Word on the street is that many a VC won’t even look at a startup that’s not on the ARR superhighway, aiming for $100 million in ARR before their Series A funding round. “Not all ARR is created equal, and not all growth is equal either,” Li said on an episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. She said to be especially skeptical of a founder announcing spectacular ARR numbers or growth in a tweet. Techcrunch event TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026: Tickets Live On June 23 in Boston, more than 1,100 founders come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. TechCrunch Founder Summit: Tickets Live On June 23 in Boston, more than 1,100 founders come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling.