Venture studios are quietly becoming one of the most effective models for company creation, but most people still don't understand what happens inside one.
For this podcast episode I sat down with Andy Bilinsky, Partner at Interplay leading our Studio, to break down exactly how we build companies from the ground up.
During our conversation, we covered:
- What a venture studio actually is and how it differs from traditional VC
- Why do we research industries deeply before ever writing a business plan
- The role of operating partners as true co-founders
- Why second- and third-time founders are choosing to build with a studio instead of going solo
- How Interplay went from 3 new companies in Q4 2025 to targeting 10+ in 2026
Big thanks to Andy for pulling back the curtain on how we build. We’re grateful to have him here at Interplay.
⏱️ Chapter Markers:
00:00 Introduction to Andy Bilinsky
01:15 Andy's Entrepreneurial Background
03:30 Early Career: Hyper-Growth at Haute Look
05:45 BeachMint, Science Incubator & Chirp Ads
08:00 Launching Lensable From Scratch
09:30 Why Andy Joined Interplay
13:00 What Is a Venture Studio?
15:30 Interplay's Thesis-Driven Approach
18:00 The Role of Operating Partners
20:30 What Makes a Great Studio CEO
24:00 Why Successful Founders Don't Go Solo
27:30 The Value of a Firm as Co-Founder
30:00 Administrative Support & De-Risking
33:00 Distributed Teams & Geographic Flexibility
35:00 Studio Growth: From 3 Companies to 10+
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