🎯Today's Venture Capital Pulse
Updated 38m 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 12, 2025•52 min
Monitoring the Situation #3: Who Is Nick Land?
In this episode, a16z partners Erik Torenberg, Katherine Boyle, and Erin Price‑Wright interview Zach Dell, founder and CEO of Base Power, about the challenges and opportunities in home power generation, misconceptions around data‑center energy use, and strategies to modernize the U.S. electricity grid. The conversation then shifts to a philosophical side as Erik and Katherine speak with a16z crypto CTO Eddy Lazzarin about Nick Land, the controversial Dark Enlightenment thinker, exploring his influence on Silicon Valley culture. Throughout, the guests blend technical insight on affordable battery‑based energy solutions with a broader cultural context, highlighting both practical and ideological dimensions of the energy transition.
By a16z Podcast
Social•Oct 12, 2025
Investor Updates Overdue? Pick a Funny Excuse Today
It’s October 12 If you haven’t gotten your investor updates out yet, that’s pretty bad, so do it today and blame: - A Solar Flare - Exhaustion From 12 Months of Straight 996 - The Fractional CFO You Hired Off LinkedIn - Spam Filters - Being...
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 12, 2025
Founders Panic as Rivals Fundraise at Half ARR
Founders when they see competitors raising another round at half the ARR: https://t.co/bVyXFoWmI0
By Andrew Gazdecki
Blog•Oct 12, 2025
20VC Newsletter - 12th October 2025
Here are the transcripts and top takeaways from 20VC episodes released this last week.
By Harry Stebbings
News•Oct 12, 2025
E628 | EUCVC Summit 2025: Tanja Lind Melskens, Head of Corporate Strategy; M&A, Terma & Andreas: Defense, Disruption & Dual-Use:...
The post recaps the EUCVC Summit 2025 session with Tanja Lind Melskens on Europe’s defense, disruption and dual‑use innovation, and also highlights three recent podcast episodes – Kristaps Ronis discussing structured secondaries, Alper Oner and Enis Hulli on Turkey’s booming mobile‑gaming sector, and...
By The European VC (EUVC)
News•Oct 11, 2025
E626 | EUCVC Summit 2025: Nadia Carlsten, DCAI & Bjarke Sejersen, Go Autonomous: AI Factories in Practice
The post recaps several recent EUVC podcast episodes, from Nadia Carlsten and Bjarke Sejersen discussing how AI factories move from hype to operational practice, to Kristaps Ronis explaining structured secondaries as a way to give LPs liquidity without selling shares, Alper Oner...
By The European VC (EUVC)
Social•Oct 10, 2025
Pre‑IPO Investing Goes Public, Yet US Blocks It
This feels like the future of pre-IPO startup investing @joinrepublic. $HOOD is doing this in public markets, but not currently allowed in the US. https://t.co/qimPUZinyA
By Ali Moiz
Podcast•Oct 10, 2025•1h 2m
20Sales: Scaling Snowflake From $0-$3BN in ARR | Snowflake vs Databricks: My Biggest Lessons | Why Customer Success Is BS...
In this episode, former Snowflake CRO Chris Degnan walks through how he built the company’s sales organization from the ground up, detailing hiring strategies for sales leaders and the rapid scaling of a global team to over 6,000 reps. He...
By The Twenty Minute VC (20VC)
News•Oct 10, 2025
E624 | EUCVC Summit 2025: Bodil Sidén, Kost Capital & Marika King, PINC: Feeding the World
The EUVC blog post recaps several recent podcast episodes from the EUCVC Summit 2025, spotlighting diverse venture themes—from Bodil Sidén and Marika King discussing global food‑security solutions, to Kristaps Ronis explaining how structured secondaries can give VCs liquidity without diluting control,...
By The European VC (EUVC)
News•Oct 10, 2025
E623 | EUCVC Summit 2025: Samuli Siren, Redstone: Mapping Startup Opportunities
In this EUVC podcast episode, Samuli Siren, founder and managing partner of Redstone, explains how the firm systematically maps emerging startup opportunities across Europe by combining sector‑level data, macro‑trend analysis, and network effects. He illustrates the approach with fintech, climate‑tech...
By The European VC (EUVC)
Blog•Oct 10, 2025
Is Token Consumption Growth Slowing Down?
Philip Schmid dropped an astounding figure1 yesterday about Google’s AI scale : 1,300 trillion tokens per month (1.3 quadrillion - first time I’ve ever used that unit!). Now that we have three data points on Google’s token processing, we can chart...
By Tomasz Tunguz
News•Oct 9, 2025
E622 | EUVC Live Powered by Woven Capital at The Drop | Andreas Munk Holm: The Real Power Lies in...
The EUVC blog post showcases three recent podcast episodes that explore distinct venture‑capital themes: Kristaps Ronis explains how structured secondaries deliver liquidity without selling stakes, emphasizing DPI and timing; Alper Oner and Enis Hulli discuss Agave Games’ pivot from publishing to studio mode, illustrating...
By The European VC (EUVC)
Podcast•Oct 9, 2025•34 min
Replay: How Daymond John Built FUBU
In this archival Masters of Scale episode, Reid Hoffman and Shark Tank star Daymond John dissect how John grew FUBU from a modest start into a global streetwear brand by forging authentic, community‑driven partnerships and leveraging cultural relevance. John highlights...
By Masters of Scale
Podcast•Oct 9, 2025•1h 24m
20VC: OpenAI's Multi $BN Deal with AMD | Polymarket, Vercel and Supabase Raise Mega Rounds | Does King Making Really...
The episode opens with a deep dive into OpenAI’s multi‑billion‑dollar partnership with AMD, a critique of Microsoft’s handling of the OpenAI relationship, and the headline announcements from OpenAI’s Developer Day. Harry then broadens the conversation, arguing that venture capital remains...
By The Twenty Minute VC (20VC)
Social•Oct 8, 2025
LA Tech Week Fireside Chat Featuring Top Startup Leaders
LA, we're coming for you! Our fireside chat for #LATechWeek by @techweek_ is happening Oct 14, and you’re gonna wanna be there. We’ve teamed up with @rivianofficial, @quantfi_cfo, and @FidelityPrivate to bring you an evening with two stellar humans: 🎤 @KhalZahar (Founder...
By Elizabeth Yin
Social•Oct 8, 2025
Thrive’s @Vhankes Shapes Modern VC with Iconic Bets
In many ways, Thrive is helping define the current era of venture capital. @vhankes is one of the best in the business; he's behind their investments in OpenAI, SpaceX, Databricks, Stripe, and many more. He's also an excellent board member and...
By Jack Altman
News•Oct 28, 2024
E140: Sagar Kochhar (Co-Founder & CEO, Eatsure, Rebel Foods)
The post curates three recent podcast episodes that serve as masterclasses for entrepreneurs and investors: Material Security’s founders turned the 2016 election hack into a billion‑dollar email‑security startup by designing protection assuming breaches, Kevin Carter explains why India’s massive, young,...
By The Desi VC
Social•Oct 8, 2025
Key Questions to Diagnose Slowing Growth
"5 Questions to Ask When Growth Slows" https://t.co/hUTsdByjy0 https://t.co/Az0LupLabj
By Jason Lemkin
Social•Oct 8, 2025
YC S17 Alum BillionToOne Files US IPO
YC S17 alum @BillionToOneInc files for US IPO: https://t.co/CGZdNBl3lQ
By YCombinator
News•Oct 23, 2024
Episode 85: Shomik Dutta Returns to the Show!
The post points out that the supplied text is merely a SoundCloud browser‑compatibility notice rather than a full article. It explains that without a proper title, author, date, or body, there’s nothing to summarize. The author asks the reader to...
By The Puck: Venture Capital and Beyond
Social•Oct 8, 2025
From DM Chats to $5B Valuation: Supabase’s Rise
supabase cto knows from dms in 2020 to 5bn valuation https://t.co/JgWT9AJfsW
By Ben Tossell
Social•Oct 8, 2025
Selective Small Teams Outperform Large Corporations
Paul Graham on why startup teams can outperform big companies: "small groups can be select." https://t.co/MP5mOZMkUf
By YCombinator
Blog•Oct 18, 2024
How He Went From the Music Industry to VC, Investing in Tech Vs. Brands, and When Down Rounds Make Sense...
In this episode Mike Gelb interviews Joe Seager, a former Virgin executive turned partner at True, to explore how his experience in a founder‑driven culture shaped a unique multi‑stage VC model that blends VC, PE, public markets, and advisory services...
By The Consumer VC
Social•Oct 8, 2025
Automated $9M E‑commerce Portfolio Generates $2M Profit
This one’s a machine. Automated, profitable, lean at scale. New on @acquiredotcom: 2-site SMM ecom portfolio doing $9M TTM revenue and $2M profit. > 1M lifetime customers > $9M TTM revenue > $2.04M profit > 15% YoY growth Full listing: https://t.co/bdyQOrGZh5 https://t.co/Yl8iTRsvzV
By Andrew Gazdecki
Social•Oct 8, 2025
AI-Powered Dealflow Tool Launching Soon for VCs
Coming soon: AI Dealflow for VCs from https://t.co/iXj7ZJdxfx https://t.co/3uAYV5Z4pn
By Jason Lemkin
News•Oct 14, 2024
Max Altman and Ben Braverman: Returning to Tradition with Saga Ventures
The post is a podcast roundup where Kent Lindstrom interviews a range of unconventional investors and founders—from 1517 Fund’s Danielle Strachman and Michael Gibson, who champion teen, non‑degree founders, to fintech veteran Frank Rotman, Lean Startup guru Eric Ries, Upfront...
By Something Ventured
Social•Oct 8, 2025
Stoke Space Secures $510M to Fast‑Track Reusable Nova Rocket
Congrats to @stoke_space on their $510M Series D! They're accelerating development of their fully reusable Nova rocket and the activation of Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral next year. https://t.co/W2O5qzsqEp
By YCombinator
Social•Oct 8, 2025
Tackle Uncertainty to Unlock Creative Solutions
Sometimes, uncertain tasks are just as hard as certain ones. Work on the problems where there is more uncertainty –– that's where creativity is unleashed. @drfeifei's advice for Founders at the @Mastersofscale Summit. https://t.co/WyhhrayVbT
By Reid Hoffman
Blog•Oct 8, 2024
How Saboteurs Threaten Innovation–And What to Do About It
The article warns that incumbents—from Fortune 500 companies to entrenched government contractors—routinely sabotage startups and internal innovators through tactics ranging from patent lawsuits and procurement protests to budget strangulation, pre‑announcements and strategic acquisitions. AStartup founder cited faces roughly $500,000 in...
By Steve Blank
Social•Oct 8, 2025
From Bench Space to S‑1
Surreal to see an S-1 from a company we backed when it was just the founders sharing bench space. https://t.co/YkVATB5C0b
By Seth Bannon
Blog•Sep 27, 2024
The Future of Gaming: Game Economies, New Business Models, Gamification, Blockchain Technology & AI Innovation with Brian Cho, Co-Founder of...
In this episode, Mike Gelb interviews Joe Seager, partner at True, to explore how the firm’s vertically integrated, multi‑stage model gives consumer‑focused founders a strategic edge, especially within Europe’s fragmented venture landscape. Seager shares insights from his time with Richard...
By The Consumer VC
News•Sep 26, 2024
Unveiling the Power Shift: Private Wealth’s Impact on Venture Capital
The post recaps a panel from the Arctic15 LP Summit where family offices and high‑net‑worth investors discussed their growing influence on venture capital, noting that the average single family office now manages roughly $989 million and allocates 5‑10% to VC. Panelists...
By Billion Dollar Moves
News•Sep 16, 2024
E139: Karthik Prabhakar (Managing Partner, PeerCapital)
The post introduces "The Desi VC" podcast, hosted by immigrant founder Akash Bhat, which aims to bridge the Indian and US venture‑capital ecosystems by sharing stories of desi founders and investors. It highlights episode E139 featuring Karthik Prabhakar, Managing Partner at...
By The Desi VC
News•Sep 16, 2024
E138: Aditya Nambiar (Co-Founder, Fennel AI)
In episode E138 of The Desi VC, host Akash Bhat sits down with Aditya Nambiar, co‑founder of Fennel AI, to explore how the AI‑driven startup is navigating the US‑India venture landscape. Nambiar shares the origins of Fennel AI, the challenges of...
By The Desi VC
Blog•Sep 6, 2024
The Evolution of Premium Products in Mainstream Retail with Marcel Bens, CEO of Emil Capital Partners
The post explores how premium consumer products are breaking into mainstream retail, drawing on insights from three podcast episodes with industry leaders—Joe Seager on Europe’s multi‑stage VC model, Alex Cantwell on JUUL’s rapid rise and retail lessons, and Jake Bullock...
By The Consumer VC
Blog•Aug 30, 2024
When to Invest in Consumer Technology with Vanessa Larco at NEA
In this Consumer VC episode, host Mike Gelb talks with Joe Seager, partner at True, about the optimal moments to back consumer‑technology startups, highlighting True’s multi‑stage model that blends VC, PE, public and advisory support to give founders an edge....
By The Consumer VC
News•Aug 27, 2024
E137: Mayuresh Raut (Managing Partner, Seafund)
The post introduces "The Desi VC" podcast, which bridges the India‑US startup ecosystem, and spotlights episode E137 featuring Mayuresh Raut, Managing Partner at Seafund, who shares insights on cross‑border investing, cultural fluency, and how Seafund helps Indian founders tap US capital....
By The Desi VC
News•Aug 27, 2024
E136: Swati Bhargava (Co-Founder, CashKaro.com)
The post introduces episode E136 of "The Desi VC with Akash Bhat," featuring Swati Bhargava, co‑founder of CashKaro.com, and frames the podcast’s mission to bridge Indian and US startup ecosystems through immigrant perspectives. It highlights the show’s broader lineup, including episodes...
By The Desi VC
Blog•Aug 16, 2024
Turning Science Into Consumer Brands with Osman Khan, CEO of Squared Circles
In this episode of Consumer VC, Mike Gelb talks with Joe Seager of True about how a multi‑stage, vertically integrated venture model gives consumer founders a decisive edge, especially within Europe’s fragmented but fast‑growing ecosystem. Seager shares behind‑the‑scenes stories of...
By The Consumer VC
News•Aug 16, 2024
E52 Pricing Strategies for Generative AI with Orb Co-Founder and CTO Kshitij Grover
In this episode of Sand Hill Road, host Erasmus Elsner interviews Kshitij Grover, co‑founder and CTO of Orb, about how startups can price generative AI services effectively. Grover explains Orb's usage‑based billing model, the challenges of balancing predictability for customers...
By Sand Hill Road
News•Aug 2, 2024
Episode 84: Doug Holtz-Eakin
In Episode 84 of The Puck, host Jim sits down with economist Doug Holtz‑Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, to dissect the United States’ pressing economic challenges. Drawing on his academic and governmental background, Holtz‑Eakin examines sustainable growth, fiscal...
By The Puck: Venture Capital and Beyond
Blog•Aug 2, 2024
Investing in the Future of Healthy Living with Abby Miller Levy, Managing Partner and Founder at Primetime Partners
The post is a podcast‑style interview series where host Mike Gelb explores how consumer‑focused venture capital is shaping the future of healthy living, from Joe Seager’s multi‑stage model at True to Alex Cantwell’s lessons from JUUL’s hypergrowth and Jake Bullock’s...
By The Consumer VC
News•Jul 31, 2024
Electrifying the Market
The post highlights the "Electrifying the Market" episode of the Running Through Walls podcast, featuring GitHub Chief Revenue Officer Elizabeth Pemmerl in conversation with Venrock partner Ethan Batraski. Pemmerl recounts her near‑decade at GitHub, detailing her shift from the public...
By Running Through Walls
News•Jul 26, 2024
E135: Anish Achuthan (Co-Founder & CEO, Open Financial Technologies)
In this post, Akash Bhat introduces "The Desi VC" podcast—a platform that connects Indian and US startup ecosystems by featuring immigrant founders and investors sharing their journeys, challenges, and insights. The highlight is episode E135 with Anish Achuthan, co‑founder and CEO...
By The Desi VC
Blog•Jul 24, 2024
How They Built a Direct-to-Consumer Baby Food Brand and Scaled to Selling Millions of Products Each Month with Angela Vranich...
In this episode, Mike Gelb interviews Joe Seager, partner at the multi‑stage VC firm True, about his experience working with Sir Richard Branson at Virgin and how True’s vertically integrated model supports consumer‑focused founders. Seager explains how True combines venture,...
By The Consumer VC
News•Jul 23, 2024
Opal Security's Umaimah Khan on Security-First Identity
The post highlights Opal Security’s mission to make identity and access management a security‑first, least‑privilege function, arguing that many breaches stem from weak, password‑only controls. CEO Umaimah Khan explains how Opal’s platform ingests and normalizes auth data across systems to...
By Greymatter (Greylock Partners)
News•Jul 17, 2024
If You're Going to Bet on Anyone, Bet on Yourself
The episode "If You’re Going to Bet on Anyone, Bet on Yourself" features David Stark, Morgan Stanley’s Chief Medical Officer, discussing his shift from clinical practice to a business role and urging doctors to trust their own capabilities when considering...
By Running Through Walls
News•Jul 17, 2024
E134: Edul Patel (Co-Founder & CEO, Mudrex)
The post introduces "The Desi VC" podcast, which connects Indian and US startup ecosystems, and spotlights episode E134 featuring Edul Patel, co‑founder and CEO of Mudrex. It emphasizes Patel’s perspective on building a crypto‑trading platform, navigating regulatory challenges, and leveraging cross‑border...
By The Desi VC
News•Jul 15, 2024
Founder Collective's Eric Paley on Empathy and Execution in Venture Capital
The post is a podcast roundup where Kent Lindstrom interviews several venture‑capitalists—Danielle Strachman and Michael Gibson of 1517 Fund, Frank Rotman of QED Investors, Eric Ries, Kobie Fuller of Upfront Ventures, and David Anderman of Stellar Ventures—highlighting their unconventional backgrounds, focus on empathy, execution, and the future of tech such as...
By Something Ventured
News•Jul 10, 2024
E133: Navin Honagudi (Managing Partner, Elev8 Venture Partners)
In episode E133 of "The Desi VC," host Akash Bhat sits down with Navin Honagudi, Managing Partner at Elev8 Venture Partners, to explore how Indian‑origin investors are shaping the US startup ecosystem. Honagudi shares insights on navigating cross‑border deal flow, the...
By The Desi VC