EP 353 - Why Agentic Commerce Starts With Data: Eli Anselm of Ridge Ventures

Agentic commerce represents a fundamental shift in how consumers and businesses research, discover, and purchase products through autonomous AI experiences. While skepticism exists regarding full autonomy, the technology currently optimizes the shopping journey by enabling rapid, personalized discovery and decision-making. The rapid pace of AI development favors specialized venture capital firms that can quickly underwrite risks and maintain deep market expertise. Beyond consumer-facing applications, B2B procurement offers a significant opportunity for automation, as businesses currently lose billions to inefficient supply chain management and inconsistent pricing. The industry has matured from theoretical AI experimentation to tactical implementation, with new infrastructure addressing previous failures in checkout and transaction reliability. As mobile shopping took a decade to reach maturity, agentic commerce will likely follow a similar, albeit accelerated, trajectory toward becoming a standard component of the retail landscape.