How I Invest with David Weisburd

Aakar Vachhani, from Fairview, discusses the role of data in venture capital, Fairview's unique structure, and their co-investment program. They also explore the discipline of making investment decisions, the advantages of a fund of funds, and the importance of team cohesion in VC firms.

Charmel Maynard, CIO of University of Miami, discusses asset allocation, diversification strategies, assessing venture funds, unique VC challenges, tracking emerging managers, and the importance of diversity in asset management.

Ashby Monk, Stanford Professor, discusses the role and operation of asset owners like pension funds and endowments. Topics include compensation in these fields, the state of pension funds in the US, and their impact on private equity. They also explore the challenges faced by institutional asset owners, the importance of governance in institutional investing, and the dynamics between unions, pension funds, and hedge funds in the private equity industry. The significance of transparency in investment portfolios and the crucial role of asset owners in the financial ecosystem are also discussed.

David Friedberg, founder of Ohalo and former VC, discusses role of concentrated capital, VC's future, and impact of capital saturation. Topics include evolving investment strategy, transition from VC to operator, turning around companies, and exploring power law in portfolio companies.

Alan Feld, Co-Founder of Vintage Investment Partners, shares his experience and insights on product-market fit, building an enduring VC firm culture, and engaging with General Partners. They discuss successful GP cultures, investment allocation, and VC-LP relationship transparency. They also explore the importance of self-reflection and learning from mistakes, hiring operators, and long-term thinking in venture capital.

Lo Toney, fund manager and former angel investor at Plexo Capital, discusses his transition to fund management, the importance of patience in early-stage investments, the diligence process for managers, and the strategy behind selecting LPs. They also explore the significance of empathy in startups, the importance of non-performance factors in raising funds, the significance of Distributed to Paid-In Capital for institutional investors, the value of non-consensus viewpoints in venture capital, applying first principle thinking in early-stage startups, building a strong LP base, and Plexo Capital's global perspective.

Roland Reynolds, Senior Managing Director at Industry Ventures, discusses investing $7 billion into startups and venture capital funds. They explore investing in emerging managers and using secondaries to drive alpha. They also talk about addressing risk and duration in early stage venture investments, portfolio construction, flexible investing, and gratitude for the venture capital ecosystem.

Fernando Pontaza, Co-Founder of Invariantes, discusses setting up the first Guatemalan Venture Capital Fund and targeting a 25% IRR. They explore challenges in Guatemala's startup ecosystem, trade-offs of a 25% IRR strategy in VC, choosing emerging managers for investment, importance of diversification, and delivering a magical experience in VC.

Winter Mead, Founder and CEO of Coolwater Capital, discusses the importance of emerging managers and building the YC for GPs with David Weisburd. They explore the growth of venture capital, the distinction between good investors and operators, and the qualities needed for venture capitalists and emerging managers. They also delve into the components of the Coolwater program and the significance of building trusted relationships in the industry.

Jeff Galvin, CEO of Addimmune, sits down with David Weisburd to discuss cell and gene therapy, and how Addimmune is working on a functional solution for HIV. We’re proudly sponsored by Bidav Insurance Group, visit lux-str.com if you’re ready to level up your insurance plans. (0:00) Episode Preview (2:21) Jeff’s background (5:08) Teaching at MIT as a teenager (8:22) What is gene therapy? (11:53) Episode Sponsor: Bidav Insurance Group (12:39) Gene therapy success stories (16:11) What is HIV? (20:14) AGT103 and the quest for a functional HIV cure (23:22) AGT103’s Phase I results (29:43) How gene therapy could revolutionize pharmaceuticals (30:52) How to contact Addimmune