E247 - Jesse Learmonth

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Jesse Learmonth, host of the Betting Startups Podcast, who guest-hosts to interview Jason about his company, Smarkets, and its current efforts to raise $50,000,000 from investors.

Hear them discuss:

09:37 - What it means for a company to raise money from investors 13:00 - Why Jason is going back to raise capital again for Smarkets 14:26 - The difference between raising money from angels vs. institutional investors 20:40 - How Jason first raised money to launch Smarkets back in 2008 23:40 - Jason’s journey from friends & family funding to angel investors 26:03 - What it's like pitching to venture capitalists and navigating power dynamics 27:20 - Why a profitable company would still raise more capital 30:41 - How much Jason is trying to raise in the Series C round 33:03 - Smarkets’ interest in the CFTC model and prediction markets 34:16 - How they’re thinking about entering new asset classes—build or partner? 35:30 - Long-term visions: more funding rounds, IPO, or acquisition? 36:45 - How Jason maintains founder stamina after 17 years 38:50 - Jason’s personal routines and longevity mindset as a founder

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