Absolute Return Podcast: Recent Episodes
Accelerate Financial Technologies Inc.
Your source for stock market analysis, global macro musings and hedge fund investment strategies. Hosts Julian Klymochko and Michael Kesslering aim to bring you the knowledge and analysis you need to become a more intelligent and wealthier investor
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Hedgineer Founder Michael Watson. Hedgineer is a technology company focused on applying AI, data science, and risk-management software to hedge funds and asset managers. On the show, we discuss:
- How he made the leap from working at Citadel to founding his own startup
- How hedge funds are implementing AI
- Where AI is most impactful within investment firms
- How the future of AI in investing will play out
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Einride CEO Roozbeh Charli. Einride is a technology company driving the transition to electric and autonomous freight operations for some of the world's largest shippers. On the show we discuss:
- How his background in investment banking, finance, and M&A helps shape the way he leads a deep-tech transportation company
- Why the freight industry is ready for a technology-led reinvention
- Technological challenges and why Einride can succeed where others have failed
- The one thing that investors should understand about the future of freight
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Jim Ferry, who is a Partner at Volition Capital. Volition Capital is a Boston-based growth equity firm partnering with founders to accelerate business growth and scale innovative, high-potential companies. On the show, we discuss:
- What is growth equity and how it differs from venture capital and private equity
- The “sweet spot” for growth equity investing
- Product-market fit and signs that a business is ready for institutional capital
- His thoughts on liquidity, exits, and secondary markets
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, arcMacro’s Founder and Chief Economist, Dylan Smith. Having served as an economist at Goldman Sachs and Rosenberg Research, and later as a private market consultant at McKinsey, Dylan understands exactly how macro forces translate into the long-horizon, illiquid world of private equity and alternatives. On the show, we discuss:
- The current conflict in Iran and its effect on inflation
- Persistent government deficit spending and the implications for bond investors
- What asset class he is worried about
- Which segment of the market provides the most attractive mispricing
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Fifth Era Partners Co-Founder and CEO Matthew Le Merle. Fifth Era Partners is a specialized asset manager providing access to exponential technologies that are transforming our world. On the show we discuss:
- Whether he expects a new crypto bull market and what will drive it
- Which area of AI is overhyped and which is underappreciated that isn’t consensus yet
- His top investment theme for the next 5 years
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, dMY Squared Technology Group Chairman Harry You. dMY Squared Technology Group is a SPAC that recently announced a merger with Horizon Quantum, a developer of advanced software development tools for quantum computers. On the show we discuss:
- His lessons learned from working at Morgan Stanley, Oracle, and Broadcom, while working with tech luminaries Larry Ellison and Hock Tan
- What characteristics he looks for in technology investments
- Why he is bullish on quantum computing
- His advice for long-term investors trying to navigate today’s technology landscape
- And more!
On today’s show, we welcome special guest, Max Martin, CEO of Enhanced. Enhanced is an elite sports competition and innovative performance company providing products that optimize health and longevity. On the show we discuss:
- The philosophical case for letting athletes use performance-enhancing drugs
- The biggest misconception about PEDs
- Details about Enhanced’s business model
- What to expect at the Enhanced Games
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Victory Capital’s Chairman and CEO David Brown. Victory Capital is diversified global investment management firm offering a wide array of independent investment approaches and innovative solutions.
On the show, we discuss:
- The “multi-boutique” model and the competitive advantage it provides
- The firm’s approach to mergers and acquisitions
- Where the biggest opportunities for growth are in the investment management industry
- His advice for the next generation of business leaders
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Reflexivity Co-founder and President, Giuseppe Sette. Designed for institutional investors, Reflexivity combines trusted data with explainable AI to surface insights - not noise.
On the show we discuss:
- The best use of AI in the investment process
- Whether AI will replace or enhance human portfolio managers
- If there’s a place for discretionary macro investing in an AI-driven world
- What the next level investment research stack will look like for analysts
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Gabelli Portfolio Manager John Belton. Gabelli is a globally diversified, research-driven financial services firm with extensive investment offerings.
On the show we discuss:
- Which segment of the AI value chain faces the best prospects
- Whether large language models face the risk of commoditization
- If AI will kill software and SaaS companies
- Whether we should be concerned about valuations within AI
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, EquityZen Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer Phil Haslett. EquityZen is an online marketplace for trading pre-IPO shares of private companies. On the show, we discuss:
- Some of the hardest challenges he encountered building a marketplace startup
- The opportunity for investors in pre-IPO shares
- Why companies are staying private longer and private company liquidity
- His #1 piece of advice for entrepreneurs
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Catalyst Funds CIO David Miller. Catalyst offers unique investment products to meet the needs of discerning financial advisors and their clients. On the show, we discuss:
- How they find best of breed hedge fund managers
- Why portable alpha makes sense for investors
- What he views as the best opportunity in the equity market
- Why he continues to be bullish on gold
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Barings BDC’s President Matt Freund. Barings BDC primarily makes debt investments in core middle market companies. On the show, we discuss:
- The recent choppiness and negative sentiment in the private credit market
- The effect of declining base rates on yields and credit conditions
- The current deployment opportunity set for private credit funds
- PIK loans and portfolio construction
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Palmer Square Capital BDC’s President Matt Bloomfield. Palmer Square Capital BDC primarily invests in corporate debt securities across private companies in the U.S. through broadly-syndicated loans and large cap direct lending. On the show, we discuss:
- Their investment focus on broadly syndicated loans and how that differs from most BDCs
- Recent headlines that have caused some negative sentiment in the credit market and BDC NAV discounts
- First Brands and the path forward when a loan gets restructured
- Lifescan and what happens when a distressed loan recovers
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Kayne Anderson BDC President Frank Karl. Kayne Anderson BDC invests primarily in first lien senior secured loans with a secondary focus on unitranche and split-lien loans to private middle market companies. On the show, we discuss:
- Recent volatility in BDC prices and what is driving NAV discounts
- Credit market conditions amidst talk of “cockroaches” and negative headlines from First Brands and Tricolor
- Characteristics that make core middle market direct lending attractive for investors
- An update on private credit spreads and payment-in-kind loans
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Eva Yazhari, the General Partner of Beyond Capital Ventures, a women-led impact venture capital firm. On the show, we discuss:
- The compelling opportunity for early stage investing in Africa and India
- How venture capital differs in emerging markets
- What she looks for when investing in a startup
- And more
On today’s show, we welcome special guests, Brandon Sun, Cohen’s Managing Director and Head of SPAC Investment Banking, and Christian Lopez, Cohen’s Managing Director and Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets. Cohen is a full-service boutique investment bank focused on advising leading and emerging companies across sectors to address their strategic and financial opportunities. On the show, we discuss:
- Dynamics driving the momentum in the IPO market
- Trends in digital asset capital formation and crypto treasury companies
- The evolution of digital assets within the capital markets
- What investors can expect for the back half of the year
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guests, ReserveOne’s CEO Jaime Leverton and President Sebastian Bea. ReserveOne is a newly formed, first-of-its-kind digital asset management firm inspired by the proposed U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile. On the show, we discuss:
- Their “bitcoin moment” and what initially got them interested in crypto
- ReserveOne’s digital asset investment strategy
- How ReserveOne differentiates itself from other crypto treasury companies
- Reasons why an investor would choose a crypto treasury company over an ETF or holding crypto directly
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guests, Upexi’s Chief Strategy Officer, Brian Rudick and Meteora Capital’s Chief Investment Officer, Vik Mittal. Brian and Vik have been involved in the creation of crypto treasury companies and are experts in the space. Upexi is a Solana Treasury Company. On the show, we discuss:
- What is a crypto treasury company and how do they create value long term?
- Why should investors buy a crypto treasury company instead of buying the crypto themselves or through an ETF?
- How are SPACs and RTOs involved in this dynamic?
- How has the regulatory environment changed in the U.S. around digital assets?
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, CIO of Starkiller Capital, Leigh Drogen. Starkiller Capital is an institutional investment firm applying quantitative data-driven strategies to blockchain based digital assets. On the show we discuss:
- Core tenets of their approach to crypto investing
- Trend following and yield farming in crypto
- Their approach to risk management
- His top emerging trends in the digital asset space to have on your radar
- And more!
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund's President Michael Occi. Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (MSDL) seeks to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns by investing primarily in directly originated senior secured loans issued by U.S. middle market companies. On the show, we discuss:
- Why investors should consider an allocation to private credit
- What explains the significant market share growth of private credit in financing buyouts
- MSDL’s defensive approach to lending, with a focus on first lien loans
- His thoughts on the current market environment for private credit loans
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, American Gold Exchange President, Dana Samuelson. American Gold Exchange is a leading national precious metals and rare coin company specializing in dealer-to-dealer trading and direct sales. On the show, we discuss:
- Why investors should own gold as an investment
- If Trump’s election effects the bull case for gold
- Whether investors should prefer gold over bitcoin
- Risks and reward of owning physical gold
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Mirion Technologies CEO Tom Logan. Mirion designs, manufactures, and provides radiation detection, measurement, analysis and monitoring products to the nuclear power and medical markets. On the show, we discuss:
- The path from private equity ownership to the public markets
- The macro bull case for the nuclear industry
- Mirion’s approach to mergers and acquisitions
- His learnings as a long-tenured CEO
- And more
On today’s show, listen to Julian and Mike have a live discussion on the State of the Markets: Navigating Q4 and Beyond.
On the show, we discuss:
- The opportunities within global equities, including the sector we are most bullish on
- Why investors should stay away from fixed income and which investments allocators should use for yield
- The outlook for mergers and acquisitions along with a potential positive catalyst
- Why gold is a must own asset and may outperform bitcoin
- And more
A point of disclosure, Accelerate funds may have long or short positions in the securities discussed in this episode.
On today’s show we welcome special guest, the co-CIO of Cambrian Asset Management, Martin Green. Cambrian is a quantitative investment firm for digital assets. On the show, we discuss:
- Cambrian’s approach to crypto investing and how it is differentiated
- Navigating crypto’s volatility and macro events including the FTX bankruptcy
- Keys to success and staying power in the digital asset space
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Whitestone REIT CEO Dave Holeman. Whitestone REIT is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that primarily owns, operates, and redevelops retail community-centered properties in Texas and Arizona. On the show we discuss:
- The thesis behind Whitestone’s focus on community and neighborhood centers
- The challenges and opportunities in real estate due to the dramatic increase in interest rates
- Keys to success in the real estate industry
- Which segment of the real estate market he is most bullish on
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Meteora Capital Founder and CIO Vik Mittal, his second time on the podcast. Meteora Capital is an investment firm specializing in SPAC-related instruments in both public and private companies.
On the show, we discuss:
- What has happened in the SPAC market over the past 24 months
- Meteora’s approach to investing in the SPAC market
- A look into Canna-Global Acquisition (CNGL)
- What he thinks is next for the SPAC market
- And more
On today’s show, we welcome special guest, Stanford AI Researcher Dr. Mohammad Rasouli. Mohammad helps funds to realize the benefit of artificial intelligence for alternative asset investment by providing AI education and tailored AI strategy, and by implementing the proprietary InvestAI technology. These include using AI for both alpha generation and operational efficiency, including deal sourcing/insight, fundraising, portfolio transformation, investor communications, and marketing.
On the podcast, we discuss:
- Compelling use cases for large language models in investing
- Specific examples of how AI has helped uncover unique investment opportunities more effectively than traditional methods
- How investment managers can balance the use of AI with human judgment
- And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Jeffrey Seder, founder of EQB, a company that provides thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, breeding, and racing management services. On the show, we discuss:
- What got him into the business of thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, and breeding
- The basics of horse racing betting
- A look into the advanced analytics used by professional horse racing bettors
- The ideal outcome for an investment into a racehorse
- And more
March 13, 2024 - On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Carson Block of Muddy Waters. Carson is an activist short seller who conducts in-depth fundamental short analysis focused on business fraud, accounting fraud, and fundamental problems. On the show, we discuss:
- His fortuitous path to short selling as a profession
- Sino Forest and the short that put him on the map
- The thesis behind his bearish view on Fairfax Financial
- His approach to risk management
- And more
December 17, 2023 - On today’s episode we welcome special guest, Hodes Weill Managing Partner and Co-founder, Doug Weill. Hodes Weill is a leading, global capital advisory firm focused on the real estate and real assets investment and funds management industry. On the show, we discuss:
- How real estate plays a role in investment portfolios
- Which segments of the real estate market are most favourable, and which investors should avoid
- The biggest risk facing real estate investors currently
- His real estate “top pick”
- And more!
October 24, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest, Zapata AI Co-Founder and CEO Christopher Savoie. Zapata AI is an industrial generative AI software company developing solutions and applications to solve enterprises’ hardest problems.On the show we discuss:
- How Christopher went from getting his PhD in a medical field to founding several tech startups
- A deep dive into what artificial intelligence is and what it can accomplish
- Some use cases for industrial generative AI
- How the company offers faster, cheaper, and more accurate generative AI
- And more
August 14, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest, Bitcoin Depot CEO Brandon Mintz. Bitcoin Depot operates the largest bitcoin ATM network in the world. On the show, we discuss:
- Brandon’s “bitcoin moment” and what initially got him interested in the cryptocurrency
- His entrepreneurial journey and where he got the idea to start the company
- Why their customers use ATMs instead of online exchanges to buy bitcoin
- Bitcoin Depot’s growth initiatives, including their approach to M&A
- What he believes is in store for the future of bitcoin
February 27, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest and the 2022 Dealmaker of the Year, Danny Rice. Danny was the CEO of Rice Acquisition 1, which merged with Archaea Energy in a $1.15 billion deal and then subsequently sold to BP for $4.1 billion. Danny is now the CEO of Rice Acquisition 2, which recently announced a $1.5 billion merger with NET Power, a clean energy technology company.
On the show, Danny discusses:
- Key lessons learned from the Archaea Energy SPAC merger and subsequent sale to BP
- A primer on NET Power’s innovative clean energy technology
- The case for U.S. shale gas powering reliable, clean and low-cost power
- What inspires him as an entrepreneur and business leader
- And more
January 6, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest Phil Bak, CEO of Armada ETF
Advisors. Phil has been innovating in the ETF industry for over 15 years. He has previously served as Founder/CEO of Exponential ETFs, an ETF issuer and sub-advisor acquired by Tidal ETF Services in 2020. Phil has also served as Chief Investment Officer at Signal Advisors, a venture-backed startup in Detroit and Managing Director at the New York Stock Exchange. On the show, Phil discusses:
- Characteristics of ETFs that make them a great tool for investors
- Some major innovations in ETFs over the past 15 years
- The bull case for residential real estate
- What is happening in the private REIT space
- The major risk investors face in private REITs
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, David Friedberg, Founder and CEO of The Production Board. Dave is an entrepreneur, business leader and investor who founded The Climate Corporation, which was sold to Monsanto for $1.1 billion. He now leads The Production Board, a holding company of businesses established to solve the most fundamental problems.
On the show, Dave discusses:
-
His early experiences in investment banking, Google, and what it was like working with Larry Page
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The founding, growth and sale of his first venture, the Climate Corporation
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High potential investment themes that he is focused on
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Insight into one of his latest deals: Lavoro, Brazil’s largest agricultural inputs retailer
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And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. Intuitive Machines is a diversified space exploration, infrastructure, and services company.
On the show, Steve discusses:
-Some of his main learning experiences at NASA and what inspired him to leave to launch a startup -The current state of the space race -The potential for long-term lunar infrastructure and commerce -What he thinks is in store for space exploration over the next 50 years -And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, AvePoint CEO TJ Jiang. AvePoint is the largest data management solutions provider for the Microsoft cloud.
On the show, TJ discusses:
- His journey from new immigrant, to Wall Street, to successful entrepreneur taking his company public
- How he made it through the adversity when founding the company
- Lessons learned from taking his company public
- His thoughts on the current recessionary economic environment
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guests, Newsight Imaging CEO Eli Assoolin and VSAC CEO George Sobek. Newsight Imaging develops high-quality image sensors that can be integrated into industries such as robotics, automotive, mobile and many others. Vision Sensing Acquisition is a SPAC that is set to merge with Newsight.
On the show, Eli and George discuss: -A teach-in on vision sensors and chips -Growth opportunities in semiconductors -Market conditions and whether there’s a recession -Their top productivity hacks -And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Social Leverage Founder Howard Lindzon. Social Leverage is a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage and seed-stage investments in the Software, Consumer, and Fintech industries.
On the show, Howard discusses:
- How he initially got into investing and what is appealing about early-stage investing
- Key lessons learned from his hits and misses within startups, angel investing and venture capital
- What he thinks is in store for NFTs, crypto and web3 in the future
- His thoughts on the current market environment
- And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Trinity Capital President Kyle Brown. Trinity Capital is a provider of venture debt financing, a smart financing option for high-growth venture capital-backed startups.
On the show, Kyle discusses:
-A primer on business development companies -The basics of venture loans and equipment leases -How venture debt fits into an investment portfolio -And more
On today’s show, we welcome special guest Dragonfly Energy CEO Denis Phares. Dragonfly Energy is a leader in energy storage and producer of deep cycle lithium-ion storage batteries.
On the show, Denis discusses:
Advantages of lithium-ion products over lead-acid batteries The outlook for lithium carbonate prices Key aspects of the business that investors should consider His favourite productivity hack And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Delphia's Andrew Peek. Delphia runs an algorithmic investing strategy powered by machine learning.
On the show, Andrew discusses:
-Predicting fundamental data using AI to drive investment alpha -Which fundamentals their algorithm trades on -How humans can incorporate machine learning into their investment process -What he finds most compelling about capital markets -And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Grove Collaborative CEO Stu Landesberg. Grove Collaborative is a leading sustainable consumer products company.
On the podcast, Stu discusses: -How he made the jump from the buy side to entrepreneurship -The opportunity he sees in environmentally friendly home and personal care products -Struggles and successes building a new venture from scratch -His favorite productivity hack -And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest Near CEO Anil Mathews. Near is a global SaaS leader in privacy-led data intelligence on people, places and products.
On the show, Anil discusses:
Whether entrepreneurs are born or made Characteristics that make enterprise software attractive for entrepreneurs Near’s datasets and why they’re useful The #1 most important attribute for an entrepreneur to have And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Moolec Science founder and CEO Gastón Paladini. Moolec is a science-based food ingredient company that is going public through a merger with SPAC LightJump Acquisition.
On the show, Gastón discusses:
What is molecular farming and how did it originate How they produce meat molecules with plants Why meat alternatives are necessary His biggest challenge as an entrepreneur And more
On today’s show we welcome special guests, Alliance Entertainment’s Chairman Bruce Ogilvie and CEO Jeff Walker. Alliance Entertainment is a distributor and wholesaler of the world’s largest in stock selection of music, movies, video games, electronics, arcades, and collectibles.
On the show, Bruce and Jeff discuss:
Insights, challenges and opportunities in the distribution business
The company’s roll-up strategy
How Alliance competes and grows in an era of streaming
Their thoughts on the current macro environment
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, ClimateRock CEO Per Regnarsson. ClimateRock is a special purpose acquisition company that plans to acquire strategic renewable assets and enabling technologies with large decarbonization potential and strong financial history and prospects.
On the show, Per discusses:
What specific types of opportunities the SPAC is looking at His thoughts on the current market environment The outlook for sustainable investing Key segments of the sustainability sector that investors should have on their radar And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Getaround Founder and CEO, Sam Zaid. Getaround is the world’s leading fully digital and global carsharing marketplace.
On the show, Sam discusses:
His entrepreneurial journey from Ottawa to San Francisco The main benefits of carsharing for both hosts and guests What it’s like being a Softbank portfolio company His favourite productivity hack And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Footprint CEO Troy Swope. Footprint is a global materials science technology company focused on sustainable solutions. On the show, Troy discusses:
-The innovation and improvement available in packaging solutions -How plant-based packaging solutions compare to plastic -Footprint’s business model and estimated total addressable market -Insights into their merger with SPAC Gores Holdings VIII -And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Voltus CEO Gregg Dixon. Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource software technology platform. On the podcast, Gregg discusses:
-What are distributed energy resources (DERs) and why they are important -Voltus’ recurring revenue business model and strong unit economics -Thoughts on the current market environment and raising a $100 million PIPE financing -Advice to entrepreneurs considering taking their company public -And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, Rubicon Technologies Founder, Chairman and CEO Nate Morris. Rubicon is a software platform that provides smart waste and recycling solutions for businesses and governments worldwide.
On the podcast, Nate discusses:
- How he launched Rubicon with maxed-out credit cards and a $10,000 line of credit
- Opportunities in the fragmented $2.1 trillion global waste and recycling industry
- Key lessons learned in building a $1.7 billion software company from scratch
- Advice for future entrepreneurs
- And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Westrock Coffee CEO and Co-Founder, Scott Ford. Westrock Coffee is a leading integrated coffee, tea, flavors, extracts, and ingredients solutions provider.
On the show, Scott discusses: How he went from asset management to the coffee industry Where the idea for Westrock Coffee came from and what problem he was looking to solve Key skills and knowledge from his experience in finance utilized as a company founder Trends in the coffee industry And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Covey founder and CEO Brooker Belcourt. Covey is an analyst-owned community created to find and reward the next top money managers.
On the show, Brooker discusses: His experience as an analyst at Coatue Management and some lessons learned Key insights from working at Citadel and how multi-manager hedge funds differ A deep dive into the Covey platform and how it can generate alpha for investors His best investment idea over the next 10 years And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, ESGEN CEO Andrejka Bernatova. ESGEN runs a $280 million SPAC focused on accelerating the shift towards a low-carbon sustainable future.
On the show, Andrejka discusses: -How she went from coming to the US at the age of 15 alone, with no knowledge of English, carrying $100 in her pocket to later getting a job on Wall Street -How investment banking experience helped her as a CFO -Her thesis behind the shift to a low-carbon future -What is in store for the oil and gas sector -And more
On today’s show we welcome Sky Technologies Executive Chairman Rani Kohen. Sky’s mission is to make homes and buildings become safe-advanced and smart as the standard.
On the show, Rani discusses:
The disruptive idea behind making light fixtures safe and easy How they go about getting market adoption Key insights and learnings behind their February 2022 initial public offering Main risks for investors and how they are trying to mitigate these And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Meteora Capital Founder and CIO Vik Mittal. Meteora Capital is an investment firm specializing in SPAC-related instruments in both public and private companies.
On the show, Vik discusses: -His path into the hedge fund world -The Twitter deal and his thoughts on merger arbitrage -What appeals to him about SPAC investing -Advice for those looking to break into the hedge fund industry -And more
On today’s show we welcome veteran investor Jason Ader. Jason is the Co-Founder and CEO of SpringOwl Asset Management, an investment firm with a focus on the Real Estate, Gaming and Lodging sectors. In addition, Jason is the CEO and Chairman of SPAC 26 Capital Acquisition Corp.
On the show, Jason discusses:
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His path to Wall Street, including the clever idea that led to his lucky break
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How he excelled as a top-ranked sell-side analyst at Bear Stearns
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The unique aspects of the Real Estate and Gaming sectors that make them attractive for investment
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Shareholder activism and turnarounds
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Advice for those starting out on Wall Street or those considering a career in investment management
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And more
On today’s show we talk about visual effects and movies with DNEG Chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra. DNEG is a high-growth, technology-enabled visual effects and animation company executing ground-breaking, award-winning work for the world’s largest content creators.
On the show, Namit discusses: How he got involved in the movie business The barriers to entry for blockbuster movies effects companies How DNEG won 7 Oscars for visual effects in movies DNEG as the only pure-play publicly-traded visual effects and animation company And more
On today’s show we chat about beauty industry investing with Waldencast CEO Michel Brousset. Waldencast is building a global best-in-class beauty and wellness operating platform by creating, nurturing, and scaling conscious, purpose-driven brands.
On the show, Michel discusses: -Key investment characteristics of the beauty industry including its recession-resistant nature -Their thesis behind the acquisitions of Milk Makeup and Obagi -The importance of ESG considerations for beauty brand consumers -How social media and eCommerce transformed the industry -And more
On today’s special episode of the podcast, we welcome the SpacGuru, Jeff from SpacWarrants and Jeremy Tarica of Forest Road talking about the state of the market.
The discussion touches on: -Current economic and market conditions -Expected liquidations and the effect on SPAC warrants -Sector rotation and what we expect from mergers -The future of the SPAC asset class -And more
On today’s podcast we have Blackstone Products CEO Roger Dahle. Blackstone Products is a design-driven company that is redefining the outdoor cooking experience with griddle cooking appliances and accessories.
On the show, Roger discusses: -How he invented the home griddle and created Blackstone Products -Why griddling is becoming so popular -How they utilize social media and original content to drive brand awareness -His favorite thing to cook on the griddle -And more
On today’s podcast we talk about travel marketplaces with Mondee CEO Prasad Gundumogula. Mondee is a technology-first travel marketplace with a portfolio of globally recognized brands in the leisure, retail and corporate travel sectors.
On the show, Prasad discusses: -Mondee’s role as a travel market disruptor and next generation marketplace -Why he thinks the travel market is recovering on a sustained basis -Some recent trends occurring in the travel market -The company’s approach to M&A and its recent SPAC merger -And more
On today’s podcast we chat with Wag CEO, Garrett Smallwood. Wag is an American pet services marketplace company powering a mobile-first technology platform that enables on-demand and scheduled dog walking, training, and other pet care services.
On the show, Garrett discusses:
-What Wag does and why dog owners should download the app -Wag’s path to future profitability -Going public and future growth plans -The best dog breed to own -And more!
On today’s podcast we talk cybersecurity with the ZeroFox CEO James Foster. ZeroFox is an enterprise software-as-a-service leader in external cybersecurity.
On the show, Foster discusses: -What is so exciting about cybersecurity -The most important trends in cybersecurity that investors should learn more about -Details on the pending acquisition of IDX, a leading digital privacy protection and data -breach response services company -Key factors driving the company’s forecast 30% revenue CAGR -And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, D-Wave CEO Alan Baratz. D-Wave is a leader in quantum computing systems, software, and services.
On the show, Alan discusses: -What is quantum computing and why it is important -Some of the major technological breakthroughs in quantum computing -The technology’s potential effect on cryptography and cryptocurrency -An overview of the market opportunity and competitive environment -And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guests, Transfix CEO Lily Shen and CFO Christian Lee . Transfix is a leading digital freight platform where they use technology, machine learning, and AI to dynamically match thousands of freight transactions between shippers and carriers.
On the show, Lily and Christian discuss:
-The opportunity in freight logistics due to extreme inefficiencies -Issues affecting supply chains right now -Why the company is going public -Their thoughts on current market conditions -And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Satellogic CEO Emiliano Kargieman. Satellogic is a leader in high-resolution satellite data collection.
On the show, Emiliano discusses: -The market opportunity for satellite imaging -How the company is making Earth Observation imagery accessible and affordable -How Satellogic’s Earth Observation data is helping the Ukrainian people -His advice on finding success as an entrepreneur -And more
On today’s show we welcome the team from Andretti Acquisition: Michael Andretti, Bill Sandbrook and Matt Brown. Andretti Acquisition is a special purpose acquisition company focused on the automotive industry.
On the show, they discuss: - Michael’s career in racing and his transition to business - Andretti’s due diligence process and approach to potential deals - The automotive industry and which segments are attractive for investment - Their thoughts on the current market environment - And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Allego CEO Mathieu Bonnet. Allego owns a pan-European electric vehicle charging network.
On the show, Mathieu discusses:
-The European EV market and its 46% expected growth rate -The future of ultra-fast charging -How Allego expects to generate 30% IRRs from its owned sites -What it was like working with private equity firm Apollo on Allego’s going-public transaction -And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guests, Eve co-CEOs, Jerry DeMuro and Andre Stein. Eve is a recent corporate carve-out from Brazilian multinational aerospace manufacturer Embraer and a leader in the development of next-generation Urban Air Mobility.
On the show, Jerry and Andre discuss:
-Flying cars - Eve’s next-generation Urban Air Mobility solutions
-The corporate carve-out and going-public transaction
-How Eve differs from competitors in the eVTOL space
-The potential $760 billion market they are pursuing
-And more
On today’s show we welcome special guest, ElectraMeccanica Vehicles CEO Kevin Pavlov. ElectraMeccanica is a Canadian designer and manufacturer of electric vehicles. The company’s flagship vehicle is the single-seat electric vehicle called the SOLO.
On the podcast, Kevin discusses:
-The story behind the unique, three-wheel design of the SOLO
-How they plan to scale the electric vehicle company
-Why they use an asset-light contract manufacturing model
-The competitive environment and how ElectraMeccanica vehicles stand out
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Terran Orbital CEO and Chairman Marc Bell. Terran Orbital is a pioneer in the development, innovation and operation of small satellites and earth observation solutions.
On the show, Marc discusses:
-How he built numerous successful businesses in different industries including real estate, entertainment and space
-The opportunity that he sees small satellites
-How running a vertically integrated business gives them a competitive advantage
-Keys to thriving as an entrepreneur and business leader
-And more
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February 28, 2022 - On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, SES President Rohit Makharia. SES is a leader in the development and manufacturing of high-performance Lithium-Metal rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles.
On the show, Rohit discusses:
-Some of the innovations and breakthroughs in battery tech that he has worked on over his career
-Why investors and consumers should care about lithium metal batteries
-SES’s revenue ramp and future path to profitability
-His thoughts on the SPAC merger process
-And more
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On today’s show we welcome special guest Dan Wagner, Rezolve’s Founder, CEO and Chairman. Rezolve is a leader in mobile commerce and engagement.
On the podcast, Dan discusses:
-Key lessons learned from 35 years of entrepreneurship and 7 successful startups
-The opportunity within mobile eCommerce
-His game plan in taking Rezolve public
-The most important aspect of the Rezolve story that investors should know
-And more
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On the 200th episode of the Absolute Return Podcast, Mike and Julian chat about:
CPI hits 7.5%, a 40-year high. How Bad Will it Get?
Growth Stocks Taken to the Woodshed. Is Peloton heading to zero?
Weirdo Couple Arrested Trying to Launder $4.5 Billion of Bitcoins from 2016 Bitfinex Hack. Any Implications?
APE DAO Liquidation?
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On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, BM Technologies Chair, CEO and Founder Luvleen Sidhu. BM Technologies is a leader in mobile banking technology that provides digital banking platforms with checking and savings accounts, and more.
On the show, Luvleen discusses:
- The opportunity for entrepreneurs in fintech
- How management consulting experience and an MBA from Wharton assisted her in becoming an entrepreneur
- Founding a fintech company at 28 and taking it public
- Key opportunities in the crypto space
- And more
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On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Ben Errez, GreenBox POS Co-Founder and Chairman. GreenBox POS is a fintech company offering blockchain ledger and smart contract token technologies to create seamless payment processing solutions.
On the show, Ben discusses:
-The macro case for the global digital payment market
-His thoughts on crypto, digital currencies and stablecoins
-Details about the company’s stablecoin offering
-A rebuke to a recent short seller report on the company
-And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/
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January 31, 2022 - On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Tomorrow.io Co-Founder and CEO, Shimon Elkabetz. Tomorrow.io is a developer of a leading platform for global weather and climate security.
On the show, Shimon discusses:
-Transitioning from the Israeli military to entrepreneurship
-What inspired him to start the business
-How the platform uses machine learning to translate hyperlocal forecasts into actionable insights
-Mitigating climate and addressing ESG a major focus
-And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/
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January 24, 2022 - On today’s show we welcome special guests Rafael Museri, Co-Founder and CEO of Selina, and Ben Friedman, Co-Founder and CFO of BOA Acquisition. Selina is a fast-growing hospitality and experiential brand targeting Millennial and Gen Z travelers. It recently announced a merger with BOA Acquisition at a $942 million enterprise value.
On the show, Rafael and Ben discuss:
- Selina’s value proposition and how it differs from other hospitality brands
- How Selina’s operating model is “asset light”
- What BOA Acquisition found attractive about Selina’s business model
- Rafael and Ben’s favourite Selina vacation spot
- And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/ Learn more about the Accelerate Alternative Investment Solutions here: https://accelerateshares.com/investment-solutions-2/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/33316660/admin/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AccelerateFT
January 20, 2022 - On today’s podcast we have a special episode of “State of the Markets” in which Julian discusses his 2022 market outlook and answers questions from investors in a live event.
On the show, Julian discusses his outlook on inflation, interest rates, bonds, equities (domestic and international), meme stonks, M&A, private equity, SPACs, crypto, NFTs, key risks that investors should be thinking about, and more!
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/ Learn more about the Accelerate Alternative Investment Solutions here: https://accelerateshares.com/investment-solutions-2/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/33316660/admin/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AccelerateFT
January 17, 2022 - On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Li-Metal Founder & CEO Maciej Jastrzebski. Li-Metal is developing and commercializing technologies that address key challenges in the supply chain of next-generation batteries.
On the show, Maciej discusses:
-How lithium metal plays an important role in battery technology
-Advantages of Li-Metal battery tech
-The company's plans to ramp up commercial-scale production
-The importance of having domestic lithium production
-And more
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January 10, 2022 - On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, MANSCAPED Founder and CEO, Paul Tran. MANSCAPED is a leader and pioneer in men’s grooming that recently announced a going-public transaction at a $1 billion valuation.
On the show, Paul discusses:
- What inspired the founding of MANSCAPED
- How he launched a category creator
- Keys to success behind the company’s innovative marketing
- How they go about creating viral marketing campaigns
- And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/ Learn more about the Accelerate Alternative Investment Solutions here: https://accelerateshares.com/investment-solutions-2/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/33316660/admin/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AccelerateFT
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, the Founder and CEO of Brivo, Steve Van Till. Brivo is the global leader in cloud-based access control and smart building technologies.
On today’s show, Steve discusses:
-
What attracted him to the tech industry and why he chose to focus on access and security
-
Points from his book The Five Technological Forces Transforming Physical Security
-
Insights into the changing nature of work and the resulting smart space revolution
-
Details behind the recently announced merger with SPAC Crown PropTech Acquisitions
-
And more
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On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Chibi Labs Founder Mat Sposta. Chibi Labs has created three futuristic NFT collections featuring cool 3D characters.
On the show, Mat discusses:
- His path from Wall Street to NFTs (or TradFi to DeFi)
- What is an NFT and why should people want to own them
- Chibi Labs roadmap in 2022
- The future of the NFT market and the metaverse
- And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/ Learn more about the Accelerate Alternative Investment Solutions here: https://accelerateshares.com/investment-solutions-2/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/33316660/admin/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AccelerateFT
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Customers Bank CEO Sam Sidhu. Customers Bank is a full-service financial institution with nearly $20 billion in assets.
On the show, Sam discusses:
-What he learned in investment banking and private equity that helped him as a bank CEO
-How the company’s blockchain-based digital payment technology works
-When Covid struck, how Customers Bank turned challenge into opportunity
-Key performance indicators and financial metrics that bank investors should track
-What sets Customers Bank apart as an investment opportunity
-And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/
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On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, legendary entrepreneur and prolific inventor, Bill Gross. Bill’s latest venture is Heliogen, a leading provider of AI-enabled concentrated solar power.
On the show, Bill discusses:
- His career history and how he created startup incubator Idealab
- His startup formula for success and key characteristics to look for when starting a new venture
- The novel technology behind how Heliogen’s AI-enabled concentrated solar power system works
- How the company plans on generating revenue of more than $1 billion by 2025
- His advice for founders that are just beginning their entrepreneurial journey
- And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/
Learn more about the Accelerate Alternative Investment Solutions here: https://accelerateshares.com/investment-solutions-2/
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On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, LOOP Industries Founder and CEO, Daniel Solomita. Loop Industries takes waste PET plastic and polyester fiber — which cannot be conventionally recycled — and turns them into high value materials.
On the show, Daniel discusses:
-The sustainability mission at the heart of LOOP
-Details around the process to generate PET plastic from recycled content
-The long term thesis behind plastics recycling
-His comments on short seller Hindenburg Research’s negative report on LOOP
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, FiscalNote CEO Tim Hwang. FiscalNote is a leading AI-driven enterprise SaaS company that delivers legal and regulatory data and insights.
On the show, Tim discusses:
-Why being the category creator is important
-How he raised seed capital from investor Mark Cuban
-What made the merger with SPAC Duddell Street Acquisition so unique
-The company’s M&A strategy
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Wejo CEO Richard Barlow. Wejo is a leader in connected vehicle data.
On the show, Richard discusses:
- Lessons learned through the founding of several successful new ventures
- The opportunity in the monetization of connected vehicle data
- Wejo’s roadmap to profitability
- Key growth initiatives as a newly public company
- And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/
Learn more about the Accelerate Alternative Investment Solutions here: https://accelerateshares.com/investment-solutions-2/
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On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Ruben Minski. Ruben is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Procaps Group, a developer of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical solutions, medicines, and hospital supplies that reach more than 50 countries in all five continents.
On the podcast, Ruben discusses:
-How Procaps has evolved over the past 44 years since its founding
-The macro case for Latin American health care as a sector to invest in
-Procaps growth strategy and approach to M&A
-Insights into the recent SPAC merger
-And more
Buy bitcoin, save the planet! Learn more about our eco-friendly bitcoin ETF here: https://investabtc.com/
Learn more about the Accelerate Alternative Investment Solutions here: https://accelerateshares.com/investment-solutions-2/
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On today’s podcast we welcome special guests Todd Degelman and Chad Pruden of Wellington-Altus Private Wealth where Todd is Founder, Senior Investment Advisor, and Vice-Chairman, and Chad is Senior Investment Advisor. Wellington-Altus is one of the fastest-growing wealth advisory companies in Canada.
On the show, Todd and Chad discuss:
-Their career backgrounds and keys to success in wealth management
-Their outlook for equity markets, bonds and inflation
-Asset allocation and what is top of mind for high-net worth investors
-What differentiates Wellington-Altus from the big banks
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Charlie Jardine, Founder & CEO of EO Charging.
EO Charging is a leading provider of technology-enabled turnkey solutions for electric vehicle fleets.
On the podcast, Charlie discusses:
- His entrepreneurial journey and the idea behind EO Charging
- EO’s business model, customers and unit economics
- Key differences between EO and its competitors
- Insights into its growth plan as a public company
- And more
Today we have a special Live from the Trading Desk episode, in which Julian and a group of SPAC experts discuss the Digital World Acquisition / Trump Media deal. On the podcast, we discuss:
-Why did DWAC surge as much as 1,600%?
-What is next for the SPAC?
-Why do traders and speculators like this deal?
-Key insights into the SPAC
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Sarcos CEO Ben Wolff. Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation is a leader in the development of robots that augment humans to enhance productivity and safety.
On the show, Ben discusses:
- Why Time Magazine named the Sarcos Guardian exoskeleton one of the “Best Inventions of 2020”
- Their “Robot as a Service” business model
- How robotics are going to change the future of work
- Key insights from the recent going-public process and advice for CEOs considering taking their company public
- And more
Today’s podcast features special guest, ServiceMax CEO Neil Barua. ServiceMax is a leader in asset-centric field service management software.
On the podcast, Neil discusses:
-Private equity firm Silver Lake’s role in the evolution of ServiceMax
-Why the company’s SaaS business model may be attractive for investors
-Details regarding its $1.4 billion merger with SPAC Pathfinder Acquisition
-Key opportunities in its future growth plan
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest AdTheorent CEO Jim Lawson. AdTheorent is a programmatic digital advertising leader using advanced machine learning technology and solutions to deliver real-world value for advertisers and marketers.
On the show, Jim discusses:
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His journey from practicing law to becoming an entrepreneur and CEO
-
How AdTheorent’s machine learning advertising technology platform works
-
Why the two most prevalent ad targeting methods, cookie-based retargeting and segment-based audiences, are less effective
-
Insights into the merger with MCAP Acquisition Corporation
-
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Energy Vault Co-Founder and CEO Robert Piconi. Energy Vault creates gravity-based, grid-scale energy storage solutions with its proprietary technology.
On the show, Rob discusses:
-The initial idea behind the founding of Energy Vault
-How Energy Vault’s energy storage systems work
-Insights into the company’s recent going public transaction
-How Energy Vault differs from the competition
-And more
On today’s podcast we have a discussion between Julian and three market experts, SPACGuru (G), SPACInsider (Kristi) and SPACWarrants (Jeff), for an in-depth discussion on the state of the blank check market:
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What to make of high redemption rates and low float meme stock short squeezes?
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How are IPO terms evolving?
-
What will be the future of PSTH and the SPARC structure?
-
Lawsuits, the SEC and the future of SPACs
-
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guests, Altus Power Co-CEOs
Gregg Felton and Lars Norell. Altus Power is a market-leading clean electrification company focused on solar power.
On the show, Gregg and Lars discuss:
-The major skills and resources gained in law and investment banking that gave them the confidence to start Altus
-The company’s current portfolio assets and growth pipeline
-The macro thesis behind clean electrification
-Why CBRE holdings was an ideal merger partner in going public
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, IronNet’s co-CEO Bill Welch. IronNet is an innovative leader transforming cybersecurity through Collective Defense.
On the show, Bill discusses:
-
How cyber threats have evolved over the past 20 years
-
What CTOs and executives should be concerned about regarding their company’s network security
-
What he learned from their recent going-public process
-
Key drivers of IronNet’s forecast 78% revenue CAGR
-
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, BBQGuys CEO Russ Wheeler. BBQGuys is a leading specialty e-commerce platform for higher-end BBQ grills, grilling accessories and outdoor living products for both homeowners and professional builders.
On the show, Russ discusses:
-How the business evolved from a single brick-and-mortar store back in 1998
-BBQGuys’ competitive advantage and omnichannel strategy
-How the legendary football family, the Mannings, are involved in the company
-Key growth initiatives to drive a forecast 26% revenue CAGR
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome the Co-Founder and CEO of Embark Trucks, Alex Rodrigues. Embark is a leading developer of autonomous software technology for the trucking industry.
On the show, Alex discusses:
-What it was like to drop out of university to become a Thiel Fellow
-Embark’s self-driving technology and their value proposition to customers
-Insights into the $4.55 billion merger with Northern Genesis Acquisition II
-How they get investors comfortable with a pre-revenue stage company
-And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest John Carrington. John is the CEO of Stem, the market leader in AI-driven clean energy storage systems.
On the show, John discusses:
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How Stem’s business has evolved in the 8 years since he joined
-
The competitive landscape and what makes Stem the market leader
-
Insights into the recent going-public process
-
ESG, AI and the company’s growth opportunities
-
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Vacasa CEO Matt Roberts. Vacasa is the leading vacation rental management platform in North America and it just announced a $3.75 billion going public transaction.
On the show, Matt discusses:
-
Vacasa’s business model and how it differs from Airbnb
-
Its value proposition and why customers would choose Vacasa
-
Insights into Vacasa’s merger with TPG Pace Solutions
-
The investment case for the stock
-
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guests Victoria Grace, Founder and CEO of Queen’s Gambit, and Youssef Salem, CFO of Swvl. Queen’s Gambit is a sustainability-focused SPAC that announced a $1.13 billion merger with Swvl, a Dubai-based provider of transformative mass transit and shared mobility solutions.
On the show, Victoria and Youssef discuss:
-
The founding of Queen’s Gambit and whether Victoria is a fan of the Netflix series or chess
-
How Swvl differentiates itself from Uber / Careem or other competitors in the marketplace
-
Some of the key drivers that investors should be aware of for Swvl
-
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guests Sean Harper, Co-founder and CEO of Kin, and Matt Higgins, Chairman and CEO of Omnichannel Acquisition. Kin Insurance is an insurance technology company that makes home insurance easy and affordable. It recently announced a $1 billion merger with Omnichannel Acquisition.
On the show, Sean and Matt discuss:
-
The thesis behind the founding of Kin
-
Kin’s value proposition, competitors, and why DTC is a fundamentally better insurance model
-
How the merger between Kin and Omnichannel came together
-
Why investors should consider Kin stock
-
And more
On today’s show, we welcome special guest Peter Chapman, CEO of IonQ. IonQ is a leader in quantum computing and just announced that it is going public in a deal worth $1.4 billion.
On the podcast, Peter discusses:
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Starting out in MIT’s artificial intelligence lab at 16 and why he pursued technology
-
The basics of quantum computing
-
How IonQ is different from other quantum computing competitors
-
Some of the risks that quantum computing presents
-
The company’s strategy behind going public through a merger with dMY Technology Group III and its growth plans
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Will Marshall, CEO of Planet Labs. Planet Labs is a leading provider of daily data and insights about the Earth and is currently going public at a $2.25 billion enterprise value.
On the show, Will discusses:
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His background at NASA and some important missions they accomplished
-
How Planet plans to become the “Bloomberg Terminal for Earth data”
-
Planet’s business model and competitive advantages in the marketplace
-
What made dMY Technology the right merger partner
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Eric Stonestrom, CEO of Airspan Networks. Airspan is a newly-public company that provides software and hardware for 5G network solutions.
On the podcast, Eric discusses:
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What is so great about 5G technology for society
-
Airspan’s product suite and how they expect to take market share from legacy network providers
-
Who are their customers and competitors in the marketplace
-
The future of network technology
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests Scott McNeill and Jim Mutrie, Co-CEOs of Switchback II. The company recently announced a $2.3 billion business combination with Bird, a leader in shared short range environmentally friendly electric transportation.
On the show, Scott and Jim discuss:
-
Their background in oil & gas and subsequent pivot to an energy transition focus
-
The thesis behind Switchback series of SPACs and lessons learned from the ChargePoint deal
-
Why Bird was an ideal merger candidate for Switchback II
-
What differentiates Bird in the highly competitive micromobilty sector
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Chieh Huang, CEO of Boxed, an e-commerce grocery shopping platform selling bulk consumables to households and businesses. Boxed recently announced a going-public transaction at a $640 million enterprise value.
On the podcast, Chieh discusses:
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Why he left the partner track at a white-shoe law firm to pursue entrepreneurship
-
How Boxed evolved since its founding in a garage 8 years ago
-
How Boxed competes with Walmart, Amazon and Costco
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Key insights into its going-public transaction with SPAC Seven Oaks Acquisition
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Growth opportunities and how Boxed plans on getting to $1 billion of revenue
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Adam O’Brien, Founder and CEO of Bitcoin Well. Bitcoin Well offers convenient, secure and reliable ways to buy and sell bitcoin through a trusted Bitcoin ATM network and suite of web-based transaction services. It trades on the TSX-Venture exchange under the symbol BTCW.
On the podcast, Adam discusses:
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What initially got him into bitcoin and why he founded a startup focused on it
-
His thoughts on the state of the cryptocurrency market
-
Bitcoin Well’s business model
-
The company’s recent going-public transaction and its consolidation strategy
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests Galen Smith, CEO of Redbox, and Jay Burnham, Director of Seaport Global. Redbox, America's destination for affordable new-release movies and entertainment, recently announced a merger with Seaport Global at a $693 million enterprise value.
On the podcast, Galen and Jay discuss:
-
How Redbox has evolved since 2009, including an Apollo-led leveraged buyout
-
The investment thesis for the company as it goes public once again
-
Redbox’s planned digital transformation
-
Key drivers of the company’s growth forecast
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest, Matthew Tuttle, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Tuttle Capital Management. Tuttle Capital Management is an industry leader in offering thematic and actively managed ETFs.
On the show, Matthew discusses:
-
His outlook on the current market environment and asset allocation
-
How to play pre-deal SPACs and deSPACs
-
Trend following, FOMO and tail risk strategies
-
His top investment pick for the next decade
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests Craig Hurlbert, CEO of Local Bounti, and Ed Forst, Chairman of Leo Holdings. Local Bounti is a leader in controlled environment agriculture and is transforming the production and delivery of local, fresh and sustainably-grown leafy greens produce across the U.S. The company recently announced a merger with SPAC Leo Holdings III at a $760 million enterprise value.
On the podcast Craig and Ed discuss:
-
The thesis behind the founding of Local Bounti
-
Why Controlled Environment Agriculture is the future of farming
-
A look at the company’s competitors, customers and unit economics
-
What Leo Holdings found appealing about Local Bounti as a merger partner
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Justin Mirro, the President of Kensington Capital Partners and CEO of their SPAC, Kensington Capital Acquisition II. On the podcast, Justin discusses:
-
His career that ranged from test driver to engineer to investment banker and now an investor, advisor and SPAC sponsor focused on the automotive space
-
The underlying thesis behind the Kensington Capital Acquisition series of SPACs
-
Key insights into Kensington’s SPAC merger with Wallbox at a $1.5 billion valuation
-
A discussion of Wallbox’s business model, customers and competitors
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests Jared Kaplan, CEO of OppFi, and Kyle Cerminara, President of FG New America. OppFi, a leading financial technology platform that serves the everyday consumer, recently announced a merger with SPAC FG New America Acquisition Corp in a deal that valued the fintech company at $800 million.
On the podcast, Jared and Kyle discuss:
-
The need that OppFi fills in the market and what sets it apart from traditional financial services companies
-
How OppFi utilizes artificial intelligence for its financial products
-
The thesis behind FG New America and why they chose OppFi as a merger partner
-
What sets OppFi apart from other fintechs in the market
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests Neal Menashe, CEO of Super Group and Eric Grubman, Chairman of Sports Entertainment Acquisition. Super Group operates global online sports betting and gaming businesses including Betway and Spin. Sports Entertainment Acquisition is merging with Super Group in a deal that values the firm at $4.64 billion.
On the podcast, Neal and Eric discuss:
-
The importance of Super Group’s expansion into the emerging U.S. online sports betting and gaming market
-
Why the sports and gaming industry may offer attractive opportunities for investors
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Insights into Super Group’s merger with SPAC Sports Entertainment Acquisition
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Key growth initiatives of the newly-public company
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How Super Group differentiates itself from competitors including Rush Street and DraftKings
-
And more
On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Joe Tonnos, Principal at Meteora Capital. Meteora is an affiliate of Glazer Capital, which is a New York-based investment management firm specializing in investment strategies such as arbitrage and SPACs.
On today’s show, Joe discusses:
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What got him into SPAC investing
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An insider’s view of what goes into being a SPAC sponsor
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His experience with the Haymaker series of SPACs
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Meteora’s approach to thinking about SPAC investing, including IPOs, working with sponsors and participating in PIPE financings
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests Sumant Sinha, Founder of ReNew Power, and Bob Mancini, CEO of RMG. ReNew Power, India’s leading pure-play renewable energy producer, recently announced a merger with SPAC RMG Acquisition II that valued the company at $8 billion.
On the show, Sumant and Bob discuss:
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The thesis behind the founding of Renew Power 10 years ago and how the company became one of the largest renewable energy producers in the world
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Why the Indian power market is attractive for investors
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Key insights into why RMG chose ReNew Power as its merger partner
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The company’s future growth initiatives
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Why investors should pay attention to the stock
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome Taboola founder and CEO, Adam Singolda. Taboola is a global leader in powering recommendations for the open web. It recently announced a merger with SPAC ION Acquisition Corp 1 in a $2.6 billion deal.
On the podcast, Adam discusses:
-What he learned working in the elite-intelligence unit of the Israeli army
-The thesis behind the founding of Taboola
-How he nearly had to shut down the company three times due to running out of funding prior to finding success
-Key insights into the merger with SPAC ION Acquisition Corp 1
-And more
Today’s podcast features a live, one-hour discussion with a panel of SPAC experts including SPACGuru, SPACInsider and SPACWarrants.
On the podcast, we discuss:
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Are SPACs back, and is this the start of a new bull market?
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The characteristics of recent IPOs
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The dynamics of deSPACs rallying post deal vote
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Sentiment regarding M&A and business combinations
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The outlook for the SPAC market for the back half of 2021
-
And more
On today’s show, we welcome special guests Chris DeWolfe, CEO & Co-Founder of Jam City, and Emil Michael, CEO of DPCM Capital. Jam City recently announced a merger with SPAC DPCM Capital in a $1.2 billion deal.
On the podcast, Chris and Emil discuss:
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How their experience in the C-suite at MySpace and Uber helped them in their entrepreneurial journey
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Keys to success in the mobile gaming industry
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Insights into the future of mobile games
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DPCM’s thesis on Jam City as a merger partner
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Jam City’s growth plans and outlook on acquisitions
-
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Tony DiMatteo, CEO and founder of Lottery.com. Lottery.com is a leading online platform to play the lottery from your mobile device, offering official state-sanctioned games, like Powerball and Mega-Millions, in the U.S. and around the world.
On the podcast, Tony discusses:
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His journey as an entrepreneur and the idea behind founding Lottery.com
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How they were able to acquire their web domain, which was worth as much as $10 million
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The macro thesis behind the company including the online penetration opportunity for lotteries globally
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Key details on their merger with SPAC Trident Acquisitions and future growth opportunities as a public company
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Tips from an insider on the most attractive lottery games
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And more
June 1, 2021 - On today’s show, we welcome special guests Matt Crisp, CEO of Benson Hill, and Eric Scheyer, CEO of Star Peak. Benson Hill is a food technology company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants. It recently announced a merger with SPAC Star Peak II that valued the company at $1.35 billion.
On the podcast, Matt and Eric discuss:
- Where the idea behind Benson Hill came from and the company’s mission
- How the company harnesses artificial intelligence in its operations
- Key growth drivers in getting to $1 billion+ of forecast revenue
- Perspectives from both target and sponsor on the due diligence process of a SPAC business combination
- And more
On today’s show, we welcome special guests Nino Ciappina, CEO, and Ajay Roy, COO, of PARTS iD. PARTS iD is a technology-driven, digital commerce company focused on creating custom infrastructure and unique user experiences within niche markets such as auto parts. It trades on the NYSE under the symbol ID.
On the podcast, Nino and Ajay discuss:
-How they compete in e-commerce against giants such as Amazon and eBay
-Why their platform stands out for selling auto parts online
-What is driving double-digit growth in US automotive aftermarket e-commerce sales
-Lessons learned to pass on to other private companies considering going public via SPAC
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Niccolo de Masi, CEO of dMY Technology Group. dMY Technology Group is focused on sponsoring the success of the next generation of great pioneering technology entrepreneurs onto the public markets.
On the podcast, Niccolo discusses:
-What was attractive about the SPAC asset class and how it has evolved over time
-dMY’s underlying thesis driving its strategy for blank check mergers
-Key principles to be a successful repeat sponsor
-Thoughts on the current state of the SPAC market
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Clint Carnell, CEO of The HydraFacial Company, a category-creating beauty health company. HydraFacial recently announced a merger with SPAC Vesper Healthcare Acquisition in a $1.1 billion deal.
On the podcast, Clint discusses:
-The main appeal of the healthcare industry and the aesthetics segment specifically
-Details behind HydraFacial’s “razors + razorblades” business model
-Surviving the pandemic as a PE-backed company
-Why he chose Vesper founder Brent Saunders as a partner in their SPAC merger
-Global growth opportunities available to HydraFacial
-And more
May 13, 2021 - On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Githesh Ramamurthy, Chairman and CEO of CCC Information Services, a leading SaaS platform for the property and casualty insurance economy. CCC recently announced a merger with Dragoneer Growth Opportunities in a $7 billion deal.
On the podcast, Githesh discusses:
-How CCC has evolved over the 30 years in which Githesh has been at the company
-What it is like taking CCC public, then private, and now public again
-Why they only considered Dragoneer Growth Opportunities out of all SPACs
-Key growth opportunities and their approach to M&A
-The investment case for CCC stock
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Peter George, CEO of Evolv Technology. Evolv, the leader in AI touchless security screening, recently announced a merger with NewHold Investment in a $1.25 billion deal.
On the podcast, Peter discusses:
-How Evolv’s scanning and AI technology works to detect threats
-The role Evolv can play as the country reopens and in a post-pandemic world
-Details and insights into the merger with SPAC NewHold Investment Corp (NHIC)
-How the company landed Bill Gates as an investor
-Key growth opportunities
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Waleed Jabsheh, President at International General Insurance (IGI), an international specialist commercial insurer and reinsurer that underwrites a diverse portfolio of speciality lines. IGI trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol IGIC.
On the podcast, Waleed discusses:
- Keys to success in insurance underwriting
- A primer on how the commercial insurance business works
- Some of the more unique policies they come across
- What it was like to go public right before the onset of the global Covid pandemic
- How IGI differentiates itself in the marketplace
- And more
On today’s podcast, we offer a new podcast format. We recorded a live clubhouse discussion, State of the Markets, with Julian Klymochko, Mike Kesslering, Jeff Baker (Common Stock Warrants) and SPACGuru. The hosts discuss and debate the present and future of SPACs, M&A, IPOs, warrants and more.
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests, and the first set of brothers on the show, Forest Road’s Jeremy and Zachary Tarica. Forest Road is a specialty financing company that lends against tax credits in the entertainment, real estate, and renewable energy industries, along with having two SPACs trading in the market.
On the podcast, Jeremy and Zachary discuss:
-Their background in the financial industry and how they came to form Forest Road
-Launching a SPAC into the market and the process behind doing a deal
-How the Beachbody merger is an example of the Forest Road playbook
-How they got Shaquille O'Neal to join the Forest Road SPACs as a special advisor
-Their investor outreach program and why they’re keen to engage with investors
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest David Rosenberg, CEO and Co-Founder of AeroFarms, a certified B Corporation and leader in vertical farming. AeroFarms recently announced a business combination with SPAC Spring Valley Acquisition in an $850 million deal.
On the podcast, David discusses:
-The evolution of the company and why it is structured as a B Corporation
-AeroFarms’ competitive advantages over traditional farming
-Details on the merger with SPAC Spring Valley Acquisition
-Key growth opportunities the company is pursuing
-ESG and the case for AeroFarms stock
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Danny Rice, CEO of Rice Acquisition Corp. Rice Acquisition recently announced a merger with Aria Energy and Archaea Energy to create a $1.15 billion industry-leading renewable natural gas platform.
On the podcast, Danny discusses:
-His background of co-founding Rice Energy with his brothers and then selling it to EQT
-Insights into the subsequent proxy battle at EQT
-What is the future of the oil & gas industry
-Details into the business combination with Aria Energy and Archaea EnergyWhy investors should consider Archaea Energy’s stock, LFG
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Tom Tomlinson, CEO of Holley, the largest and fastest growing platform in the enthusiast branded performance automotive aftermarket category. Holley recently announced a business combination with SPAC Empower that valued the company at $1.55 billion.
-On the podcast, Tom discusses:
-How one of the nation’s oldest companies, tracing its roots to 1903, has evolved over time
-Holley’s strategy and growth profile under private equity ownership and the transition to a public listing
-Its focus on automotive enthusiasts and how that is driving DTC revenue growth
-Holley’s approach to acquisitions
-The case for Holley’s stock
And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Chuck Cohn, Founder and CEO of Nerdy, a leading direct-to-consumer, curated gig economy platform for live online learning benefiting both learners and experts. Nerdy recently announced a merger with SPAC TPG Pace Tech Opportunities in a deal that valued the company at $1.4 billion.
On the podcast, Chuck discusses:
-The founding of Nerdy and how the business developed over time
-What attracted him to the online education industry
-How the pandemic affected Nerdy’s growth prospects
-Insights into the deal with SPAC TPG Pace Tech Opportunities
-The investment case for the stock
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest SpacGuru, a widely followed pseudonymous Twitter account. SpacGuru is a Wall Street veteran and an expert on the SPAC market.
On the podcast, SpacGuru discusses:
-His career background and why he wants to help out individual investors
-What the overly negative media gets wrong about SPACs
-Why SPACs are better than IPOs
-The best strategies to invest in SPACs
-Pitfalls and mistakes that investors should stay away fromAnd more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Luke Schoenfelder, Founder and CEO of Latch, the maker of the full-building enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform LatchOS. The company recently announced a merger with SPAC TS Innovation Acquisitions in a deal that valued Latch at a $1 billion enterprise value.
On the podcast, Luke discusses:
-His past entrepreneurial experiences and how they prepared him to start Latch
-Fostering key strategic investors who were also customers
-Background of the merger with SPAC TS Innovation Acquisitions
-Key growth initiatives and differentiating from the competition
-Why investors should consider Latch shares
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Justin Oh, who provides investment research through his website and YouTube channel A Couple Cents.
On today’s podcast, Justin discusses:
-His career journey in investment banking and hedge funds, then as a CFO prior to starting A Couple Cents
-What his research platform A Couple Cents provides
-The most common investor mistakes
-His outlook on the current market environment and how we is investing
-His top pick for the next decade
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests from Origin Materials, Co-Founder and Co-CEO John Bissell and Co-CEO Rich Riley. Origin Materials is the world’s leading carbon negative materials company and recently merged with Artius Acquisition Inc, trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol AACQ.
On the podcast, John and Rich discuss:
- The founding of Origin and how its core technology works
- How to build, grow and raise capital for a start-up when revenue is 15 years out
- What goes into a $1 billion+ capital project and how to de-risk it
- Key details regarding their merger with SPAC Artius Acquisition that valued the company at $1 billion
- The case for Origin Materials stock
- And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Carl Daikeler, CEO and Co-founder of Beachbody, a worldwide leader in health and fitness, with a 22-year track record of creating innovative content and powerful brands. Beachbody recently announced a merger with SPAC Forest Road Acquisition and Myx Fitness in a $2.9 billion deal.
On the podcast, Carl discusses:
-The founding of Beachbody and how its grown and evolved over the past 22 years
-How its product suite transitioned from DVDs to streaming
-Insights and details into Beachbody’s $2.9 billion merger with SPAC Forest Road Acquisition and Myx Fitness
-Key growth initiatives and outlook on the company’s international expansion
-Why investors should consider Beachbody’s stock
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Ben Kohn, CEO of Playboy, one of the largest and most recognizable lifestyle brands in the world. Playboy recently went public through a merger with SPAC Mountain Crest Acquisition and currently trades under the symbol PLBY.
On today’s podcast, Ben discusses:
- How Playboy transformed from a magazine company to a licensing and branded-product focused consumer lifestyle platform
- The company’s approach to the nascent NFT market
- Key insights into the merger with SPAC Mountain Crest Acquisition
- M&A opportunities and the company’s acquisition strategy
- Playboy’s growth opportunities and why investors should consider PLBY stock
- And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Alex Shahidi, Managing Partner and Co-Chief Investment Officer at Evoke Advisors and ARIS Consulting, a $19 billion registered investment advisor. Alex helps manage the RPAR Risk Parity ETF, which seeks to generate positive returns during periods of economic growth, preserve capital during periods of economic contraction, and preserve real rates of return during periods of heightened inflation.
On today’s podcast, Alex discusses:
-His journey in finance, moving from a successful career at Merrill Lynch to starting his own firm
-The basics of risk parity
-Why he launched a risk parity ETF
-Keys to success in the ETF business
-His top investment pick
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Louis Summe, CEO and Co-Founder of LiveVox, a leading cloud-based provider of customer service and digital engagement tools. LiveVox recently announced a merger with SPAC Crescent Acquisition in an $840 million deal.
On today’s podcast, Louis discusses:
- What it’s like to be owned by private equity and the transition to a public company
- The future of work from home
- LiveVox’s unit economics and future growth plans
- Key insights into the SPAC merger process
- And More
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guests Paul Vendrinsky, portfolio manager at SIA Wealth Management, and Chris Fryer, associate portfolio manager at SIA Wealth Management. SIA is a Canadian independent investment management firm that helps investors grow and safeguard their wealth over the long-term through financial technology.
On the podcast, Paul and Chris discuss:
- How they got their start in the investment business
- Details on the SIACharts platform and why investors use it
- SIA’s True Tactical process and risk management
- Why investors should consider incorporating relative strength analysis into their investment process
- And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Tyler Page, CEO of Cipher Mining, a newly formed U.S.-based Bitcoin mining operation. Cipher Mining recently announced a business combination with SPAC Good Works Acquisition in a $2 billion deal.
On today’s podcast, Tyler discusses:
-What initially attracted him to bitcoin and his outlook for the asset class
-The basics of the crypto mining business
-Potential ESG concerns for mining and how Cipher is mitigating this
-Key insights into the merger with SPAC Good Works Acquisition
-Why investors should take a look at Cipher Mining stock
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Pat Roney, CEO and Founding Partner of Vintage Wine Estates, one of the fastest growing wine producers in the U.S. Vintage Wine Estates recently announced a business combination with Canadian SPAC Bespoke Capital Acquisition Corp in a deal that values the business at an enterprise value of US$690 million.
On the podcast, Pat discusses:
- What attracted him to the wine business and why he believes it will continue to grow
- The economics of selling wine and the importance of various price points in a product suite
- The outlook for M&A at the company
- Background on the company’s merger with Canadian SPAC Bespoke Capital Acquisition Corp
- His personal favorite bottle of wine
- And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Robert Blake, CEO of Achronix, the only independent supplier of high-performance FPGAs used in high-growth applications including AI, cloud computing, 5G and autonomous vehicles. Achronix recently announced a merger with SPAC ACE Convergence Acquisition at a $2.1 billion equity valuation.
On the podcast, Robert discusses:
-Why he spent his career in the semiconductor industry
-How Achronix differs from semiconductor companies such as Arm, AMD, Nvidia, Altera and Xilinx
-How they are capitalizing on the growth of 5G, cloud and artificial intelligence
-Key insights into their recently announced merger with SPAC ACE Convergence
-And more
On today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Ajay Kochhar CEO and Co-Founder at Li-Cycle, North America’s largest lithium-ion battery resource recycling company. Li-Cycle recently announced a merger with SPAC Peridot Acquisition at a $1.1 billion enterprise value.
On the podcast, Ajay discusses:
-How he co-founded the company and grew the business to where it is today
-Li-Cycle’s technological advantage and high recovery rate
-The background behind Li-Cycle’s merger with SPAC Peridot Acquisition
-His advice for entrepreneurs and CEOs considering merging with a SPAC
-Key growth initiatives at Li-Cycle
-Why investors would consider Li-Cycle stock
-And more
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Kurt Workman, Co-Founder & CEO at Owlet Baby Care, the connected nursery ecosystem that delivers data-driven technology to modern parenting. Owlet recently announced a going-public transaction through SPAC Sandbridge Acquisition in a $1.1 billion deal.
On the podcast, Kurt discusses:
-Co-founding a startup right out of university and participating in a tech accelerator
-The advantages of running a startup from Utah
-The dynamic of leading a mission-driven company
-Key insights into Owlet’s business combination with SPAC Sandbridge Acquisition
-Owlet’s key growth initiatives
-And More
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Ben Volkow, Founder and CEO of Otonomo, the provider of a platform and marketplace for vehicle data that’s positioned at the epicenter of the data revolution in the automotive and mobility space. Otonomo recently announced a going-public transaction through SPAC Software Acquisition II in a $1.4 billion deal.
On the podcast, Ben discusses:
His journey to founding Otonomo
Building a startup in Israel
The future in automotive data
Key insights into Otonomo’s business combination with SPAC Software Acquisition II
How Otonomo differentiates itself from the competition
And More
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Andrew Pascal, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Playstudios, an award-winning developer of free-to-play casual games for mobile and social platforms that offer real-world rewards to loyal players. Playstudios recently announced a going-public transaction through SPAC Acies Acquisition in a $1.1 billion deal.
On the podcast, Andrew discusses:
-What attracted him to the gaming business and why he’s spent his career in the gaming sector
-His “formula” for entrepreneurship and advice to those considering entrepreneurship
-Background and insights on the merger with SPAC Acies Acquisition
-Key growth initiatives for Playstudios
-Why investors should consider Playstudios stock
-And more
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest John Delaney, Founder & CEO of Revolution Acceleration Acquisition Corp. Revolution Acceleration is a special purpose acquisition company that recently announced a $2.2 billion business combination with Berkshire Grey, a developer of integrated artificial intelligence and robotic solutions for e-commerce, retail replenishment, and logistics
On the podcast, John discusses:
-Transitioning from a successful business career to politics, and pursuing the presidency
-His return to business and why he decided to start a SPAC
-The operation of a SPAC from a sponsor’s perspective
-What leads to success as a SPAC sponsor
-Why he and his business partner, AOL co-founder Steve Case, are so excited about their SPAC’s deal with Berkshire Grey
-And more
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Scott Galit, CEO of Payoneer, the global payment and commerce-enabling platform which powers growth for millions of digital businesses worldwide. Payoneer recently announced a going-public transaction through SPAC FTAC Olympus Acquisition in a $3.3 billion transaction.
On the podcast, Scott discusses:
- How his background as an investment banker at DLJ and senior executive at Mastercard prepared him for the CEO role at Payoneer
- What it was like working with SPAC legend Betsy Cohen
- Background and insights on their $3.3 billion SPAC merger
- Key growth opportunities for the company
- Why investors should consider Payoneer’s stock
- And more
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest RJ Pittman, CEO of Matterport, the spatial data company leading the digital transformation of the built world. Matterport recently announced a going-public transaction through SPAC Gores Holdings VI in a $2.3 billion deal.
On the podcast, RJ discusses:
-How positions at Apple, Google and eBay prepared him for the CEO role at Matterport
-Background and insights on their $2.3 billion SPAC merger
-Key growth opportunities for the company
-Matterport’s subscription business model and unit economics
-The large total addressable market of digitizing real estate
-And more
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest James Taylor, Founder and CEO of Electric Last Mile Solutions, or ELMS, an electric vehicle (EV) company focused on creating efficient and reliable last mile solutions that recently announced a going-public transaction through SPAC Forum Merger III.
On the podcast, James discusses:
-How his experience in the auto industry paved the way for founding ELMS
-Details on the announced merger with SPAC Forum Merger III
-How ELMS differentiates itself in the electric vehicle sector
-ELMS key growth opportunities
-And more
“Diamond Hands” Keith Gill Testifies to Congress on GameStop Saga. Is Meme Stock Investing Officially Over?
Bitcoin Market Capitalization Reaches $1 Trillion. Is it Too Late for Investors to Buy?
Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Company Li-Cycle to Go Public Through SPAC Peridot Acquisition. Did the Market View the Deal Favourably?
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Andrew Chau, Co-Founder and CEO of Neo Financial and co-founder of Skip the Dishes, which was previously acquired by Just Eat for $200 million.
Neo Financial is a technology company that’s building a better financial experience for all Canadians.
On the podcast Andrew discusses:
-The background behind the founding of both Skip the Dishes and Neo Financial
-Growth opportunities being pursued at Neo
-Competition and the future potential of fintech
-Start-up advice for those considering the jump to entrepreneurship
-And more
Tesla Discloses $1.5 Billion Bitcoin Investment. Has the Institutionalization of Bitcoin Arrived?
Brookfield Infrastructure Launches $13.5 Billion Hostile Takeover of Inter Pipeline. Will They Be Successful?
Fuel Cell Truck Startup Hyzon Motors to go Public Through SPAC Decarbonization Plus Acquisition. Is the Market Tired of EV SPACs Yet?
Short Seller Hindenburg Research Launches Scathing Attack on Newly Public Clover Health. What Does the Market Think of the Accusations?
Jeff Bezos Retires as Amazon’s CEO, Passing the Torch to Andy Jassy. Was Bezos the Greatest CEO of All Time?
Payments Firm Payoneer to Go Public Through SPAC FTAC Olympus Acquisition. Did the Market Like the Deal?
Online Brokers Cut Off Retail Trading as Record Volumes Cause Liquidity Crunch. Are These Firms at Risk of Going Under?
Noted Short Seller Andrew Left Swears Off Shorting, Transitions to Long-Only Investing. Will Activist Short Selling Go Extinct?
Electric Vehicle Company Faraday Future to Go Public Through SPAC Property Solutions Acquisition. Is the Market Still Hot for EV Deals?
“Cable Cowboy” John Malone Debuts Liberty’s $500 Million SPAC. Does this Legitimize the Asset Class?
Battleground Stock: Retail Speculators Create Massive Short Squeeze in Gamestop Shares. Who is on the Other Side?
EV Charging Company EVgo Unveils Going-Public Transaction Through Blank Check Company. Did the Market Like this EV Deal?
Online Lender Affirm Stock Nearly Doubles in Initial Public Offering. Is There a Bubble in IPOs?
SPAC ArcLight Shares Skyrocket on Merger with Electric Vehicle Company Proterra. Is the Market Still Hot for EV Deals?
Arbitrageurs Win Big as Cisco Ups Bid for Acacia by 64.3% to $115.00. Is this the End of the M&A Drama?
In today’s podcast, we welcome special guest Rob Wiesenthal, Founder and CEO of Blade, a global urban air mobility platform that recently announced a business combination with SPAC Experience Investment Corp. On this episode Rob discusses:
-The transition from senior roles and experience at large corporations such as TripAdvisor, Starz, Warner Music and Sony to entrepreneurship
-How the idea for Blade came about and how it evolved from an idea to a business
-The SPAC deal process
-Blade’s key growth initiatives
Softbank’s Blank Check SVF Investment Corp Completes $525 Million IPO. What Are They Going to Acquire?
Fintech Company SoFi to Go Public Through Social Capital’s SPAC. What Does the Market Think of This Deal?
Target Snubs Buyer as Acacia Walks from Cisco Deal. Why Did its Stock Trade up so Much?
In this week’s podcast, we welcome special guest Avinash Rugoobur. He is the President of electric vehicle company Arrival, which recently announced a business combination with SPAC CIIG Merger at a $5.4 billion enterprise value. In today’s episode we discuss:
-The process of going public through a SPAC
-Arrival’s future growth opportunities in the market
-What differentiates Arrival from its competitors
-The investment case for Arrival
In today’s episode, we welcome special guests Robert Di Iorio, VP and Portfolio Manager, and Jeffrey Lynn, Associate Advisor, from Di Iorio Wealth Management of RBC Securities. We talk about:
-their background in investing and how he landed a position at RBC
-how technology is changing their roles as advisors and their main value-add as wealth managers
-aspects of growth investing that resonates most with their clients and common investor mistakes
-their view on Tesla stock and their best investment opportunities for the next 10 years
In this week’s podcast we welcome special guest Rob Van Wielingen. Rob is the President of Viewpoint Investment Partners and manages Viewpoint’s flagship global multi-asset strategy on behalf of institutions, family offices, and UHNW families across Canada and the United States.
We discuss:
-How Viewpoint was created out of a family office
-Asset allocation within a family office and the advantages a family office has over institutional investors
-Risk parity as an investment strategy
-Startup investing
Investors Party like it’s 1999 as Airbnb Shares More Than Double in Their Stock Market Debut. Is the Company Really Worth $100 Billion?
DoorDash Stock Skyrockets in its IPO as the Market Craves Tech Offerings. Are we in a Growth Stock Bubble?
Electric Vehicle Deals Proliferate as Four SPACs Announce EV Mergers. What’s Going to Halt the Frenzy in EV SPAC Deals?