Podcast
The Rise by Nucleus
Hosted by Alex Klein · EN
The Rise tells the stories of the builders shaping the future of venture. From first-time fund managers to operator angels and LPs, each conversation explores what it really takes to raise, invest, and win at the early stage. Created by Nucleus Talent, this is where the next generation learns from each other.
9episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Story as Leverage: From Glossier to Coalition w/ Ashley MayerAshley Mayer
Dec 2400:47:31Tap to summarizeAshley Mayer is a Co-Founder and General Partner at Coalition, an early stage venture firm powered by active operators. Coalition invests at the Pre-Seed and Seed and is obsessed with connecting founders in their portfolio and beyond with world class operating talent.In this episode, Ashley shares her path from Box during IPO prep, to shaping narrative at Social Capital, to helping build Glossier, and ultimately starting Coalition. We discuss storytelling as a true competitive advantage, messaging versus story market fit, intentional cap table design, and why we are in a particularly sloppy era for startup storytelling. Ashley also shares advice for first-time angels and emerging managers. A grounded conversation on narrative, conviction, and building companies and funds with intention.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome to The Rise01:41 - Why storytelling matters03:38 - Lessons from Box and Social Capital07:26 - Glossier and consumer storytelling10:11 - Founding Coalition21:05 - Intentional cap tables25:02 - Human energy and company building25:58 - Messaging versus story market fit29:35 - First-time versus repeat founders31:17- Expertise, AI, and credibility38:30 - The sloppy era of storytelling40:05 - Advice for emerging managers45:23 - One company Ashley admires46:20 - An emerging manager to watch47:20 - Closing#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →Michael Gilroy on Founding Marathon, the Rule of 200, and the Future of Fintech
Dec 1901:07:06Tap to summarizeMichael Gilroy is the Founding Partner at Marathon. In this episode, we unpack Michael’s path from Canaan to Coatue and the decision to launch Marathon alongside Gokul Rajaram. We dive deep into the Rule of 200, Michael’s framework for evaluating fintech companies, how he thinks about global fintech expansion, what it takes to build a four-pillar investment team, where he sees Marathon a decade from now, and his advice for emerging fund managers building enduring firms.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome Michael Gilroy To The Rise00:59 - 2025 as the year of the spinout05:16 - Founding Marathon10:00 - Hosting startups inside the Marathon office12:30 - Why building in different geographies matters13:25 - What an ideal Marathon company looks like17:57 - Michael’s path into venture capitall28:00 - Getting hired at Coatue34:30 - Investing in Mercury and broader fintech trends37:59 - The rise of angel investing among founders40:05 - The Rule of 20043:35 - Challenges of global expansion in fintech46:50 - How Michael defines his investment style49:54 - The four partners at Marathon and building the firm56:00 - The fintech white paper57:30 - Marathon in 10 years01:00:16 - Rapid fire: one founder to back, one LP you’re grateful for01:01:54 - Advice for emerging managers1:05:20 - Which firm Michael would prioritize getting allocation in1:07:00 - Thanks for joining, Michael#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →The Rise of Work-Bench: Inside the $375M Enterprise Fund w/ Jonathan Lehr
Dec 300:48:38Tap to summarizeJonathan Lehr is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Work-Bench, the NYC early-stage enterprise firm managing $375M across four funds with investments in companies such as Socure, Spring Health, and Cockroach Labs. In this conversation, we walk through the origin story of Work-Bench, how the team planted a flag in New York’s enterprise ecosystem, the role of community in their model, and the experience of navigating institutional LPs as an emerging manager. Jonathan also shares how Work-Bench evaluates early GTM strength, lessons from backing category-defining companies, and what is ahead as the firm raises Fund IV.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:0:00 — Welcome Jonathan Lehr to The Rise0:45 — Planting the Flag in NYC’s Enterprise Ecosystem3:03 — The Enterprise Tech Meetup: Bridging Corporates and Startups5:39 — Raising Fund I to $160M: The Early Grind7:44 — How NYC’s Tech Landscape Evolved9:58 — Institutional LPs: Navigating Process, Challenges, and Momentum14:55 — Portfolio Deep Dive: Spring Health and Socure24:05 — How Work-Bench Evaluates Startups & GTM Strength26:12 — Community as a Durable Moat31:23 — Go-to-Market Lessons From the Portfolio33:53 — Preparing Founders for the Series A40:16 — Raising Fund IV: What’s Changing44:42 — Shoutouts & Emerging Managers to Watch48:30 — Thank You Jonathan — Like & Subscribe#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →Turner Novak: Building Banana Capital and a Following That Compounds
Nov 1100:38:43Tap to summarizeTurner Novak is the founder and solo GP of Banana Capital and the host of The Peel Pod, with guests spanning from Benchmark’s Eric Vishria and Cendana’s Mike Kim to Weekend Fund’s Ryan Hoover and Sweetgreen’s founder and CEO, Jonathan Neman. From his beginnings in Winnipeg to building Banana Capital out of Ann Arbor, Turner has become one of the most recognizable and trusted voices in venture, known for pairing curiosity and humor with real conviction. He’s built a following of hundreds of thousands and a portfolio that includes BeReal, ScienceIO, Bee, Chainguard, and more. On this episode of The Rise, Turner unpacks the origin of Banana, the flywheel behind his personal brand, and how he’s built a reputation for speed, transparency, and founder trust.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:0:00 – welcome turner novak to the rise0:48 – from winnipeg to venture2:15 – building banana capital from scratch5:32 – discovering the power of social9:41 – creating the peel pod and landing top guests13:50 – portfolio wins: bereal, scienceio, bee, chainguard, and more17:22 – the art of moving fast and earning trust21:03 – raising institutional capital and lessons learned25:26 – how social compounds into deal flow29:17 – what founders really want from investors33:08 – what’s next for banana capital#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →Inside Also Capital: Mike Annunziata on Conviction, Builders, and the Future of Hard Tech
Nov 701:05:22Tap to summarizeAt Also Capital, Mike Annunziata partners with founders solving the hardest problems in space, energy, and advanced manufacturing. His portfolio includes Radiant Nuclear, Northwood Space, and Varda Space Industries where he serves on the board. We talk about the mindset behind conviction investing, the role of trust in early partnerships, and and what it means to be the first call for frontier builders.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:0:00 – Welcome Mike Annunziata to The Rise0:45 – Early influences and what shaped his mindset as an investor2:20 – From Soros Fund Management to founding Also Capital6:05 – Backing the next generation of Hard Tech founders10:12 – Inside the portfolios of Varda Space, Radiant, K2 Space, Northwood, and ConductorAI14:18 – Serving on the board at Varda Space and staying close to the build18:07 – Conviction before consensus: how Mike makes early calls23:26 – The role of trust and partnership in company building28:35 – Building Also Capital as a firm with long-term gravity33:42 – Lessons from operating and investing in frontier sectors39:50 – How the next era of Hard Tech will be built44:55 – Rapid-fire questions47:30 – Closing reflections and advice for emerging managers#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →The Billion Dollar Fund Built On Innovation and Impact w/ Craig Shapiro of Collab Fund
Nov 401:05:04Tap to summarizeCraig Shapiro is the Founder & Managing Partner at Collaborative Fund. Founded in 2010, Collab Fund focuses on early-stage investments that intersect profit and positive social impact, particularly in the areas of food, climate, health, and finance. Investments include Sweetgreen, Beyond Meat, Reddit, Lyft, & more. In this conversation, we discuss Collab's successful portfolio, their $200 billion climate fund, the Shared Future Fund, a new AI residency in New York City, the evolution of New York's venture ecosystem and the importance of mission-driven investments.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome Craig Shapiro to The Rise1:00 - The Mantra: Better for Me and Better for the World2:22 - Starting Collab Fund in New York4:38 - The Evolution of the New York Venture Ecosystem8:04- Success Stories: Portfolio Companies14:45 - The Beyond Meat Investment23:54 - Fundraising Challenges and Early Supporters28:58 - Institutional Investors and Fund Growth, AI Partnerships33:09 - Graffiti Art and Collaborative Fund34:45 - Partnership with Sesame Street37:47 - AI Residency Program40:51 - Crypto Spin-Out: Collab Currency47:56 - Mission-Driven Investment Approach52:46 - Advice for Emerging Managers57:35 - Future of Collaborative Fund1:05:00 - Thanks Craig For Joining! Like & Subscribe#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →Keith Rabois on What It Takes to Be #1 in Venture | The Rise x Nucleus100
Oct 3001:07:16Tap to summarizeThe Rise kicks off with the launch of the Nucleus100, the new benchmark for early-stage performance.Leading the list is Keith Rabois, a rare investor who led early in Ramp and Faire and built a career backing generational founders. From PayPal and Square to Founders Fund and Khosla, Keith has set the standard for outlier investing. We cover how he built that record, what drives conviction, and his advice for the next generation in venture.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome Keith Rabois - #1 On The Nucleus10002:08 - Ramp Investment Story09:18 - The Era of AI and Young Founders13:45 - Backing Emerging Managers16:48 - Advice for Aspiring VCs21:01 - The Importance of Early Investments30:25 - Fair Investment Journey35:34 - Conviction and Competition in Startups40:10 - The Importance of Talent and Team Building44:48 - Evaluating Talent and Finding an Edge48:13 - The Role of a Venture Capitalist52:43 - Hiring and Building a Strong Team57:37 - Keith's Time Management & Prioritization01:00:19 - Future Trends01:03:12- Thanks Keith For Joining The Rise!#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →The Rise: Amanda Robson from Cowboy Ventures to Founding Modern Technical Fund
Oct 2600:56:48Tap to summarizeAmanda “Robby” Robson is the Founder and Managing Partner of Modern Technical Fund, a $22M debut seed fund backing deeply technical founders in infrastructure, security, and software. In this episode, Robby shares her journey from banking to Norwest and Cowboy Ventures to launching MTF, her disciplined approach to early-stage investing, lessons from building high-impact founder communities, and how she’s redefining what a modern, founder-first seed firm looks like.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x 0:00 - Welcome Robby To The Rise!0:30 - Robby Going To Cowboy Ventures3:04 - Early Career and Venture Capital Journey6:00 - Technical Founders and Investment Strategy8:30- AI and Cybersecurity Investments09:53 - Israeli Venture Ecosystem13:16 - Joining Cowboy Ventures16:27 - Investment Philosophy and Diligence28:45 - Fundraising Challenges and LP Relationships31:36 - First Big Believer and Community Building37:05 - Building Purpose-Driven Communities44:12 - Day in the Life of a Fund Manager52:18 - Advice for Emerging Managers53:41 - Connecting with Like-Minded Individuals56:00 - Thanks Robby For Joining! Like & Subscribe#venturecapital #investing #podcast #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →The Fortune of Reinvention: Aydin Senkut on Building Felicis and Betting on the Next Generation
Oct 2300:59:40Tap to summarizeAydin Senkut is the Founder and Managing Partner of Felicis Ventures and shares the story behind building it into one of the most admired firms in venture, with 19 IPOs, 27 unicorn exits, 31 active unicorns, and 245 portfolio companies. He explains how Felicis operates in founder mode, moves with conviction and speed, and builds deep alignment with the founders it backs. Aydin reflects on why reinvention beats pattern recognition, how his Google roots shaped his approach to investing & firm building, and what drove the decision to bring on Peter Deng, former VP of Product at OpenAI and CPO at Airtable. We also touch on recent AI bets like Supabase and Mercor, and close with how Felicis is approaching hiring and Aydin’s advice to emerging managers getting started today.Learn More About Nucleus: https://nucleustalent.io/Follow Alex: https://x.com/alexklein0x Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome Aydin Senkut to The Rise2:13 - Felicis Ventures: Philosophy and Success Stories07:39 - The Founder Development Pledge10:47 - The Importance of Founder-Led Firms13:49 - Aydin’s Early Days at Google22:58 - Reinvention and Strategy at Felicis29:47 - Building a Winning Team Culture30:18 - Overcoming Adversity and Celebrating Wins31:54 - The Importance of People in Business32:32 - Identifying and Supporting Outliers35:11 - Felicis’ Team and Growth Strategy37:02 - The Role of AI and New York Expansion50:43 - Advice for Aspiring Venture Capitalists56:06 - The Future of Venture Capital and Emerging Managers58:28 - Rapid Fire and Closing Thoughts59:30 - Thanks Aydin For Joining! Like & Subscribe#venturecapital #investing #vc #startup #tech
Transcribe →