Unseen Upside: Investments Beyond Their Returns

Fire is often a marker associated with the worst effects of climate change. But what if fire could actually be harnessed to help reverse it? In this episode, we meet Diamond Foundry, a company revolutionizing the diamond industry with their affordable, lab-created diamonds—free from the myriad of problems associated with the mining process. We’ll learn about the social and environmental impacts of this exploding industry and how investors are rethinking the carbon footprints of their portfolios. We’ll hear from Mona Akhavi (Diamond Foundry); James Joaquin (Obvious Ventures); Dame Caroline Mason (Esmee Fairbairn Foundation); and Simon Hallett (Cambridge Associates).

For most of human history, we’ve been cutting down trees. However, the acceleration of carbon credit markets and the societal demand for climate solutions are pushing us to re-think our relationship with them. So how can investors earn a compelling return from planting trees while helping to sequester carbon and increase biodiversity? We’ll travel to Broadclyst, England to experience the innovation surrounding reforestation and how one organization has the lofty goal of planting 20 million trees in less than 10 years. We’ll hear from Mark Wishnie (BTG Pactual); Peter Vermeulen (The National Trust); Phillip Smart (The Killerton Estate); and Annachiara Marcandalli (Cambridge Associates).

Livestock take up nearly 80% of global agricultural land yet produce only 20% of the world’s supply of calories—so how can we make feeding people more efficient? In this season two premiere of Unseen Upside, we visit an alternative protein company in Boulder, Colorado called Meati. There, we explore how a nutrient-rich fungi called mycelium is changing the game when it comes to protein consumption. It’s better for people and the planet—yet somehow doesn’t compromise on flavor. We’ll learn about the future of nutritional ecosystems from Sam Kass (Acre Venture Partners); David Chang (Momofuku); Tyler Huggins (Meati); and Chavon Sutton (Cambridge Associates).

Season two of the Unseen Upside podcast by Cambridge Associates explores elements of our natural world—and beyond—with the innovators and investors aiming to enhance and protect our future. Powered by the global network of Cambridge Associates, host Luke Charest will explore the investments being made that will improve our lives in unexpected ways. Join us to uncover the Unseen Upside.

Consumers are demanding more from brands than ever before, but how are brands rising to the occasion? In this episode of Unseen Upside, Cambridge Associates’ Global Head of Private Investments, Andrea Auerbach, looks at how technology, coupled with evolving consumer preferences, are impacting how both startups and incumbent brands market themselves. We also speak with Jenny Gyllander, Founder of Thingtesting and Robin Tsai and Wayne Wu, both General Partners at VMG Partners.

In this episode of Unseen Upside, we look at how technology is transforming healthcare for both the provider and the patient—and making it more equitable. Sami Inkinen, CEO and Co-Founder of Virta Health will discuss how his company is treating and reversing diabetes through an app on your phone. We also speak with Jasmine Richards, Cambridge Associates' Head of Diverse Manager Research; Tuoyo Louis, Co-Founder of Seae Ventures; and Rochelle Witharana, CFO of The California Wellness Foundation.

In this episode of Unseen Upside, we’ll explore how non-fungible tokens (NFTs)—and the blockchain technology that supports them—are enabling a revolution in how artists and creators earn a living. You’ll hear from Cambridge Associates’ Joe Marenda and Kenneth Tom; Dawn Harflinger, President & CEO of Queen Lili`uokalani Trust in Hawaii; Maria Shen, Partner at Electric Capital; and Cooper Ray, a photographer based in New York City.

Now more than ever, we rely on high-speed internet to power our work and personal lives—but where does it come from? In this episode of Unseen Upside, we visit Cambridge Associates’ Minesh Mashru in Amsterdam to discuss digital infrastructure and the investments being made in fiber optic cables. We’ll also meet Simon Soder, a Partner at Antin Infrastructure Partners in Paris, Aaron Werley, Vice President of Architecture & Engineering at Zayo Group, and Andrew Kwok, the CEO of HGC Global Communications in Hong Kong.

In this season one premiere of Unseen Upside, we take you to the Foster Brothers Dairy Farm in Middlebury, Vermont to explore impact investing through the lens of precision agriculture and sustainable farming—and specifically, how technology is changing food systems for the better. In this episode, we talk with farmers George and Jeremy Foster, Sam Kass, a Partner at Acre Venture Partners and the former Obama White House Chef, Liqian Ma, Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at Cambridge Associates, and Noelle Laing, Managing Director of Impact Investing for a private family office.

Cambridge Associates’ inaugural podcast season explores the tech changing our daily lives and the people who invest in it. How we invest today drives tomorrow’s innovations. Through conversations with investors and early adopters, explore how investment decisions have the potential to improve our daily lives in unexpected ways. Powered by the network of Cambridge Associates, host Luke Charest will explore the investments being made that will redefine our future. Join us to uncover the Unseen Upside.