GV Partner Elena Sakach Shares Playbook for Spotting Next Stripe-Like Fintech and AI Unicorns

Elena Sakach, a partner at GV, has led investments in standout startups like Humans&, Ramp, and Stripe.

In a recent interview, Sakach outlined her investment approach focusing on growth-stage companies tackling big problems with technology and data.

From Investment Banking to Venture Powerhouse

Sakach began her career in the technology investment banking group at Goldman Sachs.

She then moved to TPG, honing skills in software and fintech across buyouts and minority stakes.

In 2021, she joined Coatue for growth and venture investing before landing at GV in May 2024.

Her fintech expertise now informs GV's bets on hyper-scaling businesses poised for public markets.

Defining Winning Fintech Models

Sakach seeks "compounding businesses" that grow value through customer use over time.

Key traits include trust-based relationships, expansion economics via upsells, and embedded infrastructure roles.

Stripe exemplifies this as a core payments provider with vast untapped global volume.

AI's Impact and Future Opportunities

AI erodes traditional software moats, emphasizing proprietary data, distribution, and talent for defensibility.

While cost reductions matter, Sakach is most excited by AI expanding possibilities, like scaling healthcare access.

Today's AI valuations hold up due to a genuine platform shift, unlike the 2021 bubble.

Looking ahead, GV targets rare ideas with market scale, tailwinds, and potential to reshape industries.