What happens before a company goes public, and who gets to invest? Robin Bouwman sits down with investors and founders to discuss venture capital, private deals, IPOs, and the businesses shaping the future. We talk about how deals happen, what makes an investment worth taking, and what happens when things go wrong. From first investments to multimillion-dollar exits, these conversations explore the decisions, mistakes, and relationships behind the numbers.
Podcast available on
Sep 22, 2026
Sep 22, 2026
1 hr 44 min
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Mark Lack, who sold his business for $5M and now invests in 164 companies through a venture capital fund.
We break down how venture capital works, why access to a good deal can matter as much as the money you have, and what it looks like to keep investing for years before you see a payout. Mark also shares how networking led him to Kamal Ravikant’s fund and why he’s focused on Bitcoin, AI, robotics and biotech.
We also get into:
- why he looks for potential 1,000X winners
- his early Nvidia investment and why he regrets selling
- how he combines individual stocks, ETFs and venture capital
- fund fees, minimum investments and money being locked up
- his views on inflation and borrowing against assets
- IPOs and the difference between getting in early and buying when a company goes public
If you’re building a business and starting to think about where to invest the money you’re making, this episode gives you a look at how Mark approaches it.
Mark Lack on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mark.lack
00:00 Mark Lack’s $5M exit and venture capital portfolio03:14 How venture capital deals and allocations work08:14 Failed investments and doubling down on winners11:01 Paintball, entrepreneurship and learning from failure20:56 Mark’s views on inflation, housing and money printing32:26 Borrowing against assets and building long-term wealth41:45 Bitcoin, self-custody and financial independence47:09 Investing in AI, robotics, biotech and blockchain54:11 Individual stocks, ETFs and venture capital59:27 Selling Nvidia too early and learning to hold1:02:06 Asset ownership, family and thinking long term1:06:44 Networking and getting into Kamal Ravikant’s fund1:11:29 Venture capital returns, patience and portfolio allocation1:18:19 Funds, the S&P 500 and the banking system1:22:15 Venture fund eligibility, fees and minimum investments1:26:42 Mark’s Bitcoin thesis and the halving cycle1:29:31 Spotting major technology shifts and disruption1:36:07 IPOs: how early investors cash out1:39:40 Mark’s predictions for Elon Musk’s companies1:42:41 Final thoughts and investments to revisit
