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Generative AI startups are currently pushed into Series A rounds too quickly

Spencer Kimball · Scaling to $5B with Cockroach Labs' CEO Spencer Kimball's Formula for Sustained Growth + Resilience · Aug 9, 2023 · at 5:04

This episode carries Spencer Kimball's own address, with nobody on the show putting questions to them. It still counts as said, and it is kept out of every score on their page.

Spencer Kimball, co-founder and CEO of Cockroach Labs, discusses fundraising dynamics and stage expectations for early startups across different technology sectors.

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“These days, I think if you're doing something in generative AI, you're probably gonna get shuttled into doing a series A, and that might not always be appropriate.”

quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →

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