York IE and Dartmouth Study Shows AI Has Become a Strategic Imperative for Value Creation

New Benchmark Examines How GTM, Technology, Product and Talent are Reshaping the Future of Value Creation Across Investment Firms

Manchester, NH and Hanover, NH — January 28, 2026 — Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely expected to reshape how investors create value in portfolio companies, yet new research from York IE, in partnership with the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth College, shows that most firms are still struggling to operationalize it.

According to the 2026 State of Value Creation Benchmark, 74.6% of value creation leaders across private equity, growth equity, and venture capital believe generative AI will have the greatest impact on value creation over the next three years. At the same time, 46.3% say implementing AI and automation across portfolio workflows remains a significant challenge – highlighting a widening gap between strategic ambition and execution readiness.

“Value creation is no longer about ad-hoc support or high-level strategy alone,” said Mike Veilleux, Managing Director, Operating Platform at York IE. “What this data shows is that firms know where they need to go, but many lack the operating models, technical foundations, and capacity to get there. The next phase of value creation will be defined by leverage and execution, not intent.”

The benchmark examines how investment firms are evolving their value creation strategies amid longer exit timelines, increased competition, and rising expectations from LPs. While value creation has become a core operating mandate, the data reveals a function under growing pressure, with lean teams facing expanding responsibilities across go-to-market (GTM), product development, talent, infrastructure, and technology.

Other key findings from the benchmark show the evolution of value creation, including:

GTM is the primary engine of value creation. 74.6% of teams spend most of their time on GTM, 64.2% cite pipeline generation as the top portfolio challenge, and 44.8% say GTM has driven the most enterprise value over the last 24 months.
Teams remain lean as mandates expand. Nearly two-thirds of value creation teams operate with fewer than six FTEs, and only 17.9% feel very confident they have the resources needed to meet KPIs.
Execution risk is moving upstream. 29.9% of respondents cite product delivery challenges and another third cite scalable infrastructure as top constraints, signaling growing pressure beyond GTM.
Leadership remains a critical execution multiplier. 47.8% of respondents point to leadership and recruiting gaps as a top portfolio challenge.

While hands-on engagement remains the most common way firms support portfolio companies, the benchmark suggests this approach is becoming increasingly difficult to scale as portfolios grow.

“We’re seeing a clear transition underway,” said Joe Raczka, Managing Partner at York IE. “The firms that outperform will be those that move beyond one-off interventions and build repeatable, system-driven approaches to value creation – aligning GTM, product execution, talent, and technology across the portfolio.”

The research was conducted in partnership with the Dartmouth College Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship as part of its ongoing work to study innovation, operating excellence, and value creation in private markets.

“This benchmark offers a rare, data-backed look at how value creation is actually practiced today,” said Jamie Coughlin, Founder and Executive Director of the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth. “It highlights both the growing complexity of the role and the opportunity for firms to rethink how value creation teams are structured, resourced, and enabled going forward.”

The report also features perspectives from value creation leaders across the industry, including Blue Star Innovation Partners, Five Elms Capital, and Susquehanna Growth Equity. 

“The next-gen value creation model is less about sitting in every meeting and more about building systems that consistently surface the right work,” said Roylee Sanchez, SVP, Value Creation, Blue Star Innovation Partners (BSIP). “The firms pulling ahead are operator-centric. By embedding operators at the core of firm strategy, diligence, and portfolio execution—like we do at BSIP—value creation scales outcomes across the entire portfolio by becoming a proactive operating system rather than a reactive service function.” 

To view more 2026 State of Value Creation Benchmark findings and download the full report, visit: https://york.ie/2026-state-of-value-creation

About York IE

York IE® is an investment and operating firm that combines a family of funds with a hands-on operating platform to build and back software companies. With a 250+ person in-house team, AI and automation technology, deep ecosystem partnerships, and cross-functional insights from thousands of engagements, York drives value creation for the private technology market. Fuel® Your Strategic Growth at York IE.

About the Dartmouth College Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship

The Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth College supports entrepreneurial thinking, innovation, and research across the Dartmouth community and beyond, helping founders, investors, and operators turn ideas into impact.