> VCs now expect more at a Series A because so much more is now possible.
Only in pure software where your fixed hosting costs and salary are your only expense. And, really, only in "social" things that you are going to flip to Yahooglezonsoft and can be made by flogging a half-dozen early 20-somethings for 6-9 months.
If you have actual hardware, your costs haven't come down much. They're mostly dominated by non-recurring expenses until you start shipping.
IoT (Internet of Things) has been a case study in this. Everybody wants to be the software backend that they can run for peanuts and extract rent indefinitely. There are a zillion companies all trying to do this and all failing because "Waaaaaah! Nobody wants to build that icky hardware stuff for us for free."
Yeah, well, hardware requires that you have a customer, that wants something, that will make him money. And hardware requires that you build a board and debug it.
So, yeah, go figure. Hardware requires some people who actually A) have some experience and know what they're doing and B) actually expect to get paid for that knowledge.
Gee what a surprise.
"Nevermind. We like flogging young 20-somethings better."