30 Best Startup Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way to get ahead of the curve when it comes to learning about a wide variety of subject matter. When looking to understand the phenomenons of startups and entrepreneurship, for example, there is an abundance of interesting and well-put-together podcasts. Below is a list of thirty podcasts (as well as where you can listen to them) that will help you develop a greater intuitive sense of how startups begin, what a startup looks like when it is working (or not), and how to get from point A to B in launching an idea. Take a look!

1. Startup Podcast – Gimlet Media

Hosted by Alex Bloomberg (the founder of Gimlet Media) Startup Podcast takes a close look at how to take your idea from just a concept all the way to reality. It goes further than that though, detailing from personal experiences of successful entrepreneurs, the ups and downs and emotional stresses of creating a startup.

2. Masters of Scale – Reid Hoffman

Masters of Scale is a podcast that is good for anyone who is currently trying to build a high-growth venture. This show is popular because of its large high profile list of guests, with interviews from people like Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook), Brian Chesky (founder of Airbnb), and many more.

3. How I Built This – Guy Raz

This NPR How I Built This explores a number of success stories. Host Guy Raz interviews a new entrepreneur in each episode. The podcast allows founders of some of the world’s most distinct organizations (think Instagram, Ben & Jerry’s, Starbucks, etc…) to tell the story of how their companies came to be from their perspectives. It is both inspirational and informative to any entrepreneur.

4. The Pitch

Founders of new startups pitch their ideas to four investors, allowing the listener to gain a deeper understanding of the process of pitching for capital. In short, Dragon’s Den (or Shark Tank) is without quite as much drama though.

5. The Venture

The Venture introduces high-profile innovators, incredible artists, and pioneering risk-takers who have achieved success. They talk to businesses that have changed/revolutionized their industries. It’s all about original creative thought.

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6. Open for Business

Learn different skills for building a business from the ground up. Topics include: how to create a company culture, the best way to hire, how to grind through success, and many more.

7. Traction: How Startups Start

This podcast offers insights based on real examples from successful startups into how to successfully take off. It explores examples of what pitfalls to avoid and how. It also aims to teach its listeners everything from building their brand and how to translate that brand into creating a growing loyal customer base.

8. Startup Grind

Startup Grind is a podcast that aims to give interesting useful insights, advice, and tips into just how they should go about creating their startup. It features recording from presentations and talks from international events like conferences and shows and discusses them to allow everyone who is interested to gather these key bits of advice and develop them into successful strategies for their own business.

9. Equity: TechCrunch

A weekly Podcast created by TechCrunch. They focus on all things money in the startup arena. For example exploring fundraising rounds, big and notable acquisitions, and interesting IPOs. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse with the startup world this is the Podcast for you.

10. This Week in Startups

Hosted by Jason Calacanis, this Podcast has been running for 6 years now. It features a group of rotating experts who talk about some of the most intriguing and even outrageous stories from the world of technology. By interviewing high-profile successes he aims to offer advice and inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs.

11. Mixergy

This isn’t your standard podcast. Mixergy, launched by Andrew Warner has taken a slightly different approach. The podcast does offer a number of interview episodes (over 1,000) but the real value behind it is from persuading founders from big companies like Groupon to not only share their knowledge in discussion but to give lessons. Paying for the premium subscription plan gives you access to all those interviews and dozens of incredible courses.

12. 500

This is another relatively new podcast, but it’s also worth your time. The show is run by Silicon Valley seed fund and accelerator 500 Startups and features interviews with startup founders, influencers, and entrepreneurs. The interviews are short 15-25 minutes long which makes them perfect to listen to on your commute to work on your lunch break.

13. The Full Ratchet

Publishing two episodes a week this podcast features interviews with investors that offer an insight into the mind of successful venture capitalists. They discuss a broad range of topics from how to identify a successful startup idea to exit strategies and a number of other interesting thoughts and considerations from veterans in their fields.

14. Entrepreneur on Fire

The format of this podcast sets it aside from others. Hosted by John Lee Dumas, he begins each episode by asking about the guest’s worst failures. From there they discuss how they turned these failures around, what were flashes of insight changed for them their perceptions, and helped them succeed. The episodes conclude with rapid-fire questions.

15. Rocketship.FM

This weekly podcast talks to successful entrepreneurs and influencers like Brian Balfour (HubSpot) discussing how best to start a startup. What to remember, what to avoid, how to develop capital, and build a brand. These are packed full of information everyone thinking of creating a startup needs to know.

16. Product People

Most of these episodes revolve around software and web-based products. However, hosts Kyle Fox and Justin Jackson offer some great universal advice that will likely inspire nearly anyone in their journey to found a startup.

17. The Startup Chat with Steli and Hilten

Unfiltered insights and actionable advice straight from the trenches of startup and business life. The show hosts, Steli Efti and Hiten Shah are both serial entrepreneurs who have founded multi-million dollar SaaS startups. Being busy CEOs of fast-growing companies, they know the value of your time and make sure you get the most out of each 22-minute episode.

18. Innovation Crush

Hosted by Chris Denson, this show serves interviews with some of the best minds around the world, with a generous dosing of bad jokes to lighten the mood. Innovation Crush profiles some of the world’s most daring projects and the people behind them. From marketing ideas, and technology innovations, to disruptive business models and personal development, this is a podcast packed full of interesting informative advice, with everything you would ever need to know for starting your own business.

19. How to Start a Startup

With lectures from the likes of Sam Altman, Dustin Moskovitz, Paul Graham, Adora Cheung, Peter Thiel, Alex Schultz, Kevin Hale, Marissa Mayer, Hosian Rahman, Kirsty Nathoo, Carolynn Levy, and many more. This is an amazing course of lectures on how to start a startup.

20. Dose of Leadership

They describe themselves as “the ultimate leadership resource”. Hosting a number of relevant motivating and inspiring experts they outline in their podcast just what exactly makes a great leader. The podcast covers a broad range of industries, interviewing leaders from all aspects of life, from business entrepreneurs all the way to military heroes.

21. HBR Idea Cast

HBR Idea Cast is a podcast from the Harvard review. A ‘premiere resource’ for business news and research. Their podcast provides analysis and advice from leading minds in their industries. They require a membership fee to access all their resources and get the most from it, however, the podcast itself is free.

22. Breaking into Startups

Breaking into Startups is about people who managed to break into the tech industry even though they weren’t necessarily from that background. With the tech field currently undergoing massive growth in many different areas, this podcast looks at a number of success stories from people from all walks of life. Offering inspiration, advice, and information on what you need to do to achieve success in these industries and how you too could take advantage of the current opportunity in the tech world.

23. Youpreneur FM

Bestselling author and international keynote speaker Chris Ducker brings his own take on what it means to be a personal brand entrepreneur in the 21st century. He covers everything from how to build a personal brand, to the best ways to delegate and make the best use of your time and even how to create and launch online products and services.

24. Women who Startup Radio

This podcast shines a light on the too often ignored female entrepreneurs, innovators, and adventurers who have managed to achieve great success.

25. Ask Gary Vee Show

The Gary Vee Show is hosted by entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. On this podcast, you’ll find a mix of Gary Vee’s keynote speeches on marketing and business, as well as segments from his daily video series, interviews, and even a few fireside chats he’s given over the years.

26. The Growth Show

The Growth Show is a series of stories about businesses that came very close to the edge of failure. But before they folded and closed their doors for the good they somehow managed to turn it all around and their businesses blossomed into massive successes. This is an inspiring podcast of comeback stories that teaches you to stick it out and never give up.

27. Powederkeg: Igniting Startups

The untold stories of successful startups in the tech industry. Hosted by Matt Hunckler they delve into some illuminating interviews, extracting nuggets of genius from some of the best minds in their industries. Whilst being a tech-focused man the principles discussed can be applied to a broad range of business situations.

28. BBC Business Daily

Focusing on global business news this is an informative podcast that covers a broad array of current news and events. It aims to demystify the issues that surround the global economy, business news, and international business, explaining how trends work and what they actually mean in relation to the bigger picture. It gives a broad perspective of business and is great for those with international business interests.

29. Science of Social Media

This is the podcast from the social media guys at Buffer. The Science of Social Media is a resource for anyone using multiple social media platforms (so everyone). They cover a broad range of industries’ best practices and innovative ideas. They offer interviews with key figures in their industries providing weekly doses of inspiration and ideas.

30. This Old Marketing

Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose host This Old Marketing Podcast to help entrepreneurs and marketers understand everything from the fundamentals to the tricks of the trade. This Old Marketing covers content marketing, rants and raves about a hard-to-swallow marketing topic, and an example of the week. The combination often makes for exciting and insightful episodes.