In a world obsessed with firsts, Insight Partners quietly mastered the second act, scale.
Founded in 1995 by Jeff Horing and Jerry Murdock, Insight bet early that software wasn’t just eating the world, it was rebuilding it. With $90B+ in AUM, 800+ portfolio companies, and more than 55 IPOs under its belt, this New York powerhouse has grown from conviction investor to category kingmaker.
But Insight isn’t a VC in the classic sense. It’s a growth architect. A builder’s fund with a sourcing engine that doesn’t wait for warm intros. Their outbound model lets them spot breakout momentum before the buzz, and their Insight Onsite team (140+ operators strong) plugs directly into product, GTM, and talent strategy to help companies not just scale, but scale right.
Their stage-agnostic thesis spans seed to pre-IPO. From AI and cybersecurity to DevOps, fintech, healthtech, and SaaS, they back companies that turn enterprise pain into defensible platforms. Think monday.com, JFrog, WalkMe™, Wiz, Calm, Udemy, and nCino, Inc.. Think Databricks’ $10B round, co-led by Insight, the largest private tech raise in history.
They don’t just chase trends. They map them. Insight tracks over 29,000 AI / ML startups, 22,000 fintech ventures, and thousands more across cybersecurity and automation. That’s not spray-and-pray, it’s systemized foresight. And they’ve exited big: Salesforce acquired Own, Visa snapped up Featurespace, SAP bought WalkMe.
Inside the firm, leadership like Deven Parekh, Ryan Hinkle, and Hilary Gosher bring more than checkbooks. They bring pattern recognition, patience, and platform power. Parekh alone has led over 140 investments, including Twitter and Alibaba.com. Gosher pioneered the firm’s Onsite strategy. And Insight’s CEO ScaleUp Pledge and Vision Capital Fund show they’re serious about inclusion at scale, not just slogans.
So what’s next?
In 2025, Insight closed $12.5B to double down on what it does best, backing the best software leaders before the market knows their names. The message is clear, this firm doesn’t follow the hype cycle. It builds the cycle.
And if you’re looking to get in the game, now’s the time.
Insight-backed companies are hiring. With 7,500+ open roles across 450+ startups, this is the fastest way to plug into the future of tech. Engineers, marketers, product minds, operators, your next role could start here (link in comments)👇
Let’s connect and keep the momentum going across the tech ecosystem. Whether you’re a founder shaping the future, a leader driving change, a VC backing bold ideas, or an investor spotting the next big thing, together, we’re pushing boundaries. Proud to be building the future with you.
Let’s connect on LinkedIn and Twitter (X), and keep the conversation going.