The Venture Podcast Elaine Dai - Partner at Alt Capital
Oct 16, 2025
Elaine Dai, Partner at Alt Capital who backed AI-native startups after stints at Harvard, Microsoft, M12 and Norwest. She discusses spotting outlier founders, why AI-native beats AI-wrapper, the “slope over snapshot” approach, choosing and stress-testing co-founders, fundraising prep, and how San Francisco and an immigrant mindset compound serendipity.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Get AI‑Native By Tinkering Constantly
- Become AI‑native by constantly experimenting, prototyping, and iterating on new models and tools.
- Prioritize developer velocity and ship quickly to maintain a practical moat.
David.ai: Young, Obsessed, Research‑Led
- David.ai exemplified founders who combine deep obsession with voice research and mature sales execution despite young age.
- Their brand became synonymous with voice data by thinking like their customers: researchers.
Be An Invited Guest, Not A Helicopter
- Show founders you add value by listening, tailoring help, and acting as an invited guest rather than a helicopter investor.
- Use operator experience to brainstorm and be an extension of the team without imposing a cookie‑cutter playbook.