Absolute Return Podcast

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Einride CEO Roozbeh Charli. Einride is a technology company driving the transition to electric and autonomous freight operations for some of the world's largest shippers. On the show we discuss: How his background in investment banking, finance, and M&A helps shape the way he leads a deep-tech transportation company Why the freight industry is ready for a technology-led reinvention Technological challenges and why Einride can succeed where others have failed The one thing that investors should understand about the future of freight And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Jim Ferry, who is a Partner at Volition Capital. Volition Capital is a Boston-based growth equity firm partnering with founders to accelerate business growth and scale innovative, high-potential companies. On the show, we discuss: What is growth equity and how it differs from venture capital and private equity The “sweet spot” for growth equity investing Product-market fit and signs that a business is ready for institutional capital His thoughts on liquidity, exits, and secondary markets And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, arcMacro’s Founder and Chief Economist, Dylan Smith. Having served as an economist at Goldman Sachs and Rosenberg Research, and later as a private market consultant at McKinsey, Dylan understands exactly how macro forces translate into the long-horizon, illiquid world of private equity and alternatives. On the show, we discuss: The current conflict in Iran and its effect on inflation Persistent government deficit spending and the implications for bond investors What asset class he is worried about Which segment of the market provides the most attractive mispricing And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Fifth Era Partners Co-Founder and CEO Matthew Le Merle. Fifth Era Partners is a specialized asset manager providing access to exponential technologies that are transforming our world. On the show we discuss: Whether he expects a new crypto bull market and what will drive it Which area of AI is overhyped and which is underappreciated that isn’t consensus yet His top investment theme for the next 5 years And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, dMY Squared Technology Group Chairman Harry You. dMY Squared Technology Group is a SPAC that recently announced a merger with Horizon Quantum, a developer of advanced software development tools for quantum computers. On the show we discuss: His lessons learned from working at Morgan Stanley, Oracle, and Broadcom, while working with tech luminaries Larry Ellison and Hock Tan What characteristics he looks for in technology investments Why he is bullish on quantum computing His advice for long-term investors trying to navigate today’s technology landscape And more!

On today’s show, we welcome special guest, Max Martin, CEO of Enhanced. Enhanced is an elite sports competition and innovative performance company providing products that optimize health and longevity. On the show we discuss: The philosophical case for letting athletes use performance-enhancing drugs The biggest misconception about PEDs Details about Enhanced’s business model What to expect at the Enhanced Games And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Victory Capital’s Chairman and CEO David Brown. Victory Capital is diversified global investment management firm offering a wide array of independent investment approaches and innovative solutions. On the show, we discuss: The “multi-boutique” model and the competitive advantage it provides The firm’s approach to mergers and acquisitions Where the biggest opportunities for growth are in the investment management industry His advice for the next generation of business leaders And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Reflexivity Co-founder and President, Giuseppe Sette. Designed for institutional investors, Reflexivity combines trusted data with explainable AI to surface insights - not noise. On the show we discuss: The best use of AI in the investment process Whether AI will replace or enhance human portfolio managers If there’s a place for discretionary macro investing in an AI-driven world What the next level investment research stack will look like for analysts And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Gabelli Portfolio Manager John Belton. Gabelli is a globally diversified, research-driven financial services firm with extensive investment offerings. On the show we discuss: Which segment of the AI value chain faces the best prospects Whether large language models face the risk of commoditization If AI will kill software and SaaS companies Whether we should be concerned about valuations within AI And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, EquityZen Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer Phil Haslett. EquityZen is an online marketplace for trading pre-IPO shares of private companies. On the show, we discuss: Some of the hardest challenges he encountered building a marketplace startup The opportunity for investors in pre-IPO shares Why companies are staying private longer and private company liquidity His #1 piece of advice for entrepreneurs And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Catalyst Funds CIO David Miller. Catalyst offers unique investment products to meet the needs of discerning financial advisors and their clients. On the show, we discuss: How they find best of breed hedge fund managers Why portable alpha makes sense for investors What he views as the best opportunity in the equity market Why he continues to be bullish on gold And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Barings BDC’s President Matt Freund. Barings BDC primarily makes debt investments in core middle market companies. On the show, we discuss: The recent choppiness and negative sentiment in the private credit market The effect of declining base rates on yields and credit conditions The current deployment opportunity set for private credit funds PIK loans and portfolio construction And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Palmer Square Capital BDC’s President Matt Bloomfield. Palmer Square Capital BDC primarily invests in corporate debt securities across private companies in the U.S. through broadly-syndicated loans and large cap direct lending. On the show, we discuss: Their investment focus on broadly syndicated loans and how that differs from most BDCs Recent headlines that have caused some negative sentiment in the credit market and BDC NAV discounts First Brands and the path forward when a loan gets restructured Lifescan and what happens when a distressed loan recovers And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Kayne Anderson BDC President Frank Karl. Kayne Anderson BDC invests primarily in first lien senior secured loans with a secondary focus on unitranche and split-lien loans to private middle market companies. On the show, we discuss: Recent volatility in BDC prices and what is driving NAV discounts Credit market conditions amidst talk of “cockroaches” and negative headlines from First Brands and Tricolor Characteristics that make core middle market direct lending attractive for investors An update on private credit spreads and payment-in-kind loans And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Eva Yazhari, the General Partner of Beyond Capital Ventures, a women-led impact venture capital firm. On the show, we discuss: The compelling opportunity for early stage investing in Africa and India How venture capital differs in emerging markets What she looks for when investing in a startup And more

On today’s show, we welcome special guests, Brandon Sun, Cohen’s Managing Director and Head of SPAC Investment Banking, and Christian Lopez, Cohen’s Managing Director and Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets. Cohen is a full-service boutique investment bank focused on advising leading and emerging companies across sectors to address their strategic and financial opportunities. On the show, we discuss: Dynamics driving the momentum in the IPO market Trends in digital asset capital formation and crypto treasury companies The evolution of digital assets within the capital markets What investors can expect for the back half of the year And more

On today’s show we welcome special guests, ReserveOne’s CEO Jaime Leverton and President Sebastian Bea. ReserveOne is a newly formed, first-of-its-kind digital asset management firm inspired by the proposed U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile. On the show, we discuss: Their “bitcoin moment” and what initially got them interested in crypto ReserveOne’s digital asset investment strategy How ReserveOne differentiates itself from other crypto treasury companies Reasons why an investor would choose a crypto treasury company over an ETF or holding crypto directly And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guests, Upexi’s Chief Strategy Officer, Brian Rudick and Meteora Capital’s Chief Investment Officer, Vik Mittal. Brian and Vik have been involved in the creation of crypto treasury companies and are experts in the space. Upexi is a Solana Treasury Company. On the show, we discuss: What is a crypto treasury company and how do they create value long term? Why should investors buy a crypto treasury company instead of buying the crypto themselves or through an ETF? How are SPACs and RTOs involved in this dynamic? How has the regulatory environment changed in the U.S. around digital assets? And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, CIO of Starkiller Capital, Leigh Drogen. Starkiller Capital is an institutional investment firm applying quantitative data-driven strategies to blockchain based digital assets. On the show we discuss: Core tenets of their approach to crypto investing Trend following and yield farming in crypto Their approach to risk management  His top emerging trends in the digital asset space to have on your radar And more!

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund's President Michael Occi. Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (MSDL) seeks to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns by investing primarily in directly originated senior secured loans issued by U.S. middle market companies. On the show, we discuss: Why investors should consider an allocation to private credit What explains the significant market share growth of private credit in financing buyouts MSDL’s defensive approach to lending, with a focus on first lien loans His thoughts on the current market environment for private credit loans And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, American Gold Exchange President, Dana Samuelson. American Gold Exchange is a leading national precious metals and rare coin company specializing in dealer-to-dealer trading and direct sales. On the show, we discuss: Why investors should own gold as an investment If Trump’s election effects the bull case for gold Whether investors should prefer gold over bitcoin Risks and reward of owning physical gold And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Mirion Technologies CEO Tom Logan. Mirion designs, manufactures, and provides radiation detection, measurement, analysis and monitoring products to the nuclear power and medical markets. On the show, we discuss: The path from private equity ownership to the public markets The macro bull case for the nuclear industry Mirion’s approach to mergers and acquisitions His learnings as a long-tenured CEO And more

On today’s show, listen to Julian and Mike have a live discussion on the State of the Markets: Navigating Q4 and Beyond. On the show, we discuss: The opportunities within global equities, including the sector we are most bullish on Why investors should stay away from fixed income and which investments allocators should use for yield The outlook for mergers and acquisitions along with a potential positive catalyst Why gold is a must own asset and may outperform bitcoin And more A point of disclosure, Accelerate funds may have long or short positions in the securities discussed in this episode.

On today’s show we welcome special guest, the co-CIO of Cambrian Asset Management, Martin Green. Cambrian is a quantitative investment firm for digital assets. On the show, we discuss: Cambrian’s approach to crypto investing and how it is differentiated Navigating crypto’s volatility and macro events including the FTX bankruptcy Keys to success and staying power in the digital asset space And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Whitestone REIT CEO Dave Holeman. Whitestone REIT is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that primarily owns, operates, and redevelops retail community-centered properties in Texas and Arizona. On the show we discuss: The thesis behind Whitestone’s focus on community and neighborhood centers The challenges and opportunities in real estate due to the dramatic increase in interest rates Keys to success in the real estate industry Which segment of the real estate market he is most bullish on And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Meteora Capital Founder and CIO Vik Mittal, his second time on the podcast. Meteora Capital is an investment firm specializing in SPAC-related instruments in both public and private companies. On the show, we discuss: What has happened in the SPAC market over the past 24 months Meteora’s approach to investing in the SPAC market A look into Canna-Global Acquisition (CNGL) What he thinks is next for the SPAC market And more

On today’s show, we welcome special guest, Stanford AI Researcher Dr. Mohammad Rasouli. Mohammad helps funds to realize the benefit of artificial intelligence for alternative asset investment by providing AI education and tailored AI strategy, and by implementing the proprietary InvestAI technology. These include using AI for both alpha generation and operational efficiency, including deal sourcing/insight, fundraising, portfolio transformation, investor communications, and marketing.   On the podcast, we discuss: Compelling use cases for large language models in investing Specific examples of how AI has helped uncover unique investment opportunities more effectively than traditional methods How investment managers can balance the use of AI with human judgment And more

On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Jeffrey Seder, founder of EQB, a company that provides thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, breeding, and racing management services. On the show, we discuss: What got him into the business of thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, and breeding The basics of horse racing betting A look into the advanced analytics used by professional horse racing bettors The ideal outcome for an investment into a racehorse And more

March 13, 2024 - On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Carson Block of Muddy Waters. Carson is an activist short seller who conducts in-depth fundamental short analysis focused on business fraud, accounting fraud, and fundamental problems. On the show, we discuss: His fortuitous path to short selling as a profession Sino Forest and the short that put him on the map The thesis behind his bearish view on Fairfax Financial His approach to risk management And more

December 17, 2023 - On today’s episode we welcome special guest, Hodes Weill Managing Partner and Co-founder, Doug Weill. Hodes Weill is a leading, global capital advisory firm focused on the real estate and real assets investment and funds management industry. On the show, we discuss: How real estate plays a role in investment portfolios Which segments of the real estate market are most favourable, and which investors should avoid The biggest risk facing real estate investors currently His real estate “top pick” And more!

October 24, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest, Zapata AI Co-Founder and CEO Christopher Savoie. Zapata AI is an industrial generative AI software company developing solutions and applications to solve enterprises’ hardest problems.On the show we discuss: How Christopher went from getting his PhD in a medical field to founding several tech startups A deep dive into what artificial intelligence is and what it can accomplish Some use cases for industrial generative AI How the company offers faster, cheaper, and more accurate generative AI And more  

August 14, 2023 -  On today’s show we welcome special guest, Bitcoin Depot CEO Brandon Mintz. Bitcoin Depot operates the largest bitcoin ATM network in the world. On the show, we discuss: Brandon’s “bitcoin moment” and what initially got him interested in the cryptocurrency His entrepreneurial journey and where he got the idea to start the company Why their customers use ATMs instead of online exchanges to buy bitcoin Bitcoin Depot’s growth initiatives, including their approach to M&A What he believes is in store for the future of bitcoin

February 27, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest and the 2022 Dealmaker of the Year, Danny Rice. Danny was the CEO of Rice Acquisition 1, which merged with Archaea Energy in a $1.15 billion deal and then subsequently sold to BP for $4.1 billion. Danny is now the CEO of Rice Acquisition 2, which recently announced a $1.5 billion merger with NET Power, a clean energy technology company. On the show, Danny discusses: Key lessons learned from the Archaea Energy SPAC merger and subsequent sale to BP A primer on NET Power’s innovative clean energy technology The case for U.S. shale gas powering reliable, clean and low-cost power What inspires him as an entrepreneur and business leader And more

January 6, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest Phil Bak, CEO of Armada ETF  Advisors. Phil has been innovating in the ETF industry for over 15 years. He has previously served as Founder/CEO of Exponential ETFs, an ETF issuer and sub-advisor acquired by Tidal ETF Services in 2020. Phil has also served as Chief Investment Officer at Signal Advisors, a venture-backed startup in Detroit and Managing Director at the New York Stock Exchange. On the show, Phil discusses:   Characteristics of ETFs that make them a great tool for investors Some major innovations in ETFs over the past 15 years The bull case for residential real estate What is happening in the private REIT space The major risk investors face in private REITs And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, David Friedberg, Founder and CEO of The Production Board. Dave is an entrepreneur, business leader and investor who founded The Climate Corporation, which was sold to Monsanto for $1.1 billion. He now leads The Production Board, a holding company of businesses established to solve the most fundamental problems.   On the show, Dave discusses: - His early experiences in investment banking, Google, and what it was like working with Larry Page - The founding, growth and sale of his first venture, the Climate Corporation - High potential investment themes that he is focused on - Insight into one of his latest deals: Lavoro, Brazil’s largest agricultural inputs retailer - And more

On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. Intuitive Machines is a diversified space exploration, infrastructure, and services company. On the show, Steve discusses: -Some of his main learning experiences at NASA and what inspired him to leave to launch a startup -The current state of the space race -The potential for long-term lunar infrastructure and commerce -What he thinks is in store for space exploration over the next 50 years -And more

On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, AvePoint CEO TJ Jiang. AvePoint is the largest data management solutions provider for the Microsoft cloud.  On the show, TJ discusses: His journey from new immigrant, to Wall Street, to successful entrepreneur taking his company public How he made it through the adversity when founding the company Lessons learned from taking his company public His thoughts on the current recessionary economic environment And more

On today’s show we welcome special guests, Newsight Imaging CEO Eli Assoolin and VSAC CEO George Sobek. Newsight Imaging develops high-quality image sensors that can be integrated into industries such as robotics, automotive, mobile and many others. Vision Sensing Acquisition is a SPAC that is set to merge with Newsight. On the show, Eli and George discuss: -A teach-in on vision sensors and chips -Growth opportunities in semiconductors -Market conditions and whether there’s a recession -Their top productivity hacks -And more  

 On today’s show we welcome special guest, Social Leverage Founder Howard Lindzon. Social Leverage is a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage and seed-stage investments in the Software, Consumer, and Fintech industries. On the show, Howard discusses: How he initially got into investing and what is appealing about early-stage investing Key lessons learned from his hits and misses within startups, angel investing and venture capital What he thinks is in store for NFTs, crypto and web3 in the future His thoughts on the current market environment And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Trinity Capital President Kyle Brown. Trinity Capital is a provider of venture debt financing, a smart financing option for high-growth venture capital-backed startups. On the show, Kyle discusses: -A primer on business development companies -The basics of venture loans and equipment leases -How venture debt fits into an investment portfolio -And more

On today’s show, we welcome special guest Dragonfly Energy CEO Denis Phares. Dragonfly Energy is a leader in energy storage and producer of deep cycle lithium-ion storage batteries.  On the show, Denis discusses: Advantages of lithium-ion products over lead-acid batteries The outlook for lithium carbonate prices Key aspects of the business that investors should consider His favourite productivity hack And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Delphia's Andrew Peek. Delphia runs an algorithmic investing strategy powered by machine learning.  On the show, Andrew discusses: -Predicting fundamental data using AI to drive investment alpha -Which fundamentals their algorithm trades on -How humans can incorporate machine learning into their investment process -What he finds most compelling about capital markets -And more  

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Grove Collaborative CEO Stu Landesberg. Grove Collaborative is a leading sustainable consumer products company. On the podcast, Stu discusses: -How he made the jump from the buy side to entrepreneurship -The opportunity he sees in environmentally friendly home and personal care products -Struggles and successes building a new venture from scratch -His favorite productivity hack -And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest Near CEO Anil Mathews. Near is a global SaaS leader in privacy-led data intelligence on people, places and products. On the show, Anil discusses: Whether entrepreneurs are born or made Characteristics that make enterprise software attractive for entrepreneurs Near’s datasets and why they’re useful The #1 most important attribute for an entrepreneur to have And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Moolec Science founder and CEO Gastón Paladini. Moolec is a science-based food ingredient company that is going public through a merger with SPAC LightJump Acquisition. On the show, Gastón discusses: What is molecular farming and how did it originate How they produce meat molecules with plants Why meat alternatives are necessary His biggest challenge as an entrepreneur And more

On today’s show we welcome special guests, Alliance Entertainment’s Chairman Bruce Ogilvie and CEO Jeff Walker. Alliance Entertainment is a distributor and wholesaler of the world’s largest in stock selection of music, movies, video games, electronics, arcades, and collectibles.   On the show, Bruce and Jeff discuss:  Insights, challenges and opportunities in the distribution business The company’s roll-up strategy How Alliance competes and grows in an era of streaming Their thoughts on the current macro environment And more  

On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, ClimateRock CEO Per Regnarsson. ClimateRock is a special purpose acquisition company that plans to acquire strategic renewable assets and enabling technologies with large decarbonization potential and strong financial history and prospects.  On the show, Per discusses: What specific types of opportunities the SPAC is looking at His thoughts on the current market environment The outlook for sustainable investing Key segments of the sustainability sector that investors should have on their radar And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Getaround Founder and CEO, Sam Zaid. Getaround is the world’s leading fully digital and global carsharing marketplace.  On the show, Sam discusses: His entrepreneurial journey from Ottawa to San Francisco The main benefits of carsharing for both hosts and guests What it’s like being a Softbank portfolio company His favourite productivity hack And more

On today’s podcast we welcome special guest, Footprint CEO Troy Swope. Footprint is a global materials science technology company focused on sustainable solutions. On the show, Troy discusses: -The innovation and improvement available in packaging solutions -How plant-based packaging solutions compare to plastic -Footprint’s business model and estimated total addressable market -Insights into their merger with SPAC Gores Holdings VIII -And more

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Voltus CEO Gregg Dixon. Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource software technology platform. On the podcast, Gregg discusses: -What are distributed energy resources (DERs) and why they are important -Voltus’ recurring revenue business model and strong unit economics -Thoughts on the current market environment and raising a $100 million PIPE financing -Advice to entrepreneurs considering taking their company public -And more