TBC111: The NEW Bar for Raising Pre-Seed Rounds

What this episode covers

This episode of The Backchannel breaks down how the expectations for early-stage founders have shifted in the AI era. Inspired by a conversation with Jeff Bussgang—Harvard Business School professor and author of The Experimentation Machine—we explore what venture capitalists are looking for before investing. From validating your idea to leveraging AI and affordable global talent, the bar for getting to product-market fit is higher than ever. If you're building a startup or gearing up to raise funding, this episode lays out what it takes to stand out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

This episode is 5 minutes long.

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

This episode was published on January 23, 2025.

What is this episode about?

This episode of The Backchannel breaks down how the expectations for early-stage founders have shifted in the AI era. Inspired by a conversation with Jeff Bussgang—Harvard Business School professor and author of The Experimentation Machine—we...

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

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.