Adventure Capitalist Michael Schwab Builds Wave-Pool Empires

Michael B. Schwab, son of Charles Schwab, is an 'adventure capitalist' investing in wave-pool communities and action sports through Big Sky Partners and Meriwether Companies. An early backer of Kelly Slater Wave Co., he is Surf Ranch's top client, logging 12 days annually. His developments include Cabo Real Surf Club in Los Cabos, Mexico (opening late 2026), Coral Mountain Desert Club in La Quinta, California (2028), and Nihi Rote & Hospitality Academy in Indonesia (opening this month). Cabo Real is a 3,000-acre community with North America's first private Endless Surf wave basin, with over $200 million in sales. Coral Mountain will feature the largest pneumatic wave basin in the U.S. Schwab also backs the Natural Selection Tour (NST), a global competition circuit founded by snowboarder Travis Rice. He credits his father for steering him toward passion-driven investments. Schwab, diagnosed with dyslexia, dropped out of USC and later invested in fusion-energy company TAE Technologies in 2002. He surfs to stay fit, using biohacks like fasting and cold plunging, and aims to surf until 100. His wave-pool access has fast-tracked his skills, allowing him to ride repeated barrels. Nihi Rote includes a hospitality academy to train locals. Schwab's father Charles Schwab built a brokerage fortune starting from collecting Coke bottles at age 9.