Building with AI but not sure where to start? You're in the right feed.
Founders + AI is the podcast for founders building ambitious things with artificial intelligence.
We’re Centaur Lab, a NY-based AI Venture Studio and your virtual tech-cofounder. We’ve helped launch and scale startups worth billions—and now, we’re sharing the playbook.
Whether you’re pre-MVP or deep in product-market chaos, Founders + AI helps you go from “I’ve got an idea…” to “We’re shipping next week.”
This is the AI podcast that talks with founders.
Let’s build smarter.
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How to Fundraise When You’re Still Figuring It Out
Still refining your product? Deck not perfect? You can still raise money.
In the final episode of the season, Michelle Akhidenor and Boon Chew get real about one of the most daunting parts of startup life: fundraising when everything still feels messy.
They unpack how early-stage founders can confidently approach investors before they’ve figured everything out. They get into the real talk—how to build trust, pitch without posturing, and turn rejections into redirections.
🔥 What you’ll learn:
How to fundraise without a perfect pitch deck
The “giving mindset” that gets investors to lean in
Why AI tools can help sharpen your story
How to build real investor relationships before you need cash
What not to do in early-stage fundraising
Whether you're pre-seed, pivoting, or pitching with questions still unanswered, this episode gives you the mindset and tools to fundraise like a founder who gets it.
Follow along:
Follow Centaur Lab AI on LinkedIn: Boon Chew (https://www.linkedin.com/in/boonchew/)
Follow Centaur Lab AI on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@CentaurLabAI)
Sign up for Yeego (https://yeego.ai/) to get a 5-minute summary of this episode
Follow your Host, Michelle Akhidenor, on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleakhidenor)
Follow our Producers The Peers Project (https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject/reels/?locale=en_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
4 Aug 2025
Pre-Launch Strategy: Create Hype Before You Ship
In this episode of Founders + AI, Michelle Akhidenor and Boon Chew break down why launching quietly is a recipe for crickets. They dismantle the myth of “build it and they will come” and show how top founders build momentum before a single line of code ships.
From generating hype with zero budget to collecting validation signals that actually matter, you’ll get tactical strategies to shape perception, attract early users, and create demand on Day 0. Plus, how to avoid burnout and use AI to fast-track your go-to-market motion.
Pre-launch isn’t a phase—it’s your first growth strategy. If you're gearing up to launch—or just want people to care—this episode’s your playbook. Let’s make noise before you launch.
Follow along:
Follow Centaur Lab AI on LinkedIn: Boon Chew (https://www.linkedin.com/in/boonchew/)
Follow Centaur Lab AI on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@CentaurLabAI)
Sign up for Yeego (https://yeego.ai/) to get a 5-minute summary of this episode
Follow your Host, Michelle Akhidenor, on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleakhidenor)
Follow our Producers The Peers Project (https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject/reels/?locale=en_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US)
AI Tools: ChatGPT, Claude AI, and Gemini were mentioned as useful AI tools for marketing and product development.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 Jul 2025
Strategy + Building: How to MVP Like a Boss
In this episode of Founders + AI, Michelle Akhidenor and Boon Chew get real about what it actually takes to build a solid MVP as an AI founder. Is it a functional product? A pitch-ready prototype? A tool for learning fast? They unpack the true purpose of a Minimum Viable Product — or as some call it, a Minimum Investable Product — and how to build one that helps you test ideas, attract investment, and avoid the trap of overbuilding too soon.
From using AI tools to move faster without losing focus, to navigating the messiness of feedback loops, they break down what to prioritize, what to ignore, and how to balance speed with quality. Michelle shares why investors are betting on your potential, not just your product, and Boon offers clear strategies for interpreting feedback and spotting blind spots early.
Whether you're pre-seed, pre-launch, or mid-pivot — this one’s your crash course in MVP strategy that actually works.
Follow along:
Follow Centaur Lab AI on LinkedIn: Boon Chew (https://www.linkedin.com/in/boonchew/)
Follow Centaur Lab AI on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@CentaurLabAI)
Sign up for Yeego (https://yeego.ai/) to get a 5-minute summary of this episode
Follow your Host, Michelle Akhidenor, on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleakhidenor)
Follow our Producers The Peers Project (https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject/reels/?locale=en_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
14 Jul 2025
How to Hire a Team—And No, It’s Not Always About Hiring an Engineer
In this episode of Founders + AI, Boon and Michelle break down one of the biggest myths in tech: that every startup needs a CTO from day one. Spoiler alert—it’s more complicated than that.
They dive into what early-stage founders actually need when building a team, especially in the age of AI. Do you need a co-founder, a contractor, a venture studio… or just ChatGPT and a clear vision? Boon shares hard-won insights on when (and when not) to bring in technical partners, why alignment matters more than titles, and how to think strategically about your first hires.
From using AI to build your MVP faster to navigating partnerships with studios and engineers, this epis
Follow along:
Follow Centaur Lab AI on LinkedIn: Boon Chew (https://www.linkedin.com/in/boonchew/)
Follow Centaur Lab AI on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@CentaurLabAI)
Sign up for Yeego (https://yeego.me/) to get a 5-minute summary of this episode
Follow your Host, Michelle Akhidenor, on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleakhidenor)
Follow our Producers The Peers Project (https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject/reels/?locale=en_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US%2Cen_US)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
30 Jun 2025
Find Product-Market Fit Before You Write a Line of Code
Michelle Akhidenor and Boon Chew investigate how founders can validate AI product ideas and test market demand before development, ensuring product-market fit in this interview.
16 Jun 2025
What Million Dollar AI Idea Should I Build?
Michelle Akhidenor and Boon Chew explore how founders can leverage AI to accelerate growth, scale efficiently, and overcome traditional barriers, offering practical insights for product development and strategic positioning in the evolving AI landscape; this is not an interview.
12 Jun 2025
Trailer
The Founders + AI podcast introduces itself as a resource for founders who want to build ambitious projects using artificial intelligence and learn how to ship their products faster.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
169,858
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 51 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
51
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
32
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