Connect with us

Science & Technology

When startups become a family business

In startups, choosing a co-founder is often compared to choosing a spouse. But what happens when your co-founder actually is family? In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannessen explores how founders navigate co-founder relationships that come with built-in trust and unique challenges. First up is Hala Jalwan and Alessio Tresanti, the married co-founders…

Published

4 weeks ago

on

In startups, choosing a co-founder is often compared to choosing a spouse. But what happens when your co-founder actually is family?
In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannessen explores how founders navigate co-founder relationships that come with built-in trust and unique challenges. First up is Hala Jalwan and Alessio Tresanti, the married co-founders of AI procurement startup Rivio. They discuss building a company from the same household and why clear roles and communication matter when both your personal and professional lives are on the line.
Then Isabelle talks with Anna Sun, co-founder of Nowadays, an AI co-pilot for corporate event planning that she launched with her sister Amy shortly after graduating from MIT. Sun explains how their sibling dynamic shapes decision-making, team culture, and the way they move quickly as founders.

They discuss:
🧩 How trust shapes strong co-founder partnerships
🧩 The benefits and challenges of building a startup with family
🧩 Dividing roles and decision-making between co-founders
🧩 Hiring and culture in early-stage startups
🧩 Why some founders turn to co-founder coaching to navigate conflict

This episode looks at how unconventional co-founder relationships can become a startup’s biggest advantage and why trust may be the most powerful tool a founding team has.

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.
TechCrunch Disrupt: If you’re thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.

Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.

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.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement
1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. @JosnaJosna-m3e

    March 12, 2026 at 4:39 am

    ❤❤❤

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Science

The Experiment That Tried to Weigh the Human Soul

It’s a little complicated to weigh a dying person on a hospital bed, but that didn’t deter Duncan MacDougall. In the early 20th century, MacDougall’s unique bed-scale detected that 21 grams left the human body at the moment of death. He had finally discovered it: the weigh of the human soul … or so he…

Published

1 day ago

on

April 7, 2026

By

It’s a little complicated to weigh a dying person on a hospital bed, but that didn’t deter Duncan MacDougall. In the early 20th century, MacDougall’s unique bed-scale detected that 21 grams left the human body at the moment of death.

He had finally discovered it: the weigh of the human soul … or so he thought.

Read more about the cultural legacy of MacDougall’s flawed but influential experiment:

Continue Reading

CNET

NASA’s Artemis II Moon Flyby Livestream

Watch the excitement as NASA sends four astronauts on a historic mission to the moon, potentially farther into space than any humans have ever traveled. Follow CNET’s Live Blog at CNET.com NASA Artemis II Day 6: Monday Is Moon Flyby Day Add CNET as a trusted news source Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s…

Published

2 days ago

on

April 6, 2026

By

Watch the excitement as NASA sends four astronauts on a historic mission to the moon, potentially farther into space than any humans have ever traveled.

Follow CNET’s Live Blog at CNET.com
NASA Artemis II Day 6: Monday Is Moon Flyby Day

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com:

#nasa #artemis #moon #space #moonmission #artemismission

Continue Reading

CNET

NASA’s Artemis II Successfully Slingshots Around the Moon

See all the highlights from NASA’s Artemis II Moon flyby, which broke the Apollo 13 record for space travel, taking astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen farther from Earth than any human in history. Read more about NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission on CNET.com NASA Artemis II Day 6: Artemis II…

Published

2 days ago

on

April 6, 2026

By

See all the highlights from NASA’s Artemis II Moon flyby, which broke the Apollo 13 record for space travel, taking astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen farther from Earth than any human in history.

Read more about NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission on CNET.com
NASA Artemis II Day 6: Artemis II Breaks Apollo 13 Record for Space Travel

0:00 Intro
0:25 Orion Capsule’s Go_Pro Camera View
0:39 View Inside the Orion Capsule
0:56 Comms Check with NASA Science Team
1:19 Integrity Breaks the Record for Space Travel Distance from Earth
3:03 The Artemis II Crew Names New Craters Observed on the Moon
5:59 Artemis II’s Lunar Flyby Approach
6:22 Artemis II Crew Observations from the Moon
9:18 First Live Look Back at the Moon and the Earth
9:20 Moments Before Loss of Signal (LOS)
12:24 Communication Returns After Crossing the Dark Side of the Moon
15:15 Visualization of Artemis II Returning to Earth

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com:

#nasa #space #spaceexploration #artemis #moon #moonmission #flyby #orion

Continue Reading

Trending