E7: Samir Kaji | Founder and CEO of Allocate on How the Top 5% of LP’s Invest in VC

David Weisburd and Erik Torenberg sit down with Samir Kaji, the co-founder and CEO of Allocate. In this episode, they talk about what differentiates truly elite emerging managers, what VCs get wrong in portfolio construction, what fees VCs are charging today, and his predictions about where the venture ecosystem is going by 2025.

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(0:00) Introduction and creating positive bias with LPs (0:33) Introduction of Samir Kaji and his career journey (1:26) Venture market changes and advice for emerging managers (3:43) What separates top venture managers (5:03) Comparative advantages in venture capital (7:14) The role of access and picking in VC success (8:56) Assessing valuation sensitivity and liquidity needs (10:35) The mission and evolution of Allocate (14:23) Sponsor: AngelList (16:13) Allocate's customer profile and venture allocation advice (18:58) Building a diversified portfolio and market trends in fees (23:00) Future of venture capital and fundraising strategies (27:01) The importance of listening and tools for emerging managers (30:56) Building a team and closing advice (34:23) Contact information for Allocate (35:31) Closing remarks