​VCs Don’t Take Power. Founders Hand It Over.

​With Itamar Novick - Recursive Ventures

​Host: Andy Walsh - Startups Decoded

​Format

• ​50-minute live podcast recording with a studio audience

• ​45-minute Q&A with an intimate, founder-only room

​Recorded live for the Startups Decoded podcast.

​Topic

​Power in startups is rarely where founders think it is.

​In this live conversation, Itamar Novick, Founder & GP at Recursive Ventures, breaks down how power and leverage actually work between founders and VCs, beyond term sheets, narratives, and mythology.

​We’ll explore:

• ​How founders unknowingly give power away

• ​Where leverage really comes from at pre-seed and seed

• ​Why speed and alignment matter more than control

• ​How the best VCs design partnerships that increase founder leverage

​This is a practical, operator-level discussion about incentives, decision-making, and momentum, not pitch advice.

​Guest

​Itamar Novick
Founder & General Partner, Recursive Ventures

​Itamar has backed 100+ early-stage companies and operated on both sides of the table as a founder, operator, and investor. Before becoming a VC, he helped build and scale companies including Life360 and Gigya. He has been named a Business Insider Top 100 Global Seed Investor from 2021–2025.

​Event Details

• ​Capacity: Limited, curated audience

• ​Drinks and snacks provided

​Who Should Attend

• ​Founders building from pre-seed to Series A

• ​Operators thinking about capital, control, and governance

• ​Investors interested in founder-first partnership models

​The Studio

​Filmed on location at 28th&Park. A content & production studio for New York’s visionary Builders, Investors, Artists, Musicians, & Creators to amplify their voice & share bold stories. Use the code "Decoded" for 25% off your first booking.

​Notes

• ​This is a live recording — the studio must be silent, no exceptions

• ​Use of any recording equipment is strictly forbidden during the podcast recording

• ​By entering the studio, you grant Startups Decoded the right to record and use your name, image, likeness, and voice for promotional and editorial purposes.

• ​No pitching in the room