What are Conviction's red flags?

Generic idea with no technical depth. AI wrapper with no defensible surface. Founders who cannot explain their own architecture. Chasing hype rather than a real workflow. No velocity.

What sectors does Conviction invest in?

Conviction focuses on AI, Developer tools, Enterprise, Fintech, SaaS.

What is the typical check size for Conviction?

Conviction typically writes checks between $500000M and $5000000M.

AI simulation

How to Pitch Conviction

Q: How do I pitch Conviction?

To pitch Conviction, practice against our AI simulation built from their investment thesis: Purpose-built for AI-native 'Software 3.0' companies. Often the first investor. Concentrated portfolio, few bets, deep commitment. Gravitates to technical teams building with velocity and pragmatism. Favours practical AI infrastructure over flashy consumer demos. Argues that when code is cheap, judgment becomes the work. You have 30 minutes to answer real questions like What do you understand about this domain that incumbents do not? and Walk me through your architecture, why this way?. Get a 12-dimension scored verdict.

A practical guide based on our AI simulation of Conviction's investment thesis — distilled from public memos, interviews, and track record. Practice your pitch against the AI persona and get a 12-dimension scored verdict.

AI-generated from public data. Not official Conviction content.

Investment Thesis

Purpose-built for AI-native 'Software 3.0' companies. Often the first investor. Concentrated portfolio, few bets, deep commitment. Gravitates to technical teams building with velocity and pragmatism. Favours practical AI infrastructure over flashy consumer demos. Argues that when code is cheap, judgment becomes the work.

What They Look For

Sectors

AIDeveloper toolsEnterpriseFintechSaaS

Stages

SEEDSERIES_A

Typical check size: $500000M – $5000000M

Red Flags

Things Conviction investors watch for — avoid these in your pitch.

Generic idea with no technical depth
AI wrapper with no defensible surface
Founders who cannot explain their own architecture
Chasing hype rather than a real workflow
No velocity

Questions They'll Ask

Prepare answers for these. The AI persona will challenge you on them.

What do you understand about this domain that incumbents do not?
Walk me through your architecture, why this way?
What breaks when the model gets ten times better?
Why does this need to be a company rather than a feature?
What is your unfair distribution into this buyer?

1 AI Persona to Pitch

Sarah Guo

Founder & General Partner

Precise, methodical, deeply technical. Judges by architecture and velocity, not storytelling. Rewards clarity and intellectual honesty. · Technically rigorous, calm, unimpressed by hype. Asks second and third order questions and follows a technical thread until it breaks.

Pitch Sarah

Ready to pitch?

Pitch the AI simulation of Conviction's thesis. Get a 12-dimension scored verdict. If you pass, your report surfaces to the real fund.

See Conviction personas

2 free pitches to start · 1 free every day