Venture with Grace Ashley Smith, Vermilion Cliffs GP on AI, Dev Tools & Infra
Dec 17, 2025
Ashley Smith, General Partner and founder of Vermilion Cliffs Ventures, shares her journey from leading marketing at GitHub to investing in AI and developer tools. She emphasizes the mantra 'done is better than perfect' and discusses the importance of building communities for technical credibility. Ashley highlights trends in AI infrastructure, advocating for a practical approach focused on reliability and security. Additionally, she shares insights on sourcing deals through her vast network and designing events that resonate with builders.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Ship Fast, Iterate Faster
- Ship quickly and iterate: done is better than perfect.
- Stop delaying releases; get customer feedback early to improve fast.
Be Technically Literate Enough
- Be technical enough to understand your users and product fit.
- Use peers and experts to fill deep technical gaps during diligence.
Introverts Attract Introverts
- Founders who are introverted often align better with technical VCs and marketers.
- Shared personality traits can improve rapport and sourcing quality.