The software that powers small business is being rebuilt from the ground up. After decades of underinvestment, a new generation of founders is rethinking how technology serves the businesses that employ nearly half the country.
The Themes We're Watching
We see opportunity wherever technology can remove friction for operators who are experts in their craft but underserved by current tools. Three themes stand out:
- Vertical AI Workflows: Purpose-built AI that understands the nuances of specific industries — from childcare scheduling to contractor estimating
- Operational Intelligence: Tools that turn day-to-day business data into actionable insights, giving operators the same visibility that enterprise companies take for granted
- Service Coordination: Platforms that help field-based and service businesses deliver consistent quality while scaling
Why Now?
AI is fundamentally changing the economics of building for small business. What used to require a large sales team and expensive customization can now be delivered through intelligent, self-serve products. The result: software that's finally viable to build and affordable to buy.
We believe the founders who will win in this space are industry insiders — people who've lived the problems they're solving and understand the workflows, regulations, and human dynamics that generic software misses.