Startups For the Rest of Us

Episode 812 | The 2025 State of TinySeed

32 snips
Dec 23, 2025
Rob Walling dives into the growth of TinySeed, revealing insights from funding over 210 B2B SaaS companies. He discusses the rise of AI-first startups and the unique challenges they face. The conversation highlights why vertical SaaS is outperforming horizontal options and emphasizes the vital role of founder communities in overcoming isolation. Listeners will learn about emerging patterns in applicant trends and how mentorship shapes success in the startup ecosystem.
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ANECDOTE

TinyFest: Intimate Kickoff And Alumni Meetup

  • Rob describes TinyFest in Cancun as a small, intimate kickoff and alumni event.
  • He highlights 74 attendees and the value of meeting nearly everyone over two and a half days.
ANECDOTE

Humble Launch And Unexpected Fundraising

  • Rob recounts launching TinySeed in 2018 amid doubts about whether bootstrappers or investors would participate.
  • He remembers aiming to raise $750k and instead closed a $4.7–$4.8M first fund that funded 25 companies.
INSIGHT

AI Mentions Are Common, True AI-First Are Fewer

  • Rob observes that AI mentions dominate applications but a smaller share are truly AI-first.
  • He defines AI-first as products that couldn't have existed three years ago and notes roughly 30% of the current batch fit that bar.
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