With the emergence of streaming apps like Spotify and Apple’s iTunes, podcasts have changed how we consume information. You no longer have to be glued to a screen reading an article or watching a video. Instead, the beauty of podcasts is that you can integrate them into your routine and listen on-demand from anywhere, anytime.
Podcasts are an effective way to learn about the startup ecosystem and venture capital topics, keep up with industry news, and take deep dives into the minds of successful entrepreneurs and investors. This article will list our favorite venture capital podcasts that our team listens to regularly.
Please let us know if there are any podcasts you think should be on this list. We are always looking for new and exciting podcasts.
If you also enjoy reading about venture capital, Check out our article on the best venture capital books.
1. MASTERS of SCALE
Masters of Scale is hosted by Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, Partner at Greylock Partners, and legendary Silicon Valley investor. In this interview-style podcast, Hoffman sits down with a new founder every episode and digs deep into theories on how businesses scale while his guests share their stories about how they built their companies.
Guests talk about leadership, management, strategy, fundraising, and of course, entrepreneurship. They aren’t afraid of going into the human element of their stories, including failures, challenges, and setbacks. And these aren’t mediocre guests. Hoffman interviews CEOs and leaders from Nike, Google, Netflix, Slack, 23andMe, Mailchimp, Dropbox, Bumble, and other well-known companies. To understand how founders think about growth and scaling their business, you should listen to Masters of Scale.
2. The Consumer VC
The Consumer VC is a deep look into the early stages of consumer investing and venture capital. It’s a great podcast to learn about consumer trends and the early stages of the fundraising process. Host Mike Gelb interviews some of the top venture capitalists globally who have experience investing in SaaS, social, and non-tech subscription businesses.
In addition, Mike has some great interviews with founders who have built or are building disruptive consumer-facing companies and focuses on the origins of those endeavors, including the original idea, fundraising strategy, and the pitch. Finally, the podcast’s website has an excellent book recommendation section that includes all the books Mike’s podcast guests recommended.
3. a16z Podcast
The a16z Podcast is produced by legendary Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (aka “a16z”). This show discusses everything from tech and culture trends to fundraising, growth, and acquisitions. The hosts interview industry experts, top VCs, business leaders, and other leading thinkers who provide in-depth analyses on various topics. Some subjects covered include Web 3.0 crypto, cybersecurity, fintech, etc. We like this podcast because they release multiple episodes every week, so it’s great if you want to invest yourself in a show.
4. The Puck: Venture Capital and Beyond
The Puck offers in-depth conversations with experienced and well-established venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and leading technology experts. These episodes follow industry leaders building cutting-edge technologies that are changing the world.
You will learn about their challenges, obstacles, successes, and stories about how they got to where they are. In addition, you will learn what venture capital funds look for in their portfolio companies and the entrepreneurs they invest in. Some notable guests include Brad Feld, Managing Director at Foundry Group, and Matt Kozlov, Managing Director at Techstars.
5.How I Built This
In this NPR show, the host, award-winning journalist Guy Raz, does a great job of teasing out the stories of the most well-known companies. In each episode, the guest, usually a founder, details the story of how they started and scaled their business recounting the ups and downs of their entrepreneurial journey. This podcast is a must-listen for entrepreneurs.
6. Women in Venture Capital
Women in Venture Capital is a unique podcast run by Harvard Business school students. In each episode, the host interviews women from various facets and experience levels in venture capital ranging from frontline analysts to Managing Directors. Topics of conversation include recruiting, networking, the culture within the industry, and trends in the tech and VC industries. This podcast also focuses on women breaking into a historically male-dominated segment and shaping the industry.
7. The Twenty-Minute VC
The Twenty Minute VC hosted by Harry Stebbings introduces you to some of the most prominent investors on the VC scene from firms like Sequoia, Catalyst, A16z, etc. In each episode, you’ll discover what investors seek in startups and learn actionable tips to increase your funding odds.
As a bonus, some episodes feature content on what it takes to gain employment in the venture capital world. In addition, VC guests give commentary and advice on the current technology market by discussing the latest investing trends and predictions. Some prominent guests include the founders of 23andME, Snowflake, and Instacart.
8. The Syndicate
The Syndicate is where investors and startups combine to create crazy businesses and even crazier returns. This podcast is hosted by Matt Ward, a serial entrepreneur and ex-VC. In it, Matt features the best and brightest early-stage investors to talk about their experiences and help angel investors and VCs “create unfair advantages in their investment portfolios.” Recurring themes include SaaS, Blockchain, AI, Big Data, etc.
9. The Desi VC
The Desi VC is a weekly podcast that focuses on angel investors and venture capitalists who invest in Indian tech startups across all industries. This podcast focuses on the entire lifecycle of VC in India, including fundraising, deal sourcing, due diligence, valuation, business models, pricing, exit scenarios, and IPOs.
Their goal is to educate listeners about the unique startup environment in India. Host Akash Bhat works on the investment and venture studio teams at Scrum Ventures, a San Francisco VC firm that invests in seed and Series A startups.
10. Bootstrapped VC
Bootstrapped VC is a podcast hosted by Arlan Hamilton, founder and Managing Partner at Backstage Capital. This venture investment fund backs ventures led by underrepresented founders, including women, POC, and LGBT founders.
The Bootstrapped VC podcast takes you on a journey that shows you what it’s like to build a startup from scratch, including how to raise seed funding. You’ll also learn what investors are looking for and how to position your company for growth.
11. The Balderton Podcast
Balderton Capital is one of Europe’s largest technology venture capital firms, investing in some of the most disruptive, hottest tech companies in Europe.
Their weekly podcast shares insights from their investment team, partners, portfolio companies, and other guests. This is an excellent podcast for anyone interested in the London and European tech ecosystem. It’s also helpful for entrepreneurs building a business and raising capital.
12. This Week in Startups
Molly Wood and Jason Calacanis host this podcast that launched over 12 years ago in 2009! The hour-long show gives you an insider look at what is happening in the tech industry and reviews the latest startup news and topics. Every episode features founders, investors, and operators to, as the show puts it, “share the most interesting, outrageous and illuminating stories from the world of entrepreneurship.”
13. The Full Ratchet
Hosted by Nick Moran, Founder and General Partner at New Stack Ventures, this show aims to demystify the often confusing and opaque world of venture capital and angel investing. Moran interviews successful investors ranging from angels investing in seed rounds to partners at established venture capital firms. In addition, guests discuss how they evaluate the next generation of startups and make investment decisions.
14. Pathways by NACO Academy
For over 20 years, Canada’s National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) members have been pioneers in the movement of access to capital. They represent an ecosystem of 44 angel investing networks, 45 incubators, and 4,200 individual angel investors who have invested $1.12 billion into 1500 companies.
Their podcast, Pathways by NACO Academy, leverages the collective wisdom of NACO members by taking you on a journey into the depths of innovation to help you grow your business. This podcast is excellent for entrepreneurs looking to raise a seed round or investors looking to start angel investing.
15. Greymatter by Greylock Partners
Do you want to hear the stories and learn from the biggest names in technology and business? This podcast is hosted by several of Greylock Partner’s leaders and features well-known founders discussing how they built their companies. Guests include Brian Chesky from Airbnb, Sam Altman from Y Combinator, Open AI, and many others.
16. The Relationship Edge
This podcast, produced by our team here at 4Degrees, explores the power of relationships in the private markets. Through conversations with successful VC, PE, and M&A leaders, our host Ablorde Ashigbi explores how cultivating meaningful relationships can shape success. Listeners gain valuable insights on operationalizing relationship-building efforts and leveraging tools to manage connections effectively.
17. Acquired
Hosted by Ben Gilbert, the co-founder of Pioneer Square Labs, and David Rosenthal, an angel investor. This podcast dives into the stories behind unicorns, acquisitions, IPOs, and other exits of technology companies, offering a unique blend of business analysis, history, and storytelling. Each episode focuses on a specific company or deal, breaking down the strategies, tactics, and key decisions that led to major business milestones
The duo often invites startup founders, investors, and industry experts to share their firsthand experiences, offering a richer perspective on the narrative.
18.Equity
Equity is a podcast centered around the world of venture capital, hosted by Alex Wilhelm, along with a rotating cast of co-hosts from the TechCrunch team, including Natasha Mascarenhas and Mary Ann Azevedo. It focuses on the latest news in the venture capital sector, startups, and anything related to the tech finance spectrum.
The podcast dives into the mechanisms of raising capital, understanding market trends, and how to navigate the complex terrain of Silicon Valley. Listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at the decision-making process of investors or the “playbook” they follow when evaluating potential investments.
Knowledge is Power
Whether you’re an aspiring VC looking to grow your career or a founder hoping to raise VC funding, our list of the best venture capital podcasts will give you the knowledge you need to excel. Although you don’t have to listen to all, we recommend choosing one or two that resonate with you and following them carefully.
