Build Mode

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

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