by Conrad Shang
We are extremely targeted with the companies we approach.
We spend all of our time playing offense––making sure we’re objective and aggressive in connecting with every outlier team we’ve identified.
Our investment process starts with proprietary insights on team quality, so when we meet with companies, it’s because we already see something special. We’re not perfect, but our goal is to follow a general set of investment process principles below.
- Curiosity Over Skepticism: Our first meetings are about exploring potential, not imposing biases. We aim to discover unique opportunities, not limit them to familiar schools, networks, or backgrounds. Founders shouldn’t need to conform to a mold to get funded, and we’re committed to fostering innovation by expanding the conversation.
- Two-Way Value in Every Meeting: A great meeting is a collaborative exchange. Whether it’s sharing insights, challenging ideas, or providing actionable feedback, our goal is to add value—even if we’re not the right partner. Founders’ time is precious, and we respect that.
- Respect the Builder’s Journey: Founders drive the business; our role is to support that effort. We prioritize speed and clarity in our decision-making and encourage founders to hold us accountable to timelines that match their pace.
- Be Prepared, Be Engaged: We come to meetings ready and excited to engage with your vision. Anything less reflects poorly on how a VC might act post-investment, and we believe founders deserve engaged, committed partners at every stage.
These principles reflect our belief that venture capital should serve and amplify the work of founders, and we strive to embody that in every interaction.
Collin West to headline AlphaCore Wealth Summit 2025 in La Jolla
We’re heading to La Jolla for the 2025 AlphaCore Wealth Advisory Summit!In one week, our team will be on the ground at the AlphaCore Wealth Summit, one of the industry’s most forward-looking gatherings for wealth managers, allocators, and innovators. This year’s theme — Back to the Future — sets the stage for a conversation about how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping wealth creation and capital deployment. If you’ll be there, we’d love to connect in person.
Why Ensemble is Backing Stablecore’s Mission to Bring Community Banks into the Stablecoin Future
Ensemble is thrilled to announce our investment in Stablecore, the infrastructure platform enabling banks and credit unions to offer stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and other digital asset services.
Gopi's Manifesto
In this excerpt from Ensemble’s Mid-Year Investor Letter 2025, Gopi Sundaramurthy, Founder and Head of Data Science, outlines a new model for investment firms in the age of AI. As one of the preeminent data scientists in venture capital, Gopi’s perspective is informed by over a decade of building data models for investors.
Greetings from Ensemble's 2025 Summer Onsite
We’re writing from a packed house here at Ensemble’s Summer 2025 onsite — our largest ever.
Conrad Shang joins 'Venture with Grace' podcast to talk AI, Deep Tech, Healthcare, and the future of VC
In a recent interview with Grace Gong, Ensemble founding partner Conrad Shang explains how the firm’s AI-native infrastructure and software-first approach give it a competitive edge in winning deals and supporting founders. He highlights Ensemble’s long-term conviction in data-driven venture—built before it was fashionable—and how their proprietary tools like GTM 2.0 turn vague promises into tangible results. At its core, Ensemble believes that while data guides attention, it’s the people you surround yourself with who drive outcomes.
WATCH: Collin West talks next-gen VC on the VC10X podcast with Prashant Choubey
In his recent appearance on the VC10X Podcast, Ensemble founder Collin West laid out the art of data-driven venture and the future of the industry. As we've said many times before, there's a lot more to our approach than just collecting data. Over the last decade, Ensemble has been at the forefront of developing the processes integral to converting data insights into actionable, outbound strategies.
