2025 Series A Fundraising: What Founders & VCs Need to Know

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 Why Are AI & Hardware Startups Commanding Bigger Series A Checks?

Fresh Carta data from 754 U.S. Series A rounds reveals unexpected winners—from hardware with sky-high valuations to AI startups commanding record premiums. The numbers show how sector positioning can make or break your next raise.

Carta’s latest data on 754 U.S. Series A rounds (Jan–Aug 2025) reveals a funding landscape full of surprises:

In 2025, sector positioning is a valuation lever. AI, deep tech, and security stories draw the biggest multiples.

Want to see which sectors could supercharge your next raise? Dive into the full Series A data and uncover where investors are placing their bets.

YC’s Early Decision: A New Path for Student Founders

Y Combinator is rewriting a Silicon Valley script once defined by college dropouts. Its new Early Decision track lets students secure YC funding while finishing their degrees. Key highlights:

YC’s move signals a maturing view of founder success—one where education and entrepreneurship can reinforce each other.

What does this mean for the next wave of startup talent? Share your perspective or explore YC’s Early Decision to see how it could shape future founders.

How Smart Founders Win Back 8+ Hours a Week

Many professionals still spend hours on routine work that can be automated. These time-saving ChatGPT prompts help reclaim that time for higher-value tasks:

By shifting repetitive work to AI, leaders and teams can focus on strategy, innovation, and growth instead of manual processing.

Explore these prompt ideas, adapt them to your workflow, and see how many hours you can reclaim this week.

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Why Most Founder Pitches Fall Flat in 2 Minutes

A tight 2-minute pitch is harder than a 30-minute meeting—and more important. After reviewing countless early-stage decks, here are the most common missteps that weaken first impressions:

Why it matters: Investors back clarity and conviction as much as technology. A sharp pitch compresses your strategy into a memorable, fundable story.

 Next step: Audit your current pitch—does it surprise, validate, and inspire in under two minutes? Share your insights or explore a16z’s Speedrun application (deadline Sept 28) to test your story in front of top investors.

 Startups Buzz

The Startup Valuation Playbook (LSE Framework)

Startup valuations aren’t random—investors use a method. From forecasting exits to applying steep discounts, the London School of Economics teaches VCs to reverse-engineer pre-money numbers instead of guessing.

Learn how the VC method shapes your valuation (and how to apply it to your own raise) here.

Turn ChatGPT Into Your Harvard MBA Consultant

This prompt transforms ChatGPT into a strategy powerhouse—drafting a full business plan in minutes with the precision of a top-tier MBA.

Try the business plan consultant prompt here.

Google Just Dropped a Free Masterclass on Agentic AI

A rare deep dive straight from Google—teaching how autonomous AI agents think, act, and scale. And yes, it’s completely free.

Watch the agentic AI masterclass here.

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