The Founders Who Built America Are Now Afraid to Leave It
There's a quiet crisis unfolding at the intersection of immigration policy and American innovation — and most of the founders caught in it are too afraid to speak publicly about it. Startup founders who have lived in the U.S. for years won't leave the country to see their family because they don't trust what happens at the border on the way back. That is the situation in 2025 for a staggering share of the founders powering American innovation. If you're a non-citizen founder navigating this landscape, or you're investing in companies where this is a live issue, here are some options.
Harvey AI's $5 Billion Valuation: What a Legal AI Unicorn Tells Us About Startup Hype, Venture Capital Strategy, and Market Reality
This week, legal AI startup Harvey announced a massive $300 million Series E financing, at a valuation of $5 billion.
To be clear, that number—five billion—is extraordinary. Harvey's $5 billion valuation represents a significant milestone in the legal AI space, especially considering Harvey closed $300 million in Series D financing in February (4 months ago) at a $3 billion valuation.
So what gives? Or is this another case of private market exuberance racing ahead of fundamentals? Let's break down how Harvey got here, what this valuation really means, and what it tells us about the broader startup and VC landscape.