Give First, Build Communities, And Rethink Mentorship: Brad Feld’s Startup Philosophy

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Jun 12, 2025

Brad Feld, co-founder of Foundry Group and Techstars, shares his insights gained from a break from public life. He emphasizes the 'Give First' philosophy, advocating for mentorship that fosters genuine connections over transactional interactions. Feld explores the evolution of startup communities post-COVID, differing views on remote work, and the impact of AI on networking and mentoring. With fresh perspectives, he encourages founders to invest in others to build stronger networks, highlighting a shift towards community-led innovation.

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ANECDOTE

Brad Feld's Public Life Hibernation

Brad Feld took a two-year "hibernation" from public life to reclaim time and creativity.
He switched from saying 'yes' by default to 'no' to focus on meaningful engagements.

ADVICE

Finding Mentors Through Engagement

To find a mentor, show up and actively contribute to communities rather than asking for mentorship directly.
Engage with what mentors care about and overlap with your interests to build authentic connections.

INSIGHT

Impact of Transactionality on Communities

The rise of transactional behavior and monetization in online interactions creates friction in building genuine startup communities.
Giving content and access freely often yields greater long-term economic and community value.

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In this episode of FYI – For Your Innovation, ARK's Director of Research Brett Winton sits down with Brad Feld — co-founder of Foundry, Techstars, and longtime venture capitalist — to unpack his latest thinking on startup communities, mentorship, and how founders can build better networks by giving first. After taking time away from public life to reflect, Brad returns with a new book, Give First: The Power of Mentorship, and a sharpened view on the distinction between transactional ecosystems and community-led innovation. He shares lessons from nearly two decades with Techstars, thoughts on remote vs. in-person work post-COVID, and how mentorship can be redesigned for the next generation of entrepreneurs. The conversation also explores the cultural shifts introduced by AI, the hidden friction in monetizing online engagement, and why Brad believes the best way to shape a network is to invest in others before you know what you’ll get in return.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00:00 Why Brad Feld “hibernated” from public life and how it changed his perspective
00:04:24 From default yes to default no: Reclaiming time and creative energy
00:06:28 Navigating remote work: Company culture and post-COVID office dynamics
00:09:49 When revenue goes negative: COVID-era crisis stories from Rover and SeatGeek
00:12:25 The Give First philosophy — and how it became Techstars’ guiding principle
00:17:50 Finding mentorship as a founder: What works and what definitely doesn’t
00:19:15 The power of peer mentorship and showing up without expectations
00:23:16 How online culture’s transactional mindset erodes community trust
00:26:00 Boulder Startup Week and the importance of local founder energy
00:30:41 Brad’s Random Day tradition: 15-minute meetings, one goal per person
00:35:17 Techstars vs. YC: Origins of the mentor-driven accelerator model
00:40:27 Building startup communities from scratch: What actually works
00:46:05 Founders must lead: Differentiating between startup communities and ecosystems
00:49:00 Mentorship at scale: Applying Techstars’ playbook to community growth
00:54:08 Frictionless networks: Why “Give First” accelerates stronger connections
01:00:16 AI’s impact on software development, legal workflows, and personal productivity
01:04:07 Coding with AI: Brad’s firsthand experience building a web app with Cursor