In this episode, we sit down with Jim Curry from BuildGroup to discuss why the traditional venture capital model might be failing founders. James is rewriting the rules of investment with a $330 million fund backed exclusively by family offices, operating without the traditional 10-year cap. This unique "Patient Capital" structure allows BuildGroup to align with founders for the long haul, prioritizing durable growth over short-term exits.

We dive deep into James’s background as an operator who helped scale Rackspace to $2 billion in revenue with only $25 million in funding, proving that you don't need to burn cash to build a giant. We also discuss the dangers of the "fundraising treadmill," why we are currently in a bubble era, and his contrarian take on why the future of AI lies in "Small Language Models," not just the giants.

⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.com

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- The Broken VC Model: Why the 10-year fund cycle creates misaligned incentives between investors and founders.

- The Rackspace Story: How to scale to billions in revenue with extreme capital efficiency.

- Patient Capital Explained: Inside BuildGroup’s $330M evergreen fund structure.

- The Fundraising Treadmill: How to avoid the trap of raising too much, too fast.

- The AI Bubble: Why James believes "Small Language Models" (SLMs) are the real opportunity for B2B businesses.

- Founder Advice: The one trait James looks for: being a "customer of your own problem."

🔗 Connect with Jim & BuildGroup:

Website: https://buildgroup.com

Email: jim@buildgroup.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimncurry/

🔗 VC10X Links:

Prashant Choubey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab

Subscribe to VC10X newsletter - https://vc10x.beehiiv.com

Subscribe on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@VC10X

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc10x-investing-venture-capital-asset-management-private/id1632806986

Subscribe on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7F7KEhXNhTx1bKTBFgzv3k?si=WgQ4ozMiQJ-6nowj6wBgqQ

VC10X website - https://vc10x.com

For sponsorship queries reach out to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comTimestamps:

(00:00) - Introduction to Build Group's $330M Fund and Patient Capital Model

(00:37) - Meet Jim Curry, Co-founder of Build Group

(01:58) - How Experiences at Rackspace Inspired the Operator-First Model

(03:25) - The Problem with Arbitrary 10-Year VC Fund Cycles

(05:48) - The Unique Structure of Build Group's Fund

(08:21) - Why Build Group Prefers to Be the Only Investor on the Cap Table

(11:47) - The Challenge of Helping Companies Get Off the VC "Treadmill"

(16:00) - Deployment Period and How the Investment Thesis Evolves

(18:24) - Build Group's Diligence Process vs. a Typical VC

(23:08) - Competing with Over-Capitalized Startups

(25:17) - Lessons from Building the OpenStack Community

(27:48) - Key Qualities Looked for in a Founding Team

(30:55) - Harmful VC Trend: Forgetting the Lean Startup Mentality

(33:18) - Why Downturns are an Opportunity for Patient Capital

(35:56) - The Importance of Founders Who Genuinely Love Their Product

(37:55) - The Next Foundational Tech Opportunities in AI Orchestration

(40:29) - Rapid Fire Round

(41:50) - Conclusion

#VentureCapital #SaaS #StartupFunding #PatientCapital #BuildGroup #BusinessPodcast #AI #Entrepreneurship

VC10X - $330 Million Fund Without A 10 Year Cap - Jim Curry, Co-founder, BuildGroup

VC10X - Investing, Venture Capital, Asset Management, Private Equity, Family Office