private equity – The Contrarian Investor Podcast

The Future of Technology Investing is Hardware, not Software (Szn 5, Ep. 4)

Published February 14, 2023

With Robert Cote, Cote Capital

Robert Cote, principal at Cote Capital Management, joins the podcast to discuss his model of technology investing, how it’s different than venture capital, and which areas of new technology that he is most excited about.

Content Highlights

The last 20 years have seen venture capital focus on software companies, almost to the exclusion of anything else. Therein lies the opportunity (1:09);
Hardware has been overlooked and can become the focus of technology investors again. One example is manufacturing (6:39);
Use of nanocarbon has created one specific advancement in the area of solar technology (8:50);
Unfortunately, this technology is not investable through public markets (12:22);
Another example: textiles, specifically textile recycling (17:08);
Background on the guest and his investment process (22:56);
There is transportation-related innovation as well. No, not self-driving cars (36:31);
Something from the realm of augmented reality: X-ray technology for surgery (38:57):
Finally, what about crypto currencies? (43:18).

Season 3, Episode 18: Bubbles Lurk in Sovereign Debt, Financial Engineering

Published August 3, 2021

With Michael Ehrlich, Director of Leir Research Institute at New Jersey Institute of Technology

Michael Ehrlich, director of the Leir Center for Financial Bubble Research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, joins the podcast to discuss his views.

Dr. Ehrlich has identified two areas of concern: sovereign debt and financial engineering.

This is not his only area of interest however, as Dr. Ehrlich is passionate about early-stage venture/angel investing, which guides the discussion in the second half of the episode.

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Season 2, Episode 4: Private Credit is Fentanyl, With Gregory Obenshain, Verdad Capital

Published February 11, 2020

“Investors are hooked, and it won’t end well”

Gregory Obenshain, director of credit at Verdad Capital, joins the podcast to discuss his concerns about private credit investing.

Obenshain and Verdad Capital founder Dan Rasmussen recently penned an article in Institutional Investor: “High-Yield Was Oxy. Private Credit Is Fentanyl.” Subtitle: “Investors are hooked, and it won’t end well.”

In this 29-minute conversation, Obenshain tells listeners about his thesis.

Content:

How private equity has become the dominant player in this market (4:02)
The lending is a lot more dangerous and indeed riskier than the high-yield bond market (7:39)
Obenshain’s background (15:03)
Historical returns for private credit investments (19:50)
Ramifications of new lenders entering the market (22:22)
Potential timing of an unwind (24:17)
More constructive ideas for investors (25:27)

Highlights From Our YouTube Channel

For more information on the guest and his firm: VerdadCap.com

Not intended as investment advice.

Tag: private equity