Companies Research

Activant is a founder-led venture growth firm. Nearly 50% of our team are full-time researchers.

Steve Sarracino “I love competing against old slow incumbents and I always get most nervous when things are going really well, I think that’s when you need to be the most vigilant.”
Steve Sarracino Founder, Partner
Andrew Steele “For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to build companies. I count my lucky stars every day to wake up and work alongside some of the best founders in the world. There is no greater privilege in my book.”
Andrew Steele Partner
Kevin Widmaier “Excellence is the simple discipline to do things right. It requires rejecting defensive complacency for high standards and the intellectual honesty to challenge ourselves as we listen, iterate, and build winning teams together.”
Kevin Widmaier President, Partner
Maximilian Mayer “Technology is influencing our daily life and it’s fascinating to think that the next Amazon or SAP are being built right in front of us. I want to have a front-row seat for that.”
Maximilian Mayer Partner
Richard Benson-Armer “The opportunity to leverage technology to reinvent businesses so that everyone wins is an imperative and challenge that is too good to miss. There is also huge value to be unlocked!”
Richard Benson-Armer Director of Research and Senior Advisor
Dave Corcoran “To sit alongside minds that are both rigorous and imaginative, working on problems that genuinely matter, is humbling in the best way. It’s a privilege to help create the conditions where that kind of work can happen.”
Dave Corcoran CFO
Matthew Maron “Urgency is a discipline, not a personality trait — and so is the resilience required to sustain it. We work where speed and rigor have to coexist for the founders we back and the investors who back us.”
Matthew Maron General Counsel
Alison McElwee “Working at Activant allows me to support and partner with founders and entrepreneurs whose passion and conviction are contagious, the type of people who build boldly, solve complex problems, and relentlessly push ideas forward.”
Alison McElwee Head of Executive Operations
Tyler Motte “Success is measured by the heights you reach, but competition is the cornerstone of all things - for every great story was born in the moment someone refused to let another person’s pursuit outrun their own.”
Tyler Motte Executive In Residence
Jono Vickery “I’ve always been intellectually curious, loved a challenge, and want to see positive change in the world. For me, investing brings all of those together — backing the founders who are building a better future.”
Jono Vickery Vice President | Research
Scott Watson “At Activant, I’ve found a team that shares my enthusiasm for the startup landscape — a place where collaboration, in-depth research, and lively debate lie at the heart of everything we do.”
Scott Watson Vice President | Research
John Matheson “The best part about this job is that each day I get to partner with entrepreneurs who are shaping our future, offering them support while also being a student of their innovation.”
John Matheson Investor
Malek DeBrabander “Technology can feel like magic, but the real magic is in the founders who patiently build, iterate, and persevere. I’m always excited to work with them — bringing technical perspective, honest feedback, and long-term commitment.”
Malek DeBrabander Investor
Teddy Cohen
Teddy Cohen Investor
Diane Pavese
Diane Pavese Assistant Treasurer
Emma Rowand “I am fascinated by how innovation and investment fuel each other to drive meaningful change. At Activant, I have the opportunity to research transformative industries and collaborate with founders who are building the future.”
Emma Rowand Research Analyst
Torben Wiesbach “What excites me about Activant is the chance to work with exceptionally smart people, whether founders, investors, or the Activant team. I hope not only to learn from the most ambitious founders but also to support them in scaling with confidence.”
Torben Wiesbach Research Analyst
Ross Nayler “The chance to work with founders, investors, and researchers building the future of technology is what brought me to Activant. Identifying disruptive trends before they become obvious is the perfect environment for staying at the leading edge of innovation.”
Ross Nayler Research Analyst