Swimming with Allocators

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Matt’s Background and Experience in VC (0:10)Challenges in Venture Capital Allocations (2:20)Understanding the Allocator's Perspective (4:32)Technology's Impact on Allocators (7:02)Direct Investments vs. Outsourced CIOs (10:04)Using Third-Party Reports for Performance Measurement (14:14)Understanding Performance Metrics (16:12)Venture Capital Landscape (17:50)Insider Segment: The Importance of Diversifying Funding Sources (19:31)Extending Your Runway and Preserving Equity (22:06)Engaging with Camber Road (22:57)Insurance Allocators' Strategy (24:55)MetLife's Venture History (26:40)Innovation Office Impact (27:53)New Pools of Capital (31:29)Balanced Portfolio Insights (34:25)Investment Strategies for New Investors (34:52)The Challenge of Investor Sentiment (37:00)The Importance of Manager Selection (40:09)Contrarian Investment Strategies (41:36)Final Thoughts and Takeaways (44:14)Matt Curtolo is a seasoned investor with 20+ years covering all functional areas of the private markets from both an allocator and investor lens. Most recently, he built the investment capability from the ground up at a fintech start-up called Allocate, focused on offering high-quality venture capital and alternative investment opportunities to a broader investor base. Previously, he was a co-manager of MetLife's Alternative Investments Portfolio and Head of Private Equity at a large independent OCIO. Matt began his career at Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE) during its early growth, before it became the world's pre-eminent private markets allocator. Camber Road is the most cost-effective, flexible and nimble leasing company for venture-backed businesses. We are experienced, but not stodgy. We're hungry, like the startup companies we serve. And we hold every lease on our balance sheet. We finance business-essential equipment for venture-backed companies. We do one thing, and we do it better than the rest. Learn more at www.camberroad.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Lisa's LP Career Journey (1:05)Changes in the Venture Capital Landscape (4:21)Introduction to Screendoor (6:16)GP Advisory Services Explained (8:47)Portfolio Construction Approach (13:20)Analyzing Fund Ones (15:53)Investment of Time (17:44)Common Pitfalls for First-Time Managers (21:22)Legal and Operational Considerations (25:14)Insider Segment: Starting a New Venture (00:27:06)Understanding Equipment Financing (30:07)Lessons from the 2020-2022 Debt Cycle (31:55)Importance of Diversifying Funding Sources (36:10)The Value of Personal Stories in Fundraising (38:39)The Future of Venture Capital Evolution (00:44:17)Understanding Fund Management Challenges (46:17)Challenges Faced by LPs (48:04)Risk Management in Fund Commitments (50:16)Encouragement for Younger LPs (51:27)Final thoughts and takeaways (52:09)Lisa Cawley is the Managing Director at Screendoor, an investment platform that invests in new managers raising early institutional venture funds and building an enduring firm. At Screendoor, Lisa leads efforts to reshape the VC landscape by supporting new fund managers. Lisa leads the firm and is responsible for the entirety of Screendoor’s operations and investments. Her commitment extends beyond her professional roles, actively participating in initiatives like Global Women in VC, advocating for economic empowerment, transparency, and inclusivity in the ecosystem. Prior to Screendoor, Lisa worked with a private multi-billion-dollar global investment firm where she was involved in all aspects of managing the firm’s private market portfolio, including sourcing and manager due diligence, asset allocation and forecasting, and creating and implementing the firm’s investment data tools and analytics. Lisa started her career at Ernst & Young, & earned an MBA, MSF, and BBA from Loyola University Maryland. She is a CFA Charterholder and holds a CPA. Camber Road is the most cost-effective, flexible and nimble leasing company for venture-backed businesses. We are experienced, but not stodgy. We're hungry, like the startup companies we serve. And we hold every lease on our balance sheet. We finance business-essential equipment for venture-backed companies. We do one thing, and we do it better than the rest. Learn more at www.camberroad.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Jaclyn’s Background and Journey in VC (0:50)Early Experiences in Venture Capital (1:55)Finding Edge in Venture Investing (5:16)Decision to Institutionalize Fund Investments (8:09)Evolution of Foundry's Investment Strategy (10:38)Building Networks in Venture Capital (15:16)Initial Impressions of the Venture World (16:14)Understanding the LP World (17:51)Evaluating People in Venture (20:39)Adapting to a Growing Number of Funds (23:01)Insider Segment: Advice for Fund Managers (25:49)Opportunities for Limited Partners (27:22)Outlook for 2024 (28:28)Transition to Direct Investing (32:08)Importance of Manager Relationships (35:37)Value of a Focused Strategy (39:10)Future of Venture Capital (43:37)Connecting with Jaclyn and Final Thoughts (44:10)Jaclyn Freeman Hester is a Partner at Foundry. She joined in 2016 with a passion for supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs and investors. Jaclyn leads direct investments in early-stage companies, often collaborating with Foundry’s partner funds. She loves working closely with founders to solve hard problems and think about the human elements of business. She invests across B2B and consumer companies that exhibit strong end-user empathy and use technology to empower individuals, unlock potential, and improve experiences. Jaclyn helped launch Foundry’s partner fund strategy, building the portfolio to nearly 50 managers. Bringing her unique GP + LP perspective, Jaclyn has become a go-to sounding board for emerging VCs. Jaclyn first fell in love with entrepreneurship while earning her JD/MBA at CU Boulder (Go Buffs!). There, she served as Executive Director of Startup Colorado, where she got to know Foundry and the incredible Boulder/Denver startup community the firm helped catalyze. In her brief stint as a practicing attorney, Jaclyn advised clients in M&A transactions and early-stage financings. She also witnessed the founder's journey first-hand, working closely with her husband and his family as they built a B2B SaaS company, FareHarbor (acquired by BKNG). Learn more at foundry.vcGunderson Dettmer is the preeminent international law firm with an exclusive focus on the innovation economy. The firm serves market-leading venture capital and growth equity investors and pioneering companies through inception, growth and maturity, as well as groundbreaking public companies that result from the global venture capital ecosystem. The firm’s clear-cut focus and well-honed technical skill enables an accelerated pace and unmatched efficiency, delivering best-in-class value at each phase of a client’s business. Learn more: www.gunder.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Sunil Pai, a venture capital expert with experience at DFG and AngelList, shares valuable insights into the evolving investment landscape. He discusses shifts from late-stage to early-stage ventures and the implications of regulatory changes on fund operations. Sunil introduces the Angel Collective Opportunity Fund, emphasizing its focus on proven emerging managers and the importance of thematic specialization. He also offers advice for aspiring VCs and highlights trends in the venture capital space, making a compelling case for collaborative funding models.

John Rikhtegar, Director of Capital at RBCx, and Brian Huber, Fund Partner at Gunderson Dettmer, dive into the changing landscape of Canadian venture capital. They discuss the misalignment in market opportunities and the critical infrastructure needed for emerging founders. The duo also touches on the challenges faced by new managers in fundraising, the importance of building anchor partnerships, and insights into the capital food chain. Key takeaways include the role of government support and future fundraising trends in Canada’s evolving ecosystem.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Chris Shen's Background and LP Career Journey (0:52)US-China Geopolitics, History, and MacroEconomics (3:27)Developing Relationships with Asian Allocators (8:02)Flavor of GP and Navigating Family Offices in Asia (11:31)Understanding LP Motivations (16:52)Importance of Liquidity for Investors (18:35)Working with Corporate Venture Capital Groups (22:15)De-risking Perception for Corporates (24:28)Diversity of VC Ecosystem (30:53)Insider segment: Focusing on the Innovation Economy (32:01)Learning the ropes of venture capital (38:18)Advice for junior investors (40:30)Personal experiences and growth in investing (43:27)Asian American foundation and the Committee of 100 (45:33)C100 organization (49:57)Connecting with Chris and Final Takeaways (50:27)Chris Shen has over 15 years of financial services, investments and legal experience in both the United States and Asia. He is the co-founder of Revere, which is building a tech-enabled, data-driven platform specializing in emerging managers – like Cambridge Associates for the modern allocator. l. Previously, Chris was a managing director at LQ Pacific Partners, a Hong Kong based merchant bank focusing on tech investments. Chris was also a founding partner of West 22nd Capital Advisers, a Hong Kong-based single family office and SFC-licensed investment firm. Chris led investments in external asset managers, established the firm’s operations and was a member of the investment committee. Before moving to the buy side, Chris was a senior corporate finance and investment funds lawyer with Baker McKenzie, with a pan-Asia practice representing large corporates, financial institutions, and fund managers.Gunderson Dettmer is the preeminent international law firm with an exclusive focus on the innovation economy. The firm serves market-leading venture capital and growth equity investors and pioneering companies through inception, growth and maturity, as well as groundbreaking public companies that result from the global venture capital ecosystem. The firm’s clear-cut focus and well-honed technical skill enables an accelerated pace and unmatched efficiency, delivering best-in-class value at each phase of a client’s business. Learn more: www.gunder.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Christopher’s Background and Journey in Venture (0:13)Venture Capital as a Place of Hope (4:33)Macroeconomic Trends in Venture (5:50)Activity in the Secondary Market (7:44)Platforms and Working with Them (12:30)LPs' Preferences in the Market (14:37)The role of venture capital in the global economy (16:43)Working with institutional LPs (17:38)Tailoring services for different client types (19:00)Structural approach to client services (22:19)Navigating the slow-moving venture capital landscape (24:41)Insider Segment: Vested’s API integration (27:29)Cold emails vs. Warm intros (00:31:55)Looking beyond current AI trends (33:45)Meeting etiquette and deal pitches (35:29)Long-term relationships in venture capital (39:07)Transitioning within venture capital firms (42:32)Fundraising advice and market entry strategy (45:52)Final thoughts and closing remarks (47:22)Knightsbridge Advisers has dedicated more than four decades to building premier portfolios of venture capital relationships in the industry and providing institutional investors access to strong performing venture managers. Knightsbridge focuses on fund of funds and separately managed accounts for primary, secondary, and opportunistic investments in venture capital and growth equity partnerships. Learn more: knightsbridgevc.com/ Vested empowers startup employees to capitalize on their hard-earned equity, primarily by providing funding to help exercise stock options. The company’s overarching mission is to democratize access to equity, ensuring that startup employees both understand and have a real chance to tangibly benefit from the shares they’re granted.Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:The Series A Crunch (0:59)Concentration of LP Capital in Mega Funds (4:22)Partnership Questions in VC (12:24)Start, Bench, Cut of Alternative Investment Products (21:34)Emergence of Solo GPs and Potential Mergers (27:56)Debate on the Potential of 2024 as a Breakout Vintage Year (30:28)LP Update Strategies and Being a Better Ally (33:20)The Power Law (41:22)The Next Novel Approach (42:53)Venture Capital's Future (44:30)Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Derrick’s background in venture capital (0:19)Transition to public sector (2:27)The Government's role in innovation (4:55)Public perception of government in venture capital (8:40)Government programs for venture capital (10:48)Constraints of public funding (13:11)Coordination among state programs (15:18)Purpose of public venture funds (17:14)Supporting Underrepresented Small Businesses (17:34)Investing in Diverse Teams (22:41)Insider Segment: Vested’s Differentiation from Competitors (24:59)Considerations for Pre-IPO Shares (25:35)Thought Leaders in the LP Community (27:11)Allocation for Diversity and Climate (29:16)Definition of Climate Justice (31:01)Unique Aspects of Climate Investing (34:02)Mission and Returns in Inclusive Investing (37:30)Fund Size and Deployment (40:35)Final thoughts and takeaways (42:15)Derrick Tang serves as the Deputy Director of Venture Capital at IBank California, a role he was appointed to by Governor Gavin Newsom. With a rich background in climate change, venture capital, and government leadership, Derrick has dedicated his career to increasing access to capital for entrepreneurs. His work focuses on supporting underrepresented fund managers and entrepreneurs, with an additional emphasis on climate justice investments. Derrick's previous roles include leading the Climate Investments team at the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and managing grants at the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF). He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and is passionate about leveraging venture capital to drive social and environmental change.Vested empowers startup employees to capitalize on their hard-earned equity, primarily by providing funding to help exercise stock options. The company’s overarching mission is to democratize access to equity, ensuring that startup employees both understand and have a real chance to tangibly benefit from the shares they’re granted.Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:Peter’s background and journey Into finance (0:58)Strategy of Institutional LPs (2:30)Bandwidth Constraints and Time Management (5:53)Lessons Learned from Early Stage Programs (8:01)Criteria for Fund Managers (10:11)Transition to Institutional LP and Governance Structure (12:56)Challenges Faced by Institutional LPs (16:10)Excitement about certain investment strategies (19:24)Overview of the Kauffman Fellows program (23:04)Insider Segment: Vested's target audience and investor interest (24:32)Ingredients for successful LP-VC partnership (30:45)Role of limited partners in the future of venture capital (33:24)Proud venture capital investment (35:49)Investing with Creativity and Conviction (38:03)Final thoughts and takeaways (38:50)Peter Teneriello is a multifaceted professional with a rich background in finance and private equity. At 33, he boasts a B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, complemented by his participation in the Kauffman Fellows Program. His career includes significant roles at Sapient Capital, Stifel Financial Corp., and the Texas Municipal Retirement System. As a Kauffman Fellow, Peter has demonstrated a commitment to innovation and leadership in the investment field. His interests in technology and ethical considerations in AI highlight his forward-thinking approach.Vested empowers startup employees to capitalize on their hard-earned equity, primarily by providing funding to help exercise stock options. The company’s overarching mission is to democratize access to equity, ensuring that startup employees both understand and have a real chance to tangibly benefit from the shares they’re granted.Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.