VC REPORT
AI AgentsMean Business
What venture capitalists are looking for in the era of agentic AI
Eight investors share their perspectives on how AI will evolve in 2026. Read Startup 2026: AI Agents Mean Business to learn:
How AI growth changes investment decisions
Where early AI adopters are finding value
How AI startups can remain competitive with so many AI players in the market
AI Growth Is ChangingInvestment Plans — Sort Of
The fast-moving AI market has some venture leaders adjusting their investment strategies, but that doesn’t mean abandoning fundamentals that have always defined the potential of an early-stage startup.
“Our thesis has always been to set aside AI and look at everything else that a company is doing. Is this a strong team? Do they have a great insight? Do customers love them?”
Bryan Hale
New VerticalsEmbrace AI
It’s coming as a surprise to venture leaders how quickly some historically slow-changing industries are eagerly embracing AI.
“There are many traditional industries that are typically not fast early adopters of modern technology, but with AI and agents, it's different. We've seen an uptick in terms of the quality of startups and founding teams, and in the pull from the market in terms of vertical solutions.”
Sumangal Vinjamuri
Is Capital ConcentrationHelping Market Growth?
A large concentration of investment capital is being directed into a handful of leading startups. What does this mean for the startup market?
“There's still a crazy amount of white space where these larger, well-capitalized companies are going to be economically disincentivized from going after ‘small markets.’ That's where startups have the advantage.”
Shravan Narayen
Experimentation MustGive Way to Results
2025 was the debut year for AI agents, but investors say 2026 is the year of agentic acceleration. Investors see broader use cases, continued adoption and meaningful ROI.
“I'm tech-optimistic and AI capabilities are improving fast. A lot of the issues that we see today, it's only a matter of time until they're solved.”
Carl Fritjofsson
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