GV (Google Ventures)

Everything is catching a vibe. From Sora History, a TikTok account reimagining historical events through Sora Ai, to Wabi a platform for building mini apps based on taste and context, to Essential Apps from Nothing, a GV portfolio company, designed to bring “vibe-coded” experiences to their phones, our consumer team explores how culture and code are evolving together. Read more from GV Partner KJ Sidberry and GV Advisor David Benjamin: https://lnkd.in/eSTzHvsT

“The first thing I do is try to convince them not to take my money or anyone’s money. Build your business in a normal way. I think blitzscaling is very inappropriate for most companies.” - Sangeen Zeb At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, GV General Partner Sangeen Zeb joined Katie Jacobs Stanton of Moxxie Ventures and Thomas Krane of Insight Partners to talk about what it really takes to raise a Series A in today’s startup world. From decision-making to storytelling, the group shared tips on what takes a startup from good to great. Watch the full panel: https://lnkd.in/eWKdHrb9  

How is AI fundamentally shifting the way we hire, and what new skills are required for talent leaders to succeed? Last week GV and portfolio company Metaview, brought together talent leaders across the Bay Area to share reflections and tips for being successful in today's market. Nolan Church hosted a panel "Rewriting the Recruiting Playbook in the AI Era" featuring Rhys Hughes, GV’s Head of Executive Talent; Amina Moinuddin Darwish of Vercel, Siadhal Magos CEO and Co-Founder of Metaview, and Richard Cho of Luma AI. The conversation was packed with actionable, and at times provocative, insights. A few of our takeaways:  A recurring theme was the need to throw out old, rigid playbooks. ▸ Rhys argued that "Time to fill is a flawed metric," and the focus should instead be on the quality of hire 12 months later. ▸ Amina agreed, adding the goal has shifted from sheer growth to talent density, aiming to hire "10x employees and keep our company as small as possible." ▸ Siadhal took aim at "structured interviewing," warning that it "pushes you down a route towards the average as opposed to the exceptional." The Recruiter as Strategic Partner, Not Process-Follower: As AI automates transactional work, the skills that matter are becoming more human. ▸ Siadhal noted that the recruiters job is moving from a "keyboard grind" back to "getting to know a secret about a human being" that analytics can't see. ▸ Amina added that great recruiters are now judged on their ability to understand the impact of their hires, not just the volume. ▸ Ultimately, Rhys argued that the most valuable skill for a modern talent leader is "having the courage to say 'no' with an opinion," even to a founder, when they believe a hire is a mistake. A huge thank you to our co-hosts at Metaview, and to our incredible panelists Amina, Siadhal, Rich, and Rhys for an insightful discussion. As AI continues to automate the transactional work, it’s clear the future of recruiting belongs to leaders who demonstrate deep business acumen, human insight, and the courage to build truly exceptional teams!

Healthcare innovation was a buzz last week as HLTH Inc. USA took over. GV partners and portfolio company founders joined panels exploring how technology, data, and new business models are transforming care delivery and access. 🎤 GV General Partners Frederique Dame and Ben Robbins joined discussions on healthcare investment and innovation. 🩺 Zachary Ziegler of OpenEvidence, Joanna Strober of Midi Health, Hassan Zahir of Medallion Dr Maneesh Jain of Mirvie, and Dr Chris Mansi of Viz.ai shared insights from the frontlines of AI, women’s health, automation, and patient care. The highlight was our HLTH After Dark party at Nobu Restaurants where we enjoyed some fresh air, cocktails and magic tricks. As always we left proud to witness GV partners and founders lead the conversations that drive the future of healthcare forward.

American Naval Autonomy with Global Ambitions Blue Water Autonomy Inc. founder CEO Rylan Hamilton (US Navy veteran) sat down with GV Managing Partner Dave Munichiello (US Air Force veteran) to share his vision for scaling the company’s production capabilities and its impact on the future of American Naval autonomy for the open ocean. Part of his vision includes the company’s new partnership with Louisiana-based Conrad Shipyard, a strategic collaboration that will help bring Blue Water’s autonomous ship technology beyond U.S. waters and onto the global stage. Hear their full conversation on our blog: https://lnkd.in/eUiy9W4M

Your style, decoded. The Business of Fashion named Daydream one of 17 AI fashion startups to watch, spotlighting their personalized chat-based shopping agent as a standout service that makes finding what fits you easier than ever. Their chat-based shopping agent takes the anxiety and guesswork out of finding your personal style, bringing personalized results mined from thousands of brands. We’re proud to back companies building AI that makes everyday experiences smarter—and more stylish. Congrats to the Daydream team!

Whether advancing AI, expanding access to care, or streamlining how businesses work, these U.S.-based GV portfolio companies are driving meaningful change. We’re proud to see them named in LinkedIn’s Top Startups of 2025. 🧠 Thinking Machines Lab 🚺 Midi Health ⚖️ Harvey 🗂️ Medallion Congratulations to these founders and teams building the next generation of category-defining companies. The future is taking shape—fast. 

OpenEvidence is revolutionizing the doctor experience in America. Right now, doctors are stretched thin and overwhelmed with information. The U.S. has about 1 million active physicians serving a population of 340 million, and medical knowledge is estimated to double every five years. Between emerging research and patient volume, it’s hard for doctors to keep up and suggest the best treatment plans for their patients. That’s where OpenEvidence comes in. They are building medical AI models trained only on curated databases of trusted and peer-reviewed medical literature. Their app helps doctors make faster, more informed decisions at the point of care. This year alone, more than 100 million Americans will be treated by a doctor using OpenEvidence. We’re proud to lead their Series C round. With this funding, the team will train new medical AI models, scale compute, and continue building toward medical superintelligence. A huge congrats to Daniel Nadler, Zachary Ziegler, and the entire OE team on this milestone!