• Morgan Stanley survey of 150 Series A+ founders in US, Canada found founder role becoming more complex as revenue growth stays top priority while capital raising, liquidity planning, talent needs, ownership tradeoffs, personal finances increasingly overlap.
• Pressure remains high, with 84% reporting continual pressure to make business succeed; one-third said they gave up too much equity, highlighting dilution, valuation concerns, investor fit as key decision risks.
• Liquidity path seen as less linear, with consistent, predictable financial performance cited as primary constraint on pursuing liquidity, ahead of market timing considerations.
• Trusted networks concentrated among small inner circles, yet mentorship, access to experienced operators linked to better outcomes, particularly at larger companies.
• AI flagged as critical by 95% of founders, yet only 23% said they feel very well supported on AI, marking widest support gap across challenges measured.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Morgan Stanley published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 202605071600BIZWIRE_USPR_____20260507_BW318806) on May 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.