Build Mode

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Build Mode episodes

June 11, 2024Creating cookware that won't poison you with Jordan Nathan
Many pots and pans on the market are coated in teflon, a poisonous chemical that can be harmful when it gets too hot. Luckily, there is an answer on the market — Caraway, a home goods brand that touts itself as being non-toxic but still high quality. Jordan Nathan founded the company after his own experience with Teflon poisoning that left him searching for a better — and healthier option. On this week’s episode of Found, Dom and Becca are joined by Nathan to discuss how he built a brand around aesthetically pleasing non-toxic home goods as we continue to dive into DTC companies.
In this conversation they discussed:
Why being the last brand to fundraise can be a benefit to the company
Sticking to the plan to bring Caraway to retail
The product launch failure that almost killed the company before it started
(0:00) Introduction
(3:36) Creating non-toxic cookware
(7:31) Launching the brand
(13:05) Caraway Brand Strategy
(16:44) Expanding to new categories
(20:49) Influencer marketing
(25:25) Product launch failures
(29:20) 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

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38 min
June 04, 2024DTC lawn care that’s good for the planet with Coulter Lewis from Sunday
There is estimated to be 40 million acres of lawn or turf grass in the U.S., making the grass in people's backyards one of the largest crops in the U.S. and yet lawn care products are full of harmful chemicals. So Coulter Lewis decided to start a sustainable lawn care company that will help people learn how to care for their grass in a way that’s good for the planet. Sunday is a DTC that allows consumers to sign up and send in a sample of the dirt from their lawn that is used to pick out what products someone needs and tell them how much and when they need them.
In this conversation they cover:
How Coulters previous experience starting Quinn Snacks with his wife informed how he leads at Sunday
The challenges and perks of building with family members
Evolving the products from bespoke DTC offerings to general consumer in-store goods
(0:00) Introduction
(4:28) Creating personalize law care plans
(9:34) Launching DTC in this climate
(14:55) Expanding into new categories
(20:50) using data to improve products
(23:13) Building businesses with family
(28:06) Building the right team
(31:27) Regulation and expansion
(36:15) Host conversation
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

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46 min
May 28, 2024AI that actually makes your job easier with Arvind Jain from Glean
When someone starts two incredibly successful enterprise companies, they must really understand the issues enterprises face and how to solve them. This week on Found, Becca and Dom talk with Arvind Jain, the CEO and co-founder of Glean, an AI-powered work assistant that connects and understands enterprise knowledge. The idea for Glean was born out of Jain’s experience at his previous startup Rubrik.In this conversation they cover:
How Jain knew it was time to start a new company and why it didn’t make sense to build Glean inside of Rubrik
The importance of building a self-sufficient leadership team and the downside of micromanaging
Why cybersecurity is top of mind when working with enterprise data at an AI company
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

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39 min
May 21, 2024Creating the 'food as medicine' category with Ashley Tyrner from FarmboxRX
Food is medicine. This week’s guest on Found is Ashely Tyrner, the CEO and founder of FarmboxRx which helps their customers manage their chronic diseases through bespoke grocery boxes In this episode, Becca, Dom, and Ashley get into the logistics of delivering fresh produce to their member and how they have become profitable while accepting SNAP/EBT and partnering with health plans.
In this conversation they cover:
How Ashley’s experience living in a food desert inspired this company
The struggle to fundraise despite growing and increasing revenue
How the company is using behavioral science to help their members take actions that will improve their health.
(0:00) Introduction
(2:12) Food as medicine
(7:07) Grocery logistics with fresh produce
(9:27) Working with health plans
(15:13) Bootstrapping a capital-heavy business
(20:48) Distribution and logistics
(22:48) Ashley’s leadership style
(28:15) COvid’s impact on online grocery
(31:49) Fundraising challenges
(35:48) 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

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40 min
May 14, 2024Why a16z-backed Wonderschool is acquiring EarlyDay (Equity Interview)
This week we're bringing you a conversation from our friends over at Equity. Alex Wilhelm caught up with EarlyDay’s two former CEOs, Emma Harris and Melissa Tran, and their new boss, Chris Bennett at Wonderschool, to chat through the deal, what’s ahead for their sector, and more.
Wonderschool is a startup that works with individuals and local governments to spin up more childcare businesses by providing software and other support and they have acquired EarlyDay. EarlyDay, another venture-backed startup, operates a early childhood educator marketplace.
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

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34 min
May 07, 2024Developing the “male IUD” with Kevin Eisenfrats from Contraline
Clinical trials are ongoing for the first long-lasting, reversible male birth control which is the first innovation in male birth control since the vasectomy hit the scene in 1897. This week’s Found guest is Kevin Eisenfrats, the co-founder and CEO of Contraline, a biotech company developing innovative methods to use hydrogel as a contraceptive. Contraline’s first product, ADAM, is what some are calling the first male IUD. The company will begin clinical trials in the U.S. very soon.
In this conversation they cover:
The process of fundraising when you’re creating a completely new category
Why the overturning of Roe V. Wade has led to increased interest in ADAM by men in the US
The future of Contraline and other innovations that use hydrogels
(0:00) Introduction
(2:26) The challenges to male birth control
(6:53) Why hydrogel works
(9:35) Developing ADAM
(15:08) Cultural reaction to ADAM
(20:18) Entrepreneurship in medicine
(22:39) FDA approval process
(28:09) What’s next for Contraline
(34:23) Host conversation
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

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42 min
April 30, 2024How Midi raised millions for a menopause-focused platform with Joanna Strober from Midi
Most OBGYNs are not specifically trained in menopause, which means that women are left to suffer through their symptoms on their own. This week’s guest on Found is looking to change that. Joanna Strober is the CEO and founder of Midi, a virtual healthcare platform built specifically for women in midlife staffed with healthcare providers specifically trained to care for people going through perimenopause and menopause.
In this conversation they cover:
Why there is such a wide gap in care for women’s health and the negligent studies that are partly to blame
Working with employers and insurance companies to make sure that their services are covered under insurance
How the Midi team has raised $100 million despite many investors not understanding the potential market for care for women in midlife
(0:00) Introduction
(1:27) Midi and Joanna’s background
(4:38) The care gap
(7:12) Building out research-based care protocols
(10:00) Demand for menopause care
(13:28) Joanna’s previous founder experience
(17:04) Learnings from starting in VC
(19:33) Building out the Midi team
(22:56) Working with employers and insurance companies
(24:50) Launching in 50 states
(28:59) Fundraising experience
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

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33 min
April 23, 2024Bringing down sky scrapers' sky-high carbon footprint with Joselyn Lai from Bedrock
Most skyscrapers have sky-high carbon footprints due mostly to inefficient methods of heating and cooling. Today’s guest, Joselyn Lai is the co-founder and CEO of Bedrock Energy, a company that works with buildings to install geothermal systems. They have developed a system to drill the exact amount of boreholes at the precise depth needed to create the most efficient system per building.
Today Dom is joined by a special guest host, TechCrunch Climate reporter Tim De Chant.
In this conversation they cover:
How the company has built up a customer base of urban builders
Why it's easy to fundraise when the technology has been proven to be so effective
Creating clean energy jobs for people who work in oil and gas
(0:00) Introduction
(1:51) Starting Bedrock Energy
(3:59) Closed loop vs open loop systems
(8:16) Building a customer base
(12:50) Working with and around utility companies
(17:08) Clean jobs for oil and gas workers
(21:24) Decarbonizing the built environment
(26:30) Fundraising
(34:58) 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

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45 min
April 16, 2024Building EV charging infrastructure that lasts with Louis Tremblay from FLO
In order to get drivers to convert from gas-powered cars to electric, there needs to be reliable charging infrastructure. Today on Found, Dom and Becca are joined by Louis Tremblay, the CEO and founder of FLO, a company that manufactures electric vehicle charging stations and has been creating charging infrastructure in the US and Canada for the last 15 years. Tremblay also talked about how he intentionally built this company to be a rewarding and fun place to work and what advice he has for new founders trying to do the same.
In this conversation they cover:
The components that go into creating superchargers for public use and why these isn’t just one kind of EV plug
The process of working with cities to design charging stations that reflect the character of the city
The importance of developing the hardware alongside the software to create the best customer experience possible
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

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44 min
April 09, 2024Giving old wood new life with Ben Christensen from Cambium
If you’re not in construction or in the middle of a renovation, you might not think much about wood waste but in 2018 alone landfills in the US received 12.2 million tons of wood. Most of this is useful material that could be reused, but the lack of infrastructure means the wasted wood can't always reach the developers, woodworkers, and creators who need it. This week on Found, we're talking to a founder who has a SaaS solution for this broken supply chain. Ben Christensen is the founder and CEO of Cambium, a company that is reimagining the wood supply chain and reallocating previously wasted wood to be used in new building projects.
In this conversation they cover:
Learning to navigate the logistics of sourcing, selling, and shipping wood to customers
Building a team culture based on the individual and avoiding a one size fits all approach
Onboarding customers who may be adverse to technological solutions
How AI can help create a more efficient lumber supply chain
(0:00) Introduction
(1:42) What Cambium is all about
(5:01) Climate change and wood recycling
(11:36) Developing the software
(15:54) Sourcing sustainable wood
(18:41) Going from grad school to founder
(20:01) Fundraising journey
(23:59) AI and supply chains
(25:49) Building the team
(30:15) Learning from logistics mistakes
(32:30) Staying grounded while building climate solutions
(36:40) Host conversation
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:
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Via email: [email protected]
44 min

About Build Mode

From the publisher's feed

On Build Mode, TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield Editor Isabelle Johannessen cuts through the startup mythology to uncover how founders survive the brutal early days, navigate impossible funding…