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Seed to Series C: What VCs actually want from AI startups

AI investments hit $110 billion in 2024 () , and the funding landscape in 2025 is more competitive than ever. For early-stage startups, that means more money in the market but also more pressure to stand out. At TechCrunch Sessions: AI, Rebecca Bellan sat down with three experienced investors: Jill Chase, Partner at CapitalG; Kanu…

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AI investments hit $110 billion in 2024 () , and the funding landscape in 2025 is more competitive than ever. For early-stage startups, that means more money in the market but also more pressure to stand out.

At TechCrunch Sessions: AI, Rebecca Bellan sat down with three experienced investors: Jill Chase, Partner at CapitalG; Kanu Gulati, Partner at Khosla Ventures; and Sara Ittelson, Partner at Accel. They broke down what they are really looking for when evaluating AI startups from seed through Series C. Their message to founders? Forget the perfect pitch. Focus on building trust, surviving the hype cycle, and being ready for copycats the moment you find product-market fit.

Listen to the full episode of Equity () to hear about:

•

Why VCs say founders are over-indexing on pitch decks instead of relationships

•

What it takes to go up against big incumbents without getting crushed

•

Why consumer focus (and speed) still win, even in B2B AI

•

How agents and automation are already reshaping the startup playbook

Equity will be back Friday with our weekly news roundup, so stay tuned.

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday. 

Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts () , Overcast () , Spotify () and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X () and Threads () , at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here () .

Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We’d also like to thank TechCrunch’s audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you next time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ()

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CNET

Honor Magic V6 Unboxing (No Music ASMR)

The Honor Magic V6 wowed us in Barcelona at MWC. While it’s not officially available here in the US, we were still lucky enough to get our hands on one. Let’s quietly unbox it with CNET’s own Vanessa Hand Orellana. #honorphotography #asmrrelax #honormagicv6 #qualcomm #unboxing

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July 5, 2026

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The Honor Magic V6 wowed us in Barcelona at MWC. While it’s not officially available here in the US, we were still lucky enough to get our hands on one. Let’s quietly unbox it with CNET’s own Vanessa Hand Orellana. #honorphotography #asmrrelax #honormagicv6 #qualcomm #unboxing

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CNET

How This Dental Robot Drills Teeth for Crowns

A new dental robot is being developed to allow dentists to create crowns in fewer visits. 0:00 Introduction to the Dental Robot 0:04 How MIR Works Inside the Mouth 0:13 Safety Features and Movement 0:22 The Drilling Process and Testing 1:00 Benefits for Patients and Dentists 1:46 Surgical Robots in Medicine 1:50 Conclusion and Discussion…

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July 5, 2026

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A new dental robot is being developed to allow dentists to create crowns in fewer visits.

0:00 Introduction to the Dental Robot
0:04 How MIR Works Inside the Mouth
0:13 Safety Features and Movement
0:22 The Drilling Process and Testing
1:00 Benefits for Patients and Dentists
1:46 Surgical Robots in Medicine
1:50 Conclusion and Discussion

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#dental #robot #healthcare

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CNET

iCloud Storage Full? Do This First Before Paying Apple

If your iCloud storage is full, there’s an easy way to clear space on your iPhone before resorting to paying for more storage. CNET’s Bridget Carey’s quick tips target the largest videos and photos first. 1:21 How to get big video files off of your iPhone and iCloud 2:31 Move videos and photos from your…

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3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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If your iCloud storage is full, there’s an easy way to clear space on your iPhone before resorting to paying for more storage. CNET’s Bridget Carey’s quick tips target the largest videos and photos first.

1:21 How to get big video files off of your iPhone and iCloud
2:31 Move videos and photos from your iPhone to a portable hard drive
3:26 Clear duplicate photos and screenshots
3:52 Free up iCloud space: how to clear out old screenshots
4:16
4:38 Delete photos and videos from your iCloud forever
5:06 iOS 27 Siri app
5:44 Image Playground
6:19 Apple One family sharing

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#apple #storagesolutions

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