Blueprint Equity’s $333M Bet on Early Growth Software
About this episode
Neal Bloom interviews Sheldon Lewis and Bobby Ocampo about Blueprint Equity's investment strategy in early growth software companies.
Blueprint Equity just closed a $333M Fund III - and they’re doubling down on a thesis that feels increasingly contrarian in today’s AI-fueled world. In this episode, Neal sits down with Sheldon Lewis and Bobby Ocampo, co-founders and managing partners of La Jolla-based Blueprint Equity, to unpack their “early growth equity” strategy - investing in bootstrapped SaaS companies doing $1–7M in ARR and growing fast. They share their journey from 2008 investment banking crash, near-billion-dollar exits, to building Blueprint from scratch. Along the way, they break down why they call themselves “anti-VC,” how AI is reshaping SaaS economics, and why raising less capital can actually create better founder outcomes. If you’re building in SaaS - especially outside Silicon Valley - this is one to study. Key Topics * What is Early Growth Equity? * From I Banking in 2008 to Building a Fund * The PayLease Story * Why They Call Themselves “Anti-VC” * How AI Is Changing SaaS (But Not Killing It) * Hands-On Portfolio Support * Fund III: $333M Closed * Why Great Companies Can Be Built Anywhere Links & Resources * Blueprint Equity Connect on LinkedIn * Sheldon Lewis * Bobby Ocampo This is a public…
More episodes of Tacos and Tech Podcast
- What Two Operators Learned Writing First Checks
- A portfolio approach to angel investing
- The AI Strategy Gap
- Four Questions Before You Write the Check
- This Week in San Diego Tech News
- Podcast: Beyond One-Time Buyers with Matt Holman
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Tacos and Tech Podcast podcast page.