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S2E37 - From $40K to $6.5M in 12 Months: The VC Speed Secret Nobody Tells You
Most entrepreneurs think funding is about money. It's not. It's about buying speed. Vidar Hokstad has spent 30 years building startups—from his first at 19 to raising $6.5M—and reveals why VCs reject 90% of pitches before the first meeting. In this Total Disruption episode, Mike Leversey interviews the serial entrepreneur who now consults on both high-level VC strategy and hands-on AI implementation.
Key Takeaways:
"You're buying speed, not money" - the VC funding formula nobody explains
The fatal pitch mistake: Pitching slow, conservative growth = instant VC rejection
18-24 month rule: If your next round takes longer, you're not VC-viable
From $40K to $6.5M in 12 months - moved 25 people from Norway to UK on first investment
VCs want 100x returns, not 20% year-over-year - fund returners or nothing
AI coding agents (Claude Code, OpenAI CodeX) - Vidar built a functioning strategy game without writing code
The startup mindset: “Go big or close up shop”
Connect: HawkstadConsulting.com or LinkedIn (globally unique name)
#StartupFunding #VentureCapital #AIAutomation #TotalDisruption
