07
Oct
Sector focus: putting AI and technology innovation to work
Technology remains an industry of particular focus for the private equity industry, with SaaS and cybersecurity investments continuing to be of interest. What remains top of mind, however, continues to be AI and technological innovation, with GPs accelerating their efforts towards determining where AI can deliver meaningful results, overhaul business models and drive operational efficiencies. Our panel of technology and AI focused GPs and experts will assess the opportunities and pitfalls of this sector.
- What continues to be the main drivers of technology deal flow in the PE space?
- GenAI: how has AI already disrupted the private equity space, and what are some tangible use cases that are providing value?
- Beyond portfolio optimization, are GPs making AI investments within their portfolios?
- What are some top technology investment trends that GPs predict will emerge in 2026?
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SpeakersJenifer Smith Partner Latham & Watkins
Bob Morse Co-Founder and Managing Partner Strattam Capital
Marissa Tarleton Senior Managing Director Haveli Investments
Nick Stoffregen Partner Elsewhere Partners
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Jenifer Smith advises private and public companies and private equity funds on a wide range of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and public and private investment deals.
An experienced and versatile practitioner, Jenifer delivers trusted counsel to boards of directors, management teams, and private equity firms in connection with their key business, legal, and strategic issues over the life of the business. She brings experience across an array of industries, including technology, life sciences, restaurant and hospitality, and consumer packaged goods.
Jenifer regularly advises clients on:
- Domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions
- Public and private investment transactions
- Corporate governance and fiduciary duty issues
- Securities law compliance and SEC disclosure matters
- Emerging companies matters
She has been recognized as one of the Top Women in Dealmaking by The Deal and as a Texas Trailblazer by Texas Lawyer for her outstanding work on securities matters as well as her pro bono work empowering women domestically and abroad. Jenifer has been active in the local Austin community throughout her career and currently serves on the board for Junior Achievement of Central Texas. She is a member of Latham’s Associates Committee, as well as Latham’s WEB Committee.
Bob co-founded Strattam Capital in 2014 and is Managing Partner. He has served on numerous private and public technology company boards, and currently is a director of CloudHesive, Contegix, Daxtra, Green Security, Resource Navigation, and Trax Group. Previously, Bob was a Partner and member of the Investment Committee at Oak Hill Capital Partners. He also worked at GCC Investments, a growth private equity firm based in Boston, and at Morgan Stanley.
He serves on the board of directors of AustinPBS and as member of the Advisory Board for the HMTF Center for Private Equity Finance at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. Bob attended Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude with a B.S.E., and Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he earned his M.B.A. and was an Arjay Miller Scholar. Bob lives in Austin, and mornings you just may see him rowing on the Lady Bird Lake with Texas Rowing Center.
Marissa Tarleton is a Senior Managing Director at Haveli Investments. Based in Austin, she joined the firm in 2022. Marissa is focused on investment decisions and value creation with Haveli Software portfolio companies. She has over 25 years of experience as an operating and Go-To-Market leader in technology, including her roles as CEO of RetailMeNot and RxSaver, and President of Aceable. She earned her bachelor's degree from Colgate University and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Nick is a Partner at Elsewhere Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm based in Austin, Texas. He joined the firm in 2018 and leads new investments in bootstrapped, founder-led cybersecurity and IT infrastructure software businesses. Previously, Nick was an investor at Serent Capital focused on bootstrapped, founder-led vertical software companies. Prior to Serent, Nick was a management consultant at Bain & Company in the firm’s Private Equity Group advising funds on new investment decisions and portfolio value creation. He received a bachelor’s of science in finance and international business from Indiana University.