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.