In this episode, Joel Palathinkal and Matt Cohen (Ripple Ventures) explore Matt's journey from New York to venture capital, the emergence of Silicon Alley, and high-frequency trading. They discuss the evolution of electronic trading and its link to crypto markets. Matt shares his venture capital transition, emphasizing mission alignment in acquisitions. The conversation covers PR, marketing, and success stories of bootstrapped companies. Matt talks about founding Ripple Ventures, managing funds, and strategies for fundraising and performance reporting. The episode also touches on building LP relationships, personal branding, and offers advice for aspiring venture capitalists, including insights on the Ripple fellowship program.