The public market is 50% smaller than it was in 2000. Companies are staying private longer. And the wealth being created during that private window is bypassing every traditional investor relations playbook ever written.

Joshua Wilson sits down with Jeff Ransdell — Founding Partner and Managing Director of Fuel Venture Capital — for a conversation IR teams cannot afford to miss. After two decades at Merrill Lynch overseeing roughly $130 billion in client assets, Jeff left the wirehouse world to build an institutional-quality VC firm purpose-built to serve the RIA channel. With nearly $1 billion in AUM, six funds, and a new Innovation 100 strategy designed for wealth advisors, Jeff makes the case that RIAs are becoming the dominant channel for pre-IPO investor capital — and that public-company IROs, pre-IPO communications leads, and capital markets advisors need a new framework for how innovation-economy companies engage their future investor base. This episode is essential listening for IR professionals tracking the migration of capital from public markets to late-stage private deals, and for pre-IPO operators thinking about IR strategy long before the S-1.

🎯 What We Cover:

• Why the public market is half the size it was in 2000 — and what that means for IR strategy
• The rise of the RIA channel as a serious source of pre-IPO capital
• How Fuel Venture Capital's Innovation 100 fund is structured for wealth advisors
• The 7–10% innovation allocation thesis from a former hedge fund CIO
• Why 70% of startup employees never exercise their options — and how that distorts the cap table
• What IR teams at late-stage private companies should be doing 18–36 months pre-exit
• The shift from 10-year venture duration to 18–36 month pre-exit horizons
• Why direct-to-consumer VC bypasses the financial advisor — and why Jeff thinks that's wrong
• How AI is reshaping wealth management and the future of the advisor role
• What separates boutique VC firms from the BlackRocks and Blackstones of the world

🤝 Connect with Jeff Ransdell:

🌐 https://www.fuelventurecapital.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffransdell/

📧 jeff@fuelventurecapital.com

📩 Connect with Joshua Wilson: Have a question about investor relations, capital markets, or building your IR strategy? Reach out directly. 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ 🌐 https://www.theinvestorrelationspodcast.com/

Disclaimer: Joshua Wilson is a licensed Florida real estate broker and holds FINRA Series 79 and Series 63 licensure. The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, or compliance advice. All views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of any regulatory agency, organization, or employer. Listeners should consult their own legal counsel, compliance teams, or financial advisors to ensure adherence to applicable regulations, including SEC, FINRA, and other industry-specific requirements. This podcast does not constitute a solicitation or recommendation for any financial products or services.

Let’s Connect on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/

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https://www.theinvestorrelationspodcast.com/contact/