Sourcing the Expert Who Changed a Cybersecurity Investment Thesis
Sourced a set of industry experts for a cybersecurity deal under review; a single expert call led the NY desk to drop the investment altogether.
Ektha S
Financial Research Associate at The D. E. Shaw Group
From their time as
Financial Research Associate
The D. E. Shaw Group • 2023
Overview
Ektha was tasked with sourcing industry experts for a cybersecurity company the ventures desk was evaluating for investment. The goal was to find people who could speak credibly to the company's market position, product approach, and competitive dynamics.
The Story
Ektha was tasked with sourcing industry experts for a cybersecurity company the ventures desk was evaluating for investment. The goal was to find people who could speak credibly to the company's market position, product approach, and competitive dynamics.
She identified and lined up multiple expert calls for the NY team. The sourcing process required her to understand the company's sub-segment well enough to find experts who could genuinely opine on it, not just generalists in the broader cybersecurity space.
The NY team ran the calls directly, as compliance required. After the first call, a lengthy session with one of the experts she had sourced, the desk decided to drop the investment entirely. The expert's insights were strong enough to contradict the thesis the team had been building, and the team found that view credible enough to act on immediately.
Ektha did not have access to the call notes, but the outcome was clear: the quality of the expert she sourced was the direct input that changed the investment decision.