Elpis Labs

Will CRMs survive the rise of contract automation? Lucky us— a couple weeks ago we had the chance to sit down with Mikita Mikado, founder of PandaDoc, to talk about the future of contracts, sales workflows, and whether document platforms are evolving beyond CRMs. One of the biggest surprises? ? Contracts are no longer just the outcome of a successful sale—they’re becoming the core of the sales process itself, capturing more valuable data than any CRM ever could. ?? “A contract isn’t just a document—it’s a workflow, a negotiation, and a deal tracker all in one. If your contract platform already knows your pricing, approval flow, and customer details, do you even need a separate CRM?” — Mikita Mikado ?? Document automation tools are now tracking customer data, deal progress, and optimizing sales interactions—roles once reserved for CRMs. ?? AI is making contracts more intelligent—soon, they won’t just store data, they’ll analyze it, predict deal outcomes, and drive revenue decisions. As AI and automation continue to blur the lines between CRMs and contract management, companies will need to rethink how they handle sales, customer data, and deal execution. So—will PandaDoc and similar contract automation platforms make CRMs obsolete? What are your thoughts? Learn more in Elpis Labs latest blog post featuring Mikita’s insights—link in my first comment. #AI #Automation #CRM #Contracts #SalesEnablement #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation Elpis Labs Natalia Gomez Leal Alexander Zolotarev Rosenfeld Veronica Soloveva Benjamin Reiter Lisa M. Patti MS CCC-SLP Pablo Gómez Londo?o

Will CRMs survive the rise of contract automation? Lucky us— a couple weeks ago we had the chance to sit down with Mikita Mikado, founder of PandaDoc, to talk about the future of contracts, sales workflows, and whether document platforms are evolving beyond CRMs. One of the biggest surprises? ? Contracts are no longer just the outcome of a successful sale—they’re becoming the core of the sales process itself, capturing more valuable data than any CRM ever could. ?? “A contract isn’t just a document—it’s a workflow, a negotiation, and a deal tracker all in one. If your contract platform already knows your pricing, approval flow, and customer details, do you even need a separate CRM?” — Mikita Mikado ?? Document automation tools are now tracking customer data, deal progress, and optimizing sales interactions—roles once reserved for CRMs. ?? AI is making contracts more intelligent—soon, they won’t just store data, they’ll analyze it, predict deal outcomes, and drive revenue decisions. As AI and automation continue to blur the lines between CRMs and contract management, companies will need to rethink how they handle sales, customer data, and deal execution. So—will PandaDoc and similar contract automation platforms make CRMs obsolete? What are your thoughts? Learn more in Elpis Labs latest blog post featuring Mikita’s insights—link in my first comment. #AI #Automation #CRM #Contracts #SalesEnablement #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation Elpis Labs Natalia Gomez Leal Alexander Zolotarev Rosenfeld Veronica Soloveva Benjamin Reiter Lisa M. Patti MS CCC-SLP Pablo Gómez Londo?o

?? Congratulations to BMW i Ventures on their latest investment in GreenSpark Software! ?? On February 7, 2025, BMW i Ventures announced their investment in GreenSpark Software, a New York-based company transforming the $120B+ metal recycling industry with AI-powered digital solutions. Back in July, at our CVC Future of Mobility Panel, we had the privilege of speaking with Allen Chen of BMW i Ventures and Stephen Snyder of JetBlue Ventures about their investment philosophies, deep tech strategies, and sustainability focus. At the time, they shared valuable insights into how corporate venture capital is shaping the future of mobility and sustainability. With BMW i Ventures’ latest investment, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of the insights we learned from them. Here’s what they told us: ??

Chilean Startups Set to Make Their Mark in the U.S.! ?????? After a dynamic Soft-Landing Program in Miami, 10 innovative Chilean startups are now ready to scale and thrive in the U.S. market! ?? With the support of Startup Biobío, CASA W - Coworking + Innovación, and IncubaUdeC these startups gained invaluable insights, forged new connections, and are now positioned for global growth. ?? Check out the The Vertical ‘s feature on their latest column on the exciting outcomes from the Startup Biobío Program and how these entrepreneurs are preparing for the next step in their U.S. journey! ?? Felipe Medina A. Iván Fierro Beatriz Millan Anastasia Lykova Veronica OlivaresNatalia Gomez Leal Pablo Gómez Londo?o pawwy ??Lissi Software - HVAC KUBIC? Movismart SpA Eko3 by Zanit Krino Planiwise VITECH by Fukai Data Self https://lnkd.in/em3SAfVa

?? Exciting to see another Corporate VC making moves—congrats to Natura &Co on their first investment !??Attention founders: a new player is in the game! In June 2024, Natura &Co launched its first venture capital fund to back startups focused on #sustainability, #circularity, and #innovation. Now, just six months later, they’ve invested in Abbiamo, a #logistics startup that aligns with their environmental and business goals. Beyond funding, Natura Ventures is tapping into its massive ecosystem—from 3.5M beauty consultants in Latin America to a global retail presence—to help startups scale with real-world impact. It’s exciting to see a Latam company take a serious step into venture investing with a clear focus on purpose and transformation. ?? To learn more about Natura Ventures and Natura and their impact on the #innovation ecosystem, check out our blog post! I’ve left the link in the comments. ?? A big thank you to Thamara Prado for the valuable insights and for sharing more about this incredible initiative! Lisa M. Patti MS CCC-SLP Natalia Gomez Leal Veronica Olivares Pablo Gómez Londo?o Guilherme Morais Luiz GIANNEcchini Danilo Costa

Natura &Co, the Corporate Venture Capital fund of Natura, is accelerating innovation and sustainability across Latin America. With a strong commitment to supporting early-stage startups, the fund invests in companies that align with regeneration, circular economy, customer experience, and enabling technologies. Their mission is to create long-term strategic partnerships that drive both business and environmental impact. To learn more about Natura Ventures and its role in shaping the future of innovation, check out our blog post! The link is in the comments. ?? A big thank you to Thamara Prado for the valuable insights and for sharing more about this incredible initiative! Anastasia Lykova Veronica Olivares Pablo Gómez Londo?o

If your startup focuses on improving customer retention or engagement and you'd like to participate in a private pitch session with a major European media holding, please reach out! The session will take place in New York on February 4th, (in person only, no exceptions) please tag your founders, this is a really good opportunity.???? #corporateinnovation , #startups Elpis Labs

Purple-eared husky in a mini Cybertruck? Everything is possible at CES (see photos)! Another amazing time at CES with the Elpis Labs team! It was such a thrill to reconnect with familiar faces, forge new partnerships, and explore innovation highlights alongside industry leaders and forward-thinking companies. What a fun way to kick off the year! #CES2025 #CESHighlights Viber Alert Elpis Labs

What an epic time at Milan's Open Summit this year! Huge thanks to the ITA - Italian Trade Agency and StartupItalia teams for pulling off such an inspiring event and for inviting us! It was awesome connecting with so many game-changing startups and diving deeper into Italy’s innovation scene. Can’t wait to see what's next! Elpis Labs #StartupItalia #ItalianStartups #ItalyTech Starta VC Benjamin Reiter

Soft-landing program Fall 2024 Recap Chilean startups expanding into Miami's thriving ecosystem ???? Endeavor Biobío IncubaUdeC CASA W - Coworking + Innovación CORFO | Chilean Economic Development Agency Pawwy ?? Lissi GmbH KUBIC? Movismart SpA Eko3 by Zanit Krino Planiwise VITECH by Fukai Data G-strata Self Veronica Olivares Anastasia Lykova Natalia Gomez Leal Pablo Gómez Londo?o #softlanding #program #miami #startups #investment #elpislabs