesn't need to include personal details; cryptographic proofs can verify humanity without linking to other identities.

Providing social proof, such as the number of patents approved using the AI, can significantly increase user trust in a service that involves high-stakes outcomes like patent filing.

Evidence of seriousness in founders can include leaving a job to work full-time on their startup or showing progress in multiple applications.

Having evidence of having shipped a product and gained customers makes your application significantly stronger than just polishing your application without real progress.

Concrete ideas can be validated or falsified quickly, providing clear direction for teams and enabling faster progress in the ideation stage.

Including social proof in sales emails, such as past experiences or notable achievements, can enhance credibility and authority in the eyes of potential customers.

When you're a non-technical founder, demonstrating user data is crucial; it proves that people are using your product and validates its usefulness.

I look for evidence that founders are action-oriented and have actually built something, rather than just asking for permission to work on their startup.

Convincing someone that you might be the one to beat the odds can lead to success, whether in recruiting, fundraising, or product adjustments. I just want to go somewhere and see somebody that I don't know using something that I made and have it be kind of useful; that is what I thought was really exciting.