Max Kilberg Is Using AI to Rethink How Venture Capital Finds Founders

Max Kilberg is part of a new wave of investors transforming how venture capital sources and backs startups. As an investment partner at Village Global—the firm chaired by Reid Hoffman—he focuses on identifying high-potential founders, often before they appear on the traditional VC radar.

Before stepping into venture capital, Kilberg gained experience as an associate at AngelList Venture and as a cofounder of a hiring marketplace startup. This entrepreneurial background informs his fast-moving and instinct-driven investment style.

His portfolio includes companies like P-1, an AI engineering startup, Maisa, an enterprise AI agent company, and Interaction, the team behind the AI assistant Poke. One of his most notable decisions came when he chose to invest in Interaction just two hours after meeting the founders—a move that highlights his ability to act quickly on conviction. The company later raised multiple follow-on rounds from top-tier investors.

At the core of Kilberg’s strategy is a reimagined approach to sourcing deals. He leads Village Global’s outbound sourcing efforts, using an AI-driven stack to identify promising founders beyond traditional networks. This allows the firm to discover talent early and build relationships before competitors even become aware of them.

For Kilberg, the edge in venture capital lies not just in evaluating startups—but in finding the right people first. His work reflects a broader shift toward proactive, technology-enabled investing.

Because in a world where great founders can come from anywhere, the real advantage is knowing how to find them before everyone else does.