David Roos - Core Innovation Capital

Read his VC Uncovered Profile: https://www.vcuncovered.com/p/david-roos-core-innovation-capital

Podcast Summary:

Drew Glover (Fiat Ventures) talks to David Roos from Core Innovation Capital on the power of the "anti-mega fund" and investing to "do good and do well". David details his journey from a lucrative but unfulfilling career in fixed-income trading to venture capital, explaining why he believes smaller, strategic funds are better for founders. He argues that mega-funds often treat seed rounds as mere "option bets" and are incentivized to play a "management fee game" , while his ~$100 million fund takes meaningful ownership and is truly aligned with building fund-returning businesses.

The conversation gets really interesting when David explains how Core quantifies its impact thesis. He introduces their "trillion dollar metric" —an audacious goal to create $1 trillion in net new worth for everyday people by investing in companies that save them money or help them earn more. He also offers a provocative take on Direct-to-Consumer FinTech, declaring it "very much alive" and poised for a new wave driven by AI-powered personalization and automated finance.

Sponsor:

This season is supported by SVB. Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. Member FDIC.

SVB is a trusted collaborator for the founders pushing boundaries and the investors who back them. We're proud to have them as our sponsor.

Please note, this podcast is for informational purposes and is not investment, financial, or legal advice. The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of SVB.

Courtney Leimkuhler - Springbank.VC

Read her VC Uncovered profile here: https://www.vcuncovered.com/p/courtney-leimkuhler-springbankvc

Podcast Summary:

Drew Glover talks to Courtney Leimkuhler from Springbank Collective on investing in the overlooked backbone of our economy. Courtney breaks down Springbank's thesis of funding the critical infrastructure for how we work, live, and care—tackling massive, historically underfunded markets like childcare and elder care. She introduces the "Doritos versus daycare" paradox: while consumer goods have become cheap and abundant, essential services for families have become prohibitively expensive and difficult to access, creating a huge opportunity for innovation.

The conversation gets really interesting when Courtney shares how her deep background as an operator in "big finance," including running M&A for the New York Stock Exchange, gives her an edge. She explains how she uses her intuition not as a gut feeling to invest, but as a "veto power" to walk away from deals, especially when founder dynamics feel off or early customer wins seem unrepeatable, not just unscalable. She also offers sharp advice for founders in the care space, warning them to avoid the "me" trap of building for their own niche problem instead of solving for care as the massive economic infrastructure issue it truly is.

Sponsor:

This season is supported by SVB. Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. Member FDIC.

SVB is a trusted collaborator for the founders pushing boundaries and the investors who back them. We're proud to have them as our sponsor.

Please note, this podcast is for informational purposes and is not investment, financial, or legal advice. The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of SVB.

Xan Wood - Canvas Prime

Read his VC Uncovered profile here: 

https://www.vcuncovered.com/p/xan-wood-canvas-prime

Summary:

Drew Glover talks to Xan Wood from Canvas Prime on the art of being "long-term greedy." Xan breaks down his core investment philosophy, which treats providing value as a compounding function. He explains how consistently helping people and sharing deal flow without expecting an immediate return builds invaluable goodwill and opportunity over a decade-long fund cycle. He also shares how he finds diamonds in the rough by avoiding the hyper-competitive "power law" deals and instead focusing on businesses at their go-to-market inflection point.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Xan recounts one of his first entrepreneurial ventures: launching a wildly successful boxing gig as a student. This story offers a raw look at his early hustle and his knack for finding unlikely partners in chaotic environments. He also explains his "Mosaic Theory" for due diligence, a framework for piecing together an investment thesis from incomplete, and sometimes conflicting, information to see the full picture of a company's potential.

Sponsor:

This season is supported by SVB. Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. Member FDIC.

SVB is a trusted collaborator for the founders pushing boundaries and the investors who back them. We're proud to have them as our sponsor.

Please note, this podcast is for informational purposes and is not investment, financial, or legal advice. The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of SVB.

Jeff Becker - Antler

Read his VC Uncovered profile here: 

https://www.vcuncovered.com/p/jeff-becker-antler

Drew Glover talks to Jeff Becker from Antler on backing people, not companies. Jeff explains Antler's unique model of investing in founders at "day zero"—sometimes before an idea is fully formed or a company is even incorporated. He shares how Antler provides the capital, culture, and community to help individuals get through the most vulnerable stage of their journey.

The conversation gets really interesting when Jeff describes Antler's ideal founder as a "maniac"—an outlier who is intensely driven, creative, and inspiring. He also breaks down Antler's investment strategy, framing it as both an "insurance policy and a lottery ticket." He explains how their high-diversification approach gives their fund a 63% chance of landing a $10 billion company, offering a compelling look at a different way to approach venture capital.

Sponsor:

This season is supported by SVB. Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. Member FDIC.

SVB is a trusted collaborator for the founders pushing boundaries and the investors who back them. We're proud to have them as our sponsor.

Please note, this podcast is for informational purposes and is not investment, financial, or legal advice. The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of SVB.