In every major technology wave, there is an early generation of companies that act as enablers. They don’t necessarily create the next Google or Amazon, but they help everyone else get online. During the early internet era, these were the companies that built websites, managed email hosting, set up SEO, or ran digital ad campaigns.

Many of them look trivial today, but at the time, they provided vital infrastructure for businesses leaping into the digital world. And while their business models often didn’t last forever, plenty of investors made substantial returns when these early enablers were acquired by larger companies trying to catch up.

The same dynamic will play out in the AI era.

The business model doesn’t need to last forever

One of the enduring lessons from the internet days is that a business model doesn’t need to last decades to create value. Some of the best early investments were companies that existed to bridge the gap between old processes and new technology. In effect, they were the picks and shovels of a new gold rush.

AI is creating the same transitional gap today. Every business knows it needs to integrate AI, but most lack the expertise. This opens the door for a new wave of “AI enablers”: companies that help others onboard, fine-tune, or automate. They may not own the long-term customer relationship, but they will own the transition.

These businesses can thrive for a few intense years, accumulate real revenue, and then exit to larger incumbents who need AI capability fast.

The hustling founder

As an investor, I’m interested in founders who understand that building to sell is a valid and profitable strategy. These entrepreneurs are not trying to build a generational company; they’re trying to create something immediately useful.

Signs of a promising early enabler include:

• A sharp focus on solving a narrow, urgent problem for businesses adopting AI.
• Deep domain understanding combined with the ability to execute fast.
• Early customer traction, especially from traditional companies struggling to implement AI internally.
• A clear roadmap to acquisition by a bigger player once scale or brand becomes the bottleneck.

These founders often move faster than their customers, and their businesses may be short-lived—but that’s part of the model. They generate cash, build technology and customer relationships, and sell when larger players start to feel left behind.

The investor’s advantage

For angel investors, these enabler companies offer a different kind of opportunity. They may not become unicorns, but they can deliver excellent exits on short timeframes. They are capital-light, execution-heavy, and acquisition-friendly.

Backing a hustling entrepreneur who is solving an immediate pain point – even if the business model has a three-to-five-year shelf life – can be one of the smartest moves in the early years of a technological revolution.

Backing the AI early enablers

In every technological wave, the first wave of wealth creation often goes to the enablers who help everyone else leap. The AI era will be no different.

So, while the market chases the next foundational model or platform, I’m also looking for the builders of bridges who help others cross the AI gap. Their businesses might not last forever, but the returns they generate for investors can be very real and very fast.

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