The Real Talk on Startup Funding: What's Actually Working in 2025

Remember the golden days of 2021, when VCs were practically throwing term sheets at anything with "disruptive" in the pitch deck? Those days are gone, and honestly, good riddance. Startup funding reached $314 billion in 2024, a 3% increase from 2023. That's right - the money is there, just flowing differently. We're entering an era where smart money meets smart business, and that's where you come in.