Introducing Build Mode: TechCrunch’s new podcast for founders

Disabled 2025 Just days away, with Tickets are still available here! There is no better time to announce this alongside our flagship and annual event Battlefield 200 startup competitionwe’re launching an all-new TechCrunch franchise: Build Mode.

Hosted by Startup Battlefield editor Isabel JohanssonBuild Mode is a survival guide for early-stage founders navigating the chaotic, high-stakes chaos of building a company from scratch. No sugar coating. No hype. Just candid conversations and tactical advice from people who’ve done it before and have the scars (and paperwork) to prove it.

Starting November 13, Isabelle will sit down with founders, venture capitalists and operators to unpack the real stories behind the build. Each season and weekly episode will tackle a topic that keeps founders up at night: the chaos of going to market, the pressures of fundraising, the runaway funnels, the wrong hires, and everything in between.

Whether you are apple, Spotifyor YouTube person, you can set it to build mode Wherever you find podcasts. Additional content and exclusive clips will be featured on TechCrunch’s social channels, including… Instagram, Xand Tik Tok. If you’re not a subscriber, the clock is ticking until we officially launch in a few weeks!

Check out the trailer for Build Mode and Season 1 here:

Season 1 of Build Mode begins with a dive into the good, bad, and gritty realities of bringing your product to market. From big splashes to epic fails, we break down what it takes to go from idea to execution. We are excited about that Our first season sponsor, JP MorganWith us on the journey.

But this is just the beginning.

We want Build Mode to be more than just a podcast; We want it to be a community of builders who help other builders succeed, just like the over 1,700 startups that have come through the Startup Battlefield program. That means we want to hear from you, founders, operators, and curious listeners, about the questions and topics that keep you up at night.

We’ll be weaving community-sourced stories, tips, and questions into upcoming episodes, so stay tuned for how to get involved!

If you are a previous subscriber to our site I found a podcast -Welcome back! You are already part of the Build Mode community. We keep the found archive alive so you can revisit founder interviews and insights from years past. There’s no gatekeeping, just honest stories and hard-earned lessons, shared for free to anyone brave enough to build a startup.