The Founder Initiative

FOUNDER PROFILE: Ben Kim, Nitrode's Co-Founder https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-yoonsung-kim/ 🎙️ 7 Most Interesting Moments Michael Seibel’s brutally honest feedback in interviews—pushing them to scrap lines and “cut the crap.” Pivoting right before their YC interview and getting challenged on whether their new idea could ever reach a billion-dollar outcome. The week-long sprint to build a demo after Michael said, “I’ll see you Sunday.” YC’s insight that gaming and QA are their worst-performing sectors, and why the team was pushed to pivot. Paul Graham comparing their idea to the “YouTube of gaming.” The bold vision: building an AI-powered game engine...

🔑 7 Most Interesting Moments David shares how his first YC application was rejected despite 10% week-over-week growth. The surprising reason they later got accepted: adding two technical co-founders even while growth was flat. Insights into what YC actually values (team, determination, big market) vs. what most founders think matters. A pivotal YC interview moment where David “flipped a switch” at minute 7 and convinced the partners. The origin story of 60: live website builds over Zoom that turned “bad leads” into high-value customers. The founding story of Endorsed: an AI recruiting agent designed to cut hiring times dramatically. FOUNDER PROFILE: David Head https://www.linkedin.co...

What's it like to pitch an actual VC in Silicon Valley? We recorded a real one to show you :) This was not scripted and it was the first time the pitched this VC! Vignesh Ravikumar Partner at Sierra Ventures https://www.linkedin.com/in/vravikumar1/ Ajay Gulati Founder of Kitecyber https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajaygulaticloud/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form

How to build a unicorn in under 2-years? Not exactly a step-by-step playbook, but you will learn something from a founder who actually did it! You will also hear a VC's perspective from Kevin Weber, Managing Director at Amex Ventures! Boom. Jesse Zhang Founder & CEO of Decagon https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejessezhang/ Kevin Weber Managing Director at Amex Ventures https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-weber-b77b8028/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form

Will, Founder of Phonely, shares his raw journey into Y Combinator—including sleeping in his car before a 3AM interview. He reveals how founders should interpret investor rejections, the real path to product-market fit, and top lessons a long the way. A must-listen for anyone navigating the early-stage PMF journey or getting funded! Will Bodewes https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-bodewes/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form

EPISODE DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE What really matters when applying to YC? How to get your first $1 top learnings from fundraising FOUNDER PROFILE: Brooke Hopkins https://www.linkedin.com/in/bnhop/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form

How do you close $100M from VCs like a16z & Sequoia? Nic shared what he did and his most shocking learnings. FOUNDER PROFILE: Nic Kopp https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-kopp/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form

SUMMARY In this episode, Gil shares the raw journey of building Metadata — from validating the idea through consulting, to nearly running out of cash, to eventually raising a $35M+ Series B. He explains how doubling prices unlocked product-market fit, why retention beats new logos, and how adopting AI transformed the company. This is a candid look at the highs, lows, and lessons every founder needs to hear. FOUNDER: Gil Allouche https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilallouche/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://bit.ly/44z2vj8 ...

Teddy, founder of Fizz, shares how a side project at Stanford exploded into one of the fastest-growing Gen Z social platforms. From rejecting VC money at first to eventually raising $40M, Teddy explains how focusing on students’ needs fueled growth. This episode dives into product-market fit, the power of community launches, and building without chasing money. Founder profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/teddy-solomon-85a183188/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://bit.ly/44z2vj8 HIGHITES Raising $40M for a Gen Z social app Stanfor...

What's do VCs ask during a pitch conversation? Here's a real pitch in San Francisco with a $25B AUM VC. This is unscripted and it's the first time they met. NEA Partner: Andrew Schoen https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewaschoen/ YC Founder: Berni Hausleitner https://www.linkedin.com/in/hausleitnerb/

Gaurav Mishra, Founder of Proshort, shares how a single conversation led to his first big customer win and set the foundation for a multi-million-dollar raise. In this candid conversation, he breaks down the biggest growth unlocks, the vision that inspired investors, and the hype cycle pitfalls that every founder faces. If you're on the journey to PMF, this is the episode for you.

Julie Lein, Managing Partner at Urban Innovation Fund, shares what it takes to get funded in today's market. From mastering your pitch to leveraging AI and regulatory tailwinds, Julie breaks down how to stand out to investors. We also dive into her cold email formula, first meeting strategy, and what makes a founder unforgettable. Top Moments 05:31 Why it's never too early to pitch and how progress between meetings wins investors. 11:42 Julie explains Urban Innovation Fund's AI-native and AI-accelerated investment approach. 16:58 Regulatory tailwinds: the underrated driver of billion-dollar opportunities. 24:17 Why evangelism and storytelling are now non-negotiable for founders. 33:09 Julie’s cold em...

Gravity - Discover prospects with time-based signals https://bit.ly/40ALy6G Check out Dub --> https://www.dubapp.com/ Check out Steven Wang, Co-Founder of Dub https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenzwang/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? Adam will review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form Reach out on Linkedin if you have any questions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfodonnell/ TIMELINE 00:05:00 - Raised a seed round on a vision during a hot market (Robinhood/Coinbase IPO) 00:13:19 - Immense conviction in the tea...

Check out Alex Gurevich, Managing Director of Javelin Ventures https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexg79/ https://www.javelinvp.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 🤔 VCs not responding to you? Adam will review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form Reach out on Linkedin if you have any questions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfodonnell/ DESCRIPTION Alex, Managing Director at Javelin Venture Partners, shares hard-won lessons from backing billion-dollar companies like MasterClass. In this episode, he breaks down what makes a truly defensible AI product and how...

Gravity - Discover prospects with time-based signals https://bit.ly/40ALy6G Learn about JoinBlok.co and their recent raise: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tcharman_im-excited-to-announce-were-coming-out-activity-7348767950427832321-RhBh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAKE4P0B3kRfnC9MVuMcDibUIwodKep97GA Check out Tom Charman, Co-Founder of Blok https://www.linkedin.com/in/tcharman/ 🤔 VCs not responding to you? Adam will review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form Reach out on Linkedin if you have any questions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada...

Shaq, Partner at Lux Capital, talked to a top robotics founder about his business. What follows is a deep dive into platform strategy, defensibility, and value capture in general-purpose robotics. If you’re building a startup, this is a must-watch for understanding how top-tier VCs think. VC Shaquille Vayda, Partner at Lux Capital https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaquillevayda/ https://www.luxcapital.com/ FOUNDER Hoa Mai Founder, Feather Robotics https://www.linkedin.com/in/whoishoa/ HELP WITH YOUR PITCH? 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https...

🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://bit.ly/44z2vj8 FOUNDER Dan Bladen, CEO, Kadence - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbladen/ Kadence - https://kadence.co/ DESCRIPTION After building hardware, Dan Bladen's (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbladen/) startup faced a COVID‑driven collapse—and he made a bold pivot from wireless chargers to hybrid‑work SaaS, ultimately winning 600 customers. This episode breaks down the faith‑driven decisions, gut‑based validation, and lean product‑market approach that led to landing companies like Intel and Porsche. Grea...

🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://bit.ly/44z2vj8 OVERVIEW Sarthak Goel, Founder of Invoid, shares how he turned 3 YC rejections into an eventual acceptance — and how traction, clarity, and calm confidence played a role. This episode is packed with actionable insights for any founder navigating product-market fit and pitching under pressure. TIMESTAMP 03:30 - Crafting a clearer problem statement 08:00 - Why being relaxed in the YC interview worked 14:34 - From 0 to exponential growth — the inflection point

🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form =================== GUEST INFO Joseph Johnson https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-johnson-/ LedgerUp https://www.ledgerup.ai/ TIMESTAMPS 00:02:45 – Pitching the “AI bookkeeper” concept 00:04:10 – Using Reddit for brutally honest feedback 00:05:05 – YC’s top lesson: “Just launch” 00:06:00 – Sharing a real YC application template 00:06:30 – Key metrics and personas LedgerUp focused on 00:07:15 – Failing a YC interview early on — and what changed 00:09:00 – “No pedigree” but deep domain knowledge 00:10:20 – Joseph’s background as a controller and pain-point insight 00:12:15 – Fake it with a Loom...

🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form =================== GUEST INFO Matthew Watts https://www.linkedin.com/in/wattswolf/ Lendflow https://www.lendflow.com/ TIMESTAMPS 03:00 – Why “CTO” isn’t a real title early on → A candid take on what technical leadership really means pre–product-market fit. 04:00 – The real YC mantra: Make things people want → Not just a slogan—how they actually applied it and found user pull. 06:00 – How they chose the right market → A framework for evaluating whether a problem is worth solving...

Check out SmartLing: https://www.smartling.com & their CEO Bryan Murphy https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanmurphy2/ Side note to Founders --> 🤔 VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form 😌 1 (of many) Top Insights From The Episode: 🔑 “Tie your product-market fit journey to measurable outcomes.” - A vague vision isn’t enough. Your product roadmap must link directly to clear, trackable KPIs that matter to your customer. 🔑 1. “Obsess over the customer’s job to be done.” Don’t build what’s interesting t...

VCs not responding to you? I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations: Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form GUEST: Mark Terbeek https://www.linkedin.com/in/markterbeek/ TOPICS DISCUSSED 1. Founder-Market Fit Is Everything Mark emphasized the importance of a founder’s unique insight and experience into the problem they’re solving. The most compelling cold emails show why this founder is one of one — uniquely suited for this mission. 2. Timing + Thematic Fit = Fast VC Response Greycroft often researches themes (like AI or automation) before founders reach out. When a s...

Ajay Prakash, Co-Founder & CEO of Rinse shares his story getting raising $70M and how they launched to hit product-market fit! 03:06 – Ajay explains how he wasted three months pitching Series A firms for a seed round. 05:03 – Don’t try to predict who will write a check — talk to everyone qualified, but do it in a tight time frame to keep momentum and focus. 06:03 – Their first capital came from a rolling friends & family round — with no set close — raising ~$500–600K before institutional funding. 07:04 – Ajay’s co-founder saw declining traffic at his parents’ dry cleaning store — they tested an idea within two weeks and got paying customers...

What if you could get into Y Combinator without a full product? In this episode, Varsha Ramesh Walsh, Founder of Offstream (useoffstream.com), shares exactly how she did just that — with a little traction, screenshots, and relentless customer focus. She breaks down the precise steps she took to validate her idea, iterate fast, and win early customers, even before building a functional platform. Whether you're applying to YC or searching for product-market fit, this conversation is packed with tactical advice — from how to pitch without a product to embedding customer feedback into your culture. Perfect for early-stage founders navigating the mess...

🎧 Episode Summary In this episode, Gotham Rao—serial founder and now Co-Founder of Neubird (https://neubird.ai/)—shares how he built and sold companies to Pure Storage, Dell, and Citrix before co-founding Neubird. With $40M+ in VC backing, Neubird is reimagining how enterprises troubleshoot production issues using a telemetry access layer powered by AI. We dive deep into Gotham’s founder mindset, the role of gut instinct, why design partners matter more than early traction, and how LLMs can surgically pinpoint relevant data in noisy enterprise systems. This episode is packed with insights for both early-stage founders and seasoned builders. 💡 Top 5 Takeaw...

Peter shares how they confirmed PMF, got funded (after nearly shutting down) and eventually nailed their beachhead. (00:07:52) Decision to start (00:13:05) VC Rejection (00:16:50) Surviving Financial Struggles in Startup Journey (00:30:14) All in moment - focus shift (00:34:16) Break through (00:41:40) Resilience

🎙️ Top 5 Unique Learnings from This Podcast 1️⃣ The “What If It All Goes Right” Test Founders must paint a bold vision for their startup. The VC’s key question: 👉 What happens if everything goes right? Don’t just pitch a product. Sell the future where your solution changes the world. 2️⃣ Pre-Selling = Proof, Not Just Hype Pre-selling (getting LOIs, early orders, deposits) is a game-changer, especially for hardware. It shows there’s real demand—and real cash—before you even build. Pre-selling can unlock VC confidence, overcome market biases, and de-risk the business. 3️⃣ VCs Care About Sales Hustle as Much as Product In today’s world, building a great...

🔑 Unique Learnings Fundraising reflects operational discipline—how you fundraise is a preview of how you’ll run your company. Vulnerability is only powerful when it’s paired with credibility. Cold outreach is almost useless without signal. Warm intros from LPs or founders are disproportionately effective. Running a tight, time-boxed process is a hidden superpower. Investment memos are underutilized but highly effective—especially when articulating risks and vision in written form. TIME STAMP (00:00:00) Crafting a Strategic Fundraising Framework Approach (00:09:09) Strategic Tool for Investor Engagement and Transparency (00:13:28) Utilizing Social Proof for Investor Trust (00:18:06) "Capturing VC Attention Through Strategic Initiatives" (00:22:22) Structured Time Constraints for Success...

Want to raise from VCs? Watch this before reaching out. It will give you an edge to close your round. REAL VC PITCH --> - Kevin Hartz, Founder of Eventbrite, now VC A*, and Peter Fitzpatrick, founder of Fawn LEARNINGS 1. How to pitch a VC 2. What are they thinking about you but not saying A* - https://www.a-star.co/ Fawn - https://www.fawnfriends.com/

Listen to a real VC pitch in Silicon Valley and then go behind the scenes to hear what the VC actually thought... Sid Trivedi is a Partner at Foundation Capital https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddhanttrivedi/, a $6B VC fund in Silicon Valley! Josiah Spartz is the Founder of Cofactory.ai https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsjcs/, an agentic customer acquisition platform! FORMAT 1. PERFECT PITCH - Sid - shares what the perfect pitch would look like for a company in this sector 2. PITCH DISCUSSION - Joey & Sid have a pitch discussion! 3. VC CLOSED DOOR REVIEW - Sid shares more details...

LEARN --> how they got started & how to impress them in a pitch 1. How does Forum Ventures define its focus? #accelerator #startup 2. Which investment strategies resonate with you at Forum Ventures? #accelerator #growthstrategy 3. In your experience, why is Founder-Market Fit crucial for startup success? #startup #venturecapital 4. What founder considerations have personally impacted you according to Michael Cardamone? #B2B #SaaS

GEN AI summary! #LetsGo

Larsen Jensen, a former Olympic swimmer turned investment guru, has an impressive background that spans from the swimming pool to the Navy SEAL teams, and finally to the world of venture capital. His perspective on investment focus on dual-use technologies, which are applicable in both commercial and government sectors, is shaped by his unique experiences and his belief in their transformative potential. Jensen, who now heads Harpoon Ventures, sees these technologies as having significant geopolitical implications in today's world. He invests in next-generation technologies like AI, cybersecurity, and deep tech, with the vision...

(00:07:07) Challenges in understanding and managing SaaS applications

(00:15:24) Building Meaningful Connections for Startup Success

(00:18:13) Data-driven MVP development process

(00:23:27) The Power of Community Support in Startups

1. Quitting job, paying the bills and creating MVP 2. Landing first customers 3. Closing a Seed round in 2-months

(00:03:44) "The hardest thing for any founder to do is actually do it...it's really easy to convince yourself that it's stupid and that it's wrong and that your idea makes no sense and that you can do it somewhere else. And almost none of the metrics, if you were to draw a column of pros and cons, you're probably never going to have more pros and cons to start a business. And that, I think, is the biggest challenge, is you have to go against everything you're taught, everything you know, and take this massive risk that may not pay...

LEARN 1. Do I need to send my deck to a VC before a meeting? 2. What questions can I answer, "I don't know" to during a pitch 3. How can I get connected with the right investors? Check out Emil Capital here --> https://emilcapital.com/about-us/ Check out Marcel Bens here --> https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-a-bens-91825b/

Please check out CommandBar --> https://www.commandbar.com/ and James Evans --> https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-evans-7086b3126/

GPT-Powered Summary

Igor Ryabenkiy, a successful investor who has backed eight unicorns, recently shared his approach to venture capital investment in startups on the Top VC podcast. In this episode, Igor emphasizes the importance of founders having a clear understanding of their goals, plans, and target market. He also highlights key factors such as scalability, market size, industry landscape, business model, and customer approach that impact his investment decisions.

One of the key traits Igor looks for in founders is their ability to clearly articulate their vision and strategy. He believes that when founders can...

Closing a $1M+ round without customers or a product The key was in their analysis of the opportunity.

(00:01:31) Crafting a Compelling Story for Lumber

(00:07:08) Drive and Determination in Founders

(00:10:19) Founder's Assessment: Market Size, Competition, and Capabilities

(00:14:46) The Significance of Grit in Fundraising

(00:23:03) Understanding Customer Insights for Successful Fundraising

============

Entrepreneurial Grit, Customer Focus, and Fundraising in Construction Tech Startups

In a recent episode of the Top VC podcast titled "Pitching Lumber In," entrepreneur Shreesha Ramdas shares his insights and experiences in the world of construction tech startups. Ramdas, who has successfully sold two companies in the past, is now...