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Minna Song (EliseAI) — From Crazy Early in Conversational AI to $250M from A16Z | Ep 57 episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 30, 2025 · 45 MIN

Minna Song (EliseAI) — From Crazy Early in Conversational AI to $250M from A16Z | Ep 57

from Funded | How They Raised Millions · host Jason Yeh

Raising money for AI might seem easy today, but back in 2017, it was anything but. In this episode of Funded, Jason Yeh sits down with Minna Song, co-founder and CEO of EliseAI, who shares her journey from bootstrapping a conversational AI startup before ChatGPT was even on the horizon to closing a $250M Series E led by Andreessen Horowitz. Minna opens up about the doubts investors had early on, the lessons she learned about storytelling and timing, and how staying disciplined helped her build one of the fastest-growing companies in real estate and healthcare AI.

What this episode covers

Raising money for AI might seem easy today, but back in 2017, it was anything but. In this episode of Funded, Jason Yeh sits down with Minna Song, co-founder and CEO of EliseAI, who shares her journey from bootstrapping a conversational AI startup before ChatGPT was even on the horizon to closing a $250M Series E led by Andreessen Horowitz. Minna opens up about the doubts investors had early on, the lessons she learned about storytelling and timing, and how staying disciplined helped her build one of the fastest-growing companies in real estate and healthcare AI.

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Minna Song (EliseAI) — From Crazy Early in Conversational AI to $250M from A16Z | Ep 57

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Funded | How They Raised Millions?

This episode is 45 minutes long.

When was this Funded | How They Raised Millions episode published?

This episode was published on September 30, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Raising money for AI might seem easy today, but back in 2017, it was anything but. In this episode of Funded, Jason Yeh sits down with Minna Song, co-founder and CEO of EliseAI, who shares her journey from bootstrapping a conversational AI startup...

Can I download this Funded | How They Raised Millions episode?

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