US — TechCrunch

The secret to fast startup growth isn’t early sales, top names in tech say

SoftwareOctober 23, 20261 min read

Top tech investors and founders say fast startup growth comes from repeatable sales, not early revenue alone. They shared tips at TechCrunch Disrupt on how new companies can prepare for their first 90 days.

What happened

At TechCrunch Disrupt, three speakers gave founders advice on their first 90 days. Luke Arno of Lovable, Ben Broca of Polsia, and Tomasz Tunguz of Theory Ventures all took part. Their main message: do not confuse quick sales with a company that is ready to grow.

Key numbers

Lovable's ARR (yearly recurring revenue, the money a company expects to earn each year from repeat customers) has passed $600 million.
Lovable is valued at more than $13 billion by its investors.
Lovable has raised more than $700 million in funding to date.
Tunguz says a seed deal (an early funding round) could be $5 million, $50 million, or $500 million.

Why it is hard right now

AI has made it possible for startups to grow very fast. Some reach high revenue numbers and then fail a few months later. Broca says it is hard to find product-market fit, which means a product that people really want and will keep using. This is harder today because competitors can copy many products easily.

Why it matters

Founders feel pressure to grow as fast as Lovable. Arno says a company should only build a big sales team after it can win new customers in a repeatable way. Tunguz says fast growth like Lovable's is rare. The winners, Broca says, are the ones who stay close to customers and learn what keeps them coming back.

What to watch

Whether startups can repeat sales methods that work for new customers.
Whether fast-growing AI startups keep their customers after hype fades.
How much money early-stage startups raise in the coming years.

Glossary

ARR: Annual recurring revenue: the money a company expects to earn each year from ongoing customers.
Lovable: An AI app-building startup that grew very fast and is valued at more than $13 billion.
Polsia: An AI platform that uses AI agents to build and run businesses with almost no human staff.
Theory Ventures: An investment firm, where Tomasz Tunguz works as an investor.
product-market fit: When a product meets a real need, so that people want it and keep using it.

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