Elaine Dai is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree who leads a $275M second fund at Alt Capital, focusing on enterprise software and AI investments from pre-seed through Series A with check sizes of $500K-$10M. She emphasizes backing outlier founders who bend reality to their vision and has developed expertise in how enterprise software revenue dynamics have changed, particularly how companies can now scale from $0 to tens of millions in ARR within a single year.

• Deep interest in artificial intelligence infrastructure and specifically the evolution of audio technology. Believes audio is poised to become the primary interface for practical AI applications and identifies high-quality data as the main hurdle right now. This perspective directly influenced an investment in David AI, supporting their mission to build a better data foundation for audio models.
• Appreciation for mission-driven founders who defy conventional expectations and possess unique skill sets. Actively looks for entrepreneurs who have two or more completely unrelated superpowers and considers that a very strong signal to invest. Also respects founders who push past early criticism when people say their ideas are too niche to scale, comparing these underdog success stories to athletes who redefine their game despite early doubts.
• Focus on platforms and software designed to empower small and medium businesses. Frequently celebrates product launches and funding rounds for companies that help local independent operators thrive on the internet. For example, shows immense respect for teams that spend years applying pure grit and work ethic to help independent restaurant owners succeed online.