Episode 124 – The Growth Rocketship: Brave Capital, Defense Tech, Decisive Technologies!
Release Date: 09/17/2026
Episode 124 – The Growth Rocketship: Brave Capital, Defense Tech, Decisive Technologies!
Connected With Latham
San Francisco-based venture capital firm Brave Capital partners with companies from pre-seed through growth equity stages, backing transformative technology startups in sectors ranging from AI to aerospace and energy. The firm backs modern defense disruptors — known as “neoprimes” — that bridge the traditional military-industrial gap, with investments in companies such as . In this episode of Connected With Latham, , Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with Ernestine Fu Mak, Founder and Managing Partner of , to discuss the firm’s...
info_outline
Episode 123 – The Growth Rocketship: Hercules Backs Tech, Life Sciences
Connected With Latham
Hercules Capital provides senior secured loans to high-growth, venture capital-backed companies across technology and life sciences. Since its inception in 2003, Hercules has committed more than US$28 billion to more than 700 companies and works with more than 1,000 leading venture capital and private equity firms. In this episode of Connected With Latham, , Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with , Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Hercules Capital, to discuss Hercules’ investment approach, the role of venture...
info_outline
Episode 122 – Europe Litigation: Mass Actions at a Global Scale
Connected With Latham
Europe has entered the collective redress era. The full implementation of the EU Representative Actions Directive, coupled with a surge in litigation funding, has transformed the ability of claimant groups to coordinate across jurisdictions. Companies now face the prospect of parallel consumer, data privacy, and competition actions that are global in scope — which means the challenge for defendants is not just winning individual cases, but managing consistency of arguments, data strategies, and settlement approaches across multiple fronts. In this episode of Connected With Latham, London...
info_outline
Episode 121 – The Growth Rocketship: Inside Boutique Venture With NewView Capital
Connected With Latham
California-based venture capital and growth firm with more than US$3 billion under management, NewView Capital invests in high-potential technology companies on a primary, secondary, or hybrid basis. Founded in 2018, NewView has emerged as an early leader in the secondary market, taking a boutique, high-conviction approach to backing category-defining companies. Latham has advised NewView on a range of primary, secondary, and hybrid investments across the US and around the world. In this episode of Connected With Latham, , Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies &...
info_outline
Episode 120 – The Growth Rocketship: Modernizing Real Estate With Opendoor
Connected With Latham
Residential real estate platform Opendoor puts homeowners in control by replacing the traditional, passive home-selling process with a streamlined e-commerce system. Founded in 2014, Opendoor has since expanded its reach across the lower 48 states, building out a partner network and tackling the complex ecosystem of utilities, title, escrow, and mortgage that surrounds every home sale. In this episode of Connected With Latham, , Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with Christy Schwartz, Opendoor’s Chief Financial Officer, and Rishi...
info_outline
Episode 119 – The Growth Rocketship: How Rakuten Capital Masters Diplomatic Capitalism
Connected With Latham
The corporate venture capital arm of Rakuten Group, Rakuten Capital invests in innovative startups across fintech, AI, and other high-growth sectors. Since its founding in 2014, Rakuten Capital has invested in companies like Lyft, Pinterest, Careem, and Upstart, establishing itself as a distinctive force in corporate venture investing. In this episode of Connected With Latham, , Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with Saemin Ahn, Managing Partner of Rakuten Capital and Executive Officer of Rakuten Group, to discuss Rakuten Capital’s...
info_outline
Episode 118 – The Growth Rocketship: Axiado Takes Cybersecurity Inside the Rack
Connected With Latham
Founded in 2020, Axiado deploys hardware-anchored, AI-driven platform security by embedding silicon directly on the rack, protecting AI and cloud infrastructure against cyberattacks in real time. Latham represented Axiado in its oversubscribed US$100+ million Series C+ funding round. In this episode of Connected With Latham, , Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with Gopi Sirineni, Founder, President, and CEO of Axiado, to discuss the company’s proximity-based security approach, the evolving cybersecurity landscape for AI infrastructure,...
info_outline
Episode 117 – The Growth Rocketship: Using AI to Accelerate Analog Semiconductor Design With Celera
Connected With Latham
Celera Semiconductor aims to radically accelerate the development of analog semiconductor chips using AI. Founded in 2018, Celera has raised US$34 million in funding, including a recent Series A led by Maverick Silicon that Latham advised on. The company partners with the world’s largest independent analog fab to engage customers in high-growth industries like data centers, consumer electronics, and industrial components. In this episode of Connected With Latham, , Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with Celera’s Chief Executive Officer,...
info_outline
Episode 116 – Drug Pricing and Market Access: CMS Update With Rujul Desai
Connected With Latham
The Trump administration has advanced many policy initiatives in the drug pricing and market access area, and CMS —the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — is the agency at the heart of many of these efforts. Rujul Desai, Senior Counselor to CMS and former Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Health & Human Services, joins Washington, D.C. partner and associate for an update on key CMS priorities. Rujul also discusses the transition from big law to government and shares practice pointers for engaging with the agency. Also check out our bi-weekly on the...
info_outline
Episode 115 – Drug Pricing and Market Access: Highlights From Recent CMS and AHLA Conferences
Connected With Latham
Washington, D.C. partner , and associates and , share observations and insights from the recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Conference and the American Health Law Association’s Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues conference. They also discuss updates that government speakers shared at these events. Also check out our bi-weekly on the website or to receive future editions in your inbox. This podcast is provided as a service of Latham & Watkins LLP. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney client relationship...
info_outlineSan Francisco-based venture capital firm Brave Capital partners with companies from pre-seed through growth equity stages, backing transformative technology startups in sectors ranging from AI to aerospace and energy. The firm backs modern defense disruptors — known as “neoprimes” — that bridge the traditional military-industrial gap, with investments in companies such as Shield AI. In this episode of Connected With Latham, Haim Zaltzman, Global Vice Chair of Latham’s Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with Ernestine Fu Mak, Founder and Managing Partner of Brave Capital, to discuss the firm’s approach to investing in decisive technologies, macro trends shaping AI and infrastructure, capital allocation strategies across early- and late-stage investments, and what drives one of the most dynamic investors in Silicon Valley history.
This podcast is provided as a service of Latham & Watkins LLP. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney client relationship between you and Latham & Watkins LLP, and you should not send confidential information to Latham & Watkins LLP. While we make every effort to assure that the content of this podcast is accurate, comprehensive, and current, we do not warrant or guarantee any of those things and you may not rely on this podcast as a substitute for legal research and/or consulting a qualified attorney. Listening to this podcast is not a substitute for engaging a lawyer to advise on your individual needs. Should you require legal advice on the issues covered in this podcast, please consult a qualified attorney. Under New York’s Code of Professional Responsibility, portions of this communication contain attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each representation. Please direct all inquiries regarding the conduct of Latham and Watkins attorneys under New York’s Disciplinary Rules to Latham & Watkins LLP, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, Phone: 1.212.906.1200