Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• The Story of the Ford Foundation (1:05)
• Development of Mission Investment Criteria (4:08)
• Results of the Investment Strategy (7:21)
• Complexity of Impact Investing (10:16)
• Importance of Long-Term Perspective (12:57)
• Learning and Adapting in Impact Investing (17:08)
• Quality Jobs Impact Investing (21:41)
• Insider Segment: AI-Driven Solutions for VC Funds and Portfolios (24:09)
• Successful Engagements and Outcomes (27:55)
• AI Integration in Business Strategies (29:53)
• Public Recognition of AI Efforts (33:29)
• Capital Access Imbalance (35:14)
• Impact of Diversity on Economic Growth (37:02)
• Portfolio Diversity Challenges (40:39)
• The Weaponization of Quotas (42:52)
• The Role of Behavioral Insights (48:43)
• Strategies to Reduce Bias (52:02)
• Advice for Diverse Fund Managers (57:55)
• Mergers and Consolidation Opportunities (1:00:14)
• Final Thoughts and Takeaways (1:04:46)

The Ford Foundation is an independent organization working to address inequality and build a future grounded in justice. For more than 85 years, it has supported visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. Today, with an endowment of $16 billion, the foundation has headquarters in New York and 10 regional offices across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Bottega8 offers secure and cost-efficient AI Model Training and Fine-Tuning tailored for financial institutions. If you're concerned about the expense and complexity of building in-house AI teams, or worried about the privacy and security risks inherent in Big Tech AI APIs, we provide the ideal solution for your proprietary data.Bottega8's solution is specifically designed for institutional financial clients, including PE/VC funds, hedge funds, broker-dealers, traders, investment banks, and fintechs. By partnering with us, you eliminate the need for expensive AI engineers, hefty API fees, and complex technical roadmaps—reducing your AI development costs by up to 85%. If you're seeking AI Model Training and Fine-Tuning services that prioritize security and cost-efficiency without sacrificing Big Tech fidelity, we'd love to talk to you. Learn more at bottega8.com/swimming.

Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.

The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Sarah's Background and Career Journey (0:18)
• Importance of Capital Allocation (5:09)
• Investment Philosophy (8:30)
• Manager Selection Framework (9:41)
• Framework Adaptability (12:54)
• Team-Based Decision Making (15:51)
• Investment Edge and Sustainability (16:43)
• Insider Segment: Enhancing Fund Thesis Through Custom AI Solutions (18:14)
• Impact of AI on VC Firms (21:03)
• The Role of Discipline in Fund Management (23:10)
• Importance of Mentorship in the Industry (27:38)
• Supporting Emerging Fund Managers (30:33)
• Explorer Rating Platform (32:45)
• Community Foundations' Impact (33:49)
• Braving Our Savings (35:05)
• Advice for Emerging Allocators (37:24)

NEPC, LLC is one of the industry’s largest independent, full-service investment consulting firms, serving more than 400 clients with over $1.7T assets under advisement. Our mission is to help governments, institutions, families, and individuals preserve and grow their capital across different asset classes and market cycles. Our research-driven investment solutions are tailored to support your unique financial goals, constraints, beliefs and time horizons. As trusted and thoughtful stewards of capital, we measure our accomplishments by the success of our clients. As an employee-owned company, we know our greatest strength is our people, an exceptional and diverse group of professionals united in their commitment to fulfilling your long-term financial objectives. Our goal is to deliver objective investment advice and the highest level of service. We invite you to experience the NEPC difference. Visit nepc.com to learn more.

Bottega8 offers secure and cost-efficient AI Model Training and Fine-Tuning tailored for financial institutions. If you're concerned about the expense and complexity of building in-house AI teams, or worried about the privacy and security risks inherent in Big Tech AI APIs, we provide the ideal solution for your proprietary data.Bottega8's solution is specifically designed for institutional financial clients, including PE/VC funds, hedge funds, broker-dealers, traders, investment banks, and fintechs. By partnering with us, you eliminate the need for expensive AI engineers, hefty API fees, and complex technical roadmaps—reducing your AI development costs by up to 85%. If you're seeking AI Model Training and Fine-Tuning services that prioritize security and cost-efficiency without sacrificing Big Tech fidelity, we'd love to talk to you. Learn more at bottega8.com/swimming.

Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.

The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Christina's Accidental Career Path (0:51)
• Entry Into Hedge Funds (2:43)
• Storytelling in Venture Capital (3:22)
• Market Research Importance (5:54)
• Lessons from Bridgewater (7:55)
• Consulting at FBG (11:28)
• Education's Role in Consulting (13:03)
• Client Needs for Reliable Data (15:32)
• Understanding Venture Goals (17:39)
• DPI vs. IRR Narrative (18:43)
• Insider Segment: Custom AI Model Training (21:10)
• Data Security Risks (26:11)
• Cost-Effectiveness of Custom Solutions (28:14)
• Renaissance Venture Capital Overview (30:36)
• Overview of Startup Event Success (35:07)
• Investment Culture in Michigan (37:45)
• Criteria for Fund Selection (39:11)
• Importance of Risk Management (41:24)
• Final Thoughts and Takeaways (44:15)

The Renaissance Venture Capital Fund was formed with the philosophy that venture capital is important for economic growth and that many major industrial and business regions such as the State of Michigan are underserved in the amount of venture capital available to fund exciting new ideas and technologies. Success is often built by a combination of innovation, capital and strong working relationships. Our belief is that by providing much needed capital to top tier venture capital firms that are active in Michigan and by building bridges between young innovation companies and Michigan's established business community, we can achieve regional success in the form of strong investment returns and economic growth.

Bottega8 offers secure and cost-efficient AI Model Training and Fine-Tuning tailored for financial institutions. If you're concerned about the expense and complexity of building in-house AI teams, or worried about the privacy and security risks inherent in Big Tech AI APIs, we provide the ideal solution for your proprietary data.Bottega8's solution is specifically designed for institutional financial clients, including PE/VC funds, hedge funds, broker-dealers, traders, investment banks, and fintechs. By partnering with us, you eliminate the need for expensive AI engineers, hefty API fees, and complex technical roadmaps—reducing your AI development costs by up to 85%. If you're seeking AI Model Training and Fine-Tuning services that prioritize security and cost-efficiency without sacrificing Big Tech fidelity, we'd love to talk to you. Learn more at bottega8.com/swimming.

Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.

The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.