How software engineering and data science excellence create operational alpha.

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Episodes are available on your favorite podcast platform. You can check out the trailer below.

Your hosts:

Paul Karner, PhD
Horizon Data PartnersData Strategy & Applied Economics

Paul Karner is a PhD economist focused on helping PE-backed management teams use data and AI to drive real returns from technology investments and operational change. He has led engagements across the full data and AI value-creation stack — from data strategy and engineering to labor productivity modeling and predictive analytics — with the operating teams and portfolio companies of Advent International, Bain Capital, Great Hill Partners, New Mountain Capital, and Parthenon Capital, among others.

Dave Mangot
MangotequeEngineering Velocity & DevOps

Dave Mangot is the author of DevOps Patterns for Private Equity and has worked directly with operating teams at Thoma Bravo, Hg Capital, and other top-tier PE firms on portfolio company engagements. He delivered the 2024 keynote at Hg's Digital Summit and is a top-rated speaker at PE operator conferences. Through Mangoteque, Dave partners with CTOs to turn AI-driven engineering into a compounding advantage from hold through exit.

Have questions? Want to be a guest? Reach out to Paul or Dave on LinkedIn.

Our in-studio DJ is the amazing J-KIND, who also created the music and intro. Check out his Soundcloud.All other sound effects are licensed and attributed.Engineering Alpha in Private Equity is (C) 2026 by Horizon Data Partners and Mangoteque LLC.

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