In this premiere episode of The Company We Keep, host Constance Thurmond, founder and principal of Kora Insights, sits down with Sergio Marrero, Managing Director of Blue Ridge Labs at Robin Hood, to dive deep into the evolving landscape of venture capital, emerging managers, and intentional community-building in entrepreneurship.

Discover how Sergio Marrero supports founders who are solving the world’s most pressing social challenges, and hear actionable insights on what it takes for emerging managers and investors to succeed today.

Episode Time Stamps:

[00:00:00 – 00:01:39] | Introduction to the Episode & Guests

[00:01:39 – 00:04:49] | Sergio’s Professional Journey

[00:06:01 – 00:08:25] | Training Emerging Managers & Investors

[00:09:01 – 00:11:31] | Barriers, Bottlenecks, and LP Challenges

[00:14:41 – 00:18:19] | Innovative Investment Models

[00:19:41 – 00:23:07] | Community Building for Emerging Managers

[00:26:24 – 00:28:15] | Founder Support and Accelerators at Blue Ridge Labs

[00:32:04 – 00:34:01] | The importance of gathering in-person

[00:43:07 – 00:45:56] | Advice for Investors

[00:51:37 – 00:56:74] | How to Get Involved, Recommended Books, Podcasts & Further Reading

Topics Covered

• Transitioning from founder to investor- Sergio Marrero’s career evolution

• The biggest bottlenecks for emerging managers when raising capital

• Why LPs should rethink their measures of excellence

• Building innovative investment models beyond the two-and-twenty venture capital norm

• Operations behind Blue Ridge Labs’ community programming, and the role of physical spaces

Notable Moments from Sergio

• "Launching scalable, impactful ventures starts by equipping founders and building communities that last beyond the program."

• "You serve who pays you: LPs may fund the model, but it’s founders and community impact that drive real venture returns."

• “The venture model has to change: revenue-based financing and creative deal structures are the future for LPs and emerging managers."

Show Resources and Links

• Follow and connect with Sergio Marrero on Linkedin

• Blue Ridge Labs: labs.robinhood.org

• Book Recommendation: Loonshots” by Safi Bahcall.

• Ecosystem Shoutouts: Aaron Walker, Camelback Ventures & the Ruthless for Good

Connect & Get Involved

• Interested in Blue Ridge Labs? Visit the website to apply, mentor, or invest.

• For collaborations or funding related to Blue Ridge Labs, contact Sergio Marrero directly.

Thank you for listening to The Company We Keep by Constance Thurmond of Kora Insights.

At Kora Insights, we provide year-round programmatic solutions that enable emerging managers to consistently unlock capital from both their LPs and portfolio companies throughout the duration of their fund.

For LPs, we provide a trusted pipeline of differentiated managers and events they can’t find anywhere else.

Learn more at www.korainsights.com