#126 Dan Fitzgerald: Rugby union, living zen, re-imagining the world from the atom up w ReGen Ventures + his daughter Frankie's inspiration

Dan Fitzgerald is the Managing Partner at ReGen Ventures, has been investing in climate-tech for over 10 years across early-stage, growth and real assets. Dan was previously the co-founder of a quant hedge fund and an Options Trader at UBS and Macquarie Bank.

In this episode #126 w Dan Fitzgerald, learn about:

His early influences with his sunrise in Brisbane, Australia when his mum was just 18! (My mum was 21 when I was born, kudos to all the incredible mums out there, you’re special). I love Dan’s candour including his dreams to play professional sport, Rugby union in particular — how that didn’t eventuate and led his foray into the world of financial markets and living a life of being present.

Dan calls his 6+ years in the investment banking and hedge fund industry as a rolling epiphany as he sought to find his eventual home of fulfillment being impact investing and working with exceptional founders creating companies as the force for good and this led to the creation of ReGen Ventures, where Dan is the Managing Partner.

Get excited to immerse yourself in how Dan and his team are re-imagining the world from the atom up, what it means to invest in startups from the UK, to Austria to the US to Australia and what are the raw ingredients of category defining companies in ClimateTech.

This episode is dedicated to the beautiful memory of Dan’s daughter Frankie who inspires us all to live to our fullest each day, in love and wonder.

It’s now time to explore your curiosity. Please enjoy! 

(Timestamps below)

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02:20  - Where were you born and live now?

02:42 - What was your first job and now?

03:52 - High Flyer in Dan’s life

05:03 - 18 year old mum

07:25 - Period of change

08:37 - Everyday is a gift

09:40 - Heroes

10:55 - Professional athlete dreams

14:27 - 4am wake ups capturing moments of quiet

16:23 - First date with business and finance

19:20 - Rolling epiphany 6 years in financial markets

21:50 - How to review and change career identity

24:28 - Founding a Quant fund

26:50 - Downside limited, upside unknown and Risk Management

28:10 - Creation of ReGen Ventures

32:00 - “Inconvenient truth” movie inspiring change

34:00 - Magic moments to building a VC fund

37:47 - Breath vs depth of relationships

40:20 - Thesis beyond sustainability to “Regenerative” globally

45:28 - Learnings from investing in UK, Austria, USA and more

48:43 - DNA of a category defining company in ClimateTech

51:00 - Assessing spikes in category creating founders

54:05 - Rainbow in the clouds, daughter Frankie’s memory

57:50 - Final sprint

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