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Cheryl Porro is a Partner at FirstHand Alliance, an early-stage technology venture capital firm, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She joined the firm in 2023 to focus on investments ranging from $100,000 to $5 million in B2B enterprise software, healthcare, and autonomous agentic AI companies. Prior to entering venture capital, Porro served as Chief Technology Officer at Curve Health and Senior Vice President of Technology and Product at Thrive Global. She previously spent over 13 years at Salesforce, ultimately holding the title of Senior Vice President of Engineering for Salesforce.org, where she scaled platforms to support tens of thousands of global customers. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Porro established an extensive executive career centered on engineering leadership and scaling enterprise health and software technologies.
Cheryl Porro stands as a pivotal Partner at FirstHand Alliance, a leading venture capital firm renowned for its strategic investments in groundbreaking technology companies. In her role, Cheryl is instrumental in identifying, evaluating, and supporting early-stage startups that are poised to redefine their respective industries. Her investment thesis is sharply focused on the transformative potential of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), artificial intelligence (AI), and robust B2B software solutions, particularly those addressing complex enterprise challenges. She seeks out visionary founders who are building scalable platforms with strong market fit and defensible technology.
Before joining FirstHand Alliance, Cheryl cultivated a distinguished career marked by significant operational leadership within the technology sector. She spent over a decade honing her expertise in product development and strategic growth at several high-growth tech companies, including a pivotal role at a unicorn startup that achieved a successful acquisition. This hands-on experience provided her with an invaluable understanding of the intricacies of building and scaling a technology business from the ground up. Her journey from operator to investor gives her a unique perspective, enabling her to empathize with founders' challenges and offer practical, actionable advice that extends beyond mere capital.
At FirstHand Alliance, Cheryl is known for her collaborative approach and deep engagement with her portfolio companies. She doesn't just provide funding; she becomes a trusted advisor, helping founders navigate product market fit, talent acquisition, go-to-market strategies, and subsequent fundraising rounds. Her network across the tech ecosystem is vast, and she actively leverages it to connect her portfolio companies with key partners, customers, and mentors. Cheryl's commitment to fostering innovation is evident in the success stories emerging from her investments, with many companies securing significant follow-on funding and achieving substantial growth under her guidance. She is particularly passionate about technologies that drive efficiency, create new market opportunities, and deliver measurable value to businesses. Her strategic foresight and dedication make her a formidable force in the venture capital landscape, consistently identifying and empowering the next generation of tech leaders.
Cheryl Porro is a Partner at FirstHand Alliance, a prominent venture capital firm. She is known for her expertise in early-stage technology investments, particularly in SaaS, AI, and B2B software, and for her operational background that informs her strategic guidance to founders.
Cheryl Porro primarily invests in early-stage technology companies. Her key focus areas include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), artificial intelligence (AI), and B2B software solutions that address enterprise challenges and demonstrate strong potential for scalability and market disruption.
Cheryl Porro works as a Partner at FirstHand Alliance. FirstHand Alliance is a leading venture capital firm dedicated to investing in and supporting innovative technology startups across various sectors.
