Episodes

Chaz Churchwell and Joshua Wilson break down the latest SPAC Research data: 373 active SPACs, completed deal sizes, valuation discipline, and why only 23.3% of DESPACs trade above $10.

EdgarAgents' Brian Cavalli on the part of DESPAC SEC filings attorneys and bankers rarely mention: why the financial printer should come in early, EDGARizing, XBRL, and CCC and CIK codes.

Periscope Capital portfolio manager Christine McNerney on what institutional investors look for before backing a DESPAC: real capital needs, governance, valuation discipline, and sponsor track record.

RetailVolts CEO Mo Abdi explains how retail investor trust in a DESPAC is measurable months before close, how bot networks shape narratives, and why sentiment tracks redemptions.

Cohen & Company's Brandon Sun, with 130+ DESPAC and M&A deals behind him, on the four ways to go public and why most private companies realistically have access to only one.

Boardroom Alpha's Michael Strauss says the first SPAC question is whether you need the capital at all, then unpacks redemptions, PIPE backstops, dilution, and post-DESPAC durability.

Aprio's Jeffrey Duncan and Jonathan Grubbs on why day one as a public company is where the work starts: PCAOB audit readiness, internal controls, valuation, and SEC reporting.

Brookline Capital's Dimitre Genov and Patrick Sturgeon on what separates a strong SPAC target from a costly mistake, from size thresholds to where SPACs beat a traditional IPO.

Laurel Hill's Desiree Carlo on why DESPAC votes fail months before the ballot: silent shareholder bases, early redemptions, and the proxy habits that separate disciplined deal teams.

Stardust Power CEO Roshan Pujari gets candid about year one after a DESPAC: sponsor alignment, deferred fees, the S-1 danger zone, and the discipline it takes to survive.

SPAC attorney Doug Ellenoff, with 1,000+ SPAC IPOs behind him, on why DESPACs that look great on day one collapse later: unit economics, warrant overhang, promote math, and the PIPE.

GuzmanGray's Sam Salty and Mark Stoller on how misclassified warrants and earnouts trigger restatements, delays, and millions in fees, and what real PCAOB readiness looks like.

McGuireWoods partners Alex Weniger-Araujo and Shahrooz Shahnavaz on the SPAC 4.0 era and the three non-negotiables every DESPAC target must show, from PCAOB readiness to a real 'why public' thesis.

James Tunkey, CFE and Managing Director of I on Asia, on executive due diligence in a de-SPAC — 50+ transactions of fraud-investigator-grade screening, why undisclosed directors collapse deals at the two-yard line, how short sellers exploit pre-merger disclosure gaps, the six-month expiry window, and why early diligence directly lowers cost of capital.

Michael Moscarelli of Houlihan Capital on projection disclosure risk in a DESPAC — why the financial forecasts shared with the fairness opinion team enter public filings and become the single biggest post-close liability for target CEOs.

A market update on why securities litigation has dropped since the SPAC boom — and why governance, valuation discipline, and strong advisory teams are shaping the next cycle of DESPAC deals.

Jesse Busch of iBankers on what investment bankers do in a DESPAC — deal structuring, capital raising, exchange approvals, and how boutique banks guide private companies through SPAC mergers.

Mohammad Hasham of Cohn Reznick on PCAOB audit prep before a SPAC merger — CFO advisory, financial statement readiness, and what private companies must fix before going public.

Caitlyn Van Valin of Odyssey Trust on what transfer agents do in a DESPAC — shareholder records, corporate action events, and when private companies should engage before close.

Alexandra Low of Appleby on why SPACs incorporate in the Cayman Islands — cross-border DESPAC structuring, charter provisions, and director responsibilities for newly public companies.

Chris Cottone of Greentree Financial on what target companies should look for in a SPAC — promote structure, dilution, PCAOB audit timing, and capital recycling strategies for post-close success.

Peter Goldstein of Exchange Listing on IPO vs. DESPAC for founders — market-driven price discovery, redemption risk, foreign filer rules, and how to avoid inflated valuations that cause post-close collapse.

Daniele D'Alvia of Queen Mary University on governance risk in SPAC transactions — sponsor promote alignment, valuation discipline, and why governance is the strongest defense against post-close litigation.

Jordan Darrow of Darrow IR on when to engage IR before a DESPAC — investor positioning, CEO communication, and why small-cap public companies need disciplined IR to survive volatile markets.