Alternate Universe is Live! 💥💥💥

Welcome to Alternate Universe!

In today’s edition:

• The newsletter is born 👶

• Job opportunities at recently funded European startups 👇

• The largest hedge fund manager doesn’t want you to read the new book about his firm.

The Crux 🔴

Back in 2016, as I was wrapping up my Master’s degree and perfecting my procrastination skills, I took a break to visit my local bookstore.

While browsing, I stumbled upon an unassuming book that would push me down a rabbit hole.

That book - was A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel.

As my thesis deadline loomed, I found myself more engrossed in this £15 book than in ensuring my parents’ investment in my education paid off.

Miraculously, I managed to pull through at the last minute, by pulling a Victor Hugo. I locked myself in my dorm room for the last 5 days and wrote the remaining 50-odd pages of my thesis like my life depended on it (which it did 🤪).

My newfound interest in investing and personal finance only grew after completing my degree. My library quickly filled with top investment books, and I devoured as much information as I could, since these topics were scarcely covered at school.

Realizing that most investment content catered to an American audience, I decided to create something with a European twist.

Rock Your Finance was born.

My goal was simple: to compile valuable material, infuse it with European relevance, and present it systematically for the typical European millennial to kickstart their journey in personal finance. I drew inspiration from giants like Howard Marks, Burton Malkiel, and Warren Buffett.

As the book was intended for a newbie audience, I emphasized the fundamental components of a portfolio - stocks and bonds, which are the building blocks of a core portfolio.

I briefly mentioned the concept of a satellite portfolio, where bolder investors could allocate ’fun money’, to more intriguing and volatile assets.

After publishing, I continued to build my core portfolio following the principles I had outlined. I firmly believe that this straightforward, cost-efficient, and prudent approach is the best strategy for novice investors.

However, the scientist in me couldn't resist exploring the world of ‘alternative investments’—a catch-all term for anything outside the traditional stocks and bonds.

I wanted to answer 2 questions:

And more importantly, how can a retail investor get exposure to these opportunities through investment in public and private companies?

My broader take on alternative investments can be simplified as ‘Anti 60/40' - anything that is outside the realms of the safe core portfolio.

This includes innovative or under-the-radar asset classes, companies, niches, markets, investment strategies & trends, and technologies that offer intriguing possibilities for learning and investing.

Join me as I delve into these intriguing and unpredictable alternative investments, borrowing insights from experts and focusing on the European landscape.

Welcome to the Alternate Universe.

Headhunted 🦅

Recently funded private companies need talent! Uncover jobs at recently funded European startups, ahead of your competition. 💪

1. Rivia 🇨🇭 - Clinical trial data startup raises €3m seed round. Multiple roles (link).

2. Sidekick 🇬🇧 - Wealth management app raises a £8.5m seed round. Two roles open (link).

3. Black Semiconductor 🇩🇪 - Raised a €254m Series A to build microchips for generative AI. Multiple roles available (link).

4. Flow Computing 🇫🇮 - Super-CPU company raised a €4m seed round. Hiring engineers (link).

5. Gorilla 🇧🇪 - Energy data applications startup raised €23 million Series B round. Hiring across multiple roles (link).

6. Visbly 🇬🇧 - Raised a €7m round to improve training for the infrastructure sector. Now hiring a Head of Operations and Senior React Engineer (link).

Interestingness📔 

• I finally picked up a copy of The Fund, the book about Ray Dalio, and the inner workings of the largest hedge fund, Bridgewater. What a page-turner! Some parts of it read like fiction. Highly recommended. (link)

• The Gamestop saga continues (link)

• How to find a Unicorn (link)

• Finding foods that users of weight-loss drugs will love. Fascinating episode about studying the changes in food preferences brought by Ozempic, and the knock-on effects on food companies (link)

Got feedback? I’m all ears - drop me a reply to this email.👂

📚 New to investing? Grab a PDF copy of my ebook here.

As always, the financial disclaimer!

This is not investment advice. I am not a financial advisor. Make sure to conduct your thorough research before purchasing or selling financial products.