F1000 Corporate Venture Build Studio
the role
Venture Studio Portfolio CEO
the challenge
Niche Product, Narrower Talent Pool: Replacing a Visionary Founder in an AI SaaS Startup
Our client, a Corporate Build Studio in the Insurtech space, faced a uniquely high-stakes challenge: they needed to replace the dynamic Founder/CEO of one of their most promising portfolio companies—an AI-powered SaaS platform that served a traditionally tech-averse SMB market in the hospitality industry.
This wasn’t just a leadership change—it was a delicate handoff of vision, momentum, and trust. The founder had been the face of the business and the driving force behind early traction. Replacing them required not only a capable operator, but someone with credibility in the eyes of a skeptical customer base, and the ability to scale a disruptive product in a resistant market.
Compounding the complexity, the client knew they were looking for a "niche within a niche":
A leader fluent in AI SaaS,
Comfortable navigating the slow-adopting SMB hospitality vertical,
And skilled in leading early-stage, product-driven organizations post-founder transition.
Traditional recruiting methods wouldn’t suffice. The talent pool was far too narrow, and the stakes far too high.
They needed a true headhunting partner—one who could surgically target and engage high-caliber, under-the-radar operators capable of stepping into a founder’s shoes while taking the company to its next phase of growth.
Our Approach
Summit Search Consultants deployed a highly targeted, multi-phase search strategy to identify founder/CEO profiles with proven success scaling early-stage SaaS companies—specifically those with 0-to-1 experience and a track record of driving ARR growth from $1M to $10M.
We conducted a comprehensive market mapping effort, sourcing over 300 high-caliber candidates within a two-month period, many of whom had been recognized on lists such as Top SaaS CEOs and 40 SaaS Founders Under 40.
Through a rigorous screening and assessment process, we evaluated not only leadership and growth capabilities, but also cultural alignment—seeking individuals who could balance the professionalism required by the parent organization with the agility and forward-thinking mindset necessary to lead an AI-driven startup.
the result
Despite multiple profile scope changes over 3 months, SSC provided enough talent to produce multiple on-site (final) interview candidates, and filled the role successfully.
“We are very pleased with how dedicated you were to helping us thread the needle with a challenging hire.”
— Venture Studio Advisor, 1848 Ventures
