Wow - I'm impressed! It is a rare sight on bitcointalk to see someone put that much 'business sense' into making an investment in cryptocurrency. Well done.

Being a computer science major will definitely make things easier on you, but because all tech can be copied, it is important to look at it from other angles, including ease-of-use. No one should have to "read the whitepaper" to invest in one of these projects. You may have the capability to read it with complete understanding, but if the team can't relay their message in such a way that everyone can comprehend the basic idea, how will they (the team) be able to take it any farther? Whitepaper... yes, but there also needs to be helpful beginner level explanations so everyone can get a basic understanding of what they are investing in. If a leader speaks and only the computer science majors can understand what is being said, how are they going to convince the world they have a solution to problem XX? Or, is it just another flashy tech 'solution', looking for a problem?

"Team member experience- Company experience - Background" Very important here is their experience before cryptocurrency, because they will need verifiable experience of the ability and drive required to operate on a global stage. An investment winner will have leadership that has a vast network of business connections. They will communicate in a way that makes everyone feel welcome, and have a solid business plan that is mapped out for years (though very few of the details will be made public - smart business).

The "Do your own research" comment, is said in almost every post to someone who is new or asking for advice, as a way to warn people that Peanut Butter and Jam Coin isn't going to the moon, despite what the bagholders say. 

90% of startups fail within the first 10 years. In cryptocurrency, I would venture to say less than 10% of all launches had any plans to do anything at all, meaning 90% of all launches can't even call themselves a startup.. That doesn't leave many success stories...

Welcome to bitcointalk...