Sep 26, 2025

Exits are getting bigger The 99th percentile VC exit is now over $10B. A decade ago, it was $1.4B. Companies are staying private longer, compounding more, and exiting at much higher values. The game has changed. Capital is there, but only for the best. The outcomes are bigger, but the bar is higher than ever before. Metrics alone don’t get you funded Gone are the days of spreadsheet investing. You could be growing triple-triple-double with best-in-class NRR – and still hear “no” if your story doesn’t land. The incredible opportunity of AI cuts both ways. It also makes investors nervous. Categories that are booming today could be all but eliminated tomorrow with a new model release, change in AI architecture, or rapidly shifting customer preferences. If your company narrative lines up with the VC thesis, you’ll have demand. If you’re building something truly non-consensus, you need to find that singular investor who falls in love with your narrative for the future. It’s a harder path, but historically, a very fruitful one. If software is eating the world, AI might devour it When the transition to cloud began, the global software market was $350B. Today, the cloud market alone is over $400B. Truly transformational technologies tend to exceed the size of the markets they’re attacking. AI is no different here. Where AI can be different is the $10T a year global services market. AI is selling more than software: it’s selling outcomes, headcount, and workflows. If AI is eating into both the global software and services market today, what does that look like 5 years from now? 10 years from now? Buckle up. Distribution is the final remaining moat As technology becomes easier and easier to build, distribution is the final remaining moat. What separates winners today? Go-to-market strategy and execution is the operating model that builds and maintains that moat. Founders need GTM support earlier than ever. Tag @GTMnow so we can see your takeaways and help amplify them. The Shift: Static Software vs. Living AI Systems . In the world of traditional software, products were built on determinism. AI breaks this assumption. AI products now look more like living systems vs static ones. Sophie Buonassisi (SVP of GTMfund/GTMnow) on what venture capitalists really look for when investing in startups. Centari – raised $14M to build the future of Deal Intelligence . Think M&A, financings, partnerships — deals where billions are on the line and speed and precision matter. Generic AI tools weren’t built for the legal complexity or risk tolerance these transactions require. That’s where Centari comes in. Pocus – announced its next chapter: moving beyond signal aggregation to true decision-making intelligence . With the new Relevance Agent™ and Intelligent Inbox, Pocus gives reps clear next steps (who to contact, what to say, and when to act), turning data overload into trusted guidance that drives revenue. VP of Technical Services at CaptivateIQ (Hybrid – Austin / Menlo; Remote – Raleigh / Nashville / Toronto) See more top GTM jobs on the GTMfund Job Board . If you’re looking to scale your sales and marketing teams with top talent, we couldn’t recommend our partner Pursuit more. We work closely together to be able to provide the top go-to-market talent for companies on a non-retainer basis. Upcoming events you won’t want to miss: Dreamforce : October 14-16, 2025 (San Francisco, CA) GTMfund Dinner (private registration): October 22, 2025 (Austin, TX) GTMfund Dinner (private registration): November 18, 2025 (Toronto, ON) GTMfund Dinner (private registration): November 19, 2025 (New York, NY) GTM x Founder Event (private registration): November 20, 2025 (New York, NY) – if you’re an AI-focused founder in NYC, hit reply to get the details Above the Fold (for marketers): February 9-11, 2025 (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Spryng (for marketers): March 24-26, 2025 (Austin, TX) Some GTMnow community (founder, operator, investor) love to close it out – we appreciate you.