🎯Today's Venture Capital Pulse
Updated 2h agoWhat's happening: AI fuels record $119.5B venture fundraising despite fewer rounds
Venture capital fundraising jumped 16.9% to $119.5 billion in 2025, the strongest recovery since the 2022 market reset. The total number of rounds fell 41% to 4,859, concentrating capital in larger AI‑focused financings, with AI startups capturing 58% of Series D cash and median valuations rising across all stages.
Also developing:
By the numbers: OpenAI raises $110B in corporate funding
Podcast•Oct 24, 2025•1h 16m
20Growth: How to Build a Paid Marketing Machine: ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) 101 | The Rise of User Generated...
In this episode, growth veteran Sandy Diao shares the biggest lessons she learned scaling products at Pinterest, Meta, and Descript, emphasizing how to craft strong growth hypotheses and avoid common strategic pitfalls. She breaks down the fundamentals of Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), explains when a channel is a good fit, and dives into the rise of user‑generated content and the realities of TikTok advertising. Diao also offers practical guidance on hiring for growth, outlining the right timing and roles to bring on board. Throughout, she blends data‑driven frameworks with real‑world examples, giving listeners a playbook for building a sustainable paid‑marketing machine.
By The Twenty Minute VC (20VC)
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Keep Updating Investors to Sustain Belief During Hard Times
Did some of the best start-ups like Figma, Stripe, etc. take years to get to any material revenue? Yes. That happens — and it can work out. But I don’t think they stopped sending investor updates. So far, I’ve seen 0 success from...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 24, 2025
First Decacorn Milestone: LongJourneyVC Celebrates Success
Let's fucking go!! Proud of @ChaseLochmiller and his whole team. You've come a long way on your journey from your gas to cash strategy and now you are the backbone of some of the most important infrastructure in the...
By Cyan Banister
Podcast•Oct 23, 2025•1h 28m
20VC: Why VC Today Is Worse Than 2021 | Why Vertical SaaS Is a Bad Investment Today | Why We...
The episode critiques the current venture‑capital climate, arguing it’s as over‑hyped as the 2021 COVID boom and warning that vertical SaaS and legal‑SaaS investments are now unattractive. Host Harry Stebbings and guests discuss Revolut’s $3 bn raise at a $75 bn valuation...
By The Twenty Minute VC (20VC)
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Prioritize Strategic Fit Over Valuation in Exits
Selling your business or closing a capital raise transaction isn't just about valuation, it's also about overall fit. When talking with buyers, make sure you understand what their strategic objectives will be moving forward. Verify that they share your values and...
By Michael Lyon
Social•Oct 24, 2025
From Toys to Lifesaving Drones: Keller’s Unlikely Pivot
When @Keller pivoted his robotic toy company to delivering blood with autonomous drones, he had no experience with aviation or healthcare. ~10 years later, @Zipline has made millions of life-saving deliveries, and is now reinventing global logistics with their Platform 2. Keller...
By Sequoia Capital
Podcast•Oct 23, 2025•1h 11m
Marc Andreessen and Amjad Masad: English As the New Programming Language
In this episode Marc Andreessen, Erik Torenberg, and Replit CEO Amjad Masad explore how AI agents are reshaping programming, arguing that English‑based prompts are becoming the new coding language. Masad explains how reinforcement learning unlocked reasoning in large models, how...
By a16z Podcast
Social•Oct 24, 2025
1500+ Pitch Decks Uploaded, Get Real-Time VC Feedback
Woo-hoo!! Crossed 1,500 VC Pitch Decks uploaded to SaaStr AI VC -> https://t.co/XzJ5d0OYvZ Get real time feedback on your deck, benchmarking against 1000s of rounds, and optional intros to the best VCs https://t.co/BIC0fmziG2
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Bootstrapped AI SaaS Duo Generates $200K Profit
What’s better than one B2B SaaS? Two B2B SaaS. Two profitable AI SaaS duo for content creation + SEO automation. > $252K TTM revenue > $200K TTM profit > 20% YoY growth > 5K+ customers Bootstrapped + Lean Listed on @acquiredotcom: https://t.co/hVgmr7nPE3 https://t.co/gTiI2EJmqJ
By Andrew Gazdecki
Blog•Oct 23, 2025
Product-Market Fit Is No Longer Static
Venture investor Tomasz Tunguz argues product-market fit (PMF) is no longer a one-time milestone but a continuous condition because rapid advances in AI are constantly reshaping customer needs and technical possibilities. He points to firms that lost PMF between 2021–2024,...
By Tomasz Tunguz
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Results, Not Connections, Secure VC Funding Instantly
You don't have to know the 'right people' anymore to get funded If you've got the results -- we'll tell you And introduce you to top VCs. In minutes. SaaStr AI VC. Sign up here -> https://t.co/Eg5TFmnXmm https://t.co/4KllqrnwZp
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Smart Investors Weight Outcomes, Chase Big Wins over Many Misses
The reason (good) investors are more optimistic is that, for them, the outcomes are weighted. If you're just measuring percent correct, you win by predicting startups will fail. But if the outcomes are weighted, you look for big wins even...
By Paul Graham
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Velvet Offers Adobe‑Premiere‑Level AI Video Creation in Seconds
Velvet (@Velvet_Videos) is building the Adobe Premiere of AI video, allowing creative teams to generate and edit dozens of cinematic AI videos in seconds. https://t.co/lYvqpwSEXb Congrats on the launch, @lrmantovani_ & @luke_tux! (They made this launch video using Velvet by spending ~$50 in...
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Contrarian Founders Succeed by Staying True to Vision
Some of the biggest breakthroughs, like OpenAI and SpaceX, started as ideas most people thought were impossible. But the best founders stay contrarian long enough to be right, learning from criticism but staying true to their convictions and users who believe...
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Kids' Drawings Become Personalized Animated Edutainment on Pixley
Pixley (@PixleyAI) turns kids’ drawings into personalized animated cartoons that teach and entertain. Hundreds of families have brought their stories to life on Pixley, making it the go-to platform for edutainment. Congrats on the launch, @PranitAgrawal4 & @Krish5Iyengar! https://t.co/V5PEvD4UnH
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Stay Close to Customers: Let Market Feedback Guide
Always be close to your customers. Don't build a product nobody wants. Too many startups fail from this. The market has the feedback you need to hear.
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Scaling Brings Setbacks—Own Them, No Excuses
As you scale, you likely will experience: - co-founders that let you down - investors that throw you under a bus - partners that let you down - much better funded competitors - key team members that need to move on Hard not to use an...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Strategic Operator Wanted as Growth & Biz Ops Lead
📣 KEY ROLE at 776CO: JUMP is looking for a strategic and execution-focused operator to be growth & biz ops lead (tell 'em I sent you!) https://t.co/Zp4yXl6Pks
By Alexis Ohanian
Social•Oct 24, 2025
Investing Early in Reusable Rockets Fuels Humanity's Future
Thanks @ABCSharkTank for having me in the tank last night 🦈 Had to shoutout @stoke_space, a 776co building reusable rockets that go toe-to-toe w/ SpaceX. We were their 1st investor b/c we saw a vision for humanity’s future Entrepreneurship at its best...
By Alexis Ohanian
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Product‑Market Fit Is Ongoing, Not a One‑Time Milestone
There's this notion that product market fit is this binary condition that once you pass the gate, you're done. And that's no longer the case. Product market fit is like United Miles. You continue to fly to maintain 1K. And...
By Tomasz Tunguz
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Back at Yale for 8th VC Class with Jorge
8th time back at Yale with Jorge M. for his VC class!
By Chris Fralic
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Crustdata Secures $6M Seed to Power Real-Time AI Data
Congrats to @chrispisarski, @thechowdhary, @manmohitg, and @crustdata on their $6M seed! Crustdata is building real-time B2B data APIs to power AI sales, recruiting, and investment agents. While traditional databases provide outdated data and aren’t built for signal-driven workflows, Crustdata’s real-time enrichment...
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Venture as a Product: Building a Dedicated Organization
"When we started a16z, we decided we wanted to treat venture as not only a craft, but also a product, and staff an organization set up for that goal" - @pmarca David is the best "venture as a product" builder I...
By Erik Torenberg
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Visible, Honest Leadership Accelerates Startup Growth
What I see CEOs at struggling start-ups do: - Go dark - Hide - Lash out - Tweet about lots of things non-work - Invest time on tiny expenses - Argue internally What should do: - Be Present - Be Honest - Be the Rock - Be Realistic/Optimistic You just plain grow...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Tel Aviv's Golden Age Fuels 30‑40% Venture Portfolio
1. Excluding SpaceX - We have 30%-40% of our venture portfolio here. 2. Tel Aviv feels like the MOST exciting city in the world right now. There is an electricity...and it is inspiring! 3. Golden Age for the region. 4. Israel is defending...
By Michael Eisenberg
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Transparency in AI Builds Trust Through Visible Thinking
When people trust humans, they trust intent. When they trust AI, they trust transparency. The best AI agent interfaces will reveal complexity with clarity. A good experience helps people see how an agent thinks, not just what it does. That’s how confidence...
By Hiten Shah
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Space Lamp Brand Achieves $250K Revenue, 100% Growth
High performing ecommerce drop on @acquiredotcom. Space lamps brand with a super loyal customer base. > $250K TTM revenue > $52K TTM profit > 100% YoY growth > 5,000+ customers Lean & turnkey ops. Full listing: https://t.co/xUs5QdzRaI https://t.co/9eBGbszAn1
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Self‑Improving Support System Boosts CSAT and Revenue
Redapto (https://t.co/oB9ElDblBa) builds self-improving systems for Customer Support teams. It audits 100% of customer conversations, identifies quality gaps, and auto-updates knowledge bases, boosting CSAT and unlocking millions in retained revenue. Congrats on the launch, @CherilShah2 & @AnirudhPupneja!
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 23, 2025
AI-Powered Pitch Analysis Reveals Funding Odds and VC Connections
Don't go into that next VC pitch blind SaaStr AI VC will tell you -> https://t.co/XzJ5d0OYvZ 1⃣ How strong your pitch is 2⃣ Odds you get funded 3⃣ Exactly where to improve And ... introduce you to up to 800 VCs! https://t.co/O5f4MNuPgB
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Newton's $3.8M Seed Fuels 10x ROI for Dentists
Congrats to Newton on their $3.8M seed! Newton is a digital front-desk assistant for dental practices—handling calls, texts, insurance verification, and filling cancellations. Dental groups using Newton are already seeing a 7% lift in collections and 10x ROI from higher utilization and...
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 23, 2025
AI Clones Your Voice to Drive Multimillion B2B Deals
Imagine AI (@imagineagi) builds your B2B content pipeline. They clone you → your expertise, your voice, your insights → into high-fidelity personas. 10M driven across clients. $5M deal landed from a single optimized post. Congrats on the launch, @skygodkingdom & @neo_lky! https://t.co/f0bGPPd9SC
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Top $3M Rounds Prove Builders Act without Permission
The best $3m rounds aren't "pre-seed" or "seed"—they are proof a serious builder already started without permission.
By Niko Bonatsos
Social•Oct 23, 2025
I’m Unable to View the Linked Content, so I Can’t Generate a Headline.
https://t.co/y3WWGY5pkP
By Marc Andreessen
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Old Rules Gone, New Unwritten: Brace for Turbulence
"The old rules do not apply any more, but the new ones have not been written. And we must brace ourselves for more turbulence ahead." https://t.co/8duOq5QZUz
By Balaji Srinivasan
Social•Oct 23, 2025
CrusoeAI Secures $1.4B to Power Infrastructure Boom
👀 @ChaseLochmiller and team @CrusoeAI are an unstoppable force that’s enabling the greatest infrastructure buildout of our lifetime. And it’s still early innings! $1.4b in fresh capital, let’s go! https://t.co/p8Hp8XVdGA
By Nathan Benaich
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Smart Money Doubles Down on Winners, Not New Startups
We're back! @HarryStebbings @rodriscoll + me: 🧵 1⃣The Great VC Shuffle: Benchmark's big hire 2⃣Why billion-dollar ARR companies that are "still early" 3⃣Why the smartest money might be doubling down on winners instead of hunting for the next big...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Seed Investing: Hear Future Voices, Not Predict Outcomes
Just did a deep dive with @mariogabriele for The Generalist. The core idea: great seed investing isn’t prediction: It’s noticing the faint whispers from those already living in the future. 7 takeaways from that conversation. 🧵
By Mike Maples Jr.
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Governments Shift From Regulation to Acceleration
From the regulatory state to the acceleratory state. https://t.co/m0yKXRSf0u
By Balaji Srinivasan
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Great Teams Transform Bad Ideas Into Success
Even a terrible startup idea can turn into a great one with the right team.
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Oct 23, 2025
Identifying Future Buyers of SaaS Companies
New!! "Who Will Buy The SaaS Companies?" https://t.co/m1tppdUsFM
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 22, 2025
The Moment Has Arrived: Take Action Now
It's time.
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 22, 2025
AI Slashes Advisory Costs, Democratizes Financial Advice
Congrats to @Saturn__OS on their $15M Series A! Saturn uses AI to automate compliance and admin work in UK financial advisory—cutting tasks that once took paraplanners 4 hours down to 20 minutes of review. This drops the cost to serve from £2,000...
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 22, 2025
Thomas Laffont on Navigating AI, Investments,
I had a blast having Thomas Laffont on Uncapped. He's the cofounder of Coatue, a $70B AUM firm investing from inception through IPO. We discussed how he makes sense of the current AI cycle, what he thinks will happen to software...
By Jack Altman
Social•Oct 22, 2025
BoxGroup Launches Two $275M Funds for Early-Stage Founders
BoxGroup is excited to continue to be in the business of funding early stage ambitious founders building products they dream about - we've raised two new funds, each $275m, to give to founders as early as possible BoxGroup More here:...
By David Tisch
Social•Oct 22, 2025
AI Video Creator: Profitable, Ready for Acquisition
AI + video = huge market. This tool on @acquiredotcom helps creators generate and schedule short-form videos automatically. You can spin up YouTube Shorts, TikToks, and AI-style clips (even Pixar-like animations). Zero editing skills needed. > $107K TTM revenue > $79K profit > 100+ customers >...
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Oct 22, 2025
Tiny Check, Massive Return: Don't Underestimate Winners
My single best investment from 20VC Fund I broke advice everyone gave me. Don’t write small checks. If it is less than 1% of the fund, it won’t move the needle. Wrong. I wrote a $50K check. Today it is...
By Harry Stebbings
Social•Oct 22, 2025
Condensing 6,000‑Word LP Update for Podcast Listeners
Finalizing our next LP update with @vedikaja_in. It's nearly 6,000 words. Maybe we should ask Chat to generate a shorter version for "2x podcast people". 🤔
By Ryan Hoover
Social•Oct 22, 2025
Future AI Breakthroughs Will Rely on Adaptive Learning, Not Size
If Adaption Labs is right, the next leap forward in AI won’t come from trillion parameter models, it’ll come from systems that learn on the fly. https://t.co/t4EXiWHf8Z
By Seth Bannon
Social•Oct 22, 2025
Clarifying: Our Firm Is 776, Not 777
Just to be SUPER clear, my firm is 776 (Seven Seven SIX) and has nothing to do with these apparent clowns at 777. https://t.co/tzeJO7yZ6P
By Alexis Ohanian
Social•Oct 22, 2025
AI Agent Ruth Cuts SaaS Costs with Data‑Driven Negotiations
Ruth from @VendrHQ is the AI negotiation agent for SaaS. Trained on data billions in spend data, she helps you benchmark prices, plan negotiations, and save money. https://t.co/7Y962NhyWR https://t.co/7mYfR4sVsy
By YCombinator