Edit: I guess this is speculation but I know many, many specific examples of companies who have had early exits in this range that have come about due to personal connections. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots here.

Does the average startup outside the bubble have the potential to make these connections and get similar deals? Maybe. It's a very hard bubble to pierce. Try to email any "insider" with your early stage, low traction idea and I suspect you will see a similar result - crickets.