What does the startup landscape look like right now—and what to expect in Q2?

In this episode of Startup Success, Steve Lord, Chief Knowledge Officer and COO at Burkland, returns for his quarterly breakdown of the venture capital ecosystem. Together, we unpack what shaped Q1 2026 and why fundraising remains an uphill battle for many founders since it is highly concentrated, with most capital flowing to AI companies from a small group of top VC firms.

Steve explores the latest macro forces—oil prices, AI hype, and interest rates—impacting the market and weighs in on whether the economy's resilience will hold.

We tackle the big questions:

• What was fundraising like in Q1 and what is the outlook for Q2?
• What’s on the horizon for interest rates?
• Will AI deals continue to dominate investment activity?
• How can founders prepare for what’s next?

As usual, Steve combines optimism with practical advice: stay focused on what matters, manage runway, know your numbers, and be ready to fundraise at any moment. A grounded reminder that execution still wins, even in uncertain times.

----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!