Thomas Otter brings unusually deep hands-on experience to venture investing, having spent years as a senior Gartner analyst covering enterprise HR software and holding executive product roles at SAP SuccessFactors before joining Acadian Ventures. He runs a dedicated Substack called "Work in Progress" and publishes detailed public investment memos explaining his backing decisions, making his decision-making framework unusually transparent for a venture investor.

• Deep focus on HR and work technology. Frequently tracks industry movements within the payroll and benefits ecosystem, noting consolidation events like Workday acquiring smaller players and analyzing how major AI labs are pivoting into job matching and recruitment.
• Pragmatic approach to artificial intelligence in product development. Highlights the trade-offs of using AI for software creation, observing that while it accelerates engineering tasks, it often leads to sub-par design choices if founders are not careful about the user experience.
• Demand for transparency regarding team composition in pitch decks. Specifically warns founders against inflating their slide decks by listing part-time friends or advisors with C-level titles, preferring to see clearly defined roles and full-time commitment.
• Interest in the strategic mechanics of early-stage SaaS. Shares insights on pricing heuristics for young companies and distinguishes between genuine strategic progress and mere corporate activity within large software vendors.
• Enthusiasm for cycling and cricket which occasionally blends with professional insights. Appreciates the technical details of the sports, such as tire pressure data in cycling, suggesting an analytical mind that enjoys deep dives into performance metrics.