Key Takeaways
- • Mamoon Hamid, Partner at Kleiner Perkins, discussed his investment thesis on AI and early-stage AI company valuations during a Bloomberg Masters in Business interview with host Barry Ritholtz.
- • Hamid has established a track record as an early-stage investor in transformative software companies, with board positions and investments in high-profile exits including Slack, Figma, Rippling, Glean, Applied Intuition, Box, and Netskope.
- • Recent investments managed by Hamid include Retym (Series D, $75M in March 2025), Rippling (Series A, $45M in April 2019), and Glean (Series A, $15.3M in 2019), demonstrating continued focus on enterprise and productivity software.
- • Kleiner Perkins' investment approach under Hamid emphasizes backing founders building next-generation transformative technology companies during the AI revolution, suggesting a focus on foundational AI infrastructure and applications rather than speculative positioning.
Summary
Mamoon Hamid, a Managing Member and General Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, participated in a Bloomberg Masters in Business episode to discuss venture capital strategy during the AI revolution. The interview, conducted by host Barry Ritholtz, centered on Hamid's perspectives regarding early-stage AI investing and valuation frameworks in an environment marked by rapid technological advancement and capital reallocation toward artificial intelligence-focused startups.
Hamid brings substantial institutional credibility to these discussions, having served as an early investor and board member at multiple successful software companies. His investment portfolio spans Slack, Figma, Rippling, Glean, Applied Intuition, Box, and Netskope—companies representing diverse segments of enterprise software, design tools, and cybersecurity. These positions demonstrate expertise across B2B SaaS, developer tools, and infrastructure plays, providing practical context for his views on AI value creation.
His recent investment activity reflects Kleiner Perkins' continued emphasis on early-stage bets in transformative technology. Notable recent commitments include a Series D investment in Retym ($75 million in March 2025), Series A participation in Rippling ($45 million in April 2019), and Series A backing of Glean ($15.3 million in 2019). This deployment pattern suggests the firm is pursuing opportunities across different company stages and sectors, with emphasis on enterprise applications and productivity tools potentially benefiting from AI integration.
The Bloomberg interview positioned Hamid as a thought leader on how traditional venture capital frameworks may require adaptation in an AI-driven innovation landscape. His insights on where value accrues within AI ecosystems—particularly regarding the distinction between AI infrastructure and AI-enabled applications—are relevant for institutional investors reassessing portfolio exposure to artificial intelligence investments during a period of significant market repricing and capital concentration.
Hamid brings substantial institutional credibility to these discussions, having served as an early investor and board member at multiple successful software companies. His investment portfolio spans Slack, Figma, Rippling, Glean, Applied Intuition, Box, and Netskope—companies representing diverse segments of enterprise software, design tools, and cybersecurity. These positions demonstrate expertise across B2B SaaS, developer tools, and infrastructure plays, providing practical context for his views on AI value creation.
His recent investment activity reflects Kleiner Perkins' continued emphasis on early-stage bets in transformative technology. Notable recent commitments include a Series D investment in Retym ($75 million in March 2025), Series A participation in Rippling ($45 million in April 2019), and Series A backing of Glean ($15.3 million in 2019). This deployment pattern suggests the firm is pursuing opportunities across different company stages and sectors, with emphasis on enterprise applications and productivity tools potentially benefiting from AI integration.
The Bloomberg interview positioned Hamid as a thought leader on how traditional venture capital frameworks may require adaptation in an AI-driven innovation landscape. His insights on where value accrues within AI ecosystems—particularly regarding the distinction between AI infrastructure and AI-enabled applications—are relevant for institutional investors reassessing portfolio exposure to artificial intelligence investments during a period of significant market repricing and capital concentration.
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