7 Things You Need To Know About Real Estate's Most Exclusive Retreat For Next Generation Dealmakers
1. What is it?
Ascent is a community comprised of the nation’s top investors and developers under the age of 45(ish)
To apply for one of the remaining spots, click here, and if you would like to nominate someone from your firm or peers in the industry, you can add their name here.
2. When is it?
The next annual retreat meets in Miami, from Nov. 5 to 7, 2018. The retreats are 42 hours. They have been strategically designed over the past five years to create a meaningful, thoughtful, high-impact event compressed into a streamlined schedule that suits the modern executive.
Ascent has also organized 20+ events throughout the year across the country, so local attendees can meet in more intimate groups for cocktails, dinners, and other experiential events.
3. Who fits the profile?
Ascent is limited to 250 individuals from the nation’s top equity investors, operators and developers. Our diverse list of members can be broken down into five categories:
- Individuals responsible for investment activity within institutional private equity
- Individuals responsible for development activity for both local and national developers
- Heads of acquisition or individuals responsible for deal generation within the firm
- Professionals being groomed to take over, or already responsible for, a family office
- Young founders and entrepreneurs in the sphere
4. Do I know anyone that has attended?
I’m sure you do! You can access a partial list of past attendees here.
5. Who speaks?
First, let’s tell you who doesn’t speak: owners and investors. There are no panels at Ascent — and no one to prognosticate on what inning we are in. Instead, we model our inspiring and idea-generating content off what you see at TED talks, Aspen Ideas Festival, Davos Economic Forum, and other paradigm-shifting events and content providers.
Some past speakers include:
- Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos
- Robert Herjavec, Shark Tank
- Esther Perel, relationship expert and TED MainStage speaker
- Michael Saylor, CEO, Microstrategy
- Chris Wink, founder, The Blue Man Group
- George Friedman, geopolitical strategist and author of The Next Hundred Years
- Bob Rice, managing partner, Tangent Capital
- Sarah Quinlan, head of market insights, MasterCard
- Mark Mills, CEO, Digital Power Group
6. What else goes on there?
LOTS. Apart from the amazing speakers and content designed for personal and professional development, the main goal of the retreat is deal generation. We design the event so you can connect with current and prospective partners. The Ascent team works tirelessly identifying your needs and wants before each retreat and local event, and seeks to identify and organically connect the right people for you to meet.
Activities — tons of them. They are designed to create bonds through shared experiences and are not your typical networking. We've hosted kayaking the Biscayne Bay, art walks, beach workouts, wine tasting, future of real estate speakers, mindfulness sessions, SoulCycle and myriad other exciting pursuits. We even take some of the more adventurous attendees skydiving and exotic race car driving (all voluntarily we promise).
7. Anything else I should know?
Bumble, Tinder, eHarmony and now the Ascent App. We’ve created a proprietary app that is sort of like Tinder for equity investors and sponsors. Our attendees can access and connect year round with top players both in their market and nationally on one seamless platform.
We have been flying around the country and trying to meet or at least speak with every single person that joins, to make sure it is a mutual fit!
To apply for one of the remaining spots, click here, and if you’d like to nominate someone from your firm or peers in the industry, you can add their name here.
Other recommendations? You can also email curators@bisnow.com.
Having trouble visualizing it? Watch this!
