Give First, Build Later: Brad Feld’s Strategy for Ecosystem-Driven Innovation
Update: 2025-11-07
Description
What does it take to play the long game in innovation?
Venture capitalist Brad Feld has spent four decades answering that question as a founder, mentor, and early-stage investor in companies like Fitbit, MakerBot, and Techstars. In this episode, Feld unpacks the enduring impact of mentorship, the logic behind his “Give First” philosophy, and how startups and enterprises alike can benefit from ecosystem thinking.
Key insights include:
- How a childhood visit to Frito-Lay inspired a tech career
- What separates peer mentorship from transactional networking
- The origin and strategic power of Techstars’ “Give First” mantra
- How Feld invests in category creation (wearables, 3D printing, cloud)
- Why innovation requires emotional resilience and long-term relationships
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