Absolute Return Podcast

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...

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 Acq...

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 sourcin...

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 bet...

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 bear...

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 favourabl...

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 in...

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 exc...

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....

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 an...

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 ex...

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 comme...

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 thoug...

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...

 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 wit...

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...

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 capit...

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 favo...

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...

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...

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’...

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 curre...

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 thei...