VC Unfiltered

In Lightning Round IX, 1752vc's signature pitch competition, judges Avag Simonyan, Keith Yoder, and Vinnie Shahzad get brutally practical about what makes them lean in and what sends them running.

Hundreds of founders apply. Only five make the final stage. First you hear from the judges: their investment philosophies and the real filters they use to evaluate pre-seed, seed, and Series A startups in an AI-saturated market where speed, data, and story matter more than ever. Then the finalists pitch live for a shot at $100K and a fast track into 1752vc's Accelerate.

MEET THE JUDGES

Avag Simonyan | Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Triple S Ventures

An Armenian founder and LA-based venture leader who has backed AI, biotech, health tech, and quantum startups. He breaks down why early-stage investors bet on bold, agile founders with deep domain knowledge and a clear painkiller, not a feature.

Keith Yoder | Director of Business Development & Sr. Associate, Innovent Capital Group

Works with companies from early stage to Series A and shares what traction looks like before revenue and why repeatable sales beat one lucky intro.

Vinnie Shahzad | VP of Startup Banking, Silicon Valley Bank | Co-Founder & Executive Director, Bruin Angels

Explains why story clarity is a moat, how to think about fundraising reality, and why investors reward founders who understand their stage.

THE FINALISTS

▸ Wizium AI | Andrew Botnev
Agentic operating system that runs commerce for sellers, from sourcing to marketplace ops.

▸ Tener AI | Nick Nagatkin
AI recruiter that hires on references and behavioral signals, end to end in 10 days.

▸ Adomo | Sharmin Ali
Security platform for enterprise AI agents.

▸ AskIt | Lotan Magal
Simulates human decisions to predict consumer behavior before you spend.

▸ Neural Wave | Chayan Bhattacharyay
Automates the doctor's clinical workflow inside the EHR.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

✔ Why charging customers early matters more than friends-and-family praise
✔ How investors separate real traction from vanity metrics
✔ What makes a pitch deck feel credible in the AI era
✔ Why moats now come from domain expertise, proprietary data, and more
✔ The red flags that instantly kill investor interest
✔ How to think about pivots, capital efficiency, and market timing

The conversation gets especially sharp around AI: where the real opportunities still are, how to avoid building something the next model update can copy, and why the winners are teams that turn capital into repeatable growth. The judges pressure-test each founder live on pricing, distribution, human-in-the-loop systems, and whether the problem is painful enough to deserve a business.

Perfect for founders, operators, and investors who want the unfiltered version of what actually gets funded in 2026.

CHAPTERS

00:33 Welcome to the Lightning Round Pitch Competition
01:03 Judge introduction: Avag Simonyan on founder-product fit
06:10 Judge introduction: Keith Yoder on traction and early-stage investing
09:32 Judge introduction: Vinnie Shahzad on storytelling and startup banking
11:49 Why universities produce strong founder pipelines
15:33 Fundraising: market size, investor fit, and getting the meeting
20:14 What traction really means: paid customers and repeatable sales
29:25 Where investors see opportunity in AI, proptech, biotech, and healthtech
34:01 Building a competitive moat in the AI era
43:09 Pitch red flags: misleading claims and misaligned founding teams
45:02 Finalist pitches begin
45:20 Wizium AI: agentic commerce for online sellers
51:33 Tener.ai: AI-powered recruiting infrastructure
1:02:46 Adomo: governance and security for enterprise AI agents
1:13:15 Neural Wave: automating clinical workflows for physicians
1:21:22 AskIt: synthetic consumer research and virtual customer audiences
1:28:31 Judges score the finalists
1:28:50 Winner announced: AskIt
1:29:18 Judges' feedback and closing remarks

Thanks to our sponsors and partners: Ramp, Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, and Innovent Capital.

🔗 APPLY FOR THE NEXT LIGHTNING ROUND
https://www.1752.vc/lightning-round

🔗 1752vc
https://www.1752.vc

If this was useful, like, subscribe, and share it with a founder who's raising. Think you've got what it takes? Apply for the next Lightning Round at the link above.

#PitchCompetition #VentureCapital #Fundraising #AIStartups #Founders #1752vc

New VC Unfiltered Episode  — Live from Lightning Round VIII

This episode of VC Unfiltered was recorded live at Lightning Round VIII, where four high-potential startups pitched technologies pushing the edge of AI and applied innovation.

Featured companies include:

a2a cloud: A governed runtime for autonomous agents that adds identity, scoped permissions, and signed receipts so every agent action in production can be audited and replayed.

Contrax AI: An AI platform purpose-built for federal DLA/DIBBS contracting that surfaces winnable solicitations, auto-compiles bids, and prices them to win.

Prilog: Self-healing software that turns production incidents into ready-to-review fix PRs automatically, cutting hours of debugging down to minutes.

KINDRED: Agentic regulatory intelligence that turns medical-device data into defensible, citation-backed regulatory filings using a reasoning engine built on a lawyer-encoded regulatory graph.

The episode also includes perspectives from experienced investors and operators:

Kunal Phalak — Vice President, WestBridge Capital.

Invests in early- to growth-stage AI. A founder-turned-investor since 2018, focused on vertical AI, Voice AI, and enterprise automation. Wharton MBA; IIT Bombay EE.

Zachary Betts — General Partner, Zandia Ventures.

SF Bay Area family-office investor-operator. 25+ years advising seed-to-growth startups across healthcare, medical devices, and AI, all built for measurable human and planetary impact.

Keith Yoder — Director of BD and Senior Associate, Innovent Capital.

Director of Business Development and Senior Investment Associate at Innovent Capital, the family office of serial entrepreneur Brett Markinson, backing early-stage technology companies.

Stay through the final pitch showdown to see which startup takes the top prize.

If you're building, investing, or tracking where early-stage innovation is heading, this episode offers a front-row view of what founders are working on right now.

Listen to VC Unfiltered on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods!

04:16 - Investor insights on founder qualities and market understanding
08:31 - Evaluating pitch decks and realistic market sizing (TAM SAM SOM)
12:35 - Assessing AI-native platforms and technology moats
18:32 - Importance of distribution, team, and strategic partnerships
20:53 - Networking tips for founders and persistence advice
28:21 - Current AI adoption curve and enterprise use cases
34:00 - AI usage in startups and human-AI collaboration
42:01 - AI market potential and emerging specialization trends
45:50 - What investors look for in founders before writing a check
52:26 - Finalist pitch: a2a Cloud - multi-agent orchestration and governance
01:02:21 - Finalist pitch: Contrax AI - federal defense bidding automation
01:13:57 - Finalist pitch: Prilog - AI remediation platform for software bugs
01:22:48 - Finalist pitch: Kindred - regulatory filings automation for medical devices
01:35:57 - Announcement of winner and closing remarks from judges and hosts


#startup #venturecapital

New VC Unfiltered Episode  — Live from Lightning Round VII

This episode of VC Unfiltered was recorded live at Lightning Round VII, where four high-potential startups pitched technologies pushing the edge of AI and applied innovation.

Featured companies include:

TeroAI — The first AI geospatial data terminal that makes any location query instantly actionable for anyone.

Allocraft AI — An automated fund-diligence copilot for allocators evaluating alternative investment managers.

Wise AI — Remote camera-based vitals that turn any telehealth visit or homecare check-in into a full medical exam.

UBiosis Health — An autonomous AI nurse that turns the time between doctor visits into proactive, revenue-generating chronic care.

The episode also includes perspectives from experienced investors and operators:

Erik Jefferson, Chief Investment Officer at Flagship Harbor Advisors

Amy Harmon, Investor at Innovent Capital Group

Ra'ad Siraj, technology and data executive

Pearl Collings, tech CEO and advisor

Stay through the final pitch showdown to see which startup takes the top prize.

If you're building, investing, or tracking where early-stage innovation is heading, this episode offers a front-row view of what founders are working on right now.

Listen to VC Unfiltered on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods!

00:34 - Welcome to 1752 VC Lightning Round Pitch Competition
01:35 - Judges Introduction
04:10 - Panel Discussion: AI and SaaS Landscape
07:34 - Business Models and Market Trends in AI
11:28 - Risks of Unauthorized AI Usage in Enterprise (Shadow AI)
13:21 - AI Impact on Labor and Automation Potential
17:50 - Debate on AI-native vs Integrated SaaS Models
19:23 - Shift from Seat-based to Value-based SaaS Approach
21:00 - Investor Expectations and Startup Validation Trends
26:44 - Sponsor Presentation: Ramp Finance Automation Platform
32:03 - Pitch Competition Introduction and Format
32:38 - Startup Pitch: Wise AI
39:12 - Q&A for Wise AI
41:30 - Startup Pitch: Allocraft AI
47:07 - Q&A for Allocraft AI
51:37 - Startup Pitch: Tero AI
58:58 - Q&A for Tero AI
01:02:20 - Startup Pitch: UBiosis Health
01:10:22 - Q&A for UBiosis Health
01:13:56 - Competition Results and Closing Remarks

#startup #venturecapital 

New VC Unfiltered Episode  — Live from Lightning Round VI

In this exciting episode of VC Unfiltered, recorded live at Lightning Round VI, we bring five standout consumer founders redefining their categories.

Shiki Wrap is bringing sustainability to gifting with reusable wraps and bags designed for a circular economy. Dirty Virgin is shaking up beverage culture with unapologetically bold nonalcoholic cocktails crafted for those who want purity with personality. Painless Picasso delivers comforting creams and soothing solutions built around simple self-care. Sugar Wood, a dessert brand from New York City, blends playful identity with premium treats. And PerDiem is reimagining jewelry for the twenty-first century with a modern approach to craft, design, and everyday wear.

Whether you're a founder, investor, or just curious about the future of innovation, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss.

Listen to VC Unfiltered on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods!

0:30 - Panel
46:50 - Shiki Wrap
58:20 - Dirty Virgin
1:07:13 - PerDiem
1:15:28 - Painless Picasso
1:22:00 - Sugar Wood

#DTC #CPG #vc 

In this exciting episode of VC Unfiltered, recorded live at Lightning Round V, we bring you the forefront of innovation with five elite startups showcasing their groundbreaking technologies.

From the transformative potential of aluminum batteries by Zenthos Energy to the promise of level five autonomous driving by Niebla AI, these visionary founders are redefining the future.

Dive into the world of legal tech with Aparti's operational system for family law, explore the compact quantum and photonic AI systems by Phaseshift, and discover Avocado Health's mission to revolutionize parenting support.

Featuring expert insights from industry leaders like Howard Wright of NVIDIA, Howard Ko of Morpheus Ventures, and Lucas J. Pols of Pegasus, this episode delivers both inspiration and cutting-edge ideas. Stick around for the high-stakes pitch showdown to see which startup claims the top prize!

0:00 - VC Panel
57:09 - Zenthos Energy Pitch
1:07:36 - Aparti Pitch
1:17:14 - Phaseshift
1:28:18 - Avocado Health
1:41:00 - Niebla AI
1:53:56 - Winner Announcement 

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#ai #startup #venturecapital

In this episode of VC Unfiltered, Lucas Pols, GP at Pegasus Angel Accelerator, sits down with Howie Diamond from Pure Ventures. Discover unique investment strategies, the balance between consumer and frontier tech, and the importance of founder wellness.

Howie shares his journey from solo GP to building Pure Ventures, offering insights and stories that are both enlightening and inspiring. Tune in for a candid conversation that uncovers the realities of venture capital and the human side of entrepreneurship.

Chapters

00:51 The Reality of Venture Capital
04:57 Investment Strategies in Venture Capital
09:43 Consumer vs. Frontier Tech Investments
14:54 The Importance of Founder Wellness
19:35 Building a Supportive Ecosystem for Founders
24:35 The Journey from Solo GP to Partnership


Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/342uGXBr031LgcubfOxYsu?si=bd5705c527c448dc&nd=1&dlsi=52cd6ce2bec14970

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-unfiltered/id1756379899

Follow us on X:
 https://x.com/paa_vc

Follow us on Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/pegasusaccelerator

Follow us on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@pegasusaccelerator

Visit our Website:
https://www.pegasusangelaccelerator.com/

Subscribe to our Newsletter:
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#venturecapital #startup #vc

In this episode of VC Unfiltered, Lucas Pols, GP at Pegasus Angel Accelerator, sits down with John Tabis — founder of The Bouqs Company and Partner & Head of Launchpad at M13. Together, they unpack what really makes a venture studio succeed, why founders must sometimes ignore customers, and how a flower company accidentally created a high-margin hit with... vases.

John pulls back the curtain on how M13’s venture studio operates like a startup Petri dish — rapidly testing, iterating, and validating ideas. He reflects on nearly sinking Bouqs by underestimating infrastructure needs, and shares one of the hardest lessons in leadership: “If they’re neutral, they’ve gotta go.”

0:25 Guest Introduction: John Tabis from M13 Venture Studio  
1:09 Overview of M13's Venture Studio Model and Evolution  
3:17 Ownership Structures and the Founder-Led Approach  
5:21 Differentiation from Traditional Venture Studios  
8:16 Lessons from Running Bouq: The Journey and Core Insights  
11:01 The Importance of Tech as a Core Competency  
12:00 Company Building vs. Product Building  
13:42 Culture, Team Dynamics, and Leadership Lessons  
15:03 Sorting Through Advice and Staying True to Vision  
18:06 What M13 Looks for in Founders and Startups  
20:26 The Value of Go-To-Market Strategy in Early-Stage Ventures  
23:37 Building Traction and Accelerating the J-Curve  
25:55 Evolving Customer Discovery: Theory vs. Real-World Practice  
28:56 Case Study: Subscription Models and Real Customer Feedback  
30:45 Vases Revisited: Listening to Customers vs. Trusting Instincts  
31:28 Closing Remarks and Appreciation for the Guest

Is the power law dead for climate startups? Should VCs stop chasing unicorns and start funding real impact? In this thought-provoking episode, Lucas J Pols, GP at Pegasus Angel Accelerator, sits down with Gaby Darbyshire, General Partner at Dangerous Ventures, to unpack how climate venture capital is shifting — and why that’s a good thing.

Gaby shares her journey from nuclear energy law to climate VC, and explains how her fund backs startups solving climate problems at the root — from precision agriculture to grid resilience. They dive deep into what defines a successful climate startup, how to balance profit with planet, and why not every company should chase the next billion-dollar valuation.

0:27 Introduction to the Episode and Guest
0:52 Gabby’s Background and Climate Resilience Focus
1:46 Challenges and Opportunities in Climate Tech Investing
2:38 Early Investment Failures and Evolution of Climate Attitudes
4:16 The Growing Scope of Climate as a Category
6:08 Climate-Focused Software Startups and Market Experiments
7:23 The Reality of Venture Failures and Learning from Iteration
7:53 Balancing Impact and Returns in Climate Startups
8:49 Defining Impact Without Being Concessionary
10:52 LP Expectations vs Founder Aspirations in Climate VC
11:32 Rethinking the Power Law in Climate Venture Capital
13:25 Fund Size, Exit Strategy, and Mid-Market Opportunities
14:34 Venture Math and the Case for Emerging Managers
17:06 Long-Term Value and Challenges in Regulated Industries
17:19 Case Study: Verdi and Agricultural Water Conservation
20:27 Valuation Challenges and Early-Stage Investment Strategy
21:35 The Fallout of 2021 Valuations and Founder Misconceptions
22:53 Founder Advice: Ownership, Dilution, and Sustainable Growth
23:27 Nuclear Power's Resurgence and Public Perception
24:20 Gabby’s Nuclear Facility Experience and Risk Perspective
26:57 Investing in Nuclear-Adjacent Technologies
27:25 Energy Transition and the Role of Fossil Fuels
28:09 Cars, Carbon Capture, and Energy Efficiency
28:58 The Promise of Clean Energy and Fusion Potential
29:27 Government Regulation and Corporate Incentives
29:50 Insurance Markets as Climate Risk Indicators
31:14 Electrical Grid Resilience and the Future of Energy
31:41 Final Thoughts and Episode Wrap-Up

#venturecapital #startups #climatechange

In this special episode of VC Unfiltered, recorded live at Lightning Round IV, we kick things off with a high-powered panel discussion on the future of artificial intelligence and its growing impact on the startup ecosystem.

Experts from 2045 Ventures, Steamwork Ventures, Eviden, and TCA LA dive into where AI is disrupting industries like healthcare, enterprise, and climate tech—and where its limitations still lie.

Following the panel, four standout startups pitch live for a chance at a prize from Pegasus Angel Accelerator. You'll hear from Playmaker, automating sports sponsorships; Knowledge, redefining human-first sales with real-time data; Cracked Gaming, bringing high-stakes competition to everyday gamers; and Rex, a bold AI-driven alternative to traditional ad agencies.

Whether you're a founder, investor, or AI enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights on what’s next in venture capital and the future of innovation.

0:36 Welcome and Event Introduction by Taissa Maleh
1:28 AI Wrappers and Defensibility in Startups
2:40 Moving Beyond LLM Wrappers and Building Moats
4:08 Vertical AI Agents and Future of SaaS
6:00 High-Impact AI Opportunities Across Industries
7:27 AI as Utility: From Digital Twins to Edge AI and Infrastructure
9:26 Challenges with Unstructured Data and Use Case-Driven AI
11:14 Data Source Diligence and Privacy Concerns in Healthcare
12:33 Industries AI May Struggle to Disrupt
17:10 Most Exciting Industries for AI Transformation
18:59 When Will AGI and Quantum Become Real?
22:41 Emerging Protocols Like MCP and A2A
23:43 The Role of AI in Education and Ethical Use
25:21 AI’s Role in Early Education and Customized Learning
26:28 Responsible Use and the Rise of AI Literacy
27:36 Human Learning vs. Machine Learning in Education
28:57 Critical Thinking in the Age of AI and Misinformation
29:38 Will AI Replace Human Decision-Making?
30:22 Social Behavior and the Limits of Predictive AI
31:25 Closing Remarks Before Pitch Competition
32:51 Startup Pitch 1: Hannah Sorkin from Playmaker
39:01 Startup Pitch 2: Chris Anzalone from Knowledge
45:15 Startup Pitch 3: Andy Worrell from Cracked Gaming
51:08 Startup Pitch 4: Sean Gilfillan from Rex
57:27 Judges’ Feedback and Reflections

#ai #startup

In this episode of VC Unfiltered, host Lucas J Pols, GP at Pegasus Angel Accelerator, sits down with Derek Norton, Managing Partner at Watertower Ventures, to unpack how the venture capital landscape is fundamentally shifting — again.

Derek shares how his team thinks about investing at the earliest stages, what founders need to survive (and thrive) in today's capital environment, and why AI valuations at Series A may soon routinely hit $200M+.

They dive into capital efficiency, founder resilience post-2021, and why real venture capital is back. Whether you're a founder, investor, or emerging VC, this episode is a masterclass in navigating the next wave of startup investing.

0:38 Overview of WaterTower Ventures and Investment Philosophy
1:53 Market Shifts and Founder Resilience Post-2022
3:07 AI Trends and Portfolio Company Progress
4:14 The “Third Wave” – AI and Blockchain Synergy
6:07 Trust as a Core Theme for the New Fund
6:25 Sector Focus and Investment Strategy
9:12 Domain Expertise and Value-Add through Networks
11:57 Managing a Portfolio and Time Allocation
13:17 Lessons Learned from Building Businesses
15:53 Advice for Emerging Managers and New VCs
17:13 The Real Challenge: Scaling Beyond Series A
20:26 Capital Stack Dynamics and Early-Stage Fundraising
21:00 Mission-Driven vs. Market-Driven Founders
22:22 Hot Take: Series A Valuations Heading to $200M+
24:54 Closing Thoughts and Farewell

#venturecapital  #vc #founder