NextGen Symposium

Establishing the Next Generation of Alternative Investment Firms

When

The 2025 NextGen Symposium is scheduled for February 6 through April 10, 2025.

Where

Virtual weekly sessions are supplemented with in-person networking opportunities. 

NextGen Symposium

Establishing the Next Generation of Alternative Investment Firms Symposium (NextGen) is NAIC’s industry-leading series of intensive virtual training sessions dedicated to educating and empowering a new generation of female and ethnically diverse general partners.

NextGen’s nine immersive sessions are crafted to provide participants with comprehensive information about how to build a firm and effectively navigate the process of raising capital.

Our unique approach allows attendees to learn from industry-leading experts and executives who have successfully raised funds and gain valuable insights from capital allocators.

Hear from a Previous NextGen Symposium Participant

Kenneth Saffold, Co-Founder & Managing Partner

2025 Agenda

Each session in our course will cover a different aspect of building your firm, from laying the foundation of your business to raising capital. Recordings will be made available for registrants who are unable to attend.

Session 1

February 6, 2025

Laying the Foundation of Your New Firm

Now that you’ve decided to launch your own firm, are you truly prepared for the road ahead? This session will explore the journey from managing deals to managing people, establishing a culture, managing logistical and human resources issues, including:

  • Important considerations when building your firm (culture, governance, and collaboration)
  • Responsibilities of the Founder & Managing Partner
  • Establishing the foundations of a successful partnership
  • Essential role of the partnership agreement

Session 2

February 13, 2025

Team, Track Record, and Strategy: Your Recipe for Success

This session will explore the critical roles and skills required to round out an institutionally sound firm. A leading capital allocator will cover what positions within your team will be critical to your success, the team members you should have in place, and key advisory roles that you should fill as well as the range of third-party services available as you construct a solid offering. This session will cover:

  • Investment team composition
  • Advisors, operating partners, and co-investors
  • Constructing a back office team
  • Establishing your track record

Session 3

February 20, 2025

Attracting Capital: Building a Winning Go-to-Market Strategy

In the crowded and competitive field of fundraising, it is critical to hone your messaging, define your brand and clearly articulate your competitive advantage. In this session, you will hear from industry leaders about how to effectively differentiate your strategy, how to attract attention from LPs, and how to pitch to different investor types. You’ll explore:

  • Key differentiators
  • Building your story: team, market opportunity, investment strategy, and track record
  • The role of friends & family engaging your initial Limited Partners
  • Crafting your brand: firm and fund marketing materials

This session wraps up with an invaluable panel discussion with successful founders. NAIC member firms will share lessons they learned, the real cost of launching and operating an institutional-grade firm, their experiences with raising capital, and the realities of being an entrepreneur and raising a fund in the competitive universe of alternative investments.

Session 4

February 27, 2025

Behind the Scenes: Capital Allocator Insights

In this session, you will hear directly from one of the top capital allocators in alternative investments. Hear first-hand about the intricacies of the due diligence process, how decisions are made, the do’s and don’ts of interacting with potential LPs and what the competitive landscape looks like for diverse and emerging managers.

Session 5

March 6, 2025

Risk Mitigation: Protecting Your Firm & Enhancing Your Deals

The asset management world is rife with risks and uncertainties. In this session, global leaders in risk management will instruct how best to protect your firm, partners, and deals from common risks. You will also learn about innovative products in the market that can increase the value of a deal or strongly position your firm in competitive deal situations. Topics include:

  • Key fund level insurances
  • Key employee level insurances/risk management
  • Cyber liability insurance and risk management for fund and portfolio companies
  • IP valuation and price modeling
  • Due diligence (Human Capital, Property Insurance and Cyber Security) for acquisitions
  • Transactional insurance (Reps & Warranties insurance, tax liability insurance, litigation insurance)
 

Session 6

March 13, 2025

Back Office Essentials: Compliance, Reporting, and Tax Considerations

Compliance and regulatory requirements, institutional investor reporting standards, and cash/treasury management are all areas that are often underestimated by new managers – both in their importance and complexity – with potentially dire consequences if not properly managed. Experts from a leading global tax firm will cover these key area and will review what you need to do to make sure you are well-covered as you build and grow your firm. Topics include:

  • Regulatory & compliance essentials
  • Private equity administration
  • Hybrid funds / Investor services
  • Management company accounting

Session 7

March 20, 2025

Structuring Your Firm: Important Legal Considerations

From the impact of securities laws on marketing, to fund and sponsor structuring, to the intricacies of fund documentation and closings, you will learn the critical components of how best to structurally set up your firm for success from one of the world’s top law firms. Topics include:

  • Fund structuring
  • Fund documentation
  • Marketing considerations
  • The closing process

Session 8

March 27, 2025

Alternative Asset Class Deep Dive: Private Equity, Venture Capital, Real Estate, and SBIC

While many of the firm building strategies and structural considerations are similar across alternative asset classes, there are nuances within each. During the final session, we will separate into 4 breakout groups in order to take a deep dive into the specific considerations required when starting a Private Equity, Venture Capital, Real Estate, and SBIC firm. Each breakout session will include a panel discussion led by successful firm leaders and a panel of experienced firm leaders in each asset class.

Session 9

April 10, 2025

Money, Money, Money: Preparing for the Financial Journey and In-Person Networking in NYC

Participants who have already launched a firm and are raising a fund have the option to attend this session in person in New York City. The session will conclude with a 90-minute networking session with symposium speakers and others in the NAIC network, including professionals at service providers who are dedicated to helping diverse-owned firms succeed.

Who Should Attend

Diverse alternative investment firm founders who recently launched or those thinking about launching their firm in the next 6-12 months.
NextGen Closing Session 3 e1683906159751

For additional information about NextGen, please contact us at nextgen@naicpe.com.

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

Multi-Year Corporate Partners

2024 NextGen Sponsors

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tina McIntyre at tmcintyre@naicpe.com.