About this episode

Vinnie Lauria discusses what makes a startup investable in the age of AI and shares insights on fundraising strategies.

Building a startup has never been easier. Convincing someone to invest in it is a different problem. Vinnie Lauria has spent more than 15 years on the other side of that decision. As a founding partner at Golden Gate Ventures, he has backed companies across Southeast Asia after starting his own career as an entrepreneur. That gives him a useful view of what investors notice once a founder gets in the room. A polished pitch can open the conversation, but Vinnie is far more interested in the evidence behind it. He wants to know whether you have found something people genuinely want and whether you understand how to turn that demand into a business. AI has pushed that bar higher. Products can be built faster, decks can look better, and early versions can appear far more developed than they would have a few years ago. Investors know that too. In this episode, we get into what makes a startup investable now, where founders waste time during fundraising, and what Vinnie looks for before deciding a company is worth backing. What we cover 1️⃣ What investors care about once building gets easier AI has lowered the cost of getting something live. That means the product itself carries less…

People in this episode

Host: Daniel Ionescu

Guest: Vinnie Lauria

Topics covered

• startup investment
• entrepreneurship
• AI in business
• fundraising strategies
• investor insights

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Golden Gate Ventures

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