Atreides Management / Atreides Foundation Fund: Hedge Fund Diligence (First Pass)

First pass · 2026-10-21 · Not an investment recommendation · Companion to Atreides_Foundation_HF-Diligence-2026-10-21.md

Prepared 2026-10-21 from the files in sources/. This run supersedes the 2026-10-20 note. It adds four monthly portfolio summaries (December 2025 to March 2026) and the Q1 2026 investor call deck (dated 23 April 2026), none of which the earlier note used. The newest data point is 31 March 2026. The newest offering memorandum and Form ADV are still from March 2022, and the only DDQ is from August 2020. This is a first-pass note, not full investment diligence, not ODD, and not a recommendation.

Source key: Q1-26 Q1 2026 Investor Call deck, 23 Apr 2026 (image-only screen captures, watermarked) · PS26 Standard Portfolio Summaries, Dec 2025 and Jan–Mar 2026 (monthly) · L26 Investor Letter, 4 Feb 2026 · Est25 Estimated Month End Returns, Dec 2025 · PS25 Standard Portfolio Summaries, Dec 2024–Nov 2025 (monthly) · Q2-25 / Q3-25 Investor call decks, 2025 (image-only) · EXP Portfolio Summaries Oct 2023–Apr 2024 ("Exposure" files) · OM22 Confidential Offering Memorandum, Onshore LP and Offshore Ltd, Mar 2022 · ADV22 Form ADV 2A/2B, 31 Mar 2022 · ADV21 Form ADV 2A, 31 Mar 2021 · Deck21 Presentation, Dec 2021 · Deck20 Presentation, May 2020 · L21 Annual Letter, 8 Feb 2021 · L20 Annual Letter, Jun 2020 · PS20 Portfolio Summaries Nov and Dec 2020 · DDQ20 DDQ, Aug 2020 · SuppA Offshore Supplement, Sub-Class A shares (dated Apr 2019) · Email21 Atreides IR responses to VS Partners ODD follow-ups, 19 Jan 2021 · OTC Novus analysis of Fidelity OTC Portfolio, Jun 2020

1. First Impression

What it is. Atreides runs a TMT- and consumer-focused long/short equity fund launched 15 May 2019 by Gavin Baker, who ran the Fidelity OTC Fund from 2009 to 2017 DDQ20 p.4, 7. The fund runs high gross exposure (about 250–275% in the last six months) at moderate net (36–66%), and it aims to win on long-short spread rather than market direction PS26; L26 p.3. A crossover share class (A-3) also holds private companies under a 20% (plus 4% follow-on) limit OM22 pp.8–9; PS26 Mar fn.23. The master fund held $3.94B at 31 March 2026: $2.5B in the crossover class and $1.4B public-only PS26 Mar; Q1-26 p.3. Firm vehicles also include Special Circumstances co-invest ($1.84B), Private Opportunities Fund I ("Arrakis", $246M) and a new 150/50 Technology fund ($88M) PS26 Mar.

What changed since the 2026-10-20 note.

Why it's still worth a meeting. There are 6.9 years of live record across a COVID rally, a growth bear market, a recovery and an AI bull market. Long-side stock selection shows strong years (2020, 2024, 2025), and the service-provider set is institutional Q1-26 p.2; DDQ20 pp.10–11; Deck21 p.16. The meeting is now mainly about drawdown behaviour, short-book design and private-mark governance, not about upside.

Biggest gaps.

2. Team

Person Role (latest source) Background (per sources) Notes
Gavin BakerManaging Partner & CIO; majority owner; managing member of IM GP DDQ20 p.6Fidelity 1999–2017; OTC Fund PM Jul 2009–Sep 2017; earlier sector PM and analyst roles ADV22 2BSole PM; sole key person in OM OM22 p.21
Neil DesaiMD, Public Equities & Partner, Atreides Ventures Q2-25 PDF p.41PutnamNot in 2021 roster
James StanzlerMD, Public Equities & Partner, Atreides VenturesHighfields (9 yrs), Loch DDQ20 p.9Since Apr 2019
Hilary NatoffMD, Public Equities & Head of Quality GrowthFidelity International DDQ20 p.8Since Jul 2019
Shane SandovalMD, Public Equities & Head of TechnologyGarelick, ShawSpring DDQ20 p.8Analyst in 2019; promoted
Andrew PerlmanHead of ECM & Partner, Atreides VenturesAllen & Co, BlackRock Deck21 p.21Joined Jul 2021
David FinnCFOFrontlight, HMC ODD, Wellington DDQ20 p.7Since Jan 2019
Laura MaloneGC & CCO since Sep 2021Numeric Deck21 p.20Replaced Dunyelle Rosen

Facts. Headcount was 14 at the February 2021 soft-close and 28 in February 2026 L26 p.4. The July 2025 org chart shows about 13 investment and trading staff, all reporting to Baker Q2-25 PDF p.41. Visible departures are the original GC/CCO, the IR head and one analyst, none explained Deck21 p.20; Q2-25 PDF p.41. The Q1 2026 deck contains no org chart, so nothing newer is available.

Read. Baker is the only named PM, approves every trade and is the only key person in the OM DDQ20 p.18; OM22 p.21. He frames the team, not process, as the edge L26 pp.29–30. Q1 2026's response to losses, which was to add sharply to the losing names (Section 6), reads as a single-decision-maker call. Key-person risk is high.

3. Terms, Liquidity and Alignment

A-1 (public only) A-2 (public only) A-3 (crossover) A-4 (placement-agent class)
Mgmt fee1.75%1.50%1.50%1.50%
Performance allocation19%17%15%15%
Hurdle3% annual, reset yearly, no carve-out once cleared SuppA PDF p.3samesamesame
HWMLoss Recovery Sub-Account OM22 p.12
Lock-upNone2 yrs, 5% early charge3 yrs, 5% early charge3 yrs, 5%
LiquidityQuarterly, 60 days' notice, 50% investor-level gateQuarterly, 25% gateQuarterly, 25% gate; private sleeve not withdrawable until realizedQuarterly, 25% gate

Sources: OM22 pp.4–5; Deck21 p.16; DDQ20 p.14. The minimum is $3M OM22 p.6. On a key-person event, LPs may withdraw liquid capital within a year; the private sleeve is excluded OM22 pp.21–22. Co-investments via Special Circumstances carry 0% management fee and 12% carry Deck21 p.16; PS26 Mar fn.16.

New since the last note. The 150/50 Technology Master Fund is live, at $47M in January and $88M in March 2026 PS26. Private Opportunities Fund II had a first close scheduled for 24 April 2026 Q1-26 p.4. No terms for either are in sources/.

Alignment, as evidenced.

4. Performance and Drawdowns

Reported net returns. A-1 is the highest-fee public-only class, for a day-one investor PS26 Mar p.1–2.

2019* 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Q1 2026 ITD ann.
A-1 net9.0%68.3%−8.1%−27.6%21.9%43.4%40.5%−20.8%13.4%
A-3 net (crossover)8.3%69.0%3.0%−15.1%5.3%29.3%46.9%11.6%20.3%
NASDAQ Composite TR16.8%45.1%22.2%−32.5%44.7%29.6%21.2%−7.0%17.1%
Net L/S relative spread Q1-26 p.25.9%33.5%~−14.5%~−6.2%−0.1%19.3%20.5%−17.0%−3.1%

From 15 May 2019. All figures unaudited per the summaries. 2025 is now final at 40.46%, matching the December estimate Est25. ITD figures are the manager's, and my compounding of the monthly nets agrees. The 2021–22 spread figures are partly hidden by the watermark, so they are read from Q2-25 p.3.

Monthly picture of Q1 2026 PS26:

Month A-1 net NASDAQ Long attribution Short attribution Gross / net at month-end
Jan 2026−7.13%+0.97%+0.26%−7.39%275% / 54%
Feb 2026−6.31%−3.33%−4.12%−2.19%249% / 54%
Mar 2026−9.02%−4.68%−12.12%+3.10%263% / 66%

Computed from the A-1 monthly nets (my figures, not the manager's):

Claims vs. evidence.

ITD annualized Through Jun 2025 Q2-25 p.3 Through Mar 2026 Q1-26 p.2
Gross short relative+1.05%−5.80%
Net short relative−3.19%−14.93%
Gross L/S spread+20.64%+14.46%
Net L/S spread+7.64%−3.06%

Calendar 2025 gross short relative was −0.18% and Q1 2026 was −13.22% Q1-26 p.2. Those nine months can't move a six-year annualized figure from +1.05% to −5.80%; my estimate is that it would take roughly a 38% relative loss. The CY2024 net spread also changed, from 17.96% to 19.28%. This looks like a methodology change or restatement. It should be explained before any spread figure is relied on.

Are drawdowns explainable? The manager explains Q1 2026; 2021 remains unexplained.

The deck also cites sub-sector correlations that "blew out", which made pair hedges fail Q1-26 p.7. This is a coherent account of basis risk. It is also the same failure the strategy says it is built to avoid, now seen in 2021, 2022 and Q1 2026.

5. Strategy and Edge

Stated approach. The long book targets the highest 5–7 year IRRs on EV/FCF DDQ20 pp.14–16. Shorts are paired with fundamentally and quantitatively similar names to strip out basis risk L21 p.11; L26 p.30. Private and venture work is described as an information edge for the public book L26 pp.3–4.

Current book (end Q1 2026). The five largest positions are Astera Labs 13.6%, Unity 10.7%, Ciena 9.7%, Micron 9.5% and Nvidia 8.0% of NAV, about 51% in total Q1-26 pp.39–43. Semiconductors were 47% long and 34% net, and software was 37% long and 28% net PS26 Mar. The deck's theses are AI-infrastructure scaling (scale-up switching, optics and copper, DRAM, Trainium), AI-native software growth, and a call that "Technology stocks are cheap" Q1-26 pp.13–14, 21, 31–32.

Claim / evidence / still to diligence.

Claim Evidence in sources Still to diligence
Edge is insight plus domain knowledge in TMTITD gross long relative +20.3% a year, net +11.9% Q1-26 p.2Attribution by analyst and theme; how much is AI-factor exposure
Shorts hedge basis riskITD net short relative −14.9% a year on the restated basis; spread negative in 2021, 2022 and Q1 2026 Q1-26 p.2Restatement; short-book design when correlations break
Crossover improves public decisionsAnecdotes (Ciena, Lumentum) L26 p.4; ALAB realized IRR +545% gross since its IPO Q1-26 p.9Whether private marks reflect transactions; privates' share of A-3 at mark
Risk is managed via BARRA, custom betas and LLCCDescribed L21 p.11; L26 p.31Limits that bind; why net rose from 36% to 66% during a losing quarter

Read. The long book shows real selection skill over a full cycle. The short book has not shown that it adds value, and the edge's main failure mode, high-beta longs lagging their paired shorts, has now appeared three times. The strategy looks increasingly like a concentrated, levered long AI-infrastructure book with a short overlay.

6. Portfolio, Risk and Capacity

Date Gross Net Longs / shorts Top 10 longs (% of public NAV) Feeder AUM
Nov 2020 PS20262%42%37 / 4277%$1.13B
Oct 2023 EXP197%57%29 / 4989%$2.39B
Dec 2024 PS25227%43%50 / 7163%$3.03B
Nov 2025 PS25253%60%62 / 6275%$4.01B
Dec 2025 PS26264%36%55 / 6674%$4.27B
Jan 2026 PS26275%54%56 / 6084%$3.88B
Feb 2026 PS26249%54%56 / 4777%$3.90B
Mar 2026 PS26263%66%57 / 5385%$3.92B

Shorts include baskets and index futures. Exposures exclude privates. Feeder AUM is onshore plus offshore.

Stated guidelines vs. observed.

AUM flows (inference). Feeder AUM fell about 8% from December to March, while public classes fell about 21% and A-3 rose 12% PS26. Flows are not broken out, so I can't tell net subscriptions from the A-3 mark-up.

Capacity. The firm paused at $750M (June 2020), soft-closed at about $2.4B (February 2021) and is now expanding with the 150/50 fund, a Low Net product and Private Opportunities Fund II L20 p.2; L21 pp.2–3; L26 pp.4–6; PS26; Q1-26 p.4. At about $3.9B and 263% gross, public gross exposure is about $10B by my estimate. The firm's own LLCC framework says a fund should hold only one of liquidity, leverage, concentration or crowdedness at a time L26 p.31. The March 2026 book is levered and more concentrated at once.

Other conflicts disclosed ADV22 Items 4, 10; DDQ20 p.10; OM22 p.8: separately managed accounts and model advice; Valor ties, including the Valor Atreides AI Fund; Baker's private-company board seats; and James Star's dual role on the advisory committee and the offshore board.

7. Key Counterparties and ODD Snapshot

Function Provider (as last disclosed) Date
AdministratorMorgan Stanley Fund Services2020–2021 DDQ20; Deck21
AuditorKPMG LLP2021 Deck21
Prime brokersGoldman Sachs; Morgan Stanley2021 Deck21
LegalMorgan Lewis; Ogier (Cayman)2020 DDQ20
Compliance consultantOptima Partners; ComplySci2020 DDQ20
Private valuationThird-party agent (unnamed); Valuation Committee has final sayJan 2021 Email21; Mar 2026 PS26 Mar fn.21
Offshore boardJohn D'Agostino, Jason Fitzgerald, James Star (interested)2020 DDQ20

ADV Item 9 reported no disciplinary events as of March 2022 ADV22. Every provider entry is three to five years old. Given the size of the Q4 2025–Q1 2026 private mark-ups, the identity and scope of the valuation agent is now the top ODD item.

8. Known / Unknown / Ask Next

Area What We Know What We Don't Know Ask Next
TeamBaker is sole PM and majority owner; 28 staff; 4 MDsDecision rights below Baker; turnover reasons; successionCurrent org chart; who can size or cut risk
Terms/Liquidity2022 OM terms; quarterly with gates; A-3 privates locked until realizedCurrent OM; terms of the 150/50, Low Net and APOF II vehicles; side lettersCurrent OM, supplements, side-letter and MFN summary
PerformanceMonthly nets through Mar 2026; Q1 2026 −20.8%; ITD 13.4% vs NASDAQ 17.1%Returns after Mar 2026; reason for restated ITD spread; dollar-weighted returnsMonthly nets since Mar 2026; restated spread series with methodology
Strategy/EdgeLong alpha positive ITD; short alpha negative; basis-risk failures in 2021, 2022 and Q1 2026Factor-adjusted alpha; whether pair-hedge design changed after Q1BARRA attribution by year; short book by single names vs baskets
Risk/ExposuresMonthly gross/net through Mar 2026; top 5 = 51% of NAVHard limits; whether 275% gross or 66% net breached any limitWritten risk limits and breach log for Q1 2026
CapacityNew products launching while flagship is about $3.9BAllocation policy across vehiclesCapacity estimate and allocation policy
ODD/Counterparties2020–21 provider listCurrent providers; valuation agent; SOC reportsCurrent DDQ, ADV, audited financials 2023–2025
AlignmentBaker's "overwhelming majority" of liquid net worthCurrent GP capital; privates' share of A-3 NAV at markGP capital by vehicle; A-3 private exposure at mark vs cost

9. Diligence Questions

Incentive Alignment

Edge & Repeatability

Performance & Drawdowns

Private Marks

Team Stability

Risk, Financing & Capacity

10. Reference Check Prep

Current investors. How was Q1 2026 communicated, and how quickly? How do A-3 holders view the private marks and liquidity?

Former investors. Did you redeem after 2022 or in 2026, and why? Were gates or holdbacks applied?

Former employees. Does Baker decide alone on sizing and risk? Why did people leave? Do privates and new vehicles pull attention from the public book?

Service providers. Did the administrator or valuation agent challenge any private mark in Q4 2025–Q1 2026? Have there been NAV restatements or late audits?

11. Suggested Materials Request List

  1. Monthly net returns for all classes since March 2026, plus exposure history
  2. A restated ROIC spread table with methodology, reconciling the June 2025 and March 2026 decks
  3. Private-book schedule: mark vs cost by company, valuation basis (round, model), agent sign-off, Q4 2025–Q1 2026 mark changes
  4. A-3 privates at mark as % of crossover NAV, monthly since 2024
  5. Current DDQ, Form ADV Part 2A/2B and audited financials for 2022–2025
  6. Current OM and supplements; term sheets for the 150/50, Low Net and APOF II vehicles
  7. Written risk limits and any Q1 2026 breach log
  8. Annual attribution by long, short, theme and analyst, plus BARRA factor attribution
  9. GP and employee capital by vehicle
  10. Org chart with joiners and leavers since 2021, and the succession plan
  11. AUM and flows by vehicle; dollar-weighted returns by cohort
  12. Annual letters 2021–2024, including the 5-year anniversary letter
  13. Service-provider list, SOC 1 reports, insurance schedule
  14. An unprotected copy of "Quarterly Top Positions"

12. Sources Reviewed

All files below are in Atreides_Foundation/sources/. Dates are document dates unless noted.

New in this run:

Carried from the 2026-10-20 run (citations re-used, monthly nets re-checked against the March 2026 summary):

Not readable: "Quarterly Top Positions.xlsx" is password-encrypted.

Not used as evidence: analysis/ (two spreadsheets) and transcripts/ (seven call transcripts, 2020–2024) sit outside sources/ and were treated as prior work. If the transcripts are primary call records, moving them into sources/ would let a future run cite them.

No Coverage File exists for this fund.

Not available: data after 31 March 2026; annual letters for 2021–2024; audited financials; any DDQ, OM or ADV dated after March 2022. No web sources were consulted.

Method: All computed statistics (drawdown, capture, beta, return/vol, quarterly attribution sums, privates' share of A-3) are mine, from the reported monthly figures in PS26 and Q1-26.