Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry Carrie Thome – Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained at WARF and beyond (Capital Allocators, EP.160)
Oct 19, 2020
Carrie Thome, the former CIO of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and founder of the venture capital firm NVNG, shares her inspiring journey from small-town Wisconsin to the heights of investment management. She discusses the innovative structure of WARF and its evolution in nurturing university technologies. Carrie highlights her passion for boosting Wisconsin's entrepreneurial scene by connecting local startups with broader venture capital resources. Personal anecdotes about work-life balance and her commitment to impactful investing round out this engaging conversation.
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Accidental Career Path
- Carrie Thome's career path was largely accidental, starting in real estate finance.
- She found underwriting mortgages boring and transitioned to institutional investment management after downsizing at her company.
From Real Estate to Private Equity
- At SWIB, Thome initially struggled with industry jargon like "carried interest", coming from a real estate background.
- She chose private equity because it resembled real estate and later moved to WARF for total portfolio management.
WARF's Unique Structure
- WARF, founded in 1925, uniquely holds patents outside the university setting, offering advantages for asset building.
- This structure allows for reinvestment and grants back to the university, supporting research and startups.