Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry Dave Thornton – Unlocking Venture Access Through Stock Options at Vested (EP.469)
23 snips
Nov 6, 2025 Dave Thornton, Co-founder and CEO of Vested, shares insights from his unique journey bridging entrepreneurship and finance. He discusses the misunderstood dynamics of employee stock options and the critical need for liquidity among startup employees. Vested's innovative data-driven selection model targets the top 20% of venture-backed startups by leveraging proprietary signals and robust backtesting. Thornton also delves into how educational outreach and proactive sourcing can empower employees, all while navigating the complexities of funding and portfolio construction in the venture space.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Widespread Confusion Over Startup Equity
- Many startup employees mismanage or misunderstand their stock options, even those with finance backgrounds.
- Dave Thornton realized this after an acquisition where employees faced unexpected tax and cash issues.
Early ML Projects And Missed Opportunities
- Dave built ML models for varied domains including NBA analytics and poker to tease luck from skill.
- Several promising projects stalled due to regulatory or acquisition-related interruptions.
Educate Employees Before They Need Liquidity
- Educate startup employees early about equity and taxes to prevent harmful decisions later.
- Offer practical tools like AMT calculators to make complex choices actionable.
