Comment by matrix_overload

   -> went to stanford or harvard -> funded (no questions asked)

   -> held director level at faang -> funded

It's the chain of trust. It means that the investor is already 2-3 handshakes away from the founder, and hence can discuss certain things that require utmost discretion, and have reasonable grounds to believe they won't get double-crossed on that (because it would erode away the trust along the handshake path).