YC Valuations, VC Slowdown, and Office Hours with CustomerIQ | E2136 – This Week in Startups

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex dive into why Y Combinator startups are raising at sky-high valuations with relatively low ARR—what does that mean for investors and founders? VC funds are slowing down and returning to pre-ZIRP pacing, signaling a reset in the market. Plus, in this week’s Office Hours, Sean Steigerwald, founder of CustomerIQ, demos his AI sales agent that lives in your inbox, drafting follow-ups using CRM context. It’s a deep look at early-stage investing, startup efficiency, and where AI is headed in enterprise.

Timestamps:

() Episode Teaser() Jason's Singapore trip recap and SoCal update() Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST() New rumblings from Mistral; is the French AI startup catching a tail wind?() Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.() VC investing pace is slowing... what does this mean for founders() INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)() Founders' guide to raising capital() Gen AI companies are growing FAST but are there concerns about churn?() Is YC still worth it? Debating paper gains vs. DPI as metrics.() Office Hours with Sean Steigerald from Customer IQ: managing active users and more.