The Art of Fundraising in Alternative Investments

Ron Biscardi is the Co‑Founder & CEO of iConnections, a fintech platform reshaping global capital introduction. With 25+ years in the alternative investment space, Ron has facilitated 36,000+ LP/GP meetings since launching iConnections in April 2020. He previously co-founded a boutique seeding firm, deploying over $600M in capital via 20+ deals. From a philanthropic start—with Funds4Food raising $1.9M in 2020 targeting pandemic relief—to anchoring flagship “Global Alts Miami” events, Ron discusses the strategy of building trust, technology, and community in capital formation.

Highlights:

• From charity event to $50M+ platform in five years
• How 17 crypto managers booked 800+ LP meetings
• The one thing top fundraisers do that others don’t
• Why LP behavior is a better signal than mandates
• The GP playbook for getting 50+ meetings at Miami
• Building a capital platform without raising VC
• What GPs get wrong about post-conference follow-up
• How iConnections is using AI to match funds to allocators
• Why Asia may soon outpace the U.S. in alternatives
• The surprising ROI of dinners, concerts, and long games

-- Guest Bio: Ron Biscardi is the Co-Founder and CEO of iConnections, the leading capital introduction platform for the alternative investment industry. Since launching the company in 2020, Ron has helped scale iConnections from a philanthropic idea during COVID into a global platform facilitating over 36,000 LP/GP meetings and powering flagship events like Global Alts Miami, New York, and Singapore. Under his leadership, iConnections has grown to over $50 million in annual revenue—all without venture funding—and is now used by major industry partners including SALT, CNBC, Forbes, and AIMA. Prior to iConnections, Ron co-founded a boutique seeding firm that deployed over $600 million across more than 20 deals. He’s also the driving force behind iConnections’ charitable initiatives, which have raised over $2.5 million for causes including food insecurity, mental health, and support for Ukraine. Ron holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University and has spent over 25 years in the alternative investment industry.

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-- Stay Connected: X / Twitter: David Weisburd: @dweisburd

LinkedIn: David Weisburd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd/ Ron Biscardi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-biscardi-79063/

Links iConnections: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iconnections-llc/

-- Questions or topics you want us to discuss on How I Invest? Email us at david@weisburdcapital.com.

(0:00) Episode preview (1:21) Rahul's approach to adding value to LPs and marketing strategies (7:14) Evolutionary biology, human behavior, and the mission of iConnections (10:35) Founding iConnections and community building (14:22) Compounding benefits of long-term strategies in investing (20:38) Customer feedback, product extensions, and content creation at events (25:24) Leveraging podcast studios for educational value at iConnections events (28:01) Enhancing LP education through meetings (32:41) Relationship building with significant investors (34:31) Effective strategies for GPs to maximize conference opportunities (39:39) Maintaining relationships after conferences (42:45) Impact of AI on manager selection and event planning (47:20) Data partnerships and opportunities (49:16) Addressing misconceptions about iConnections (53:27) Preview of upcoming iConnections events (56:49) Strategies for raising capital across different geographies (59:01) Commitment to expanding into new markets (1:00:44) The role of personal interactions in successful networking (1:02:42) Cultivating friendships to enhance business growth (1:02:58) Closing remarks