Connect with us

Science & Technology

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…

Published

1 year ago

on

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 ()

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CNET

Unboxing the $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

Apple announced the new AirPods 5 base model will remain at $129, but the step-up $149 model with a wireless charging case and Find My speaker might be more your style. Both will have active noise cancellation (ANC), which is an upgrade from the AirPods 4. Let’s unbox them with CNET executive editor David Carnoy.…

Published

17 hours ago

on

September 10, 2026

By

Apple announced the new AirPods 5 base model will remain at $129, but the step-up $149 model with a wireless charging case and Find My speaker might be more your style. Both will have active noise cancellation (ANC), which is an upgrade from the AirPods 4. Let’s unbox them with CNET executive editor David Carnoy. #apple #appleevent #airpods #unboxing #airpods5

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com:

Continue Reading

Science & Technology

Robotics Won’t Have a “ChatGPT Moment”

Mbodi co-founder Xavier Chi says there’s a fundamental difference between the two technologies: robotics doesn’t have an internet of data to learn from. Instead, he expects the robotics revolution to happen one real-world deployment at a time. Watch the full episode:

Published

19 hours ago

on

September 10, 2026

By

Mbodi co-founder Xavier Chi says there’s a fundamental difference between the two technologies: robotics doesn’t have an internet of data to learn from.
Instead, he expects the robotics revolution to happen one real-world deployment at a time.

Watch the full episode:

Continue Reading

CNET

iPhone 18 Pro First Look: The Best iPhone Camera Yet!

Apple upgrades its 18 Pro line with improved camera aperture and AI capabilities. CNET’s Patrick Holland unpacks the main things you need to know about the latest iPhone 18 Pro handsets. You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below Apple iPhone 17, US Version, 256GB, eSIM, Mist Blue- Unlocked (Renewed) *Cnet may…

Published

20 hours ago

on

September 10, 2026

By

Apple upgrades its 18 Pro line with improved camera aperture and AI capabilities. CNET’s Patrick Holland unpacks the main things you need to know about the latest iPhone 18 Pro handsets.

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Apple iPhone 17, US Version, 256GB, eSIM, Mist Blue- Unlocked (Renewed)
*Cnet may get commission on this offer.

Read more about it on CNET.com
I Tried the iPhone 18 Pro’s New Deluxe Camera and Shot Photos With Starbursts

0:00 Introduction
0:18 Variable Aperture
1:20 Pricing Increase
1:56 Other Design Updates
2:52 iOS 27 Goodies
3:30 Battery Life
3:55 Conclusion

Video Credits:
Host: Patrick Holland
Scripted by: Patrick Holland
Producer: Celso Bulgatti
Camera: Celso Bulgatti
Video Editor: JD Christison
Thumbnail Designer: Zooey Liao

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com:

#iphone18 #iphone18pro #appleiphone #appleevent2026 #firstlook

Continue Reading

Trending