David Evans brings deep operator experience building predictive analytics products before joining Sentiero Ventures, giving him practical understanding of where AI creates real value versus serving as marketing buzzwords. He focuses on AI as a productivity amplifier for mundane but high-value workflows, consistently pushing founders toward utilization-based revenue models rather than traditional per-seat pricing due to AI's real compute costs.

• Focusing on realistic timelines for enterprise technology adoption. There is a strong belief that while digital queries take minutes, actual organizational implementation takes months or years because companies have to restructure teams, infrastructure, and processes. An amusing analogy shared was that discovering fire a few years ago does not mean a corporate team can instantly bake a complex pastry today.
• Expecting startups to sell complete outcomes rather than just software tools. Buyers want the final result and the actual work completed, not another dashboard or interface that forces them to manage the process themselves. Founders need to skip the middle steps and deliver the final destination instead of just repackaging a language model for a client to operate.
• Evaluating competitive moats strictly on proprietary data and algorithms. Claiming that a startup is more agile is no longer a valid defense against major tech incumbents who already operate at rapid speeds and offer commoditized models. Without unique datasets or specialized backend math, a pitch will likely lose traction quickly when discussing competition.
• Analyzing the long-term maintenance reality and hidden expenses of automated agents. Automation is rarely something a company can set up and ignore, and the constant need to update these systems shifts software from a predictable fixed cost to a highly variable one based on usage. A historical example provided was automating digital event tickets over a decade ago, which constantly required new security and login updates just to remain functional.
• Prioritizing strong interpersonal communication over pure technical ability. Even during heavy engineering cycles where technology seems to dominate, long-lasting business success heavily relies on leaders who can navigate human dynamics effectively. Early novelty applications will eventually fade, and the founders who actually engage well with the people around them are the ones who build lasting value.