Know Who Drives Return
Boardroom Alpha
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Boardroom Alpha's team talks to the public company and SPAC leaders that are driving return for shareholders, delivering on ESG promises, and more.
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Mar 16, 2023
2023 Shareholder Activism and Universal Proxy Update with Michael R. Levin, The Activist Investor
Activism is once again front and center in the news lately with several high-profile situations taking the spotlight, from Trian and Disney (DIS) to Elliott and Salesforce (CRM). Thus it was timely to sit down with one of the experts in the activist landscape Michael R. Levin, founder of The Activist Investor and experienced board director and investor.
*Michael and David discuss:*
- Refresher on UPC contested shareholder voting
- How have activist contests been affected since the rule change
- Settlements vs. voting, what are the trends?
- Land & Buildings / Apartment Investment contest
- What are activists doing to take advantage of the new rules?
- How are companies and boards responding to UPC?
- What to look out for the rest of 2023? ESG Proponents?
Learn more about Michael R Levin and the activist investor at The Activist Investor
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Jan 31, 2023
Managing ESG and Human Capital Risk with AON's Aria Glasgow
In the latest episode of Know Who Drives Return we sit down with Aria Glasgow, who leads AON's ESG Advisory practice. In her role Aria helps advise companies understand and prioritize their ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) risks.
As ESG continues to become top of mind for corporates, Aria discusses several areas that companies should be concerned about including compensation and incentives, DEI initiatives, the need for better data and reporting, and board oversight.
*Watch the interview at Boardroom Alpha:*
www.boardroomalpha.com/aons-aria-glasgow-on-managing-esg-and-human-capital-risk
*For the full transcript, visit Boardroom Alpha:
*www.boardroomalpha.com/aons-aria-glasgow-on-managing-esg-and-human-capital-risk
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Dec 5, 2022
Why Board Evaluations are so Important with Korn Ferry's Anthony Goodman
Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin is joined by Korn Ferry's Anthony Goodman a lively discussion on board effectiveness, the SEC's new universal proxy card rules, and more.
In an era where board scrutiny and accountability are at an all-time high, board evaluations are of the utmost importance. In addition, a renewed focus on the evaluations of individual directors is becoming more front and center, particularly in light of the new Universal Proxy rules.
Learn more on universal proxy cards: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/univer...
** More on Anthony Goodman **
Anthony Goodman is Senior Client Partner, ESG & Head of Board Effectiveness Practice at Korn Ferry. Form more on Anthony, you can see his profile here: https://www.kornferry.com/about-us/co...
** Watch the video or read the transcript **
https://www.boardroomalpha.com/korn-ferrys-anthony-goodman-on-the-importance-of-board-evaluations/
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Oct 27, 2022
Getaround's CEO Sam Zaid on Carsharing and Going Public
Sam Zaid , CEO of Getaround, is a technology entrepreneur with an engineering background and a 15 year history in startups. Getaround is a peer to peer carsharing company, that Sam founded about 10 years ago to solve the problem of underutilized cars.
Sam joins David Drapkin on the Know Who Drives Return podcast to discuss the macro trends in car ownership and usage, why the ease of carsharing makes sense, and why they have decided to join the public markets via a reverse merger with InterPrivate II Acquisition Corp. (IPVA).
See the transcript, investor presentation and more.
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Sep 12, 2022
Universal Proxy Cards: Okapi CEO Bruce Goldfarb on Who Wins and Who Loses
Bruce Goldfarb, CEO of Okapi Partners, joins David Drapkin to discuss the newly implement Universal Proxy Card process. Bruce and David discuss the changes and impacts including:
* How we got here and overview of changes?
* Will universal proxy leads to more activism?
* What it means for individual directors
* Are there any ESG or DEI implications?
* Who are the winners and losers?
Watch the video here: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/universal-proxy-with-bruce-goldfarb-okapi
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Aug 24, 2022
Ajay Kochar, CEO of Li-Cycle (LICY), Talks Lithium Ion Battery Recycling and EVs
Ajay Kochar is the co-founder, President, and CEO of lithium ion battery recycling company Li-Cycle (LICY). An engineering expert in the field, Ajay and his co-founder, Tim Johnston, set out to solve the problem of battery recycling as the proliferation of lithium ion has exploded (in large part thanks to EVs).
Read more at: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/podcast-li-cycle-licys-ajay-kochar-on-lithium-ion-battery-recycling-and-evs
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Aug 12, 2022
CDs, DVDs, & Vinyl are Still Big Money with Alliance Entertainment's Bruce Ogilvie & Jeff Walker
Boardroom Alhpa's David Drapkin talks to Bruce Ogilvie (Chairman) and Jeff Walker (CEO) from Alliance Entertainment. Both have long history in entertainment distribution industry. Their current company, Alliance Entertainment, has struck a deal to go public via Adara Acquisition Corp. (ADRA). Alliance is a distributor, buying physical entertainment goods from content providers (music companies, gaming companies etc.), and selling to retailers, e-commerce, and even a little D2C.
Watch to learn how they aim is to be a one-stop-shop for all things entertainment.
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Jul 28, 2022
Is Westrock Coffee's CEO Scott Ford Brewing Up a Winning Public Company?
Join David Drapkin as he speaks to Westrock Coffee CEO Scott Ford. Westrock Coffee is going public company via a $1.1B deal with Riverview Acquisition Corporation (RVAC).
** Watch the video or read the report
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Jun 17, 2022
MAPS CEO Chris Beals Talks Cannabis Commerce Tech
With tech valuations hammered by rising internet rates, stepping inflation and of course recession fears, we continue to sift through the wreckage for stocks that offer a combination of value and growth. One area that's proven to be a safe haven in the storm: enterprise software. But, for investors who balk at stocks like IBM and HPE, there are plenty of small cap plays. Playing on the theme of cloud computing and data, there's one battered deSPAC on our list that's been largely overlooked: *WM Technology (MAPS), *the parent company of Weedmaps. On the heels of a strong Q1 earnings report, Boardroom Alpha sat down with Weedmaps CEO Chris Beals to discuss the company's strategy for building a SaaS platform for cannabis commerce.
Read the full write-up here: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/maps-ceo-chris-beals-on-building-the-engine-for-cannabis-commerce/
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May 24, 2022
CEO of Wag!, Garrett Smallwood on the Increasing Demand for Pet Care
Garrett Smallwood, CEO of Wag! explains why the pet care segment is immune to inflationary fears and poised for post-pandemic growth.
Garret joins Joanna Makris on the Know Who Drives Return podcast to go deep on his business and why it might be one of a few SPACs to perform post merger.
Watch all the Know Who Drives Return podcast episodes: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/podcast
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May 6, 2022
The NYC Pension Funds' ESG Focus and Their Amazon (AMZN) Human Capital Push
AMZN stock is performing, but are warehouse workers paying the price? We talk to Assistant NYC Comptroller Michael Garland on the NYC Pension Funds' move to unseat two Amazon board members responsible for human capital management at the tech giant.
Joanna Makris and the Boardroom Alpha team sit down with Assistant NYC Comptroller Michael Garland about the NYC pension funds' ESG objectives, how they evaluate boards, the current situation at AMZN, and more.
Read the report here: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/nyc-pension-funds-want-amazon-accountable-for-human-capital
Watch the video on YouTube.
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Apr 28, 2022
Voltus CEO Gregg Dixon on Why The Green Energy Movement will be Digitized
Voltus is gearing up for a $1.3B SPAC IPO in the coming months. We chat with CEO Gregg Dixon, who shares how the company is leading the charge to decentralize, decarbonize and digitize our energy resources.
Our latest podcast gets an up close look at a company that’s at the center of the green energy movement and an interesting name on our radar as a pure-play ESG investment. Boardroom Alpha sat down with Gregg Dixon, CEO of Voltus.
View the full report: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/green-energy-movement-will-be-digitized-says-voltus-ceo
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Apr 25, 2022
Did Activision Blizzard’s Governance Failures Lead to a Quick, Cheap Sale to Microsoft, with Richard Clayton
Boardroom Alpha talks with Richard Clayton, Director of Research at the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) Investment Group, walks listeners through how Activision's governance issues may have hurt shareholders as the proposed $68.7B takeover by Microsoft get's voted on this Thursday.
Read the full report and watch the interview: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/why-activision-blizzards-board-is-still-failing-msft-richard-clayton
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Apr 22, 2022
Andrew Behar, CEO of As You Sow, on Today's ESG Issues
Are public companies really leaning in to a more suitable, socially responsible future? Boardroom Alpha sat down with Andy Behar, CEO of non-profit shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow, to discuss some of the key ESG issues investment managers are tackling today.
Read the full report: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/andrew-behar-as-you-sow-esg-revolution
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Apr 19, 2022
John Bissell and Rich Riley, co-CEOs of Origin Materials (ORGN), on the future of bioplastics
With the movement toward net zero emissions well underway, we continue to take a closer look at the companies that are at the center of this sea change.* *Our exploration into bioplastics technology continues with our latest podcast. Boardroom Alpha sat down with John Bissell and Rich Riley, co-CEOs of Origin Materials (ORGN).
Read the full report: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/origin-materials-podcast-carbon-rich-riley-john-bissell/
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Apr 14, 2022
Danimer Scientific's CEO Steve Croskrey on Saving the World from Plastics
Boardroom Alpha talks to Steve Croskrey, CEO of Danimer Scientific (DNMR), on why bioplastics technology is ready for takeoff and how the company is moving the world toward a carbon negative future.
Read the Danimer Scientific report: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/danimer-ceo-podcast-steve-croskrey-plastic-pollution
See all of Boardroom Alpha's Know Who Drives Return podcast episodes and reports here: https://www.boardroomalpha.com/podcast
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Apr 11, 2022
FOXO Technologies CEO Jon Sabes on Finally Disrupting Insurance
Boardroom Alpha sat down with Jon Sabes, CEO of FOXO Technologies. FOXO is an interesting SPAC on our radar, having announced in February an agreement to merge with sponsor *Delwinds Insurance Acquisition Corp. (DWIN) *in a deal that values the company at an enterprise value of $369 million. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q2.
Listen as Joanna Makris and David Drapkin talk to FOXO's CEO Jon Sabes about how he intends to disrupt the insurance industry.
Also, see read the report or watch the full video here.
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Mar 2, 2022
Satellogic CEO Emiliano Kargieman on What Sets SATL Apart
*Satellogic*, founded in 2010 by Emiliano Kargieman and Gerardo Richarte, is a vertically integrated geospatial company. The company operates a 17-satellite imagery constellation.
Their mission is touted as “Democratizing access to critical geospatial data” which they do via their satellite images and analytics.
Emiliano sits down with David Drapkin and Joanna Makris to discuss what makes SATL special amongst an increasingly crowded space.
** Read the full report at Boardroom Alpha.com
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Research and Data service*.*
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Feb 24, 2022
MoneyLion CEO Dee Choubey May Have it Ready to Roar After a Tough DeSPAC
Boardroom Alpha sat down with Dee Choubey, CEO of fintech *MoneyLion (ML). *Moneylion is a mobile banking and financial membership platform that went public via SPAC merger with *Fusion Acquisition (FUSE). *After a career in investment banking, Dee co-founded MoneyLion in 2013 with an ambitious goal: to combine AI, machine-learning technology and behavioral science to bring consumer finance into the future.
Does MoneyLion have what it takes to compete with the big guys? Can MoneyLion become the next super app? Listen to the podcast to find out more.
*** **Read the full report here.*
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Research and Data service*.*
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Feb 23, 2022
SPACs for Yield with Crossing Bridge Advisors Founder David Sherman
Relative to 2021, the bloom may be off the SPAC rose. But our latest conversation suggests there are still ways to generate positive returns in SPAC investing. Boardroom Alpha sat down with David Sherman, Founder and Portfolio Manager at SEC-registered investment adviser *CrossingBridge Advisors*. Based in Pleasantville, New York, with $2.3 billion AUM (Assets Under Management), CrossingBridge specializes in ultra-short duration, low duration high yield and responsible credit strategies in addition to SPACs.
Among his many portfolio manager hats, Sherman manages the CrossingBridge Pre-Merger SPAC ETF (NASDAQ:SPC). The ETF invests only in pre-merger SPACs at or below par value and will only hold the shares for up to 10 days post-merger.
*** **Read the full report here.*
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Research and Data service*.*
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Feb 22, 2022
Exclusive: Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath Joins the Podcast to Talk EVs and GGPI
Boardroom Alpha sat down with Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Electric Vehicle (EV) maker Polestar. Polestar is a global pure-play electric vehicle company that’s having its time in the spotlight. The company is expected to go public in a SPAC merger transaction with *Gores Gugghenheim (GGPI)* in a transaction valued at approximately $26 billion.
*** **Read the full Polestar / GGPI and EV Market report here.*
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Research and Data service*.*
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Feb 16, 2022
Cepton (CPTN) CEO Dr. Jun Pei on LiDAR and Why Cepton is Positioned to Win
Boardroom Alpha sat down with Dr. Jun Pei, CEO of LiDAR technology specialist *Cepton Technologies *(NASDAQ:CPTN). Cepton is the newest kid on the LiDAR public listing block, having completed its deSPAC earlier this month via sponsor *Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. *(GCAC).
*** **Read the full Cepton (CPTN) report here.*
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Research and Data service*.*
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Feb 10, 2022
Blair LaCorte, CEO of AEye (LIDR), On Why Now is the Time to Look at LiDAR
Blair LaCorte, CEO of AEye (NASDAQ:LIDR), provides his take on Autonomous Driving, why a lidar shakeout is coming, and what the carmakers really want.
*** **Read the the full AEye / LIDR report here**.*
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Research and Data service*.*
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Feb 4, 2022
Why Companies Should be Focused on ESG in 2022, with Rob Main
The *Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)* investing trend has been gaining steam over the last decade and has never been more prevalent than ever. While research continues to differ on the market performance of “good” and “bad” ESG companies, the facts remain that investors care and that developing a sound ESG strategy for corporates should be top of mind.
This week on Know Who Drives Return we talk to *Rob Main*, a longtime Vanguard veteran, who’s now Managing Partner and COO of *Sustainable Governance Partners*, a corporate ESG advisory firm. We discuss trends in ESG, what it means for companies and directors alike, and what to look out for in in the 2022 Proxy Season.
Listen at Boardroom Alpha.com.
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Jan 25, 2022
Coffee Company or Lifestyle Brand? Black Rifle Coffee Set for Vote on SPAC Deal with SBEA
*Tom Davin*, Co-CEO who joined in 2018, and *Joe Reece*, the executive chairman of the SilverBox Engaged (SBEA) SPAC joined Know Who Drives Return to discuss Black Rifle Coffee, the merger, and their vision for the company.
Read the SBEA / Black Rifle Coffee report here.
*Podcast Topics*
* Intro + background on Tom Davin
* Veteran history and mission at Black Rifle
* Lifestyle brand and loyalty
* Business segments + subscription business
* Plans for Outposts (physical stores)
* Merchandise and the value of brand
* Intro to Joe and SilverBox Engaged (SBEA)
* Valuation, competition, and positioning
* NFTs or Metaverse?
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Research and Data service*.*
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Jan 20, 2022
Tal Keinan on Sky Harbour Creating a Home-Base for Private Aviation
Tal Keinan, a former Israeli Military pilot and the CEO of *Sky Harbour*, got the idea to start Sky when he couldn’t find a spot to park his plane. While this might be the ultimate “first world problem,” there exists a real gap in the private aviation industry of available hangars to park planes versus the growing private jet fleet.
This is where Sky Harbour comes into play, developing and leasing private aviation hangars at airports in the US.
Have a listen to the latest episode of Know Who Drives Return to hear Tal Keinan describe the business and its prospects.
*See the report and learn more at www.boardroomalpha.com*
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Jan 18, 2022
Rangeley's Chris DeMuth Jr. on Value Investing and SPACs
Chris DeMuth founded Rangeley Capital and focuses on SPAC and Value investing. Trained in event-driven situations, Chris has a history of consulting for funds and bank prop desks in his earlier career. He brings a very impressive and analytical framework to his investing style.
These days, and in line with us here at Boardroom Alpha, Chris is also spending a lot of time doing SPAC investing, even joking that at the onset of the idea that you can make speculative investments with a built-in redemption feature as almost too good to be true.
Listen in as Chris and David go deep on investing in SPACs and in Value.
See the report and learn more at www.boardroomalpha.com
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Jan 12, 2022
Sonder's Francis Davidson on Re-Designing Hospitality and Merger with GMII
For the latest Know Who Drives Return episode, we sat down with Francis Davidson, the founder and CEO of Sonder, a hospitality company that leases and manages travel properties. Sonder is valued at nearly $2B and is going public through Gores Metropolous II. Francis, at just 29 years old, has been able to rapidly scale the company that he founded 8 years ago as a student at McGill University in Quebec. Will Sonder succeed in grabbing a larger share of the lodging space? Have a listen.
*Read the full Sonder / GMII deal report**
Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Data and Analytics service*.*
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Jan 7, 2022
Amy Nauiokas on FinTech VC, SPACs, Diversity, and Anthemis Digital (ADAL)
David Drapkin sits down with Amy Nauiokas, the Co-Founder, Co-Chair, and Co-CIO of fintech investing platform *Anthemis* ($1.2B in AUM), who has been a leading fintech investor for nearly 15 years. Though she has a career that us regular folks might find astounding given she also runs a film and television production company, Archer Gray, which promotes story telling from diverse individuals.
Read the companion report on Boardroom Alpha
*Podcast Topics*
* Intro to Amy and her background
* Areas of focus for investing at Anthemis
* Recent capital raise for Anthemis, and plans
* SPAC, why now and what makes a good sponsor partner
* All-female, and ethnically diverse SPAC team
* What does the pipeline look like for a SPAC target
* How to change the narrative, and tell the story on a SPAC target
* Any crypto strategy?
* Final touch on Archer Gray and film career
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alph…
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Dec 22, 2021
Dave CEO Jason Wilk on Saving Customers Billions and their SPAC Deal with VPCC
Dave CEO Jason Wilk joins Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin to discuss how DAVE has already saved customers billions, how it is shifting its business as it matures, and how its SPAC deal with VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings III (VPCC) will help fuel that shift.
Read the companion report on Boardroom Alpha
*Topics On the Podcast *
* Intro and background on Jason Wilk
* Overview of Dave and the origins
* Customer acquisition and targeted users
* Dave Banking and plans for rollout
* Side hustle and how Dave helps customers
* User growth, was it sustainable?
* Competition: many players, how to win?
* Deal, SPAC, and M&A process
* Dave’s Operating team + life as public company
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Data and Analytics service*.*
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Dec 21, 2021
HotelPlanner CEO Tim Hentschel on Their 3-Way SPAC Merger with Reservations.com and Astrea Acquisition (ASAX)
*HotelPlanner *and *Reservations.com* are going public in a three-way merger with *Astrea Acquisition Corp (ASAX*)* *in a $567M EV deal that was announced in August 2021. Listen in as David Drapkin talks to HotelPlanner CEO Tim Hentschel regarding travel, COVID, what sets them apart from the competition, and why the deal may be attractive to investors.
See the companion report here: *HotelPlanner / Reservations.com / ASAX SPAC Deal Overview**
*
*Topics On the Podcast *
* Tim Hentschel Background and founding of HotelPlanner
* Differentiation in the marketplace, gig travel agents
* Closed User Group discount rates is a major differentiator
* HP’s business remained resilient during COVID
* Leisure travel vs. professional travel breakdown
* Affiliate partners and white labeling
* Growth prospects and financial forecasts
* Cash use of proceeds and potential redemptions
* Future of travel as we navigate ever changing COVID environment
* Parting words
*Boardroom Alph…
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Dec 17, 2021
Brivo CEO Steve Van Till on Cloud-Based Access Control and SPAC Merger with CPTK
*Steve Van Till* founded *Brivo* back in 1999. The cloud-based access control company serves all type of real estate from single-family homes up to commercial buildings. Steve talks to us about Brivo and why in a post-covid world access control is more important than ever - particularly in an increased environment of hybrid work.
Having been almost entirely self-funded for its entire history, Brivo is going public via SPAC to expand sales and accelerate growth. Is it worth taking a bet on the most mature cloud-based access control company out there?
*Topics Discussed*
* Steve's history and founding of Brivo
* Real estate areas of coverage and enterprise customer base
* Mix of software vs. hardware in Brivo's business
* Breakdown of growth expectations
* PropTech secular trends as a positive tailwind for the company
* Fundraising, SPACs, and why they picked the crown team
* Competitive landscape (enterprise, commercial, and multifamily)
* Brivo's leadership team
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Dec 16, 2021
Greenbox POS Talking Blockchain and Stablecoin Coyni
Taking a minor break from SPACs on our latest podcast we spoke to* Greenbox POS (GBOX),* a fintech that utilizes block chain technology to create custom payment solutions co-founded by *Ben Errez*. The company up-listed to Nasdaq earlier this year, and its newly created stablecoin, *Coyni*, will be a separately publicly traded entity led by *Paul Levine*.
*Key Highlights:*
* Blockchain technology key for payments, continuing digitization of all payments
* Its Gen3 has led to *fully custodial + transactional stablecoin, *backed by USD
* Stablecoin, *Coyni*, spun-off to maximize shareholder value in trading on a standalone valuation
* Will begin with a P2P payments app
* GBOX stock price has lagged, company is actively *buying back shares*
* Recently raised $100M in financing
* Volatility in crypto assets does not negatively affect Greenbox's business
* Team believes increased, albeit the correct types, of regulation as a boon
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Dec 13, 2021
SPAC Sponsor Spotlight: Live Oak Merchant Partners
Investment firm *Live Oak Merchant Partners* is one of the leading "serial" SPAC sponsors, with views of maintaining a long term presence in the asset class. Led by *Rick Hendrix* and *Gary Wunderlich, *Live Oak brings both extensive capital markets and advisory experience with an investment track record.
Live Oak has successfully completed 2 De-SPAC transactions:
* Live Oak I, $200M IPO. Merged with *Danimer Scientific (DNMR)* in Dec-2020
* Live Oak II, $253M IPO. Merged with *Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS)* in Oct-2021
With two more SPACs priced and looking for a target:
* *Live Oak Mobility (LOKM)*, March 2021 IPO for $253M, seeking a target within the mobility and motion sectors
* *Live Oak Crestview Climate (LOCC)*, in partnership with middle market PE firm Crestview, September 2021 $200M IPO, seeking a target in the climate / sustainability sectors
Rick and Gary are understandably quite bullish on the future of SPACs and the value that they can represent to both potent…
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Dec 8, 2021
BM Technologies' (BMTX) Luvleen Sidhu on Becoming a Bank and FinTech Evolution
*BM Technologies (BMTX)* is a digital, mobile-first FinTech that was born out of BankMobile and boasts ~2M accounts. BankMobile was originally founded by Luvleen Sidhu and developed at parent *Customers Bank (CUBI),* before ultimately separating and going public via SPAC *Megalith Financial Acquisition* in January 2021. BMTX recently announced a strategic merger with *First Sound Bank* and now has plans to become a FinTech bank.
Luvleen is part of a family of lifelong bankers. Father Jay is chairman of Customers Bancorp and brother Sam is the CEO of Customers Bank (we recently spoke to him on our podcast). Luvleen sat down with the Know Who Drives Return podcast to discuss BMTX's future as a FinTech bank, digital banking, and rationale for acquiring a bank charter.
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Data and Analytics service*.*
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Dec 6, 2021
Will SeatGeek's Primary Strategy Propel them to Ticketing Victory?
*SeatGeek *is a vertically integrated, tech-focused ticketing company that is going public via *RedBall Acquisition Corp (RBAC)*. Ticketing is a highly competitive industry, and many might be more familiar with brands such as Ticketmaster (owned by Live Nation LYV), StubHub (owned by PayPal PYPL), or Vivid Seats (VIVID, itself a de-SPAC).
CEO *Jack Groetzinger** *joins the podcast to discuss SeatGeek's potential to grab market share in the ticketing landscape by focusing on primary (enterprise) clients, improving its tech stock and ramping up brand awareness.
*Key Takeaways*
* SeatGeek touts its *technology and software* stack as superior to peers
* Full, vertically integrated platform as a differentiator vs. singular primary or secondary reseller, i.e. StubHub (PYPL), VIVID
* Focusing on signing so-called *"enterprise" clients*, (i.e. Dallas Cowboys or The Barclays Center). *Higher upfront costs that pay back in 1-2 years* and help produce the flywheel and greater customer ac…
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Dec 3, 2021
Why Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS) Is the Next Big Thing in Chips with CEO Gene Sheridan
Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS) is the semiconductor leader in gallium nitride ("GaN") semiconductors that is aiming to replace legacy silicon chips for power applications. GaN is touted as a more sustainable, efficient, and reliable technology vs. silicon.
Veteran semi executive and Navitas Founder & CEO Gene Sheridan joins the Know Who Drives Return Podcast to discuss the future of GaN and future prospects for Navitas (NVTS), who recently went public via SPAC (Live Oak II). NVTS has been an early De-SPAC darling with the stock performing quite well in the $19s as of this writing.
GaN is already in many of your phone and tablet chargers, and is targeting several different industry verticals with its technology. Will GaN be successful in replacing silicon for power applications?
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Data and Analytics service*.
*
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Nov 30, 2021
Chad Rigetti on why Superconducting and Rigetti is the Best Bet on Quantum Computing
*Chad Rigetti* is the CEO and founder of *Rigetti Computing*, a full-stack quantum computing company who has agreed to a SPAC merger with *Supernova Partners Acquisition Co II (SNII)*. Quantum computing leaders are very bullish on the technology and are projecting that in 5-10 years every company will have quantum computers that can solve problems today's computers cannot.
Is it a winner take all? Fellow de-SPAC darling and quantum computing competitor *IONQ* focuses on trapped ions vs. superconducting. Chad shares his views on both the competitive dynamic and if there is space for multiple winners, though contends that superconducting technology is best set up for success longterm.
*
Topics Discussed*
* Chad Rigetti's career history
* Beginner's guide to quantum computing
* Rigetti's business model
* Superconducting vs. trapped ions (IONQ)
* Pitch for buying a share of Rigetti today
* Is it ready for widespread commercial adoption?
* Customers, governments, and target…
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Nov 24, 2021
Is Planet Labs (PL) Ready for Primetime as it Goes Public via DMYQ?
Earth Data company *Planet Labs* is going public thru *dMY Technology IV (DMYQ) *via a SPAC transaction. Founder and *CEO Will Marshall*, *CFO Ashley Johnson*, and dMY *CEO Niccolo de Masi* join us on the podcast to discuss Planet's prospects and the SPAC transaction.
Planet touts itself as the only company in the world that has the ability to do full daily earth scans, sometimes even twice a day. One can think of Planet as the "Bloomberg Terminal" for Earth data - allowing the consumer to consume their satellite imagery via their own computers. Planet serves numerous industry verticals and has aims for much more, and operates on a data subscription business model.
*Key Takeaways:*
* Not a "satellite company" --> Planet owns the raw satellite data that enables Planet and customers to create value-add data/analytics/services on top
* De-risked technology (i.e. launched 200 satellites) and product-market fit (i.e. $100m revenue / +700 customers)
* Subscription data business w/ s…
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Nov 22, 2021
CUBI: New Customers Bank CEO Sam Sidhu on Digital Assets, Crypto Banking, and Leadership
Sam Sidhu is the new President and CEO of tech-focused regional bank Customers Bank. He joins the podcast to discuss the bank's digital-first mindset and crypto.
*Discussion Topics*
* Sam Sidhu - Career Background
* Customers Bank Overview, "hi-touch hi-tech"
* CUBI stock on the rise, what is the reason?
* PPP leader and what it means for future
* Crypto strategy and real-time payments
* Technology partner TassatPay
* What are competitors doing
* Crypto currency and retail banking
* ESG strategy for Customers Bank
* Reflections as a new CEO, and management succession
* What to look out for at Customers Bank
*About Boardroom Alpha
*Boardroom Alpha provides ratings, analytics, and context on US public company directors, CEOs, and CFOs. Learn more at www.boardroomalpha.com.
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Nov 5, 2021
Super Group / SEAH Aim for Global Online Gaming & Betting Wins, with CEOs Neal Menashe and John Collins
SPAC SEAH is taking Super Group public in a $4.6B deal that investors are hoping will close in the 4th quarter of 2021. Listen in to learn more about John and Neal's backgrounds, why Super Group may be the right bet for investors, and their expectations on deal close timing, what will happen with warrants, and more.
* John and Neal's career histories
* Overview of Super Group's Business
* US growth ambitions
* Playbook for entering new markets/products
* NBA, NFL and thoughts around partnerships
* Strength of Betway brand, West Ham and Ted Lasso
* Competitive landscape, why invest in Super Group?
* Customer acquisition strategy, MAUs, and promotions
* SPAC deal, UOP, financing, and closing
* M&A or potential acquisition target?
* Social media and the retail investor crowd
* SEAH as sponsor, alignment, and warrants
* Tech and data capabilities
* Biggest risk to execution?
* Metaverse and e-sports
* Parting words
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongo…
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Nov 3, 2021
Wejo CEO Richard Barlow on why Connected Vehicle Data is the Future (SPAC: VOSO)
Data veteran Richard Barlow joins the podcast to discuss why he founded Wejo and the prospects for the company amid what he expects to be a boom in connected vehicle data.
Connected data company *Wejo* was founded in 2014 by CEO *Richard Barlow*, a data veteran and motorsport enthusiast.
Wejo collects millions of data points from an ever growing fleet of connected cars which enables numerous use cases including helping smart cities manage traffic and more. Wejo agreed to go public via *Virtuoso Acquisition Corp (VOSO)* in a deal giving them an enterprise value of $800M.
Listen in to learn more about Wejo, how Virtuoso (VOSO) is accelerating them, and why investors should be excited.
*Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Service*
For ongoing tracking, analytics, and data on SPACs checkout Boardroom Alpha's SPAC Data and Analytics service*.*
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Oct 29, 2021
Codere Online (SPAC: DDMX) and the Gaming / Betting Landscape in LatAm
*Martin Werner, CEO of DD3 Acquisition Corp II* (DDMX) and *Moshe Edree of Codere Online* join David Drapkin to discuss their SPAC transaction and the future of gaming in LatAm.
*Codere Online *is the online gaming/gambling arm of parent Codere Group. Codere online is going public via DD3 Acquisition Corp II (DDMX) in a $350M EV transaction announced in June this year.
DDMX shareholders are gearing up for the vote which was just announced for November 18th.
*DDMX CEO Martin Werner*, former head of Goldman Sachs Mexico, and *Codere's Moshe Edree* join us on the podcast to discuss the deal and why LatAm is the next frontier for growth in online gaming + gambling.
This is the second SPAC from the DD3 team, having previously led the successful acquisition and De-SPAC of *Betterware *a Mexico-based D2C company.
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Oct 26, 2021
ESG, Diversity & Activism with Olshan's Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sussman
Now more than ever Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) are top of mind for management teams. Olshan partner *Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sussman* sits down on our podcast to discuss many of these trends, and what companies should be focused on.
We touch on activist investors, racial equity audits, and how a little known agitator in Engine 1 successfully won a proxy battle against behemoth Exxon Mobil.
Elizabeth is an expert in her field and provides valuable insight on not only what's trending but how we can all do better to push the ESG, in particular diversity, agenda.
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Topics Discussed*
* Intro to Elizabeth + Olshan
* Diversity mandates for public company boards
* Are mandates or other methods more effective?
* Racial equity audits + company dynamics
* Future of disclosure at the SEC
* How do we get get better at promoting underserved talent
* Trends in Activism in E + S
* Activist vulnerability, and XOM / Engine 1
* ESG Funds and greenwashing
* Negotiation tact…
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Oct 22, 2021
CompoSecure / DBDR Going Beyond Metal Cards into Crypto w/ CEOs Jon Wilk & Don Basile
CompoSecure is going public in a $1.2B deal with the Roman DBDR Tech Acquisition (DBDR) SPAC. CompoSecure is a leading metal card company with significant revenue, great margins, and great partners. With their move to go public they plan to disrupt the crypto space with their Arculus product line.
Listen in to hear why CompSecure CEO Jon Wilk and DBDR CEO Dr. Don Basile believe that the metal cards business is still in the early innings and their move into crypto will pay off for investors.
*Discussion Details*
* John Wilk's career history
* Don Basile's career + what happened at Violin
* CompoSecure business overview metal cards + crypto
* Growth in metal credit cards? Will people want these?
* Are you going to face margin pressure?
* Risk of the crypto business going forward
* Arculus launch update, and does interest move with Crypto?
* Entry into new markets such as gaming and trading
* Sale vs. IPO vs. SPAC
* Why did Roman DBDR choose CompoSecure?
* Investo…
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Oct 22, 2021
DWAC and Trump / TMTG Make SPACs Great Again
In this quick hit episode, David Drapkin talks to Matthew Tuttle from Tuttle Capital on the unprecedented action in DWAC as it breaks all SPAC and MEME records following its announcement to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group. Not even during peak SPAC mania have we seen anything like it. Will it bring back much needed attention to the asset class?
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Oct 19, 2021
Inspirato's CEO, Brent Handler, on their $1.1B SPAC Deal with Thayer Ventures (TVAC)
Inspirato is going public in a SPAC deal valued at $1.1B with Thayer Ventures Acquisition (TVAC). Inspirato's CEO, Brent Handler, and CFO, Web Neighbor, join Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin for a deep dive on Inspirato and the deal.
*** **Get your Know Who Drives Return SWAG** **
Discussion Details*
* Inspirato - Overview
* Club and Pass
* Why public now and why SPAC?
* Why Thayer?
* Travel and COVID affects
* Growth prospects
* Inspirato valuation
* Capital Structure
* Life as a public company
* Competitors
* Favorite places
*About Inspirato* (https://www.inspirato.com/)*
*Launched in 2011, Inspirato is the innovative luxury travel subscription brand that provides affluent travelers access to a managed and controlled portfolio of hand-selected vacation options, delivered through a subscription model to ensure the service and certainty that affluent customers demand. The Inspirato Collection includes branded luxury vacation homes available exclusively to subsc…
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Oct 14, 2021
Vacasa's Matt Roberts on their SPAC Deal with TPGS
Vacasa's CEO Matt Roberts joins David Drapkin to discuss what makes Vacasa a compelling addition to investors' portfolios as it goes public via SPAC. Vacasa is a vacation rental management platform that is going public via TPG Pace Solutions (TPGS) in a $3.7 billion EV deal that was announced this summer.
More on Vacasa: https://www.vacasa.com/
More on TPG Pace Solutions (TPGS): https://www.tpg.com/pace-solutions
*Discussion Details*
* Matt Roberts - Career History
* Overview of Vacasa's business
* Vacasa vs. BKNG, EXPE, ABNB
* Covid tailwinds in travel
* What does second home supply look like?
* Growth prospects
* Why go public now, and private to public transition
* CFO Jamie Cohen and Vacasa's Leadership
* Why SPAC vs. other capital market routes
* Valuation in context
* Partnership with TPG
* What's Matt most excited about
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Oct 12, 2021
Deep Dive on the Aurora + RTPY SPAC Deal w/ Chris Urmson and Michael Thompson
*Aurora CEO Chris Urmson* and *Reinvent's (RTPY) Michael Thompson* join David Drapkin to talk self-driving technology, why Aurora is setup for success, and the overall SPAC market.
Aurora / Reinvent just announced their shareholder vote on the deal is happening on November 2nd.
Reinvent Technology Partners Y (RTPY), is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) led by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus.
More on Aurora: https://aurora.tech/
More on Reinvent: https://www.reinventtechnologypartners.com/
*Discussion Details*
* Overview of Aurora and its technology, partnerships
* Why public now vs. an additional private round
* Why Reinvent, process of finding a SPAC
* Sponsor alignment with public shareholders
* Keys to success as a public company
* 2023 Truck launch and go-to-market strategy
* Why Aurora vs. a GM or Waymo?
* Valuation in context vs. Peers and latest raise?
* Telling Aurora's story to the public
* Capital structure of…
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Oct 11, 2021
Okapi's Bruce Goldfarb on Activism, the Rise of Retail, AMC, and SPACs
Bruce Goldfarb, CEO and Founder of Okapi Partners joins David Drapkin on the Know Who Drives Return podcast. Bruce goes deep on what he's seeing in recent proxy seasons, contested M&A, SPACs, AMC, and whether retail investors are good for the markets.
*Discussion Details*
* Who is Okapi Partners?
* Themes of the current proxy season
* Contested M&A situations
* Getting SPAC deals passed, and retail investor base
* Retail, reddit, and the individual investor dynamic
* AMC, Adam Aron and new retail strategy
* Are retail investors good for the markets?
* Director selection in activist situations
*Bruce Goldfarb Biography
*Bruce Goldfarb is Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Okapi Partners. He works closely with a wide range of clients including corporations, mutual funds, activist investors and shareholder groups as well as private equity sponsors and hedge funds, in solicitation and investor response campaigns. He focuses on proxy solicitation strategy,…
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Oct 6, 2021
SPACs for the Long-Term with True Wind Capital's Scott Wagner & Tom Hegge
True Wind Capital's track record as a SPAC sponsor is about as good as it gets. Open Lending Corp (*LPRO*) is an absolute rock star deSPAC up over 240% since IPO, Rover (*ROVR*) is up 30% since IPO, and there is more on the way from them with Bilander Acquisition (*TWCB*) looking for a deal and 3 more in the queue to IPO.
Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin is joined by True Wind Capital's *Scott Wagner* and *Tom Hegge. *Listeners will remember Scott as the ex-CEO of GoDaddy and Tom is a long-time public market investor with private equity roots.
Listen in as the three discuss the SPAC market, what makes True Wind special, and how a SPAC sponsor can successfully build a track record of taking companies public and driving return for all stakeholders.
Learn more about True Wind Capital: https://www.truewindcapital.com/
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Oct 4, 2021
Investing in SPACs for Yield with Jonathan Browne from Robinson Capital
Jonathan Browne from Robinson Capital joins Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin to talk about SPAC arbitrage. Robinson Capital's SPAX ETF launched in June of 2021 and is an actively managed exchange-trade fund (ETF) that invests in Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs), also known as blank check companies. SPAX seeks to provide total return while minimizing downside risk.
*Discussion Details*
* Intro - Background to Robinson
* SPACs as an Alternative to Fixed Income
* SPACs and Yield, Risk-Free
* How do you picks SPACs?
* State of the SPAC IPO Market
* SPAX - the ETF
* What can reinvigorate the SPAC market?
* Sponsor alignment
* Gamma squeeze
* Closed end funds
Jonathan Browne Biography
Jon serves as a Portfolio Manager and member of the investment management team at Robinson Capital. He jointly oversees the day-to-day management of the Robinson Funds, including its investment strategies and processes, risk management, regulatory compliance, asset allocation…
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Sep 24, 2021
SPACs, FOMO, and Tail Risk - Matthew Tuttle Captures the Momentum
Matthew Tuttle from Tuttle Capital joins David Drapkin to talk about SPACs, FOMO, and tail risk. Tuttle Capital's thematic and actively managed ETFs are taking advantage of the SPAC craze, everybody's FOMO (fear of missing out), and protecting the downside tail risk.
Listen in to learn how they do it and their latest thoughts on what's happening in the markets.
*Discussion Topics*
* Intro to Tuttle Capital
* FOMO
* Gambling vs. Investing
* SPACs, and state of the market
* Future of SPACs and sponsors
* FATT - Tail Risk ETF
* Buy the Dip?
* $100 in any ETF
*Learn more at Tuttle Capital's site:* https://tuttlecap.com/
*Matthew Tuttle Biography*
Matthew Tuttle is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Tuttle Capital Management, LLC.
Matthew is a familiar face among the financial media. He has been a frequent guest on CNBC and Fox Business and has been frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s.
He is the author of How Harvard &…
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Sep 20, 2021
Is Quantum Computing the Next Big Thing? IonQ & dMY CEO Niccolo de Masi Think So.
Niccolo de Masi of dMY Technology Group talks to Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin about why quantum computing is the next big tech innovation and how investors won't want to miss out.
*Discussion Topics*
* Intro
* IonQ and Quantum computing overview
* IonQ's financial and strategic value
* Competitive landscape
* Revenue and customer pipeline
* SPAC Redemptions
* Final message ahead of IonQ shareholder vote
This is the second of two special episodes with Niccolo. Hear Part I on dMY Technology here.
*About IonQ*
IonQ, Inc. is the leader in quantum computing, with a proven track record of innovation and deployment. IonQ’s 32 qubit quantum computer is the world’s most powerful quantum computer, and IonQ has defined what it believes is the best path forward to scale. IonQ is the only company with its quantum systems available through both the Amazon Braket and Microsoft Azure clouds, as well as through direct API access. IonQ was founded in 2015 by Chris Monroe and Jun…
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Sep 16, 2021
Kyle Bransfield and Ruben Minski on the Union Acquisition II / Procaps SPAC Deal
Boardroom Alpha's *David Drapkin* welcomes Union Acquisition II CEO *Kyle Bransfield* and Procaps CEO *Ruben Minski* to the podcast. The deal goes to vote on September 22, 2021 and ex-redemption on September 17, so this will be one of shareholders' last opportunities to hear from the team before deciding to redeem or go long alongside Kyle and Ruben. Investors should note that ~$65M was already redeemed from trust at their extension vote in April 2021.
*Episode Details*
* Intro to Procaps
* Why Procaps going public now?
* Decision to go via SPAC rather than IPO?
* Why Union Acquisition?
* SPAC history for Union
* Redemptions + Capital Structure
* PIPE Investors
* Procaps valuation
* Growth prospects
* Where are the risks?
* Will Union be a longterm partner?
* Procaps transition to a public company
* Will Union continue in SPACs
* Parting words
*Kyle P. Bransfield, CEO of Union Acquisition
*Kyle P. Bransfield is co-founder of Union Acquisition Group and ha…
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Sep 13, 2021
Are Niccolo de Masi and dMY the Real SPAC Kings?
Niccolo de Masi of dMY Technology Group talks to Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin about why they are at the top of the SPAC sponsor tables, how bad actors are stealing value from everyone else in the SPAC market, and why dMY is "long-term greedy."
*Discussion Topics*
* Intro w/ Niccolo
* dMY Overview and value add
* Why dMY's deals have been successful
* SPACs, targets, and projections from bad actors
* Transitioning from private to public
* Involvement in PF company boards
* Future of the SPAC market
* What's next for dMY
This is the first of two special episodes with Niccolo. We'll soon be publishing a second discussion with Niccolo on why quantum computing and IonQ are the next big thing.
*About Niccolo de Masi (CEO of dMY Technology Group)
*Niccolo de Masi is an experienced public company chief executive officer and board member with deep expertise in mobile, deep tech, and creating software and hardware ecosystems.
He serves or will serve on the Board of all th…
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Sep 9, 2021
Sarcos CEO Ben Wolff on Robotics and SPACs
Ben Wolff, CEO of Sarcos, talks to Boardroom Alpha's David Drapkin about robots, SPACs, and why investors should be looking at Sarcos as an opportunity to invest.
*Discussion Topics*
* Intro to Sarcos
* Why is now the time to go public
* Why a SPAC?
* Why Rotor?
* Who are your direct competitors?
* Sarcos' Valuation
* Shareholders + PIPE investors
* SPAC redemptions
* Sarcos revenue model
* Path to revenue projections
* Potential Customers
* Impacts of COVID
* Public company experience
* Final word from Ben
*About Ben Wolff
*Ben Wolff serves as the Chairman and CEO of leading global robotics company, Sarcos Robotics. In this role, he oversees the strategic direction of the company and engages with the company’s partners, customers and investors.
Prior to joining Sarcos, Wolff served as Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman at Pendrell Corporation from 2009 to 2014. In 2003, Wolff co-founded Clearwire Corporation, where he served as President,…
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