Higher-for-longer interest rates, the golden age of private credit, Bitcoin ETFs, and others were all unfamiliar territories as recently as 2019. As markets emerged from the pandemic, they matured into the defining characteristics of our time as leaders continue to navigate a low-growth, soft-landing environment. Geopolitical risk has only compounded concerns for investors looking to negotiate a fragmented global economy. How can today’s investors uncover value and unlock opportunities in this unique set of circumstances? What are the burgeoning big ideas to pay attention to? Where do we go from here? 

The $84-trillion transfer of wealth from the Baby Boom generation to its heirs is underway, and as younger investors enter the market, their investment preferences are shaping the financial landscape. From Millennials to Gen Zs, what are the generational implications of issues like technological advances, risk appetite, DEI, and sustainability that each generation bears uniquely? How do investors’ views and convictions differ and influence their decision-making, and how, consequently, will that impact the great wealth transfer of the coming years?  

Until 2022, venture capital was the talk of town—from hedge funds to sovereign wealth funds—as global investors poured into the asset class, creating never-seen-before valuations. Nearly $650 billion was estimated to be raised by startups in 2021 alone. But by 2022, investments deployed to start-ups dropped by over one-third, and in 2023 fund formation sank to a five-year low. While industry excitement builds around the disruptive implications of AI, agri- and health-tech, LPs are confronting an unfavorable market environment, where exits remained few and far between. What lessons have VCs learned in the current market cycle? Where are the silver linings? Is there room for non-tech venture capital?