How to find the right venture investor

Venture capitalists aren't throwing money around like they used to. The funding environment in 2023 was rough, as investors buttoned up their pocketbooks to steel themselves for a recession.


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Well, now that we’re in recovery mode, there are new rules to play by when it comes to identifying, pitching and partnering with the right investor. LPs are being more selective, and the bar for deals is higher now, writes Paul Hsu, founder and CEO of Decasonic, a venture and digital assets fund. He shares 12 tips on how to find the right venture partner in this new environment.

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Pitch Deck Teardown: Pepper Bio’s $6.5M seed deck

Pepper Bio Pitch slide with pepper bio logo
Pepper Bio Pitch slide with pepper bio logo

Image Credits: Pepper Bio (opens in a new window)

After reviewing Pepper Bio’s deck that landed the company more than $6 million, resident pitch expert Haje Kamps admits that he doesn’t know much about biotech, which makes him not the target audience. However, even with that in mind, he still has a few ideas on how to make the storytelling in this deck even more compelling.

As AI becomes standard, watch for these 4 DevSecOps trends

Image of a magnifying glass above balls to represent identifying bias in AI.
Image of a magnifying glass above balls to represent identifying bias in AI.

Image Credits: Hiroshi Watanabe (opens in a new window) / Getty Images

DevSecOps leaders, listen up: You will need to be more proactive in advocating for effective and responsible uses of AI, writes GitLab chief product officer David DeSanto. “As organizations ramp up their shift toward AI-centric business models, it’s not just about staying competitive — it’s also about survival.”

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5 steps to ensure startups successfully deploy LLMs

Computer Processor Processing Artificial Intelligence Data. Glowing Chip. Computer And Technology Related 3D Illustration Render.
Computer Processor Processing Artificial Intelligence Data. Glowing Chip. Computer And Technology Related 3D Illustration Render.

Image Credits: yucelyilmaz / Getty Images

And speaking of AI, more than 50% of respondents to an Arize survey said they were planning to deploy an LLM within the next year. Before jumping in, follow these five steps to ensure your deployment is successful.

Building a viable pricing model for generative AI features could be challenging

Robot holds a green check mark and red x on a purple background.
Robot holds a green check mark and red x on a purple background.

Image Credits: tommy / Getty Images

And finally, as generative AI features become more ubiquitous, companies are finding that monetizing these add-ons is hard. “It’s also about finding a balance between providing the kind of features that customers are suddenly demanding, and figuring out a way to price it in a way that provides real customer value, yet allows the company to make money,” writes enterprise reporter Ron Miller.