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Alex & Valentina of AdHoc Ventures on Betting Big on Human Interaction Tech

Why this duo believes our deepest problem—broken connection—is also venture’s biggest opportunity.

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Alexander Klyanitskiy and Valentina Zakirova, the founding partners of AdHoc Ventures, a brand-new fund laser-focused on what they call Human Interaction Tech.

They explore why online communication, remote work, and AI are disrupting how we relate at work and in life, and why that opens a massive opportunity for a new kind of VC firm. With a track record of backing unicorns like Flo, Revolut, and Patreon, and institutional knowledge from Bain and SDV, the duo is now raising their first fund to scale this vision.

We dive into how they define their category, the growing $150B+ market opportunity, their standout portfolio performance, and how their unfair advantages—from GTM playbooks to Tier 1 VC intros—create gravity with both founders and LPs.


🎧 Here’s what’s covered:

  • 00:05 Introduction to AdHoc Ventures

  • 01:30 The Concept of Human Interaction Tech

  • 05:28 Market Opportunities in Human Interaction Tech

  • 09:23 Investment Strategy and Track Record

  • 12:27 Unfair Advantages of Ad Hoc Ventures

  • 16:03 Building a Global Fund

  • 20:03 The Role of AI in Human Interaction

  • 24:25 Value Addition as Specialized Investors

  • 25:40 Management Fee Structure Explained

Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.


✍️ Show Notes

Rethinking the Way We Connect

Valentina and Alex believe that the real crisis of our time is the disconnection of human interaction. Whether it's remote work, online relationships, or AI-first collaboration, the tools we use aren’t built for real connection—and that’s a massive opportunity for early-stage investment.

“This is a communication revolution. We’re not replacing human interaction—we’re upgrading it.”
— Valentina, Ad Hoc Ventures


The Investment Case for Interaction

They see four verticals leading the charge:

  • Sales Tech: as buying shifts online, connections still close deals

  • HR Tech: onboarding, retention, and alignment—now digital by default

  • Corporate Stress & Mental Health: a rising concern with real ROI impact

  • Relationship Tech: AI coaching and B2B dating tools aren’t just for romance anymore

These are all multi-billion dollar markets—ripe for innovation, growth, and exit activity.


Unfair Advantages that Deliver

Beyond the catchy thesis, AdHoc comes with the toolkit:

  • Tier 1 LP intros and co-investors (thanks to Valentina’s SDV network)

  • McKinsey & Bain-trained GTM blueprints for hands-on founder support

  • Venture partners actively delivering pilots, clients, and warm intros


Pitch deck available here

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