Building startups that scale: A conversation with Polymath Ventures MD, Damian Alcedo

Building one successful startup is already a small miracle. Doing it over and over? Honestly, borderline insane. But that’s exactly what we’re in the business of as startup studio MDs.

So, when you meet someone who’s been doing this at scale (and predictably), you pay attention. That’s exactly what I did with Damián Alcedo Overbosch, MD at Polymath Ventures, one of the most impressive studios in LatAm.

We sat down to talk shop: how to repeatedly build businesses that don’t crash and burn. Spoiler: no magic tricks here, just hard-earned lessons.

Here are 8 golden nuggets from Damian’s playbook – worth bookmarking if you’re crazy enough to build through a studio (or even crazier: going solo).

1. Building in a studio or solo: How to decide?

The entrepreneur's path is rife with decisions. Some of those are one-way doors: you can't reverse them. Building your next business independently, or building within a startup studio is one such choices. So how do you pick the right path for you?

Damian explained the trade-off simply:

“When you go solo, you have absolute freedom—but many founders underestimate how isolating and overwhelming entrepreneurship can be. At a studio, you have structure, clear methodologies, and immediate access to seasoned mentors and a network of support, dramatically accelerating your progress.”

He further clarified,

"If you're a seasoned founder with significant resources or funding already available, going solo or assembling your own team might make sense. Studios are particularly valuable when you're early, lack a full team, or want to accelerate quickly without building everything from scratch."

"Solo means freedom—but studios mean speed."

2. Startup acceleration is a verb.

For founders, the real benefit of a startup studio isn't just in the financial backing or resources. It's the continuous guidance and productive friction provided by experienced builders. Damian shared how studios like Polymath actively engage founders to that extent:

"We don’t just provide passive support. We consistently push founders to refine ideas, test assumptions rigorously, and move faster."

He continues: 

"We actively create an environment that challenges founders constructively, not just supporting passively. This pushes them to discover insights faster and reach milestones earlier"

Driving it home:

"Acceleration is hands-on, not hands-off."

3. Playbooks are immensely valuable – until they aren't.

Playbooks offer powerful shortcuts by capturing best practices and proven strategies from previous ventures. Damian sees them as essential tools to help startups avoid common mistakes and accelerate decision-making.

However, he also advises founders to remain flexible, emphasising the importance of adapting when reality challenges initial assumptions.

"Playbooks distill valuable lessons from past ventures, but truly successful entrepreneurs know exactly when to trust these guidelines... and when it’s time to pivot because the market demands something different."

According to Damian, the art lies in balancing structured approaches with real-time innovation:

"Playbooks guide you, but agility shapes success."

4. Harnessed curiosity unlocks business ideas.

Most people have fallen in love with the idea of 'getting' ideas. Like a bolt of inspiration striking you in a hot shower. Damian, however, believes that for the best founders, great ideas aren’t random: they're systematically discovered through channeled curiosity. And I agree.

He encourages founders to intentionally and consistently monitor shifts in markets, technology, and consumer behaviour:

"The best ideas emerge from deliberate, regular exploration of new trends, unmet needs, and industry disruptions."

Some of our favourite sources of signals? Following thought leaders like Paul Graham and Chamath Palihapitiya on social media, scouring Reddit, Product Hunt and the latest YC batch for early signals of emerging trends, and exploring databases like Crunchbase and CB Insights for market movements.

"Stay curious, and you'll never run out of ideas."

5. Validation is the antidote to failure.

Just finding an idea doesn't mean you're out of the woods. Far from it. One of the most critical errors Damian observes among founders is neglecting proper validation. Falling in love with their initial idea causes many to overlook essential testing, leading to costly mistakes later on. Like a tower built on shaky foundations, it eventually will all come tumbling down.

Says Damian:

“In our studio, we enforce disciplined validation from day one. Founders must prove their assumptions through clear experiments, not intuition alone. Every major assumption – whether about the market, customers, or pricing – needs real-world testing before scaling."

At Builders, we are right there with him: Treat every venture as an ongoing cycle of validation. Data is always king.

Or as Damian put it:

"Love the problem, not the solution."

6. MVPs are experiments, not miniature products.

People can't seem to get enough of the semantics of MVPs. So much so I dedicated a post to it. Luckily Damian is a straight shooter, cutting through the typical BS like a samurai through bamboo. He emphasised that an MVP is fundamentally just another test, rather than simply a smaller product:

"A good MVP is precisely crafted to gain actionable insights. Not just a stripped-down version of your grand vision."

The takeaway? MVPs should be intentionally designed experiments, focused on validating or disproving specific assumptions quickly and efficiently.

"Build less, learn faster."

7. Premature scaling: the silent startup killer.

Scaling too quickly – before achieving genuine validation – is the deadliest mistake Damian sees founders make again and again. While scaling might feel exciting, without a solid foundation of validated assumptions and stable economics, it inevitably causes ventures to implode.

"Scaling prematurely feels enticing but is usually fatal. Proper timing and evidence are crucial."

Personally, I'm not one for horror flicks. But watching ventures scale early feels like the real-life Black Mirror episode to me.

"Scaling too soon is a venture killer."

Don't look under your bed!

8. Data beats gut-feel decisions.

Most entrepreneurs take pride in their gut instincts. Sometimes to their own detriment. Damian advises founders that scaling decisions go against their gut instincts, and to never rely on feelings or ambition alone. 

"Scaling decisions must be driven by measurable market signals, not personal feelings or guesses."

Instead, clear and consistent data signals, such as repeatable customer acquisition, high retention, and validated unit economics, should be the true siren's call for founders looking to scale.

"Scale by data, not by intuition."

What stuck with me after talking to Damian? Building startups isn’t about chasing shiny ideas. It’s about disciplined execution, uncomfortable truths, and knowing when to follow the rules — and when to break them.

If you’re thinking about building inside a studio, or on your own, take this with you: stay curious, test relentlessly, scale only when the numbers scream “go,” and keep your ego in check. And if you screw it up? Welcome to the club.

Thanks for the wisdom, Damian! — and good luck to the rest of us.