Science & Technology

How Startups Get Noticed by Nvidia, Google, and Other Tech Giants l Build Mode

Building a great product is one thing. Getting a company like Nvidia to put its name behind it is something else entirely. In this episode of Build Mode, host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Sydney Sykes, who leads global venture capital alliances and partnerships at Nvidia, to unpack how startups break…

Published

2 months ago

July 23, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Building a great product is one thing. Getting a company like Nvidia to put its name behind it is something else entirely.

In this episode of Build Mode, host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Sydney Sykes, who leads global venture capital alliances and partnerships at Nvidia, to unpack how startups break into the Nvidia ecosystem and what a corporate venture capital partnership actually looks like once they’re in.

Sydney explains how founders can get on Nvidia’s radar through programs like Nvidia Inception, why strategic alignment matters more than a slick pitch deck, and how corporate venture capital differs from traditional venture capital when it comes to fundraising, diligence, and deal terms. Drawing on her experience as an investor at NEA and Lightspeed Venture Partners, and as co-founder of BLCK VC, she also discusses access and representation in venture capital and how the AI boom is reshaping who gets funded. She closes with practical fundraising advice for founders hoping to build lasting relationships with corporate VCs like Nvidia.

Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or⁠ wherever you like to listen⁠. And watch the full videos on⁠ YouTube⁠. New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ drop every Thursday.

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: How Startups Enter Nvidia’s Orbit
01:20 – Meet Sydney Sykes: From NEA to Lightspeed to Nvidia
03:18 – What Sydney Does as Nvidia’s VC Alliances Lead
04:20 – The AI Trends Nvidia Is Watching Across Verticals
07:47 – How Startups Can Enter the Nvidia Orbit
10:34 – What Nvidia’s “Stamp of Approval” Actually Looks Like
12:56 – How Startups Get Noticed by Corporates (Beyond Nvidia)
15:18 – Does a Corporate Stamp Move VCs to Write Checks?
19:41 – Access, Black VC, and Gatekeeping in Venture Capital
30:20 – Procurement vs. Corporate VC vs. Traditional VC, Explained
38:28 – Final Advice for Founders Chasing Corporate Partnerships

Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

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2 Comments

@donaldpierce6877

July 25, 2026 at 10:56 am

Wrong life priorities. Focus on building something great that truly means something to you. Don’t spend your life trying to get into orbits and vying for stamps of approval. Build something from your soul. If it’s good, they will try to get into your orbit. If it’s not good, at least you built something from your soul.

Reply
- @TruthWisdom123
  
  July 26, 2026 at 3:11 am
  
  i built something good, something i’m passionate about…. i’m trying to figure out if i should apply or not.
  
  Reply

CNET

iPhone 18 Pro Max Case Try-On

Dress to Impress but make it iPhone 18 Pro Max ✨ Bridget Carey tries on a few of Apple’s official cases (plus some extras.) #unboxing #onemorething #iphone18promax #iphonecase #apple Camera: Tara Brown Video Editor: Faith Chihil Add CNET as a trusted news source Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Check out…

Published

22 hours ago

September 21, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Dress to Impress but make it iPhone 18 Pro Max ✨

Bridget Carey tries on a few of Apple’s official cases (plus some extras.) #unboxing #onemorething #iphone18promax #iphonecase #apple

Camera: Tara Brown
Video Editor: Faith Chihil

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Science & Technology

The Infodemic — and the Scientists Fighting Against It | Jessica Malaty Rivera | TED

Epidemiologist and science communicator Jessica Malaty Rivera believes we’re navigating a serious outbreak: health misinformation. She explores why the public’s trust in science is wavering — and the importance of winning it back. In this conversation with TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers, Rivera maps out what it takes to become a trusted messenger in an era…

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

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CNET

Googlebooks Might Just Be the Future of AI Laptops

With options from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, the first batch of Googlebooks not only delivers on Google’s promise of premium quality and features, but the user experience doesn’t disappoint either. Read more about Googlebooks on CNET.com Lenovo Shares Images of New Googlebook and 2-in-1 Tablet Timecode Chapters: 0:00 GOOGLEBOOKS! 0:15 Brands Making Googlebook…

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Read more about Googlebooks on CNET.com
Lenovo Shares Images of New Googlebook and 2-in-1 Tablet

Timecode Chapters:
0:00 GOOGLEBOOKS!
0:15 Brands Making Googlebook Models
0:38 Premium Feel
1:00 Cost and Release Dates
1:13 Android Ecosystem Demo
1:19 Continue On
2:03 Cast My App
2:44 Magic Pointer
3:22 Create My Widget
4:10 Agentic Coding
4:51 Chromebook vs Googlebook
5:40 Let Us Know What You Think

Video Credits:
Host: Josh Goldman
Scripted by: Josh Goldman
Producer: Numi Prasarn
Camera: Numi Prasarn
Video Editor: Numi Prasarn
Thumbnail Designer: Zooey Liao