How VCs Really Evaluate AI Startups with Ray Wu
Bay Area Founders Club is putting the investor scorecard on the table in a two-hour virtual workshop with Ray Wu, managing partner at Alumni Ventures. The session is aimed at AI founders who need to understand how investors evaluate the team, market, technology, traction, risk, and long-term venture potential behind the pitch.
Founders often experience fundraising as a series of disconnected reactions. Investors see a comparative market: dozens of companies, different stages, shifting technical advantages, and a limited number of opportunities capable of producing venture-scale returns. Understanding that second perspective can improve positioning without turning the company into whatever happens to be fashionable this quarter.
What the event is built around
- How venture investors evaluate AI teams, markets, products, traction, and risk
- Positioning an AI company across infrastructure, models, platforms, and applications
- Building fundraising momentum and choosing the right capital partners
- How traditional VCs, corporate VCs, angels, and strategic investors differ
- Live questions with an active venture investor
Who should have it on the radar
The workshop is designed for AI founders preparing to raise capital, early-stage teams refining a fundraising strategy, operators deciding where a company belongs in the AI stack, and investors studying how the category is being evaluated. Ticket options require approval through the official registration page.
What to watch
Ray Wu is the featured speaker and co-host. Dr. Paul Fang hosts through Bay Area Founders Club. Watch how the framework balances pattern recognition with the possibility that the most valuable company may not resemble the winners already in the portfolio.
Event details
- Date: 2026-09-18
- Time: 7:00 PM–9:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM–12:00 AM ET
- Location: Online
- Type: Workshop
- Register: Official event page
Registration requirements, capacity, ticket prices, venue details, and program information can change. Use the official registration page for the latest information from the organizer.
Venture Capital funding, last 30 days
DevCuration's funding database tracked 4 Venture Capital rounds totaling $853.9M in disclosed capital over the past 30 days. Recent deals we covered:
- Swish Ventures Closes $250M Fund III, Reaches $800M AUMSwish III · $250M · Sep 4
- Cherubic Ventures Closes $68.88M Fund VI for AIFund Close · $68.88M · Sep 2
- FGV Capital Closes $35M Fund II Around DistributionFund II · $35M · Aug 26
- QuantumLight Closes $500M Fund II for Systematic VCFund II · $500M · Aug 24
Frequently Asked Questions
When is How VCs Really Evaluate AI Startups with Ray Wu?
2026-09-18. 7:00 PM–9:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM–12:00 AM ET.
Where is the event?
Online
Who should attend?
The workshop is designed for AI founders preparing to raise capital, early-stage teams refining a fundraising strategy, operators deciding where a company belongs in the AI stack, and investors studying how the category is being evaluated. Ticket options require approval through the official registration page.
How do I register?
Use the official organizer page: https://luma.com/n9qx3vly
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The intelligence briefing of the innovation economy. Funding, M&A, debt and fund closes, read as market signal rather than deal announcements.
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