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The VC Playbook: How to Spot a Purple Cow in Crowded Pastures

By Barbara Tague, Financial Research Leader

The venture capital landscape is pivoting to a stage of accelerated capital deployment as investment periods narrow and macroeconomic conditions burgeon. With a crowded marketplace and a sense of underlying urgency, how do investors spot coveted startups in this environment?

In this playbook, we leverage insights from Harry Stebbings of 20VC to answer this question among others, including: What are the characteristics of successful early stage companies? Which unconventional criteria play an important role in securing deals?

About the Author
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    Barbara Tague, Financial Research Leader

    Barb is a Financial Research Leader covering the financial services segment at AlphaSense. Previously, she spent more than a decade at institutional investment managers and at a SaaS startup leading business development, content, and product initiatives.

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Key Debates Transforming Healthcare and Life Sciences in 2026

2026 is a year of transition for healthcare and life sciences as the industry moves toward more convenient, patient-centric care.
A graphic titled "Key Debates Transforming Healthcare and Life Sciences in 2026", featuring stylized illustrations of a medicine bottle, a pill, a microscope, and a DNA helix on a blue background.

Key Debates Transforming Technology, Media, and Telecom in 2026

In this report, we harness broker research, Tegus Expert Insights, and company commentary in AlphaSense to explore how the debates below are shaping the technology, media, and telecom landscape in 2026.
Blue line art illustration with the title "Key Debates Transforming Technology, Media, and Telecom in 2026," featuring a CPU, server rack, and an airplane.

Key Debates Transforming Energy and Industrials in 2026

In this report, we harness broker research, Tegus Expert Insights, and company commentary in AlphaSense to explore how eight debates are shaping the energy and industrials landscape in 2026.
Text: 'Key Debates Transforming Energy and Industrials in 2026' by Xavier Smith and Sean Carmichael. Blue line art illustrations on a grid background show a drone, oil barrels, computer chips, and a mining truck.

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