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Ashley Tyrner-Dolce spent more than a decade building FarmboxRx without taking a single dollar of venture capital and ultimately exited the company while still owning the majority of it. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Ashley to talk about what bootstrapping actually looks like when you don’t have money from a previous exit or a wealthy network to fall back on. Ashley started the company after experiencing food insecurity herself. Years earlier, while pregnant with her daughter, she relied on food stamps and lived in a rural food desert where getting fresh food could mean a 30-minute drive. She eventually launched Farmbox Direct as a direct-to-consumer produce delivery company before pivoting the business into healthcare and building what became FarmboxRx. Along the way, Ashley tried to raise venture capital, but investors pushed her to turn the company into a meal-kit business, a direction she believed would take it away from the customers she wanted to serve. Instead, she kept bootstrapping. That meant cutting expenses, reinvesting money into the company, negotiating longer payment terms with vendors, using credit card points for travel, and at times stopping her own salary to make payroll. Now an investor herself at HLM Investments, Ashley explains what bootstrapping signals to a VC, why founders should think carefully about when they raise outside capital, and why she believes traction can put founders in a much stronger position before they take a check. They get into: How Ashley started FarmboxRx without venture funding Why early VCs wanted her to turn the company into a meal kit What bootstrapping looks like when you don’t have a financial safety net How she stretched cash flow and negotiated vendor payment terms Why she sometimes stopped paying herself to make payroll How cold calling helped land FarmboxRx’s first healthcare customers Why founders should stay involved in sales What bootstrapping signals to Ashley now that she’s a VC Why she walked away from term sheets and acquisition offers The financial upside of maintaining ownership through an exit Why she wouldn’t raise a seed round if she started another company today When founders should consider taking venture capital Why bootstrapping after a previous exit is a very different experience How founders can build investor relationships even when they aren’t raising Chapters: 00:00 — The case for bootstrapping01:42 — How Ashley started FarmboxRx03:50 — Bootstrapping without a financial safety net07:16 — Why VCs struggled to understand the business10:21 — Proving the investors wrong12:34 — Building a network without VC backing15:24 — Getting advice from VCs without taking their money17:36 — Why Ashley refused to change her vision20:14 — Walking away from term sheets and acquisition offers22:32 — What bootstrapping signals to a VC25:08 — Getting creative with cash flow27:09 — The upside of bootstrapping28:54 — What Ashley would tell a founder starting with $50K30:26 — How to land your first customers34:44 — Would Ashley take VC money today?35:55 — Why founders should wait longer to raise36:55 — Not all bootstrapping is the same39:30 — The difference between bootstrapping with and without money Join us at TechCrunch Disrupt October 13-15 in San Francisco. Use promo code: buildmode25 for 25% off your ticket. Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannesen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Building flying taxis takes billions of dollars. So instead of relying on traditional venture rounds, Archer Aviation went public just a few years after it was founded. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer Aviation, to talk about the unconventional fundraising strategy behind building one of the most capital-intensive startups around. Archer is building electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, designed to turn trips that can take 90 minutes by car into flights of 10 or 15 minutes. The company is developing the technology for both commercial air taxis and defense applications and has been selected as the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But developing and certifying an entirely new category of aircraft requires enormous amounts of capital. Adam explains why he realized early on that raising $50 million or $100 million at a time wouldn’t be enough and why he decided to take Archer public when the company had fewer than 100 employees. Since then, Archer has raised nearly $4 billion. Adam breaks down how he prepared Archer to take advantage of the public markets, why timing matters so much when pursuing an IPO, and how retail investors and online communities have changed the equation for companies building ambitious hardware. He also explains why he thinks the window for earlier-stage companies to access public markets may be opening again. They get into: Why Archer is building electric air taxis How eVTOLs could change airport-to-city transportation Archer’s plans for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Why hardware startups need dramatically more capital than software companies Why Adam decided to take Archer public so early How Archer raised nearly $4 billion Why founders need to prepare for an IPO long before they actually pursue one How retail investors have changed the public markets Why liquidity became an important part of Archer’s fundraising strategy What founders need before considering an early public-market debut Why strategic partners can help validate an early-stage company The risks of going public too soon How capital helped Archer catch up with more established competitors Why founders should choose a problem they’re willing to spend decades solving Join us at TechCrunch Disrupt October 13-15 in San Francisco. Use promo code: buildmode25 for 25% off your ticket. Chapters: 00:00 — Why Archer went public so early 01:36 — What Archer Aviation is building 02:21 — Air taxis, defense and the future of eVTOLs 04:05 — Adam’s journey from finance to founder0 6:25 — Why electric aviation became possible 09:29 — Will people actually ride in flying taxis? 11:27 — Archer’s plans for the 2028 LA Olympics 13:50 — Why building hardware requires billions 16:54 — Was going public the right decision? 17:40 — How retail investors changed the public markets 21:46 — How Archer prepared to go public early 24:50 — Is the early IPO window opening again?26:42 — What a startup needs before going public 28:09 — Why Archer chose a SPAC 29:57 — Should first-time founders consider going public? 30:55 — How Archer attracted talent before it had the money 32:48 — Why capital became Archer’s competitive advantage 33:39 — What comes after the exit? 35:25 — Adam’s advice for founders building capital-intensive startups Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannesen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Robotics is having an AI boom, but don’t expect it to have a ChatGPT moment. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Xavier Chi, co-founder of Mbodi, a startup building AI software that lets people teach industrial robots new skills using natural language. Xavier first joined Isabelle on the Startup Battlefield stage, where Mbodi became a crowd favorite with a live robot demo. Now, he’s back to talk about what happened after Battlefield and why he believes this generation of AI could finally help robotics companies overcome some of the problems that have historically made them so difficult to scale. Xavier breaks down why traditional industrial automation still requires so much programming and customization, how Mbodi is working with ABB Robotics to bring its software into factories and warehouses, and why deploying robotics in the physical world creates a very different set of challenges from building traditional software. He also explains why robotics startups have struggled to build scalable software businesses and how generative AI could begin to change that. They also get into what VCs are looking for in robotics startups, how founders can de-risk an investment before fundraising, whether the excitement around humanoid robots is justified, and why Xavier believes robotics won’t experience a single ChatGPT-like breakthrough. Plus, he explains why reliability is so critical on the factory floor — and how Mbodi recently achieved a 99.6% success rate during an eight-hour test. They get into: Why industrial automation is still surprisingly manual How Mbodi lets people teach robots using natural language Why labor shortages are driving demand for automation How winning an ABB Robotics competition led to a major partnership What Mbodi gained from Startup Battlefield Why robotics software companies have historically struggled to scale How generative AI could reduce the need for custom robotics integrations What VCs want to see before investing in a robotics startup Why robots don’t necessarily need to look human Why software could capture more of the value in robotics as hardware gets cheaper Why robotics won’t have a ChatGPT moment Why reliability is so important when robots enter production How Mbodi achieved a 99.6% success rate in an eight-hour test Chapters: 00:00 — Mbodi’s unforgettable Startup Battlefield demo01:32 — Why industrial automation is still so difficult03:55 — What companies are actually using robots for06:33 — How Mbodi landed its partnership with ABB Robotics08:30 — Are startup competitions worth a founder’s time?10:00 — Why Xavier wanted to compete in Startup Battlefield11:18 — The hardest question Mbodi faced at Battlefield13:04 — Why robotics software has struggled to scale16:35 — Raising venture capital for a robotics startup18:02 — Convincing VCs you’re the right team19:12 — Do robots really need to look human?21:42 — What needs to improve across the robotics stack25:08 — What VCs want from robotics startups28:00 — How to de-risk a robotics investment30:06 — What’s next for Mbodi31:30 — When will robots enter our homes?35:35 — Why robots can’t afford to fail36:01 — Mbodi’s 99.6% reliability test Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannesen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

There is no such thing as the perfect pitch. But you can get close by implementing a few research-backed methods to your delivery, deck, and message. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Dr. Eike Gerhardt, who has aPhD in pitching and spent nearly a decade studying the science of startup pitching before starting Autopoiesis Sciences. And he’s joined by Demetri Maxim, co-founder and CEO of Nephrogen, who came in second at TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025. Together, they break down Demetri’s actual Startup Battlefield pitch to unpack what worked, what could be improved, and what research tells us about how investors respond to founders. Eike explains why credibility signals matter, how technical founders can simplify without oversimplifying, and why Q&A should be treated as a second pitch. Demetri shares how he learned to explain complex biotech to generalist investors, how redesigning his deck changed his confidence onstage, and what he would do differently today. They also explore how body language and authenticity affect a pitch, how investor questions can reveal bias, and how founders can use AI to prepare for difficult Q&A. They get into: What Demetri got right and in his Startup Battlefield pitch How to explain complicated technology without oversimplifying it The credibility signals investors look for in a pitch Why some technical language can actually make founders more credible How to decide what belongs in your pitch versus the Q&A Why technical details can sometimes make your startup sound riskier How body language and authenticity influence investors Why Q&A should be treated as a second pitch What research reveals about bias in investor questions How to use AI to rehearse difficult investor Q&A Why there is no single “perfect” startup pitch The biggest pitching mistakes technical founders make Here are the studies mentioned in the episode: Kanze, D., Huang, L., Conley, M. A., & Higgins, E. T. (2018). “We Ask Men to Win and Women Not to Lose: Closing the Gender Gap in Startup Funding.” Academy of Management Journal https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2016.1215 Figge, P., Graf-Vlachy, L., König, A., Demann, F., & Diessner, M. (2025). “Shades of Grey or Black and White? How Entrepreneurs’ Use of Cognitively Complex Language Affects Investor Funding.” Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587251347042 Clarke, J. S., Cornelissen, J. P., & Healey, M. P. (2019). “Actions Speak Louder than Words: How Figurative Language and Gesturing in Entrepreneurial Pitches Influences Investment Judgments.” Academy of Management Journal https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2016.1008 Jiang, L., Yin, D., & Liu, D. (2019). “Can Joy Buy You Money? The Impact of the Strength, Duration, and Phases of an Entrepreneur’s Peak Displayed Joy on Funding Performance.” Academy of Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2017.1423 Chen, X.-P., Yao, X., & Kotha, S. (2009). “Entrepreneur Passion and Preparedness in Business Plan Presentations: A Persuasion Analysis of Venture Capitalists’ Funding Decisions.” Academy of Management Journal https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2009.36462018 Zhu, L. Y., Young, M. J., & Bauman, C. W. (2024). “Linking Anxiety to Passion: Emotion Regulation and Entrepreneurs’ Pitch Performance.” Journal of Business Venturing https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2024.106421Allison, T. H., Davis, B. C., Webb, J. W., & Short, J. C. (2017). “Persuasion in Crowdfunding: An Elaboration Likelihood Model of Crowdfunding Performance.” Journal of Business Venturing https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2017.09.002Clark, C. (2008). “The Impact of Entrepreneurs’ Oral ‘Pitch’ Presentation Skills on Business Angels’ Initial Screening Investment Decisions.” Venture Capital https://doi.org/10.1080/13691060802151945 Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannesen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Eventbrite has survived nearly every kind of challenge a startup can face: launching into a financial crisis, raising venture capital after 27 rejections, going public, watching its core business disappear during COVID, and eventually leaving the public markets after nearly two decades of building. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Julia Hartz, co-founder and former CEO of Eventbrite, to unpack the decisions that helped the company weather those highs and lows. When Eventbrite went public in 2018, Julia became just the 21st woman founder-CEO to lead her company through an IPO and the second-youngest woman to do so (milestones she remembers as both an achievement and a stark reminder of how few women had reached that point). But getting to the IPO, and navigating what came afterward, was anything but straightforward. Julia explains what it was like to take over as CEO from her husband and co-founder Kevin Hartz, why she initially questioned whether she was ready for the job, and how leading through the pandemic forced her to find her own leadership style. She also looks back on Eventbrite’s unusual fundraising journey, from bootstrapping the company for its first two-and-a-half years to the success during the 2008 financial crisis that ultimately landed them Sequoia as a lead investor.  Julia reflects on the realities of running a public company, balancing investor expectations against the needs of customers, the mistakes that took years to repair, and the painful decision to take Eventbrite private following its acquisition by Bending Spoons. Through it all, she shares what nearly 20 years of building Eventbrite taught her about resilience, leadership, reinvention, and making hard decisions when there is no obvious playbook. They get into: How Julia Hartz and Kevin Hartz built Eventbrite from a bootstrapped startup into a global ticketing platform Why 27 venture firms rejected Eventbrite during the 2008 financial crisis How strong execution helped Eventbrite turn those rejections into a Sequoia-backed round What it was like for Julia to take over as CEO from her husband and co-founder Why becoming CEO felt “terrifying” and how Julia eventually found her own leadership style How Eventbrite responded when COVID caused the company to process more refunds than revenue The crisis-management exercise that helped Julia’s team rethink the business from scratch What Julia learned as one of the youngest women and few woman founder-CEOs to take a company public Why the realities of running a public company can differ from founders’ expectations How CEOs should balance investor pressure with what is best for their customers Why Eventbrite ultimately decided to leave the public markets The mistakes Julia made while scaling Eventbrite and why talking directly to customers remains one of her most important lessons What 20 years of building taught Julia about resilience, leadership, reinvention, and knowing when to let go Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Chapters: 00:00 – Julia Hartz on Leading Eventbrite Through the Hardest Moments01:27 – From MTV and Jackass to Founding Eventbrite03:27 – How Julia and Kevin Hartz Started Eventbrite08:49 – Why Live Events Survived Every Technology Shift11:03 – Taking Over as CEO From Her Husband13:38 – Leading Eventbrite Through the COVID Crisis17:19 – Eventbrite’s Fundraising Journey17:57 – 27 VC Rejections During the 2008 Financial Crisis22:16 – How to Re-Pitch an Investor After They Say No24:42 – Building a Company With Your Spouse26:58 – Taking Eventbrite Public27:11 – Making History as a Woman Founder-CEO31:17 – What No One Tells You About Running a Public Company32:40 – From a $1.67B IPO to Going Private36:08 – Why Eventbrite Left the Public Markets38:48 – Customers vs. Shareholders: Who Should a CEO Listen To?41:11 – How Founders Should Think About Competition45:07 – Julia Hartz’s Biggest Marketplace and Leadership Mistakes49:30 – The Leadership Lesson Julia Learned in Her Final Months as CEO53:13 – What Comes After 20 Years of Building Eventbrite Hosted by Isabelle Johannesen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Investors want founders who understand the financial reality of their business. Messy data, misunderstood metrics, or waiting until you’re nearly out of cash to start fundraising can cost founders leverage, valuation, and even a term sheet. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Sasha Orloff, founder and CEO of Puzzle and Startup Battlefield alum, to talk about what he’s learned from building companies that have raised more than $1 billion collectively.  Sasha breaks down what investors look for during fundraising, which financial metrics founders should know by heart, and why VCs don’t expect your startup to be perfect—they expect you to understand its reality. He also shares how he nearly lost a term sheet because his data room wasn’t ready, how fundraising diligence changes as a startup grows, and why getting your financial house in order can help founders raise with more confidence and leverage. They get into: What raising more than $1 billion across multiple companies taught Sasha about fundraising Why investors value founders who have a strong grasp of their company’s financial reality The financial metrics founders should know before pitching VCs How investor expectations change from pre-seed and seed through Series A, B, and beyond Why revenue growth and the quality of that revenue are critical fundraising metrics How runway, margins, sales efficiency, and profitability factor into investor decisions Why waiting until you’re running out of cash can hurt your fundraising leverage How Sasha nearly lost a term sheet because his data room wasn’t ready Why financial organization and compliance can influence investor confidence and startup valuations What founders should have prepared for the due diligence process Why VCs don’t expect perfection—and why being honest about what isn’t working can make for a stronger pitch How Sasha’s own fundraising and finance frustrations ultimately led him to build Puzzle How AI could change the way startups manage accounting and understand their financial health Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Chapters: 00:00 – Why VCs Want Founders Who Understand Reality 01:26 – Sasha Orloff’s Journey to Building Puzzle 05:05 – Why Puzzle Started With Startup Founders 08:38 – What Founders Should Know Before Fundraising 11:08 – What Investors Look for During Due Diligence 14:37 – Understanding the Financial Health of Your Startup 17:52 – The Financial Mistakes Founders Make 20:19 – When Startups Need Accountants and Finance Teams 24:04 – How Sasha Almost Lost a Term Sheet 26:10 – The Financial Metrics Founders Should Know Cold 28:20 – Lessons From Raising $1B+ Across Multiple Companies 31:45 – Why Financial Readiness Matters to Investors 33:49 – How AI Is Changing Startup Accounting 37:17 – Inside Puzzle’s Series A With General Catalyst 38:52 – Launching Puzzle at Startup Battlefield 40:38 – Sasha’s Advice for Early-Stage Founders Hosted by Isabelle Johannesen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Immigrant founders have built some of the world’s most valuable companies, but many still face barriers that make it harder to get a startup off the ground. Visa restrictions, limited access to friends-and-family capital, shallow networks, and a venture industry built around pattern matching can keep promising founders from getting funded before they have a chance to prove themselves. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Manan Mehta, co-founder and managing partner of Unshackled Ventures, to talk about why he believes immigrant founders represent one of venture capital’s biggest overlooked opportunities. Manan breaks down how Unshackled built an investment model designed to help founders navigate immigration barriers, why traditional VC pattern matching causes investors to miss potential outliers, and how his team evaluates founders at day zero—often before they have a product, customers, or traction. He also explains why the structural gaps that make some founders harder to fund may be exactly where investors should be looking for outsized returns. They get into: The four structural barriers immigrant founders face when starting companies in the U.S. How Unshackled Ventures helps founders navigate visas while building their startups Why VC’s reliance on pattern matching can cause investors to miss outlier founders How Manan evaluates founders before they have a product, customers, or traction The IQ, AQ, EQ, and SQ framework Unshackled uses to evaluate founder potential Why resilience, lived experience, and a founder’s relationship to the problem can matter more than a polished pitch Why structural gaps can create some of the biggest opportunities for investors How founders without traditional networks can find alternative paths to early capital Why founders should understand their personal “why” instead of trying to fit the traditional VC mold Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Chapters: 00:00 – Why VCs Miss Outlier Founders 01:45 – Why Manan Mehta Founded Unshackled Ventures 04:15 – The Problem With VC Pattern Matching 06:15 – The Friends-and-Family Gap for Immigrant Founders 08:18 – How Unshackled Helps Founders Navigate Visas 10:40 – Building a Startup in Today’s Immigration Environment 12:19 – Solving One of Unshackled’s Hardest Immigration Cases 14:39 – What the U.S. Stands to Lose16:59 – Raising Unshackled’s First Venture Funds 19:40 – Can You Start a Company on an H-1B Visa? 22:13 – How to Evaluate a Founder at Day Zero 28:30 – Measuring IQ, AQ, EQ, and SQ 30:26 – How Fear Drives VC Pattern Matching 33:01 – Why Structural Gaps Create Outlier Opportunities 35:14 – Finding Startup Capital Outside Traditional VC 38:09 – Why Founders Need to Understand Their “Why” Hosted by Isabelle Johannesen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Setting up a sound legal foundation could be what saves a startup down the line. A missing founder vesting agreement, an unclear IP agreement, or a messy cap table can derail fundraising, spark co-founder disputes, or even kill an otherwise promising company before it has a chance to scale. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Kristina Subbotinai, founder and CEO of Lesxy and former startup attorney at Cooley, to break down the legal fundamentals every founder needs to get right. Kristina shares the four non-negotiable legal decisions every startup should make from day one, what investors actually look for during due diligence, how founders should think about negotiating control versus valuation, and why leverage is the key to getting better fundraising terms. She also shares real stories from the front lines of startup law, from co-founder breakups and investor negotiations to a founder who tried using ChatGPT to draft a merger agreement. They get into: The four legal mistakes that can make a startup unfundable How founder vesting, IP assignment, Delaware incorporation, and 83(b) elections protect your company What VCs actually look for during due diligence and how to avoid common red flags How founders should negotiate valuation, board control, and investor rights Why leverage comes from building a great business—not signing better term sheets The wildest legal horror stories Kristina has seen, including a startup acquisition gone completely off the rails Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or⁠ wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on⁠ YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday.  Chapters:00:00 – Intro: The Legal Mistakes That Kill Startups01:37 – Why Kristina built Lexsy03:58 – The Legal Foundations Every Startup Needs08:22 – How to Find the Right Startup Lawyer10:21 – The Four Non-Negotiable Legal Decisions17:33 – What Investors Look for During Due Diligence20:04 – SAFE Notes vs. Priced Rounds22:18 – Negotiating Valuation Without Losing Control25:25 – Board Seats, Investor Rights, and Hidden Term Sheet Traps30:51 – Should Founders Use AI for Legal Advice?31:04 – How Founders Build Leverage in Fundraising35:48 – The Terms That Can Destroy Founder Wealth37:01 – The Craziest Startup Legal Story Kristina Has Ever Seen Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

SeatGeek didn't become one of the biggest names in ticketing by following the playbook. It started as a simple ticket search engine on the TechCrunch 50 stage (now known as TechCrunch Battlefield) and took on the industry’s massive incumbents by expanding its vision, surviving industry-defining challenges, and convincing investors that even a monopoly could be disrupted. In this episode of Build Mode, host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Jack Groetzinger, co-founder and CEO of SeatGeek, to unpack the company's 17-year journey from startup to industry leader. Jack shares how SeatGeek raised nearly $400 million in venture capital, why he believes founders should think about expanding rather than pivoting, what it was like fundraising during the COVID-19 shutdown of live events, and why the company ultimately walked away from its planned SPAC. He also explains how founders can convince investors to back them against an entrenched incumbent, why your first hires define your company's future, and how AI is reshaping the future of live entertainment and ticketing. They get into: Why SeatGeek chose to compete with Ticketmaster and how investors evaluated that opportunity How SeatGeek survived COVID and closed its hardest fundraising round during the pandemic Why passionate customers can become your best fundraising asset The hiring mistakes Jack wishes he could undo and why your first employees shape company culture How AI is transforming ticketing, live entertainment, and the fan experience Jack Groetzinger's advice for founders building companies that challenge established incumbents Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or⁠ wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on⁠ YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday.  Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: How SeatGeek Took on Ticketmaster 01:09 – From Startup Battlefield to Building SeatGeek 04:03 – Finding Product-Market Fit in a Broken Ticketing Industry 05:54 – Why SeatGeek Expanded Instead of Pivoting 07:14 – Raising Nearly $400M and Surviving the Hardest Fundraise During COVID 10:46 – Why SeatGeek Walked Away from Its SPAC IPO 13:57 – How to Raise Money Against a Monopoly Like Ticketmaster 17:02 – The Hiring Mistakes That Nearly Hurt SeatGeek's Culture 19:08 – How AI Will Transform Live Entertainment and Ticketing 22:19 – Regulation, Competition, and Jack Groetzinger's Advice for Founders Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Building a great product is one thing. Getting a company like Nvidia to put its name behind it is something else entirely. In this episode of Build Mode, host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Sydney Sykes, who leads global venture capital alliances and partnerships at Nvidia, to unpack how startups break into the Nvidia ecosystem and what a corporate venture capital partnership actually looks like once they're in. Sydney explains how founders can get on Nvidia's radar through programs like Nvidia Inception, why strategic alignment matters more than a slick pitch deck, and how corporate venture capital differs from traditional venture capital when it comes to fundraising, diligence, and deal terms. Drawing on her experience as an investor at NEA and Lightspeed Venture Partners, and as co-founder of BLCK VC, she also discusses access and representation in venture capital and how the AI boom is reshaping who gets funded. She closes with practical fundraising advice for founders hoping to build lasting relationships with corporate VCs like Nvidia. They get into: How a startup can "enter the Nvidia orbit" through the Nvidia Inception program What Nvidia looks for before offering its stamp of approval to an AI startup Corporate venture capital vs. traditional venture capital: what founders need to know Why a corporate VC checks for strategic relevance, not just financial upside How to pitch the same startup differently to a corporate VC vs. an institutional VC Why founders should build their cap table like a puzzle, not a popularity contest How the AI boom is lowering barriers to entrepreneurship — and where old barriers remain Why Sydney believes VCs should pay closer attention to energy and data center infrastructure How Black VC is expanding access and education across the venture capital industry Sydney Sykes' advice for founders trying to break into the corporate venture ecosystem Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or⁠ wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on⁠ YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday.  Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: How Startups Enter Nvidia's Orbit 01:20 – Meet Sydney Sykes: From NEA to Lightspeed to Nvidia 03:18 – What Sydney Does as Nvidia's VC Alliances Lead 04:20 – The AI Trends Nvidia Is Watching Across Verticals 07:47 – How Startups Can Enter the Nvidia Orbit 10:34 – What Nvidia's "Stamp of Approval" Actually Looks Like 12:56 – How Startups Get Noticed by Corporates (Beyond Nvidia) 15:18 – Does a Corporate Stamp Move VCs to Write Checks? 19:41 – Access, Black VC, and Gatekeeping in Venture Capital 30:20 – Procurement vs. Corporate VC vs. Traditional VC, Explained 38:28 – Final Advice for Founders Chasing Corporate Partnerships Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Building an AI startup is one thing. Raising one of the largest seed rounds of the year before launching a product is something else entirely. In this episode of Build Mode, host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Andrew Dai, founder and CEO of Elorian and former Google DeepMind researcher, to unpack how his company raised a $55 million seed round at a $300 million valuation before generating revenue or releasing a product. Andrew shares what investors saw in Elorian's vision for visual AI, how he approached fundraising after leaving Google DeepMind, and why choosing the right investors mattered more than maximizing valuation. He also offers practical advice for founders building in AI, explains why today's fundraising environment rewards clear storytelling over technical jargon, and shares what surprised him most as a first-time founder. They get into: How Elorian raised a $55 million seed round before launching a product Why visual AI is one of the next major frontiers in artificial intelligence What investors look for when backing frontier AI startups Why the highest valuation isn't always the best fundraising outcome How to pitch highly technical products to non-technical investors What founders should look for when choosing venture capital partners How to hire top AI talent away from Big Tech Why moving quickly matters more than ever in today's AI race How founders can build defensible AI companies as technology evolves Andrew's advice for first-time founders raising venture capital Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or⁠ wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on⁠ YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday.  Chapters: 00:00 Meet Andrew Dai: From DeepMind to Building Elorian 01:48 Why Visual AI Is the Next Frontier 04:50 Raising a $55M Seed With No Revenue 08:46 Landing Nvidia, Jeff Dean, and Top AI Investors 12:17 Managing the Pressure of a $300M Valuation 14:40 How AI Founders Should Pitch Investors 20:47 Hiring, Scaling, and Building a Frontier AI Company 27:00 Turning Down Bigger Offers & Advice for Future Founders Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Raising your first round has always been hard — but in today’s market, the rules are changing fast. In this episode of Build Mode, our host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Charles Hudson, Founder and Managing Partner of Precursor Ventures, to talk about what early-stage founders need to know before raising their first institutional round. Charles shares a candid look at how the venture landscape has shifted, why AI is changing what investors pay attention to, and how founders can better navigate fundraising when the old playbooks no longer apply. They get into: • Why raising pre-seed and seed funding feels harder right now• How AI is reshaping venture capital• What founders should know before choosing an investor• Why the highest valuation is not always the best deal• How to build momentum during a fundraise• Why storytelling and a strong blurb matter more than ever• What happens when a startup raises too much too soon• Why the biggest risk may not be a down round — but no round at all• How to think about whether venture capital is actually the right path Whether you're preparing to raise, currently fundraising, or just trying to understand how early-stage venture is changing, this conversation is packed with practical, honest advice for founders building in today’s market. Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or⁠ wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on⁠ YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday.  Chapters: 00:00 – The New Rules of Startup Fundraising 02:00 – What VCs Look for in First-Time Founders 08:50 – The Biggest Fundraising Mistakes Startup Founders Make 13:20 – Why Startup Valuations Are So Unpredictable in 2026 18:20 – Why Raising Too Much Money Can Hurt Your Startup 25:55 – Should Every Startup Raise Venture Capital? 29:20 – How to Choose the Right VC Investor 33:55 – Why Silicon Valley Still Gives Founders an Advantage 36:40 – How to Build Momentum During a Startup Fundraise Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Startup fundraising is harder than ever, and Season 3 of Build Mode is here to help. Whether you're raising a seed round, preparing for Series A, pitching venture capital firms, negotiating a term sheet, or exploring alternatives to VC funding, this season is packed with practical advice from founders and investors who have successfully navigated the fundraising journey. Hosted by TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Editor Isabelle Johannessen, Build Mode is the TechCrunch podcast where founders, investors, and startup operators share honest conversations about what it really takes to build and finance a company. This season features Charles Hudson (Precursor Ventures), Andrew Dai (Elorian), Ashley Tyrner-Dolce (FarmboxRx), Kristina Subbotina (Lexsy AI), Sydney Sykes (NVIDIA), Xavier Chi (Mbodi), Jack Groetzinger (SeatGeek), Sasha Orloff (Puzzle), Everette Taylor (Kickstarter), Manan Mehta (Unshackled Ventures), Julia Hartz (Eventbrite), and more. Together, they cover topics including avoiding down rounds, raising capital in today's venture market, working with corporate venture capital, crowdfunding, startup financial readiness, fundraising as an immigrant founder, IPO lessons, and how to deliver a winning startup pitch. If you're an entrepreneur, startup founder, investor, or operator looking for actionable fundraising advice, this season is your playbook. New episodes begin July 9 and release every week on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe now and learn how to raise capital, grow your startup, and build with confidence.

This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about venture capital. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit conversations from past seasons to give founders a glimpse behind the VC curtain and a better understanding of what investors are really looking for. From choosing the right investors to building a differentiated go-to-market strategy, these venture capitalists and founder-turned-investors share hard-earned lessons on fundraising, portfolio dynamics, investor-founder relationships, and what separates the companies that successfully raise their next round from those that don't. In this episode, you'll hear from: ⁠Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst⁠ ⁠Ross Fubini, managing partner at XYZ Venture Capital⁠ and Leslie Feinzaig, founder and general partner at Graham & Walker⁠ ⁠Paul Irving, partner at GTMfund⁠ ⁠Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and founder of Precedent VC⁠ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:19 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): The three types of investors and who founders should avoid 03:29 Ross Fubini (XYZ VC) & Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker): What great investors actually bring to the table 08:36 Paul Irving (GTMfund): The go-to-market signals investors look for 12:30 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Understanding the competition inside your investors' portfolios 14:30 Outro Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠⁠, or⁠ ⁠wherever you like to listen⁠⁠. And watch the full videos on⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠. New episodes of⁠ ⁠Build Mode⁠⁠ drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about company culture. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore how founders intentionally shape culture from day one and why the habits, values, and decisions of leadership have an outsized impact as companies scale. Guests share lessons on hiring for culture, developing strong leaders, building diverse teams, navigating layoffs with empathy, and creating workplaces where people can do their best work. From early-stage startups to high-growth companies, these founders reveal what they've learned about building cultures that last. In this episode, you'll hear from: Ian Schmidt, partner & consultant at Trimergence Hala Jawani, cofounder & CEO of Rivio Ayal Yogev, cofounder & CEO of Anjuna Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and founder of Precedent VC Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:22 Ian Schmidt (Trimergence): Why founders should invest in leadership and culture early 03:55 Hala Jawani (Riveo): Hiring leaders who can scale culture 05:22 Eyal Yogev (Anjuna): Why culture is built through a thousand small decisions 08:51 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Building diverse teams from day one 13:15 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): How AI could reshape workplace culture 15:45 Outro Subscribe to Build Mode on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or ⁠wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on ⁠YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about startup mistakes, hard-earned lessons, and the decisions founders wish they’d made differently. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore the missteps that shaped successful companies. Guests share candid stories about chasing product-market fit, making hiring mistakes, navigating investor expectations, managing hypergrowth, building company infrastructure, and learning what really matters in the early days of a startup. In this episode, you’ll hear from: Deon Nicholas, cofounder & former CEO of Forethought AI and co-founder of Espa Labs Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan Yuri Sagalov, partner at General Catalyst Isaiah Granet, cofounder & CEO of Bland Ayal Yogev, founder & CEO of Anjuna Sarah Lucena, founder & CEO of Mappa Whether you’re building your first startup, hiring your early team, fundraising, or figuring out how to scale sustainably, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest reflections from founders and investors who learned these lessons the hard way. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:20 Deon Nicholas (Forethought, Espa Labs): Product-market fit, iteration, and why your first product probably won’t work 05:45 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): Hiring mistakes, logo shopping, and finding the right people 09:30 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): Founder commitment, investor signals, and avoiding non-standard company structures 12:35 Isaiah Granet (Bland): Equity grants, payroll headaches, and taking care of early employees 17:25 Ayal Yogev (Anjuna): Overhiring, market shifts, and lessons from the 2022 downturn 22:55 Sarah Lucena (Mappa): Why every founder needs a great lawyer  Subscribe to Build Mode on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or ⁠wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on ⁠YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.  Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): ⁠techcrunch.com/apply⁠. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.

This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about effective partnerships, from cofounder relationships and team trust to investor dynamics and leadership communication. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore what makes startup partnerships actually work. Guests share candid stories about finding cofounders online, navigating founder breakups, building trust inside fast-growing teams, balancing marriage and business, choosing the right investors, and learning when compatibility matters more than credentials. In this episode, you’ll hear from: Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan Ian Schmidt, partner & consultant at Trimergence Hala Jawani and Alessio Trestani, cofounders of Rivio Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit Ross Fubini, managing partner at XYZ Venture Capital and Leslie Feinzaig, founder & CEO of Graham & Walker Sarah Lucena, founder & CEO of Mappa Whether you’re searching for the right cofounder, managing conflict on your team, scaling as a solo founder, or building relationships with investors, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest founder lessons from people who’ve lived it. Chapters: 00:00  Intro:  01:00 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): Meeting a cofounder online and navigating a founder breakup 04:20 Ian Schmidt (Trimergence): Frameworks for conflict resolution, communication, and team trust 08:15  Hala Jawani & Alessio Cristante (Riveo): Building a startup as married cofounders 10:20 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit): Transitioning leadership and building executive trust 12:30 Ross Fubini (XYZ Ventures) & Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker): Choosing the right investors and building your cap table 16:05 Sarah Lucena (Mapa): Compatibility, investor alignment, and finding the right people  Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.  Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast. 

This week we're sharing our very first episode with Deon Nicholas, the co-founder and CEO of Forethought AI. In this episode, Nicholas shares how he built a company that puts customers (not hype) at the center. He unpacks his “7-Failure Rule,” the early experiments that shaped Forethought’s success, and why conviction should always come from your users, not your investors. 00:00 Intro 01:23 The Founder Journey: Adapting Every 6-9 Months 05:33 From AI Research to Solving Business Problems 11:12 Finding Your Customer: The Importance of User Conversations 18:22 Building Demos and Landing First Paying Customers 25:12 The Seven Failure Rule for Product Market Fit 30:38 Preparing for and Winning TechCrunch Disrupt 35:16 The Reality of Fundraising and Chasing Metrics 39:07 Navigating Competition in Customer Service AI 43:03 Stepping into Chairman and What's Next 44:57 Outro

Surviving the long road to FDA approval isn’t just about building great technology, it’s about keeping your team motivated, finding the right investors, and learning how to operate when timelines are uncertain. This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Robbie Bustami, co-founder and CEO of BioticsAI, a Startup Battlefield-winning company building an AI copilot for ultrasound to help detect fetal abnormalities. From a $100K prototype to FDA clearance, Robhy shares what it actually takes to build in one of the most regulated industries in the world. In this episode, they break down what it really looks like to build a medtech startup, where you can’t “move fast and break things,” and every milestone takes time, coordination, and trust. This conversation covers: How to stay motivated and keep your team aligned when FDA approval isn’t guaranteed What founders need to know about navigating the FDA process from day one How to find investors who understand the slower, high-risk nature of medtech Why cross-functional collaboration (engineers, clinicians, researchers) is critical to success The role of advisors and why active industry experts matter more than big names How to build momentum and celebrate wins during long, uncertain timelines  Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.  Chapters: 00:00 Building a $100K MedTech Startup 00:32 Intro: Biotics AI & the Problem with Ultrasound Misdiagnosis 02:16 What Biotics AI Actually Does (AI Copilot for Ultrasound) 02:54 Early Days: Startup Battlefield & First Product 07:10 Navigating FDA Approval (Without Guesswork) 09:22 What FDA Clearance Unlocks (Going to Market) 10:59 Selling into Hospitals & Early Customers 12:11 Keeping a Team Motivated During Long Timelines 18:54 The Hardest Parts of Building in MedTech 22:22 Fundraising, Advisors, and Building the Right Team 28:33 The Future of AI in Reproductive Healthcare New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Surviving the early days as an AI startup isn’t just about making the technology work, it’s about hiring the right people, avoiding costly mistakes, and standing out in a crowded market. This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, founder and CEO of Artisan, a fast-growing AI startup building AI employees for sales. Best known for its viral “Stop Hiring Humans” campaign, Artisan is rethinking outbound sales with AI, while still betting on hiring exceptional human talent. In this episode, they break down what it really takes to build and scale a venture-backed AI company, from Y Combinator to rapid growth. This conversation covers: Startup hiring mistakes every founder should avoid Lessons on firing, team building, and company culture in early-stage startups The strategy behind bold, controversial marketing that drives growth How AI is transforming sales, hiring, and the future of work What founders get wrong about the necessary roles needed for a scaling startup This conversation gets to the heart of building a startup: making the right hires early or paying for it later.  Subscribe to Build Mode on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or ⁠wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on ⁠YouTube⁠. Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Deep tech founders face a unique challenge: turning breakthrough science into a scalable startup. From navigating academia and IP to fundraising, manufacturing, and product-market fit, the path from research lab to real-world impact is anything but straightforward. This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Capella Kerst, founder and CEO of geCKo Materials and 2024 Startups Battlefield runner up.  geCKo Materials is building a bio-inspired adhesive with applications across robotics, manufacturing, and even space. In this episode, they explore how she turned a Stanford PhD breakthrough into a venture-backed deep tech company.  This conversation covers: How to turn academic research into a scalable startup The challenges of moving from Stanford PhD to founder and CEO What it takes to raise capital as a deep tech and hardware startup Why commercialization and manufacturing are the hardest parts of innovation How to identify real-world use cases and achieve product-market fit Following recent episodes on building teams, this conversation focuses on the foundation behind every startup: transforming breakthrough technology into a viable business. Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.  Chapters: 00:00 The Breakthrough Moment 01:45 From Startup Battlefield to Scale 02:42 What Gecko Materials Actually Does 05:18 Turning a PhD Into a Company 07:44 The Big Vision for Gecko Materials 09:19 From Wild Ideas to Real Use Cases 11:16 Spinning Out of Stanford 14:49 Raising Capital (and a 36-Hour Round) 17:54 Breakthroughs and Momentum 18:00 Building a World-Class Team 22:19 Owning the Founder Role 24:21 Finding Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech 26:54 Why More Research Doesn’t Become Startups 29:15 What’s Next for Gecko Materials New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

This week’s guest is Ayal Yogev, co-founder and CEO of Anjuna Security, who has experienced both sides of the startup journey: scaling quickly during the boom years and then making the incredibly difficult decision to lay off a significant portion of his team when the market shifted. From growing to 75 employees to scaling back and rebuilding, Yogev learned firsthand that the hardest part of leadership isn’t hiring fast, it’s making tough decisions with care, transparency, and integrity. In this episode, Isabelle Johannessen and Yogev unpack what it really means to lead through layoffs with compassion and how founders can support their teams even in the most challenging moments. They also explore the lessons learned from scaling too quickly and how to build a more resilient company the second time around. They discuss: How to approach layoffs with empathy and transparency Ways to support employees beyond financial compensation What founders get wrong about scaling and hiring Why culture matters most during difficult moments Lessons from rebuilding after layoffs Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.   Chapters: 00:00 We grew too fast 02:30 What Anjuna actually does 04:45 Scaling the team quickly 06:10 The market crash hits 09:40 Handling layoffs with empathy 12:10 Supporting employees the right way 15:30 Why culture matters in crisis 20:50 The hiring mistake founders make 27:40 When to scale your sales team 34:40 Rebuilding after layoffs

If one thing has become clear this season, finding the right talent for your team isn’t as easy as picking from a pile of resumes This week’s guest is  Leah Solivan, the founder of Taskrabbit and now an early-stage investor who has seen that the power to change a homogenous startup exosystem comes from empowering diverse VCs to fund underrepresented founders who will hire the hidden tech talent. From bootstrapping TaskRabbit on credit cards to scaling it into one of the defining companies of the gig economy, Leah learned firsthand that the hardest part of building a company isn’t the product, it’s selecting the right people to build it. In this episode, Isabelle Johannessen and Leah unpack what it really takes to build diverse teams from day one and why most companies get it wrong by waiting too long. They also explore how the lack of diversity in venture capital directly shapes who gets funded, and ultimately, who gets hired. They discuss: How to build diverse teams intentionally from the very beginning Why the “easy path” in hiring leads to less diverse outcomes The connection between diverse VCs and diverse companies How to hire for culture and values over credentials Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type. Chapters: 00:00 The hard way to hire diverse talent 01:20 From engineer to Taskrabbit founder03:39 The moment that sparked Taskrabbit 07:39 Why building teams is the hardest part 12:06 Learning how to hire from scratch 17:36 Why venture capital lacks diversity 27:25 How to build diverse teams from day one 39:42 What founders get wrong about competition

If one thing has become clear this season, it’s that there is no formula to building the perfect team. But no one breaks the mold quite like this week’s guest, Isaiah Granet, the co-founder and CEO of Bland. The voice AI startup has been growing at a breakneck speed but the founding team has taken their time to prioritize passion over pedigree and find their team members in places many might not think to look.  In this episode, Isabelle Johannessen and Isaiah Granet unpack a radically different approach to hiring that prioritizes aligned work ethic, curiosity, and flexibility rather than resumes and connections. So far, that approach has worked for Bland. The scrappy team has gone from pre-seed to series B in less than a year.  They discuss: How to identify “hidden gem” talent in unexpected places The role of cold inbound and unconventional sourcing When to hire ahead of need and when not to How hiring philosophy shapes company culture at scale Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.  Chapters: 00:00 — Hiring for Passion Over Pedigree 02:42 — Pivoting Into Voice AI 03:49 — Explosive Growth: Pre-Seed to Series B 05:00 — Surviving Hypergrowth 10:00 — Rethinking Hiring: Finding Hidden Talent 16:30 — Building and Scaling Culture 24:00 — Who to Hire (and When to Fire) 41:30 — Compensation, Equity, and Final Lessons New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Every founding team is a mix of personalities, communication styles, and strengths. That can be a superpower or cause founders to butt heads. Without a clear framework for navigating conflict, even the strongest teams can fall apart before they really get started. This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Ian Schmidt, strategic advisor at Trimergence, to unpack the “personal operating system” behind every founder. As a coach, consultant, and occasionally a bouncer, Ian helps teams build the self-awareness and relational tools they need to scale without unnecessary friction. They discuss: Why founders should invest in coaching before conflict escalates How to repair after conflict goes sideways The importance of understanding your own triggers as a leader How to create space for the self-work that actually saves time long-term Following last week’s episode on family co-founders, this conversation expands those lessons into practical tools any founding team can use. Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.  Chapters: 00:00 Why Conflict Isn’t the Problem 02:18 The Founder Operating System 04:21 Why Co-Founders Clash 05:34 How to Map Your Personal OS 10:26 Start Early or Pay Later 16:59 Frameworks for Navigating Conflict 23:32 Relationships, Loneliness & Support Systems 31:15 Identity, Habits & Scaling Yourself New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

In startups, choosing a co-founder is often compared to choosing a spouse. But what happens when your co-founder actually is family? In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannessen explores how founders navigate co-founder relationships that come with built-in trust and unique challenges. First up is Hala Jalwan and Alessio Tresanti, the married co-founders of AI agent for procurement focusing on autonomous sourcing, Rivio. They discuss building a company from the same household and why clear roles and communication matter when both your personal and professional lives are on the line. Then Isabelle talks with Anna Sun, co-founder of Nowadays, an AI co-pilot for corporate event planning that she launched with her sister Amy shortly after graduating from MIT. Sun explains how their sibling dynamic shapes decision-making, team culture, and the way they move quickly as founders. They discuss: How trust shapes strong co-founder partnerships The benefits and challenges of building a startup with family Dividing roles and decision-making between co-founders Hiring and culture in early-stage startups Why some founders turn to co-founder coaching to navigate conflict This episode looks at how unconventional co-founder relationships can become a startup’s biggest advantage and why trust may be the most powerful tool a founding team has. Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

This week on Build Mode, we’re joined by David Park, co-founder and CEO of Narada, an enterprise AI agent platform spun out of UC Berkeley AI Lab research. Narada uses large action models to automate complex, multi-step workflows across enterprise systems. After previously co-founding and exiting Coverity, Park is now building his second company with a different playbook: Stay lean, talk to customers, and don’t raise before you’re ready.  In this episode, he shares why Narada spent a year making nearly 1,000 customer calls before raising institutional capital, how the company reached 99.99% reliability in production environments, and why he believes too much funding too early can derail even the strongest teams. Park also reflects on his experience as a Startup Battlefield Top 20 company and the lessons he’s carried from his first exit into building Narada.  He breaks down:  Why customers won’t tell you your “baby is ugly” — but their wallets will  How Narada achieves enterprise-grade AI reliability  Why raising money before product-market fit can be dangerous   The discipline of building a lean, “mean building machine”  When to scale your go-to-market team (and when not to)  Why founders must stick to their values, even under pressure  Lessons from Startup Battlefield and building in public  Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.   Founders Summit: If you want to take these conversations beyond the podcast, then come join us in person at a TechCrunch event on June 9 in Boston, we're hosting our founders Summit, which is essentially build mode in real life. It's a full day focused entirely on founders, builders and the conversations that actually move startups forward. It's also a great way to sharpen your story. Get your tickets.  TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.   Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type 00:00 – Why customers won’t tell you the truth (but their wallets will) 02:43 – What Narada does: enterprise AI agents powered by large action models 04:28 – Enterprise reliability: reaching 99.99% accuracy 07:32 – Trust, security, and on-prem deployment 12:26 – Bootstrapping, 1,000 customer calls & finding real pain 15:05 – Raising after traction & meeting their lead VC at Disrupt 18:47 – Scaling responsibly after product-market fit 22:46 – Go-to-market strategy & leveraging channels 23:48 – From Coverity exit to Narada: a founder’s second act 27:05 – Founder advice: passion, grit & integrity 30:20 – Fake it till you make it? Not quite. 30:44 – Startup Battlefield experience 36:05 – Final reflections on disruption & building for impact  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

This season on Build Mode, we’re breaking down what it really takes to build a world-class team and that starts with hiring the right people the first time.  This week, we’re joined by Sarah Lucena, founder and CEO of Mappa, a behavioral intelligence platform that uses voice AI to decode human behavior in under 60 seconds. After rebuilding teams over and over again early in her career, Sarah set out to answer the question: why do “great on paper” candidates fail to flourish after their hired?  In this episode, she explains how Mapa analyzes thousands of voice biomarkers, from speech patterns to linguistic signals, to build behavioral profiles and match candidates based on compatibility, not just the on-paper credentials. They help their clients make the right hired the first time, saving crucial time and money.  She breaks down:  • Why most hiring decisions are still a gamble • Compatibility vs. similarity (and why it matters) • How voice biomarkers reveal behavioral traits • How to reduce bias without lowering the bar • How founders should think about building aligned teams  Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling a fast-growing startup, this episode will change the way you think about talent, team dynamics, and what it really means to be a “fit.”   Chapters:  00:00 – Why great hires still fail 00:47 – Meet Sarah Lucena (Founder & CEO, Mappa) 01:39 – What Mappa does: voice → behavioral intelligence 04:22 – Why voice (not video) is the best signal 06:03 – The proprietary dataset & real-life outcomes 12:30 – Mapping companies, not just candidates 14:27 – Compatibility vs. similarity 16:10 – Bias, diversity & better hiring signals 23:53 – Expanding beyond hiring (VCs, finance, insurance) 30:16 – Using Mappa to evaluate investors 33:02 – Building Mappa’s own team 35:49 – Founder advice: patience, compatibility & lawyers 39:16 – Startup Battlefield experience 41:29 – Outro  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Build Mode is back. This season we’re breaking down what it really takes to build a world-class founding team starting with your cap table, equity structures, and startup compensation strategy.  We kick off with Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst and former founder, YC partner, and seed investor at Wayfinder Ventures. Yuri has worked with hundreds of pre-seed and seed-stage startups, and he shares practical advice on how early-stage founders should think about startup equity, cap table design, investor selection, and compensation structures from day one.  He breaks down:  The 3 types of investors (and which one to avoid)  Why your cap table is part of your team  The 20–25% seed dilution rule  How to split equity with a co-founder  How to talk to early employees about risk and compensation  No matter where you are in your startup journey, this episode will help you get the incentive structure right from the beginning.   Chapters:  00:00 - Why your first hires deserve more equity 00:31 - Meet Yuri Sagalov (YC → General Catalyst) 02:12 - Your cap table is part of your team 02:50 - The 3 types of investors (avoid this one) 05:02 - How to split equity with a co-founder 07:55 - How much equity to give early employees 09:37 - How to talk compensation and risk 12:31 - Red flags in formation docs and vesting 18:27 - Advisors for equity? Usually a mistake 20:05 - The 20–25% seed dilution rule 26:03 - The shift to 10-year stock options 34:11 - Don’t scale before product-market fit 39:23 - Final advice: Just start and choose your co-founder carefully  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

It takes a village to build something great. In Season 2 of Build Mode, we go deep on how to assemble a founding team that signals ambition, execution, and long-term success. Founders and investors share candid lessons on hiring, structuring, and scaling teams that actually win. New episodes coming February 19.

n the season finale of Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Paul Irving, Partner and COO of GTMfund, to discuss go-to-market strategies for the AI era. Paul shares specific, actionable advice on how early-stage startups can win even when facing well-funded competitors who iterate at lightning speed. He also explains why distribution has become the final remaining moat when technical advantages disappear in months instead of years, and why every company needs a unique go-to-market motion tailored to their specific ICP.  If you just can’t get enough AI-native GTM strategies, check out this episode of the GTMnow podcast: Build your AI Outbound Machine with ChatGPT  Chapters:   00:00 Intro  00:44 Meet Paul Irving - GTM Fund  04:02 Finding Competitive Edge in Specific Channels  07:34 Matching Operators to Startups with AI  12:08 The End of the B2B SaaS Playbook Era  14:09 Creative GTM Strategies  16:18 The Power of Warm Introduction Mapping  23:04 Success Stories: Ryder and Vanta  25:25 Red Flags in Go-to-Market Strategy  27:29 Advice for Resource-Constrained Founders  31:22 When to Start Hiring a GTM Team  34:57 Outro  Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

We're bringing you a special TechCrunch podcast crossover episode. Isabelle joins Equity Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan to dissect the year's biggest tech developments, from mega AI funding rounds that defied expectations to the rise of "physical AI," and make their calls for 2026.  The group tackled everything from why AI agents didn't live up to the hype in 2025 (but probably will in 2026), to how Hollywood will push back against AI-generated content, to why VCs are facing a serious liquidity crisis.   Listen to the full episode to hear:  Why world models are the next big thing in AI and how they're different from large language models  The death of "stealth mode" for AI startups and the rise of alternative funding sources  Predictions on regulatory chaos around AI policy and what Trump's recent executive order means for startups  Hot takes on IPOs: Will OpenAI and Anthropic actually go public in 2026?  Rapid-fire predictions including Johnny Ive and Sam Altman's inevitable public breakup, the return of dumb phones, and why everyone will be calling themselves "AI native"  What's coming in Build Mode season 2: A deep dive into team building, hiring, and finding co-founders  Chapters: 00:00 Intro - TechCrunch Build Mode & Equity Crossover Episode 00:27 Meet the Hosts - Predictions Episode Introduction 02:49 Reviewing 2024 Predictions - The Mega Funding Rounds 05:40 AI Startup Funding Challenges and Alternative Capital Sources 08:05 2026 AI Predictions - World Models and the Next Evolution 12:41 Physical AI - The Intersection of Robotics and Intelligence 14:07 AI in Media and Content Creation 18:48 Netflix-Warner Brothers Deal and FTC Predictions 21:09 The LP Direct Investment Trend 23:26 IPOs and Deep Tech Capital Challenges 25:49 Startup Battlefield Trends - Verticalized AI Across Industries 28:08 Rapid Fire Predictions - Fashion, Self-Driving Cars, and More 30:25 The Dumb Phone Comeback and Foldable iPhones 32:51 Build Mode Season 2 Preview - People and Team Building New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Founders Gabriel Sanchez (Enspectra Health) and Tom Harries (Earth Funeral) share what it takes to build in heavily regulated industries where "move fast and break things" simply won't work. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal the realities of navigating FDA approval processes, state-by-state regulations, and cultural taboos while building products that are literally matters of life and death. Gabriel walks through Enspectra's nearly decade-long journey to FDA clearance for their skin imaging device, while Tom discusses building a human composting service as an alternative to cremation and burial. They offer tactical advice on iterating while waiting for regulatory approval, planning your runway when success is largely out of your hands, and raising venture capital in spaces that many investors consider too taboo to touch.  Chapters:   00:00 Intro  00:30 Meet Gabriel Sanchez - Enspectra Health  02:34 The First FDA-Approved Skin Imaging Physics in 28 Years  04:24 From Stanford Lab to Clinical Device  06:43 Navigating FDA Clearance and Reimbursement Strategy  43:33 Scaling While Managing Regulatory Barriers  46:55 Where Earth is Today and Future Growth  48:00 Outro  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Venture capitalists Ross Fubini (XYZ Ventures) and Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker Ventures) pull back the curtain on how VCs build their own go-to-market strategies — not just how they evaluate startups, but also how they win over LPs and founders alike. In this episode of Build Mode, they share hard-won lessons from raising their first funds and how that experience allows them to empathize with founders. They discuss why "founder-market fit" applies to VCs too, how authentic thought leadership beats manufactured content, and why the best investor relationships start years before you need the money. Plus, the importance of building trust over transactions and why your network truly is your competitive advantage in venture. Chapters:   00:00 Intro  01:01 Meet the VCs: From Netscape to Costa Rica  03:06 The Horror Show of Raising a First Fund  05:29 Building a Fund as Proof of Concept  08:52 The Schtick: Why VCs Need a Unique Thesis  11:44 Thought Leadership That Actually Works  15:34 The Qualification Process: Knowing in Two Minutes  19:06 Authentic vs. Manufactured Content  27:59 Building Relationships Before You Need Money  30:00 Founder-Market Fit for VCs  32:52 Key Takeaways: Person, Firm, Terms—In That Order  36:45 Field Notes: Creative Ways VCs Court Founders    New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Alltroo co-founders Kyle Rudolph and Jon Walburg share how they transformed their pro-athlete star power into a fundraising platform that allows their community the ability to donate to a variety of organization and win high-value prizes. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal how they leveraged their networks to disrupt the charitable giving industry, from raising half a million dollars for the NFL in their first year to learning hard lessons about scaling too fast. They discuss the pivot from $10,000 golf tournaments to $10 sweepstakes entries, building trust with both celebrities and fans, and why your network is your greatest competitive advantage. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:58 Meet the Founders: From NFL to Tech Startup 03:53 The $10,000 Golf Tournament That Sparked Everything 06:14 Navigating the Nonprofit-Tech Startup Hybrid Model 11:44 Leveraging Star Power: The NFL Partnership Win 15:34 Getting Athletes to Say Yes: The Trust Factor 19:06 When Identity Crisis Hits: Scaling Too Fast 27:59 The Mistake of Outsourcing Your Vision 30:00 Founder Market Fit: Your Network Is Your Net Worth 32:52 Key Takeaways: Building Thought Leadership Without Celebrity Status  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Glīd CEO and founder Kevin Damoa shares what it takes to win Startup Battlefield 2025 and build a company solving real infrastructure problems. Fresh off his victory, De reveals how a veteran's perspective on logistics led to an autonomous solution bridging congested roads and underutilized rail. Plus, he shares how mindfulness, mission-driven culture, and $70M in early customer commitments positioned Glīd for success.  Chapters:  00:00 Intro  01:13 What Glīd does: Autonomous transloading explained  02:40 From military logistics to founding Glīd  04:05 Moving containers: The versatility of TEUs  04:47 $70M in commitments and five railroad partnerships  05:01 Why Glīd launched three products at once  08:47 The Startup Battlefield experience and preparation  12:15 Pitching on stage: Nerves, preparation, and execution  15:32 The camaraderie among Startup Battlefield competitors  19:47 Veteran founders and mission-driven companies  25:01 Post-win momentum: Customers, investors, and talent  27:15 Hiring on vibes: Glīd's culture of God, family, self, and commitment  28:25 Kevin's advice: Meditate, don't freak out  29:00 Tips for aspiring Startup Battlefield applicants  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Luna co-founder Jas Schembri-Stothart and Untapped Solutions founder Andre Peart share how they cracked go-to-market for audiences most startups avoid. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal the guerrilla tactics, trust-building strategies, and creative experiments that helped them reach teenage girls and formerly incarcerated workers—from crashing Taylor Swift concerts to keynoting re-entry conferences.  Chapters: 00:00 Intro   03:15 Getting Grilled by Teens: Luna's School Roadshow   05:04 The Ambassador Army That Designed the App   06:11 When Teen Content Goes Viral on TikTok   07:32 Untapped's Origin: From Prison to Building Solutions   11:03 The Power of Storytelling in B2B Sales   14:02 Navigating Data Privacy with Sensitive Populations   15:29 The Challenge of Dual Audiences: Teens and Parents   17:43 Why Word of Mouth Beats Any Ad Campaign   19:41 The Taylor Swift Concert That Almost Got Shut Down   22:15 Key Takeaways for Any Founder   22:41 Field Notes: Creative Go-to-Market from the Community   New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Forethought AI co-founder Deon Nicholas shares how he built a company that puts customers (not hype) at the center. In this episode of Build Mode, he unpacks his “7-Failure Rule,” the early experiments that shaped Forethought’s success, and why conviction should always come from your users, not your investors.  Chapters: 00:00 Intro  01:23 The Founder Journey: Adapting Every 6-9 Months  05:33 From AI Research to Solving Business Problems  11:12 Finding Your Customer: The Importance of User Conversations  18:22 Building Demos and Landing First Paying Customers  25:12 The Seven Failure Rule for Product Market Fit  30:38 Preparing for and Winning TechCrunch Disrupt  35:16 The Reality of Fundraising and Chasing Metrics  39:07 Navigating Competition in Customer Service AI  43:03 Stepping into Chairman and What's Next  44:57 Outro  New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.  

Build Mode is TechCrunch's newest podcast, hosted by Startup Battlefield Editor, Isabelle Johannessen. This season we’re talking with founders and VCs sharing hard-won lessons on getting to market—the right way, the hard way, and the creative way.

TechCrunch is launching a new podcast Build Mode, which brings candid startup wisdom from the people who build, break, and build again. Build Mode is hosted by our very own Startup Battlefield Editor, Isabelle Johannessen who is joined by founders, investors, and operators to dig into the uncomfortable truths about startup life. Think cap table drama, co-founder breakups, and pivot panic. Wherever you are in your startup journey, this podcast will be your field guide. Season 1 is launching November 13.

This is our last episode of Found so we wanted to share where it all started. Please enjoy our very first episodewith Jordan Crook and Darrell Etherington interviewing Iman Abuzeid from Incredible Health. Please be sure to check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity And if you find yourself missing Found, you can always go back into the archives at techcrunch.com/found.

For this week's episode, we’re sharing a bonus conversation from backstage at this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt. Tim De Chant talked with Areeb Malik, co-founder and CTO of Glacier; Allison Wolff, co-founder and CEO of Vibrant Planet, and Hyuk-Jeen Suh, co-founder of Venx and general partner at SkyRiver Ventures. On stage the panel discussed how a startup can balance doing good with delivering the financial returns they need to keep the lights on. They continue in that vein for this bonus conversation as they dive deep into how successful founder have built profitable companies that are good for the world.

Enterprise AI is booming so it’s no wonder that, as companies figure out how to implement it, the industry of AI infrastructure is emerging. This week Becca and Dom talk to Nick Frosst from Cohere, the AI company building natural language models for enterprise customers. They discuss why Frosst thinks the AI boom isn’t built on a bubble, whether or not AI companies are building toward a “digital god”, and how AI regulation could be a good thing.  (0:00) Introduction (6:15) Enterprise applications for AI language models (12:12) Building multilingual models (14:58) Fundraising and the AI bubble (19:46) AI and sustainability (25:14) Building the Cohere team (29:44) Host discussion Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each   Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

In this episode, Dom and Becca are joined by Former Bonobos CEO Andy Dunn to talk about his mission to reverse America's loneliness epidemic through Pie, an app built to facilitate connections in the real world. They discuss the lessons Dunn brought from fundraising for Bonobos to Pie, founder mental health, and building a consumer movement in the midwest.

On this episode of Found, Dom is joined by Sara and Erin Foster along with their advisor at Oversubscribed Ventures, Phil Schwarz. Across their careers, the Foster sisters have co-founded the clothing line Favorite Daughter, co-led creative for Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF, and currently co-host a podcast together. Erin Foster even created the top Netflix show “Nobody Wants This,” starring Kristen Bell. But in this conversation we get into how they made the pivot to VC, the type of investments that excite them the most, and how they balance all of the different facets of their careers. 00:00 - Introduction 02:27 - Empathy in VC 04:41 - The Influence of Whitney Wolfe Herd and Kim Kardashian 09:45 - Working with Family 12:27 - Prioritizing Mental Health and Work-Life Balance 15:24 - Media Perception of Female Founders

This week on found, Dom and Becca are talking with the co-founders of Alloy Women’s Health who just closed a new funding round to expand its mission of fixing menopause care. Monica Molinar and Anne Fulenwider discuss raising capital in a competitive health tech landscape, their choice to bypass traditional insurance models, and how this funding will help them scale their telehealth platform nationally. 00:00 - Introduction 04:37 - Turning personal experience into a business idea08:55 - The challenges of raising awareness about menopause10:00 - Why Alloy bypasses insurance 15:00 - Scaling a telehealth model18:06 - How the political landscape affects women’s health20:00 - Addressing disparities in menopause treatment23:26 - Lessons from Alloy’s fundraising journey30:00 - The benefits of a co-CEO leadership model37:17 - Closing thoughts Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each   Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

This week on Found, Dom and Becca are diving into the world of data governance with Collibra CEO Felix Van de Maele. They get into how maintaining organized data started as a niche concept and became the bedrock of AI and privacy compliance. They also talk about the early challenges of building a startup in Belgium, the lucky breaks that saved the company, and why Felix believes every employee is a “data citizen.” 00:00 - Introduction02:00 - The Importance of Organized Data in the Age of AI05:00 - Collibra’s Early Days07:13 - How the 2008 Financial Crisis Sparked Collibra’s Growth10:00 - Navigating the Evolution of Data Governance15:00 - Balancing Privacy, Security, and AI Integration19:25 - Overcoming Early Challenges25:00 - Lessons in Leadership and Building a Team30:00 - The Future of Collibra and the Role of Data Citizens31:42 - Closing Reflections and Takeaways Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each   Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

In this episode, Dom and Becca dive into the future of trucking with Raquel Urtasun, CEO and co-founder of Waabi, a company pioneering driverless, long-haul trucks powered by generative AI. They talked about Waabi's unique simulation-based training approach, its vision for autonomous technology, and how it could redefine the trucking industry and workforce.     Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each   Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

This week we’re taking you backstage at TechCrunch Disrupt. Becca Szkutak had the chance to talk with Dan Lorenc, the CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity startup Chainguard following their conversation on stage with prominent investors, The Chainsmokers. They discuss how the EDM duo's venture fund MANTIS went from being viewed skeptically by traditional VCs to becoming a highly sought-after investment partner in the B2B space, how Lorenc scaled the company in a difficult time for cybersecurity, and what value celebrity investors can add to a startup. Check out the full onstage conversation here. 00:00 - Introduction 02:27 - Chainguard: Company Overview and Open Source Security  05:27 - Google Background and Solar Winds Impact  08:02 - Building Chain Guard: Product Evolution  11:44 - Early Fundraising and Timing  12:53 - The Legendary Alex Pall Cold Emails  15:01 - MANTIS Investment Impact  16:11 - Company Growth and Future Plans  16:51 - Learning from Early Mistakes Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each   Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

Recorded live from TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Found co-hosts Becca Szkutak and Dominic Davis sit down with Kai Kloepfer, CEO of Biofire, a smart gun company that aims to prevent firearm misuse. Kloepfer gets into the hurdles of building a hardware startup in the firearm industry from fundraising to building a reliable product. Please note this conversation deals with topics around gun violence and suicide.  Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each   Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com