Storm Ventures Welcomes David Somers, Former Workday CPO, to Lead Investments in the Next Generation of AI-Native Enterprise Software

We are excited to announce that David Somers has joined Storm Ventures as our newest Partner. 

Several years ago, David came to us as a founder with a big idea. His company, Rallyteam, was a pioneer in helping companies manage their internal talent marketplaces, and it quickly became a part of the Storm Ventures portfolio. Rallyteam was later acquired by Workday, where David's impact only grew. He started as the GM for Talent, before becoming the GM of the Office of the CHRO, and then Chief Product Officer. 

At Workday, David was instrumental in leading Workday’s shift from a traditional SaaS to an AI-first company, building a connected platform for HCM and finance with AI at its core. This unique journey from founder to building products at one of the biggest enterprise software companies in the world gives him a perspective that is invaluable to early-stage startups.

As a Partner at Storm Ventures, David will focus on investing in the next generation of AI-native enterprise software, helping founders who are reimagining how we work, hire, and develop talent.

"David's journey, from co-founding one of our early portfolio companies to his impactful tenure as CPO at Workday, gives him a unique perspective that is invaluable to early-stage founders," said Tae Hea Nahm, Partner at Storm Ventures. "His deep understanding of enterprise software, especially at the intersection of AI, HRTech, and the future of work, aligns perfectly with our investment strategy."

The value of having David on our team is already clear to the founders we work with. Charlie Franklin, co-founder and CEO of Compa, a Storm Ventures portfolio company, agrees. "David Somers is a perfect partner for any founder," Charlie says. "He has not only been in our shoes, building a company from the ground up, but he's also scaled one of the biggest enterprise software companies in the world. Having David on the Storm team is a massive advantage because he truly understands the founder's journey and can provide the strategic and operational guidance that is truly unique."

For David, this new chapter feels like a return to his roots. "Joining Storm Ventures feels like a full-circle moment for me," David says. "Having experienced Storm's profound founder support firsthand as an entrepreneur with Rallyteam, I know their commitment extends far beyond capital to true partnership. I’m passionate about working with exceptional founders who are tackling big problems in the enterprise space, particularly with the transformative power of AI."

David’s background extends beyond Workday and Rallyteam. He was one of the first executives at Cornerstone OnDemand, where he built the company's alliance partner ecosystem from the ground up, and has held leadership roles at Replicon, Ariba, The Walt Disney Company, and PwC.

We are confident that David's blend of founder empathy and enterprise-scale experience will be a game-changer for our portfolio companies.

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Welcome back, David! We can't wait to see what you build.