Build Mode

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.