V1 Venture Studio · Begin Here

Start a Search

Every V1 engagement begins with a 30-minute capability scoping call. No pitch, no vendor presentation — just a structured conversation about your need, the market, and whether retained search is the right path to getting there.

What to Expect

What happens in
the scoping call.

The scoping call is designed for clarity, not persuasion. We want to understand your problem before we say anything about ourselves. You will leave with a clear sense of whether retained AI acquisition search is the right mechanism — and if it is, what it would look like for your specific situation.

1
Define the capability need
We start with your business problem — not the technology. What does the organization need to be able to do that it can't do today? What does success look like in 12 months if this works? What internal teams will have to adopt what comes out of this?
2
Assess the market landscape
Based on the capability definition, we share what we're currently seeing in the relevant AI builder landscape — who exists, what stage they're at, what the competitive acquisition environment looks like. This is not a pitch; it's current intelligence from a team that tracks this market continuously.
3
Evaluate the right path
Together, we assess whether retained search, a Discovery Sprint, a build recommendation, or none of the above is the right response to your specific need and timeline. If it's not V1, we'll say so clearly. This call is not a close.
4
Align on next steps
If there's a fit, we send the engagement mandate sheet within 24 hours — scope, process, timeline, and fee structure. If there isn't, you leave with a clearer read on the AI capability market than you had going in. Either way, the call is valuable.
Three Ways to Reach Us
Book a Scoping Call
30 minutes · No obligation
Request Mandate Sheet
Scope, process & fee structure
Email Directly
search@v1venturestudio.com

V1 Venture Studio
Palo Alto

LinkedIn ↗

Currently accepting new mandates for this quarter.
The Mandate Sheet

What the mandate sheet contains.

The V1 engagement mandate sheet is a 2-page document that covers the complete scope, process, timeline, and commercial structure of a retained AI acquisition search. We send it within 24 hours of a scoping call when there's a fit — or on request before the call for clients whose internal process requires a document review before a meeting.

  • Full description of the five-phase search process and timeline
  • Complete list of client deliverables at each phase
  • Commercial structure: retainer, milestone, and success fee
  • Contract terms: exclusivity, 12-month tail, milestone gate
  • What is and isn't included in scope
  • What clients need to bring to the engagement to make it work
Request the Mandate Sheet →
Before You Reach Out

Common questions about
starting an engagement.

How quickly can a search start after the scoping call?
If we align on scope and terms, the mandate letter is signed and the retainer is wired. Work begins on receipt of the retainer — typically 5–7 business days after the scoping call. Phase 1 (Capability Definition) is scheduled in the first week and produces the Capability Brief that guides the rest of the search. The faster your internal approval moves, the faster we start.
What do I need to prepare before the scoping call?
Nothing formal. Come with a clear sense of the business problem you're trying to solve — not a technology specification or a list of vendor names. The scoping call is specifically designed to help you translate a business need into a search brief. If you have an existing internal document — a strategic plan, a capability assessment, a board presentation that describes the need — feel free to share it in advance, but it's not required.
Who should be on the call from our side?
The person who owns the capability decision — typically the CTO, Chief AI Officer, Chief Digital Officer, or VP Corporate Development. If there's a business unit leader who defines the need alongside the technical decision-maker, it's worth having both. The scoping call is most productive when the people who will ultimately say yes to an engagement are participants, not just informed after the fact.
What if we're not sure whether we want to acquire at all?
That's an excellent reason to do a scoping call. Part of our value in Phase 1 of every engagement — and explicitly in the Discovery Sprint — is the buy/build/partner analysis. If the scoping conversation surfaces that internal development or a vendor partnership is genuinely the right path, we will say so directly. We don't have an incentive to push you toward acquisition; we have an incentive to give you the right answer.
We're a PE operating partner, not a direct enterprise buyer. Does V1 work with us?
Yes — PE operating partners are one of our two primary client types. The retained search model is familiar to PE teams because they use it for executive hiring every day. The value proposition for PE specifically is efficiency: rather than each portfolio company running an independent, underfunded AI search, V1 can run a single mandate scoped to a capability need that applies across multiple companies. One engagement fee, one search, one shortlist that multiple portfolio companies can act on.
What's the smallest engagement you take on?
The Discovery Sprint is our entry-level engagement and the lowest-friction way to start. It's a two-week scoped piece of work — capability brief, market landscape map, and buy/build/partner recommendation — priced and structured separately from a full retained search. Many clients use it as a phase-gated approval mechanism before committing to a full mandate. We don't disclose specific pricing publicly; fee amounts are shared during the scoping call and in the mandate sheet.

Start the conversation.

A 30-minute call. A clear view of your options. No obligation.

Book a Scoping Call →
Request the mandate sheet first →

The enterprise that acquires the right AI capability first wins the vertical.
V1 makes sure it's your enterprise.