PortF (Techstars 2023) is a London-based fintech startup that unifies portfolio data into a single connected view for private markets and institutional investors. By combining AI-driven workflows with real-time insights, the platform replaces fragmented spreadsheets with a sophisticated system for tracking financial and non-financial data, such as ESG and impact metrics.

Emilie Vallauri, Global Program Manager at Techstars, sat down with Alex Lu, CEO and co-founder, to discuss her journey from the trading floor to founding a company that aims to bring transparency to the $13 trillion private capital asset class.

Emilie Vallauri: To start, could you introduce yourself and tell us how you became a founder?

Alex Lu: It really started from my personal frustration as an investor. I spent ten years on a trading floor using very technical, modern tools like Bloomberg, and then moved to the private market for six years. I was shocked by the contrast. The private market is an asset class growing to $13 trillion, yet it’s still running on spreadsheets and emails. I felt like an annoying person constantly asking companies for data they’d already sent in board packs. I realized you can’t have sophistication without consistent data, and that’s what we set out to solve.

Emilie: Who are the other members of your founding team?

Alex: My co-founder is Tom Whale. We met through AngelList and decided to have a chat in London—it was complete luck. Tom previously worked for a listed public company, so he understands the rigors of GDPR, data security, and scalability, which is crucial for our institutional clients. He’s a rare breed who can communicate and lead while complementing the skill sets I don't have. We also have Gerardo Lemus on AI and Data Science, and Liz Davenport handling Marketing and Comms, who joined us later in our journey. 

In addition to our team, we have some very active advisors and board members like Haresh Patel, who previously founded Mercatus — a private equity solution later sold to Charles River, a StateStreet company. It’s amazing to be able to count on industry leaders to guide us on our journey. 

Emilie: In simple terms, what does PortF do and why is it important?

Alex: PortF is a marriage between private capital market data and AI solutions. We collect portfolio company data, but we also offer tracking for private debt, fund tracking, and non-financial metrics like ESG and impact. This is important because the market is extremely fragmented. For example, we help the Scottish Government report climate disclosures for 186 public bodies. It’s the same technology block used to report to a General Partner.

Emilie: What has been the largest challenge you’ve faced building the product?

Alex: Trust and brand image. We serve GPs who manage hundreds of billions of dollars. This isn’t a small ticket item; it’s the infrastructure they build their fund on for an entire cycle. Opening those doors as a startup is close to impossible. We initially tried selling directly to big banks, but some IT departments are very risk-averse — they’d rather choose a legacy solution that’s already in the bank than take a risk on a "nobody startup".

Emilie: How did you overcome that trust hurdle?

Alex: We pivoted our sales approach. We partnered with FIS Global, one of the biggest players in the industry. About half of the private capital market goes through their solutions. We provide them with a white-label solution. Now, when we go into meetings, no one asks "what if you go bust?" because they are signing on FIS Global paper.

Emilie: What sets PortF apart from its competitors?

Alex: We recently had an independent board member interview our clients to find out. Four things came up: we are AI-native, API-led, we treat clients as partners rather than vendors, and we offer a multi-asset class platform. Most competitors pigeonhole clients — if you have debt, you use one platform; if you have equity, you use another. We bring it all together.

Emilie: You landed a contract with Techstars itself. How did that happen?

Alex: I’m a bit of a numbers geek, so I reached out to the Techstars team just to get feedback on how they managed their portfolio. I learned about their frictions — like the fact that no one can remember their passwords — and we incorporated those fixes into our product. When David Cohen came to London, I waited at the office from 7:00 AM to grab five minutes with him. I told him, "I'm one of your portfolio companies, and I'd love to show you what we've built." He was very open to change, and that led to the contract.

Emilie: Being a founder is hard… What motivates you to keep going on the hard days?

Alex: I’m motivated when people tell me I can’t do something. Early on, a market veteran told me I didn’t stand a chance because my peers were backed by BlackRock and Blackstone. That was super motivational. Also, seeing our clients succeed — like the Scottish National Investment Bank making the international leaderboard for impact investing — makes my day.

Emilie: What advice would you give to aspiring founders?

Alex: The ability to adapt is vital, especially with AI disruption. You can’t be too narrow-windowed because what you are focused on today might be obsolete tomorrow. Secondly, never take trust for granted. When someone gives you their trust or their money, you do whatever it takes to deliver.

Emilie: Finally, why did you choose to participate in Techstars?

Alex: Even as a former investor, I knew I didn’t know everything. Techstars compresses years of learning into three months, which was incredibly valuable for my co-founder and me. It also gave us the platform to take a chance on big opportunities. Doing a startup expands your skill set like nothing else — it’s an incredible journey of personal growth if you’re willing to go through the suffering.

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