In this latest nextNYC episode, Charlie O’Donnell chats with Glenn Borok, investor at Jump Capital, about his path from LinkedIn product strategy to early-stage venture investing. Glenn unpacks the common thread across his journey: a belief in compassionate leadership, deep curiosity, and backing founders with lived-in insight.

Glenn started his career in consulting before joining LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator team, where he developed a love for GTM strategy—and a leadership style rooted in empathy. That philosophy carried through as he attempted his own startup, worked at In-Q-Tel, and eventually landed at Jump Capital, where he now works on investments across fintech, application software, and infrastructure software.

Key Takeaways:

Empathy isn’t soft—it’s functional

During his time at LinkedIn, Glenn learned the power of leading with understanding. Today, he looks for that same value in the founders he backs. He believes empathetic leadership is not just about culture—it’s a growth tool, especially when scaling teams across functions.

Why He’s Bullish on RevTech and Vertical AI

Glenn has spent a lot time thinking about this and is especially interested in startups tackling:

• RevTech: AI-enabled sales tools that go beyond outreach spam and actually help reps close. He sees huge opportunity across prospecting, conversion, and customer success—especially when built by teams who deeply understand the GTM pain points.
• Vertical AI & SaaS: Think transportation, waste management, and other “unsexy” sectors that are overdue for digitization. Glenn’s looking for startups that deliver fast ROI, integrate into existing workflows, and unlock efficiency with natural language interfaces.

What Glenn Looks for in a Pitch

“I want to back people who, in 30 minutes, can reframe how I think about an industry.”

In Glenn’s opinion, the best founders don’t just pitch, they teach. A great meeting leaves him thinking differently about a market, problem, or user behavior he thought he already understood. That kind of earned insight is rare, and it’s what he’s searching for.

Glenn is most compelled by founders who bring:

• A unique, earned insight into the market
• A crisp, compelling narrative
• Relentless execution and rapid learning
• Clear ROI—and a product that delivers value fast
• Leadership grounded in empathy and understanding

In addition to his work at Jump Capital, Glenn was inspired to co-found inVest Ventures to support the many LinkedIn alumni jumping into entrepreneurship. With over 190 LPs (including Jeff Weiner and Dan Shapero), the community fund offers capital, connection, and a nod to the ethos that shaped his career.

To listen or watch the conversation in full, head on over to youtube.

If you’re a founder building in the spaces Glenn is most excited about, drop him a line.

This summary and the associated podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an investment. Views expressed by Glenn Borok represent the opinions of Jump Capital, while views expressed by other speakers represent their own opinions and not those of Jump Capital. Jump Capital may pursue investments in the technology sectors discussed.