Innovation performance in new ventures is not merely a function of market opportunity or technological readiness; it is deeply embedded in the characteristics and networks of the founding team themselves. This review synthesizes existing theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence concerning how founder human capital—encompassing education

experience

and cognitive endowments—and social capital—covering network ties

structural positions

and relational assets—jointly shape

sometimes in contradictory ways

the innovative outputs of early-stage firms. Instead of treating these two forms of capital as independent predictors

we argue that their interplay frequently generates substitution

complementarity

or even friction effects

and these interaction patterns are further moderated by industry dynamics

institutional contexts

and venture maturity. We also identify several under-explored tensions in the literature: the diminishing returns of elite credentials in fast-moving sectors

the liability of over-embeddedness in closed networks

and the gender-based asymmetries in how social capital converts into innovation resources. By mapping these debates onto a unified framework

this review offers both a critical stocktaking and a set of propositions intended to guide future empirical work. Practical implications are drawn for founders assembling teams

for investors conducting due diligence

and for policymakers designing entrepreneurship support programs that go beyond financial subsidies.