Podcast appearances and mentions of jake saper

Years before legal tech hit the mainstream, Jake Saper was already placing bets. As a General Partner at Emergence Capital, Jake helped fund foundational legal tech startups like Ironclad and SimpleLegal—long before most VCs would touch the sector. In this episode, Mary sits down with Jake to unpack his early insights and where he sees the industry heading next. From CLM to AI agents, they explore what's real, what's hype, and what buyers and founders should really be paying attention to. Jake isn't just a savvy investor—he's a pattern recognizer who sees how AI, pricing models, and workflow orchestration are reshaping not only software but the very structure of legal services. In this episode: Why Legal Was an Early Bet Jake shares why legal's inefficiencies and high-value work made it an obvious investment target, even before AI and legal ops were mainstream. The Rise (and Risk) of Legal AI From hallucinating tools to real-world adoption challenges, Jake and Mary dissect the current state of AI in legal—and why the billable hour is squarely in the crosshairs. From Tools to Outcomes A candid look at how law firms must overhaul their business models to align with AI-driven efficiencies—and what that means for buyers and vendors alike. “CLM is Dead”? Not So Fast. Jake unpacks why great SaaS isn't going away anytime soon, despite the buzz around AI agents and “vibe coding.” Hint: trust, workflow, and guarantees still matter. How to Vet Startups in the AI Gold Rush In an era of fast-moving tech and 5-person billion-dollar teams, Jake outlines how to evaluate early-stage legal AI companies: speed, founder authenticity, and value creation over vanity metrics. A Billion-Dollar Perspective Emergence Capital's latest fund doubles down on the future of B2B SaaS. Jake shares where he's placing bets—and why job-to-be-done is still the framework that matters most. Whether you're leading a law firm, investing in legal tech, or trying to future-proof your team, this episode is a crash course in thinking strategically about what's next. Follow Mary on LinkedIn Rate and review on Apple Podcasts

Jake Saper is a General Partner @ Emergence Capital, one of the leading venture firms of the last 20 years. Their many wins include being early investors in Salesforce, Zoom, Veeva and more. In total, the firm has invested $2BN and returned an astonishing $8BN in cash with much more to come.  In Today's Episode We Discuss: 04:45 The Zoom Investment Story 10:21 Founder, Market, Traction: Rank Them 26:37 Why Market Pull is the Most Important Thing and How to Know 27:23 Are the Best Deals Always Expensive? 28:25 What is the One Framework Emergence Use for Every Investment 29:08 Lessons from the 16x DPI Zoom Fund 30:44 Why Does Every Partner Do Reference Calls on Every Deal? 35:16 We Have Lied to SaaS Founders: The Revenue Rules Changed 37:53 Where Will Value Accrue in a World of AI?  41:37 Three Reasons Why AI Will Not Replace Vertical SaaS 46:38 Who Wins in AI: Startups or Incumbents? 50:09 Why Should Every Company Aim to Be a “Board Discussion” 55:12 Why is Jake Worried About AI's FTX Moment? 56:00 What Losing Billions on Salesforce Taught Us About Selling 01:00:07 Why Most VC Partnerships are Broken 01:03:07 Grok vs Anthropic vs OpenAI: Buy and Sell? 01:14:25 Quickfire Round: Insights and Reflections  

Ilana Weinstein, IDW Group CEO and founder, joins to discuss hedge funds and investing. Sonali Basak joins. Cam Harvey, Professor at Duke Business School, joins to give his economic outlook and potential for a hard landing in the US. Anton Posner, CEO at Mercury Resources, joins to discuss supply chain risks amid uncertainty in the Middle East. Jake Saper, General Partner at Emergence Capital, joins to discuss the outlook for artificial intelligence in 2024. Hosted by Paul Sweeney, Kailey Leinz, and Caroline Hyde.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ira Jersey, Chief US interest rate strategist for Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses how Treasuries might react to a government shutdown on Friday. Michael Shah, Pharma Analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, joins to discuss Novo Nordisk, Ozempic, and the weight loss drug push. Jake Saper, Emergence Capital General Partner, joins to talk about investment strategies, tech, and markets. Jereme Sylvain, CFO at DexCom (NASDAQ: DXCM), joins to discuss company earnings, its initiatives in healthcare and specifically for diabetes, and outlook for the firm and industry. Hosted by Paul Sweeney and Matt Miller.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a moment when unprecedented amounts of money are flowing toward projects involving AI, Robb and Josh welcome Jake Saper for a lively exploration of the VC mindset. Since 2003, Emergence Capital has invested in companies collectively worth $450B+, including Salesforce, Box, Yammer, and Zoom. As a General Partner, Jake has embraced the transformative power of generative AI. This conversation explores many different ways these technologies are impacting investor thinking as software becomes cheaper and easier to create.

How do you build defensible business value in an era when, as AngelList CEO Avlok Kohli said on our last ACQ2 episode, the “cost of intelligence is going to zero”? Longtime friend of the show Jake Saper and his partners at Emergence Capital have been refining their thesis for this brave new world of Generative AI in B2B, and we sit down with him to discuss. We cover topics including: When do exactly correct answers matter, and when do they not? When are human-in-the-loop systems necessary? When do startups have an advantage vs. incumbents, and vice-versa? Where can companies capture value on a durable basis? When do you need proprietary data in order to be defensible? Whether you're building or investing in existing businesses from the “pre-AI” era or brand new startups that are native to GPT, this episode has plenty of takeaways you should consider. Tune in!Links: Jake's recent blog post on Generative AI and B2B Follow Jake on Twitter My First Million: https://www.mfmpod.com/

Jake Saper is a General Partner at Emergence Capital, one of the best SaaS VCs in the world. They've invested in iconic companies such as Salesforce, Zoom, Veeva, Gusto, Box, and Bill.com. He was previously at Kleiner Perkins as part of their Green Growth Fund and has an MBA from Stanford. In this episode, we cover a range of topics including: - Limitations of generative AI in B2B SaaS - Iterative AI vs Generative AI - How to solve the user engagement problem with AI - Coaching networks - Pricing model for AI companies - How to build a moat - How you invest in startups - GTM motion of successful AI companies - AI market trends Jake's favorite book: Freedom at Midnight (Authors: Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre) --------Where to find Prateek Joshi: Newsletter: https://prateekjoshi.substack.com Website: https://prateekj.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prateek-joshi-91047b19 Twitter: https://twitter.com/prateekvjoshi 

We sit down with the CEO founders of two of the most capital efficient success stories of all time — Zoom and Veeva Systems — to understand how they grew to billions of dollars in revenue (and tens of billions in market cap) on very, very little capital invested. With the fundraising environment changing rapidly, we couldn't think of a better topic to discuss or better sources of wisdom for founders, operators and investors all to learn from. Very special thanks to Jake Saper and our friends at Emergence Capital for inviting us and putting this conversation together at their 2022 CEO Summit! This episode has video! You can watch it on Spotify (right in the main podcast interface) or on YouTube. Links: Peter's great Medium blog Sponsors: Thanks to the Solana Foundation for being our presenting sponsor for this special episode. Solana is the world's most performant blockchain, the BEST place for developers to build Web3 applications, and of course very near & dear to the Acquired community's heart. You get in touch with them here, and learn more about GenesysGo here. Just tell them them at Ben and David sent you! Thank you as well to Modern Treasury and to Mystery. ‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

We sit down with the CEO founders of two of the most capital efficient success stories of all time — Zoom and Veeva Systems — to understand how they grew to billions of dollars in revenue (and tens of billions in market cap) on very, very little capital invested. With the fundraising environment changing rapidly, we couldn't think of a better topic to discuss or better sources of wisdom for founders, operators and investors all to learn from. Very special thanks to Jake Saper and our friends at Emergence Capital for inviting us and putting this conversation together at their 2022 CEO Summit!Sponsor: https://acquired.fm/zoominfoThis episode has video! You can watch it on YouTube.Links:Peter's great Medium blog‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

There is a new intersection forming in the technology stack that is reshaping the future of the productivity and collaboration landscape.  Productivity applications are colliding with collaboration applications in what is being deemed deep collaboration - a new frontier of collaboration innovation that is bringing people closer to their teams, teams closer to other teams, and companies closer to their ecosystem (customers, partners, suppliers). In a recent VentureBeat article, Jake Saper, General Partner at Emergence Capital, speaks to a future where deep collaboration becomes central to the workplace.  In this episode, hear Jake define deep collaboration and explain why it is the next logical progression for the tech stack.  About Jake SaperJake still can’t believe he gets to do this for a living. Raised in Austin by parents who were serial co-founders, he got bit by the startup bug early. He thinks of serving entrepreneurs as his highest calling. His first venture focused on selling rocks door to door from his Radio Flyer wagon. Not one to shy away from a tough market, he moved on (20 years later) to help launch and grow a startup developing large solar power plants in India, Africa, and the Middle East. He’s developed a deep well of entrepreneurial empathy from being told no (and occasionally yes!) from investors and bureaucrats across the globe.Jake’s first job for which someone paid him was in management consulting, where he honed his deep, nerdy love of frameworks. He’s brought that passion for entrepreneurship and strategic thinking to venture. He got his start in venture at Kleiner Perkins, after which he joined Emergence, where he became a Kauffman Fellow.He’s passionate about using machine learning to help people do their jobs better and co-developed the firm’s Coaching Networks thesis. He serves on the boards of Textio, Guru, Ironclad, DroneDeploy, Vymo, Maze, and Assembled.Jake earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale and his MBA from Stanford, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar. Jake also earned an MS in Environment and Resources from Stanford. Jake is a singer and very mediocre guitar player, constantly in search of people to jam with.Jake’s wife Dannie Herzberg is the best go-to-market leader (and person) he knows. Jake’s north star is to help build enduring, values-driven companies that he and Dannie would be proud for their daughter Sadie to work at some day.

Emergence Capital's Jake Saper returns to the LP Show to talk 2021 "state-of-SaaS" and Emergence's Deep Collaboration thesis. We cover how Figma changed the game for embedded collaboration within work tools, and why this theme represents a deep vein that Emergence is investing behind with companies like Ironclad and Jake's latest investment in Maze. Plus we cover the impact of the Zoom investment (undeniably one of the greatest venture investments of all time) on Emergence as a firm, and why investing in your partnership through coaching, peer groups and simply prioritizing dedicated time together is just as important after big successes as before. Peer group resources Jake recommends for entrepreneurs: Enrich Pace 10X CEO Leaders in Tech

Saper - never far from his guitar - talks with Scott about leadership and AISee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Deep Collaboration" represents a new breed of enterprise cloud software tools. This concept is espoused by Jake Saper, who is using this lens for his investments at Emergence Capital. In this episode, Ken discusses what makes these tools "deep collaboration," reviewing examples like Ironclad and Figma in the wild. But the bigger takeaway is how to apply these principles within the enterprise SDLC.

Founder's FAQ: answers to all the possible questions of a founder. Hosted by Ilker Koksal. This episode's guest is Jake Saper. Jake is a general partner at Emergence Capital, a venture capital firm, invested in companies collectively worth $100B+, including Salesforce, Veeva, Box, Yammer, and Zoom.In this episode;1-) Authentic passion for solving the problem2-) Long-run relationships with the board3-) Ability to sell a vision4-) When to pivotFounder's FAQ is a book for founders and you can pre-order through the website. You can also reach us through @foundersfaq on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Jake Saper, Partner at Emergence Capital, a leading venture capital firm focused on world-changing enterprise cloud technology, including Salesforce, SalesLoft, Veeva, and Zoom. Jake serves on the boards of Textio, Guru, Drishti, and DroneDeploy. In this episode, Jake speaks with Eniac Co-founding GP Tim Young about the firm’s thesis on Coaching Networks and how they believe the under-explored side of machine learning is how to apply that same technology not just to automate tasks away, but to help augment workers that remain and make them better at their jobs. Jake also sheds light on a very important topic for all seed-stage founders and investors - something he and Tim Young refer to as Series A Signaling Effect. He breaks down his belief and experience on why founders should not take Series A funds during Seed and if so, all the ways it can impact the round, the board and the subsequent investments. Jake also shares his experience supporting the firm’s investment in Zoom and how he has been humbled by Eric Yuan’s incredible vision and leadership. He even shares a story about how Emergence found some surprising results when they dug through the company’s data. He also talks about how his entrepreneurial family and early experience operating in India has inspired his love of venture and supporting founders. He also speaks to his deep relationships with his founders, his time allocation and how he aims to balance work. If you liked this episode, please share and tag us on Twitter: @jakesaper @emergencecap @timy0ung @EniacVC @seedtoscale Send comments or suggestions to seedtoscale@eniac.vc.

Hey Acquired listeners, our latest LP guest conversation was so good, we wanted to share some of it with everyone. We dove deep into the gritty details of SaaS investing and company building with the best in the business, Jake Saper from Emergence Capital. Emergence has been around since the beginning of SaaS and — uniquely for a venture firm — is entirely focused on early-stage investing within it. They were early investors in major successes like Salesforce, Veeva, SuccessFactors, Box and Yammer, and more recently Gusto, Zoom and many more. This episode is a must-listen for anyone investing in, operating in or thinking about modern SaaS companies! If you liked this conversation and want to hear more, you can join the Acquired Limited Partner program at https://glow.fm/acquired/ (works best on mobile) You can also sign up for Emergence's regular email newsletter on SaaS topics at: eepurl.com/c1IPvf

“80% of the worlds workforce doesn't sit at a desk, and 95% of the world's software is built for people who sit at a desk. Once people build software for the other 80%, the size of the addressable market that could be created could dwarf what we currently have, which is pretty humbling to think about.” Jake Saper, Emergence Capital (@jakesaper)   We dive deep into the nitty gritty details of SaaS investing and company building with the best in the business, Jake Saper from Emergence Capital. Emergence has been around since the beginning of the SaaS industry and -uniquely for a venture firm- is entirely focused on early-stage investing within it. They were early investors in major successes like Salesforce, Veeva, SuccessFactors, Box and Yammer, and more recently, Gusto, Zoom, and many more.  This episode is a must-listen for anyone investing in, operating in, or thinking about modern SaaS companies!   Be sure to follow the Acquired Podcast: Acquired.fm @AcquiredFM Let People Know You're An LP on Twitter!   Links from the Show: Emergence Capital Emergence Capital – “Series-A SaaS Metrics” Emergence Email Newsletter   Show Bookmarks: [03:50] – SaaS Basics [06:45] – The Beginnings of Emergence Capital [08:39] – The Emergence Capital Model [10:51] – Back to the Origin Story [15:38] – The Emergence Capital SaaS Thesis and Investment Themes [20:50] – Coaching Networks [29:22] – Evaluating Market Size for SaaS Companies [38:46] – Building SaaS Companies [39:49] – The Makeup of CEOs and Founding Teams [47:43] – Before Product Market Fit [“Focus”] [51:40] – SaaS Metrics and Product/Market Fit [1:05:52] – What happens after the investment? [The IPO Press Release] [1:09:20] – Go-to-Market in SaaS [1:14:45] – SaaS Pricing [1:19:00] – Show Wrap Up   People Worth Knowing: Jon David Dannie Herzberg Doug Landis Gordon Ritter Jake Saper Joseph Floyd Mark Benioff Matt Wallach  Paypal Mafia Peter Gassner  Rob Ward  Stewart Butterfield Viviana Faga   Companies and Products Mentioned in Episode: Airbnb Apple Music Box  Compendium Confluence Drone Deploy Emergence Capital Enrollment Guru (knowledge management) Gusto Kleiner Perkins Madrona Meritech Microsoft Pfizer Salesforce Service Max (acquired by GE) Slack Software as a Service Spotify SuccessFactors Taunt Textio Force.com Veeva Yammer Zendesk Zenefits Zoom   Episode Specific Terms: ARR/MRR (Triple/Triple/Double/Double) Churn/Negative Net Churn Cloud Coaching Networks Cohort Analysis (The Smile) Deskless Workforce Diligence Disintermediation Enterprise Flywheel Generalist VC vs Focused VC Horizontal vs Vertical Software Investing Themes Investment Memo Investment Thesis Market Pull Multi-Tenancy vs Single Tenancy Network Effects On Track Earnings (OTT) On-Prem Opportunity Sizing  Principles, Senior Associates, Associates Product/Market Fit (“Customer Love”) Referral Effects SaaS Sales and Marketing Efficiency Technical Thesis Total Addressable Market (Top Down-Market Sizing) Utilization (as a Consumer Metric) Value Provided on Unit Basis (Bottom Up Market Sizing)   Ben and David's Affiliations: Wave Capital, @WaveCapitalVC PSL, @psl

Chitra sits down with Emergence’s Jake Saper to discuss her move from BCG to Salesforce and now COO of Comfy. She shares her thoughts on how to bring cohesiveness across job functions in an organization and pricing strategies.

Join the Acquired Limited Partner program! https://kimberlite.fm/acquired/ (works best on mobile)   An acquisition so wild and crazy, they had to do it again. And again. Ben & David cover tech’s perhaps most-traded asset, Skype (which also happens to be a fantastic business). How do we even know which deal to grade? Tune in to find out…    Topics covered include: Community spotlight: Slack community member Swyx’s financial data research startup Sentieo!  Skype founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis’s meeting in the 1990’s at Swedish telecom company Tele2 Zennström & Friis’s introduction to talented Estonian developers Jaan Tallinn, Ahti Heinla, and Priit Kasesalu as part of Tele2’s efforts to jump into the dot com “portal mania”  Skype’s origins in the technology powering Zennström, Friis and the Estonians’ first startup endeavor together: the peer-to-peer file sharing platform Kazaa The “complicated” legal, technological and ownership situation for Kazaa and Skype  Skype’s “unique” corporate culture, including a swimming pool in the board room and shots for initiating new employees  The first Skype acquisition: eBay’s 2005 deal to acquire the company for $2.6B, just two years after launch Culture clash between eBay and Skype management, and further legal drama regarding Skype technology ownership post-acquisition The second Skype acquisition: eBay’s 2009 decision to spin the company out to a private investor consortium including Silver Lake and the newly-formed Andreessen Horowitz  The third (and final?) Skype acquisition: Microsoft’s $8.5B purchase of the company in 2011 Skype as a “crossover” product with viable market opportunities both in consumer and enterprise Bill Gurley’s “Keys to the 10X Revenue Club” and the power of Skype’s organic customer acquisition model   Followups: The Google iPhone… err, Pixel!    Hot Takes: AT&T’s $85B mega-acquisition of Time Warner… making America great again, or rebuilding the T-1000?  The New York Times acquiring The Wirecutter   The Carve Out: Ben: Sam Altman’s Manifest Destiny David: SOMA the Musical starring our very own Acquired listener, the brilliant and talented Jake Saper!