Oct. 24, 2023

Generative AI and deciding what to build first with Elaine Zelby of Tofu

Generative AI and deciding what to build first with Elaine Zelby of Tofu

Elaine Zelby just raised $5M from Index Ventures to empower marketers with generative AI. She sits down with On Deck co-founder Julian Weisser to discuss how to decide what your startup should build first, what to consider when evaluating potential co-founders, how to think about fundraising in 2023, and the current capabilities of generative AI.

ODF has helped 1k companies get started and go on to raise over $2B. Applications for our 19th cohort in San Francisco are due this week. Learn more and apply at beondeck.com

Joining me in the deep end is Elaine Zelby — co-founder of Tofu (https://www.tofuhq.com/) — a powerful generative AI platform that enables marketing teams to repurpose their content and run more successful campaigns. Tofu recently announced their $5M seed round led by Index Ventures.

We’ve known Elaine for years — first as a friend, then as a participant in ODF2, then as an investor in On Deck during her time as a VC at SignalFire. She’s the first person we refer founders to when it comes to marketing, growth or go-to-market.

In this episode, Elaine and On Deck co-founder Julian Weisser discuss how to decide what your startup should build first, what to consider when evaluating potential co-founders, how to think about fundraising in 2023, and the current capabilities of generative AI.

Are you exploring starting a company? We’ve got a program for that.

ODF has helped 1k companies get started and go on to raise over $2B. Applications for our 19th cohort in San Francisco are due this week. Learn more and apply at beondeck.com