How 1,000+ customer calls shaped a breakout enterprise AI startup
On this episode of Build Mode, David Park joins Isabelle Johannessen to discuss how he and his team are intentionally iterating, fundraising, and scaling Narada.
Build Mode
How to avoid bad hires in early-stage startups
Lucena got the idea for Mappa after trying to build a marketing team but continually feeling like she had made the wrong hires.
This VC’s best advice for building a founding team
One of the most consequential decisions early-stage founders have to make is who they will bring on as their founding team. The first five to 10 employees will have a massive impact on the company culture, and the precedents set with them are difficult to change down the road. That’s why this season on Build […]
GTMfund has rewritten the distribution playbook for the AI era
Building software products has never been easier, so why are so many well-funded startups failing to take off no matter how good their product is? In this season finale episode of Build Mode, our guest has an answer: Startups have focused too much on product development and not enough on distribution excellence. Paul Irving is partner and […]
Building venture-backable companies in heavily regulated spaces
This week on Build Mode, Startup Battlefield editor Isabelle Johannessen spoke to two founders who are working to make progress in industries ripe for disruption, despite the regulatory headaches that might have deterred many other people.
The market has ‘switched’ and founders have the power now, VCs say
Graham & Walker’s Leslie Feinzaig and XYZ Venture’s Ross Fubini share the secrets for founders — and VCs — to make the most of the current fast pace of dealmaking.
From the NFL to Startup Battlefield: How Alltroo built a brand that wins
On season one of Build Mode: Product, Meet Market, we explore what it really takes to get your product into the hands of customers.
Celebrity Co-Founders Not Required: Building Influence from Scratch
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, […]
How Glīd won Startup Battlefield 2025: Mentorship, mission-focus, and meditation
This week in Build Mode, Startup Battlefield editor Isabelle Johannessen is joined by the winner of this year’s competition, Kevin Damoa, the CEO and founder of Glīd, a logistics infrastructure company that aims to streamline the complex container shipment process.
Glīd won Startup Battlefield 2025 by building solutions to make logistis simpler, safer, and smarter
We’re excited to interview the winner of Startup Battlefield 2025, and Glid co-founder Kevin Damoa, on this week’s Build Mode!