
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 landscapes, and somehow keep their companies — and sanity— intact. Each season, Isabelle is joined by founders, investors, and operators to dig into specific aspects of the startup journey, from creative go... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 222 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsTech NewsTechnology | |||

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 Joha... more
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 J... more
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 s... more
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... more
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This is a great pod. Rebecca and sometimes co-hosts do a great job not going after the founders we all know about, but finding Founders (sorry) with interesting stories about how they started their companies and what obstacles they’ve had to overcome. Balanced, direct, informative, and insightful.
People’s stories are interesting and this podcast exemplifies that there are as many ways to build a startup as there are people. Plus the hosts add context that makes this a really interesting listen even if you’re not that into tech.
Found has quickly become a favorite in my feed! I'm consistently impressed by the engaging conversations, insightful content, and actionable ideas. I truly learn something every time I listen!
Love the honest and open conversations with founders the TechCrunch team is facilitating here! If you’re currently a founder or entrepreneur, or want to be one in the future, this podcast should be part of your content diet. So glad I "Found" this show!
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Apple Podcasts | #216 |
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This show centers on the grit and pragmatism of early-stage startups, seasoned with candid reflections from founders, investors, and operators. Episodes repeatedly explore real-world growth challenges—from securing initial funding and navigating cap tables to building diverse teams and managing co-founder dynamics—often with actionable takeaways for go-to-market strategies, hiring, and governance. Noteworthy is the emphasis on humane leadership, sustainable pacing, and authentic storytelling from people actively shaping the tech ecosystem, including hardware/deep-tech ventures, platform startups, and VC-backed ventures. Potential listeners will likely find practical frameworks, industry-frontier insights, and inspiring founder journeys that... more
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1. Equity
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4. The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
5. AI + a16z
Build Mode launched 5 years ago and published 222 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Build Mode include:
1. Capella Kerst
2. Ayal Yogev
3. Leah Solivan
4. Isaiah Granet
5. Ian Schmidt
6. Hala Jalwan
7. Alessio Tresanti
8. Anna Sun
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