When Sarah Guo left Greylock in mid-2022 to launch her own AI-focused fund, Conviction Partners, she mentioned that she planned to bring on other GPs in the future. Now, more than two years later, Guo is joined by Mike Vernal, a former partner at Sequoia, who recently left the firm in 2023. Vernal’s arrival comes as Conviction announces the closing of its second fund, totaling $230 million in capital commitments, which is more than double the size of its $101 million debut fund.
Attracting a heavyweight investor like Vernal is not surprising considering Guo’s efforts over the past two years to establish Conviction as a prominent player in the AI investment space. She has invested in companies like Mistral, Harvey, and Sierra, solidifying her reputation as one of the leading AI investors in Silicon Valley. Guo also co-hosts the popular AI podcast “No Priors” with well-known investor Elad Gil.
Vernal, with experience at Sequoia and Facebook, has led deals in successful companies such as Notion, Rippling, and Verkada, a security camera startup currently in the process of raising funding at a $4.5 billion valuation.
