Team Spotlight: Viral Shah
Get to know Deciens’ newest entrepreneur in residence.
Welcome to our “Team Spotlight” series, where we shine a light on the exceptional individuals who make up Deciens.
In this premier edition, we are thrilled to introduce you to Viral Shah as a Deciens founder and our newest entrepreneur in residence (EIR). Viral brings a wealth of experience in fintech and insurtech, having made his mark as both an investor and operator.
Viral's impressive background includes co-founding Better.com, where he played a pivotal role in scaling the company to originate over $30 billion in mortgages for more than 100,000 customers. He also focused on fintech investments at Group 1001, an insurance holding company managing $55+ billion in assets.
As part of our EIR program, Viral will spend the next year exploring ideas, refining his focus, and preparing to launch his own venture. The program, which previously launched 3F Captive Services (formerly Three Farm Financial) with Jonathan Strike, identifies exceptional talent and provides crucial support in developing innovative companies.
With his expertise in finance and technology, Viral is poised to make significant contributions to our team and portfolio companies. Now, let's get to know him a little better through a brief Q&A.
Q: Where are you located, and what factors influenced your decision to live there?
A: I live in Maplewood, NJ, which I moved to a year ago with my wife, Lois. We chose it because it seemed to have a good balance of the things we prioritized — a walkable downtown, a strong sense of community, proximity to Manhattan, good schools, and an abundance of green spaces. It's been a great fit for us, especially as we welcomed our first child a few months ago!
Q: What skills or qualities do you think are essential for success in your role?
A: I’ve always thought curiosity and an open mind are essential for success, especially in venture investing and building. Curiosity – and the willingness to relentlessly follow that curiosity to get to an insight, answer, or solution – is key. Doing so with an open mind means you absorb everything you come across as you are following that curiosity (whether it seems directly relevant at the time or not). I think this allows the answer to reveal itself to you – whether it’s the answer you were looking for or the answer that was looking for you. Balancing this single-minded focus but remaining open to other interesting points is easier said than done!
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
A: There are two aspects I find most rewarding. First, the excitement of the insight – the connecting of the dots, the opportunity to solve a problem, what the future could look like, and how that future would happen. Second, is the process of transforming those insights into valuable and tangible solutions. To me, the real satisfaction comes from building something that not only addresses a genuine need but also aligns with my personal interests and strengths.
Q: What's something most people don't know about you?
A: I learned to swim as an adult, just a few years ago. After years and years of wishing I could swim, I realized I didn’t need to wish and made it a priority to learn. I went from being afraid of the deep end of the pool to swimming in the ocean and even learning to surf. I’m not a strong swimmer by any means, but my first time treading water in the ocean with my wife, without knowing how deep the water was beneath me, is one of my fondest memories. It's a reminder that sometimes the simplest things bring the greatest joy.
Q: What's your favorite quote or life motto that you try to live by?
A: I have two favorites. Speaking of the simple things, this first quote by Paulo Coelho has always struck a chord with me: "The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
The second is from Eknath Easwaran, in writing about The Upanishads: “Human beings cannot live without challenge. We cannot live without meaning. Everything ever achieved we owe to this inexplicable urge to reach beyond our grasp, do the impossible, know the unknown … this urge is part of our evolutionary heritage, given to us for the ultimate adventure: to discover for certain who we are, what the universe is, and what is the significance of the brief drama of life and death we play out against the backdrop of eternity.”
