Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. Follow along and subscribe at swimmingwithallocators.com.
Recent Content
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Lisha's Background and Journey in VC (1:44)Inspiration for Equity Charge (2:38)Angel Investing Data (4:36)Access to Venture Capital (6:02)Role of LP …
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Lisha's Background and Journey in VC (1:44)Inspiration for Equity Charge (2:38)Angel Investing Data (4:36)Access to Venture Capital (6:02)Role of LP Investing (9:32)Advice for First-Time LPs (11:07)Valuing Early Backers (15:04)Economic Opportunity Fund at PayPal Ventures (16:14)Team Collaboration and Initiative (17:24)Advice for Other Organizations (20:00)Insider Segment: How Adoro Provides Scalable Solutions for VC Firms (21:09) Naming Adoro Advisors (23:27)Evolution of Fund Administration (25:37)Adoro's Unique Positioning (28:13)Synergy wit…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Bradley's Background and Journey in Politics and VC (1:08)Regulatory Challenges in VC (3:18)Understanding Political Dynamics (4:18)Investment Strateg…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Bradley's Background and Journey in Politics and VC (1:08)Regulatory Challenges in VC (3:18)Understanding Political Dynamics (4:18)Investment Strategies in Regulated Industries (6:00)Importance of Local Politics (9:33)California AI Bill Overview (11:25)Political Implications of the AI Bill (13:17)AI in Government Processes (16:08)Impact of AI on Legal Marketplaces (18:51)Sector-Specific Growth in GovTech (20:38)Political Influence on Tech Regulation (22:19)FTC's Mixed Impact on Innovation (24:13)Concerns Over Economic Policies (27:29)Mobile Vo…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Malcolm’s Background and Experience (0:10)Experience as an Allocator (2:43)LP Perspective on Investment Risks (4:07)Advantages of Smaller Check Wri…
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Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Malcolm’s Background and Experience (0:10)Experience as an Allocator (2:43)LP Perspective on Investment Risks (4:07)Advantages of Smaller Check Writers (6:43)Criteria for Assessing Fund Managers (8:44)Exciting Opportunities in Healthcare and Deep Tech (12:09)Challenges of Sourcing Family Offices (15:06)Insider Segment: The Impact of AI on Hardware Ecosystems (18:30)Interest in Hardware Financing (21:15)Diversifying Capital Stacks (22:20)Formation of the Black LP Association (24:12)Growth of Diverse Emerging Managers (27:27)Challenges in Fund…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Aakar's Career Journey (1:27)Evolution of Fairview's Investment Strategy (2:56)Impact of the Great Recession (3:06)Fairview's Investment Activities (…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Aakar's Career Journey (1:27)Evolution of Fairview's Investment Strategy (2:56)Impact of the Great Recession (3:06)Fairview's Investment Activities (5:22)Partnerships and New LPs (7:31)Direct Co-Investment Strategy (8:30)Differentiation from Other Fund of Funds (11:23)Chip on the Shoulder Mentality (13:31)Overlooked Opportunities in Diversity (15:01)Emerging Managers and Deal Flow (16:46)Insider Segment: Camber Road's Business Overview (00:17:37)Navigating Large Funding Offers (19:30)Strategic Work in Venture Capital (22:19)Anticipating New Fu…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Matt’s Background and Experience in VC (0:10)Challenges in Venture Capital Allocations (2:20)Understanding the Allocator's Perspective (4:32)Techno…
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Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Matt’s Background and Experience in VC (0:10)Challenges in Venture Capital Allocations (2:20)Understanding the Allocator's Perspective (4:32)Technology's Impact on Allocators (7:02)Direct Investments vs. Outsourced CIOs (10:04)Using Third-Party Reports for Performance Measurement (14:14)Understanding Performance Metrics (16:12)Venture Capital Landscape (17:50)Insider Segment: The Importance of Diversifying Funding Sources (19:31)Extending Your Runway and Preserving Equity (22:06)Engaging with Camber Road (22:57)Insurance Allocators' Strategy…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Lisa's LP Career Journey (1:05)Changes in the Venture Capital Landscape (4:21)Introduction to Screendoor (6:16)GP Advisory Services Explained (8:47)P…
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Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Lisa's LP Career Journey (1:05)Changes in the Venture Capital Landscape (4:21)Introduction to Screendoor (6:16)GP Advisory Services Explained (8:47)Portfolio Construction Approach (13:20)Analyzing Fund Ones (15:53)Investment of Time (17:44)Common Pitfalls for First-Time Managers (21:22)Legal and Operational Considerations (25:14)Insider Segment: Starting a New Venture (00:27:06)Understanding Equipment Financing (30:07)Lessons from the 2020-2022 Debt Cycle (31:55)Importance of Diversifying Funding Sources (36:10)The Value of Personal Stories in…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Jaclyn’s Background and Journey in VC (0:50)Early Experiences in Venture Capital (1:55)Finding Edge in Venture Investing (5:16)Decision to Institut…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Jaclyn’s Background and Journey in VC (0:50)Early Experiences in Venture Capital (1:55)Finding Edge in Venture Investing (5:16)Decision to Institutionalize Fund Investments (8:09)Evolution of Foundry's Investment Strategy (10:38)Building Networks in Venture Capital (15:16)Initial Impressions of the Venture World (16:14)Understanding the LP World (17:51)Evaluating People in Venture (20:39)Adapting to a Growing Number of Funds (23:01)Insider Segment: Advice for Fund Managers (25:49)Opportunities for Limited Partners (27:22)Outlook for 2024 (28…
This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa welcome Jaclyn Freeman Hester, partner at Foundry VC in Boulder, Colorado. She had the good fortune of training under Lindel Eakman (ex-UTIMCO)…
This week on Swimmin…
This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa welcome Jaclyn Freeman Hester, partner at Foundry VC in Boulder, Colorado. She had the good fortune of training under Lindel Eakman (ex-UTIMCO). Jaclyn explains Foundry's decision to institutionalize their fund of funds strategy and how their strategy in early-stage VC funds has evolved along the way. She provides guidance for other LP’s considering a Fund-of-Funds strategy and what worked well for Foundry. This episode also features industry expert Brian Huber of Gunderson Dettmer warning fund managers not to get too cute with creati…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Sunil’s background in venture capital (0:11)First Contact with DFG (2:07)Transition to AngelList (5:02)Insights Leading to the Collective (6:57)Shi…
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Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Sunil’s background in venture capital (0:11)First Contact with DFG (2:07)Transition to AngelList (5:02)Insights Leading to the Collective (6:57)Shifts in Investment Strategy (10:05)Insider Segment: Regulatory Changes Impacting VC (12:08)Emerging Managers and Established Firms (15:31)Angel Collective Opportunity Fund Overview (18:19)Manager Selection Criteria (21:11)Pitching to Founders (23:06)Opportunity Funds in Context (27:15)Rate of Deployment Expectations (28:25)Emerging Manager Market Fit (30:12)Starting as an Angel Investor (31:43)Chal…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:John’s journey from operator to allocator (0:49)Misalignment in the Market (3:30)RBCx’s Venture Capital Approach (5:40)Key Insights on Fund Inves…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:John’s journey from operator to allocator (0:49)Misalignment in the Market (3:30)RBCx’s Venture Capital Approach (5:40)Key Insights on Fund Investing (8:33)Strategic Advantages of RBCx (10:14)Advice for Corporates on Fund Practices (12:47)Building Anchor Partnerships (14:00)Insider Segment: Challenges for Emerging Managers (17:20)Navigating Due Diligence Processes (19:04)LPA Considerations for Institutional Investors (21:44)Mortgage Challenges for Founders (25:59)Surprises of Being an LP (27:37)Understanding the Capital Food Chain (28:26)E…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Chris Shen's Background and LP Career Journey (0:52)US-China Geopolitics, History, and MacroEconomics (3:27)Developing Relationships with Asian Alloc…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Chris Shen's Background and LP Career Journey (0:52)US-China Geopolitics, History, and MacroEconomics (3:27)Developing Relationships with Asian Allocators (8:02)Flavor of GP and Navigating Family Offices in Asia (11:31)Understanding LP Motivations (16:52)Importance of Liquidity for Investors (18:35)Working with Corporate Venture Capital Groups (22:15)De-risking Perception for Corporates (24:28)Diversity of VC Ecosystem (30:53)Insider segment: Focusing on the Innovation Economy (32:01)Learning the ropes of venture capital (38:18)Advice for juni…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Christopher’s Background and Journey in Venture (0:13)Venture Capital as a Place of Hope (4:33)Macroeconomic Trends in Venture (5:50)Activity in th…
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Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Christopher’s Background and Journey in Venture (0:13)Venture Capital as a Place of Hope (4:33)Macroeconomic Trends in Venture (5:50)Activity in the Secondary Market (7:44)Platforms and Working with Them (12:30)LPs' Preferences in the Market (14:37)The role of venture capital in the global economy (16:43)Working with institutional LPs (17:38)Tailoring services for different client types (19:00)Structural approach to client services (22:19)Navigating the slow-moving venture capital landscape (24:41)Insider Segment: Vested’s API integration …
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:The Series A Crunch (0:59)Concentration of LP Capital in Mega Funds (4:22)Partnership Questions in VC (12:24)Start, Bench, Cut of Alternative Investm…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:The Series A Crunch (0:59)Concentration of LP Capital in Mega Funds (4:22)Partnership Questions in VC (12:24)Start, Bench, Cut of Alternative Investment Products (21:34)Emergence of Solo GPs and Potential Mergers (27:56)Debate on the Potential of 2024 as a Breakout Vintage Year (30:28)LP Update Strategies and Being a Better Ally (33:20)The Power Law (41:22)The Next Novel Approach (42:53)Venture Capital's Future (44:30)Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) pers…
This week on Swimming with Allocators, it’s another DDQ episode as Earnest and Alexa delve into various venture capital (VC) topics and answer audience questions. They discuss the series A crunch, t…
This week on Swimmin…
This week on Swimming with Allocators, it’s another DDQ episode as Earnest and Alexa delve into various venture capital (VC) topics and answer audience questions. They discuss the series A crunch, the concentration of LP capital in mega funds, and the importance of partnership questions in VC. They also debate the merits of secondary funds, blue-chip venture portfolios, and direct investing through family offices. Additionally, they explore the trend of solo GPs and the potential for mergers, debate whether 2024 will be a breakout vintage year for VC returns, and so much more!Highlights f…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Derrick’s background in venture capital (0:19)Transition to public sector (2:27)The Government's role in innovation (4:55)Public perception of gove…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Derrick’s background in venture capital (0:19)Transition to public sector (2:27)The Government's role in innovation (4:55)Public perception of government in venture capital (8:40)Government programs for venture capital (10:48)Constraints of public funding (13:11)Coordination among state programs (15:18)Purpose of public venture funds (17:14)Supporting Underrepresented Small Businesses (17:34)Investing in Diverse Teams (22:41)Insider Segment: Vested’s Differentiation from Competitors (24:59)Considerations for Pre-IPO Shares (25:35)Thought L…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Peter’s background and journey Into Finance (0:58)Strategy of Institutional LPs (2:30)Bandwidth Constraints and Time Management (5:53)Lessons Learn…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Peter’s background and journey Into finance (0:58)Strategy of Institutional LPs (2:30)Bandwidth Constraints and Time Management (5:53)Lessons Learned from Early Stage Programs (8:01)Criteria for Fund Managers (10:11)Transition to Institutional LP and Governance Structure (12:56)Challenges Faced by Institutional LPs (16:10)Excitement about certain investment strategies (19:24)Overview of the Kauffman Fellows program (23:04)Insider Segment: Vested's target audience and investor interest (24:32)Ingredients for successful LP-VC partnership (30:4…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:The Growth and Evolution of Impact Investing (0:47)Misconceptions about Impact Investing (3:34)Impact Investing in Political Climate (7:59)Spring Poi…
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Highlights from this week’s conversation include:The Growth and Evolution of Impact Investing (0:47)Misconceptions about Impact Investing (3:34)Impact Investing in Political Climate (7:59)Spring Point Partners' Mission (11:07)Venture Capital and Impact Strategy (12:28)Assessing and Vetting Fund Managers (14:41)Impact Labeling for Fund Managers (16:47)Fundraising Strength and Networked Wealth (19:13)Silicon Valley Diversity (23:03)Shared Ownership and Participatory Investment Models (28:31)Insider Segment: Stock Option Funding (33:33)Climate Investment Opportunities (42:13)Intersection of Pla…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Alex's experience as a VC turned LP (0:51)Insights into evaluating smaller funds (2:20)Characteristics of a good LP (6:44)Role of an LP as a sounding…
Highlights from this…
Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Alex's experience as a VC turned LP (0:51)Insights into evaluating smaller funds (2:20)Characteristics of a good LP (6:44)Role of an LP as a sounding board (8:06)Constructing an LPAC (10:39)Continuing relationships with funds (12:15)Pitch to LPs for Slipstream Investors (14:17)Evaluating Emerging Managers (18:53)Sector-Focused Funds (24:05)Insider Segment: Navigating Venture Capital’s Evolution (25:45)Diversification of Investment Opportunities (28:35)Future of Venture Capital (30:38)Fund Management and Responsibilities (34:45)Active Investi…