Michael Kakenmaster, the Director of Investments at Loyola University Chicago, shares his expertise in managing university endowments, focusing on private markets and hedge fund strategies. He dives into the intricacies of helicopter leasing as a unique investment opportunity and discusses the changing landscape of venture capital. Kakenmaster emphasizes the traits of effective investment committee members and strategic fund allocation, while highlighting the importance of due diligence in navigating today's complex investment environment.
Understanding the impact of fund size and strategy is essential for venture capitalists to successfully allocate capital across different investments.
Investing in niche markets like helicopter leasing can yield attractive risk-adjusted returns by identifying unique strategies and conducting thorough due diligence.
Deep dives
The Importance of Fund Size and Strategy in Venture Capital
Understanding the implications of fund size and strategy is crucial for venture capitalists. A smaller fund of $50 million might target a limited number of companies, affecting ownership targets and follow-on strategies, while a larger fund of $100 million would require a different approach to capital allocation, including larger lead checks into subsequent rounds. Raising larger amounts necessitates a clear understanding of how to approach various stages of investment, and the skills needed can differ significantly based on the fund's size. Therefore, recognizing the nuances in managing different fund sizes and investment strategies is essential for successful venture capital investment.
Investing in Esoteric Markets: The Helicopter Lease Fund
Investing in niche markets, such as helicopter leasing, can offer opportunities with attractive risk-adjusted returns, particularly because these markets often lack significant competition from larger investment firms. The podcast highlights how a family office transitioned into this sector when traditional private credit investments became less appealing due to narrower spreads and lower yields. By identifying unique investment strategies, such as the tax benefits associated with helicopter leasing, investors can gain an edge in an overlooked area. This approach emphasizes the importance of thorough due diligence and finding differentiated opportunities where specialized knowledge can lead to better investment outcomes.
Diligence Processes for Unique Asset Classes
Conducting due diligence for unconventional investments requires a clear understanding and effective communication approach. Investors need to frame these unique asset classes, like helicopter leasing, in familiar terms to grasp their return and risk profiles better. The process involves extensive research, speaking to knowledgeable contacts, and iterating the questions to ensure clarity in understanding the investment. Strong alignment of interests among all parties involved is also vital, as investment committee members must be able to discuss and agree on the rationale behind each investment decision.
In this episode of How I Invest, we’re joined by Michael Kakenmaster, Director of Investments at Loyola University Chicago. Michael shares his journey and expertise in managing university endowment portfolios, with a focus on private markets and hedge fund strategies. He offers valuable insights on how to build sustainable, diversified portfolios and the strategies that have led to success in his role. We also discuss the evolving landscape of venture capital and how institutions like Loyola are adapting to market changes.
Our Podcast now receives more than 200,000 downloads a month. Are you interested in sponsoring an episode? Please email me at David@10xcapital.com.
–
X / Twitter:
@dweisburd (David Weisburd)
@LoyolaChicago (Loyola University Chicago)
Questions or topics you want us to discuss on How I Invest? Email us at david@10xcapital.com
–
TIMESTAMPS:
(0:00) Episode Preview
(0:44) Overview of opportunistic investments and helicopter lease funds
(3:32) History, challenges, and due diligence in the helicopter leasing market
(8:37) The impact of unique ideas and characteristics of a top investment committee member
(10:31) Managing Loyola's endowment and building a venture capital program
(14:32) Lessons from allocator friends and criteria for hedge fund managers
(18:12) Beliefs in market efficiency and retrospective insights
(20:45) Closing remarks
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode