Podcasts about Venture capital

Wie entstehen die erfolgreichsten Consumer-Startups Deutschlands? In dieser Folge spricht Markus Elsaesser mit Alexander Krauße und Christian Meidl von SevenVentures über die Entwicklung der deutschen Startup-Szene, die Bedeutung von Media-for-Equity, erfolgreiche Marken wie KoRo und Vivido Travel sowie die Rolle von TV-Werbung beim Aufbau starker Consumer-Brands. Außerdem geht es um die wichtigsten Investmentkriterien, typische Fehler in Pitch Decks, den Einfluss von Künstlicher Intelligenz auf Startups und darum, welche Eigenschaften Gründer heute wirklich mitbringen müssen, um Investoren zu überzeugen. Eine spannende Episode für Gründer, Investoren und alle, die sich für Venture Capital, Innovation und die Zukunft des deutschen Startup-Ökosystems interessieren.#Startup #SevenVentures #VentureCapital #Gründen #Innovation

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Julia Maltby, a Principal at Fengate Asset Management who has lived the full venture capital lifecycle. Julia started as the first employee at Plum Alley Investments, ran partnerships at WeWork during its hyper-growth phase, spent over five years rising from Associate to Principal at Flybridge Capital, and even ran her own seed fund, Deco Ventures, before moving to the LP side at Fengate in 2025. Today, she invests in early-stage VC funds and direct opportunities across North America.Julia offers a brutally honest perspective on what she wishes every emerging manager knew about fundraising. She explains why LPs value process over outputs, why founder references from failed companies are more valuable than those from winners, and how GPs can stop leaving first meetings as a “polite maybe” and start qualifying LPs like a sales funnel. She also pulls back the curtain on LP-to-LP communication (which she says is 10X stronger than GP gossip), shares tactical advice on building data rooms that actually get read, and reveals how Fengate pre-approves co-investments to move at startup speed.Whether you're a GP in the middle of a raise, an LP sorting through an endless stack of emerging manager pitches, or just curious what venture looks like from every seat at the table, this episode is for you.From Liberal Arts to Venture Capital (02:07)* Julia's unconventional path from studying architecture and social inequality to becoming one of venture's most respected emerging investors.* How a cold LinkedIn message landed her first job in venture capital.* Why having no finance background became an advantage instead of a limitation.Learning Venture from the Ground Up (04:13)* Building crowdfunding platforms and SPVs before venture became mainstream.* Why early-stage investing means wearing product, operations, and fundraising hats.* Lessons learned from saying “yes” before knowing exactly how to do the work.Inside WeWork's Hypergrowth Machine (05:11)* Joining WeWork during its explosive expansion and learning from one of startup history's fastest growth stories.* What Adam Neumann got exceptionally right about building mission-driven teams.* The leadership lessons worth keeping and the scaling mistakes worth avoiding.The Flybridge Investing Framework (10:39)* Why durable venture investing starts with disciplined systems rather than intuition alone.* The importance of pricing integrity and staying focused on core business strengths.* How evaluating customer urgency shaped Julia's investment philosophy.Becoming a Solo GP (14:14)* Launching Deco Ventures with Flybridge's support.* The challenges of making investment decisions without partners.* Why every solo GP needs trusted people whose job is to challenge—not validate—their thinking.What Makes a Venture Manager Truly Different? (18:00)* Why there isn't just one formula for becoming a successful GP.* Understanding your competitive advantage instead of copying other managers.* How LPs think about portfolio fit beyond fund performance.The Data Room Mistakes GPs Keep Making (23:18)* Why withholding information often slows fundraising rather than helping it.* Julia's advice: send everything instead of drip-feeding documents.* How GPs should reference-check LPs before sharing sensitive materials.Looking Beyond Markups and Valuations (27:16)* Why portfolio KPIs matter more than inflated funding rounds.* How disciplined reserve strategies separate thoughtful investors from reactive ones.* Using follow-on decisions as a measure of investment discipline.The Power of Great References (31:45)* Why founders from failed companies often provide the strongest references.* How LP references reveal governance, transparency, and communication quality.* Why perfect references can actually make LPs more skeptical.Stop Leaving Meetings as a “Maybe” (34:35)* The questions every GP should ask before ending a fundraising meeting.* Understanding the difference between genuine interest and structural misalignment.* How qualifying LPs like a sales pipeline saves months of wasted fundraising.Building Better Co-Investment Relationships (37:06)* How proactive communication makes co-investments move faster.* Why LPs build internal pipelines long before deals officially launch.* The importance of giving institutional investors time to prepare.The Future of Early-Stage Venture (39:27)* Why Julia remains optimistic despite today's challenging fundraising environment.* The growing divide between mega-funds and smaller venture firms.* Why smaller funds continue delivering meaningful returns that often go unnoticed.Using AI to Build Better LP Portfolios (41:17)* How Fengate uses AI to understand portfolio exposure across hundreds of startups.* Moving beyond broad fund branding into detailed market analysis.* Why better portfolio intelligence leads to better future investment decisions.About Julia MaltbyJulia Maltby is a Principal at Fengate Asset Management, where she invests in early-stage VC funds and direct opportunities across North America. She has lived the full VC lifecycle: she was the first employee at Plum Alley Investments, ran partnerships at WeWork, spent 5+ years rising from Associate to Principal at Flybridge Capital, and founded her own seed fund, Deco Ventures. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and writes about her LP experiences on her Substack, Julia's Field Notes.Connect with Julia Maltby on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/juliamaltbyLearn more about Fengate Asset Management: https://fengate.com/Read Julia's Field Notes:Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

J.D. Whitlock's path to becoming a health system CIO began in the U.S. Air Force, where he served in a variety of healthcare management roles, including a deployment to Afghanistan as Commander of the Patient Administration Division at Bagram Airfield in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2007. After retiring from the military, he spent three years at a federal healthcare systems integrator before becoming VP, Enterprise Intelligence at Bon Secours Mercy Health. For the past eight years, he has served as chief information officer at Dayton Children's Hospital.J.D.'s role at Dayton Children's gives him a view into two corners of healthcare that are often underrepresented in digital health conversations: children's health and smaller health systems. Dayton Children's is an independent pediatric system with about $900 million in revenue and 4,900 employees. It runs the same core platforms and must meet many of the same expectations as far larger organizations, but without the same resources. As J.D. puts it, there is no office of transformation; it's everybody's job.In this episode of Healthcare is Hard, J.D. joined Keith Figlioli to discuss the unique technology needs of children's hospitals, and how smaller systems can participate in healthcare's AI transformation. Some of the topics they discussed include:Why pediatric technology requires a different lens. Children's hospitals have unique demands because their patients are not just smaller adults. Digital tools must account for parents and guardians, adolescent privacy, state-specific confidentiality laws, and a patient population whose families increasingly expect digital-first communication. Yet pediatric use cases often remain an afterthought for vendors and investors. He argues that vendors and health tech leaders need to think about pediatrics earlier, because the children's hospitals that serve 25% of the population can't just bolt on adult solutions.Innovating without “science experiment” money. Dayton Children's cannot simply pilot technology because it's interesting. J.D. describes a more disciplined approach in which pilots are treated as phase-one implementations, with the expectation that the organization has already studied the evidence and believes a solution can work. That also means learning from larger pediatric academic medical centers, participating in collaborative networks, and focusing internal resources on ideas that have demonstrated value elsewhere. A platform-first approach to AI. Despite the flood of new AI companies entering healthcare, J.D. believes much of the near-term value will come from the core systems health organizations already use. Point solutions can still earn a place, but they need mature integrations and evidence of ROI. As agents increase AI consumption and introduce more variable costs, health systems will also need to scrutinize whether each new capability is being used enough to justify its expense.Matching ROI to the use case. Not every technology investment has the same kind of return. Some need to show hard savings, while others are about improving the clinician experience, supporting retention, or making care delivery work better. J.D. discusses how the key is being clear about which kind of value you expect.To hear J.D. and Keith discuss these topics and more, listen to this episode of Healthcare is Hard: A Podcast for Insiders.

This week on Swimming with Allocators, returning guest Chris Schelling of Aksia joins Earnest Sweat and Alexa Binns to unpack how AI, private markets, and the wealth channel are evolving. They discuss where AI may already be in bubble territory, how it's reshaping SaaS, services, and investment processes (including AI “agents” on investment committees), and why some SaaS and low-value information services are most at risk. Chris explains Aksia research-driven approach across private equity, private credit, real assets, and hedge funds, and shares why he's skeptical of layered SPV “sandwiches” and headline-driven fear around private credit. The conversation explores the democratization of alternatives for wealthy clients, the role of content as a strategic edge for allocators, challenges in structuring venture access products, and why early-stage technical venture and quantum computing are compelling. Chris closes with advice for newer professionals: in a world of AI tools, differentiated relationships, networks, and deep domain expertise matter more than ever. Also, Nick Cassin explains how Sidley's secondary practice spans multiple asset classes and deal types, highlights the growing role of secondaries in venture (including GP‑leds and LP trades), and shares how Sidley's breadth, commercial mindset, and experience help clients navigate complex liquidity and continuation vehicle structures. Highlights from this week's conversation include: Chris Schelling Returns & Aksia Career Move (0:13) Why To Be Skeptical of AI Valuations & Bubbles (2:26) How AI Is Reshaping SaaS, Services, and Credit (6:48) Using AI for Diligence, Memos, and Investment Committees (11:29) Behavioral Coaching and Training Analysts With AI (15:06) SPVs, SPV “Sandwiches,” and 2008-Style Layering Risk (19:58) Checklist Ideas for Evaluating SPVs and Access Claims (29:24) How Mega RIAs Are Building Private Markets Platforms (36:38) Strategic vs Tactical Allocations Across Private Markets (41:38) Product Diversity Needed Across RIAs and Client Segments (44:08) Segmenting Venture: Seed, Growth, and Late Stage Dynamics (47:52) Crystal Ball on Venture, Deep Tech, and Quantum Computing (49:39) Skills for Young Investors: Networks, Relationships, and Domain Expertise (54:22) Where To Read Chris's Research and Writing (55:13) Aksia is a global private markets investment advisory and research platform with deep expertise across private equity, private credit, real assets, and hedge funds. The firm advises institutional investors globally and also manages discretionary capital through customized funds-of-one, co-investment vehicles, fund-of-funds, and wealth-oriented private markets solutions. Aksia is known for its open architecture model, broad GP relationships, and rigorous diligence culture across alternative assets. Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.  The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How will artificial intelligence reshape the future of work—and will it create enough opportunities for the next generation?Over the next decade, 1.2 billion young people are expected to enter the workforce, but only around 400 million jobs are currently projected to be available. In this episode, host Tanvir Gill explores whether AI could help close that gap—or make the challenge even greater.Entrepreneur and content creator, Marina Mogilko, explains how workers can build an advantage through AI systems, agents and “vibe coding.”Mohamed Eissa, IFC Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Venture Capital and Direct Technology Investments, examines how AI could transform businesses and create opportunities across emerging markets.Sharat Raghavan, Director of Data Science and Research at LinkedIn, shares what their data reveals about changing jobs, rising skills and the future of career progression.Timestamps[00:00] Will AI make or take the next billion jobs?[00:48] What Nairobi's tech community thinks[02:51] Marina Mogilko on vibe coding and AI as opportunity[05:06] AI and the future of content creation[08:00] The top skill for an AI economy[09:29] Introductions: Sharat Raghavan from LinkedIn and Mohamed Eissa from IFC[13:04] Human skills and AI entrepreneurship[14:40] AI opportunities in emerging markets[16:25] Where jobs are growing[17:25] AI for development: healthcare in Africa[18:35] The changing career ladder[21:44] AI disruption: reality or hype?[25:27] AI, SMEs and the missing middle[26:23] How to future-proof a career

Follow me @samirkaji for my thoughts on the venture market, with a focus on the continued evolution of the VC landscape.Welcome back to Venture Unlocked, the podcast that takes you inside the business of venture capital. I'm your host, Samir Kaji.My guest today is Micah Rosenbloom, Managing Partner at Founder Collective, one of the longest standing and respected seed firms in the industry, with early investments in companies like Uber, The Trade Desk, and Coupang. What makes Founder Collective atypical to most successful firms is their decision to keep fund sizes small. In fact, despite their success, they've never raised a fund over 100 million dollars, in a market where nearly every one of their peers has scaled up.In this conversation, Micah and I dig into why they've stayed small, and the data behind it, including a study his team ran on 25 years of venture exits that found the median outcome of the top 500 exits is about 2.7 billion dollars. We also spent time on his post that described why the industry may have lost the plot by obsessing over fund and firm strategy instead of simply focusing on the core of finding unique opportunities that early, priced appropriately, and led by great operators.Micah is a two time founder himself, a clear thinker, and someone who's willing to say what a lot of investors only think. I think you'll get a lot out of this one. Thanks for listening to another episode of Venture Unlocked. I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Micah. If you'd like to get Venture Unlocked content straight to your inbox, go to ventureunlocked.substack.com and sign up, or head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify and subscribe. Thanks again for listening.Micah Rosenbloom is a General Partner at Founder Collective, a seed-stage venture capital firm built by founders for founders. Before becoming an investor, Micah co-founded multiple technology companies, including Brontes Technologies, which was acquired by 3M, giving him firsthand experience building and scaling startups. Today, he invests in early-stage companies across enterprise software, healthcare, and frontier technologies, and has backed successful startups including Verkada, Lovevery, Talos, Plated, and Trusted. Known for his founder-first philosophy, Micah is a respected voice on capital efficiency, venture strategy, and building enduring companies.Timestamps:Topics in this conversation include:* Seed Capital Scarcity in Boston and Birth of Founder Collective (5:18)* Why Small Funds Create Optionality and Better Multiples (9:02)* Capital Efficiency vs Growth Treadmill and Founder Psychology (13:08)* Data on Billion Dollar Exits and 2.7B Median Outcome (18:20)* Can AI Change the Exit Math or Just Inflate Valuations? (23:59)* Profitability, Durable Growth, and Non AI Winners (30:28)* What Founder Collective Refuses to Chase in This Market (34:47)* Saying No to Great Founders at Misaligned Terms (38:10)* Has Venture Lost the Plot? Multiple VC Business Models (41:45)* Biggest Lesson Learned: Betting on Who, Not Just What (46:24)Follow me @SamirKaji and give me your insights and questions with the hashtag #ventureunlocked. If you'd like to be considered as a guest or have someone you'd like to hear from (GP or LP), drop me a direct message on X. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ventureunlocked.substack.com

PODCAST EPISODE | An Analog Brain In A Digital Age With Marco Ciappelli Fifteen years ago, Rose Ross brought a client an idea for an awards program built specifically for enterprise tech startups. The client passed. She built it herself — and the Tech Trailblazers have been running ever since, independent, judged by practitioners, and open for entries until 3 September.

Writing your first angel check is an act of conviction. For Lisha Bell it was also an act of defiance. She had spent 20 years as a Black woman in tech, rarely working alongside other Black people or women, watching founders who looked like her get passed over. VC wasn't going to fix it. So she decided to write her own checks. And she wants more women to do the same. Lisha grew up working the cash register at her dad's gas station in South Central LA, counting nickels and dimes, watching money move through a community in real time. She understood early that money was a tool and a need. When her family lost everything, that lesson got sharper. She got to the Bay Area, maxed out her 401k from her very first paycheck, and bought a house in Oakland at 24. Not because someone told her to. Because she was afraid of being poor and she wasn't going to wait for anyone else to sort it out. In this conversation with host Syama Bunten, Lisha talks about what it actually looks like to become an angel investor when you built everything yourself, why she did it with a community of women instead of alone, and what it means to deploy capital into founders nobody else was betting on. Lisha built the room she needed when nobody else would. Syama is doing the same thing at Wealth Catalyst, salons and summits where women speak candidly about money, risk, and the choices that shape a life. If you want to be part of that room,join us at the Wealth Catalyst Summit, a full-day event in San Francisco this October 16, 2026, or find a Freedom Tour salon happening near you.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction to Lisha Bell and Women's Financial Power 02:31 Childhood Money Lessons from a Family Gas Station 06:58 Growing Up Between Worlds and Shaping Her Identity 13:14 Early Wealth Building Through Saving and Homeownership 22:51 Why She Chose an MBA to Increase Earning Power 26:48 Startup Culture, Career Risk, and Becoming a Mother 30:20 Angel Investing for Women and Writing the First Check 40:32 Why Emerging Fund Managers Matter in Venture Capital 44:56 Capital Preservation and Investing With Purpose 52:40 Access to Capital for Women and Building an Equitable Future Connect with Lisha Bell: Facebook: Follow Lisha on Facebook  X: Follow Lisha on X  LinkedIn: Connect with Lisha on LinkedIn Instagram: Follow Lisha on Instagram Youtube: Watch the Sisters with Ventures Podcast Find more from Syama Bunten: Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons Instagram: Follow Syama on Instagram Join Syama's Substack: Join Syama's Substack Website: Visit the Wealth Catalyst website Download Syama's Free Resources: Download Syama's Free Resources Learn About Wealth Catalyst Summit Events: Wealth Catalyst Summit Website: Visit Syama's website Big Delta Capital: Visit the Big Delta Capital website Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm  

Stephen Grootes speaks to Anusha Naidu, CEO of the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) about new research showing South Africa's venture capital ecosystem is reaching a new level of maturity, with successful startup exits returning more than double the capital invested and delivering performance comparable to more established global markets. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ein Jahr nach dem letzten Gespräch zieht Michél gemeinsam mit Kai Panitzki Bilanz: Was hat sich bei KI, Robotik und Start-ups wirklich verändert?  Im Fokus stehen Physical AI, Europas Chancen im internationalen Wettbewerb und die spannendsten Entwicklungen aus Construction Tech und Venture Capital. Außerdem sprechen die beiden darüber, warum Robotik gerade jetzt zum Milliardenmarkt wird und welche Innovationen bereits heute auf Baustellen Einzug halten. _________________________________________________ Die BLACK BOX auf der BAU 2027 ist das neue Innovationsformat der Messe München und DIGITALWERK – mit Livedemos, Diskussionen, Networking und digitalem Content.  Das geht nur mit Unternehmen, die ihre Innovationen nicht nur ausstellen, sondern sichtbar machen. Mehr Infos und Kontaktmöglichkeiten gibt's unter https://www.digitalwerk.io/dw-events/blackbox  _________________________________________________ VESTIGAS ist die All-in-One-Lösung für die digitale Baulieferkette – vom digitalen Lieferschein über KI-gestützte Rechnungsprüfung bis zum smarten Rechnungsworkflow. Weniger Papierkram, rechtssichere Prozesse und mehr Zeit für die wirklich wichtigen Aufgaben auf der Baustelle und im Büro. Mehr erfahrt ihr unter www.vestigas.com  _________________________________________________ 00:00 – Darum geht's in der Folge 03:04 – Robotik wird zur nächsten KI-Revolution 08:17 – Warum große Investments ins Ausland abwandern 11:30 – Foundation Models einfach erklärt 17:46 – Deutschlands Chancen bei Physical AI 26:37 – Robotik auf der Baustelle: Was heute schon möglich ist 31:36 – Wann Innovation wirklich wirtschaftlich wird 36:32 – Construction Tech 2026: Wo die Branche heute steht 44:52 – Welche Technologien Investoren jetzt suchen 55:06 – KI-Lieblinge, Zukunftsausblick und Europas Chancen  

Plus, why a decline in oil prices may not last. And, Nvidia invests in an AI lab co-founded by former OpenAI executive Ilya Sutskever. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"The answer to every problem is a model."Parag Agrawal shares the ideas behind Parallel: products that continuously learn, and teams designed around versatile problem solvers.He also shares why he built an AI agent for himself, anyd why AI's biggest opportunity is expanding what people can achieve.Guest: Parag Agrawal, founder and CEO of Parallel, and former CEO of TwitterConnect with ParagXLinkedInConnect with MamoonXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow Grit on: LinkedInX​Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Why doesn't a country good enough to produce Ryanair and Stripe have a normal venture fund industry? Alan Merriman spent three years lobbying the Irish government just to be allowed to launch one, and what he ran into along the way says more about Ireland's capital gap than most economic reports ever will.Merriman built Elkstone from a boutique advisory firm into one of Ireland's most active venture investors, and in this conversation he's candid about what it actually took to get there. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Ireland's tax code made venture investing nearly impossible before 2022, and what it took to change itWhy Merriman puts the quality of a founder at eighty percent of any investment decision, and what he's really screening forWhy Elkstone bets on the country instead of a sector, and what that says about the depth of the Irish marketWhat Merriman calls “network compounding,” and his pitch for why the Irish diaspora is worth more than its checkbookIf you've ever wondered what it actually takes to build serious venture capital in a small country, or how Merriman makes the case for engaging the Irish diaspora as more than a source of sentiment, this one's worth the full listen. ALAN MERRIMAN LINKSLinkedInElkstone  IRISH STEW LINKSWebsite Home PageFacebookInstagramLinkedInMedia Partner: IrishCentralEpisode Details: Season 8, Episode 22; Total Episode Count: 163Send us Fan Mail

When it comes to private equity, how you invest can be just as important as what you invest in. In this episode of The Wealth Exchange, Robert Olsen, Head of Private Capital, sits down with Kazuki Nadomi, Portfolio Manager | Private Equity and Venture Capital, and Sunny Lee, Senior Director | Private Equity, to explore a key question facing investors today: Are traditional private equity structures still the best fit for individual investors? Drawing on insights from their recent article, "The Evergreen Revolution:  Rethinking How Private Equity Fits Within a Portfolio", they examine how private equity has traditionally been accessed, why the investor experience can differ significantly from headline return figures, and how newer evergreen structures are reshaping access to the asset class.  You'll hear: Why private equity structure can matter as much as manager selection The differences between traditional closed-end funds and evergreen private equity vehicles How evergreen private equity structures differ from traditional fund models Why headline IRRs don't always reflect the full investor experience What investors should evaluate when considering private capital opportunities As private equity becomes more accessible to individual investors, this conversation explores why understanding structure, liquidity, and portfolio fit is essential when evaluating private capital opportunities.

In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes three influential leaders — Matthew Wright, Laura Foti, and Matt Saunders — to discuss the new partnership between Specright and New Earth Ventures. Together, they explore how digitizing packaging data, leveraging AI, and strategically deploying venture capital can accelerate sustainability, compliance, and product innovation across global supply chains. The conversation highlights the growing need for accurate packaging data, the impact of extended producer responsibility (EPR), and how purposeful investment can support both the planet and profitable business growth.Key Topics Discussed:Specright's origin and mission to eliminate waste through better data.Why packaging data accuracy is essential for sustainability and compliance.New Earth Ventures' investment strategy and partnership goals.How EPR regulations drive the need for digitized, centralized spec data.The role of AI in transforming packaging and product development.Broader uses of Specright beyond EPR, including search, NPD, and procurement.Resources Mentioned:Specright – Specification Data Management PlatformNew Earth Ventures – Hybrid corporate venture fund from Atlantic PackagingAtlantic Packaging Solution CenterContact:New Earth Ventures:InstagramLinkedInWebsite Specright: LinkedIn WebsiteClosing Thoughts:Cory and the guests emphasize that packaging is entering a new era driven by AI, regulation, and data transparency. They highlight how collaboration between innovators, investors, and manufacturers can create a more sustainable world—one where packaging is smarter, supply chains are more efficient, and businesses thrive through responsible innovation. Together, Specright and New Earth Ventures aim to redefine how packaging is designed, measured, and managed.Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors!https://anewearthproject.com/collections/new-earth-approvedConnect with CoryConnect with Cory on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap. This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

What happens when the instinct to help a struggling company is exactly what prevents the strongest companies from succeeding? Venture capital forces investors to make decisions that can feel deeply uncomfortable: stop rescuing the weakest, concentrate scarce capital behind the most promising, and accept that most investments will fail.Deep tech intensifies this conflict. Investors must commit capital while the technology remains unproven, customers are still uncertain and the eventual exit may be more than a decade away. The wrong team, an inflated valuation or a fund timeline that does not fit the technology can destroy an otherwise promising company.Joško Bobanović, Partner at Sofinnova, explains how experienced investors make these decisions without ever receiving complete information. He reveals why people matter more than patents, why founders must start selling before they have a product and why investors should support management from the back seat—without trying to drive the company themselves.Beginning with a destructive storm Joško predicted but could not prevent, the conversation develops into a practical guide to risk, patience and capital allocation. It also confronts Europe's central deep-tech challenge: the continent produces exceptional science, but without sufficient scale-up capital, specialist investors and corporate buyers, much of the value will be created elsewhere.WHAT LISTENERS CAN EXPECT TO LEARNWhy successful venture investing requires resisting the instinct to rescue struggling portfolio companiesHow investors make consequential decisions with partial information—and recognize when it is time to stop researchingWhy the team, storytelling and customer conversations can matter more than exceptional technology aloneHow inflated valuations, ten-year fund structures and limited exit opportunities affect deep-tech companiesWhat Europe must change to scale its best companies instead of watching them industrialize elsewhereBEST QUOTES(00:20:04) “The nature of venture capital decisions is very counter to human instincts.” — Joško Bobanović(00:41:05) “Investment in a startup is like a marriage that is predetermined with a divorce at some point in time in the future.” — Joško Bobanović(00:54:25) “Nothing validates what you're doing better than cash.” — Joško Bobanović(00:57:35) “A B team will probably destroy exceptional technology, but an A team will make a success even of average technology.” — Joško Bobanović(01:56:22) “Otherwise we become a museum. And I don't think we want to be a museum.” — Joško BobanovićTIMESTAMPS(00:00:00) Why Venture Capital Fights Human Instinct(00:03:08) The Storm Joško Predicted but Could Not Stop(00:09:11) How the Early Internet Changed Access to Opportunity(00:16:49) If You Do Not Play, You Cannot Win(00:20:04) Why Investors Must Resist the Rescue Instinct(00:29:33) Scientists Must Learn to Decide with Partial Information(00:35:58) Can Founders Make Themselves Replaceable?(00:41:05) A Marriage with a Predetermined Divorce(00:47:45) Why Storytelling Is a Critical Deep-Tech Skill(00:52:03) Start Selling from Day One(00:57:03) Why Venture Capital Is a People Business(01:00:11) Investors Belong in the Back Seat(01:10:50) Better Decisions Require Broader Comparisons(01:18:00) When a Higher Valuation Becomes Dangerous(01:27:15) Why Every Venture Investment Needs 10× Potential(01:37:29) Deep Tech's Missing Exit Opportunities(01:45:05) Why VCs See IPOs as a Necessary Evil(01:52:49) Europe's Scientific Strength and Scale-Up Weakness(02:05:01) What Europe Gets Wrong About Failure(02:13:13) Get Involved Instead of Complaining from the SidelinesFollow Beginner's Mind for long-form conversations on leadership, capital, technology, and the people shaping what comes next. Ranked in the global top 10% of all podcasts, named #1 Deep Tech Podcast in 2025, and #8 Deep Tech Podcast in 2026Send us Fan Mail Join Christian Soschner for expert coaching. 50% Off - With 35+ years in deep tech, startups/scaleups, and public companies, Christian offers power video sessions. Elevate strategy, execution, and leadership. Book Now.Support the showJoin the Podcast Newsletter: Link

Nantucket whaling was the 5th biggest industry in America… and it became today's Venture Capital.OpenAI's model escaped from its cage and hacked someone… But Meta says “it's all good”.Summer Fridays was the 1st skincare brand to go viral… but now it's done with virality.Plus, 0.00004% of us are Wakemaxxers… Japan's Prime Minister sleeps 3hours/night, Da Vinci slept zero.$META $LVMUY $SPYGrab your Tickets to the IPO Tour: Our In-Person OfferingSan Francisco 9/23: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1C0064AFB5F688BDBoston 10/14: https://tickets.citywinery.com/event/tboy-the-ipo-tour-in-person-offering-8cdhupSeattle 11/4 (21+): https://www.axs.com/events/1446394/the-best-one-yet-ticketsNEWSLETTER:https://tboypod.com/newsletter OUR 2ND SHOW:Want more business storytelling from us? Check our weekly deepdive show, The Best Idea Yet: The untold origin story of the products you're obsessed with. Listen for free to The Best Idea Yet: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/NEW LISTENERSFill out our 2 minute survey: https://qualtricsxm88y5r986q.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dp1FDYiJgt6lHy6GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Linkedin (Nick): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/Linkedin (Jack): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ About Us: The daily pop-biz news show making today's top stories your business. Formerly known as Robinhood Snacks, The Best One Yet is hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth welcomes Clara Sieg, founder and CEO of Loonen, the water brand behind the beautiful glass bottle that suddenly seems to be everywhere. After spending 15 years in venture capital, Clara began looking more closely at plastics and endocrine disruptors during an IVF journey. When she later became a mom and realized that water was the main ingredient in her daughter's formula, that research became deeply personal and eventually inspired her to create Loonen. In this conversation, Clara breaks down what is happening in the water category, from microplastics and forever chemicals to sourcing, filtration, mineral content, and packaging. She explains why spring water is not automatically cleaner, what to look for when choosing a home filtration system, and how Loonen tests its finished water for more than 350 contaminants before making the results publicly available. Clara also opens up about the brand's rapid expansion, her shift from investor to operator, integrating work and family as a founder and new mom, and why the foundations of wellness can be much simpler than we make them. Episodes Here  Say Hi To Elizabeth and Purely Elizabeth:  Website | Instagram Clara: Loonen | Clara's LinkedIn  Mentioned:  Count Down by Shanna Swan  The Plastic Detox  ISLA Beauty  Good Weather Sunscreen ALIGNE 

How do you know when a new agtech product is actually ready for the farm?  Growing up on a family farm in Colorado over the declining Ogallala Aquifer, Chad Godsey has spent his career searching for ways to improve water and nutrient efficiency.  These days he's the Chief Agronomist for Green Evolution Technologies, which has a hydrogel technology that's engineered to store water and nutrients in the soil. This episode explores why adoption looks different on every farm, how growers are increasingly using their own data to assess new products, and why farmer confidence, not just evidence, is often the biggest barrier to change. Hosted by Tenacious' Dr. Maddie Mitchell, they discuss why Green Evolution Technologies has deliberately taken a slower path to market, the role of farmer investors, and how building a product around real farming systems (versus chasing rapid growth) can create stronger businesses in the long term. Maddie and Chad discuss: Why farmers trust their own on-farm trials more than research papers The realities of the technology adoption curve in agtech Why startup timelines don't always match farming timelines The commercialization strategy behind Green Evolution Technologies Why efficiency is becoming more valuable than simply increasing yield The role of hydrogels in improving water and nutrient use efficiency Useful Links: Is Agtech Broken for Venture Capital—or Are We Asking the Wrong Question? When Kansas dries up…in 2050, with Dan Northrup Pivot Bio Godsey Precision Ag GreenSeeker tool might help reduce your nitrogen costs - Corn Accelerating the development of agtech worth adopting For more information and resources, visit our website.  The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe the information is correct, we provide no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

Can losing your father, losing the business you built in his honour and taking a job you never expected become the foundation for your biggest opportunity?Danny Gray is an entrepreneur, commercial strategist, former Commercial Partnerships Director within Steven Bartlett's business ecosystem and co-founder of LVLS, a wellness brand launched into 750 Boots stores from day one. After losing his father to Parkinson's disease, Danny became driven to build businesses that improve people's health, going on to launch an award-winning functional nutrition restaurant before joining Steven Bartlett's early team, helping build the commercial engine around The Diary Of A CEO. Through his Venture Capital fund building, he has now co-created Hide, stocked in 1,000 Tesco stores, and launched LVLS alongside Beta Squad's Sharky, brokering a deal to get the product into 750 Boots stores from day one. In this episode, Danny explains how Levels secured major retail distribution before launch, reduced its funding requirements through smart payment terms, built authentic creator partnerships and set out to make wellness more fun and accessible for everyday people. Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficial Join the Building The Brand newsletter: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterKey Moments: 0:00 — Losing His Dad Two Weeks After Launch1:21 — Danny Gray: Entrepreneur and Levels Co-Founder2:14 — How Money, Shame and Family Created His Drive6:53 — His Father's Battle With Parkinson's Disease10:58 — Opening a Restaurant Before Losing His Father15:05 — Creating a Functional Medicine Restaurant18:54 — Building One of London's Breakout Restaurants20:09 — Manifestation as Tactical Business Planning23:38 — The Final Phone Call From His Father27:00 — Sleeping in the Restaurant to Pay Staff30:09 — Why Founders Cannot Outwork Grief34:41 — Scaling Into Google, Chelsea FC and Retail39:22 — Pivoting From Restaurants to Healthy Ready Meals42:45 — Joining Steven Bartlett With Three Bullet Points45:39 — Commercialising The Diary Of A CEO48:40 — Leaving Steven Bartlett to Become a Founder51:33 — Why Taking a Job Is Not a Step Backwards55:58 — Launching Hide Into 1,000 Tesco Stores57:46 — Athlete Equity Deals and Business Ownership1:01:01 — Identifying the Mainstream Wellness Opportunity1:03:46 — Launching Levels Into 750 Boots Stores1:05:34 — Retail First vs Direct-to-Consumer Strategy1:07:24 — How to Structure a Mutually Valuable Deal1:09:40 — Partnering With Sharky From Beta Squad1:11:33 — Why Creator Equity Beats Celebrity Endorsements1:18:32 — Why the Wellness Industry Is Too Serious1:21:25 — Building a Wellness Brand for Everyday People1:23:18 — Entering the Crowded Electrolyte Market1:28:20 — Building a Business to Make His Son Proud1:31:15 — Funding a 750-Store Retail Launch1:32:19 — Negotiating Payment Terms to Protect Cash Flow1:34:16 — Taking Risks and Building Without Regret

When Andrew Blackmon couldn't find a rental tuxedo that actually fit, he didn't just start a company—he rebuilt the entire formalwear supply chain from scratch, turning a strip-mall industry into a nine-figure business with seven flagship stores and showrooms in more than 40 Nordstrom locations. For more on The Black Tux and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

In this episode, we sit down with Geoff Woo, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Antifund, an unconventional venture capital firm investing in the next generation of companies across technology, consumer, defense, and culture. Geoff is also the Founder and Executive Chairman of Ketone-IQ and has built businesses alongside creators like Jake and Logan Paul, giving him a unique perspective at the intersection of venture capital, entrepreneurship, and internet culture.We discuss why venture capital is "high-class begging," how Antifund uses celebrity partnerships to win the most competitive startup deals, why attention is becoming more valuable than capital, how AI is changing the future of startups and human expertise, the philosophy behind Ketone-IQ, and the mindset founders need to build category-defining companies.If you're interested in startups, venture capital, AI, entrepreneurship, creator businesses, or learning how top investors think, this episode is for you.This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, KalshiSydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazersbeehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-6&stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF)*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode show notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/7b44b7f3-ac56-487b-befa-81d024355e49-00b881l8Kalshi: http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazersWispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazersHEX: http://hex.ai/trailblazers

Sudarshan Sridharan, General Partner of SF1, shares his journey from building founder communities and operating startups to launching an early-stage venture capital firm focused on AI-native companies. He explains how he evaluates founders, why competence, integrity, and ambition matter more than polished pitches, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping the markets attracting venture capital. Throughout the conversation, Sudarshan offers practical advice on earning investor trust, building meaningful relationships, and creating long-term value as both a founder and an investor. In this episode, you'll learn: [03:10] How Sudarshan built founder communities, started companies, and launched SF1 while still in his early twenties. [11:40] Why competence, integrity, and market size are the three questions he asks when evaluating founders. [18:20] Why clarity of thought matters more than having every answer during a fundraising conversation. [27:45] How AI is creating new venture opportunities across infrastructure, robotics, defense, energy, and life sciences. [35:30] Why founders should build investor relationships long before they need capital. [43:15] How Sudarshan supports founders beyond writing the first check. About Sudarshan Sridharan Sudarshan Sridharan is a General Partner of SF1, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in AI-native founders building category-defining companies. Before founding SF1, he built startups, invested as an angel, and created founder communities that connected entrepreneurs with investors and experienced operators. His investment philosophy centers on backing founders with exceptional ambition, integrity, and clarity of thought while helping them build enduring companies through long-term partnership. About SF1 SF1 is an early-stage venture capital firm that partners with AI-native founders building generational companies from inception to IPO. The firm invests at the earliest stages, backing entrepreneurs developing transformative technologies across artificial intelligence and enterprise software. SF1 is built around long-term partnerships with founders, supporting them beyond capital through recruiting, fundraising, strategic introductions, and company building. The firm's investment philosophy emphasizes founder quality, clarity of thought, integrity, and the ability to execute in large, evolving markets. Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.

Only 0.34% of venture capital goes to Black women. Dr. Liz Clayborne, founder and CEO of NasaClip, raised money inside that number. On Getting Rich Together, she tells host Syama Bunten what venture capital funding for black women founders actually requires. This physician entrepreneur's startup story starts in the ER, where Liz kept seeing patients mismanage nosebleeds and come in with something a simple device could fix at home. She was six months pregnant and appearing on national television as a frontline doctor when the pandemic hit in 2020. She delivered her daughter that May, then built NasaClip during an accelerator program while on her maternity leave. Her divorce followed about two years later, and she took a steep pay cut to keep the company alive. Some of her early checks came from physician colleagues who had never made an angel investment before. She had to explain risk, payout, and timeline from scratch, and what she learned from those conversations reshaped how she thinks about angel investing for women and how limited startup funding for women of color really is. It also explains why venture capital funding for black women founders barely moves. Liz also gets specific about the diamond ring she bought herself and why it became a daily reminder to keep loving herself through a hard year. She shares a question her seven year old daughter asked her, one that says everything about what female founder fundraising can build for the next generation. That is the room Wealth Catalyst keeps building. Find a Freedom Tour salon at wealthcatalyst.com/salons or join the Wealth Catalyst Summit, a full day event in San Francisco this October, at wealthcatalyst.com.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Two Numbers Behind the Venture Capital Gap 02:12 Growing Up Biracial in Denver With Four Sisters 07:34 Kicking on an All-Male Football Team 10:47 Choosing Medicine and a Non-Traditional Pre-Med Path 12:18 Family Legacy From Emancipation to Duke 15:03 Paying Her Own Way Through Medical School 21:53 Six-Figure Debt and Becoming an Attending 24:43 Marriage, Money Pressure, and Being the Breadwinner 28:39 Divorce and Founding NasaClip Inside a Pandemic 31:33 Building the Band-Aid for Nosebleeds 39:04 Her Daughter's Question About Boys and Doctors 40:25 Fundraising Inside the Venture Capital Gap 44:41 The Legacy She Wants to Leave Her Daughters 47:38 A Ring, a Wish, and a Call to Action   Connect with Dr. Liz Clayborne: Visit the NasaClip website Connect with Dr. Liz on LinkedIn   Find more from Syama Bunten: Attend a Salon near you: wealthcatalyst.com/salons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/ Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/ Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com Download Syama's Free Resources: https://wealthcatalyst.com/resources Wealth Catalyst Summit: https://wealthcatalyst.com/summits Speaking: https://syamabunten.com Big Delta Capital: www.bigdeltacapital.com Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm  

Ian sits down with Asher Bykov, Head of Growth at USVC, AngelList's newly launched publicly accessible venture fund, to talk about how they took USVC from a hundred and fifty investors to tens of millions of impressions on launch day. Asher shares why the biggest marketing lever wasn't a campaign but years of owned audience-building through Naval Ravikant's podcast and Ankur Nagpal's Silly Money newsletter, how a great offer beats great copywriting every time, and why he thinks about brand as a promise you keep rather than a logo you design. Key Takeaways: A great offer beats great marketing. Asher ranks the sequence as offer, then copywriting, then design, then media buying - no amount of clever positioning saves a weak offer. Owned audiences compound for years before they pay off. Naval's podcast, Ankur's Silly Money newsletter, and AngelList's own network turned USVC's launch into demand capture rather than demand generation. Brand is a promise, not a logo. Borrowing from Seth Godin, Asher argues that consistently delivering on what you tell your audience matters more than any campaign, rebrand, or design choice. Sponsor:  Pipeline Visionaries is brought to you by Qualified.com. Qualified helps you turn your website into a pipeline generation machine with PipelineAI. Engage and convert your most valuable website visitors with live chat, chatbots, meeting scheduling, intent data, and Piper, your AI SDR. Visit Qualified.com to learn more. Links: Connect with Ian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianfaison/ Connect with Asher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asherbykov/ Learn more about USVC: https://usvc.com/ Learn more about Caspian Studios: https://www.linkedin.com/company/caspian-studios/about/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if I told you one of the biggest wealth-building opportunities in oral health may have nothing to do with owning more practices?Most orthodontists have heard plenty about private equity, OSOs, and DSOs—but venture capital is an entirely different conversation. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jeremy Krell, co-founder and managing partner of Revere Partners, to explain how venture capital works, how it differs from private equity, and why innovation across the oral health industry may create compelling opportunities for doctors who want to invest beyond their own practices.Jeremy brings a rare combination of clinical knowledge and entrepreneurial experience. He shares how Revere Partners identifies promising oral health startups, provides the capital and guidance they need to grow, and creates opportunities for investors to participate before those companies reach acquisition or larger-scale expansion. You'll walk away with a clearer understanding of the risks, potential rewards, and practical steps involved in exploring venture capital as part of a broader investment strategy.

In this episode, Ben and Jay analyze the latest developments in the semiconductor industry, focusing on TSMC, ASML, Air, and the broader market implications of AI and chip manufacturing advancements. They explore how these trends impact supply chains, CapEx, and future growth prospects.Key Topics:TSMC's CapEx increase and demand signalsASML's capacity expansion and high NA EUV technologyAir's role in semiconductor testing and optical advancementsMarket sentiment and investor rotation in semiconductorsThe impact of AI on chip demand and manufacturing

This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.----------------------------------------In this bonus episode Investing in Impact, we showcase a crossover episode from our Disruptors for Good podcast. On this episode, we speak with Lindsay Hadley, founder and CEO of Harbor Fund, about building a new financing model for films designed to influence culture and create social impact.Harbor Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses philanthropic donations to invest in socially meaningful films. Rather than funding a single project through a traditional grant, Harbor Fund takes an equity position in selected productions. When a film generates a financial return, that capital flows back into the fund and can be invested in future projects.The result is an evergreen model that combines philanthropy, impact investing, and independent film financing.Lindsay shares how her 20-year career in nonprofit fundraising led her into filmmaking, why scripted narratives can sometimes create more cultural influence than documentaries, and what Harbor Fund looks for when evaluating hundreds of film submissions.She also discusses the difficult state of the entertainment industry, the importance of established talent and strong intellectual property, and why commercial viability is a critical part of Harbor Fund's impact thesis. ----------------------------------------Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

(0:00) About the Boardroom Governance Summit (Aug 26-27, 2026)  (1:17) Intro (2:45) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel. (3:31) Start of interview.  (4:39) AI and Governance Today (5:34) Data Center Politics (reference to moratorium by New York State) (6:48) About the 3rd Rome Conference on AI, Ethics and Governance (9:06) AI Hype and Job Fears (14:45) Birth and focus of The Chairs Circle and Limerick Lane Cellars. (22:53) CEO Succession Lessons (30:58) Founders versus Boards (37:04) EVs and China's Rise (44:58) Semiconductors, Chips and Geopolitics (49:03) Boards in a Fractured World "[W]e now need to have engaged board members, board members who are curious, who read, who stay up to speed on things, who keep asking more questions. You cannot have directors who are just calling it in anymore." (53:31) Government as Shareholder Karen Francis DeGolia is a board member at Vontier, CelLink, and NAUTO. Penny Herscher is a board member at Lumentum, Penguin Solutions, Forvia SA, and Modern Health. You can follow Evan on social media at:X: @evanepsteinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/epsteinevan/ Substack: https://evanepstein.substack.com/__To support this podcast you can join as a subscriber of the Boardroom Governance Newsletter at https://evanepstein.substack.com/__Music/Soundtrack (found via Free Music Archive): Seeing The Future by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

This week, Candace and Frank are back, diving into a summer that's hot in more ways than one—with quantum breakthroughs, climate conversations, and tech trends heating up worldwide. The duo unpacks the latest global developments in quantum computing, including the U.S. government's renewed commitment, developments in Canada, Europe, and Israel, and Microsoft's milestone in qubit lifetime. They examine the growing intersection of quantum with AI, data centers, and national security, plus the evolving landscape of data infrastructure and the societal impacts of new technology. From venture capital shifts and startup culture to quantum's role in drug discovery and cyber defense, this episode connects the dots between today's tech headlines and the world of tomorrow. Whether you're quantum curious or a seasoned pro, get ready for insightful discussion, international updates, and a look at how quantum is shaping our future.Time Stamps00:00 Portable air conditioning basics03:59 New job at ClearML announcement08:51 AI's Role in Upcoming Elections09:53 High power line concerns13:24 Data centers in Loudoun County18:36 Microsoft's quantum computing breakthrough20:19 Viral movie clip memes24:36 Venture Capital's Role in Tech26:35 Explaining data potential with chess analogy30:38 Tech impact on global stability35:49 Quantum podcast and cosmic connections

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Liz Maxwell, chief of staff at the Idea Village, about how communities can support high-growth startups as part of a broader economic development strategy. Liz explains what accelerators actually do, how they differ from incubators and traditional small-business programs, and why capital is often not the real bottleneck for emerging companies. They explore the four ingredients of a healthy venture ecosystem, talent, capital, customers, and access to interesting problems, and discuss how the Gulf South can build globally relevant companies around energy, manufacturing, ports, coastal resilience, and other real-world challenges. Liz also shares how communities can avoid “startup theater,” measure meaningful results through revenue, capital, and jobs, and make a practical case for homegrown innovation to local boards and stakeholders. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Special Guest: Liz Maxwell.

#733: Venture fund managers can collect years of fees before a single dollar comes back to investors — and the bar to hand over your money is lower than you'd think. David Bell spent 20 years as a chaired professor at Wharton before co-founding the venture firm Idea Farm Ventures, where he's backed early-stage brands like Bonobos, Warby Parker, and Jet.com. In this episode, we discuss: How venture funds actually make money, and why nearly every one runs on the same fee formula Why fund managers get paid before they've invested anything Why the bar to invest in risky private deals is lower than you'd think What to ask before trusting any fund manager with your money The one red flag that should make you think twice about an eager fund manager How some investors make an all-or-nothing bet on a single breakout company Why taking outside money can quietly change what a founder is optimizing for Whether you're weighing becoming a fund investor yourself or you're a founder deciding whether outside money is worth what it costs, this episode gives you a clearer read on how the venture world actually works. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements. (03:41) How venture capital actually works, in three tiers (06:09) The fee formula nearly every venture fund runs on (10:30) Why fund managers get paid before they invest anything (14:19) The surprisingly low bar to invest in risky deals (26:52) What to ask before trusting any fund manager (29:27) How investors make an all-or-nothing bet on one company (34:33) The red flag hiding in an eager fund manager (42:16) What separates a great fund manager from a mediocre one (48:10) How outside money quietly changes what a founder optimizes for (55:47) Why kids today may never remember life before AI

For more than four decades, Annie Lamont, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Oak HC/FT, has invested through every major technology wave, from the early days of personal computing and biotech to cloud software, fintech, and today’s AI revolution. In this episode of Technoventure, Annie joins Peter High to discuss what separates enduring investors from those who fade with changing markets. She reflects on lessons learned from working alongside pioneering entrepreneurs, explains why continual reinvention is essential for long-term success, and shares how AI is reshaping healthcare, financial services, enterprise software, and venture investing. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, investor, or technology leader, this conversation offers practical insights on recognizing transformational trends, backing exceptional founders, and leading through periods of unprecedented technological change.

The wellness CPG space was just rocked by a massive headline: Prenetics announced that its supplement brand, IM8 Health (co-founded with David Beckham), secured a staggering $1 billion non-dilutive growth financing commitment from venture capital titan General Catalyst. But behind the gaudy headlines lies a complex financial mechanism that could either change wellness CPG forever. In this video, I'm breaking down the reality of General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund, unpacking the mechanics of cohort financing, and exposing the silent operational risks known as "Growth Trap Over-Optimization."Is Prenetics executing a brilliant sprint to a Big CPG acquisition, or are they walking into another corporate strategy nightmare? Let's look past the spreadsheet illusion.Additionally, I'll cover key topics like:Prenetics' strategic detour and divestiture of Europa Sports ProductsHow General Catalyst's CVF funds up to 70% of digital marketing spend without equity dilutionWhy software scales effortlessly but physical consumer packaged goods do notHow global CPG giants like Unilever or Nestlé unroll internet-famous brands and fix "cost problems"

Anthony Georgiades talks about the spike in venture capital funding, and how it is flowing into more select deals. He says much VC capital is focused on frontier AI names, but he talks about a refocus across sectors, by VC investors, on core distribution, unit economics, and revenue, when deploying capital. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

In this insightful episode of The Brand Called You, host Stephen Ibaraki speaks with Thorsten "Thor" Claus, Founding Partner of the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), venture capitalist, technologist, engineer, and educator.From dismantling discarded electronics as a curious child in Germany to leading investments across Silicon Valley and Europe, Thorsten shares lessons from a career spanning hypergrowth startups, global venture capital firms, and the pioneering NATO Innovation Fund. He discusses the importance of curiosity, servant leadership, supporting diverse emerging fund managers, strengthening transatlantic technology ecosystems, and balancing venture investing with hands-on engineering in advanced manufacturing.Whether you're a founder, investor, innovator, or lifelong learner, Thorsten's journey offers practical insights into building resilient organizations, embracing continuous learning, and creating meaningful impact.

Electricity demand in the U.S. is climbing faster than the grid can comfortably absorb, driven largely by AI data centers that need power 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The U.S. power system needs all the reliable clean energy it can get, and once-forgotten geothermal energy is one such resource. In the 1960s, the United States was a world leader in building large-scale geothermal power plants, but during the fracking boom of the mid-2000s, drillers turned their attention to oil and gas. As wind, solar and batteries got cheaper, bankers and developers put their money into those resources. Geothermal development around the world had flatlined, until a new generation of geothermal developers and entrepreneurs borrowed the horizontal drilling techniques that powered the fracking boom and used them to make geothermal viable in far more geographies One of those entrepreneurs is Tim Latimer, Co-Founder and CEO of Fervo Energy. Fervo Energy is a geothermal developer using advanced drilling techniques from fracking in the oil and gas industry to make it easier to find and harness heat underground. In our conversation, recorded in December 2021, Tim told me about how he combined his expertise in oil and gas drilling with a dedication to solving the climate crisis, and used his experience to break open an overlooked renewable resource. Tim predicted the 2020s would be "the geothermal decade," noting that we can't transition to a zero-carbon grid without round-the-clock clean energy resources to supplement intermittent renewables. Geothermal offers that always-on feature needed now more than ever. We're revisiting this conversation now in celebration of what Fervo has accomplished: signing hundreds of megawatts of power purchase agreements with hyperscalers and utilities alike, and recently completing the largest IPO of any clean energy company. About Powerhouse Innovation and Powerhouse Ventures Powerhouse Ventures backs seed stage founders building the future power system across energy, infrastructure, and AI. If you are thinking about building something in this space, get in touch with our team. Powerhouse Innovation is a best in class consulting firm, powered by the strongest energy innovation network, data and team in our industry. We partner with world's leading corporations, investors, and utilities to source and evaluate disruptive startups shaping the future of energy and industry. To hear more stories of founders building our energy abundant future, hit the “subscribe” button and leave us a review.

Send us Fan MailWhat no one tells you about making money online is that online business, entrepreneurship, AI business, digital marketing, SaaS, venture capital, bootstrapping, Gen Z careers, and personal branding are often sold through the same manufactured FOMO. In this conversation, Riley Lamont explains why distribution matters more than product, why most people should not become entrepreneurs, and how online gurus can quietly shape your definition of success.Riley breaks down the difference between building a real company and chasing short-term internet income, the hidden cost of venture funding, and why some $400,000 employees live better than founders. He also explains how AI creates leverage, why businesses fail to integrate AI correctly, and how better data, prompting, and systems turn artificial intelligence into a genuine operating advantage.The episode closes with a live breakdown of Labify Health's offer, including competitive positioning, blood testing, recurring revenue, supplements, coaching, and customer lifetime value.Subscribe to The Alchemist's Library for more conversations on business, technology, psychology, wealth, and self-mastery—and comment with the biggest belief this episode challenged.TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Building Darwin: A New Online Business Model05:00 – Why Distribution Beats Product Quality12:28 – How Online Talent Can Scale Real Businesses15:44 – Escaping the Online Business Echo Chamber21:56 – Venture Capital vs Bootstrapped Companies33:58 – Why Most People Shouldn't Be Entrepreneurs39:17 – How Online Funnels Shape Your Ambition45:40 – How AI Is Changing Gen Z Careers56:33 – Why Gen Z Distrusts Traditional Experts1:19:48 – Why AI FOMO Is Manufactured1:23:08 – How to Integrate AI Into a Business1:39:29 – Where AI Creates Real Business Value1:42:13 – How to Give AI Better Data and Context1:49:18 – Live Business Teardown: Labify Health1:59:13 – How to Position a Competitive Health Offer2:04:31 – Turning Lab Tests Into a Stronger OfferConnect with Us!https://www.instagram.com/alchemists.library/https://twitter.com/RyanJAyala

Sesh looks like a consumer brand. 8VC looks like the last fund that would back it. That mismatch is the fastest way to see what Austin is becoming.Sesh founder Max Cunningham and 8VC's Jake Medwell start with the logic that makes the deal make sense. Sesh holds a legal moat most competitors can't cross for years, and it earns software-like margins on a physical product. From there the conversation opens into a bigger question about where ambitious companies belong, and why more of them are choosing a city that now draws the founders and families betting on that future.Agenda00:00 What Sesh is06:05 Why 8VC backed a nicotine company10:44 Regulatory timing and the six-year door16:37 Software margins and owning the factory22:01 Who buys this and why the market is growing29:27 Why some companies need SF and others do not34:32 What Austin talent looks like now42:10 The Elon spillover and the coming IPO wave 48:37 Raising kids in the AI age55:07 Safety, schools, and what comes nextGuest LinksSesh: Max Cunningham, Website, X, Instagram8VC: Jake Medwell, Website, X -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

What separates an exciting business idea from an investable opportunity?In this episode of The Money Mondays, Dan Fleyshman sits down with venture capitalist, investment banker and global operator Granger Whitelaw for a wide-ranging conversation about investing, innovation, philanthropy and generational wealth.Granger shares lessons from building companies around the world, helping pioneer early digital-commerce legislation, working with rocket and motorsports ventures, and investing in technologies designed to solve meaningful global problems. He explains the difference between venture capital and investment banking, why the management team matters more than the pitch, and why investors should focus on industries, products and customers they genuinely understand.Dan also breaks down his 40/40/20 investing framework and explains why he prefers backing companies that have already proven demand, developed operating systems and generated meaningful revenue rather than taking the earliest—and riskiest—step with an untested idea.The conversation then turns to giving and legacy. Dan and Granger discuss donor-advised funds, nonprofit organizations, family trusts, life insurance, teaching children about money, and why charitable impact is about far more than writing a check. They close with a powerful discussion about faith, ego and finding peace when financial markets, technology and the media feel increasingly chaotic.This episode is about more than making money. It is about using money as a tool to build, serve and create an impact that lasts beyond your lifetime.Like this episode? Watch more like it

This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa welcome Senia Rapisarda of HarbourVest, who walks through her journey from Italy and Wall Street to leading venture and growth efforts in Canada, first at BDC and now as a major LP. She explains how Canada's venture ecosystem has evolved, the creation and impact of the Venture Capital Action Plan, and why innovation capital is critical to national sovereignty. The conversation covers what makes great Canadian fund managers (curiosity, humility, team-building, and agility), how emerging managers should approach institutional LPs and avoid basic fund management mistakes, and why valuation discipline and non-greedy founders matter in down cycles. Also, Nick Cassin explains how continuation vehicles (CVs) give LPs a choice between liquidity and extended exposure to high-conviction assets when a fund's term and capital are running out. He describes how the market has broadened to more types of investors and fund sizes, and outlines the conflict-of-interest controls that make these GP-led secondaries work. Highlights from this week's conversation include: Senia's Background, Global Career, and Move to Canada (0:21) Moving to HarbourVest and Designing Canada Growth Strategy (4:00) Canada's “Perfect Storm” and Agriculture vs Geology Metaphor for Venture (5:42) What Canada Needs to Fully Capture Innovation Opportunity (8:04) How US Allocators Should Approach Canada and Diversification Benefits (11:21) Expectations of Emerging GPs and Importance of Fund Management Basics (17:59) When Continuation Vehicles Make Sense for Venture (21:39) Trends in New Money Capital and Expansion of CV Market (23:40) Managing Conflicts of Interest in GP-Led Continuation Vehicles (26:29) LP Behavior: Who Rolls vs Sells in CV Transactions (31:14) Four Filters for Durable Companies and Role of Founder Non-Greed (34:29) Longevity as an Asset Class and Implications for Pensions (37:03) Applying Longevity and Defense-Tech Themes in Manager Diligence (41:00) Innovation Capital as Part of Canada's Sovereignty and Late-Stage Capital Gaps (44:33) How Emerging Managers Should Approach HarbourVest and Build Track Record (47:12) Connecting with Senia and Parting Thoughts (51:01) HarbourVest Partners is a global private markets investment firm managing approximately $150B in assets, with a 45-year history and venture as a core part of its franchise. The firm operates as a multi-strategy, multi-manager platform — primary fund investments, secondaries, direct co-investments, and credit — across North America, Europe, and Asia. Senia Rapisarda leads HarbourVest's Canadian strategy from Toronto, deploying capital across funds and growth-stage companies and serving as a bridge between the Canadian ecosystem and HarbourVest's global LP and GP network. Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.  The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. HarbourVest Partners, LLC is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. This material is solely for informational purposes and should not be viewed as a current or past recommendation or an offer to sell or the solicitation to buy securities or adopt any investment strategy.  The opinions expressed herein represent the current, good faith views of the author(s) at the time of publication, are not definitive investment advice, and should not be relied upon as such. This material has been developed internally and/or obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, HarbourVest does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of such information. There is no assurance that any events or projections will occur, and outcomes may be significantly different than the opinions shown here.  This information, including any projections concerning financial market performance, is based on current market conditions, which will fluctuate and may be superseded by subsequent market events or for other reasons. The information contained herein must be kept strictly confidential and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any format without the express written approval of HarbourVest. Nothing herein should be construed as a solicitation, offer, recommendation, representation of suitability, legal advice, tax advice, or endorsement of any security or investment and should not be relied upon by you in evaluating the merits of investing in HarbourVest funds or in any other investment decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Venture Capital Bootcamp, Chris Haroun shares a practical framework for raising capital, from developing a compelling business plan and using other people's money strategically to creating an investor pitch deck and building long term relationships with investors. He also answers live questions on venture capital, startup fundraising, equity structure, investment banking careers, AI, entrepreneurship, finance, and the future of business.Refer to chapter marks below for a complete list of topics covered and to jump to a specific section. Get mentored by Chris: Book a Zoom call to discuss joining my Business Academy, Finance Bootcamp (to get a job in finance) or MBA Degree Programs or for investing/business/personal development coaching: https://haroun.short.gy/1on1CallYTWDownload my free "Networking eBook": www.harouneducation.comAttend my weekly YouTube Live every Thursday's 8am-11am PT. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to receive notifications. Learn more about my MBA Degree ProgramChapter Marks: 0:25 Welcome & Venture Capital Bootcamp2:56 How to Raise Money for Your Business5:54 Business Plan12:49 Other People's Money17:16 Investor Pitch Deck21:35 Building Investor Relationships28:14 Q&A Begins28:14 Raising Money from Small Investors29:04 US vs China Capital Raising30:05 Voting vs Non Voting Shares31:30 Biggest Fundraising Mistakes33:19 Contrarian Beliefs34:16 Phoenix-ing Explained37:24 Breaking into Investment Banking42:09 Following Your Dreams43:35 Skipping Workouts44:14 Future of Iran44:47 US Dollar Reserve Currency46:03 Options & Short Selling48:13 Becoming a YouTuber Today50:09 Bitcoin-Backed Countries51:52 AI Options Trading Bots52:35 Overcoming Fear54:45 Religion in China56:46 Will AI Replace College?58:32 AI Opportunities in Developing Countries59:29 Finance Certifications1:00:19 Why Curiosity Matters1:01:05 Europe's Future1:01:50 Big Tech Layoffs1:03:14 Raising Money in Silicon Valley1:03:59 What VCs Look For1:06:19 Likeability in Business1:07:59 Building a 5 Stock Portfolio1:09:42 Dealing with Tough Parents1:10:06 BYD vs Tesla1:10:49 Starting an Instagram Business with AI1:13:20 Knowing When You're Ready1:15:33 Are Reaction Videos Worth It?1:19:43 Future of Video1:21:17 Viral Marketing on a Budget1:24:04 Alternatives to Giving Up Equity1:25:19 Finance Without a Degree1:26:12 How Important Is Your Website? Connect with me: Schedule a 1:1 call with Chris: https://haroun.short.gy/1on1CallYTWYouTube: ChrisHarounVenturesCompleteBusinessEducationInstagram @chrisharounLinkedIn: Chris HarounTwitter: @chris_harounFacebook: Haroun Education Ventures  TikTok: @chrisharoun

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben and Jay dive into SK Hynix's ambitious US stock listing, discussing how the AI-driven memory boom and a need for deeper capital pools prompted the move, while speculating if companies like MediaTek might follow suit. The hosts also explore the fierce competition among frontier AI models, noting that enterprise evaluation is shifting toward token efficiency for knowledge work and emphasizing the growing importance of AI orchestration layers and data ownership. Additionally, they break down Wall Street's harsh reaction to ON Semiconductor's acquisition of Synaptics, attributing the stock drop to a lack of clear corporate messaging regarding both sprawling businesses. Finally, the duo analyzes the rumors surrounding Nvidia's product roadmaps, concluding that while minor delays won't impact Nvidia's overall revenue given the massive compute demand, these shifts can trigger significant market volatility for the smaller optical and supply chain players dependent on those exact timelines.

This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.----------------------------------------The biggest opportunity in impact investing may not be finding more money.It may be building the markets that allow money to move.That idea runs through this episode of Investing in Impact with Slav Gatchev, Vice President of Innovative Finance at The Rockefeller Foundation.Gatchev has spent much of his career working at the intersection of finance, infrastructure, emerging markets, and conservation. Before joining The Rockefeller Foundation, he led large sovereign debt conversion transactions at The Nature Conservancy. Earlier in his career, he spent more than two decades advising on infrastructure investments across global emerging markets.His experience gives him a useful perspective on one of the central questions facing impact finance today:How do we move from funding individual projects to creating systems that can attract capital at scale?Throughout the conversation, Gatchev explains why the answer often begins with flexible capital, patient institutions, and a willingness to solve problems that traditional investors cannot yet address. ----------------------------------------Investing in Impact is powered by Causeartist, a nonprofit media company dedicated to bridging the gap between capital and culture by spotlighting founders, investors, and organizations reimagining how business can serve people and the planet.Through storytelling, events, and open-access education, Causeartist helps create a shared language of impact, inspiring more founders to build with purpose and more funders to invest with intention.By amplifying ideas and innovations across industries, Causeartist transforms awareness into action and cultivates a community where paying it forward is part of the foundation for growth.

"There's 20 fires going on at every moment in the office and you have enough water to put out four."Mark Roberge shares what it takes to build and scale a company, from finding product-market fit to knowing when it's time to grow.He also shares the framework behind his new book, The Science of Selling, and why founders should scale based on their own data, not another company's success.Guest: Mark Roberge, Founding CRO of HubSpot, HBS Professor, and Co-Founder at Stage 2 CapitalConnect with Mark: XLinkedInConnect with Joubin:XLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow Grit on: LinkedInX​Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

What separates the investors and founders who thrive in moments of radical change from those who don't? According to Alec Litowitz, it isn't intelligence or emotional maturity - it's adaptability.Alec is the founder of Magnetar Capital, one of the most respected multi-strategy hedge funds in the world, and the founder and managing partner of QStar Capital, his single family office and investment platform. Over a 30-year career that began at J.P. Morgan, continued as a founding partner and global head of equities at Citadel, and culminated in building Magnetar from scratch, Alec developed a framework he calls the Adaptability Quotient - AQ - for making decisions under genuine uncertainty. His book, The Adaptability Quotient, publishes September 15th.Today, through QStar, Alec invests with no fund mandate and no LP constraints - thematically across both public and private markets, in everything from CoreWeave and SpaceX to top-tier VC and PE managers. That unconstrained vantage point, combined with three decades of pattern recognition across market regimes, gives him a distinctive lens on where venture capital sits inside the current moment of change.Nick and Beezer dig into the core distinction Alec draws between risk and uncertainty - a difference he argues most investors collapse at their peril - and how the AQ framework maps directly onto how founders build, how VCs back them, and how the venture ecosystem itself needs to adapt. They also get into what he calls the second cognitive revolution: why AI isn't just a new tool but a system-level regime change, what that means for the capital stack and liquidity timelines in venture, and why the answer for smaller players isn't resistance - it's remapping.Quotes"What entrepreneurs get paid for is not risk. They get paid for uncertainty, for resolving the uncertainty. People may stay at some stranger's house or they may not, but I don't know the probability. If it's high, I have a business. If it's zero, I don't have a business. Let's go resolve that probability. And when someone does a startup and tests it, raises money, probes around it, and gets feedback loops - the answer is yes. That's what they get paid for, for resolving that uncertainty."Time Stamps00:00 What Entrepreneurs Actually Get Paid For00:31 Introducing Alec Litowitz: Citadel, Magnetar, and QStar02:49 Three Career Chapters and the Through Line: A Systematic Approach to Uncertainty06:09 The Book: Why Alec Wrote The Adaptability Quotient07:29 AQ Defined: Why IQ and EQ Aren't Enough When the Frame Itself Changes9:40 Why QStar: No Constraints, No Mandates, Just Mapping the Moment12:22 QStar's Investment Framework: Thematic, Top-Down, Technocentric and Anthrocentric14:51 Why Venture Still Matters: The Venture 20, the Mag Seven, and Where Disruption Lives17:03 Risk vs. Uncertainty vs. Black Swan: The Framework Most Investors Get Wrong22:30 Applying AQ in Venture: MVPs as Probes, Pivots as Feedback Loops22:51 A Case Study in Failing Without Feedback Loops24:33 The Second Cognitive Revolution: Why AI Is a Regime Change, Not a Tool29:20 Is SaaS Uninvestable? What Becomes Abundant and What Becomes Scarce32:53 Mapping the Venture Ecosystem: Capital Intensity, New Entrants, and IRR Pressure37:08 The Liquidity Problem Reframed: DPI, TDPI, and Timeline Mismatch40:12 Secondary Markets as a Structural Response43:48 Final Advice: Upgrade Your Operating SystemLinksConnect with the guest and hosts on LinkedIn!Alec LitowitzBeezer ClarksonNick ChirlsLearn more about:The Adaptability Quotient (pre-order on Amazon)QStar CapitalMagnetar Capital⁠⁠Early Adapters Newsletter⁠⁠Asylum Ventures⁠⁠OpenLP

This episode is a compilation of answers to YOUR questions that were asked directly from my listeners who attend my weekly business education YouTube live webcast. I'll be covering the topic on: Private Equity vs Venture Capital, Term Sheets, & Life Regrets and more. Refer to chapter marks below for a complete list of topics covered and to jump to a specific section. Get mentored by Chris: Book a Zoom call to discuss joining my Business Academy, Finance Bootcamp (to get a job in finance) or MBA Degree Programs or for investing/business/personal development coaching: https://haroun.short.gy/1on1CallYTWDownload my free "Networking eBook": www.harouneducation.comAttend my weekly YouTube Live every Thursday's 8am-11am PT. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to receive notifications. Learn more about my MBA Degree ProgramChapter Marks: 0:25 Welcome to the 369th Weekly Live Webcast of July 2, 2026! 0:57 Should prospective investors sign NDAs for my startup? How to review a term sheet? 4:03 Is SpaceX still overvalued? Will Elon be able to put people on Mars? 5:21 How to train your biceps and triceps? Will kids have more or less toys in the future? 8:22 What would make you leave America? How to fix the United Kingdom? What business would you start if you had to start over? 12:54 How to invest in private equity? Is Oracle too big to fail? Thoughts on MicroStrategy? What is the future of Intuit and SAP? 18:50 Biggest regret in your life? How do you stay humble? Do you have a funnel strategy for marketing? What is some of the best love and money advice? 25:46 How long will Mamdani last? Have you ever hated someone? Should I get into private equity or venture capital after having startup experience? Do you like the idea of tokenization for real estate? Do you worry about the US debt level? 33:12 Where can I find your finance courses? Will Samsung ever not be the largest company in Korea? Connect with me: Schedule a 1:1 call with Chris: https://haroun.short.gy/1on1CallYTWYouTube: ChrisHarounVenturesCompleteBusinessEducationInstagram @chrisharounLinkedIn: Chris HarounTwitter: @chris_harounFacebook: Haroun Education Ventures  TikTok: @chrisharoun

There are so many moments in our lives that we may brush off spiritually. Gray areas can be hard to understand, rationalize, or even see when we aren't in the Word daily. Todays guest, William Norvell, talks about how important it is to pray on those gray areas and how important it is to listen to what comes through.    In this episode, you'll discover…  William's Story on Prayer led decision-making (2:50) Daily spiritual habits (9:00) When you feel like you are not enough (14:06)  Tektones. (20:17)   William's Bio:  William is the Co-Founder of Forte- the world's first SoulCare platform for the workforce. Prior to Forte, William spent approximately ten years in Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Investment Banking, along with over five years pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. He has invested in numerous sectors and industries throughout his career. He loves finding unique investment opportunities, working with people, and helping them become the best version of themselves. William loves engaging in any conversation about how to make work more meaningful in the world. He received an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BS in Finance, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Alabama, where he was named a USA Today Academic All-American. He is also the Co-Founder and Podcast Host of Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor. William is married to a wonderful woman, Deb, that continually challenges and refines him. They welcomed their son Liam in 2018, their daughter Eloise in 2020 and their son Henry in 2021. Learn more about Tektones here.   What's Next?  NEW!! Join the new RISE community. Check out my newest book, 'Rise and Go', HERE!

Amir Kabir, Founder and Managing Partner at Overlook Ventures, discusses his journey from entrepreneur to venture capitalist and explains why he founded Overlook Ventures to invest at the earliest stages of company building. He shares his investment philosophy around founder quality, intellectual honesty, unique market insight, and the emerging opportunity around AI, autonomy, and risk infrastructure. Throughout the conversation, Amir offers practical advice for founders on validating problems, building venture-scale businesses, and standing out in an increasingly crowded AI landscape. In this episode, you'll learn: [02:15] How Amir's journey from entrepreneur to venture capitalist shaped the investment philosophy behind Overlook Ventures. [07:10] AI, autonomy, and the "infrastructure of risk" represent the next frontier for startup innovation. [14:50] Why founders should focus on solving real problems and developing unique insights instead of building products in search of a market. [20:50] How Amir evaluates founders by uncovering the unique knowledge and conviction that drive them to solve a particular problem. [27:55] The most common reasons Amir says "no" to startups, and why intellectual honesty often beats polished answers. [30:45] Venture capital is shifting toward specialized funds. What does that mean for founders raising capital today? The nonprofit organization Amir is passionate about: Presidential Leadership Scholars About Amir Kabir Amir Kabir is the Founder and Managing Partner of Overlook Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing at the inception, pre-seed, and seed stages. Previously, he helped build Munich Re Ventures and has spent years investing across insurance technology, financial services, AI, and risk infrastructure. Today, he focuses on companies building the next generation of AI safety, governance, autonomy, and regulated-market infrastructure. About Overlook Ventures Overlook Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded by Amir Kabir that invests at the inception, pre-seed, and seed stages. The firm focuses on what Amir describes as the "infrastructure of risk"—backing founders building across AI, autonomy, cybersecurity, insurance, financial services, and regulated markets. Overlook partners with entrepreneurs developing the technologies that make AI systems more trustworthy, secure, and accountable, while helping modernize how risk is measured, managed, and transferred. The firm typically invests early and supports founders with strategic guidance, customer introductions, and deep industry expertise. Portfolio companies include: Strala, Crabi, Soteris, Soma, Prediction Guard, Mesh, Pax Markets, Asymmetric Security, Eloquent AI, Seedless, Flyra, and IronGrid. Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.

In this webinar turned podcast, Scott Becker is joined by Bart Walker, Jeff Freedman, Nader Samii, and Dr. Paul Slosar to discuss the evolving healthcare deal market. Sponsored by McGuireWoods LLP, Perpetuate Capital, Priority Search Management, Thinkspan, Baird & Warner, Elevate Talent Advisors, & Grange Park Partners.