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Allison Pickens is the Founder and General Partner at The New Normal Fund, operating out of the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to launching her solo venture capital firm in 2021, she served as the Chief Operating Officer at Gainsight, where she managed post-sales functions and helped scale the enterprise software company toward its $1.1 billion acquisition by Vista Equity Partners. Her earlier career includes roles as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group and a private equity investor at Bain Capital. She holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a BA from Yale University, and she currently serves as an independent board director for software companies including dbt Labs. Pickens currently focuses on early-stage venture investments and executive coaching within the B2B SaaS, artificial intelligence, and go-to-market strategy sectors.
Allison Pickens is a distinguished General Partner at Allison Pickens Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to backing the next generation of transformative technology companies. This firm evolved from her previous successful endeavor, The New Normal Fund, which she founded to capitalize on the shifts in business and society following global changes. At Allison Pickens Ventures, she continues her mission to identify and empower innovative founders who are building solutions for a rapidly evolving world.
Her investment thesis is sharply focused on critical areas shaping the future of enterprise and human interaction. Allison Pickens primarily targets companies within the future of work, artificial intelligence (AI), and enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) sectors. She seeks out startups that are not just incremental improvements but are fundamentally rethinking how businesses operate, how teams collaborate, and how technology can drive efficiency and growth. Her expertise in scaling operations and understanding market dynamics makes her a valuable partner for portfolio companies navigating early growth stages.
Allison Pickens brings a wealth of operational and strategic experience to her role as an investor. Prior to founding her venture capital firm, she served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HubSpot, a leading CRM platform. During her five-year tenure as COO, she played a pivotal role in scaling HubSpot's global operations, driving significant revenue growth, and expanding its product offerings. Her leadership was instrumental in navigating the company through a period of rapid expansion and market leadership. Before her impactful time at HubSpot, Allison held a strategic position as Chief of Staff for Product Management at Google, where she contributed to key product initiatives and strategic planning across one of the world's most innovative technology companies.
Allison's academic background includes an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Yale University, foundational experiences that honed her analytical and leadership capabilities. Beyond her investment activities, she is recognized as a thought leader, frequently sharing insights on leadership, technology trends, and the future of work through speaking engagements and written contributions. While specific early-stage investments from Allison Pickens Ventures or The New Normal Fund are often private or in nascent stages, her portfolio reflects a commitment to companies poised to redefine their industries through technological innovation and strong execution. She is actively seeking founders who are building scalable, impactful solutions that address real-world challenges in the modern business landscape.
Allison Pickens is a General Partner at Allison Pickens Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm. She is also known for her previous role as COO of HubSpot and Chief of Staff for Product Management at Google.
Allison Pickens invests in early-stage technology companies, with a primary focus on the future of work, artificial intelligence (AI), and enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions.
Allison Pickens works as a General Partner at Allison Pickens Ventures. This firm evolved from her previous venture, The New Normal Fund, which she founded.
