Why some teams ship, and others stall — even with the same capital
Episode 22 of Time, Fuel, & Money pulls apart the quiet dysfunction inside non-dilutive funding, state incentives, and slow-moving VC processes. Deb, Karim, and Vassili break down how grant systems get gamed, why accountability fades over time, and how incentives drift away from actual product progress. With data on NIH neurosurgery funding and insights from real founder experiences, they outline what meaningful progress really looks like — and why most teams report “18 months to trial” forever.
This episode gives founders and funders a sharper lens for evaluating traction, effort, and integrity.
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