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TechCrunch Disrupt 2025<\/strong><\/a> hits Moscone West in San Francisco this October 27\u201329, and if you\u2019re building with big funding goals in mind, the session on preparing for your later-stage raise needs to be on your radar. Join three powerhouse voices in venture and AI-driven innovation as they share what it really takes to close major rounds \u2014 long before you\u2019re in the room with investors.<\/p>\n This panel, taking place October 29 on the Builders Stage<\/a>, is a roadmap for any founder who knows that Series C doesn\u2019t start at Series C.<\/p>\n Raising late-stage capital is about more than hitting big revenue numbers. It\u2019s about telling the right story, tracking the right metrics, and building relationships that compound over time. This session goes beyond pitch decks to uncover the strategies founders should be thinking about now to land meaningful funding later. Expect sharp insights, candid reflections, and real frameworks you can take back to your startup.<\/p>\n Zeya Yang<\/a>, partner at IVP<\/a>, brings a rare dual lens to the table as both an investor and former product leader. With past experience at a16z, Plaid, and Dropbox, Zeya\u2019s focus is on AI-native startups that are reshaping the way we work. He\u2019s backed companies like Graphite, Macro, and Tennr, and brings sharp product instincts and founder-first thinking to every cap table he joins.<\/p>\n Lila Preston<\/a>, head of growth equity at Generation Investment Management<\/a>, has been scaling impact-focused companies since 2004. She sits on the boards of nature-forward brands like Nature\u2019s Fynd and Pivot Bio, and she draws on a global perspective shaped by work across Latin America, the UK, and the U.S. Lila\u2019s blend of financial acumen and mission-driven investing makes her uniquely equipped to guide founders eyeing long-term growth.<\/p>\n Andrea Thomaz<\/a>, CEO and co-founder of Diligent Robotics<\/a>, brings the founder lens. A social robotics pioneer, she\u2019s led groundbreaking work in AI and automation, built robots featured everywhere from The New York Times<\/em> to Popular Science<\/em>, and scaled a hardware startup tackling real-world problems. Her company is reshaping the healthcare workforce with collaborative robotics\u2014and she knows firsthand how to build investor trust around moonshot tech.<\/p>\n Join 10,000+ startup and VC leaders for this must-attend conversation \u2014 and be part of one of the most anticipated tech conferences of the year. It\u2019s all happening at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, where today\u2019s decisions meet tomorrow\u2019s scale. Register now and save up to $675<\/strong><\/a> before prices increase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhy this session matters<\/h2>\n
Meet the experts guiding the next wave of growth<\/h2>\n
Unlock expert advice and big savings<\/h2>\n