What does it take to build a ship that can spend months at sea without a crew?

Navy veteran Rylan Hamilton is working to find out. At Blue Water Autonomy, his team is developing a vessel designed to extend the US Navy’s reach while keeping sailors out of harm’s way. From testing on the water to navigating government contracts, this episode explores the conviction, capital, and risks behind a new generation of defense technology.

As autonomous systems move into real-world environments, they promise to extend reach and reduce risk—but also raise a deeper question about what it takes to build, back, and trust technology when the stakes are so high

Guests include:

• Rylan Hamilton, CEO and Co-Founder of Blue Water Autonomy
• Renny McPherson, Co-Founder of First In
• Beth Macdonald, Head of Business Operations at Blue Water Autonomy
• Dean Dimizas, Partner for the Private Client Practice at Cambridge Associates

Cambridge Conversations and Unseen Upside are developed in partnership with PRX, an award-winning podcast media company.

Cambridge Associates is a global investment firm that works with endowments, foundations, healthcare systems, pension plans, and private clients to implement and manage custom investment portfolios that aim to generate outperformance and maximize their impact on the world. Cambridge Associates delivers a range of portfolio management services, including outsourced CIO, non-discretionary portfolio management, staff extension, and asset class mandates.

A ship with no crew. New hope for cancer patients. A rethink of the snack aisle.

In Season 7 of Unseen Upside, Cambridge Associates meets the founders, doctors, and investors
challenging how things have always been done—from fighting wildfires to building the future of
women’s sports.

What does it take to back an idea that could change a system and the lives it touches? Find out
on Tuesday, October 20 on your favorite podcast platform.

• Defense Tech—Tuesday, October 20, 2026
• Biotech Across Borders—Tuesday, November 10, 2026
• Better-for-You Snacks—Monday, November 23, 2026
• Wildfire Prevention—Tuesday, December 8, 2026
• Women’s Sports—Monday, December 21, 2026

Unseen Upside: Investments Beyond Their Returns is developed in partnership with PRX, an award-winning podcast media company.

Cambridge Associates is a global investment firm with 50+ years of institutional investing experience. We partner with private clients, endowments, foundations, pension plans, and corporations to design and manage custom portfolios focused on generating alpha and achieving investment objectives. Our services include discretionary and advisory portfolio management, staff extension, and alternative asset class mandates.

What does it take to build something that lasts for generations?

In this special crossover episode from Cambridge Conversations, we explore how bold vision, patient capital, and a deep commitment to community helped transform San Antonio’s Pearl district from a shuttered brewery into a thriving destination.

Host Willis Wilson hands the mic to Unseen Upside host Hillary Ribaudo, who travels to San Antonio to speak with Bryant Ambelang, CEO of Silver Ventures (CA client); Shawn Hatter, President of Oxbow Development Group; and Mary Jo Palermo, Partner at Cambridge Associates.

Together, they unpack how a family’s commitment to place, culture, and community helped shape a “100-year business,” and what it takes to support that vision through market cycles, development challenges, and changing needs over time.

You’ll hear:

• How Pearl evolved from a historic brewery into a thriving mixed-use destination
• Why patient capital and long-term thinking were critical to its success
• How liquidity, risk, and portfolio decisions helped support an ambitious vision
• What investors can learn from building for both community impact and lasting value

Cambridge Conversations and Unseen Upside are developed in partnership with PRX, an award-winning podcast media company.

Cambridge Associates is a global investment firm that works with endowments, foundations, healthcare systems, pension plans, and private clients to implement and manage custom investment portfolios that aim to generate outperformance and maximize their impact on the world. Cambridge Associates delivers a range of portfolio management services, including outsourced CIO, non-discretionary portfolio management, staff extension, and asset class mandates.