The May 2026 Connetic Signal: what pitch competitions measure vs. what research says matters, why the RIA channel is being rebuilt around advisor infrastructure, and a SupportPay company spotlight.
Hello There,
There’s a unique kind of energy that comes from being surrounded by visionaries and dreamers, and that was exactly the vibe at my first Startup Grind Global in San Francisco. Staying in a founder’s house with builders was a reminder that the barriers to creating something new are lower than they’ve ever been.
Three pieces this month, each a short read on its own page: what pitch competitions actually measure, why the RIA channel is being rebuilt around advisor infrastructure, and how SupportPay is building family finance infrastructure for the real world.
Webinar Replay
Builders Backing Builders: A New Model for Venture Access
Missed the webinar with Founder & Portfolio Manager Brad Zapp and Stacklist founder Kyle Hudson? The replay is available.
What Pitch Competitions Measure vs. What Research Says Matters
The gap is the point. Pitch competitions often reward what is easiest to see in a room, while Connetic’s AI and psychometric-style workflows are built to look for less obvious founder and company signals across a much broader data set. How Wendal and Foundernomics structure that review — founder traits, team dynamics, timing, terms, technology, and business evidence — is on the Data Corner page.
Farther’s $150 million Series D, record RIA M&A activity, and recent advisor technology data all point toward the same shift: wealth management is being rebuilt around advisor workflow, technology infrastructure, and client-ready implementation.
2026 T3 / Inside Information Software Survey
91.08% of advisors use CRM software and 83.30% use financial planning software — but only 25.82% use all-in-one programs. The environment is embedded but fragmented.
The full article covers the shift from AUM aggregation to platform expansion, why AI is an operating-leverage tool rather than a replacement, and what it means that access alone does not create adoption.
VCAFX is a closed-end interval fund designed for long-term investors. It is not a liquid investment. See the important Fund disclosures below and read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Private Company Highlight
Company Spotlight: SupportPay
Founded by CEO Sheri Atwood after living through the financial chaos of co-parenting after divorce, SupportPay is solving a problem hiding in plain sight: the messy, emotional, high-stakes financial layer between households. Since launch, it reports impacting more than 500,000 lives, managing more than $800 million in expenses and payments, and reaching users across all 50 states and 70 countries.
Connetic-advised account(s) may hold an investment in this company. The reference to this company is for informational purposes only, does not represent all holdings or all investments selected by Connetic, and should not be considered a recommendation or indication of future performance. Holdings are subject to change.
