AI investments hit $110 billion in 2024, and the funding panorama in 2025 is extra aggressive than ever. For early-stage startups, which means extra money out there, but in addition extra strain to face out.
At iinfoai Periods: AI, Rebecca Bellan sat down with three skilled traders: Jill Chase, Companion at CapitalG; Kanu Gulati, Companion at Khosla Ventures; and Sara Ittelson, Companion at Accel. They broke down what they’re actually in search of when evaluating AI startups from seed by way of Collection C. Their message to founders? Neglect the right pitch. Concentrate on constructing belief, surviving the hype cycle, and being prepared for copycats the second you discover product-market match.
Take heed to the complete episode of Fairness to listen to about:
- Why VCs say founders ought to cease obsessing over the right pitch and concentrate on constructing actual relationships.
- What it takes to go up in opposition to massive incumbents with out getting crushed.
- Why shopper focus (and pace) nonetheless win, even in B2B AI.
- How brokers and automation are already reshaping the startup playbook.
Fairness might be again Friday with our weekly information roundup, so keep tuned.
Fairness is iinfoai’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts each Wednesday and Friday.
Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all of the casts. You can also observe Fairness on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the complete episode transcript, for individuals who favor studying over listening, take a look at our full archive of episodes right here.
