📍 Speed Pitch just connected 62 startups with 19 VC funds in a single afternoon. Half were female-led. 90% had diverse teams. Investors are following up with 50–100% of the founders they met. ───── Hey Builders! On March 25, Speed Pitch — organized by The Startup Station — convened its third New York event, pairing 62 early-stage startups with 19 venture firms, including Gaingels, New York Ventures, Mighty Capital, and Vamos Ventures. Each founder participated in three structured, eight-minute meetings, while investors engaged with nine pre-vetted companies aligned to their stated investment criteria. The model emphasizes curated access and execution over networks — a merit-based format designed to streamline early-stage deal flow without reliance on traditional gatekeeping mechanisms. This matters because the broader funding picture is tightening. US startup funding dropped to around $13 billion so far in March — a sharp slowdown from the mega-rounds that defined January and February. AI captured nearly two-thirds of all VC deal value this year. If you're not in AI, you're competing for a shrinking slice. But the counterpoint is clear, capital is still moving, just with greater precision. Prepared founders are still getting funded. Worth, an AI-powered SMB underwriting platform, recently secured a $30 million Series A led by Fulcrum Equity Partners and American Express Ventures. At the same time, Black Operator Ventures, the first all-Black GP team of active tech founders, continues to lead oversubscribed seed rounds in the $1M–$1.25M range for Black-led startups. The signal is shifting, capital isn’t disappearing, it’s concentrating around founders who are prepared, positioned, and ready to execute. The game isn't over. It's just more selective. By the numbers: ▪️ 62 startups — matched with investors at Speed Pitch in one afternoon ▪️ $13B — total US startup funding in March so far, down sharply from $189B in February (Crunchbase) ▪️ 0.4% — share of VC that went to Black founders in 2024 (Forbes) ▪️ $30M — Worth's Series A for AI-powered small business underwriting ▪️ 50–100% — investor follow-up rate from Speed Pitch meetings ───── 🔧 Three moves to make this week 1️⃣ Tighten your pitch to 5–8 minutes If you can’t clearly explain your business, traction, and ask in under eight minutes, you’re not ready for the room. Get it sharp. Get it repeatable. Get it instinctive. 2️⃣ Target operator-led funds Funds like Black Operator Ventures aren’t just writing checks — they’re bringing pattern recognition, execution support, and a pathway to the next round. Prioritize investors who’ve actually built what you’re building. 3️⃣ Get in the room Speed Pitch returns during New York Tech Week 2026. These environments compress access and accelerate outcomes. Apply early, show up prepared, and treat every conversation like it matters — because it does. ───── 💬 Quote of the Day "I believe everybody deserves a level playing field to make their dreams come true." — Victoria Yampolsky, Founder, Speed Pitch ───── 🏁 Build New Skills With OHUB The OHUBAI Competency Program is a four-week intensive, hands-on training program designed to help you build real AI capability fast — whether you're a founder, a working professional, or career-switcher ready to future-proof your skill set. New cohorts open every four weeks. By the end of Week 1, you'll have built your first AI agent. For $399, here's what you walk away with: ▪️ 4 weeks of live, instructor-led curriculum — not pre-recorded, not self-paced, real instruction with real accountability ▪️ Up to 1 year of access to the Mindstone Dashboard ▪️ Up to 1 year of updated education content ▪️ A seat in one of the fastest-growing AI communities globally Financing available through Affirm or Klarna — get started for as low as $37/mo. 🚀 Visit opportunityhub.co/ai to learn more. ───── 🎬 Closing Thought The founders who got in front of 19 VC funds this week didn’t wait for permission — they applied, showed up, and pitched. In a market where funding is tightening and AI is capturing most of the capital, access isn’t given — it’s created through positioning, preparation, and presence. Sometimes it starts small — one pitch, one meeting, one follow-up, one win. Then it compounds. ───── ⚡️ OHUBNext Daily Brief — investments, edge tech, and moves that matter. For 12+ years, OHUB has been building pathways and on-ramps to multi-generational wealth — without reliance on pre-existing wealth. Through exposure, skills, entrepreneurship, capital markets, and inclusive ecosystems, we've helped people create new jobs, new companies, and new wealth.