AI's Hidden Goldmine: You're Ignoring THIS Massive Opportunity!

Hi, I'm Amy Shapiro, journalist at CEK. Hi, I'm Amy Shapiro, journalist at CEK. We're here today as part of our annual We're here today as part of our annual We're here today as part of our annual VC survey with Ranana Ashkenazi, VC survey with Ranana Ashkenazi, VC survey with Ranana Ashkenazi, managing partner at Grow Ventures. managing partner at Grow Ventures. managing partner at Grow Ventures. Ranana, thank you so much for joining us Ranana, thank you so much for joining us Ranana, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you for having me. It's a today. Thank you for having me. It's a today. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure. Uh to start off with uh with

pleasure. Uh to start off with uh with pleasure. Uh to start off with uh with Rana, looking ahead, 2026 around the Rana, looking ahead, 2026 around the Rana, looking ahead, 2026 around the corner, if you had to choose one corner, if you had to choose one corner, if you had to choose one financial metric to value a company by financial metric to value a company by financial metric to value a company by uh next year, what would it be and why? uh next year, what would it be and why? uh next year, what would it be and why? I guess it depends if we're talking

I guess it depends if we're talking I guess it depends if we're talking early stage or later stage, but early stage or later stage, but early stage or later stage, but generally speaking, I'd say um efficient generally speaking, I'd say um efficient generally speaking, I'd say um efficient growth. People used to say growth. I growth. People used to say growth. I growth. People used to say growth. I think efficient growth is the is the way think efficient growth is the is the way think efficient growth is the is the way to go. It's not only, you know, like how to go. It's not only, you know, like how to go. It's not only, you know, like how fast you grow, it's the quality of the fast you grow, it's the quality of the fast you grow, it's the quality of the of the speed in which you grow. of the speed in which you grow. of the speed in which you grow. >> That absolutely makes sense. Uh speaking

>> That absolutely makes sense. Uh speaking >> That absolutely makes sense. Uh speaking of growth and change, AI agents are of growth and change, AI agents are of growth and change, AI agents are taking over. Which do you think will be taking over. Which do you think will be taking over. Which do you think will be the first industry that lets them run the first industry that lets them run the first industry that lets them run fully on autopilot? It's definitely fully on autopilot? It's definitely fully on autopilot? It's definitely going to be places where uh decisions going to be places where uh decisions going to be places where uh decisions are required but they're either are required but they're either are required but they're either reversible or we can live with error reversible or we can live with error reversible or we can live with error right because I mean I can definitely right because I mean I can definitely right because I mean I can definitely see industries like healthcare adopting see industries like healthcare adopting see industries like healthcare adopting agents but that will require time and agents but that will require time and agents but that will require time and trust so I don't know it's like supply

trust so I don't know it's like supply trust so I don't know it's like supply chain logistics warehouse automation chain logistics warehouse automation chain logistics warehouse automation maybe um dev tools you know where we can maybe um dev tools you know where we can maybe um dev tools you know where we can live with misjudgments live with misjudgments live with misjudgments um but you know in a decade everywhere um but you know in a decade everywhere um but you know in a decade everywhere yet to be seen Finally, Ranana, uh, to

yet to be seen Finally, Ranana, uh, to yet to be seen Finally, Ranana, uh, to take a bit of a contrarian point of take a bit of a contrarian point of take a bit of a contrarian point of view, what do you think is one trend view, what do you think is one trend view, what do you think is one trend that everyone is ignoring, but you're that everyone is ignoring, but you're that everyone is ignoring, but you're willing to bet on in 2026? willing to bet on in 2026? willing to bet on in 2026? >> That's actually an easy one. Um, I think >> That's actually an easy one. Um, I think >> That's actually an easy one. Um, I think everyone's talking about AI brain, like everyone's talking about AI brain, like everyone's talking about AI brain, like the models, the foundational models, and the models, the foundational models, and the models, the foundational models, and I think that most, not everyone, but I think that most, not everyone, but I think that most, not everyone, but most are kind of ignoring the body, most are kind of ignoring the body, most are kind of ignoring the body, right? I mean, because you can't run right? I mean, because you can't run right? I mean, because you can't run this AI revolution on a power grid or this AI revolution on a power grid or this AI revolution on a power grid or compute infrastructure of the 1990s. And

compute infrastructure of the 1990s. And compute infrastructure of the 1990s. And so everything that has to do with the so everything that has to do with the so everything that has to do with the infrastructure itself, the electricity infrastructure itself, the electricity infrastructure itself, the electricity constraints, cooling in data centers and constraints, cooling in data centers and constraints, cooling in data centers and and it's contrarianish, I'd say, because

and it's contrarianish, I'd say, because and it's contrarianish, I'd say, because you already see giants. I mean, American you already see giants. I mean, American you already see giants. I mean, American Dynamism, Dynamism, Dynamism, Andre Horowitz, and and Bill Gates, Andre Horowitz, and and Bill Gates, Andre Horowitz, and and Bill Gates, Katu, you're starting to see massive Katu, you're starting to see massive Katu, you're starting to see massive funds investing in those uh in those funds investing in those uh in those funds investing in those uh in those areas, but at least until last year, I areas, but at least until last year, I areas, but at least until last year, I would easily say contrarian, but we're would easily say contrarian, but we're would easily say contrarian, but we're very bullish on it. very bullish on it. very bullish on it. >> Absolutely. Such interesting points >> Absolutely. Such interesting points >> Absolutely. Such interesting points there and lots to look out for in 2026. there and lots to look out for in 2026. there and lots to look out for in 2026. Rana, thank you so much for your time Rana, thank you so much for your time Rana, thank you so much for your time today and I hope you enjoy the rest of today and I hope you enjoy the rest of today and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day here at the conference.