READ NOW: Luke Lango’s Innovation Investor [Review]

Overview

• Name: Innovation Investor
• Editor: Luke Lango
• Publisher: InvestorPlace
• Website: www.investorplace.com
• Service: Investment advisory focused on tech trends 
• Cost: $99

If you are interested in getting in early on future tech trends, you might want to check this out. Innovation Investor promises to give you a heads-up on small stocks that are about to go big.

The advisory's editor is Luke Lango, a Caltech grad. Apparently, he is the number one stock picker in 2020, according to TipRanks. Lango is also the Chief Investor Strategist of InvestorPlace.

Upon subscribing, you will get 12 monthly issues of Lango's research on new and disruptive technologies. In each update, you will receive at least one new investment idea.

Another come-on for the service is Innovation Investor's Model Portfolio. You can get access to these, plus a few add-ons, for a $99 subscription fee per year.

What is Innovation Investor?

InvestorPlace advertises Innovation Investor as Lango's premier newsletter. This, despite its relatively affordable price.

The newsletter promises to give you early-stage information on hot new megatrends. These can be on blockchain, autonomous vehicles, and even supercomputing.

Its unique selling proposition is a sneak peek at tomorrow's ground-breaking opportunities right now.

This space seems like an in-demand service opportunity. In fact, we have already covered a lot of similar newsletters in the past.

Among the most prominent here is The George Gilder Report. The man behind the advisory is widely considered as the world's leading tech futurist.

In fact, we devoted a whole article to him and his works. Do check out our profile on Gilder to know more about him and the industry.

Below are other similar newsletters on this investment space. You may check them out as well so you can compare.

• Ian King’s Strategic Fortunes Review – A Complete Guide
• Technology and Opportunity Newsletter Review – A Must-Read
• Dave Forest’s Strategic Investor Newsletter Review
• Review of Lou Basenese’s Digital Fortunes – Is It Any Good?

Who is Luke Lango?

Luke Lango is the Chief Investor Strategist of InvestorPlace.

According to his profile, he was the number one stock picker in 2020, according to TipRanks. This means he bested over "15,000 Wall Street analysts and big shots."

The same rating agency said his success rate was 82% at the time, with an average return of 59.6%.

Lango claims that he is so good that he has "served up a veritable feast of 1,000% or higher gains." Apparently, more than 14 of those were “strike-it-rich opportunities."

According to the editor, if you followed him closely, there was a chance you could have made ten times your money. It's even possible, he says, for you to make up to 120 times your initial investment.

These are huge claims. But if you have been following investment research advisories for a while, you know this is typical. Editors use this tactic all the time.

In fairness to him, he does add a one-line disclaimer. He points out that what he mentions are his best bets and does not indicate future returns.

But since he drowns you with so many promises, it's natural if you would miss on one tiny disclaimer.

According to him, he is an equities analyst and investor who focuses on growth stocks. 

His profile also says that he has made a name for himself by routinely identifying next-generation small-cap stocks and cryptocurrencies with massive upside potential.

His tech experience and "big-picture" investment philosophy were crucial factors in his performance. 

As a result, InvestorPlace says Lango has consistently been ranked as one of the best stock pickers in the world by a variety of publications.

He says he has plunged into a big developing megatrend – blockchain and cryptocurrencies — after following his instincts regarding tech innovation.

Since the internet, he believes they are the most disruptive technology. And inside it, he's combined his knack for spotting explosive small-cap stocks with his keen sense of what's new.

Lango aggressively researches venture capital and technology startup prospects in addition to investing.

He is currently associated with Fantastic, a venture-backed social discovery startup that connects consumers to new experiences using Big Data and powerful machine-learning algorithms.

Luke earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

He worked previously at fintech company Scoutables, building cash flow management algorithms for pro sports organizations based on player injuries and performance data.

The editor's love for applying math to markets originated with his passion for bringing math to sports.

Before joining InvestorPlace, Luke was the founding manager of L&F Capital Management, LLC, a San Diego-based boutique investment firm.

The firm used a combination of quantitative research and behavioral economics to spot long-term growth bets early on.

As a senior investment analyst at InvestorPlace, he is in charge of one free newsletter and five premium advisory services.

These are Hypergrowth Investing, Innovation Investor, Daily 10X Stock Report, and Early Stage Investor. He also has research services on cryptocurrency: Crypto Investor Network and Ultimate Crypto.

In his pitch for Innovation Investor, we found one interesting idea from Lango. As an investor, he says that he is not too fond of diversification. According to him, too much of it is not a good idea.

What he favors is finding that once-in-a-lifetime get-rich stock. 

Although he believes in investing in a wide range of stocks, he says it would be best to focus all your energy and efforts on strike-it-rich stocks.

This is his focus. To help you not just do okay, but really make it big. That's why he is constantly on the search for low-priced stocks that are about to explode.

Now, as an investor, this proposition is very enticing. 

But is it realistic, or does it seem like he is overpromising here? Does he have a solid basis for his statements? Can he deliver on his promises and claims?

Stick around as we discuss the answers to these questions in the following sections of the review.

What is InvestorPlace?

The publisher aggressively pushes its brand as a thought leader in various publications.

In a December 2021 Yahoo! Finance opinion piece, Lango wrote about the best stocks for 2022.

Entrepreneur.com also reposted an article he wrote with the title: Meta is Betting Everything on the Metaverse, But it Won’t Be the Winner.

This strategy of partnering with such websites is common. That's why you need to closely examine articles you read. Are they objective articles or advertorials that promote services?

So what exactly is InvestorPlace about?

It says it is among the largest and most established independent financial research organizations in the country.

It was founded over 40 years ago by Tom Phillips, an entrepreneur.

The firm provides extensive analysis and financial suggestions. InvestorPlace then makes these available for self-directed investors, financial counselors, and money managers. 

The majority of its products are sold on a subscription basis.

Further, it also claims that it does not take money from the companies they cover, unlike many financial organizations. It also does not accept fees from banks.

Company leaders say they merely publish their opinions to inform and enhance investors.

Also, InvestorPlace says that its customers stay with them because they perform well. Since the 1970s, investors have flocked to this basic, transparent company model, it adds.

The firm also says that several of the world's major media sources have taken notice of its ideas over the years.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN have featured its analysts' work. Even Bloomberg, Time, MarketWatch, Barron's, and USA Today also feature the company.

It has also become a go-to media channel for some of the world's most prestigious academic institutions to reach out to investors directly.

These include collaborations with Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, New York University, Rice University, and many other colleges and universities.

For InvestorPlace, customers stay with them because of its commitment to results.

The publisher offers an array of services for different types of investors. These are divided into seven categories.

Accelerated Profits, Crypto Investor Network, and Ultimate Crypto are all under Active Trading. For the Small Cap services, the newsletters are Breakthrough Stocks and Daily 10X Stock Report.

Meanwhile, Growth Investor, Early Stage Investor, and Innovation Investor are all under Growth Investing. Investment Report and The Speculator are the company's advisories for Macro Trends.

For Options Trading, InvestorPlace has Power Options and Strategic Trader. Moreover, Private Deal Group is for those who are into Private Investing.

The firm also offers an Invitation Only service called Platinum Growth Club.

How it Works

Those who prefer to see an editor's process will be disappointed when they read a pitch for the newsletter.

There's no mention of how Lango arrives at his recommendations. The most that one will get is that he knows what he is doing as an expert, so you can trust him.

Now, as editor of Luke Lango’s Innovation Investor, I’m perfectly placed to show you everything you need to experience breakthrough profits for yourself.

As world-beating tech opportunities move their inventions from corporate boardrooms and “beta test” labs…

To a highly lucrative marketplace…

Only a true “insider” can keep you plugged in to the most explosive developments.

At the exact right time.

You’ve seen what happened when I uncovered companies like Tesla, Workhorse Group, and Mind Medicine Inc. in their infancy.

What You Get

Once you subscribe for $99 per year, you will get the features listed below. Take note, though, that these can change depending on the date and time you subscribe.

• 12 monthly issues of Luke Lango's Innovation Investor ($199 Value)

• Urgent position updates

• Access to the Innovation Investor Support Team

• 12-Month “Every Penny Back” Satisfaction Guarantee

• Unrestricted VIP Members-Only benefits

• Quarterly Conference Webcast

• Bonus Report:

  • The Unknown Disruptor Accelerating the Future of Batteries

• Special Reports:

  • The Extraordinary $3 “Forever Battery” Dynamo

  • The $12 Trillion Global 5G Pipeline

  • 10 Fearless Tech Predictions for 2021

Cost and Refund Policy

Cost

A whole year's subscription costs $99.

Refund Policy

InvestorPlace and Lango appear confident in their service. They are offering a rather generous satisfaction guarantee.

You may call them at any point in the year. If you are not satisfied with the service, they said they'll refund you the total amount.

Track Record and Reviews

You would have probably memorized it already by now. If you have ever come across a pitch from Lango, you would know his rank in TipRanks.

Number 1. He does keep on repeating that to prove how great of a stock picker he is. It may account for something, but we are not sure how accurate the ranking system is.

How about you? Do you think it is credible? Are you more inclined to subscribe to a newsletter editor because of TipRanks?

In one of his pitches, Lango goes on and on about his supposedly phenomenal calls.

An example of this, he claims, is his early endorsement of Blink Charging (BLNK). At the time, each share only costs $1.73. In over a year, Lango says it jumped to $64.50. That's a rise of 3,628%.

If true, it was indeed a great call.

He also talks about how he predicted the rise of GameStop (GME). He claims he spotted it when it was trading for less than $4. In less than a year, it grew by 12,066%.

If true, this makes Lango a legend.

But notice how we always mention the disclaimer "if true." The thing is, it is common for editors to claim such early calls.

What we find lacking, though, is proper documentation. Anybody can claim anything these days. Without proof, how can we say they did make such a call?

How can we say it's not just a case of a guy telling his friends, "I knew it!" We all know "that" guy, right? The one who always says he got it right.

We are not saying that "that" guy is Lango. All we want is clear proof, so we can actually believe his claims.

Meanwhile, Travis Johnson of Stock Gumshoe says he has apparently been observing Lango for quite a while.

He says that upon observation, the editor is indeed gung-ho about “popular new-era tech stocks.” Examples of these are prominent buzzwords like “Electric Vehicles, 5G, AI, proteomics, and genomics.”

According to Johnson, Lango has revealed a few of his favorites in some of his writings so far. 

The editor’s preferred stocks include Opendoor (OPEN), Schrodinger (SDGR), Joby Aviation (JOBY), Stem (STEM), Volta (VLTA), and Virgin Galactic (SPCE).

Johnson also affirms that if an investor is interested in stocks of “the future,” then it would just be logical to invest in these companies.

The Gumshoe founder also observed that Lango seems to be employing the “David Gardner approach” in his dealings.

What does this mean?

Well, Gardner, the Motley Fool co-founder, seems to utilize the strategy of having a good number of stocks with 1,000% or more returns. This way, they will compensate even for significant losses.

If you think about it, it is a smart strategy, especially if you are an editor. Since you have enormous gains from your winners, you would naturally look phenomenal if you did not factor in your losses. 

While this looks “spectacular” for a few years, Johnson cautions that time will be the ultimate judge if you could actually get significant benefits from this.

What Johnson can be sure of, though, is that the pitch seems to be working. For publishers and editors, at least.

According to him, what editors pitch are not usually their favorite stocks. After all, their bigger goal is selling more subscriptions than being right about their predictions.

So it seems like the pitch for the so-called revolutionary electric vehicle battery is getting significant clicks. People seem to be interested in it, and they are subscribing to Lango’s newsletter because of this.

In fact, this specific pitch is not unique to Lango at all.

His predecessor in the company, Matt McCall, used the very same pitch when he was still with InvestorPlace. When Lango took over, the publisher merely "updated" the copy.

Many other publishers do this. In fact, we tackled this in a previous review. You could read about our discussion on the subject in our Technology and Opportunity Newsletter article.

In the write-up, we tackled the typical structure for a newsletter. It seems like a lot of copywriters use the formula not to educate and help subscribers.

The main goal seems to be to sell no matter what it takes. This means using marketing tactics to lure readers in, no matter how absurd some claims can be.

It usually starts with a bandwagon pitch. Many famous people are in on it, so you should, too. It is then followed by a critical piece of information that the editor exclusively has.

Of course, a suspenseful line or two will help seal the deal. It is particularly effective as well if an amusing back story is available. For sure, such will increase the suspense.

Johnson even noted that the newsletter pitch for Keith Kohl is almost the same as the pitch from the advisory's previous editor. 

With only a few paraphrasing here and there, it was as if Kohl or his copywriters did not bother to come up with fresh material. Since it worked for the previous editor Jason Stutman, they might as well rehash everything.

All advisory editors are always presented as the best in their field. Thus, one would assume that they could easily come up with new, relevant, and groundbreaking content.

Of course, this discussion brings us back to an earlier point. It does seem like the pitches' goal is merely to hook new subscribers. It does not matter how old or accurate the details are.

The bottom-line: acquire new customers.

What do you think about this? Does this practice diminish the credibility of the editor? Or is this a non-issue for you since it looks like a typical industry practice? Do tell us in the comments.

Meanwhile, the newsletter got a 3.1/5 rating from less than 30 readers on the Stock Gumshoe Innovation Investor review page. There were no comments published as of this writing.

Upon closer inspection, we saw a microblog on the same site discussing his newsletter. There were two comments that we think you should see.

The one below warns those who think Lango's spiels are convincing. According to the commenter, the editor's recommendations were of no good to him.

However, user Hugh108 also admitted that it could be a timing issue.

Meanwhile, reader Katrian commented on the lack of selling guidance. This is crucial because it would have served as the single most critical step to getting the profits Lango promised.

Pros v Cons

Pros

• Tech trends have a history of providing high gains if you get in at a strategic moment
• Affordable service

Cons

• Uses language that tends to overpromise on the extent of gains a subscriber may get
• Lacks details on Lango's process

Conclusion - Should You Subscribe?

After going through all the details, what do you think so far?

We have talked about the potential gains in tech trends. However, we also discussed how Lango's predictions seem overly optimistic. But then, his top ranking as a stock picker might mean he is on to something.

All these factors may seem difficult to balance. But in the end, you can quickly answer the question if you determine what kind of investor you are.

We hope our review of Luke Lango's Innovation Investor has been helpful.