SeatGeek didn’t become one of the biggest names in ticketing by following the playbook. It started as a simple ticket search engine on the TechCrunch 50 stage (now known as TechCrunch Battlefield) and took on the industry\u2019s massive incumbents by expanding its vision, surviving industry-defining challenges, and convincing investors that even a monopoly could be disrupted.<\/p>\n
In this episode of Build Mode, host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Jack Groetzinger, co-founder and CEO of SeatGeek, to unpack the company’s 17-year journey from startup to industry leader. Jack shares how SeatGeek raised nearly $400 million in venture capital, why he believes founders should think about expanding rather than pivoting, what it was like fundraising during the COVID-19 shutdown of live events, and why the company ultimately walked away from its planned SPAC. He also explains how founders can convince investors to back them against an entrenched incumbent, why your first hires define your company’s future, and how AI is reshaping the future of live entertainment and ticketing.<\/p>\n
Chapters:
\n00:00 \u2013 Intro: How Startups Enter Nvidia’s Orbit
\n01:20 \u2013 Meet Sydney Sykes: From NEA to Lightspeed to Nvidia
\n03:18 \u2013 What Sydney Does as Nvidia’s VC Alliances Lead
\n04:20 \u2013 The AI Trends Nvidia Is Watching Across Verticals
\n07:47 \u2013 How Startups Can Enter the Nvidia Orbit
\n10:34 \u2013 What Nvidia’s “Stamp of Approval” Actually Looks Like
\n12:56 \u2013 How Startups Get Noticed by Corporates (Beyond Nvidia)
\n15:18 \u2013 Does a Corporate Stamp Move VCs to Write Checks?
\n19:41 \u2013 Access, Black VC, and Gatekeeping in Venture Capital
\n30:20 \u2013 Procurement vs. Corporate VC vs. Traditional VC, Explained
\n38:28 \u2013 Final Advice for Founders Chasing Corporate Partnerships<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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