24h Inside $40M Texas Consumer Startup [AMej8g3Qwy3]
In this episode, I go inside Sesh+, an Austin-based tobacco-free nicotine pouch startup that’s raised over $40M from investors including 8VC, Post Malone, and Diplo. Founded by Max Cunningham in 2020, the company has quickly become one of the fastest-growing nicotine pouch brands in the US, with retail distribution across Buc-ee’s, Sheetz, QuikTrip, Pilot, Circle K West, and more. Most of the startups I’ve covered have been deep inside Silicon Valley. But Austin feels very different. A lot more consumer-focused, a lot more tied to physical products and retail expansion, while still being deeply connected to venture capital and aggressive growth. Sesh is exactly the kind of company that ecosystem produces. The nicotine pouch market is projected to grow from $4B to $49B by 2033, but building inside this category comes with a completely different set of constraints to a typical startup. Sesh is scaling nationally while navigating the FDA PMTA process in real time, operating inside one of the most heavily regulated consumer categories in America. Inside this episode: - Why nicotine and tobacco are often misunderstood as the same thing - How Sesh went from launching in 3 stores to scaling nationally - What navigating the FDA PMTA process actually looks like behind the scenes - How the company raised over $40M from investors including 8VC, Post Malone, and Diplo - How Sesh went from a tiny Buc-ee’s shelf placement to major retail visibility - The pressure of scaling retail distribution while the regulatory process is still unfolding - Inside investor meetings, marketing strategy sessions, and growth planning Check out Sesh: Join my founder newsletter: Let’s connect: X: Instagram: LinkedIn: