Runway began within art school, with a sparse network and little investor insight into AI video. HolyWater Tech started in Kyiv with no venture capital, and a mandate to be profitable from day one.

Seven years later, both have succeeded in disrupting, and putting some level of fear in, creative industries worldwide. At this StrictlyVC Athens 2026 discussion, host and TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Connie Loizos brought both on stage to get the inside story of how these two breakout companies actually broke out.

Featuring:

Anastasis Germanidis: Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Runway
Anatolii Kasianov: Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Holy Water Tech

Recorded live at StrictlyVC Athens 2026, presented in partnership with Endeavor Greece.

What does the SpaceX IPO mean for the startup ecosystem? Is the AI funding frenzy justified, or is it groupthink at scale? At this StrictlyVC event in Athens, host and TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Connie Loizos sat down with three seasoned investors to break down the state of venture capital, the hunt for white space, and what it actually takes to back a breakout company in 2026.

Featuring…

Ben Blume: Partner, Atomico
Andreas Stavropoulos: Partner, Threshold Ventures
Niko Bonatsos: Founder & General Partner, Verdict Capital

Recorded live at StrictlyVC Athens 2026, presented in partnership with Endeavor Greece.

This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about effective partnerships, from cofounder relationships and team trust to investor dynamics and leadership communication.

Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore what makes startup partnerships actually work.

In this episode, you’ll hear from:
Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan
Ian Schmidt, partner & consultant at Trimergence
Hala Jawani and Alessio Trestani, cofounders of Rieo
Leah Solivann, founder of TaskRabbit
Ross Fubini, managing partner at XYZ Venture Capital and Leslie Feinzaig, founder & CEO of Graham & Walker
Sarah Lucena, founder & CEO of Mappa

Whether you’re searching for the right cofounder, managing conflict on your team, scaling as a solo founder, or building relationships with investors, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest founder lessons from people who’ve lived it.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro:
01:00 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): Meeting a cofounder online and navigating a founder breakup
04:20 Ian Schmidt (Trimergence): Frameworks for conflict resolution, communication, and team trust
08:15 Hala Jawani & Alessio Cristante (Riveo): Building a startup as married cofounders
10:20 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit): Transitioning leadership and building executive trust
12:30 Ross Fubini (XYZ Ventures) & Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker): Choosing the right investors and building your cap table
16:05 Sarah Lucena (Mapa): Compatibility, investor alignment, and finding the right people

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. 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.
Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.