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Expert analysis on the markets and technologies shaping tomorrow’s investments.

VC & Startups

Welcome To The ‘Show Me’ Era: Sapphire Ventures’ Anders Ranum On What Separates Winning AI Startups From The Rest

Crunchbase News · Jul 13, 2026

To understand how institutional capital is navigating the gap between AI's public market software multiples and private market valuations, Crunchbase News recently interviewed Anders Ranum, a partner at Sapphire Ventures, who shared how he strikes an investment balance.

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VC & Startups

Sector Snapshot: Cleantech Startup Funding Stabilizes As Energy Demand Grows

Crunchbase News · Jul 6, 2026

In the first half of this year, investors poured $15 billion into seed- through growth-stage rounds for companies in Crunchbase cleantech, EV and sustainability-focused categories. That puts funding on track to slightly exceed the 2025 tally, which was the lowest in several years.

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VC & Startups

Crunchbase Data: Q2 Brought The Most Billion-Dollar Startup Exits Since 2021

Crunchbase News · Jun 29, 2026

Startup exits valued at $1 billion or more are now more numerous than at any point since the 2021 market peak, Crunchbase data shows. The trend we’re seeing for the second quarter of 2026 includes both the largest venture-backed exit of all time and a bevy of other comparatively tinier but still sizable startup exits through acquisition or IPO.

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VC & Startups

Saas Isn’t Coming Back. Something Much Bigger Is Replacing It

Crunchbase News · Jun 22, 2026

The next wave of software will be AI-native, industry-specific platforms, writes guest author Richard de Silva who believes the biggest winners will be vertical AI companies with deep domain expertise, proprietary data and strong customer relationships, as these advantages create durable competitive moats that generic horizontal SaaS products cannot match.

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VC & Startups

Rewriting Your Pitch: SaaS Isn’t Dead, But The Playbook For Founders Is Changing

Crunchbase News · Jun 15, 2026

Because AI and LLMs are reshaping the traditional SaaS model, founders are forced to focus less on software alone and more on delivering measurable business outcomes, defensible workflow ownership, strong retention, and efficient growth. Crunchbase guest author, Ivan Nikkhoo argues that rather than chasing trends like adding services, founders should build deep moats, understand customer workflows, adapt pricing toward usage- or outcome-based models, and prove that AI creates lasting value.

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VC & Startups

How Bigger ACVs Are Bringing Direct Sales Back To Vertical AI

Crunchbase News · Jun 8, 2026

Successful vertical AI startups are increasingly using channels like private equity networks and industry conferences to drive distribution, recognizing that larger deal sizes require a fundamentally different go-to-market playbook than traditional vertical SaaS. Guest author Medha Agarwal, a general partner at Defy.vc, explains just what that means.

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VC & Startups

How I Raised $14M For My Startup When I Stopped Pitching And Started Speaking

Crunchbase News · Jun 1, 2026

When investor trust is built through repeated in-person encounters, authentic conversations and thought leadership on meaningful problems, relationships and visibility matter more than aggressive fundraising outreach, argues guest author Alyx van der Vorm, whose startup raised $14 million as the result of personal interactions.

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VC & Startups

They Saw Women Shut Out Of VC, So A PayPal Veteran And Former Navy Officer Built An Alternative

Crunchbase News · May 29, 2026

Co-founded by Molly Huyck and Amie Konwinski, Aequitas Invest's funding portal provides women-led businesses a way to raise capital. Crunchbase News recently spoke to the founders to learn more about their plans to help female entrepreneurs raise and hold on to more equity.

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VC & Startups

Exclusive: Capchase, The ‘Affirm for B2B,’ Secures $200M In Debt And Equity

Crunchbase News · May 27, 2026

Financing startup Capchase has secured a new round of funding, consisting of $26 million in equity and a $174 million credit facility, the company told Crunchbase News exclusively.

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VC & Startups

The Week’s 10 Biggest Funding Rounds: Massive Deals For Medical Devices, Futuristic AI Gadgets And Frontier Labs Lead

Crunchbase News · May 22, 2026

Along with the usual heavy dose of AI, this week’s list also includes large deals for aerospace and defense, fintech, and retail technology.

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