Your Pitch Deck Lies
From Born In Silicon Valley by Match Relevant
June 9, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 239
About this episode
This episode explores how Blue Moon is transforming seed-stage venture capital through AI and data-driven insights into founder success.
Discover how Blue Moon is completely revolutionizing seed-stage venture capital by screening 20,000 startups a year using advanced AI. Join Jake Aaron Villarreal as he sits down with Ben Orthlieb to reveal the data-driven secrets behind finding the next billion-dollar unicorn. We dive deep into the philosophy of investing in the founders behind the technology, comparing startup success to Olympic endurance. Learn why a founders resilience, upbringing, and tolerance for pain are the ultimate predictors of a massive exit in the competitive tech landscape. Ben shares the incredible story of discovering Merkor before its massive valuation and explains why building a venture fund like a pure technology company allows Blue Moon to achieve a staggering 70 percent market coverage. If you are an AI startup looking for funding or a founder wanting to understand what top-tier VCs are really looking for, this episode is packed with invaluable insights. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Stories01:20 Blue Moon: A Tech-Driven Venture Fund02:47 Ben Orthlieb's Background and Experience06:02 From LinkedIn to Venture Capital08:33 Market Gaps in Traditional VC11:05 Using Data and AI to…
People in this episode
Host: Jake Aaron Villarreal
Guest: Ben Orthlieb
Topics covered
- venture capital
- AI in startups
- founder resilience
- investment strategies
- data-driven decision making
- startup success
Keywords
- venture capital
- AI startups
- founder resilience
- investment
- startup evaluation
- market coverage
- unicorns
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Blue Moon, Merkor, LinkedIn
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