HomeLearn what VCs want to see from founders at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
It's been a wild ride for AI in recent years, with funding skyrocketing by 62% to a whopping $110 billion in 2024, even as overall startup investments dipped by 12%. You might think slapping "AI" onto a startup's name could be a golden ticket to funding, but the landscape has shifted. The buzz around foundation models has cooled down, and now the spotlight's on practical applications, AI agents, and how startups can keep the profits rolling in. Investors are hunting for companies that can not only dazzle with tech but also show they've got what it takes to stick around.
If you're eager to dive deep into what investors are really after, mark your calendar for TechCrunch Sessions: AI on June 5 at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. We've got some heavy hitters lined up to spill the beans on their investment strategies at every stage, from seed to Series C. Zeya Yang from IVP, Jill Chase from CapitalG, and Kanu Gulati from Khosla Ventures will share their insights—and trust me, they know their stuff.
Meet our speakers
Zeya Yang's got a knack for picking winners, with investments in companies like Grammarly and Figma. She's not just about throwing money around; she works closely with founders to fine-tune their product-market fit and fuel growth.
Jill Chase has been steering CapitalG's investments into exciting ventures like Magic, /dev/agents, Motif, and Abridge. Over the last few years, she's been all about uncovering new ways AI and ML can shake things up, especially in data infrastructure and enterprise tech.
Kanu Gulati's been backing AI trailblazers like PolyAI, Kognitos, and Moonhub. With over a decade as a research scientist at Intel and Cadence, and early engineering roles at Heavy.ai, Spyglass, and Nascentric, he's seen the AI game from every angle.
Jill Chase, partner at CapitalG, will speak on the main stage at TechCrunch Sessions: AI on June 5, 2025, in Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley.Image Credits:CapitalG 
Kanu Gulati, partner, Khosla Ventures will speak on the main stage at TechCrunch Sessions: AI on June 5, 2025, in Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley.Image Credits:Khosla Ventures Join the AI conversation at TC Sessions: AI
Don't miss out on this chance to get the inside scoop on what VCs are looking for in AI startups. Grab your tickets now for TechCrunch Sessions: AI on June 5 at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. Snag an Early Bird deal and save up to $210—register here.
Become a TechCrunch Sessions: AI Sponsor
Interested in showcasing your company at TechCrunch Sessions: AI? Reach out to our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
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Comments (27)
0/500
![HarryAllen]()
Honestly, the 62% funding surge while overall investments dip is wild. Makes you wonder if VCs are just chasing the hype or actually spotting the next big thing. Feels like a bubble waiting to pop for some, but the real game-changers will survive. 🤔
![BillyGarcia]()
Que conselho prático será dado sobre como impressionar os VCs? Toda essa grana em AI mas poucos sabem como realmente chamar atenção dos investidores... será que vão falar de métricas reais ou só hype? 🤨
![KevinSanchez]()
The insights from TechCrunch Sessions: AI about what VCs want are eye-opening. The AI hype is real, but it's not a free pass to funding anymore. It's all about solid tech and a clear vision now. Pretty intense, but it makes sense! 🤓
![DouglasPerez]()
Las percepciones de TechCrunch Sessions: AI sobre lo que quieren los VC son reveladoras. El hype por la IA es real, pero ya no es un pase libre para obtener financiación. Ahora se trata de tecnología sólida y una visión clara. Bastante intenso, pero tiene sentido! 🤓
![WalterHarris]()
Die Einblicke von TechCrunch Sessions: AI über das, was VCs wollen, sind aufschlussreich. Der AI-Hype ist real, aber es ist kein Freifahrtschein für Finanzierung mehr. Es geht jetzt um solide Technik und eine klare Vision. Ziemlich intensiv, aber es ergibt Sinn! 🤓
![JasonRoberts]()
¡Esta herramienta es imprescindible para cualquier fundador de startup que quiera sumergirse en el mundo de la financiación de IA! Realmente desglosa lo que los VCs están buscando, lo cual es súper útil. Sin embargo, podría usar más ejemplos del mundo real para ser aún mejor. Aún así, es un gran comienzo! 👍
It's been a wild ride for AI in recent years, with funding skyrocketing by 62% to a whopping $110 billion in 2024, even as overall startup investments dipped by 12%. You might think slapping "AI" onto a startup's name could be a golden ticket to funding, but the landscape has shifted. The buzz around foundation models has cooled down, and now the spotlight's on practical applications, AI agents, and how startups can keep the profits rolling in. Investors are hunting for companies that can not only dazzle with tech but also show they've got what it takes to stick around.
If you're eager to dive deep into what investors are really after, mark your calendar for TechCrunch Sessions: AI on June 5 at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. We've got some heavy hitters lined up to spill the beans on their investment strategies at every stage, from seed to Series C. Zeya Yang from IVP, Jill Chase from CapitalG, and Kanu Gulati from Khosla Ventures will share their insights—and trust me, they know their stuff.
Meet our speakers
Zeya Yang's got a knack for picking winners, with investments in companies like Grammarly and Figma. She's not just about throwing money around; she works closely with founders to fine-tune their product-market fit and fuel growth.
Jill Chase has been steering CapitalG's investments into exciting ventures like Magic, /dev/agents, Motif, and Abridge. Over the last few years, she's been all about uncovering new ways AI and ML can shake things up, especially in data infrastructure and enterprise tech.
Kanu Gulati's been backing AI trailblazers like PolyAI, Kognitos, and Moonhub. With over a decade as a research scientist at Intel and Cadence, and early engineering roles at Heavy.ai, Spyglass, and Nascentric, he's seen the AI game from every angle.
Don't miss out on this chance to get the inside scoop on what VCs are looking for in AI startups. Grab your tickets now for TechCrunch Sessions: AI on June 5 at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. Snag an Early Bird deal and save up to $210—register here.
Become a TechCrunch Sessions: AI Sponsor
Interested in showcasing your company at TechCrunch Sessions: AI? Reach out to our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
Don’t miss out on the best deals for TechCrunch events
Stay in the loop and be the first to grab special promotions by signing up for the TechCrunch Events newsletter.
China Telecom Invests in Mianbi Intelligence, Raises Capital to 713,000 Yuan for LLM & Data Infra
The "national team" and the leading figure from Tsinghua University in the large model space are deepening their strategic alignment. On March 1, 2026, according to the latest business registration data from Qichacha, Beijing Mianbi Intelligent Techn
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Glean targets enterprise AI infrastructure in land grab
The race to dominate enterprise AI is accelerating. Microsoft is embedding Copilot into Office, Google is integrating Gemini into Workspace, and both OpenAI and Anthropic are selling directly to corporations. Meanwhile, nearly every SaaS vendor now i
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10 tools
xix.ai
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Honestly, the 62% funding surge while overall investments dip is wild. Makes you wonder if VCs are just chasing the hype or actually spotting the next big thing. Feels like a bubble waiting to pop for some, but the real game-changers will survive. 🤔
Que conselho prático será dado sobre como impressionar os VCs? Toda essa grana em AI mas poucos sabem como realmente chamar atenção dos investidores... será que vão falar de métricas reais ou só hype? 🤨
The insights from TechCrunch Sessions: AI about what VCs want are eye-opening. The AI hype is real, but it's not a free pass to funding anymore. It's all about solid tech and a clear vision now. Pretty intense, but it makes sense! 🤓
Las percepciones de TechCrunch Sessions: AI sobre lo que quieren los VC son reveladoras. El hype por la IA es real, pero ya no es un pase libre para obtener financiación. Ahora se trata de tecnología sólida y una visión clara. Bastante intenso, pero tiene sentido! 🤓
Die Einblicke von TechCrunch Sessions: AI über das, was VCs wollen, sind aufschlussreich. Der AI-Hype ist real, aber es ist kein Freifahrtschein für Finanzierung mehr. Es geht jetzt um solide Technik und eine klare Vision. Ziemlich intensiv, aber es ergibt Sinn! 🤓
¡Esta herramienta es imprescindible para cualquier fundador de startup que quiera sumergirse en el mundo de la financiación de IA! Realmente desglosa lo que los VCs están buscando, lo cual es súper útil. Sin embargo, podría usar más ejemplos del mundo real para ser aún mejor. Aún así, es un gran comienzo! 👍
