The Seed 100 is Business Insider’s annual ranking of the top early-stage investors in 2026, driven by data and long-term performance. Honored to see Sierra Ventures and our partner Mark Fernandes recognized as a top Seed investor on this year’s list.
For nearly 25 years, Mark has backed category-defining enterprise companies that were later acquired by leaders such as Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, Palo Alto Networks, and Telstra. But what stands out most is not just the outcomes, it’s the approach.
At Sierra Ventures, we’ve always believed early-stage investing is about more than capital. The best founders want partners who will help them navigate the hardest parts of company building: sharpening positioning, hiring early leaders, accelerating customer access, and making key decisions when the path is unclear.
That mindset continues today. Mark recently shared how Sierra won access to invest in Blazel, a highly competitive AI company building agents for GTM workflows, by leaning into Sierra’s hands-on operating approach and enterprise network.
As AI reshapes venture and enterprise software alike, Mark has also embraced these tools internally, using Claude across sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support workflows.
Congrats to Mark and all of the investors recognized on this year’s Seed 100.
Read more about Insider's 2026 Top 100 Seed investors.
