How do you prioritize which portfolio companies get AI first?
Four factors. First, highest ROI potential: where does AI save the most time or money? Second, most receptive leadership: executive sponsorship matters more than any technical variable. Third, cleanest data: companies with better data need less prep and deliver results faster. Fourth, potential for early wins that build momentum across the portfolio.
We score each company on these factors and recommend a sequence. The math is straightforward. The psychology is what most firms miss. You want your first AI deployment to succeed visibly. That success story becomes your internal proof point -- the one that gets the next three companies to say yes without a fight.
Start with the right company, deliver undeniable results, and the rest of the portfolio wants in. We have seen this pattern work across dozens of PE portfolios.