The Subvisual Way

In this kickoff episode of Vault, Subvisual's Founder and CEO, Roberto Machado, joins Alexandre Mendes, Head of Ventures and Strategy, to set the stage for Season 1 — a deep dive into companies built from the ground up. They explore what it truly takes to build a startup from scratch: the make-or-break role of founders, the impact of putting the right people in key positions, and knowing when to step aside and let others take the lead. Through real examples like Coverflex and Utrust/xMoney, they discuss effective fundraising strategies and compare the experiences of first-time and serial founders. From ego management to learning from failure, Web3 and token strategies to the challenges and rewards of venture building — this episode offers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at creating meaningful ventures. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:04) - The process of building Coverflex(00:06:57) - The need to shift visions(00:10:10) - Building with the right Investors on board(00:17:48) - Is ego an enemy of a startup founder?(00:21:55) - The need to bring new leadership to Utrust(00:29:45) - The startup building process(00:34:15) - Subvisual: coaching founders and startups(00:38:26) - Raising money vs. building a product(00:44:02) - How Utrust was sold to MultiversX(00:48:32) - The best part about venture building(00:50:49) - The price of building: scars and lessons(00:56:07) - Exploring the future of the industry