Sentiero Ventures announces the closing of its artificial intelligence-driven Dallas venture capital fund
A $10 million Dallas-based venture capital fund with a unique approach to screening and supporting investments has just closed on its first round of funding from 20 investors.
PLANO, Texas, March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A $10 million Dallas-based venture capital fund with a unique approach to screening and supporting investments has just closed on its first round of funding from 20 investors.
The fund, Sentiero Ventures, invests in software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) as a key element of their solution. Sentiero seeks to capitalize on an artificial intelligence sector that is expected to add $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030 (source PwC). The gap between what AI can do and what is useful to a business is one that Sentiero will seek out to close – and leverage – with its new fund.
Sentiero's Founder and Managing Partner David Evans shares, "As successful entrepreneurs, our entire team understands what it takes to build a business from conception through exit. Our investor advisory board extends our experience and pattern recognition across 27 industries, allowing us to find the highest impact opportunities for AI. Unlike a traditional VC model that vets and invests with managing partner insights only, the Sentiero model opens the vetting experience to its investors – currently all entrepreneurs – to add subject matter expertise as part of the due diligence exploration."
Sentiero expects to make 10 investments of up to $500,000 into its portfolio companies initially. To be eligible, companies must have a full product completed and some evidence of commercial viability. Evans expects to invest heavily in Texas-based companies, but the fund will invest anywhere in the US.
The fund invests in verticals including Business Services, Software, Marketing, Real Estate, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Entertainment. Sentiero's approach is designed to locate companies at the intersection of utility and capability. Types of AI that are of interest to the fund include: process automation, cognitive insights, cognitive engagement, and data collection.
After investment, Sentiero will leverage its investor advisory board to help support these emerging companies with operating expertise and connections to potential clients and partners. Evans shares that the fund will accept investors through the end of April, at which time the fund will close for new investors.
"Artificial Intelligence is at a stage of adoption similar to the web in 1997 and presents a similar opportunity for investors," concludes Evans.
A successful, serial entrepreneur, Evans guided his last company, EasySeat.com to #176 on the Inc 500 and an exit in 2015. Since that time, he has been a fractional CTO for several organizations where he has seen firsthand the opportunity for AI to transform the workplace. He established Sentiero, which means "pathway," after years of investing his own personal capital as an angel investor. He has partnered with two co-investors and successful entrepreneurs, Jon Eberly and Kishore Khandavalli, to round out the primary investment team. In addition, Sentiero has curated a unique investor advisory board of successful entrepreneurs and operators to help select and support the portfolio.
For information, visit http://www.sentiero.vc
Media Contact
David Evans, Sentiero Ventures, +1 (214) 660-5758, [email protected]
SOURCE Sentiero Ventures
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