The state of VC within software and AI startups – with Peter Walker

In this episode of The Pragmatic Engineer Podcast, Gergely Orosz interviews Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta, about the venture capital ecosystem and its impact on startups and software engineers. They discuss the decreasing number of startups receiving funding despite constant VC investment, the impact of AI on team sizes and solo founders, and what to look for before joining a VC-funded company. Peter shares data-driven insights on hiring trends, ARR per employee, valuation changes, bridge rounds, and the increasing time between funding rounds. They also explore the differences between deep tech and software startups, the role of advisors, and strategies for engineers to evaluate and thrive in VC-funded companies.