Cathy Gao is a Partner at Sapphire Ventures, where she invests in B2B AI and software. She backs founders building AI-native companies that become core to how work gets done, not tools that sit on top of it–AI that drives outcomes customers can measure, earns repeatable distribution, and compounds into workflow ownership over time. Cathy serves on the boards of EliseAI, Blue J, Jeeva AI, Sword Health, and Medable.
Raised by a software engineer and a small business owner, Cathy grew up with equal respect for how technology gets built and how hard it is to run a real business. She studied economics and history at Wharton, graduating summa cum laude.
Before Sapphire, Cathy invested at AXA Venture Partners and began her career at TA Associates and Blackstone. She also joined Gusto at the Series B, giving her firsthand experience inside a high-growth software company. The mix of operator and investor experience shapes how she shows up for founders and boards: high signal, direct, and focused on the few levers that actually move trajectories, including executive hiring, go-to-market clarity, and the strategic tradeoffs that define the next phase of growth.
Her perspectives on enterprise AI have been featured in Bloomberg, CNBC, and The Wall Street Journal. Outside of work, she is an avid reader ranging from narrative history (Erik Larson is a favorite) to literary icons like Ursula K. Le Guin, and she loves playing beach volleyball. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two children.
