Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry Gavin Baker – Truth-Seeking and Crossover Investing at Atreides (EP.489)
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Mar 2, 2026 
Gavin Baker, Managing Partner and CIO of Atreides Management, builds crossover strategies across public and private markets with deep AI and semiconductor expertise. He discusses truth-seeking investing, debate-driven culture, hypothesis-led research, and how crossover exposure and portfolio construction create advantages in technology and AI.
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First Venture Deal Negotiated At CES
- Gavin's first venture deal came from meeting a startup at CES and negotiating terms alone in a law office.
- He learned term sheets on the fly and later integrated venture into his public work, leading early investments like Roku.
People And Culture Create Sustainable Edge
- Organizational edge often comes from people and culture, not a secret repeatable process.
- Gavin compares high-performing investment firms to championship teams where scouting, training, and culture produce sustained results.
Blend Fundamental Work With Quant Risk Tools
- Learn quantitative risk and portfolio construction even as a fundamental investor.
- Gavin studied Barra and met quants daily to adopt vol-adjusted sizing and better manage basis and concentration risk.
