Investment Themes for 2026
Welcome to 2026! We’ve evaluated how AI & Fintech will reshape legacy industries and impact our daily lives. This year’s themes showcase how new tech will redefine how capital flows, services are delivered faster and better, and how AI will interact with human communities across the world.
1. AI-Native operators
The problem: Traditional industries, such as mining, logistics, and manufacturing, are burdened by fragmented processes and heavy reliance on manual coordination. This results in thin margins and operational inefficiencies that traditional SaaS tools cannot fix.
What we're looking for: AI-native operators in old industries that use predictive and generative AI as a core part of their operating system. Our thesis is built around startups that use smart systems in place of time-consuming human processes to drive stronger unit economics and more efficient operations.
Emerging leaders: Unlimited Industries, Hadrian, Standard Bots
2. Autonomous enterprise services
The problem: The common BPO model relies on growing headcount linearly, which creates quality variances and severely limits speed of growth. While BPOs continue to offer outsourced work, managing large, human teams introduces friction and error.
What we're looking for: AI-native BPOs where AI performs the bulk of the work, from data entry and accounting to onboarding and customer support, with humans solving difficult edge cases. We are interested in providers that sell the outcome and accountability rather than the headcount, offering a scalable solution for outsourced business processes.
Emerging leaders: Crescendo
3. Bank-grade stablecoin rails
The problem: While stablecoins offer superior speed and cost for settlement, traditional banks and large financial institutions have been slow to adopt them, preventing the bulk of capital from moving at the speed of the internet.
What we're looking for: Platforms that bridge the gap between stablecoin rails and bank infrastructure. We are looking for solutions that allow financial institutions to orchestrate, manage and report on stablecoin payments within their own regulatory environment.
Emerging leaders: Ripple, Fireblocks, Zero Hash, BVNK
4. Vertical AI agents
The problem: Industry-specific workflows often require repetitive, multi-step operational workflows with a high share of manual labour. While general-purpose AI tools exist, they struggle to complete tasks reliably, especially in settings where precision and accountability matter.
What we're looking for: Verticalized AI agents engineered for specific industries (e.g. in finance, logistics, healthcare, insurance, engineering) that can operate autonomously and reliably. We’re looking for products that combine deep domain expertise with structured processes, seamlessly integrating with existing tools.
Emerging leaders: PermitFlow, Rillet, Salient
5. Community-driven consumer AI
The problem: Consumer AI applications offer clear value for administrative tasks, therapy, healthcare and finance, but are not always sticky. One element driving retention are shared communities which increase engagement and improve quality through training feedback loops.
What we're looking for: Consumer-focused applications that leverage the best of community and AI. We look for products that successfully help people complete their daily chores, match people with friends and partners, or offer interactive and valuable entertainment and education.
