Now We Build

What do Formula One engines, a $450M metaverse exit, and the return of Napster have in common? Sam Huber.In this episode, Sam takes us through his journey from working on F1 engines to building Admix, rebranding it as LandVault, before it was acquired for $450M - right before pivoting into AI with Napster's relaunch as an AI agent company. He also unpacks the marginal-gains mindset he brought from racing, the trade-offs behind every founder decision, and why MENA is becoming a hotbed for AI innovation.In this episode, they also discuss:The importance of marginal gains in business and racingStrategic trade-offs in product development and marketingJourney from Formula One engineering to startupsBuilding Admix: solving in-game advertising monetizationFundraising and scaling in the tech industryPivoting during market shifts and the Metaverse opportunityRebranding Admix to LandVault before being valued at $450MThe Infinite Reality acquisition and expansion into the Middle EastRelaunching Napster as an AI agent companyBuilding AI interfaces beyond the chatbotNow We Build has partnered with CapQuest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, CapQuest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:45 Sam's background in Formula One03:10 Lessons from Formula One: Marginal gains and trade-offs07:18 Transition from F1 to entrepreneurship09:04 Entering the gaming industry and early learnings14:45 Identifying opportunities in in-game advertising20:28 Fundraising journey and initial challenges23:45 Rebranding to LandVault and strategic pivots32:26 Acquisition of Infinite Reality and expansion into the Middle East37:02 The future of AI and the MENA region40:08 Quick fire questions and insights43:45 Final thoughts and connecting with SamLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Sam Huber:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samhuber/ X: https://x.com/SamHuber https://www.napster.com/ Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What separates fintech ideas that become billion-dollar businesses from the ones that quietly disappear? In this special episode, Sam brings together two of the most experienced fintech builders in the UK to answer that exact question.Paul Staples built one of the internet's first B2B marketplaces in 1999, launched one of the world's earliest carbon credit platforms, and has spent the last decade as an angel investor across some of the UK's largest financial institutions. Anthony Thomson co-founded Metro Bank - the UK's first new high street bank in over 100 years - and Atom Bank, the UK's first mobile-only bank.Between them, they've validated, launched, and exited multiple businesses worth billions. And they've both learned the same hard lesson: the idea is never the asset. The insight behind it is.In this episode: Why proving trust matters more than proving the productThe data insight that built Metro BankWhy the customers with the highest satisfaction at Atom never spoke to anyoneThe real reason most VC-backed fintechs fail to scale.Now We Build has partnered with CapQuest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, CapQuest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Learn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow:Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauljestaples/Anthony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-thomson-55373531/Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to build great products across DTC subscriptions, quick commerce, and omnichannel retail - all while navigating corporate structures, IPOs and the unique demands of MENA markets?In this episode of Now We Build, Sam Marchant sits down with Valentin Klein, Head of Product for Customer Experience at Eyewa, to unpack his career journey from Berlin startups to HelloFresh's new ventures team, to Talabat's IPO, and now into omnichannel retail across the GCC. Valentin shares the frameworks, hard-won lessons and honest failures behind building products that actually grow businesses - and why most people are looking for a silver bullet that doesn't exist.Sam and Valentin also discuss:Validation of new ventures in corporate settingsBuilding customer-centric products in diverse marketsLocalization strategies for GCC and MENA regionsThe role of data in entrepreneurship and growthBalancing offline and online customer experiencesNow We Build has partnered with CapQuest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, CapQuest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Introduction 01:45 Background04:26 Startup Ecosystem: Dubai vs Berlin07:30 Building New Ventures at HelloFresh10:12 Challenges in Testing New Ventures13:02 FactorForm: Validation and Challenges15:45 Transition to Talabat: IPO and Growth18:31 Vendor Growth and Monetization at Talabat21:22 Connecting Online and Offline Experiences at IOWA23:56 Cultural Nuances in MENA Markets26:41 Advice for Founders Expanding in MENA29:23 Quickfire Questions and Closing ThoughtsLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Valentin:LinkedIn: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/valentinklein Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you scale a startup from zero to $80M ARR without a playbook? In this episode, Sam sits down with Stephane Boghossian, former growth lead at Lovable, to break down the exact strategies behind one of AI's fastest-growing products, and what he's building next in legal tech.Stephane shares what it was really like inside Lovable during hyper-growth: handling 1,000 support tickets per minute, writing pull requests as a non-technical marketer, and turning a GitHub outage into their biggest PR win. He also explains why he left to join HAQQ, and why he believes legal tech is the most underrated AI opportunity right now.In this episode:How Lovable grew from 20 signups a day to 1,000 signups a minuteWhy having no playbook was actually a competitive advantageThe rebranding from GPT Engineer to Lovable - and why it changed everythingHow non-technical team members shipped code directly to productionWhy you should never scale just one growth channelStephane's move into legal tech and closing enterprise deals in 2–3 weeksNow We Build has partnered with CapQuest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, CapQuest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Intro 01:45 The Journey to Lovable06:18 From Zero to Revenue: The Tipping Point11:57 Building Scalable Systems for Growth20:24 The Power of Team Dynamics and Culture27:26 Building a Resilient Team Under Pressure29:35 The Importance of Product Reliability31:20 Hiring for Growth and Team Dynamics32:00 Experimentation in Growth Strategies35:54 Leveraging Data for Growth37:53 Transitioning to the Legal Tech Space43:57 Growth Strategies in a Regulated IndustryLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Stephane:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephane-boghossian/ Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most B2B SaaS founders set their pricing at Series A - and never revisit it. In this episode, Sam sits down with Roee Hartuv, Senior Pricing Advisor and Head of GTM Expertise at WillingnessToPay.com, to unpack why broken pricing is quietly leaking revenue across your entire funnel - and what to do about it.Roee shares how 20+ years in B2B SaaS revenue roles, advising over 100 companies, taught him that pricing and packaging is the single highest-ROI lever most founders never pull. From value-based pricing frameworks to AI's impact on SaaS margins, this episode is essential listening for any founder navigating the zero-to-ten growth stage.In this episode, Sam and Roee discuss:How Roee went from computer science to building a 20-year career in B2B SaaS salesWhy sales is a science, not an art - and how to systematise itThe most common pricing mistakes founders make and when to fix themHow to package SaaS features around customer jobs to be done (not feature tiers)Why bad pricing breaks your financial model - not just your sales motionHow AI is disrupting SaaS margins and forcing a new approach to pricing strategyThe system thinking framework behind Roee's upcoming bookNow We Build has partnered with CapQuest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, CapQuest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:50 From Coding to Sales: A Unique Journey04:33 Lessons from 20 Years in Revenue Roles07:16 The Art vs. Science of Sales10:08 Transitioning to Advisory Roles12:45 The Power of Pricing and Packaging18:07 Systemizing Sales Processes23:35 Navigating Geographical Expansion25:19 AI's Impact on Pricing Models28:05 Insights from 'The Modern Go to Market System'34:01 Quickfire Questions and Final ThoughtsLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Roee:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roeehartuv/ Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Loneliness is one of the defining crises of our time and Maxime Barbier is building the infrastructure to fight it. In this episode, we sit down with the Co-Founder and CEO of Timeleft, the world's fastest-growing IRL-tech company, to explore how a simple dinner with strangers became a global movement.What you'll learn in this episode:Maxime walks us through his entrepreneurial journey – from founding MinuteBuzz to launching Timeleft in 2023 – and the hard-won lessons in between. We get into what it really takes to scale a community-driven product across 47 countries and 162 cities, why focus is the most underrated startup skill, and how Timeleft's no-profile, no-feed approach is quietly rewriting the rules of social connection.About Timeleft:Timeleft is on a mission to make human connection a weekly habit. Every week, the platform curates real-life social experiences – dinners, runs, coffees, drinks – bringing strangers together in 160+ cities across 45+ countries. With over 3 million users, 1.2 million Instagram followers, and 150,000 people participating every month, it's become one of the world's largest communities built entirely around in-person connection. Topics covered:The loneliness epidemic and why it's getting worseHow Timeleft works – and why it's nothing like a dating appLessons from MinuteBuzz and what Maxime would do differentlyScaling a community product to 3M+ users in under two yearsProduct design principles for real-life social experiencesThe role of focus and simplicity in building impactful startupsWhat the future of IRL connection looks likeNow We Build has partnered with Capquest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, Capquest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:45 The Journey of Entrepreneurship04:25 Lessons from MinuteBuzz to Timeleft07:27 Navigating the French Startup Ecosystem10:17 The Power of Persistence13:10 The Breakthrough Moment16:09 Scaling and Simplifying the Product19:09 Paid Ads and Market Expansion21:58 The Dinner Experience as Technology24:10 The Power of Shared Experiences28:59 Unpacking Loneliness and Human Connection36:46 Navigating the Future of Human Interaction38:42 Quickfire Insights and ReflectionsLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Maxime:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximebarbier/ Timeleft: https://timeleft.com/ Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Meri shares his journey from VC to founder, the evolution of Lindus, and the transformative role of AI in clinical trials and drug development. Discover key patterns in team building, fundraising strategies, and the future of AI-powered healthcare innovations. Meri Beckwith is Co-CEO at Lindus, an Accountable Research Organisation (ARO) designed to give biotech and pharma sponsors confidence and control over their clinical trials.In this episode, Sam and Meri also discuss:Meri's transition from VC to founderLindus' evolution and impact on clinical trialsThe role of AI and machine learning in healthcareFundraising strategies and investor relationshipsTeam building and hiring in a regulated environmentNow We Build has partnered with Capquest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, Capquest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Introductions & sponsors01:45 Background04:31 Transition from VC to Founder07:16 The Birth of Lindus10:06 Validating the Idea for Lindus13:08 The Anti-CRO Model15:46 Challenges in the Early Days18:33 Scaling Operations and Hiring21:33 Reflections on Growth Stages24:48 Navigating Investor Relationships26:27 The Evolution of Citrus and AI in Clinical Trials29:50 AI's Impact on Clinical Trials30:59 Building a Company with AI35:03 Quickfire Insights and ReflectionsLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Meri:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meri-beckwith/ Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jamie Mitchell shares his entrepreneurial journey from corporate life at BT to founding LOW6, a pioneering sports engagement and gaming platform. Discover how strategic pivots, international expansion, and relentless determination fueled his success, along with practical lessons on scaling, product development, and navigating investor challenges.Sam and Jamie also discuss:Entrepreneurial transition from corporate to startupScaling a sports engagement platform internationallyPivoting business models in response to market opportunitiesChallenges of fundraising and investor relations in gambling techLeadership and team building in high-growth startupsNow We Build has partnered with Capquest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, Capquest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:50 From Corporate to Entrepreneurship: Jamie's Journey04:33 The Birth of LOW6: Early Business Ventures07:25 Navigating Challenges in the Sports Marketing Landscape10:33 The Evolution of LOW6: From Betting to SaaS13:01 Scaling the Business: Overcoming COVID and Investor Hurdles15:44 The Shift to B2B: Lessons from the Gambling Sector18:36 Global Expansion: Strategies for New Markets21:22 The Role of AI in Gambling: Enhancements and Opportunities24:01 Looking Ahead: Exciting Developments for LOW6Learn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Jamie:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-mitchell-51a805168/ Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Francesco De Stefano shares his journey from consultancy to deep tech entrepreneurship, focusing on additive manufacturing, team building, product development, and international expansion. Gain insights into scaling hardware startups, navigating investor relations, and leveraging AI in manufacturing.Sam and Francesco also discuss:Journey from consultancy to entrepreneurshipTeam building and co-founder dynamicsProduct development and market fit in manufacturingFundraising strategies and investor relationsInternational expansion and market entry in US, Middle East, AsiaUse of AI in industrial manufacturingNow We Build has partnered with Capquest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, Capquest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:50 Francesco's Career Path02:46 From Consulting to Industrial Passion04:08 The Birth of Caracol and Technological Vision05:56 Lessons from Consulting vs Startup World08:44 Building a Complementary Co-Founding Team11:16 Hiring and Culture in Scaling Companies13:57 Identifying Market Gaps in Aerospace Manufacturing15:29 Service Model as a Commercial Strategy19:32 Fundraising Journey and Investor Relations25:48 Lessons from Early Failures and Mistakes29:09 Global Expansion: Markets in US, Middle East, and Asia32:35 Commercializing Deep Tech and Hardware Challenges35:09 Integrating AI into Manufacturing Platforms38:46 Why Keep HQ in Milan? The Italian Ecosystem42:45 Closing Remarks and How to ConnectLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Follow Francesco:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesco-de-stefano-8b4b4497/ Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually take to build a financial business in a market most people overlook? In this special episode, we've brought together three of the most experienced builders in global fintech to answer exactly that. You'll hear from:Oliver Hughes, who scaled Visa in Russia, built Tinkoff into a $25 billion digital bank, and is now scaling TBC in Uzbekistan.Tommy Mermelshtayn, Chief Strategy Officer at Zip, who took the business from 30 people to nearly 2,000 across 30 markets. Sammy Ennebt, who has built five banks across two continents - and is doing it all over again in Saudi Arabia.Together they cover:How to identify the right emerging market before everyone else doesWhy localisation is non-negotiable in fintechThe mistakes most companies make when entering new geographiesHow to work with regulators rather than against themWhat the next wave of emerging market opportunities looks likeNow We Build has partnered with Capquest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, Capquest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo Timestamps:00:00: Intro01:57: Oliver Hughes: Picking the right market 12:20: Tommy Mermelshtayn: The emerging markets playbook27:29: Sammy Ennebt: Why the back office makes or breaks a bankLearn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild Did you enjoy this interview? Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Full interviews:Oliver: hereTommy: hereSammy: hereFollow:Oliver: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-hughes-0b5540247/ Sammy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammyennebt/Follow Sam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.