When
February 19 - April 29, 2026
Where
Virtual weekly Sessions
NextGen Symposium
Establishing the Next Generation of Alternative Investment Firms Symposium (NextGen) is NAIC’s industry-leading series of premier virtual training sessions that equips emerging general partners with the knowledge, strategies, and relationships needed to build enduring investment firms. Through a dynamic series of sessions led by industry experts and institutional investors, participants gain a 360° view of the firm-building journey—from launch to long-term sustainability.
Programming explores how to establish strong governance and culture, assemble high-performing teams, and develop credible track records. Participants learn to craft compelling fundraising narratives, structure firm and fund economics, manage risk, and build operational and legal infrastructure that meets institutional standards.
Our unique approach is a roadmap for building the next generation of diverse investment leaders.
Sample 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
Your New Firm: Laying the Foundation
You’ve made the pivotal decision to launch your own investment firm – now it’s time to ensure you’re fully prepared for the realities of firm building. This session examines the critical transition from managing deals to managing people, culture, and operations. Industry leaders will discuss how to establish strong governance frameworks, define partner roles and responsibilities, and build an enduring organizational culture that supports long-term success.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Foundational considerations in shaping your firm’s culture, governance, and collaboration model
- The evolving responsibilities of a Founder and Managing Partner
- Structuring and maintaining successful partnerships
- The essential role and key components of a well-crafted partnership agreement
New Learning Outcomes:
- Identify the key operational, cultural, and governance decisions required when forming a new firm
- Define the core responsibilities of a Founder or Managing Partner beyond investment execution
- Evaluate what makes an effective partnership agreement and how it influences firm longevity
- Recognize best practices for building a cohesive leadership team and establishing a strong organizational culture
Session 2
Team, Track Record, and Strategy: Your Recipe for Success
Building a successful investment firm requires more than capital and ambition – it demands the right combination of people, capabilities, and credibility. This session explores the essential elements of firm construction, including how to build a high-performing team, establish a verifiable track record, and define a compelling strategy that resonates with investors. Led by an experienced capital allocator, participants will learn which team members and advisory roles are most critical, how to leverage third-party services effectively, and how to align firm operations with investment strategy to create an institutionally sound platform.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Investment team composition and skill alignment
- The role of advisors, operating partners, and co-investors
- Constructing an efficient and reliable back-office team
- Establishing and communicating your firm’s track record
New Learning Outcomes:
- Understand how to structure an investment team that complements your firm’s strategy and differentiates you in the market
- Identify key advisory and partnership roles that strengthen credibility and operational execution
- Evaluate third-party service providers to support compliance, accounting, and investor relations needs
- Develop a framework for building and presenting a verifiable track record to prospective investors
Session 3
Attracting Capital: Building a Winning Go-to-Market Strategy
In today’s highly competitive fundraising environment, your ability to attract and retain investor interest depends on how clearly and confidently you can tell your firm’s story. This session focuses on building a powerful go-to-market (GTM) strategy – one that articulates your differentiated edge, connects your experience to your investment thesis, and aligns with investor expectations. Through insights from experienced GPs and LPs, participants will explore how to refine messaging, build brand presence, and engage prospective LPs effectively across the fundraising lifecycle.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Defining and communicating your key differentiators
- Building your story, with an emphasis on team, market opportunity, investment strategy, and track record
- Leveraging friends & family networks and early LPs
- Crafting your brand through firm and fund marketing materials
- Lessons learned from successful founders on raising capital and operating institutional-grade firms
New Learning Outcomes:
- Develop a clear and compelling narrative that differentiates your firm in the eyes of investors
- Identify the key components of an effective go-to-market strategy, from early outreach to fund close
- Understand how to engage initial LPs, including friends, family, and early believers, to build momentum
- Apply branding and communication best practices to strengthen your firm’s market positioning
- Recognize common challenges faced by emerging managers during fundraising (and strategies to overcome them)
Session 4
February 27, 2025
Behind the Scenes: Capital Allocator Insights
What truly drives investment decisions from the LP perspective? This session offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from a leading capital allocator in the alternative investments space. Participants will gain a transparent look into how allocators evaluate managers, conduct due diligence, and determine where to deploy capital. The discussion will also highlight best practices for engaging with institutional investors, common missteps to avoid, and the evolving landscape for diverse and emerging managers.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Understanding the due diligence process and key evaluation criteria
- How investment committees make allocation decisions
- Best practices and pitfalls when engaging with prospective LPs
- The competitive landscape for diverse and emerging managers
New Learning Outcomes:
- Gain insight into how allocators assess fund managers and make investment decisions
- Identify the most important factors LPs consider during the due diligence process
- Recognize common mistakes emerging managers make when engaging with institutional investors (and how to avoid them)
- Understand how market dynamics and diversity initiatives are shaping allocator priorities
Session 5
March 6, 2025
Risk Mitigation: Protecting Your Firm & Enhancing Your Deals
In an increasingly complex investment environment, risk management is not optional – it’s essential. This session brings together global leaders in risk management to discuss how to protect your firm, partners, and portfolio from the wide range of operational, financial, and transactional risks that can impact success. Participants will explore the tools, structures, and insurance solutions available to mitigate downside risk, enhance deal value, and strengthen competitive positioning in today’s deal landscape.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Key fund-level insurance considerations
- Employee-level risk management and key person insurance
- Cyber liability protection for funds and portfolio companies
- IP valuation and pricing models in due diligence
- Human capital, property, and cybersecurity diligence in acquisitions
- Transactional insurance solutions (including representations & warranties, tax liability, and litigation insurance)
New Learning Outcomes:
- Identify key areas of exposure across firm, employee, and transaction levels
- Understand the range of insurance products available to mitigate operational and transactional risks
- Evaluate how risk management strategies can enhance deal competitiveness and investor confidence
- Integrate due diligence best practices that address both financial and non-financial risks
- Recognize how to use insurance tools to preserve value throughout the investment lifecycle
Session 6
March 13, 2025
Back Office Essentials: Compliance, Reporting, and Tax Considerations
Behind every successful investment firm is a strong operational foundation. This session addresses the often-overlooked back-office functions that are critical to maintaining investor trust, regulatory compliance, and financial stability. Participants will learn how to structure robust compliance processes, manage accounting and reporting obligations, and navigate complex tax and treasury issues. Experts from a leading global tax and advisory firm will share practical insights on building an efficient infrastructure that scales with growth and meets institutional standards.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Regulatory and compliance essentials for emerging managers
- Private equity administration and reporting best practices
- Hybrid fund and investor services management
- Management company accounting and cash management frameworks
New Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the key regulatory and compliance requirements that apply to new and emerging managers
- Learn how to design effective accounting and reporting systems that meet institutional investor expectations
- Evaluate best practices for managing hybrid funds and investor services
- Recognize the importance of robust management company accounting and treasury oversight
- Develop a framework to ensure operational readiness and compliance as your firm scales
Session 7
March 20, 2025
Structuring Your Firm: Critical Legal Considerations & Documentation
The legal structure of your firm lays the groundwork for long-term success and investor confidence. In this session, attorneys from a leading global law firm will provide a detailed overview of the legal and regulatory considerations that shape fund formation and firm operations. Participants will gain practical insights into how securities laws impact marketing, how to structure fund and sponsor entities, and how to navigate fund documentation and closings efficiently. This session will help emerging managers avoid common pitfalls and establish a solid legal foundation from day one.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Fund structuring and entity formation best practices
- Core components of fund documentation and legal terms
- Marketing and solicitation considerations under securities laws
- The fund closing process and key steps for compliance
New Learning Outcomes:
- Understand how to structure fund and management entities to balance control, flexibility, and investor alignment
- Identify the essential legal documents required for fund formation and capital raising
- Recognize how securities laws and marketing regulations impact fundraising activities
- Learn how to manage the closing process efficiently while ensuring full legal compliance
- Anticipate common legal challenges faced by emerging managers and strategies to address them proactively
Session 8
March 27, 2025
Alternative Asset Class Deep Dive: Private Equity, Venture Capital, Real Estate, and SBIC
While many principles of firm building apply across alternative asset classes, each vertical presents unique structural, regulatory, and operational nuances. This capstone session provides an opportunity to explore those distinctions in depth through interactive breakout discussions focused on Private Equity, Venture Capital, Real Estate, and SBIC fund formation. Participants will engage directly with experienced firm leaders and practitioners in each asset class to understand specialized considerations, best practices, and lessons learned from successful fund launches.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Key differences in firm structure, strategy, and operations across asset classes
- Regulatory and capital formation nuances unique to PE, VC, RE, and SBIC firms
- Fundraising strategies and investor expectations by asset class
- Insights and lessons learned from seasoned firm leaders
New Learning Outcomes:
- Differentiate the strategic and operational requirements of building firms in PE, VC, RE, and SBIC asset classes
- Identify regulatory, tax, and compliance nuances specific to each vertical
- Understand how fundraising dynamics and LP expectations vary across asset classes
- Apply lessons and best practices shared by experienced fund leaders to your own firm-building journey
- Build a tailored roadmap for launching and scaling your firm within your chosen asset class
Session 9
April 10, 2025
Finances in Focus: Preparing for the Financial Journey and In-Person Networking in NYC
The financial realities of launching and operating an investment firm extend far beyond raising capital. This session provides an in-depth look at the economic journey of building a firm – from capitalization and fund expenses to ongoing cash flow management and personal financial planning as a founder. Participants will explore how to plan for the financial demands of fund formation, sustain operations during early fundraising, and align firm economics with long-term growth objectives. The session concludes with an exclusive in-person networking event in New York City, bringing together symposium speakers, NAIC members, and key service providers committed to supporting diverse-owned firms.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Understanding the financial realities of launching and managing a firm
- Budgeting, capitalization, and cash flow management for emerging GPs
- Structuring firm and fund economics for sustainability and growth
- Strategies for managing personal and firm-level financial pressures
- Building relationships with capital partners and service providers
New Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the full financial lifecycle of firm formation – from startup costs to ongoing management expenses
- Develop strategies to manage cash flow and firm capitalization during the fundraising period
- Learn how to structure sustainable firm economics that align with investor expectations
- Gain insights into managing personal finances as a GP while balancing firm growth objectives
- Build valuable connections within NAIC’s network of allocators, service providers, and fellow emerging managers
Who Should Attend
Diverse alternative investment firm founders who recently launched or those thinking about launching their firm in the next 6-12 months.
Get an inside look at the NextGen Symposium. Watch our recent Information Session featuring past participants sharing their experiences and insights.
Kenneth Saffold, Co-Founder & Managing Partner
For additional information about NextGen, please contact us at nextgen@naicpe.com.
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors
Multi-Year Corporate Partners
2025 NextGen Sponsors
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tina McIntyre at tmcintyre@naicpe.com.