Jonas Ciplickas

Verticals-ish. I want to partner with entrepreneurs who are obsessed with some corner of the world, have an opinionated view of what technology can accomplish in that corner, and will do everything in their power to make their vision a reality. That usually manifests in founders looking to transform a specific vertical—through software, AI-native services, new marketplaces, take your pick—but I’m open to almost anything. The weirder or nichier the better: illegible and seemingly small markets reward those who put the time and effort into understanding them.

The biggest outcomes come from massive markets and low competition, and the only way to get there early is to listen when founders bring ideas you’ve never heard of before. I love markets that make you go “WTF, is that even a thing?” the first time you hear it and, “Oh wow, that could be massive,” once you do the work.

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2026 pick: Gardens of the Moon. The sprawling cast of characters and so-subtle-it’s-borderline-hostile world building has done wonders for my attention span.

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2026 pick, runner up: Marty Supreme. Yes yes I know, not a book, but his pursuit of greatness above everything else and absolute disregard for everyone around him captivated me. Greatness comes at a price, and it isn’t always you who has to bear the cost of your success. And in the end: is it all worth it?

“Do what feels right.” You can reason yourself into making almost any decision, but don’t ignore your gut. If it feels right it probably is right and if it feels wrong it definitely is wrong.