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Your AI Is Not Your Moat
AI is not a moat by itself. Learn what makes an AI startup defensible, from proprietary data and workflow depth to distribution, trust, and customer relationships.
The Cap Table Never Lies
The deck is a sales document. It's polished, rehearsed, and designed to make you feel something.
Will AI Eat the VC?
Every investor I know is quietly afraid of the same thing.
The First 30 Minutes: How to Take a Founder Meeting Like an Investor
The easiest founder meeting to waste is the first one.
The $100M Pre-Seed Problem
The most dangerous thing you can hand a pre-seed founder is $50 million.
Research Previews Aren't Infrastructure
Last week, Anthropic broke my firm's operations.
How to Raise Venture Capital: AI Startup Pitches & Investor Advice
Step inside Lightning Round VIII for an unfiltered look at how venture investors evaluate early-stage startups.
You Can't Opine on AI From the Cheap Seats
You can read every AI paper and nod along at every dinner and still not know what is possible. Not until you've tried to make these models do something hard on your own data.
We Are Not Close to AGI. And That's the Whole Point
Dario Amodei promises a country of geniuses in a datacenter within a year or two. The people who actually build this stuff disagree.
Channels Don't Die. They Decay.
The cold email that booked you ten demos a day in 2023 books you one in 2026. Same script, same stack, a tenth of the yield.
There's No Magic Number
Every investor you meet has a portfolio number they swear by, delivered with the confidence of scripture. They're all wrong.
Collective Intelligence and Adaptation in Multi-Agent Systems
Part 14 of a 14-Part AI Series
Designing Collaborative Multi-Agent Systems
Part 13 of a 14-Part AI Series
The Framework and Categories of Multi-Agent Systems
Part 12 of a 14-Part AI Series
Online and Offline Self-Improvement in Intelligent Agents
Part 11 of a 14-Part AI Series
Harnessing Large Language Models for Iterative Optimization
Part 10 of a 14-Part AI Series
Self-Evolution in Intelligent Agents
Part 9 of a 14-Part AI Series
Action Systems: How Agents Move From Thought to Impact
Part 8 of a 14-Part AI Series
Perception: How Intelligent Agents See, Hear, and Understand the World
Part 7 of a 14-Part AI Series
Emotion Modeling: Can Agents Learn to Feel, or Only Learn to Perform Feeling?
Part 6 of a 14-Part AI Series
Reward: How Intelligent Systems Learn What Matters
Part 5 of a 14-Part AI Series
World Models: How Intelligent Agents Learn to Imagine Before They Act
Part 4 of a 14-Part AI Series
Memory: The Architecture of Intelligence
Part 3 of a 14-Part AI Series
Cognition: How Intelligent Agents Learn, Reason, and Decide
Part 2 of a 14-Part AI Series
From Language Models to Foundation Agents
Part 1 of a 14-Part AI Series
Inside VCs’ Minds: Evaluating AI Startups
VC Panel + Startup Pitch Competition
The Future of DTC: Inside the Next Generation of Consumer Brands
Investor Panel + Startup Pitch Competition
How Investors Actually Evaluate AI Startups
VC Panel + Startup Pitch Competition
The Hard Truth About VC
Howie Diamond | Pure Ventures
You’re interested in the 95% That Failed? Let’s Talk About the 5% That Won.
Welcome to the Trough of Disillusionment
Critical Thinking in Startups & Venture Capital
From identifying real problems to making better, faster decisions in high-stakes environments.
AI Is Being Blocked by People - And That’s Exactly Why Startups Will Win
The AI revolution isn’t being slowed by technology. It’s being slowed by people.
The Brutal Truth About Product-Led Growth in AI
Everyone wants to go product-led.
PLG for Founders: A Tactical Framework to Nail Your First Use Case
Every founder wants product-led growth, but PLG only works if your product lands a knockout punch fast.
GTM Ascend Playbook: Cold Email Engine
How to book 1–10 demos per day using a scalable cold email system
Why Most Founders Close the Wrong Deals
(and How MEDDPICC Fixes It)
Cold Call Objection Handling for Founders: How to Stay Cool and Book the Meeting
Let’s be real - cold calling is uncomfortable for most founders.
Sales Metrics That Matter
How to Track Performance Without Drowning in Data
Building Your Sales Pipeline: From Chaos to Clarity
If you’re a founder doing your own sales, chances are your pipeline lives in a mix of Gmail threads, Notion checklists, and maybe a spreadsheet labeled “Leads v2 Final FINAL.”
How to Manage Your Sales Pipeline
(Without Letting It Manage You)
Understanding Innovation Adoption
Why Your Market Moves in Waves
Uninsurable: When Climate Risk Hits the Ledger
It got personal in January.
Are Large Reasoning Models Thinking?
What AI’s Reasoning Models Reveal When You Dial Up the Complexity
From Horse-and-Buggy to AI Engines: A Startup Epoch Shift
Every once in a while, you can feel the ground shift beneath your feet. Reviewing the applications for our last 1752vc cohort, we saw a clear bifurcation: a line in the sand between two eras.
Building Startups Before They Exist
Inside M13 | John Tabis
The Truth About Climate Startups
New Podcast Episode 🎙️
How AI Is Reshaping Startups
VC Panel + Startup Pitch Competition
Growth Hacking: The Art of Systemic Leverage
Growth hacking isn’t marketing.
Craft a Story That People Remember (and Share)
“People don’t buy products. They buy stories about what those products mean for them.”
From Network to Noise - Turn Relationships into Momentum
Early traction is about earned trust and focused momentum.
$300M AI Startups? Derek Norton on What’s Coming Next
VC Unfiltered Podcast Is Back!
Tariffs Unleashed
It might feel like walking through hell with a can of gasoline, but all hope is not lost
VC in a Seed-Strapping Era
When AI Delivers 10x Productivity, What is the Future of VC in a Seed-Scaling Era?
How to Source Deals in Venture Capital
Sourcing high-quality deals is the backbone of venture capital (VC) success.
How to Iterate on Your B2B Startup’s MVP
Building a successful B2B startup isn’t just about creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) once and hoping it’ll resonate.
Creating an Ideal Customer Profile for Startups
Building a startup is inherently risky, but defining an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) can significantly reduce that risk.
Why Markets Matter to VCs
The startup ecosystem is a tough landscape.
Vitamin vs Painkiller
How to Know If Your Startup’s Problem Is Truly Real
The Key to Unlocking Your Next Big Startup Idea
Finding (Real) Startup Ideas by Solving Your Own Problems
Startup Deal Room: Seed
A well-organized deal room can be a game-changer for startups seeking to attract investors, secure funding, or navigate due diligence processes.
The Herd Effect in Fundraising
When one investor commits, it often triggers a domino effect, with others rushing to join in.
The Culture Interview: Ensuring Your Next Hire Is the Right Fit
Culture is the heartbeat of your organization, especially in a startup environment. It defines how your team interacts, handles challenges, and celebrates successes.
Roles: Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Teams in Startups
One of the main challenges that startup founders routinely face is the inadvertent creation of homogeneous teams.
Investing Across the AI Stack: A Framework for Evaluating Opportunities
Each layer - Model Layer, Middleware Layer, and Application Layer - represents unique dynamics in value creation, market positioning, and growth potential.
Adapting Business Models Across the AI Stack
As businesses seek to monetize their AI offerings, adapting business models to these distinct layers is critical to ensure scalability, profitability, and customer alignment.
How Do You Know When the Price Is Right?
Pricing is one of the most critical decisions a startup founder can make.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting an Effective Pricing Strategy
Pricing isn’t just about numbers - it’s a critical tool for positioning your product or service, communicating value, and driving revenue.
Reinventing Your Business Model
A Blueprint for Transformation
The Case for Hybrid Entrepreneurship
Why Quitting Your Job Isn’t Always the Answer
King vs Rich: The Founder's Dilemma
Beneath the surface of every startup lies a fundamental challenge, one that Noam Wasserman’s seminal research, captured in The Founder’s Dilemma
How to Pick the Perfect Co-Founder
Selecting the right co-founder is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make as a founder.
Key Business and Financial Metrics for Early-Stage Startups
Startups must operate with clear insights into their financial and operational performance to successfully raise capital, scale efficiently, and maintain investor confidence.
Splitting Startup Equity: A Guide to Fairness, Avoiding Common Pitfalls, and Building for the Future
Dividing equity among co-founders is one of the most critical - and often contentious - decisions in a startup’s early stages.
Stop Asking for NDAs: Why Your Idea Isn’t Enough
It’s time to abandon the myth that your idea is so groundbreaking it needs legal protection before sharing. The reality is that ideas are cheap; execution is what creates value.
Traction: Why It Matters, What It Tells Investors, and How to Use It to Build Your Startup
In the chaotic early stages of building a startup, traction is what cuts through the noise.
From Idea to Product-Market Fit: 8 Key Questions Startups Should Ask
A common adage in the startup world is that the product you launch rarely ends up being the one you scale
The Three-Phase Path to Startup Fundraising: A Guide for Founders
Most startups raise money more than once, following a familiar trajectory
Guide to Startup Funding: Sources & Strategies
Launching and scaling a startup requires more than just a great idea - it requires capital.
What Is a Startup’s Competitive Advantage - and How to Strengthen It
In the fast-paced world of startups, competitive advantage can mean the difference between rapid success and early failure.
Crushing your Competitive Analysis
Your startup isn’t just solving problems - it’s competing with others trying to do the same.
Why Startups Often Miss the Mark on Competition
One common misstep is underestimating or misidentifying competition
The Pitfalls of Founding with Family
One of the most common challenges in family-founded startups is the difficulty of separating personal dynamics from professional decisions.
How to Build a Fundraising Process
Securing funding from venture capitalists (VCs) is often a long and challenging process, but with the right approach, it can be streamlined and successful.
Playing Devil’s Advocate on AI Wrappers
Why the Application Layer (Still) Matters
How Much Money Should You Raise?
A Guide for Founders
Boost Your Marketing with Psychology
Psychology isn’t just about understanding people; it’s also about influencing decisions.
How to Build a Brand
Entering a competitive space without solid brand foundations can confuse you and your potential customers.
How to Use Psychological Design to Boost Your Brand and Drive Conversions
You’ve probably experienced this scenario: two nearly identical T-shirts, both seemingly high-quality, yet you find yourself drawn to one brand over another. Why?
How Extended Due Diligence Became a Liability for Angel Groups in Today’s Rapid-Fire Startup World
A landmark 2007 study found that the more hours angel groups spent on due diligence, the higher their returns. Fifteen years on, in a hyper-competitive market, that no longer holds.
Key Metrics for Startups
The Metrics That Matter for Consumer and SaaS Companies
How Competition Fuels Startup Success
Conventional wisdom often suggests that startups thrive best in markets with little to no competition, favoring uncontested “blue oceans.”
Why Hybrid Entrepreneurship Might Be Your Best Bet
The Measured Leap
How To Implement a Double-Sided Referral Program
Not all referral programs are created equal. Double-sided programs, where both the referrer and the referred customer are rewarded, are highly effective at driving acquisition, engagement, and loyalty.
Raising Money in 2025: A Survival Guide for Founders
Raising money remains one of the most grueling challenges founders face in 2025.
The Top-Down Interview
Uncovering a Candidate’s True Potential
The Screening Phone Interview
Your First Line of Defense in Recruiting
Relationships: Who Should Be Your First Hire?
What type of previous relationship is best?
Activity with Purpose: Maximizing Your Sales Efficiency
Your most valuable asset in sales is time, and to be effective, every activity you undertake should have a clear purpose.
Founder Mode
Innovation or the Cult of the Founder?
The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Customer Churn
Proven Strategies to Retain Customers and Maximize Profits
The Math Isn’t Mathing: Misaligned Incentives and Broken Models
Venture capital (VC) has long been heralded as the driver of innovation and entrepreneurship, but the reality is far less glamorous.
Beyond the Founding Team: Hiring Your First Key Employees
After the excitement of forming a founding team, the next big challenge is bringing in your first or second hire - individuals who will play a crucial role in shaping your company’s future
Crafting Your Investment Update
A Guide for Founders
Active Listening and Selling with Empathy
The Secret to Successful Sales
Can Angel Groups Still Attract Decent Deal Flow in Today’s Venture Ecosystem?
The venture capital landscape has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years, and with it, the role of angel groups has come into question.
Mastering Sales Efficiency
The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Calendar
Hunting vs. Gathering in Venture Capital
The Game of Deal Flow Domination
The Six Steps of the Sale
A Comprehensive Guide
Mastering Sales Channels: Expanding Your Reach with Diverse Strategies
In the world of sales, understanding and effectively leveraging your various channels is crucial for building a sustainable and scalable business.
Unlocking Leadership Potential
Harnessing Strengths, Embracing Growth, and Leading with Confidence
Why Customer Discovery is a Waste of Time
A Practical Approach to Testing Your Venture's Problem
Building a High-Performance Sales Team
Aligning Roles, Cultivating Passion, and Enhancing Productivity
Servant Leadership
Compassion, Care, and Competence
Lifestyle vs. VC-Backable Companies: Understanding the Key Differences
In the diverse landscape of the US economy, two distinct types of businesses often emerge: lifestyle companies and venture capital (VC) backable companies.
Growing Your Network in the Startup World
Where do I start? How do I get access to venture capitalists and incubators? How do I develop my network?
Building a Winning Pitch Deck
Thinking Like a VC
Do Valuations Matter When Investing in Startups?
The importance of valuations is one of venture capital's most debated topics, and it polarizes fund managers, with solid arguments on both sides.
Lifestyle vs. VC-Backable Companies: Understanding the Key Differences
In the diverse landscape of the US economy, two distinct types of businesses often emerge: lifestyle companies and venture capital (VC) backable companies.
Breaking Into Venture Capital: A Guide to Crafting Your Path
VC is one of the most competitive and rewarding career paths in business. It’s an industry that blends sharp analysis, deep relationships, and the ability to see the future of innovation.
Mastering Networking Events in the Startup World
A Comprehensive Guide
The Alpha in Power Law: Key Factors in Venture Capital
Venture capital (VC) is a domain where power laws significantly influence the distribution of returns.
Toxic Customers: The Death Blow to Startups
All revenue is good revenue, right? Wrong. Toxic customers disrupt workflows, demoralize teams, and can jeopardize a startup's success.
Experimental Marketing
Thinking Outside the Box and Pushing Limits as an Early-Stage Startup
The Pitfalls of Emerging Angels: Insights from 1752vc
Investing in startups is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor, especially for emerging angel investors. The potential for high returns is compelling, but the journey is fraught with pitfalls.
The Mentor Conundrum: Navigating the Wild West of Startup Advice
Welcome to the startup ecosystem, the Wild West of modern business.
Why now
More than a VC Firm - We are your Catalyst for Growth.