Finding the Edge: Sourcing Investment Opportunities with Matthew Wright of the Disciplina Group

In this episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, host Robert Morier sits down with Matthew Wright, founder of Disciplina Group and former Chief Investment Officer at Vanderbilt University, for a deep dive into manager research, due diligence, and portfolio construction in the OCIO market.

Matthew shares his philosophy for sourcing and underwriting emerging managers, with a particular focus on boutique, employee-owned firms that bring a true “edge” to private markets, venture capital, and hedge funds.

He explains how Disciplina builds conviction-driven allocations in less efficient markets, balances liquidity and return expectations, and integrates alternatives into client portfolios for mission-based institutions.

In this episode:
- How to find and evaluate emerging managers before the crowd
- Building a repeatable due diligence process for alternatives
- Opportunities in multi-stage venture capital and niche private strategies
- Hedge funds as true diversifiers, not equity proxies
- Why conviction sizing matters as much as diversification

If you want to hear how a seasoned CIO approaches alternative investing and manager selection and learn strategies to sharpen your own process, this conversation is for you.