Related, character is the key driver of how founders select investors now. : First Round's latest State of Startups report gives a lot of background on how today's venture-backed founders think and feel. The latest report, just released, is a survey of over 800 venture-backed founders. These founders have persevered in a volatile ecosystem where first round funding is tougher than ever, mega rounds and mega funds dominate the ecosystem, and the venture capital frontier is slowly moving to main street. The report gives you a great sense of what's on their mind. Here's some of the story behind the numbers.