At Also Capital, Mike Annunziata partners with founders solving the hardest problems in space, energy, and advanced manufacturing. His portfolio includes Radiant Nuclear, Northwood Space, and Varda Space Industries where he serves on the board. We talk about the mindset behind conviction investing, the role of trust in early partnerships, and and what it means to be the first call for frontier builders.

Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/

Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x

Timestamps:

0:00 – Welcome Mike Annunziata to The Rise

0:45 – Early influences and what shaped his mindset as an investor

2:20 – From Soros Fund Management to founding Also Capital

6:05 – Backing the next generation of Hard Tech founders

10:12 – Inside the portfolios of Varda Space, Radiant, K2 Space, Northwood, and ConductorAI

14:18 – Serving on the board at Varda Space and staying close to the build

18:07 – Conviction before consensus: how Mike makes early calls

23:26 – The role of trust and partnership in company building

28:35 – Building Also Capital as a firm with long-term gravity

33:42 – Lessons from operating and investing in frontier sectors

39:50 – How the next era of Hard Tech will be built

44:55 – Rapid-fire questions

47:30 – Closing reflections and advice for emerging managers

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