Best Podcasts for Startups: The Essential Founder's Listening Guide
We've compiled the best podcasts for startups in this comprehensive, category-based listening guide. Whether you're validating your first idea or scaling your venture, these shows provide invaluable insights, strategies, and inspiration from successful entrepreneurs who've been where you are.
Why These Podcasts Matter for Founders
The right startup podcasts transform your commute or workout into a mobile MBA. Each show in our entrepreneur podcast collection delivers actionable advice, inspiring stories, and proven strategies that would cost thousands in courses or consulting. Best of all, they let you learn directly from those who've succeeded in building thriving companies.
Building a Tech Startup?
If you're specifically building a tech startup, SaaS product, or software business, check out our specialized listening guide covering product management, engineering, AI strategy, and tech-focused growth.
View Tech Startup Podcasts →Category I: Startup Growth & Strategy Podcasts
These startup podcasts focus on tactical growth strategies, business models, and operational frameworks to help you build and scale your company effectively.
The Game with Alex Hormozi
A no-fluff show where entrepreneur Alex Hormozi shares how to get more customers, increase profit per customer, and keep them longer. Hormozi openly talks about failures and lessons from scaling businesses on his journey to $100M+ net worth.
Marketing School
A daily bite-sized podcast (10 minutes per episode) where marketers Neil Patel and Eric Siu share actionable digital marketing lessons from the trenches. You'll learn the latest in SEO, content marketing, social media, and conversion optimization.
The Tai Lopez Show
Hosted by investor and entrepreneur Tai Lopez, who brings business education from top entrepreneurs while also reviewing books on health, wealth, love, and happiness. A blend of business advice and self-improvement insights.
My First Million
An entertaining and idea-packed podcast where Sam Parr and Shaan Puri brainstorm new business ideas based on trends & opportunities. They discuss their own founder experiences and bring on successful guests to ideate with them.
Masters of Scale
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman interviews iconic business leaders who share lessons and strategies that helped them grow successful companies. Each episode focuses on a specific growth theme or principle.
Category II: Venture Capital & Funding Podcasts
These essential startup podcasts help you understand the investor mindset, fundraising process, and what VCs look for in promising startups. Critical listening for any founder considering raising capital.
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC)
Hosted by Harry Stebbings, this show interviews the world's greatest venture capitalists. In ~30 minute episodes, Harry dives into how VCs source deals, what they look for in startups, and personal stories from their careers.
a16z Podcast
The official podcast of venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, featuring discussions on tech and culture trends, news, and the future. Episodes feature a16z partners and industry experts on topics from startup funding to emerging tech.
Equity (TechCrunch)
TechCrunch's flagship podcast covering the latest startup news, venture capital chatter, and tech trends. Hosted by Alex Wilhelm, Natasha Mascarenhas and Mary Ann Azevedo, it drops ~3 episodes a week discussing big funding rounds, IPOs, and market shifts.
The Full Ratchet
One of the first VC podcasts (running since 2014), hosted by investor Nick Moran. With over 450 episodes, it's a deep dive into venture capital, angel investing, and startup finance topics like deal sourcing, term sheets, and portfolio strategy.
Category III: Founder Stories & Interviews
These entrepreneur podcasts provide inspiring and instructive stories from successful founders who share their journeys, mistakes, and breakthroughs. Learn from those who've walked the path before you.
How I Built This
NPR's iconic show where Guy Raz interviews the world's best-known entrepreneurs to learn how they built their iconic brands. Each episode is a narrative journey from a company's humble beginnings through challenges and eventual success.
This Week in Startups
A roundtable-style podcast hosted by angel investor Jason Calacanis. Jason covers startups, tech, markets, media, and interviews the world's greatest founders, operators, and investors. The show mixes news analysis and candid interviews.
Indie Hackers
Courtland Allen talks with ambitious indie hackers who turned their ideas and side projects into profitable online businesses. These are often bootstrapped or small-scale founders sharing how they attained revenue, users, and freedom.
Founders
A unique format where host David Senra learns from history's greatest entrepreneurs by devouring their biographies and sharing the lessons. David distills the rise of innovators like Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, and more.
Female Startup Club
An inspiring podcast spotlighting female entrepreneurs, hosted by Doone Roisin. With 650+ episodes, it interviews successful female founders and industry experts on topics like fundraising, marketing, and product development.
Category IV: Thought Leadership & Business Philosophy
These business podcasts explore deeper thinking on entrepreneurship, success principles, and mental frameworks to help you develop as a leader and strategic thinker.
The Tim Ferriss Show
A hugely popular business/life podcast where Tim Ferriss conducts in-depth interviews with world-class performers across business, sports, arts, and more. Tim extracts practical insights on productivity, routine, mindset, and strategies.
Lex Fridman Podcast
An AI researcher at MIT turned podcaster, Lex Fridman hosts long-form conversations with notable figures in technology, science, and philosophy. Discussions venture into big-picture topics like the future of AI, ethics, and human potential.
Naval
Bite-sized wisdom from Naval Ravikant (co-founder of AngelList). Naval's podcast and talks distill his philosophy on startups, wealth, and happiness, including his famous "How to Get Rich (without getting lucky)" series on building wealth through leverage.
The Knowledge Project
A podcast that uncovers the secrets to success and a fulfilling life. Shane Parrish interviews CEOs, investors, authors, and experts, teasing out their mental models, decision-making processes, and life lessons.
Category V: Trending Business & Economy
These startup podcasts keep you informed about the latest business trends, economic shifts, and market developments that might impact your entrepreneurial journey.
All-In Podcast
An uncensored weekly roundtable with tech veterans Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg (the "Besties"). They cover economic trends, tech news, politics, and occasionally dive into startup and VC insights.
Exponential View
Azeem Azhar, a well-known tech futurist, hosts this deep-dive podcast on AI and exponential technologies. Each week he speaks with leaders in tech, science, business, and policy about how rapidly accelerating technologies are shaping our future.
Quick Navigation: Jump to Your Current Interest
Find the perfect podcasts for your specific entrepreneurial needs:
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Transform your commute, workout, or morning routine into valuable learning time with these best podcasts for startups. Subscribe to a few from each category to build a well-rounded entrepreneurial education.
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