Explore the enigmatic success of Renaissance Technologies, a finance firm driven by scientists using math, computers, and AI to generate incredible returns. Follow the rebellious mathematicians who “solved the market” with a system that outperformed for 34 years, never losing money. Unveil the evolution of RenTec from manual trading to groundbreaking data-driven strategies, and their creation of the Medallion Fund. Delve into the intricate dynamics, innovative strategies, culture, and unique financial mechanics that set RenTec apart in the financial world.

Explore the iconic allure of Hermès as a luxury brand with unique strategies like limited supply, minimal branding, and no marketing department. Discover how the family-led company transformed itself dynamically over six generations and navigated a $200B market cap. Dive into the history of craftsmanship, strategic decisions, and the evolution of Hermès from equestrian roots to modern luxury icon.

Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company behind Ozempic and Wegovy, disrupted themselves with the drug equivalent of an iPhone moment. The podcast dives into their 100+ year history, Nobel Prizes, board room dramas, and the world's largest charitable foundation. It explores the discovery and production of insulin, Novo Nordisk's journey in the insulin market, and the challenges faced in the pharmaceutical industry. The podcast also discusses the impact of genetic engineering on insulin production, the race for human insulin, and the complexities of the pharmaceutical supply chain. It touches on Novo Nordisk's success and stagnant stock, the incentive problem in healthcare, and the power of incumbents in the industry. The podcast delves into the FDA approval process, value creation vs value capture in Novo Nordisk, and the acquisition of Pillpack by Amazon.

In the 'Holiday Special 2023' podcast, Ben and the unknown guest reflect on the incredible year of Acquired-land, tease big things for 2024, and share their favorite purchases under $200. They discuss topics such as lab-grown vs. mined diamonds, the growth and achievements of Statsig, the impact of Spotify on podcasting, and the importance of staying true to their content. The hosts also highlight their partnerships with JP Morgan's payments division and ServiceNow, and express gratitude to their listeners and sponsors.

Discover the unknown history and strategy of Visa, the 11th largest market cap company. Learn about the origins of Visa and its relationship with Bank of America. Explore the rise of American Express and the birth of the credit card industry. Delve into the challenges of building a distributed asset and the potential rewards for banks. Uncover the formation of National Bank of America and the power of the name Visa. Explore the dual nature of Visa as a technology company and its revolutionizing transaction authorization. Discuss the transition and ownership structure of Visa. Examine the limitations of the current payment ecosystem and the impact of PayPal on online payments. Enjoy trivia about Bank of America cards and the irony of their branding. Plus, get book and skit recommendations.

We sit down with the legendary Charlie Munger in the only dedicated longform podcast interview that he has done in his 99 years on Earth. We’ve gotten to have some special conversations on Acquired over the years, but this one truly takes the cake. Over dinner at his Los Angeles home, Charlie reflected with us on his own career and his nearly 50-year partnership at Berkshire Hathaway with Warren Buffett. He offered lessons and advice for investors today, and of course he shared his speech on the virtues of Costco once again (among other favorite investments). We’re so glad that we got the opportunity to record and share this with you all — break out your notebooks, tune in, and enjoy the singular wit and wisdom of Charlie Munger.A transcript is available here.Sponsor:Special thanks to Tiny for being the exclusive sponsor of this episode. You can get in touch with them here (just tell them Ben & David sent you), and order your very own bronze Charlie bust here.More Acquired!:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2ACQ Merch Store!© Copyright 2023 ACQ, LLC‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang discusses the company's motivation to enter the datacenter business, the roots of their platform strategy, and his mindset behind 'betting the company' multiple times. The podcast also explores the importance of reading business books, NVIDIA's decision to focus on the data center market, and the future of AI. They touch on topics such as staying ahead in a competitive business environment, the role of developers, and the realization of bigger markets. The episode concludes with a reflection on LSI Logic's impact and a discussion on the market opportunity of an autonomous chauffeur.

Nvidia's incredible journey includes an $1 trillion addressable market, the power of GPUs in revolutionizing AI, recruiting AI researchers for Open AI, Crusoe's clean compute cloud, language models like GPT 3, OpenAI's transformation with Microsoft, the emergence of generative AI, Nvidia's advances in generative AI, CUDA programming platform, Nvidia's unique culture, brand power in the AI era, potential bear case scenarios, usefulness of generative AI in writing code, AI's potential in various domains, impact of Nvidia in the early AI space, and a discussion on the Disney movie Moana.

Explore the fascinating characteristics of Costco, including their low prices and wealthy customer base, as well as their high labor profitability and minimal SKUs. Learn how Costco's C-Suite started as baggers and checkout clerks. Discover their successful business model, impressive revenue growth, and unique cash conversion cycle. Dive into the challenges they faced competing with Walmart and their expansion into international markets. Uncover Costco's commitment to ethics, efficient logistics system, and ability to generate high revenue per square foot. Explore their business strategy, scale economies, and vertical integration efforts. Also, learn about their supplier dynamics, return policy, and consistent culture throughout the years.

Nike — it’s perhaps the most iconic and most prolific brand of the modern era. On any given day, swooshes adorn the feet of more people on earth than any other footwear company — by a long shot.If you read Shoe Dog or watched Air, you may think you know its history. But Shoe Dog ends in 1980, and Air… well let’s just say it’s an enjoyable piece of fiction. And it turns out (as always) that the real story is filled with far more drama, twists and business lessons than either of those works.We’ve been wanting to cover Nike for a long time, and thanks to our LPs who voted to choose this episode it’s finally here. So lace up your Vaporflys, Air Maxes, Dunks or Jordans (or your Monarchs, hey we don’t judge), head out for a long run or walk and enjoy!Links:Episode sourcesCarve Outs:Marc Andreessen on Lex Fridman and on Ben ThompsonSpeak Now (Taylor’s Version)Sponsors:WorkOS: https://bit.ly/workos25Huntress: https://bit.ly/acqhuntressStatsig: https://bit.ly/acquiredstatsig24More Acquired!:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Merch Store!© Copyright 2015-2025 ACQ, LLC‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.