Veriten’s investment strategy is built on the conviction that the most durable investment opportunities in energy, power, and industrial markets sit at the intersection of deep sector knowledge and practical technology adoption. Sharmila and Karl embody that conviction by extending our platform into ecosystems where the next generation of transformative companies are being built.
Sharmila Mulligan — Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area
Sharmila brings 30+ years of leadership at the center of enterprise software, data, analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a technology company founder, CEO, operator, board member, and investor. She has built and scaled technology companies from the earliest stages to IPOs and premium acquisitions – including Netscape Communications and Opsware – with best-in-class venture capital partners. She also serves on Fortune 500 company boards where she navigated some of the most complex energy and technology transitions of the last two decades. Her perspective is earned and practical: she understands what it takes to move technology from a compelling innovation to commercial reality that can make an impact in operationally intense organizations at scale.
That experience and deep involvement in Silicon Valley combined with her exposure to the energy industry’s complex operations is directly relevant to where energy and industrial markets are today. Digital transformation, AI-enabled business applications, Agentic AI for automation, cybersecurity, physical AI, and applying new and emerging technologies to solve the most complex challenges in energy and industrial sectors is where Sharmila brings deep expertise to Veriten. These concepts are operational requirements for the companies Veriten works with every day. Sharmila deepens our connectivity to Silicon Valley’s technology ecosystem and puts Veriten front and center with the most innovative companies in the world.
Karl Liapunov — Nordics and Europe
Karl extends Veriten’s reach into the Nordics and broader Europe — regions that have long punched above their weight in energy innovation, power technology, digital infrastructure, and industrial efficiency. His background spans venture investing, investment banking, and active involvement in startup ecosystems with a particular focus on energy.
Europe is becoming a source of highly differentiated companies with proven technology, global ambitions, and a genuine need for the kind of strategic connectivity that Veriten’s network provides. Karl’s proven ability to build ecosystems will strengthen our relationships with founders, co-investors, corporates, and strategic partners across the continent, and gives us a meaningful on-the-ground presence in a core focus region.
Building the Platform
Together, Sharmila and Karl reinforce what we believe makes Veriten different: a platform that sits credibly inside both the industrial world and the global technology ecosystem, and that can add real value to the companies we back. Their addition enhances our ability to find exceptional founders earlier, provide more relevant expertise across a wider geography, and connect portfolio companies with the large-scale energy and industrial customers who can accelerate their growth.
We are proud to have them as partners and are excited to continue building together.