January 30, 2023
I’ll focus on finding ambitious founders that are shaping industries in fintech, consumer, enterprise, insurance tech, and other software verticals that will become global category kings.
In 2019, I co-founded a Silicon Valley venture studio and accelerator with a portfolio of 100+ companies. Some were successful in raising follow-on venture capital of as much as $30m dollars. It’s long known that 80% of startups fail, which is accepted in the industry as an operational hazard. Seeking a new approach, a fellow investor connected me to Kyle Cerminara, the co-founder and CEO of Fundamental Global.
Over multiple late-night sessions, I discussed with Kyle that there had to be another way. He instilled in me FG’s approach to investing and we discussed how Silicon Valley’s “spray-and-pray” model could be replaced with asymmetric results. During our conversations, I learned about FG’s scrappiness, fortitude, and experience.
Fundamental Global was founded by Joe Moglia and Kyle Cerminara. FG has holdings agnostic to stage, industry, or even asset class. The firm has stakes in public companies, including the largest movie screen manufacturer in North America, a lumber company, and others. You can read more on FG.group. The FG SPAC team has taken multiple companies public including Hagerty.
Joe Moglia is the only Wall Street luminary to achieve career excellence in leadership as a Wall Street CEO and an award-winning football coach. He has one of the most “unique resumes in modern business,” according to Forbes, and his tremendous success from the locker room to the boardroom provides invaluable lessons on strategic risk-taking and how to navigate challenges with new perspective and leadership.
Kyle cut his teeth investing with T. Rowe Price and running a portfolio with Steve Cohen. Shying away from the spotlight and focusing on developing asymmetric returns, while being able to hyper-focus on what is important, Kyle has made thousands of investments. He relentlessly focuses not just on what to invest in but once the investment is made, he is “in it to win it” helping CEOs increase value for all stakeholders. Kyle’s investment track record speaks for itself, and his fortitude and creativity are second to none.
FG Ventures will be the bridge to helping founders develop fundamentally strong businesses from idea through IPO. Some firms make this claim, but we have a track record, capital instruments, and experience to get it done. Just look at Hagerty, from small boat insurance company to a $3 billion dollar SPAC deal.
If you believe your company is next, reach out to us here.
