Backing Builders Who Tackle Complexity The Verb Ventures founding partner shares his approach to early-stage investing, advice for first-time founders, and why the future of global trade is one of tech's biggest untapped opportunities.

As Founding Partner at UK-based VC firm Verb Ventures, Alex Chikunov focuses on startups transforming the nuts and bolts of the global economy - from B2B marketplaces to digital infrastructure in supply chains and trade. Drawing on his experience as an investor, entrepreneur, and corporate finance advisor, Alex brings a conviction-led approach to early-stage investing. In this Entrepreneur UK Q&A, he offers practical advice for first-time fundraisers, explains what he looks for in founding teams, and highlights the tech trends reshaping how the world moves goods.

What are the top three things founders should focus on when preparing to raise their first round of funding?
When you're gearing up for a first raise, don't just think about decks and data. Start building real relationships with potential investors early. Keep a handful of them updated on progress long before you open the round - not only do they become your first believers, but some will act as your mentors, advisors and guides who help you avoid mistakes, get through the prep and even help you to make this first push.

Second, real founder-market fit isn't a slogan you put in a pitch - it's about seeing something in the industry that others don't. The strongest signal you can give is an insight competitors consistently miss. The strongest is when you have actually lived through this problem and can articulate it based on your own personal experience.

And finally, ground your story in proof. Show a tight feedback loop with users and highlight the metrics that actually matter - retention, engagement, willingness to pay - instead of surface-level vanity numbers. That's what builds conviction and solidifies your story.

When evaluating early-stage start-ups, what key factors do you prioritize?
At the very early stage, we care most about the clarity of a founder's conviction. Can they articulate the problem with depth, and is that insight rooted in lived experience or genuine discovery rather than just chasing a trend? Early traction helps, but what really stands out is when a founder can explain with confidence why this problem matters and why now is the moment to solve it.

How should founders handle a "no" from an investor? What's the best way to build long-term relationships, even if they don't secure investment straight away?
No is the second best answer as it doesn't leave you in the dark, but there are really two types of 'no.' A flat no without context usually means no interest - you don't need to chase that. But when an investor takes time to give thoughtful feedback, that's the start of a relationship. The best way to nurture it is through consistent, engaging updates: show how you're addressing concerns, share milestones, and occasionally invite their perspective - ask for a call, talk through new features - show numbers in the meantime. Even if they didn't invest at first, this builds trust - and those investors often come back in later rounds when they've seen your progress over time.

What start-up sector or trend excites you the most at the moment, and why?
I'm most excited about startups working in global trade and supply chains. It's a foundational part of the economy, representing roughly a third of global GDP, yet in many cases it's still run on faxes and spreadsheets. That contrast with the higher end of tech - where we're talking about AI agents and frontier models — is striking. Bringing transparency and efficiency into how goods move around the world is a huge opportunity, and even small improvements here can create outsized impact.

Which start-ups that you funded this year excite you the most - and why?
Given we launched Fund II this year, we've already closed four new deals (non follow-on), and honestly they're all exciting. To highlight a couple:
SkySelect is modernising one of the world's most inefficient, high-value supply chains - aircraft parts - which is a perfect fit for our thesis on B2B infrastructure and procurement platforms.
ApFusion is doing the same in auto parts, another fragmented, opaque, and massive category. Both combine marketplace dynamics with workflow and AI agents to replace phone-driven supply chains, cutting cycle times, improving availability and price transparency, and freeing up working capital.

We'll share more on the rest of the Fund II cohort soon, but overall we're fired up about building the rails that make global trade more efficient.