Dell Technologies Capital: How To Build A Deep-Tech Startup For A Market That Isn't Ready Yet And Why AI Won't Kill SaaS
In this interview with Crunchbase News, Daniel Docter, managing director at Dell Technologies Capital, discusses how AI is reshaping SaaS and why he doesn't believe the business model is headed for extinction, why he thinks distribution may ultimately separate the winners from the losers among AI startups, and more. Mary Ann Azevedo Daniel Docter , managing director at Dell Technologies Capital , began his career as a technologist. He holds degrees in electrical engineering and computer science, as well as a Ph.
Key Takeaways
- , but early on found himself gravitating away from purely technical work toward translating technology into business and commercial use cases.
Docter also proved adept at securing funding for research and other projects, a skill that ultimately caught the attention of venture capital firms and led him into the industry 26 years ago.
- 8 billion across the enterprise stack and saw six high-profile exits at the end of 2025 alone.
In this interview with Crunchbase News, Docter also discussed how AI is reshaping SaaS and why he doesn't believe the business model is headed for extinction.
- We leverage that network in two ways.
One is to get another perspective on what's going on in the world and understand technology and how it's being used.
- " The way I look at it is that we're trying to invest in what we know because of who we are, our technical background and our unique network.
- One is: How do you identify the founders you think can be successful?
Stats & Key Facts
- #Docter also proved adept at securing funding for research and other projects, a skill that ultimately caught the attention of venture capital firms and led him into the industry 26 years ago.
- #8 billion across the enterprise stack and saw six high-profile exits at the end of 2025 alone.
- #What do Fortune 500 companies want or need?
, but early on found himself gravitating away from purely technical work toward translating technology into business and commercial use cases. Docter also proved adept at securing funding for research and other projects, a skill that ultimately caught the attention of venture capital firms and led him into the industry 26 years ago. His technical roots are reflective of Palo Alto, California-based Dell Technologies Capital's broader team.
Its investors have degrees in fields including electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science and data science, and many have worked at both large technology companies and startups. That experience shapes the firm's affinity for deeply technical founders and its approach to early-stage investing. When evaluating seed and Series A companies, the team focuses heavily on the potential impact of a technology: what problem it solves, what it could disrupt, and how well it works, often before traditional financial metrics become the central consideration.
Since its 2012 inception, Dell Technologies Capital has invested $1. 8 billion across the enterprise stack and saw six high-profile exits at the end of 2025 alone. In this interview with Crunchbase News, Docter also discussed how AI is reshaping SaaS and why he doesn't believe the business model is headed for extinction.
For more details please read the original article at Crunchbase News.
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