Investing in AI and Underrepresented Founders with Blerina Sanocki | Ep. 22

The hype surrounding artificial intelligence forces investors to separate true innovation from mere noise. Daniel Kazani, co-founder of Softup, sits down with Blerina Sanocki to explore her exact framework for evaluating early-stage startups.ㅤThey discuss the difference between building an AI-first product and being an AI-forward company. Blerina shares why she actively seeks out underrepresented and immigrant founders with a "watch me do it" mentality.ㅤThe conversation also highlights how the bar for securing funding has shifted, requiring founders to validate their ideas faster using modern tools. They wrap up by evaluating the real cost of moving a startup to Silicon Valley and why health tech remains the most exciting sector for disruption.ㅤ👤 Guest BioBlerina Sanocki is the Founder and CEO of TideBorn Capital and an Operating Partner at Dardania Capital. With 14 years of experience driving strategic growth at Google, she brings deep enterprise discipline to startup execution. Today, Blerina invests in early-stage software companies and focuses on supporting underrepresented founders.ㅤShe actively deploys capital through The Bond Fund and Portfolia. Originally from Albania, she combines her multicultural background with a passion for inclusive technology and building scalable AI infrastructure.ㅤ📌 What We CoverThe three core pillars of Blerina's investment thesis: backing underrepresented founders, bettering humanity, and using tech as a force for good.Why the immigrant mentality creates resilient founders who treat rejection as a challenge to succeed.How to quiet the noise in a crowded market by distinguishing between AI-first products and AI-forward companies.The rising expectations for early-stage founders to build, launch, and validate their minimum viable products before seeking capital.When it actually makes financial and strategic sense for an international startup to relocate to Silicon Valley.The massive potential and inherent risks of applying artificial intelligence to genome sequencing and health tech.A call to action for more women to overcome their fears and enter the venture capital and angel investing space.ㅤ🔗 Resources MentionedTideBorn CapitalBlerina SanockiDaniel KazaniSoftup TechnologiesDardania CapitalThe Bond FundPortfolia