Latest news with #VanessaLarco
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
On stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: How AI is forcing late-stage startups to rewire GTM — or be left behind
AI isn't just disrupting products — it's upending how companies sell, scale, and succeed. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening October 27–29 in San Francisco, we're diving deep into how late-stage startups are navigating this shift. Catch this dynamic panel on the Going Public Stage, where three seasoned leaders will explore how AI is transforming go-to-market (GTM) strategies from the inside out. Why attend this session? If you're scaling a startup and wondering how AI fits into your next phase of growth, this conversation is for you. Our panelists will cut through the hype to reveal how AI is changing everything from sales and marketing to customer success. You'll get insight into what's working, what's not, and how to integrate AI into your GTM motion without derailing your focus or team. Meet the speakers Nirav Tolia is the CEO, president, and co-founder of , where he leads one of the most recognized community platforms in tech. Tolia previously co-founded and led was COO at and serves as the non-executive chair of Hedosophia. Jane Alexander, partner at , brings more than 15 years of experience building and scaling GTM teams. Before joining CapitalG, she was CMO at Carta and held leadership roles at Salesforce and RelateIQ. Vanessa Larco is the co-founder of and a former partner at NEA. With a background in product leadership and investing, Larco brings a sharp lens to how startups can grow efficiently — and stay focused — as AI reshapes product and market strategies. Snag your July discount and get ready for Disrupt 2025 Don't miss this session — and more than 200 others — at the tech epicenter where 10,000+ startup and VC leaders connect to discover the next wave of innovation. Buy your tickets now and save up to $675 before July savings end. Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
22-07-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Learn how AI is forcing startups to rewire GTM at Disrupt 2025
AI isn't just disrupting products — it's upending how companies sell, scale, and succeed. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening October 27–29 in San Francisco, we're diving deep into how late-stage startups are navigating this shift. Catch this dynamic panel on the Going Public Stage, where three seasoned leaders will explore how AI is transforming go-to-market (GTM) strategies from the inside out. Why attend this session? If you're scaling a startup and wondering how AI fits into your next phase of growth, this conversation is for you. Our panelists will cut through the hype to reveal how AI is changing everything from sales and marketing to customer success. You'll get insight into what's working, what's not, and how to integrate AI into your GTM motion without derailing your focus or team. Meet the speakers Nirav Tolia is the CEO, president, and co-founder of Nextdoor, where he leads one of the most recognized community platforms in tech. Tolia previously co-founded and led was COO at and serves as the non-executive chair of Hedosophia. Jane Alexander, partner at CapitalG, brings more than 15 years of experience building and scaling GTM teams. Before joining CapitalG, she was CMO at Carta and held leadership roles at Salesforce and RelateIQ. Vanessa Larco is the co-founder of Premise and a former partner at NEA. With a background in product leadership and investing, Larco brings a sharp lens to how startups can grow efficiently — and stay focused — as AI reshapes product and market strategies. Snag your July discount and get ready for Disrupt 2025 Don't miss this session — and more than 200 others — at the tech epicenter where 10,000+ startup and VC leaders connect to discover the next wave of innovation. Buy your tickets now and save up to $675 before July savings end.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
12 Next-Gen AI And Social Startups Backed By Thrive Capital And Y Combinator Shaping 2025: 'We're On The Brink Of Another Big Consumer Wave'
A new wave of AI-driven consumer startups is gaining traction among investors in 2025, with many of these platforms blending artificial intelligence with real-world interaction to reshape how people connect, discover, and build communities, Business Insider reports. Vanessa Larco, former New Enterprise Associates partner and founder of the venture firm Premise, told Business Insider, "We're on the brink of another big consumer wave" as interest returns to early-stage consumer tech startups. Don't Miss: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — The following 12 companies were identified by venture capitalists as emerging leaders across dating, social networking, faith, fashion, and in-person experience, with several being backed by top firms including Y Combinator and Thrive Capital. 1. Sitch This AI matchmaking app uses a chatbot trained by human matchmakers to suggest five setups per week, with tiers from $90 to $160, Business Insider reports. Larco, through Premise, has invested in the company as an angel investor. 2. Margins Margins is a social reading platform designed for the BookTok generation. Since launching in December, the app has grown to approximately 130,000 users. According to Business Insider, the startup has drawn interest from investors including Rhian Horton at Stellation Capital, though the firm has not backed the company to date. 3. Tolan Tolan is an AI companion platform designed to simulate conversation and connection. The startup is among those being closely watched by Larco, though she has not invested in the company, Business Insider says. 4. Swsh Swsh is a Gen Z-focused photo-sharing platform designed for live events like Rolling Loud and Electric Daisy Carnival Vegas. According to its website, Swsh uses AI to help users surface photos and videos from shared albums and includes group chat features for real-time connection. Trending: GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — 5. Doji Virtual try-on for fashion, Doji uses AI to generate avatars showing designer clothes and raised $14 million in a Thrive Capital-led seed round, according to Business Insider. 6. Bible Chat An AI chatbot trained on the Bible, Bible Chat has 25 million users and $16 million in funding, Business Insider says. The company's funding reflects growing investor interest in spiritual AI platforms. 7. Series This Yale-founded professional networking app employs AI agents to connect early-career users. According to Business Insider, it has strong early-stage capital behind it, fueling interest from investors drawn to AI-driven professional tools. 8. Beli A real-world dining tracker, Beli gamifies restaurant visits with friend ranking in 30,000 cities and over 65 million ratings. The startup has raised $12 million in funding and highlights how AI and real-world interaction are fueling investor interest, Business Insider says. 9. Lore A fandom-centric AI platform, Lore is still in beta but has caught VC attention for its focus on niche communities, according to Business Insider. 10. Status Status is an AI-powered social platform that lets users interact with fictional characters designed to simulate social media experiences. The app was launched by a team that went through Y Combinator in 2022 and has attracted over 2.5 million users to date. Investors including FirstMark's Derek Chu and Patron's Amber Atherton named Status as a startup to watch, though neither firm has backed the company, Business Insider says.11. Spillt Called "Goodreads for recipes," Spillt lets users clip and share recipes and has collected over 400,000 items. Business Insider says that by combining social discovery and cooking, Spillt shows how niche apps build truly engaged communities. 12. Gigi Marketed as "the AI who knows everyone," Gigi connects users via personalized AI matchmaking. Gigi is co-founded by Clara Gold and backed by Intuition VC angel Hugo Amsellem, according to Business Insider. Artificial intelligence continues to shape the investment landscape in consumer startups. Paul Warren, CEO of Margins, told Business Insider that there have been "no real crazy big raises... unless it is a really strong gen AI angle." That shift in funding strategy is driving the rise of startups that combine AI with specific, high-engagement use cases. General platforms are losing ground to niche communities, Business Insider says. According to Warren, users are turning toward "much smaller things, cozier things, much more niche-oriented things." Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 12 Next-Gen AI And Social Startups Backed By Thrive Capital And Y Combinator Shaping 2025: 'We're On The Brink Of Another Big Consumer Wave' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Wall Street Journal
19-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Vanessa Larco, Mercedes Bent Team Up for Consumer-Focused Venture Firm
A new venture firm is in the works to invest in early-stage consumer companies, a corner of the startup world that has struggled to attract funding in recent years. Vanessa Larco, a former partner at venture firm New Enterprise Associates, and Mercedes Bent, previously a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, are creating Premise to back consumer software and related startups, according to people familiar with their plans.
