Swimming with Allocators Podcast

Check out the full episode HERE.

October 30, 2024

This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa have a fun and frank chat with LP turned Fund-of-Fund manager Grady Buchanan. Grady is Co-Founder and Managing Director of NVNG Investment Advisors. Grady speaks about the investment opportunity outside Silicon Valley, tailoring a fund of funds to local corporations needs, and tips for LPs on growing your network. He gives helpful color on the day-in-the-life for LPs and how GPs can better differentiate. Nick Talwar, Fractional CTO for VCs and portfolio companies joins this episode. His Agency Bottega8 trains custom AI models for financial institutions. Nick lays out three crucial elements VCs should look for in AI-based investments: technology moat, AI-first operations, and genuine AI expertise.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Grady Becoming a Limited Partner (0:52)
• Networking and Mentorship (3:14)
• Understanding LP Dynamics (5:29)
• Job Satisfaction Among LPs (9:03)
• Understanding Corporate Innovation Needs (13:57)
• Connecting Startups with Limited Partners (15:22)
• Value Addition in Fund Manager Selection (18:30)
• Local Corporate LPs vs. State Money (20:22)
• Outside-In Investment Approach (22:51)
• Insider Segment: Implementing AI in VC and Portfolio Companies (24:14)
• The Importance of Data and Culture (28:35)
• Misuse of AI Terminology (30:54)
• AI Playbook for Executives (32:59)
• Key Qualities for GPs (34:51)
• The Role of Co-Investment (37:04)
• Avoiding Shiny Objects (38:58)
• Final Thoughts and Takeaways for Allocators (40:38)

Grady Buchanan is an institutional and risk-based asset allocation professional. His focuses include venture capital fund investments as well connecting startup ecosystems across the globe. NVNG is focused on establishing stronger venture capital presences in regions throughout the US – managing a venture capital fund of funds tailored to meet the needs of local corporations and institutional limited partners. As a Founding Partner, Grady is responsible for the fund of funds portfolio, venture capital fund sourcing and diligence, and for investment allocation decisions.Grady is also the founder and CEO of OmniValley, an online social community exclusively for those looking to establish the right connections within entrepreneurial ecosystems. He’s built a strong and growing platform housing institutional investors, venture capital firms, accelerators, and individuals in efforts to connect under-ventured communities to sophisticated, strategic, and engaged investors, sponsors, and mentors.

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. http://www.bottega8.com.

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.