#118: Breaking Barriers in Embedded Finance and Emerging Markets with Saison Capital’s Qin En Looi
In Episode #118 of Geeks of the Valley , we sat down with Qin En Looi , Partner at Saison Capital. Backed by Credit Saison (Tokyo-listed, ~US$30B AUM), Saison has 100+ direct investments and 15+ fund investments across Asia and LATAM. We unpack why operator experience produces better investor how Qin En’s time scaling Glints […]
#116: Scaling Human-Centric Brands Through Private Equity with Monogram Capital’s Jared Stein
Jared Stein is a seasoned private equity investor with deep expertise in scaling high-growth, human-centric consumer brands. Since co-founding Monogram Capital in 2014, he has overseen the firm’s strategy and management, while originating, due diligence process and structuring investments that have turned emerging companies into category leaders. He has led Monogram’s investment in Chewy.com and […]
#115: How the Middle East’s Startup Scene & Gulf SWFs Are Reshaping Venture Capital with Bunat Ventures’ Khalid Saad
Khalid Saad is a seasoned venture capitalist and FinTech entrepreneur with a proven track record of launching new ventures and accelerating existing ones. Over the years, he has partnered with startups and established companies on digital strategy, business development, partnerships, and market-entry plans—spanning payment systems, remittance services, crypto platforms, open banking, and more . He is […]
#114: Research Driven VC Investing & AI ‘s Cultural Impact with Leonis Capital’s Jay Zhao
In Episode #114 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Jay Zhao, Managing Partner at Leonis Capital, a research-driven VC fund backing technical founders building extraordinary products. We explore how research-driven theses are reshaping AI-first venture strategies, the rise of agentic software, and the compute-and-energy challenges behind today’s largest models. Unpacking the displacement […]
#113: Wall Street To Web3, Decoding Crypto Mergers and Acquisitions With Dragonfly’s Rob Hadick
In Episode #113 of Geeks of the Valley, we sat down with Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, a leading $2.5bn crypto-focused global investment firm. We explore the seismic shifts in the VC ecosystem, the rise of trade-sale mergers and acuisitions, and the resilience of certain sub-sectors from an investing lens. A focal point of […]
#111: Transparency in Venture Capital: Building a Web3 Ethos with Blockchain Founders Fund’s Aly Madhavji
Join us for an insightful conversation with Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, as we explore the significance of transparency in venture capital and its impact on Web3 ecosystems. Aly, recognized globally as a leader in blockchain innovation, shares his approach to investment, venture building, and go-to-market strategies across the USA, APAC, MENA, […]
#108: Decoding Venture Capital Through Data-Driven Insights with Hatcher+’s John Sharp
John Sharp is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Hatcher+, a venture firm pioneering data-driven investment strategies. With a distinguished career spanning leadership, technology, and venture capital, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the investment landscape. Previously, John served as CEO of Authentium, where he co-authored three U.S. patents and developed cybersecurity solutions […]
#107: Investing Without Borders & Building Differentiation in a Crowded Market with Optimist Ventures’ Teddy Himler
Teddy Himler brings over 15 years of global experience at leading institutions, including Goldman Sachs, SoftBank, Comcast Ventures, and Antler, to his role at Optimist Ventures. Throughout his career, Teddy has cultivated deep expertise in global technology trends, innovative business models, and firm-building, with a focus on sectors such as artificial intelligence, insurance, healthcare, and […]
#105: Decoding Recruitment in the Digital Age with Madison Pearl’s Warwick Pearmund
Warwick Pearmund leads Madison Pearl’s Hong Kong operations, specializing in sourcing top-tier talent across a wide array of disciplines, including financial technology, quantitative and systematic finance, payments, digital strategy, insurtech, data science, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, blockchain, and cybersecurity. Prior to his career in recruitment, Warwick worked as an equities trader and sales […]
#104 Generational Wealth Management Beyond Balance Sheets with Clearwater Capital Partners’ John Sleeting
In this episode, we welcome John Sleeting, Executive Partner at Clearwater Capital Partners and host of the podcast Entrepreneurial Legacies. We dive deep into the challenges and opportunities unique to entrepreneurial families, exploring topics such as pre-liquidity event planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, and the role of family offices in navigating global markets. John Sleeting is […]
