A candidate qualifies if it is operating-headquartered in New York City, has raised $50M+ cumulative external capital, was founded in 2011 or later, is not a fashion or apparel brand, and operates a consumer business that owns physical inventory or physical operations (DTC goods, food and beverage, pet, health and connected hardware, tech-enabled clinics and chains, or a marketplace). Public companies and PE-owned operators named by the operator are admitted; the finance-leader audience needs audited companies as much as pre-audit ones. Operator ruling (Paul Hsiao via Nathen Ho, 2026-09-16) supersedes the intake's private-only test.