Marcelo Sato built and sold his own company, CIATECH, before becoming an investor, then later joined Astella—the same firm that had once backed his startup—as a partner in 2017, where he focuses on helping founders set up strong processes and governance and looks for analytical, data-driven thinking rather than just ambition. Having lived through the 2000 tech boom and bust as an operator, he prefers founders building companies meant to last for decades over those aiming for a quick sale, and he's especially drawn to ideas around consolidating small businesses and disrupting real estate.