David Horowitz

What’s old is new. Funny to watch VCs flood back to out-of-favor business models—hardware-enabled software, marketplaces, consumer tech—which are now viewed as more defensible because AI can't easily replicate physical infrastructure, network effects, or brand.

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Seed-stage fundraising requires differentiation. Grind Ventures found it at the intersection of three underserved markets Technology transfer from universities creates early-stage opportunities that most VCs miss. Defense and federal marketplace applications provide revenue visibility. Critical infrastructure sectors offer commercial scale. Focused Thesis - Dual-use technologies serving defense and 16 critical infrastructure sectors Technology Transfer - University research teams1-5 years old at $1-3M valuations Revenue Clarity - Federal marketplace provides structured procurement pathways Commercial Scale - Critical infrastructure sectors offer massive addressable markets   Geographic Focus - US-based companies with clear domestic advantages Stage Discipline - Seed investments with defined entry points and milestones The market rewards problem-obsessed founders with healthy margins and cash flow visibility. Dual-use technology delivers both. Which of these thesis elements resonates most with your investment approach? #VC #GrindVentures #ThoughtLeadership

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The best software starts with a problem the founders couldn't ignore. Atomic's story is a good reminder: build where the spreadsheets break.

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New Beginnings in Vertical Marketplaces SNAK Venture Partners has successfully closed an oversubscribed $50M debut fund, signaling a solid interest in vertical marketplaces. This funding, anchored by Pritzker Group, showcases increasing investor confidence in niche sectors. At ElevenX Capital, we believe this trend indicates a shift toward specialized investments, aligning with our strategy to back innovative solutions that cater to specific markets. How do you see vertical marketplaces influencing the broader investment landscape? #investing #innovation #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

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Private Capital Global (PCG) is co-hosting a roundtable in New York at the Harvard Club of New York City with Brex this Monday, and the room is exactly what you'd expect from a 25-person event with this level of curation. 125 operating partners applied — Only 25 will get in. Attendees include heads of AI and value creation from EQT Group, Kohlberg, and General Atlantic. Brex's CRO, Garrett Marker, is on the agenda alongside three operators who are doing this work within portfolios right now. The two panels go where most conference conversations don't: where AI is actually moving revenue numbers versus where it's still noise, and what real portfolio-level transformation looks like once the pilot phase is over — data foundations, governance, buy vs. build, and what "AI-ready" means when you're evaluating executive talent. This is the format PCG was built around. Small room. Credentialed operators. Conversations that go somewhere. We are holding a couple of spots for the right people. You're the right fit if you're an operating partner, head of value creation, or head of portfolio operations at a PE fund — someone who is actively accountable for AI and operational initiatives across a portfolio, not evaluating them from a distance. DM me directly for the opportunity to join this discussion.

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