TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 just locked in a critical session for growth-stage founders hunting big funding rounds. Three heavyweight investors will break down what it actually takes to close Series C and beyond on October 29 at the Builders Stage in San Francisco.
The venture capital playbook for later-stage rounds is evolving fast, and TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is putting the most connected voices in the room to decode what's really working. The October 29 session at the Builders Stage promises the kind of candid investor insights that usually stay behind closed doors.
Zeya Yang from IVP brings a rare combination of operator and investor experience. After product leadership roles at Andreessen Horowitz, Plaid, and Dropbox, she's now backing AI-native startups like Graphite, Macro, and Tennr. Her perspective bridges the gap between building products and scaling them with serious capital.
The session gets even more interesting with Lila Preston from Generation Investment Management, who's been scaling impact-focused companies since 2004. She sits on boards for Nature's Fynd and Pivot Bio, bringing a global financial perspective that goes beyond traditional VC metrics. Preston's approach to growth equity offers founders a different lens on how mission-driven companies can attract significant funding.
But here's what makes this panel unique - Andrea Thomaz, CEO and co-founder of Diligent Robotics, will share the founder's side of the equation. As a social robotics pioneer reshaping healthcare workforces with collaborative AI, Thomaz knows firsthand how to build investor trust in complex, capital-intensive businesses.
The timing couldn't be better. Later-stage funding has gotten significantly more selective, with investors scrutinizing everything from unit economics to market positioning. According to recent PitchBook data, Series C+ rounds are taking longer to close and requiring more sophisticated storytelling around competitive moats and expansion strategies.
"Raising late-stage capital goes beyond hitting revenue targets," according to the TechCrunch preview. "It's about telling the right story, tracking the right metrics, and building relationships that compound over time."
