John Somorjai, president at Salesforce Ventures, is one of the 100 leading corporate venturing professionals in our 2025 Powerlist.
John Somorjai has led Salesforce Ventures, the 15-year-old venture arm of CRM company Salesforce since 2014.
Somorjai and the team of 30+ global professionals approach venture as a team sport. “We win by staying aligned, sharing insights and showing up for the founders we back. I am proud of the humility and hustle our team brings to the table and how that translates into enduring partnerships with world-class entrepreneurs,” he says.
Somorjai encourages open dialogue and values different points of view, especially as the organisation invests across industries, stages and geographies. Almost a third of its investments are in businesses outside the US, with startups in 29 countries. Core investment areas include data and infrastructure, security, generative AI, horizontal SaaS, industry verticals and impact, such as climate tech, edtech, healthtech and financial inclusion.
“The rounds for the best companies are oversubscribed and entrepreneurs are seeking out investors who provide enterprise-grade AI resources in addition to capital.”
As one of the most active investment funds in the market, Salesforce Ventures has invested more than $6bn into 600+ businesses in a variety of industries. Last year, it announced a second AI fund, doubling its capital commitment to $1bn. Notable recent investments include Airtable, Anthropic, ElevenLabs, Ensemble, Together AI and Write.AI.
Somorjai notes the importance of providing value beyond just capital, especially in turbulent markets. “The rounds for the best companies are oversubscribed and entrepreneurs are seeking out investors who provide enterprise-grade AI resources – access to trusted infrastructure, deep go-to-market expertise and insights into AI governance and regulatory landscapes – in addition to capital. That support system will help them scale responsibly and win in a rapidly changing market.”
Salesforce Ventures prioritises investments in companies that have access or the ability to create high-quality data. “AI does not work without data. Too many companies are pitching AI solutions without the information to power it and using professional services and of custom integration to make up for it.”
Prior to joining Salesforce in 2005, Somorjai was VP of business development for Ingenio. He also spent four years on the board of the National Venture Capital Association.
The Global Corporate Venturing Powerlist represents the 100 individuals spearheading the future of the corporate venturing industry.
These individuals excel in terms of their venturing approach and structure, number and quality of portfolio companies and in their contributions to the corporate venturing profession.
