Said Haschemi, an AI-focused investor at HV Capital, was born while his family fled their home country and raised in refugee housing, giving him a lived understanding of founder resilience that shapes how he evaluates entrepreneurs who face long odds. He focuses on AI infrastructure and context layers that make large models work in complex enterprise environments, and champions agentic AI applications where a single founder plus AI can scale to billion-dollar outcomes.

• Fascinated by artificial intelligence infrastructure and the strategic importance of proprietary technology. A recurring theme is the belief that companies need to own their artificial intelligence models to build genuine value rather than relying entirely on external systems. For instance, a strong case was made that depending on third party models carries inherent risks, while also closely monitoring the ongoing rivalry and token usage efficiency between major industry players like Anthropic and OpenAI.
• Intrigued by the geographic choices founders make when deciding where to incorporate and recruit talent. Frequently compares the San Francisco tech ecosystem to the European startup scene, showing a strong appreciation for founders who choose to build in Europe. A memorable observation highlighted the irony of new founders rushing to relocate to San Francisco right as established technology veterans are doing the exact opposite and deciding to leave the United States.
• Highly observant of the grueling realities of the fundraising process and the specific quirks of venture capital culture. Displays a lot of empathy for the hurdles founders go through to secure capital today, often taking a humorous and self deprecating view of the venture industry. Practical examples include pointing out how simple scheduling conflicts like bank holidays can completely derail a fundraise, and joking that professional athletes sometimes ask more rational business questions than the average venture capitalist.