This podcast is sponsored by:

The CFA Institute. The CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals whose mission is to lead the investment profession by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society. CFA Institute serves a global community of investment professionals working to build an investment industry where investors' interests come first, financial markets function at their best, and economies grow. The chartered financial analyst credential is the most respected and recognized investment management designation in the world.

Show Notes:

[00:02:24] – (First Question) – Ali’s investment philosophy

[00:03:33] – History of Coventure and its unique structure

[00:06:30] – The story of how Coventure was seeded

[00:12:29] – What makes the cost of capital such an interesting topic for Ali

[00:14:13] – Exploring fee structures and the expectations for return in the current environment

[00:17:02] – The current state of the VC world

[00:21:42] – Ali’s investment process on the VC side

[00:25:32] – What other requirements are there for Ali to make a VC investment

[00:28:00] – Understanding the difference between judgment and empathy in founders

[00:29:47] – Dealing with LP’s

[00:33:39] – At one point did Ali feel the most personally at risk in his career

[00:37:55] – Why did they get involved in cryptocurrency

[00:43:30] – What excites Ali most about crypto

[00:46:09] – Lending as an alternative way to invest in businesses

[00:48:09] – An overview of their lending business

[00:50:21] – How do deal flow and sourcing work in these arrangements?

[00:52:54] – How much encroachment will Ali face from competitors

[00:54:28] – Exploring the idea of valuing and buying digital accounts

[00:59:36] – How Ali thinks about marketing for his own firm and the ones he invests in

[01:03:59] – Longer-term aspirations for Ali and industries that he would avoid

[01:08:05] – Ali’s view on the potential negative impact of free content

[01:12:48] – Kindest thing anyone has done for Ali