The groupthink boom: what three top VCs really think about the AI frenzy

The groupthink boom in AI is a central theme as three top venture capitalists discussed the current landscape at TechCrunch's StrictlyVC event in Athens, part of the Panathenea festival. Niko Bonatsos of Verdict Capital, Andreas Stavropoulos of Threshold Ventures, and Ben Blume of Atomico addressed funding cycles, mega-IPOs, and future opportunities for ambitious founders. They highlighted a SpaceX IPO targeting roughly $1.75 trillion, with OpenAI and Anthropic potential behind, as a major market influencer. Stavropoulos recalled Google's IPO as a catalyst for renewal, while Blume noted liquidity would flow back to new ventures, including immigrant founders. Bonatsos referenced Cursor in a nod to future news.