Venture investors want the prospect of a high return on their capital. Whether it's by investing in "the next AirBnB" - a business that can on its own scale to

Venture investors want the prospect of a high return on their capital. Whether it's by investing in "the next AirBnB" - a business that can on its own scale to billions in revenue - or by investing in a company whose technology innovation can be sold to Apple or Google one day doesn't matter. What matters is the price you paid vs. the price you sell at. The direct revenue potential of the startup's product vision is not the only determinant of value. That being said, the article is right to point out that not all companies are a good candidate for VC. You have to show the investor that your shares can be worth dramatically more in a few years than they are today. Why should they believe you? It's not wrong to say "because Apple will buy us for 50x," if you can articulate that outcome convincingly.