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Could Kickstarter Replace Your Seed Round? l Build Mode

For years, crowdfunding had a reputation as the place founders went when they couldn’t raise venture capital. Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor thinks founders should look at it very differently. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Everette to talk about crowdfunding as an alternative and sometimes a precursor to traditional…

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For years, crowdfunding had a reputation as the place founders went when they couldn’t raise venture capital. Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor thinks founders should look at it very differently.

In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Everette to talk about crowdfunding as an alternative and sometimes a precursor to traditional venture funding.

Everette’s own path into entrepreneurship was unconventional. Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, far from Silicon Valley, he says he didn’t know what venture capital, SaaS, or ARR were when he started his first company. Instead, he threw parties to make enough money to fund the software he was building. He eventually sold that company at 21, an experience that taught him some hard lessons about understanding the value of what you’ve built.

Today, as CEO of Kickstarter, Everette is making the case that founders don’t necessarily have to choose between crowdfunding and venture capital. A successful Kickstarter campaign can help founders raise non-dilutive capital, find their first customers, test demand, and establish product-market fit—all before giving up a piece of their company. And for founders who eventually do want VC backing, Everette argues that traction can give them considerably more leverage at the negotiating table.

He also explains why Kickstarter is increasingly attracting established companies and creators, what makes hardware particularly well suited to crowdfunding, how AI is changing who can become an entrepreneur, and what founders need to have in place before launching a campaign.

Chapters:
00:00 — Why founders should consider crowdfunding
01:36 — Everette Taylor’s unconventional path to entrepreneurship
03:25 — Learning the value of what you’ve built
05:08 — How Everette became CEO of Kickstarter
07:11 — The different types of crowdfunding
10:32 — Equity crowdfunding vs. Kickstarter
13:01 — Can B2B startups use Kickstarter?
14:34 — What crowdfunding can offer that VC can’t
16:29 — What founders need before launching a campaign
17:36 — Is there still a stigma around crowdfunding?
18:56 — How AI is changing entrepreneurship
20:46 — Using Kickstarter as a path to venture capital
22:56 — Three tips for launching a Kickstarter campaign
25:19 — How early is too early for Kickstarter?
26:39 — Why big brands are coming to Kickstarter
28:33 — Everette’s favorite projects to back
29:21 — What Oculus, Peloton, and Oura got right
31:15 — The case for ownership over venture capital

Join us at TechCrunch Disrupt October 13-15 in San Francisco. Use promo code: buildmode25 for 25% off your ticket.

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New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. @RashidOthman-gw9ie

    October 1, 2026 at 6:32 pm

    You know it would be wonderful if you put all Build Mode EPs into one playlist, so we can go through it on one go

    Reply

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iPhone Duo Livestream: How Many Folds Can Apple’s Phone Take? Day 14

Apple’s iPhone Duo is out and we want to see how durable it is. So we built a robot to fold it 20,000+ times a day to test its limits. How long do you think it will last? 100,000 folds? 200,000 folds? 500,000 folds? Tune in and watch the testing live. We’ll have CNET’s editors…

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November 12, 2026

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Apple’s iPhone Duo is out and we want to see how durable it is. So we built a robot to fold it 20,000+ times a day to test its limits. How long do you think it will last? 100,000 folds? 200,000 folds? 500,000 folds? Tune in and watch the testing live. We’ll have CNET’s editors online to answer any of your questions.

Join us weekdays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM PT / 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET

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Unboxing Apple’s $299 HomeView Smart Home Hub

Apple’s new HomeView isn’t new. But what makes the HomeView compelling is that it’s Apple’s first device designed specifically for AppleMs HomeKit ecosystem, and it also lets you manage calendars, grocery lists and more. The design feels premium right out of the box, with a tiltable 4:3 screen, a speaker grille along the bottom, and…

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iPhone Duo Livestream: How Many Folds Can Apple’s Phone Take? Day 13

Apple’s iPhone Duo is out and we want to see how durable it is. So we built a robot to fold it 20,000+ times a day to test its limits. How long do you think it will last? 100,000 folds? 200,000 folds? 500,000 folds? Tune in and watch the testing live. We’ll have CNET’s editors…

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Join us weekdays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM PT / 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET

Read more about the iPhone Duo Folding Test on CNET.com
We Answer 16 Questions About Folding the iPhone Duo Hundreds of Thousands of Times

The iPhone Duo Is Now in Our Custom-Made Foldable Phone Test Machine. Will It Beat the Galaxy Fold 8?

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Check out the 3D Printer Matthew Murray used to print the sled that iPhone Duo is sitting on:
Looking for the Most Accurate 3D Printer? Our Exclusive Testing Reveals One Clear Winner

Video Credits:
Host: Matthew Murray
Producer: Stephen Beacham
Thumbnail Designer: Zooey Liao

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
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#apple #iphone #iphonefold #iphoneduo #applefoldable #foldablephone #foldable #folding

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