The SPAC Podcast
🎙️ Welcome to The SPAC Podcast — your front-row seat to the dynamic world of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies. Hosted by Michael Blankenship, a leading capital markets attorney and partner at Winston & Strawn LLP, and Joshua Wilson, executive producer and capital markets advisor, The SPAC Podcast brings you candid conversations, insider insights, and sharp analysis from the people shaping the future of the SPAC market. Whether you’re a sponsor, investor, founder, attorney, banker, or just curious about the mechanics and momentum behind SPACs — this show is your go-to source for education, strategy, and real-world stories from the dealmakers behind the deals. 🚀 What You’ll Hear In each episode, we’ll unpack: The structure, lifecycle, and mechanics of SPACs — from IPO to de-SPAC Legal and regulatory insights that matter to sponsors and targets Interviews with founders, investors, and advisors who’ve navigated successful transactions Trends and forecasts from the front lines of capital markets Lessons learned, deal strategies, and ways to leverage SPACs as a growth vehicle We’re not just watching the SPAC market — we’re talking to the people building it. 🎧 Meet Your Hosts Michael Blankenship is the Office Managing Partner of Winston & Strawn LLP (Houston) and Co-Chair of the firm’s Capital Markets practice. He has represented over 100 public companies, private equity firms, and SPACs in IPOs, M&A, de-SPACs, and securities offerings. Known for his clarity, legal acumen, and deal fluency, Michael brings unmatched insight into the regulatory, transactional, and strategic forces shaping the SPAC space. Joshua Wilson is experienced in investment banking and the founder of multiple media brands, including The Investor Relations Podcast. With over 2,000 interviews under his belt and deep experience in real estate, private capital, and investor engagement, Josh brings a fresh voice and strategic lens to every conversation — helping connect deals with the stories and people behind them. Together, they bridge law, finance, and media — guiding listeners through the world of SPACs with clarity, credibility, and curiosity. 🌎 Who This Show is For SPAC Sponsors & CEOs Institutional and Private Investors Investment Bankers & Corporate Attorneys Venture-backed Founders and Startups Private Equity & Family Offices Finance Professionals and Capital Markets Enthusiasts 🔔 Subscribe, Follow, and Join the Conversation This isn’t just a show — it’s a platform for education, connection, and business development in the SPAC ecosystem. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube. New episodes drop weekly. Follow us on LinkedIn and share the show with colleagues, clients, and fellow capital markets pros. The SPAC Podcast Where sponsors meet stories, markets meet momentum, and strategy meets execution.
Episodes
In this clip, Andrejka Bernatova introduces her global background spanning investment banking, private equity, sovereign wealth investing, and executive leadership across energy and infrastructure.
She shares how experience at Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, Blackstone, and Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund shaped her perspective, and how that journey led to building both a SPAC franchise and a private investment platform.
This is the...
What’s the ideal size for a SPAC? Chris Cattone explains why the sweet spot is often between $100M and $150M in trust, balancing fee efficiency, target quality, and flexibility through the DESPAC process.
Connect with the Guest: Chris Cottone
Connect with the Hosts & The SPAC Podcast:
Michael Blankenship LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeblankenship/
Joshua Wilson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucew...
Warrants are misunderstood, not obsolete.
James C. explains how he evaluates SPAC warrants, why pricing under 25 cents still matters, and how basket strategies can create asymmetric outcomes with defined risk.
This is a disciplined view of optionality, not speculation.
Connect with the Guest: James CampanellaÂ
Connect with the Hosts & The SPAC Podcast:
Michael Blankenship LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeblankenship/
Chris Cattone joins The SPAC Podcast to share his background and perspective from inside a multi-location family office.Â
As a partner at Greentree Financial, Chris works closely with companies preparing for IPOs and follow-on offerings, coordinating with auditors, attorneys, and underwriters to ensure a seamless public-market process. He also explains how deep experience in quarterly and annual compliance shaped Greentree’s approac...
In today’s SPAC market, experience matters more than ever.
James C. highlights the sponsors he’s watching and explains why repeat execution, investor trust, and deal-closing credibility separate leaders from noise.
For investors, sponsor history is no longer optional homework.
Disclaimers:
The views, opinions, and statements expressed by the guest are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The SPAC Pod...
Markets don’t recover in theory. They recover through real deals.
James C. walks through the SPAC transactions he’s watching closely and explains why PIPE strength, investor quality, and deal execution will determine whether the broader SPAC comeback holds.
These deals may be early indicators of what comes next.
Connect with the Guest: James CampanellaÂ
Connect with the Hosts & The SPAC Podcast:
Michael Blankenship LinkedIn: ht...
Are SPACs still worth investing in? The answer depends on how you use them.
James explains why SPACs can be a strong portfolio addition for investors who understand capital timing, yield floors, and upside optionality. Stability with asymmetric upside remains the core appeal.
This is a practical view of SPACs as a portfolio tool, not a trade.
Connect with the Guest: James CampanellaÂ
Connect with the Hosts & The SPAC Podcast:
M...
SPAC selection isn’t about volume. It’s about sponsors.
James C. breaks down the SPACs he’s invested in and why sponsor quality has become the defining factor in today’s market. From Churchill to Betsy Cohen and Cantor-backed vehicles, his approach prioritizes experience, capital access, and deal credibility.
This clip offers a clear framework for how investors are thinking differently in 2024 and 2025.
Connect with the Guest: James C...
From the NYSE trading floor in 1994 to navigating multiple SPAC booms and pullbacks, James C. has seen capital markets from every angle.
In this opening clip, James shares his background, how his perspective evolved beyond the trading floor, and why the SPAC market may be entering a needed rebrand phase after years of volatility.
This is context worth hearing before talking strategy.
Connect with the Guest: James CampanellaÂ
Connect wi...
In this SPAC Podcast Spotlight, Managing Director Dimitre Genov of Brookline Capital Markets outlines the structural changes reshaping SPAC IPOs since 2020. From the rise of non-managing anchor investors and the dominance of serial sponsors to the renewed use of warrants and hybrid PIPE structures, Dimitre explains how today’s IPOs look different from the last cycle.
He also highlights longer transaction timelines, greater investor ...
In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, co-hosts Michael Blankenship and Joshua Wilson speak with Dr. Daniele D’Alvia, Lecturer in Banking and Finance Law at Queen Mary University of London and Deputy Director of the Institute of Banking and Finance Law. Dr. D’Alvia offers a cross-border perspective on the evolving SPAC landscape—comparing U.S. and European markets.
Dr. D’Alvia explains how SPAC scalability in the U.S. is supported by ...
PIPE investors act as a real-time market check on a SPAC deal. Ryan McGuire explains what their participation (or hesitation) reveals about a transaction’s fairness and long-term outlook.
Guest: Ryan McGuire: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanquinnmaguire/
Watch more episodes at: www.Youtube.com/@UCiOCVRrRqqmq20QNV9I43ZgÂ
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn:
👉 Michael J. Blankenship - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike...
In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, transfer agent veteran Seth Farbman explains when founders, CFOs, and pre-IPO companies should engage a transfer agent. Whether you're considering a traditional IPO or a SPAC transaction, knowing when to bring in a partner like VStock can help you avoid costly mistakes, streamline your shareholder recordkeeping, and present your company professionally to investors.
Seth emphasizes the import...
How can SPACs evolve to better serve investors and ensure long-term success after the merger?
In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, co-hosts Michael Blankenship and Joshua Wilson are joined by Dr. Daniele D’Alvia, Lecturer in Banking and Finance Law at Queen Mary University of London and Deputy Director of the Institute of Banking and Finance Law. Dr. D’Alvia shares his view on how the SPAC model could be improved — focusing especial...
In this SPAC Podcast Spotlight, Managing Director Dimitre Genov of Brookline Capital Markets explains how small- and mid-cap equity markets directly affect SPAC redemptions and aftermarket performance. He highlights how “risk-on” market conditions can lower redemptions, while volatility and rising interest rates often drive investors to redeem shares rather than hold post-merger equity.
Dimitre also discusses how sector trends, valu...
DCF or Market Approach? Ryan McGuire explains how analysts decide which valuation method carries more weight in SPAC transactions and when financial forecasts can (or can’t) be trusted.
Guest: Ryan McGuire: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanquinnmaguire/
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn:
👉 Michael J. Blankenship - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeblankenship/
👉 Joshua Bruce Wilson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabr...
Chris Sorrells shares why Spring Valley remains committed to the energy and decarbonization sectors. From AI infrastructure to power security, he discusses how global shifts are reshaping the energy landscape and where the next opportunities lie.
Guest: Chris Sorrells – Chairman and CEO of Spring Valley
Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-sorrells-5a6a836/
Watch more episodes at: YouTube.com/@UCiOCVRrR...
From taking NuScale Power public to launching Eagle Energy Metals, Chris Sorrells explains how nuclear energy and SMRs (small modular reactors) are reshaping the energy sector. He connects decades of experience to the growing nuclear and uranium opportunity.
Guest: Chris Sorrells – Chairman and CEO of Spring Valley
Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-sorrells-5a6a836/
Watch more episodes at: YouTube.co...
What’s next for the SPAC market? Chris Sorrells predicts a period of rationalization, cleaner vehicles, and more experienced sponsors. He also shares why greater skin in the game could drive healthier deals and investor trust.
Guest: Chris Sorrells – Chairman and CEO of Spring Valley
Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-sorrells-5a6a836/
Watch more episodes at: YouTube.com/@UCiOCVRrRqqmq20QNV9I43ZgÂ
In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Seth Farbman shares a cautionary tale that underscores the importance of responsive and modern transfer agents in the SPAC ecosystem. Drawing from personal experience, Seth recounts a scenario where outdated communication practices—from requiring physical mail to issuing inaccurate shareholder statements—resulted in costly delays. The lesson? Technology, speed, and accuracy aren’t just convenien...
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