The Crexi Commercial Real Estate Podcast: Conversations in All Things CRE Multifamily Migration & The Future of Urbanization
This episode covers Daniel Dart’s, GP at Rock Yard Ventures, thesis on the long-term future of multifamily, demographic shifts, and urbanization.
The Crexi Podcast explores various aspects of the commercial real estate industry in conversation with top CRE professionals. In each episode, we feature different guests to tap into their wealth of CRE expertise and explore the latest trends and updates from the world of commercial real estate.
In this episode of The Crexi Podcast, host Jessica LaRusso interviews Daniel as he recounts his remarkable journey from homelessness and incarceration to becoming a prominent venture capitalist in the proptech space.
Daniel discusses his background as a punk rock musician and social organizer, his academic achievements, including earning an MBA from MIT, and his passion for urbanization and multifamily housing projects. He provides valuable insights for aspiring venture capitalists from underrepresented backgrounds, stressing the importance of mentorship and building lasting relationships.
- Meet Daniel Dart: From Homelessness to Ivy League
- Daniel's Early Life and Punk Rock Days
- Prison, Release, and a New Beginning
- Venturing into Social Organizing and Academia
- The Birth of Rockyard Ventures
- Navigating the Complexities of Housing and Development
- The Appeal of Urban Centers
- The Rise of Adult Renters
- Challenges in Property Ownership
- Innovations in Housing and Construction
- Opportunities in Urbanization
- Investment Strategies and Advice
- Building Relationships in VC
- Advice for Aspiring Venture Capitalists
- Conclusion and Contact Information
About Daniel Dart:
Daniel Dart is the founder of Solo GP fund Rock Yard Ventures. His journey from homelessness and incarceration to where he is today shows how powerful second chances can be.
A leader and advocate for underserved and underprivileged communities, he has worked on the ground, helping build equity and social movements on both a local and global scale. A rare talent, he matriculated to the London School of Economics graduate school without ever having received an undergraduate degree. In addition to being published in Harvard Business Review and the World Economic Forum, he has presented his academic and economic research worldwide, including in Sri Lanka, China, Ireland, Japan, and the United States.
Daniel's journey to where he is today is anything but typical. He was born in the Bay Area but spent most of his youth in Southern California. He experienced homelessness on the streets of San Diego and Los Angeles between 1999-2001, a chapter of time that shapes everything he does today. Daniel was also the brainchild of a prominent punk-rock band, Time Again, where he wrote and sang about social issues, poverty, and getting through life one day at a time. In 2011, he was sentenced to 6 years in prison, where he filed and won an appeal to reduce his sentence by two years. Upon release, with a new perspective of owning his flaws while being true to himself, he made amends and launched the second chapter of his life – one that focuses on the altruistic value of helping others.
He recently completed his Executive MBA at MIT, where he is the first formerly incarcerated student in the school's history and a recipient of the Dean's Fellowship, Sloan Leadership Fellowship, and Pechacek Fellowship awards and scholarships.
He is an active member of Milken Institute's Young Leaders Circle, an Advisory Board Member of Village Capital, and a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Forum.
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