Technology SIG I AI and the Investment Lens How Investors Evaluate Technology Companies in 2026

Mike is a Partner at LiveOak Ventures and has been investing in high-growth businesses for more than a decade.

Prior to joining LiveOak, Mike was a Principal with Blue Heron Capital, where he invested in early and growth-stage companies in the tech-enabled business services and healthcare industries. Earlier in his career, Mike was with American Capital, a middle-market private equity firm, where he focused on pre-investment due diligence, valuation, and portfolio company management. He also spent time with the healthcare group at Harris Williams, a sell-side M&A advisory firm. Mike started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mike received his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He also has a BS in Finance and Accounting from James Madison University.

In his role, he is searching for experienced founders that create software that incorporates artificial intelligence to solve real-world business problems. Via seed stage investments and ongoing support, David’s goal is to deliver the capital and operational excellence to foster outsized returns for investors and founders.

A seasoned entrepreneur and technologist, David began coding at 14 on a TI-85 graphing calculator and launched his inaugural company at 19. His impressive track record includes multiple successful exits as both a founder and investor. Notably, he sold a national digital signage network to CBS and an Inc 500 eCommerce company to a strategic buyer.

In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, David is an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he instructs graduate courses on innovation and entrepreneurship. His commitment to fostering innovation extends beyond academia, as he is a key member of the Mentor Committee of the United Way Social Innovation Accelerator. This organization is dedicated to identifying, financing, and supporting pioneering programs that enhance health, education, and income in Dallas' underserved communities.

David is a University of Connecticut alumnus, a former Beneficial Hodson Scholar at Johns Hopkins University, and holds a Certificate in Corporate Finance from Harvard University.

Aliraza Momin is a Vice President at Fulcrum Equity Partners, a growth equity firm based that invests in high-growth healthcare services and B2B software companies. At Fulcrum, he focuses on sourcing new investment opportunities, leading diligence efforts, and supporting companies on strategic initiatives and growth. He works closely with portfolio companies, including FieldPulse, a Dallas-based SaaS platform.

He is actively involved in the technology and healthcare ecosystem and contributes to alumni initiatives at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business.

Vince brings 25 years of relevant entrepreneurial and operating experience in the software and services sectors, including launching and growing two successful software start-ups. He oversees all facets of Cypress’ investment process and actively supports portfolio companies.

Prior to joining Cypress in 2022, Vince spent 16 years starting, building and scaling two industrial tech SaaS companies. Vince’s first entrepreneurial venture, Atlas RFID –where he was co-founder – was sold to private equity firm Kayne Anderson in 2015 and was then acquired by a strategic (Hexagon) in 2021. The second, Geoforce, was a highly successful portfolio company in our first royalty fund, exiting to private equity firm LLR Partners in 2019.

As COO and CFO of Geoforce, Vince’s responsibilities spanned finance, operations, marketing, human resources and legal. He also led numerous debt and equity raises, international expansions, and acquisitions. Vince started his career as a turnaround consultant to private equity-owned companies at Arthur Andersen and Alvarez & Marsal.

Vince currently serves on the Board of Geoforce. He is a frequent speaker and panelist on the topics of entrepreneurship, growth company operations and capital strategy. Vince is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and holds an MBA from Duke University and BS in Economics from UC Berkeley.