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Market analysis and commentary focused on the SPAC market you can only get here.
Episodes
Thursday May 19, 2022
Thursday May 19, 2022
This week we will be speaking with Roger Dahle, Founder and CEO of Blackstone Products, which signed a $900 million combination agreement with Ackrell SPAC Partners I in December.
Blackstone has channeled the power of TikTok to popularize its line of outdoor griddles and found ways to capture efficiencies by vertically integrating its supply chain in China. We talk about the future of backyard products in a post-pandemic world, and how Blackstone initially embarked on a private equity path that became a SPAC path.
Friday May 06, 2022
Friday May 06, 2022
This week we speak with Prasad Gundumogula, CEO of Mondee.
Mondee entered into an $842 million combination agreement with ITHAX Acquisition Corporation in December 2021. It sells excess inventory in the travel and hospitality industries to closed groups within its network, while also managing a meaningful swath of travel-related marketing space.
Mondee has also used the lull of the pandemic to blaze a path into higher-margin verticals, like fintech and insurtech, through M&A.
ITHAX CEO Orestes Fintiklis also joins to talk about the various value propositions at play for retail investors at this stage of the travel industry’s recovery and how Mondee plans to be a buyer, not a seller with the deal’s proceeds.
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
This week, we will be speaking with Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave, and DPCM Capital Chairman and CEO Emil Michael.
D-Wave has developed quantum computing machines that are already powering cloud-based applications to solve business problems today. We talk about the new directions those applications could go and how this technology will scale in the near term.
DPCM Capital Chairman and CEO Emil Michael also talks about how his background as an executive at Uber and Klout drew him to D-Wave, and the possibilities he sees for the partnership moving forward.
D-Wave and DPCM Capital entered into an $1.3 billion dollar combination agreement in February 2022.
Wednesday Apr 13, 2022
Wednesday Apr 13, 2022
This week, we speak with Steve Van Till, CEO of Brivo, and Crown PropTech Acquisitions CEO Ricky Chera.
Brivo entered into an $808 million combination agreement with Crown PropTech Acquisitions (NYSE:CPTK) in November.
It is a technology firm providing cloud-connected hardware allowing clients to remotely manage their properties. Customers also gain access to data and business intelligence insights from the aggregate activity across Brivo’s network.
We discuss how the pandemic changed the proptech business in lasting ways and what new tech layers Brivo plans to add to its growing portfolio.
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
This week, we speak with two leaders in the field of D&O insurance - Mach Millet, who is Managing Director and Marsh’s SPAC Practice Leader, as well as Andrew Pendergast, SPAC Practice Leader at NFP.
We discuss SPAC litigation and how the rolling waves of the SPAC market have impacted D&O insurance rates and what teams should be considering moving from this cycle to the next.
Mach and Andrew also share their views on the Multiplan suit in the Delaware courts and how it may shape rates in the future.
Wednesday Mar 23, 2022
Wednesday Mar 23, 2022
This week, we speak with James C. Foster, CEO of cybersecurity firm, ZeroFox.
ZeroFox entered into a $1.3 billion dollar combination agreement with L&F Acquisition Corporation in December.
We discuss how the Russia-Ukraine war has ushered in a new era for cybersecurity and what types of companies face the biggest threats in this new environment.
L&F CEO Adam Gerchen also joins us to discuss the investment side of the cybersecurity sector as well as what attracted it to ZeroFox over the long term.
Wednesday Mar 16, 2022
Wednesday Mar 16, 2022
This week, we speak with with Michel Brousset, CEO of Waldencast Acquisition Corp.
Waldencast announced a $1.2 billion three-way combination with skincare and cosmetics brands Obagi and Milk Makeup in November.
Michel has taken a different approach to SPACs, using Waldencast as a vehicle to create a platform company.
Waldencast’s management will continue to operate the combined company over a longer term while tucking in additional acquisitions to its portfolio.
We discuss the potential advantages to that strategy within the cosmetics space as well as how its first two targets, which are very different from one another, fit together in this model.
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
This week, we speak with Tim Hwang, Founder and CEO of FiscalNote.
FiscalNote entered into a $1.2 billion dollar combination agreement with Duddell Street Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: DSAC) in November 2021.
FiscalNote provides data products that track a broad range of legislation and regulatory actions at the federal, state and local level. These are used by companies and government institutions themselves to try and keep a handle on the constant swings and incremental changes in regulation in the US and abroad.
We discuss how FiscalNote landed on Duddell Street as its preferred partner in a triple-track process, and how it plans to use its status as a public company to further its M&A pipeline and other initiatives.
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
As another special bonus episode, we spoke with Mark Stone, the CEO of the Gores Team SPACs.
Mark discusses how both the SPAC market and the Gores playbook have evolved over their transactions dating back to the Team's first deal with Hostess Brands, back in 2016.
We also talk about how the Gores team dealt with difficult macro conditions in 2021, and what Mark thinks the SPAC market will look like in the future.
Wednesday Feb 23, 2022
Wednesday Feb 23, 2022
This week, we speak with Dan Wagner, Founder and CEO of Rezolve.
Rezolve entered into a $1.8 billion dollar combination agreement with Armada Acquisition Corp. I, in December of 2021.
Rezolve has partnered with some of the world’s largest payments processors to provide AdTech tools in China and India with entries into the US and Latin American markets on the horizon.
We discuss how mobile advertising is under-utilized, particularly by small businesses and why retailers are missing out. Wagner also talks about how Rezolve engaged with multiple SPACs but ultimately narrowed down on Armada I as its partner of choice.