Your Seed Round Now Needs to Last 3+ Years: What 3,365 Startups Tell Us About the New Series A Timeline

Summary

Carta’s analysis of 3,365 U.S. startups shows the median time from seed to Series A has more than doubled, with 39% now taking three or more years—up from 19% in 2019. The shift reflects higher VC expectations, now demanding 5× growth and $2‑3 M ARR before a Series A, forcing founders to extend seed runway to 36 + months or raise bridge rounds. Burn rates must shrink to roughly $75‑100 K per month to sustain a three‑year seed, a stark contrast to the previous 18‑24‑month runway norm. While a minority of AI‑focused and hot‑category firms still close Series A in under two years, the new baseline for most startups is a three‑year horizon.