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What most VCs won’t tell you about raising capital

Venture capitalists Ross Fubini (XYZ Ventures) and Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker Ventures) pull back the curtain on how VCs build their own go-to-market strategies— not just how they evaluate startups, but how they win over LPs and founders alike. In this episode of Build Mode, they share hard-won lessons from raising their first funds…

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11 months ago

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Venture capitalists Ross Fubini (XYZ Ventures) and Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker Ventures) pull back the curtain on how VCs build their own go-to-market strategies— not just how they evaluate startups, but how they win over LPs and founders alike. In this episode of Build Mode, they share hard-won lessons from raising their first funds and how that experience allows them to empathize with founders. They discuss why “founder-market fit” applies to VCs too, how authentic thought leadership beats manufactured content, and why the best investor relationships start years before you need the money. Plus, the importance of building trust over transactions and why your network truly is your competitive advantage in venture.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:01 Meet the VCs: From Netscape to Costa Rica
03:06 The Horror Show of Raising a First Fund
05:29 Building a Fund as Proof of Concept
08:52 The Schtick: Why VCs Need a Unique Thesis
11:44 Thought Leadership That Actually Works
15:34 The Qualification Process: Knowing in Two Minutes
19:06 Authentic vs. Manufactured Content
27:59 Building Relationships Before You Need Money
30:00 Founder-Market Fit for VCs
32:52 Key Takeaways: Person, Firm, Terms—In That Order
36:45 Field Notes: Creative Ways VCs Court Founders

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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    December 16, 2025 at 1:36 pm

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CNET

Apple Announces a $699 OLED iPad Mini. What To Know

On the heels of the iPhone Duo, here comes the Mini, arriving Nov. 6. The upgrade, which starts at $699, adds a larger OLED screen and water resistance for the first time. These are CNET Editor at Large Scott Stein’s first impressions. #ipadmini #oledipadmini #apple #iphoneduo #tablet

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October 26, 2026

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On the heels of the iPhone Duo, here comes the Mini, arriving Nov. 6. The upgrade, which starts at $699, adds a larger OLED screen and water resistance for the first time. These are CNET Editor at Large Scott Stein’s first impressions. #ipadmini #oledipadmini #apple #iphoneduo #tablet

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CNET

Does the wire in the Fold-A-Phone keep the iPhone Duo from closing all the way?

That’s a little thinner than a sheet of paper folded in half. For more Q&A, check out the livestream Monday-Friday on YouTube at 1pm ET to 5pm ET. #foldaphone #iphoneduo #allthingsmobile #livestream #cnetlabs

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22 hours ago

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October 26, 2026

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That’s a little thinner than a sheet of paper folded in half. For more Q&A, check out the livestream Monday-Friday on YouTube at 1pm ET to 5pm ET. #foldaphone #iphoneduo #allthingsmobile #livestream #cnetlabs

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CNET

iPhone Duo Livestream: How Many Folds Can Apple’s Phone Take? Day 1

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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23 hours ago

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October 26, 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.

Read more about the iPhone Duo Folding Test on CNET.com
The iPhone Duo Is Now in Our Custom-Made Foldable Phone Test Machine. Will It Beat the Galaxy Fold 8?

iPhone Duo Review: Late to the Foldable Party, but It Steals the Show

Video Credits:
Host: Matthew Murray and Numi Prasarn
Producer: Stephen Beacham
Motion Graphics: Tharon Green
Thumbnail Designer: Zooey Liao

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#apple #iphone #iphonefold #iphoneduo #applefoldable #foldablephone #foldable #folding

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