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New VC Unfiltered Episode: Live from Lightning Round IX Five finalists. Hundreds of applicants. One shot at $100K and a fast track into 1752vc's Accelerate. This episode was recorded live at Lightning Round IX. Before a single pitch, our judges break down exactly what makes them lean in, and what sends them running. What the Judges Look For - Charge early. Paying customers beat friends-and-family praise every time. - Traction has to repeat. One great intro isn't a sales motion. - Moats look different in the AI era. Domain expertise, proprietary data, and workflow embedding matter more than ever. - If the next model update can copy you, you don't have a business. - Red flags kill deals fast. Misleading claims and misaligned founding teams top the list. Who Pitched - Wizium AI (Andrew Botnev): An agentic operating system that runs commerce for sellers. - Tener.ai (Nick Nagatkin): An AI recruiter that hires on references and behavioral signals in 10 days. - Adomo (Sharmin Ali): Security and governance for enterprise AI agents. - Neural Wave (Chayan Bhattacharyay): Automating the doctor's clinical workflow inside the EHR. - AskIt (Lotan Magal): Simulating human decisions to predict consumer behavior before you spend. Stay through the final pitch showdown to see why AskIt took home the top prize. On the Panel Perspectives from experienced investors and operators: - Avag Simonyan, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Triple S Ventures - Keith Yoder, Director of Business Development & Sr. Associate at Innovent Capital Group - Vinnie Shahzad, VP of Startup Banking at Silicon Valley Bank and Co-Founder of Bruin Angels The Bottom Line If you're building, investing, or tracking what actually gets funded right now, this episode is a front-row view of how investors are thinking in 2026. Thanks to our sponsors and partners Ramp, Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, and Innovent Capital for making Lightning Round IX possible. Listen to VC Unfiltered on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods! Preorder: 1752 Fundraising 400,000+ investors. Personalized to your raise. The complete fundraising experience, from first list to closed round. Get matched to the right angels, firms, and family offices, send outreach from your own inbox, auto-apply in one click, and keep investors updated, all from one place. Built for founders raising right now, not someday. 20% off your first year. Founding price. No charge until launch. Learn More Visit us at 1752.vc For Aspiring Investors Designed for aspiring venture capitalists and startup leaders, our program offers deep insights into venture operations, fund management, and growth strategies, all guided by seasoned industry experts. Break the mold and dive into angel investing with a fresh perspective. Our program provides a comprehensive curriculum on innovative investment strategies, unique deal sourcing, and hands-on, real-world experiences, all guided by industry experts. For Founders 1752vc offers four exclusive programs tailored to help startups succeed. Whether you're raising capital or need help with sales, we’ve got you covered. Our highly selective, 12-week, remote-first accelerator is designed to help early-stage startups raise capital, scale quickly, and expand their networks. We invest $100K and provide direct access to 850+ mentors, strategic partners, and invaluable industry connections. A 12-week, results-driven program designed to help early-stage startups master sales, go-to-market, and growth hacking. Includes $1M+ in perks, tactical guidance from top operators, and a potential path to $100K investment from 1752vc. The ultimate self-paced startup academy, designed to guide you through every stage, whether it's building your business model, mastering unit economics, or navigating fundraising, with $1M in perks to fuel your growth and a direct path to $100K investment. The perfect next step after YC's Startup School or Founder University. A 12-week accelerator helping early-stage DTC brands scale from early traction to repeatable, high-growth revenue. Powered by 1752vc's playbook, it combines real-world execution, data-driven strategy, and direct investor access to fuel brand success. A 12-week, self-paced program designed to help founders turn ideas into scalable startups. Built by 1752vc, it provides expert guidance, a structured playbook, and investor access. Founders who execute effectively can position themselves for a potential $100K investment.
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