Science & Technology

The new rules of early-stage go to market (hint: there are no rules) l Build Mode

Published

7 months ago

January 8, 2026

In 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. Drawing from his work with over 120 portfolio companies and a network of 350+ operators from companies, 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

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

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.

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1 Comment

@PesumsSoftware

January 8, 2026 at 9:44 pm

Paul nailed it:
in 2026, it’s all about the motion that fits your exact ICP.
What’s the biggest red flag you’ve seen in GTM pitches at GTMfund lately? This series is becoming must-listen for operators.
keep it coming!

Reply

Science & Technology

Is the $1.7B a Bet on Atoms Itself, or Just on Travis Kalanick’s Name?

A startup hitting unicorn status used to be a sign of its legitimacy as an actual business. But with $1.7B raised for Travis Kalanick’s nascent Atoms, the Equity podcast crew asks whether this is proof of a great idea or just proof that his name sells:

Published

8 hours ago

July 24, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

A startup hitting unicorn status used to be a sign of its legitimacy as an actual business.

But with $1.7B raised for Travis Kalanick’s nascent Atoms, the Equity podcast crew asks whether this is proof of a great idea or just proof that his name sells:

CNET

Upload vs Download Speed: What Actually Makes Home Internet Fast

This video is a paid partnership with GFiber. Upload vs download speed: which one is actually making your home internet feel slow? If your video calls freeze, your files take forever to sync, or your livestream stutters, the problem is usually your upload speed — and most providers don’t advertise it. In this video, we…

Published

8 hours ago

July 24, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

This video is a paid partnership with GFiber.

Upload vs download speed: which one is actually making your home internet feel slow? If your video calls freeze, your files take forever to sync, or your livestream stutters, the problem is usually your upload speed — and most providers don’t advertise it. In this video, we break down the difference between upload and download speed, what symmetrical internet speed means, and how GFiber (formerly Google Fiber) delivers 100% fiber internet with upload speeds that match your download speeds on every plan.
GFiber has kept the same monthly price for gigabit internet since 2012 — no annual contracts, no forced bundles, free installation, and month-to-month flexibility. See what real customers say on the GFiber channel: youtube.com/@GFiber

#UploadSpeed #FiberInternet #GFiber

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Science & Technology

Did Investors Pay a $1.7B Pemium to Declare “Travis Is Back?”

Travis Kalanick’s robotics startup just raised $1.7B with Uber, and Andreessen Horowitz among its big investors. Equity digs into whether all this excitement is actually about the business…or about its backers paying a premium to be first to declare “Travis is back.”

Published

9 hours ago

July 24, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Travis Kalanick’s robotics startup just raised $1.7B with Uber, and Andreessen Horowitz among its big investors.

Equity digs into whether all this excitement is actually about the business…or about its backers paying a premium to be first to declare “Travis is back.”