Investor’s question for a start-up, to which 3-, 8-, 35- and 49-/7-Down reply “Yes!”‘

DOES IT SCALE?

Think about what a venture capitalist might ask to gauge whether a business can handle rapid growth without collapsing under demand. The answer is a common phrase in tech and start-up circles.

This clue mimics a real investor’s key concern when evaluating a start-up: whether the business can grow efficiently. The answer "DOES IT SCALE?" is phrased as a question, and the referenced Down answers (3-, 8-, 35-, and 49-/7-Down) all respond with "Yes!"—implying those entries are things that do scale (like profits, users, or systems). The wordplay hinges on treating the grid’s intersecting answers as enthusiastic replies to the investor’s query, tying the theme together. It’s a clever way to blend crossword mechanics with startup culture.