Balentic Edge

Balentic

Balentic Edge delivers sharp, no-fluff conversations on private markets. Hear from GPs, LPs, and experts shaping the future - from thematic investing to tech-driven deal flow. Quick, smart, and always on the edge.

  1. 03/12/2025

    Where Creativity Meets Capital: The Rise of Music as an Asset Class

    🎸 Can a song become an asset class?And can private equity make artists immortal?In this episode, Kasper Wichmann speaks with Natalia Fontecha, Partner and Head of Capital Raising at PopHouse Entertainment, the Swedish firm applying a private equity playbook to music rights and reinventing how cultural IP is owned, scaled, and monetised. PopHouse sits at the crossroads of creativity and capital, where evergreen music catalogues become value-creation engines - and where AI, immersive experiences, and global licensing are just the beginning. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why music is emerging as an uncorrelated, defensible asset class for institutional LPsWhat an artist-centric investment model looks like - from ABBA to avatar showsHow PopHouse raised a record first-time fund in the toughest fundraising environment in a decade For LPs, GPs, and allocators exploring differentiated deal flow, IP-based revenue, or the next frontier of alternatives, this is a must-listen. Disclaimer:The views are those of the host and guests and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not represent the views of any employer or affiliated entity. Nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, tax, or business advice, or an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security. References to funds or companies are illustrative only. Please consult your own advisers before making decisions.

    26 min
  2. SPECIAL EDITION - Unlocking Private Capital to Power Europe's Tech Future

    08/10/2025

    SPECIAL EDITION - Unlocking Private Capital to Power Europe's Tech Future

    Is Europe funding its fintech future or exporting it at Series B? A candid panel on private markets, LP insights, GP fundraising, and financial sovereignty in Europe’s venture ecosystem. In this special Balentic Edge episode from Nordic FinTech Week, host Kasper Wichmann joins Kim Rosenkilde (moderator), Christian Lindström-Lage (SEB), Toby Trieble (FinTech Collective), and Rune Ullbach (pension allocator) to examine Europe’s venture capital equation. The panel explores private markets dynamics, LP insights on portfolio construction and risk-adjusted returns, and the persistent tilt of GP fundraising toward US-led growth rounds.Key themes include regulatory fragmentation and Solvency II, Europe’s dependence on US technology stacks and the push for financial sovereignty, and why top-down IC conviction (not safety nets) determines pension allocations to venture. The guests debate whether Europe’s diversity is a drag or an edge, how banks act as strategic LPs for early signal and partnerships, and what it takes to achieve consistent fund-returners in Europe.If you’re an LP, GP, or allocator weighing Europe vs. US exposure, this episode offers a grounded view of capital flows, performance consistency, and the realpolitik behind 3x net targets. Disclaimer:The views are those of the host and guests and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not represent the views of any employer or affiliated entity. Nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, tax, or business advice, or an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security. References to funds or companies are illustrative only. Please consult your own advisers before making decisions.

    26 min
  3. Secondaries with an Edge: Julien Marencic on Smart Allocation

    24/09/2025

    Secondaries with an Edge: Julien Marencic on Smart Allocation

    In this episode of Balentic Edge, Kasper Wichmann sits down with Julien Marencic, Managing Partner at Jera Capital, to unpack a disciplined approach to the secondary market - from industrial-grade origination and selection to portfolio construction across cycles. What does quality really look like in secondaries when discounts don’t guarantee returns? Julien lays out Jera Capital’s engineer-like playbook: scale origination to widen the funnel, apply ruthless selection to avoid misallocation of time and capital, and maintain a tight feedback loop by converting pre-investment models into live monitoring tools. The discussion compares LP secondaries vs GP-led continuation vehicles, explaining where multiples, liquidity timing, and alignment truly differ. Julien and Kasper explore evergreen fund structures focused on sub-€50m deals, an under-served third of the market that attracts only ~5% of secondary capital, and how pacing across vintages helps avoid the J-curve and overpaying at peaks. Julien also tackles today’s risk realities: NAV loans, leverage in a non-zero-rate world, distribution dynamics, and how to assess GP incentives (including valuation “POP” before exit). Finally, they cover syndication access, being a “good counterparty,” and what LPs should do when those election notices hit their inbox. If you care about private markets, LP insights, GP-led continuation vehicles, evergreen funds, and navigating NAV loans and leverage, this one’s for you. 👇 Useful Links Subscribe to the Balentic YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK9ln9JrGyEFRlyPkCtMdvAVisit Balentic: https://www.balentic.comFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/balentic/ #PrivateMarkets #LPInsights #Secondaries #Fundraising #BalenticEdge AboutBalentic empowers private markets with expert-built tools and data to streamline fundraising and discovery. Orca, our AI-powered platform, transforms how LPs and GPs connect through smart filters, transparent data, and thematic insights.For inquiries: edge@balentic.com Disclaimer: The views are those of the host and guests and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not represent the views of any employer or affiliated entity. Nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, tax, or business advice, or an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security. References to funds or companies are illustrative only. Please consult your own advisers before making decisions.

    36 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Balentic Edge delivers sharp, no-fluff conversations on private markets. Hear from GPs, LPs, and experts shaping the future - from thematic investing to tech-driven deal flow. Quick, smart, and always on the edge.