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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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6 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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  1. @JaykeshShahDuniya

    December 16, 2025 at 1:36 pm

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The US Government Doesn’t Want You to Buy This Car

Xpeng brought Mashable reporter Amanda Yeo to China to experience the new VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model inside its P7 electric vehicle. 0:00 The Car the US Government Doesn’t Want You to Buy 0:18 Meet XPENG: China’s High-Tech Tesla Rival 0:39 How VLA 2.0 Autonomous Driving Works 1:43 Stress Testing Self-Driving in Hectic Traffic 2:21…

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June 14, 2026

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Xpeng brought Mashable reporter Amanda Yeo to China to experience the new VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model inside its P7 electric vehicle.

0:00 The Car the US Government Doesn’t Want You to Buy
0:18 Meet XPENG: China’s High-Tech Tesla Rival
0:39 How VLA 2.0 Autonomous Driving Works
1:43 Stress Testing Self-Driving in Hectic Traffic
2:21 The Challenge of “Corner Cases” in Autonomy
2:43 Hands-Free Self-Parking Demo
3:00 Heads-Up Display and Interior Tech
3:24 XPENG’s Personal Flying Machines
4:22 Why Chinese EVs are Banned in the US

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#xpeng #electricvehicle #automobile #car #electricvehicle #china

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How to Get Free 3D Files for Adaptive Xbox Controller Parts

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2 days ago

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June 13, 2026

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Xbox dropped complementary, 3D printable files in on its Xbox Design Lab site for users to customize and create their own adaptive thumbstick toppers (if you have access to a 3D printer, anyway). There are seven customizable shapes compatible with the standard Xbox wireless controller and the Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, plus the Xbox Adaptive Joystick. CNET senior writer Antuan Goodwin tried them out. #xbox #adaptivegaming #accessibility #controllers #gaming

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Hiding the iPad? New Apple Parental Controls Can Help

Although certain child restrictions aren’t new at Apple, the company is expanding its parental controls and working with the American Academy of Pediatrics to learn more about digital guidelines for children, the company announced at WWDC 2026. Here are a few we demoed. #apple #wwdc #ipad #childsafety #screentime

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2 days ago

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June 12, 2026

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Although certain child restrictions aren’t new at Apple, the company is expanding its parental controls and working with the American Academy of Pediatrics to learn more about digital guidelines for children, the company announced at WWDC 2026. Here are a few we demoed. #apple #wwdc #ipad #childsafety #screentime

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