ICP Intelligence February 2026: Venture Capital/PE

Industry in FinTech & Financial Services

What are the key technological and strategic shifts impacting Venture Capital/PE? The Venture Capital/PE sector is experiencing a significant surge in focus on Technology (+0.69 shift) and Narrative (+0.29 shift), indicating a strategic pivot towards technological integration and compelling storytelling. While Growth (4.67/5) and Stakeholder (4.86/5) priorities remain exceptionally high, a notable decline in Data focus (-0.28 shift) suggests a potential disconnect from data-driven strategies despite its importance appearing in top priorities. This population bifurcates into two distinct behavioral clusters: a dominant 'High-Technology / High-Growth' group (51.5%) and a nearly equally sized 'Low-Technology / Low-Growth' segment (48.5%), highlighting a widening gap in strategic approaches. The persistent top pain point of 'weeks go by without CEO/CRO communication' underscores a critical need for enhanced internal alignment, particularly as 'alignment on vision, strategy, and growth goals' remains a top, yet also fading, priority.

AI-generated summary · February 11, 2026

Behavioral Factor Profile

Narrative
4.05
▲ +0.29
Operations
3.48
▲ +0.24
Data
3.60
-0.30
Technology
3.51
▲ +0.75
Risk
3.66
▲ +0.42
Growth
4.75
▲ +0.22
Stakeholder
4.82
▲ +0.20

Scale: 1 (conservative) to 5 (innovative) · Arrows show 6-month shift

Factor Radar

Top Power Words

amazingincredibleinnovationsuccessfulexciting+ 10 morePRO

Thematic Intelligence

Priorities

sample
high communication between cro and ceo
alignment on vision, strategy, and growth goals
data at the forefront of the relationship
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Pain Points

sample
weeks go by without ceo/cro communication
lack of clear plan in early career stages.
world changed significantly after 2008 financial crisis.
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Success Metrics

sample
arr (annual recurring revenue)
ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization)
net retention (110-120% range)
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Decision Frameworks

sample
pre-empting stakeholder questions - thinking how readers will digest information.
seeking inspiring individuals - observing and aspiring to roles of respected cfos.
early stage investment focus - backing founders at the beginning of their journey.
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Red Flags

sample
inability to consistently beat and raise guidance
not focusing on technology within investment scope.
ignoring the tectonic shift in ai for existing companies.
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Behavioral Archetypes

52.0%
48.0%
High-Technology / High-Risk(52.0%)
Low-Technology / Low-Risk(48.0%)

Cluster quality: moderate · Full archetype profiles with factor comparison PRO

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