How I Invest with David Weisburd

Ali Ansari, Founder and CEO of micro1, who built a platform connecting PhDs and specialists to frontier AI labs. He discusses how expert human data now limits model progress. He explains why production AI agents need rigorous evaluation and why coding is the first agent-ready use case. He also covers how micro1 scaled by refocusing on data infrastructure and the new roles humans will play.

Michael Phipps, Partner at New Republic Partners, a multifamily office veteran in portfolio construction and alternatives. He discusses building conflict-free open-architecture firms. Conversations cover designing portfolios around growth, income, and diversification. They compare endowment-style policy to total portfolio flexibility and the roles of absolute-return strategies, co-investments, and liquidity in aligning long-term objectives.

Kate Simpson, senior venture allocator at GEM with prior LP experience at UNC and fund-of-funds, talks manager selection and portfolio construction. She discusses how reference checks, fund sizing, and reserve strategies reveal who can capture power-law winners. Conversation covers market bifurcation between access and discovery, sourcing advantages, and early signals of strong managers.

Nicole T Musicco, Founder of Square Nine Capital and former CalPERS CIO, led large pension portfolios and private markets work. She talks about bringing a total-portfolio mindset to CalPERS. She describes breaking down silos, aligning incentives and governance, building board trust, and scaling co-investing and private credit strategies.

Brian O’Malley, founder of Tactile Ventures and longtime consumer and tech investor, explains why consumer startups are misunderstood and ripe again. He discusses how AI is moving past toys into real products. He explores incentives inside VC, why humans still matter in AI workflows, and how early-stage investors win by offering founders time and preparation.

Narayan Chowdhury, Co-founder and Partner at Franklin Park who oversees ~$21B and has 20+ years in venture and private markets. He explores why today’s venture market feels untethered and hard to underwrite. They discuss gaps in venture data, the growing importance of access and long-term founder relationships, risks of consensus strategies, and when specialist conviction outperforms brand.

Rakesh Jain, Global Head of Private Credit at Pantheon and builder of a large credit secondaries platform. He explains why credit secondaries emerged, how seasoned portfolios differ from primary origination, and the mechanics of liquidity in private markets. Short takes cover diversification across thousands of loans, LP versus GP-led trades, adverse selection, and where credit secondaries may head next.

Jesse D. Serventi and Atif Gilani, Founding Partners of Renovus Capital Partners, dive into the secrets behind raising $875M in a challenging fundraising landscape. They discuss how focusing on sub-$10M EBITDA businesses offers competitive advantages and enhances deal flow. The duo emphasizes the importance of talent density and a strong firm culture as key drivers of success. They also explore innovative portfolio construction strategies, advocating for longer holding periods of winning investments and the significance of selecting the right long-term partners.

In this insightful discussion, Chris Brimsek, Managing Director of CAB Advisory and former COO at Carlyle, reveals the secret sauce for building resilient investment firms. He highlights the importance of eliminating intellectual hierarchy and fostering a culture of forgiveness and trust. Chris emphasizes that true leadership involves using mistakes as learning moments. He shares challenges faced by emerging managers, such as talent retention and the oversight of business operations, and offers advice on how to create a successful, sustainable firm culture.

Abe, a consulting researcher at AngelList and CIO of Strawberry Tree Management Company, dives deep into the dynamics of venture investing. He reveals how venture capital returns often misrepresent skill versus structure. Discover why seed stage investing requires broad exposure and how adverse selection plays a crucial role in outcomes. Abe shares insights on why small checks can outperform larger bets and how access, rather than mere insight, drives success in the venture ecosystem. His data-driven strategies challenge traditional assumptions, making for a compelling discussion on finding alpha in venture.