Sentinel Global Bolsters Leadership with Experienced Investment Team and Expands AI-Powered Research Division in San Francisco

San Francisco-based venture capital powerhouse Sentinel Global is entering 2026 with a bold expansion.

The firm announced the formation of a new senior investment team and an upgraded Sentinel Labs, its AI-driven research division, signaling a major step in its strategy to bridge cutting-edge technology and real-world deployment.

Meet the New Faces Driving Investment Strategy

The expanded investment team features seasoned investors with a track record of backing category-defining startups.

Ethel Chen, previously with Sequoia Capital Global Equities, brings experience investing in companies like Anthropic, Databricks, Zoom, and Snowflake.

Joining him is Karan Sharma, who contributed to investments in Anchorage, Uniswap, Coinbase, and SpaceX, working alongside Managing Partner Jeremy Kranz.

Together, the team blends experience across AI, fintech, and space technology sectors, creating a broad and complementary perspective on emerging opportunities.

Their presence positions Sentinel Global to identify technology shifts with long-term impact.

Sentinel Labs: Research Meets Real-World Application

A core element of the firm’s expansion is Sentinel Labs, which leverages AI-powered research to support both founders and limited partners.

The lab builds on the team’s previous initiative, Bridge Forum, which connected global enterprises with venture-backed innovation, helping organizations outside the U.S. navigate startup partnerships effectively.

Sentinel Labs produces actionable research, hosts convenings, and publishes practical analyses.

Recent examples include guidance on portfolio rebalancing in an AI-driven market bubble and evaluating the stability of stablecoins—topics that directly inform enterprise and government decision-making.

Preparing for the Next Growth Phase

As 2026 approaches, Sentinel Global is actively preparing for its next stage of growth.

The firm uses an “Unlimited Partner” model, a hands-on approach treating limited partners (LPs) as an active network.

This model allows LPs to inform investment theses, provide insight into emerging technologies, and directly support portfolio companies, creating a collaborative ecosystem rather than a traditional passive funding structure.

Focus Areas: Where Sentinel Global Sees the Future

Sentinel Global identifies three interconnected domains shaping the next wave of technological innovation:

1. AI Enterprise – Developing the trust layer for autonomous systems, including verifiable inference, private compute, and agentic governance.
2. Programmable Money – Building machine-to-machine financial rails to enable instant, round-the-clock global settlement.
3. Connected Commerce – Digitizing physical infrastructure to integrate intelligence and operational execution, closing the loop between data and the real world.

These focus areas reflect Sentinel Global’s goal of partnering with founders tackling durable, category-defining problems at the intersection of AI, finance, and commerce.

What’s Next?

Sentinel Global will continue leveraging its expanded team and Sentinel Labs to identify and support ventures at the forefront of technological transformation.

Investors and startups alike can expect research-driven insights, global enterprise connections, and an ecosystem that helps ideas move from concept to real-world impact.

Summary

Sentinel Global’s announcement marks a major evolution for the San Francisco venture firm.

By adding a high-caliber senior investment team and upgrading its AI-powered research capabilities, the firm is preparing to guide LPs and founders through emerging technologies, de-risk partnerships, and invest in transformative companies in AI, fintech, and connected commerce.

With 2026 on the horizon, Sentinel Global is positioning itself as a collaborative, research-driven partner for the next generation of category-defining ventures.