Through the Intecrator program — our venture builder initiative with EY — I have worked closely with dozens of early-stage startups. The mistakes that kill companies are remarkably consistent:
1. Building before validating. Too many founders spend months on product before talking to ten potential customers. Reverse this.
2. Ignoring unit economics. If you cannot explain how you will make money on each transaction at scale, your business model is a hope, not a plan.
3. Hiring for skills instead of alignment. Early employees need to believe in the mission. Skills can be taught; conviction cannot.
4. Raising too much too early. Excess capital masks product-market fit problems. Stay lean until you have evidence of real demand.
5. Neglecting legal structure. IP ownership, co-founder agreements, and data compliance are not things to figure out later. They are foundations.