This Week in Startups

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(10:09) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(20:17) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(30:52) Bolt - Don’t be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Blitzhiring and the Complicated Case of Windsurf, OpenAI and Google | E2151 Jul 14, 2025

Today’s show:

On today’s show… Jason and Alex are considering the fallout of Windsurf’s OpenAI deal, the company’s latest agreements with both Google and Cognition AI, and how “blitzhiring” is actually playing out in real-world startups.Plus Jason’s short- and medium-term predictions for AI’s impact on the job market, Tesla’s latest expansion of its Austin robotaxi service, Mistral giving the EU a real stake in the AI model race, a look back at the SnapStream live TV archiving service, AND an update on how much more time we have until all our servers are obsolete.All that and more on a brand new Monday edition of This Week in Startups.

Timestamps:

(02:20) Influencers caught an arsonist in LA’s Runyon Canyon? (Don’t worry, there’s always a startup angle)

(10:38) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(12:56) Windsurf’s OpenAI deal fell through… but there are breaking updates!

(20:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(23:46) The gap from prototype to production in AI remains HUGE

(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits

(34:56) Things are going well for Tesla’s Austin rollout, but will regulators demand LIDAR systems anyway?

(45:47) Maybe NOTHING that’s happening right now in AI is as important as what’s to come?

(54:31) Follow-Up: So how much more time until all of our servers are obsolete? What happens to them when they’re removed?

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:38) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(20:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Grok 4 Beats OpenAI + The $300 AI Agent Era | E2150 Jul 12, 2025

Today’s show: Grok 4 just leapfrogged OpenAI to become the top AI model—and it’s not just hype. In this episode, @Jason and @alex break down Grok’s AGI-level performance, the massive drop in LLM pricing, and why some companies are raising prices anyway. They also dive into the Missouri AG’s investigation into AI “bias,” the future of First Amendment protections for LLMs, and how autonomous vehicles are creating a new category: “autonomous commerce.” If you’re building with AI or betting on the future of tech, don’t miss this one.

Timestamps:

(1:55) AI models: Grok 4 and performance benchmarks(3:51) Detailed analysis of AI model performance and price trends(10:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(11:25) AI models' problem-solving capabilities and timeline for solving math problems(16:53) Legal and regulatory challenges for AI

(19:56) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(21:12) Bias in AI models and political implications(30:41) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(32:07) Infinite energy potential and AI impact; Bitcoin's new high(37:11) Crypto regulation and fintech under new administration(45:50) Future of storage, computing power, and GPU lifespan in data centers(53:40) Claude segment by Anthropic(55:09) Guest Ben Seidl of Autolane introduction(57:19) Autolane's impact on autonomous vehicles and commerce(59:05) Rise of autonomous commerce and logistics(1:06:37) Retailer issues with autonomous vehicle integration and orchestration

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Follow Lon:

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(19:56) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(30:41) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://goo.gle/futureofai

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Orchestrating Smarter AI Systems with AI21 Labs’ Yoav Shoham | AI Basics with Google Cloud Jul 10, 2025

In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with Yoav Shoham — Stanford professor emeritus and co-founder of AI21 Labs, creators of Jurassic-2, Wordtune, and the new orchestration system Maestro.

They unpack:

Why enterprise AI struggles with reliability
What orchestration really means (and why LLMs alone aren't enough)
The pitfalls of “agent-washing”
Small vs large models, agent-to-agent protocols, and where real opportunities lie

This one is for founders building with AI — if you're navigating hallucinations, chasing automation, or exploring multi-agent workflows, this episode is a must.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Yoav Shoham joins Jason to discuss AI Basics.

(1:05) What AI21 Labs is building — from Jurassic-2 to Maestro

(5:49) The overuse and confusion of the seductive term “agent”

(8:22) Small models vs large models: what's best for enterprise?

(10:53) The verticalization of AI: legal, accounting, and beyond

(12:17) The challenge of agent-to-agent communication and shared semantics

(17:08) What’s overhyped vs underhyped in AI — Yoav’s advice for founders

*

Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report.

*

Explore Further

Google Cloud’s Report: The Future of AI

Get insights from 23 leading experts on how startups can leverage AI for real business impact.

👉 Read the full report

More AI Basics Episodes

Founders, operators, and builders — catch up on our full Startup Basics series (Legal, Finance, Growth & AI):

👉 thisweekinstartups.com/basics

Links from episde:

Google Cloud — Build smarter with AI tools built for startups
AI21 Labs — Makers of Wordtune, Jurassic-2, and Maestro
Maestro — Orchestrate AI agents and tools across workflows
Jamba — AI21’s hybrid language model with breakthrough efficiency

Learn About Google’s A2A (Agent-to-Agent) Protocol

The next evolution in agent interoperability and coordination:

*

Follow Yoav:

X: https://x.com/yshoham

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoavshoham/

*

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*

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Starlink + Tesla? $4T Nvidia? Perplexity Browser? Linda Yaccarino Steps Down? | E2149 Jul 09, 2025

On a brand new TWiST, Jason and Alex ponder… What if every Tesla doubled as a Starlink-powered Wi-Fi hotspot? Plus, Nvidia’s historic $4T valuation, Perplexity’s fancy new AI browser that literally books flights, Linda Yaccarino steps down as X CEO, Waymo launches teen accounts, and maybe recording everything all the time has some disadvantages? Later, Tim Ranzetta joins to explain how his nonprofit is making personal finance mandatory in high schools. A must-watch for founders, investors, and anyone navigating the future of tech.

Timestamps:

(03:04) Linda Y is out at X but it’s NOT because of Grok’s Hitler moment

(09:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:23) Nvidia is worth more than any other company EVER?

(17:40) Granola’s charging individuals MORE than business accounts? But why?

(20:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register. (Valid thru 7/31)

(23:39) Jason thinks the AI recording and transcript lawsuits will begin by next year…

(24:05) Perplexity launches the Comet browser: we’re checking how it compares with Dia and other rivals!

(30:07) Bolt - Don’t be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.Bolt.new/twist.

(34:09) Waymo is expanding… Why there’s no shame in the robotaxi game…

(41:28) Robinhood is tokenizing US equities for EU investors… we unpack what it all means and how it works.

(49:18) Tim Ranzetta of Next Gen Personal Finance tells us what we don’t teach kids about finance and what they most need to know

(01:29:25) Why finance and investing is all about psychology, and how to “think in bets”

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Follow Lon:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(09:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register. (Valid thru 7/31)

(30:07) Bolt - Don’t be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.Bolt.new/twist.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Cloud Seeding, Conspiracies & the Texas Floods | BONUS EPISODE! Jul 09, 2025

Today’s show:

Cloud seeding startup Rainmaker faced a viral backlash after deadly floods in Texas—so @Jason hosted an emergency X Spaces with founder Augustus Doricko to unpack what really happened. Did Rainmaker cause the floods? How much water can cloud seeding actually produce? Is it safe, and should we even be doing it? They dive into the science, conspiracy theories, regulation, and how cloud seeding compares to desalination as a tool to fight drought and preserve ecosystems. A fascinating, good-faith convo on the future of climate tech.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Cloud seeding controversy and its impact on Texas floods(2:24) Background and impact of the Texas flooding event(8:05) Comparing cloud seeding to other environmental solutions(10:20) Discussing population, water distribution, and environmental restoration(14:22) Cloud seeding timeline, feasibility, and solar panels on water canals(17:17) Ethics, concerns, and regulatory framework for cloud seeding(24:07) Public safety, ethical considerations, and social media interactions regarding cloud seeding(26:00) Closing remarks and future collaboration

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Exits Are Back, QSB Stock & The New America Party? | E2148 Jul 07, 2025

Today’s show:

Startup exits are heating up with $67.7B in Q2 activity, QSBS just got a major expansion, and Robinhood is pushing boundaries with tokenized SPVs. In this episode, @Jason and @alex break down what it all means for founders and investors, plus the rise of Elon’s “America Party,” TikTok’s potential reboot, and why SaaS startups must rebrand around AI to stay competitive. A must-watch for anyone building, investing, or navigating tech in 2025.

Timestamps:

(04:29) Jason’s thoughts on Elon Musk’s America Party

(10:05) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

(15:02) M&A keeps heating up and why a big fintech IPO could be on the way!

(20:00) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(26:32) Unpacking liquidation preferences for non-experts

(29:11) AI companies are soaking up the majority of investment dollars but what does that really MEAN?

(30:02) MonarchMoney - Get 50% off your first year by going to MonarchMoney.com and using the offer code TWiST

(36:26) Why Jason’s group chat will love the QSBS expansion but it’s not really that big of a deal…

(46:27) TikTok seems poised to make a deal… Why Jason thinks they do pose a national security threat.

(59:22) Why is CoreWeave picking up Core Scientific, and is now a good time to sell your shares?

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:05) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

(20:00) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(30:02) MonarchMoney - Get 50% off your first year by going to MonarchMoney.com and using the offer code TWiST.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Startup Valuations, Biotech’s Crunch & AI’s Massive TAM | E2147 Jul 02, 2025

Today’s show:

It’s another blockbuster panel of insiders, as Alex sits down with Astasia Myers from Felicis, Matt Turck from First Mark Capital, and D.A. Wallach of Time BioVentures. AI is reshaping early-stage investing, with startups raising record-setting rounds adn chasing $100B+ markets. Meanwhile, biotech faces a “Great Depression” as public markets stay shut, putting added pressure on private capital. In healthcare, AI-powered virtual doctors promise to bring world-class medical advice to everyone, while fertility tech could revolutionize IVF by automating embryo handling and slashing costs. Hear our VC experts exclusive thoughts on these trends and much more!

Timestamps:

(2:21) The post-Q2 landscape and everyone’s immediate reactions

(05:00) Why biotech is in a “Great Depression,” even for AI companies!

(9:36) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(12:14) Overpriced vs. high-performing: Do high prices ALWAYS mean low expected returns and vice versa?

(14:50) Mega markets: how AI is different from past software shifts(18:58) Everyone’s companies are CRUSHING IT: why genAI has crazy tailwinds right now

(20:33) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(21:46) Product-market fit and revenue durability in AI(24:29) Marketing and community development for early stage founders(25:14) AI advancements in humor, avatars, and healthcare(29:30) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(30:45) Healthcare innovation and AI foundation models(35:37) AI differentiation, OpenAI valuation, and infrastructure companies(43:08) User experience in LLMs and AI inference costs(51:21) AI healthcare applications and founding team trends(56:28) Hiring trends, burn rates, and outsourcing in biotech(1:01:51) Government investment in biotech and the European AI ecosystem(1:06:43) Academic founders and the Felicis Fellows program(1:09:10) Recent exits and the outlook for the upcoming quarters(1:12:27) Innovations in fertility treatments and prenatal testing(1:15:51) Summary of bullish trends and future outlook(1:16:14) Closing remarks and future check-in plans

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:36) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(20:33) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST

(29:30) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The Grammarly–Superhuman Megadeal, plus TWiST 500 chats with LabelBox and Apptronik’s founders | E2146 Jul 01, 2025

Today’s show:

Grammarly is acquiring the beloved email app Superhuman! In today’s extremely timely episode, @alex sits down with Grammarly CEO Shishir Mehrotra and Superhuman founder Rahul Vohra to unpack why they’re merging, how they plan to combine apps and AI agents, and what it means for the future of email and work. PLUS they reveal how Grammarly’s 40M+ daily users already rely on email—and why this deal is the key to building the ultimate communication assistant. Don’t miss this deep dive into one of the most exciting AI acquisitions yet!

#AI #Startups #Productivity #Grammarly #Superhuman #VentureCapital #MergersAndAcquisitions

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction to the future of robotics and AI regulation(1:11) Introduction of hosts and overview of today's topics(4:19) Cloudflare's new pay per crawl product

(09:37) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(10:41) Polymarket segment on Apple's acquisition prospects(14:29) Grammarly and Superhuman CEOs interviews

(19:42) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(24:09) AI in productivity tools and email agents discussion(29:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(30:46) Grammarly's AI platform and the acquisition of Superhuman(41:16) Introduction of Manu Sharma from Labelbox(41:47) The role of data labeling in AI and Labelbox's data factory(53:44) Labelbox's market position and capital efficiency post-ChatGPT(1:03:00) Advances in humanoid robotics with Jeff Cardenas from Apptronik(1:07:09) Market readiness and capabilities of Apollo 2 robots(1:13:27) Humanoid robotics: Google DeepMind partnership and international competition(1:20:54) US federal support for R&D in robotics(1:22:10) The evolution of humanoid robotics and Apptronik's growth in Austin

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(09:37) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(19:42) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.

(29:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Rebuilding Civilization from First Principles: Inside Balaji’s Network State Vision | E2145 Jun 30, 2025

Today’s show: Jason sits down with Balaji Srinivasan in Singapore to explore how he's turning years of theory into reality with Network School—the first node of a broader vision for internet-native, decentralized societies. Balaji explains how these “sharp societies” combine education, co-living, and startup culture to create physical communities aligned by values, not geography. From digital nomads to aspiring founders, people are opting into these new systems as an alternative to broken traditional governance. They discuss everything from Starbase and sovereignty to the future of democracy, Bitcoin, and America’s place in a multipolar world.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction of Balaji Srinivasan and the impact of Bitcoin(1:39) The concept of Network School and Network State, including startup societies(4:05) Benefits and historical context of network effects in communities(7:08) Economic and social benefits of Network School(9:35) Global appeal and diverse motivations of Network School participants

(10:22) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:30) Media perspectives on new societies and the challenge of self-determination

(19:35) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(24:00) Personal experiences with US state migration and critique of California politics(27:11) The right to exit, thousand city system, and the two-party system

(29:44) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(31:09) Choosing a country like choosing a college and impressions of new cities(34:03) America's global reputation, politics, and the decline of empires(39:25) Dollar devaluation, Bitcoin's future, and global currency dynamics(41:26) Global power struggles: China versus the Internet and US demographics(44:01) Trump's tariffs, MAGA, and international trade realities(48:12) China's manufacturing dominance and US diplomatic legacy(54:39) The Internet's counterbalance to China and Bitcoin's future risks(1:00:31) Role of cryptocurrencies, quantum computing, and Bitcoin security(1:02:12) Cryptocurrency challenges and the resilience of Bitcoin(1:03:27) Network school state community and opportunities for investors(1:04:01) Closing remarks and final pitch for Network School

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Follow Lon:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:22) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:35) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(29:44) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(0:00)

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Travis’ Uber Comeback, AGI’s Stakes, Meta’s $100M AI Hires & Prediction Market Gold Rush | E2144 Jun 27, 2025

Today’s show:

EVs are igniting a global tariff war, and Xiaomi’s shockingly cheap, high-quality electric cars threaten to obliterate Western automakers, sparking fears of a manufacturing wipeout. In today’s brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex dive into the EV price war, Uber’s rumored plan to team up with Travis Kalanick on a self-driving takeover, and DoorDash’s mega-drones giving us a glimpse of the future of food delivery. Plus, Tesla’s cautious safety driver rollout shows we’re only in the early innings of the autonomous revolution, a consideration of Meta’s talent shopping spree, AND a new edition of Reddit Rapid Response. Don’t miss this deep dive into the future of cars, delivery, and AI.

Timestamps:

(02:24) Guess who’s BACK at Uber? On the Travis Kalahnik-Pony AI deal.

(10:43) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.

(17:24) All the huge opportunities for Kalshi, PolyMarket and prediction markets

(19:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(25:37) TODAY’S POLYMARKET: How well will Apple’s “F1” do at the box office?

(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

(31:58)What actually IS AGI? And why does it matter for the Microsoft-OpenAI negotiation?

(45:57) Inside Meta’s massive Superintelligence shopping spree: maybe it’s not so crazy to pay AI experts $100M?

(01:05:15) Reddit Rapid Response: Can you be a great founder if you hate doing cold sales?

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:43) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.

(19:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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https://cloud.google.com/

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Multi-Agent AI, Open Protocols & Startup Acceleration with Saurabh Tiwary | AI Basics Jun 26, 2025

In this episode, Jason dives deep into the future of multi-agent systems with Saurabh Tiwary, VP & GM of Cloud AI at Google. They explore how teams of AI agents—not just single models—can collaborate to solve complex problems, helping startups scale faster with fewer resources.

Saurabh introduces Google Cloud’s open frameworks:

Agent Development Kit (ADK) for building flexible, debuggable agents
Agent-to-Agent (A2A) Protocol, now part of the Linux Foundation
The emerging Multi-Agent Collaboration Protocol, enabling AI systems to work across platforms and organizations

They also discuss:

Why AI agents are evolving from task-doers to decision-makers
How multimodal inputs (text, image, video, voice) will supercharge agent capabilities
Why openness and interoperability will define the next era of AI infrastructure

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason introduces Saurabh Tiwary, VP & GM of Cloud AI at Google, and sets the stage for a deep dive on autonomous agents.

(1:09) What is an AI Agent Today?

(2:54) When Will Agents Actually Work?l

(6:30) Inside Google’s ADK (Agent Development Kit)

(8:35l) Agent-to-Agent Protocol & Open AI Standards

(11:35 ) Why Human-in-the-Loop Still Matters

(13:41) What’s Next: Multimodal Agents & Real Startup Use Cases

*

Google Cloud Report: “The Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups”

Free download → https://goo.gle/futureofai

Google Cloud Homepage

Google Cloud: Agent Development Kit (ADK)

https://developers.googleblog.com/en/agent-development-kit-easy-to-build-multi-agent-applications/

https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/agent-development-kit/quickstart

Agent-to-Agent (A2A) Protocol by Google

https://developers.googleblog.com/en/a2a-a-new-era-of-agent-interoperability/

Linux Foundation: A2A Protocol Overview

https://www.linuxfoundation.org/press/linux-foundation-launches-the-agent2agent-protocol-project-to-enable-secure-intelligent-communication-between-ai-agents

Google Research: AI Agents & Multi-Agent Systems

https://research.google/blog/accelerating-scientific-breakthroughs-with-an-ai-co-scientist/

https://cloud.google.com/transform/ai-agents-evolving-with-google-agentspace

Google’s Agentspace https://cloud.google.com/products/agentspace?hl=en

Google’s Vertex AI Agent Builder

https://cloud.google.com/products/agent-builder?hl=en

Watch more AI Basics episodes

https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics

*

Follow Saurabh:

X: https://x.com/saurkt

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurabh-tiwary/

*

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

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VC Roundtable: Recruiting Secrets, Second-Time Founders & Product-Market Fit Myths | E2143 Jun 26, 2025

Today’s show:

In this powerhouse VC roundtable, @Jason sits down with Sequoia’s Doug Leone and Cyberstarts’ Gili Raanan to share brutally honest insights on startup recruiting, evaluating second-time founders, and how to truly find product-market fit. They break down why big-tech résumés can be misleading, how to structure early teams, and what separates “missionary” talent from mercenaries. Plus, the myth of early ARR, the art of founder-board trust, and how AI is (and isn’t) reshaping startup velocity. Must-watch for founders, VCs, and anyone building from 0 to 1.

Timestamps:

(03:25) The origins of Wiz and how VCs know when to invest

(05:17) What qualities are investors looking for in founders and entrepreneurs?

(09:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(18:40) How to know when you’ve reached true Product Market Fit: the experts sound off

(19:20) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

(25:39) The secrets of recruiting top talent

(29:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(39:38) Judging a startup’s revenue quality and “founder vs. salesman” deals

(53:38) Is venture capital kind of a SCAM?

(55:00) Seed Investing: “Pick them right and early”

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(09:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(19:20) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(29:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI Producers, Tesla Robotaxis & the Rise of the “Tiny Teams” Era | E2142 Jun 24, 2025

Today’s show:

Tesla’s robotaxi launch, AI producers, job destruction, and smart toilets? In this episode of This Week in Startups, @Jason and @alex break down Tesla’s cautious rollout strategy, how AI is quietly replacing producers and employees, why second-movers like Tesla and Ramp often win, and how Throne Science is turning gut health into a billion-dollar market—with cameras in your toilet. Buckle up.

Timestamps:

(02:11) Introducing… PRODUCER CLAUDE!

(04:21) Tesla’s Robotaxis are out and about! But are they SAFE?!

(09:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:35) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(24:07) Grabbing market share, and why there’s “no reason to rush”

(29:59) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at [https://www.inbound.com/register](https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31)

(39:53) AI, Job Destruction, and what leaders aren’t saying out loud…

(48:43) Which startups are doing the most with the smallest teams?

(57:49) Mark Zuckerberg has entered FOUNDER MODE

(01:05:48) How Throne Science is improving everyone’s gut health

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(09:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:35) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(29:59) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at [https://www.inbound.com/register](https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31)

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The Strip Mining Era of LLMs—And Why It’s About to End | E2141 Jun 21, 2025

Today’s show:

AI has been feasting on the open web—but is the free lunch over? In this explosive episode, @Jason and @alex call out OpenAI and others for “strip mining” the internet’s content without paying creators. As lawsuits pile up and new defenses like AI-robots.txt emerge, a reckoning looms. Will AI be forced to pay for its training data? Dive into the legal, ethical, and business implications—including Substack’s stance, Cloudflare’s firewall, and Perplexity’s lawsuits—in what may be a turning point for the future of the web.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Concerns about AI data sourcing and sustainability(1:43) Recent travels and airline industry insights(5:28) Meta's AI strategy and market competition

(10:20) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(11:50) Meta's financial moves and AI focus(17:08) Midjourney's advancements in video AI

(20:30) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:33) Twist 500 companies and Cloudflare's anti-AI scraping tool(27:09) AI scraping: creator impact and regulation debate

(30:18) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(31:23) BBC lawsuit and Perplexity's AI challenges(35:44) Office hours with Giram Taitana of Doctours(42:55) Medical tourism: Psilocybin, IVF, and consumer trust(49:33) Design's role in trust and safety for medical platforms(55:57) Doctours' fundraising and insurance strategies(1:00:08) SEO and domain name tips for startups(1:02:50) Tesla's robo taxi launch and implications(1:08:13) Andy Jassy on AI's impact on employment(1:10:09) Discussing global job displacement and China's youth unemployment(1:14:53) The gig economy in the age of advanced AI

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:20) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(20:30) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:18) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

From Drones to Dystopia: The Future of Jobs, Fires & Meta’s AI Land Grab | E2140 Jun 18, 2025

Today’s show:

In this episode, @Jason and @alex explore how AI is reshaping the economy—from Pano AI’s $44M raise to fight wildfires with drones, to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s memo foreshadowing white-collar job cuts, to Meta’s stealth move poaching Scale AI talent. They dig into the collapse of early-career roles, the slow disappearance of the gig economy safety net, and why founders may want to think twice before building in public.

Timestamps:

(1:52) Travel chaos, laundry issues, and the Airbnb event(3:05) CO2 conference highlights and Zipline drone delivery innovation(5:24) AI’s effect on job disruption and white-collar retraining(09:46) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:01) Jassy on AI’s workforce impact and boosting teacher roles(13:23) Media evolution: market resilience and direct communication strategies(20:08) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)(21:14) OpenAI’s podcast, corporate media shifts, and Twist 500 highlights(30:02) NWRA - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(31:20) Insurance, AI, and OpenAI’s enterprise focus(41:11) Meta and Traversal’s AI bets; startup transparency(48:57) TikTok, US-China tension, and data privacy debate(56:43) Actuality.ai’s platform for AI-driven RFPs and enterprise pricing insights(1:11:00) Wrap-up and final thoughts with Rishab Gupta

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(09:46) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:08) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)

(30:02) NWRA - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Meta, Scale, and the Future of AI Labeling: Did Zuck Just Kill a Category? | E2139 Jun 17, 2025

Today’s show:

Meta just took a 49% stake in Scale AI, and the shockwaves are hitting the entire AI ecosystem. In this episode, @Jason and @alex unpack the deal’s implications: Google ($150M customer!) and others are fleeing Scale, worried Meta will hoard its RLHF infrastructure and cut off competitors. Startups like Labelbox, Turing, and Handshake are already seeing a demand surge. Is this smart vertical integration or anti-competitive overreach? Jason shares tactical advice for founders on how to capitalize when incumbents stumble—hire ex-Scale talent, build “Scale AI alternative” SEO pages, and hit the podcast circuit. Don’t miss this deep dive into AI’s shifting power dynamics.

Timestamps:

(04:01) Is Jason becoming an AI doomer?!

(9:52) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/⁠twist

(13:47) PostHog, and when is it okay for founders to break the rules?

(20:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(25:50) Why the Navy is recruiting startups

(30:12) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

(39:09) Did Zuck buy Scale in order to keep it from competitors?

(56:08) When does incentivizing customers turn into burning capital?

(1:04) How raising too much money could KILL your startup!

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:52) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/⁠twist

(20:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:52) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Stripe’s Crypto Wallet, M&A Momentum, and Robots Replacing Soul-Crushing Jobs | E2138 Jun 13, 2025

Today’s show:

In this episode of This Week in Startups, @Jason and @Alex break down Stripe’s big bet on crypto wallets with its latest acquisition of Privy, the return of major M&A activity from Meta, DoorDash, and Stripe, and the rapid rise of robotics replacing soul-crushing warehouse jobs. They dive into why today’s toy-like robot arms will become tomorrow’s billion-dollar tools, how stablecoins are quietly transforming fintech, and why Disney is going to war with AI platforms over IP theft. A must-watch if you’re building, investing, or just trying to understand where tech is headed next.

Timestamps:

(1:48) Startup Tip: "Find a service you hate and make it better"

(9:23) Why Stripe wants crypto wallet company Privy

(10:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(15:46) Klarna: The New Rent-a-Center?

(20:00) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.

(26:28) Why M&A is good and Lena Khan was wrong

(30:00) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(33:20) Robots are going to make your life better

(42:11) When toys become tools

(46:25) Tesla's on-the-road FSD tests... do they need safety drivers?

(54:13) Jason has the answer for all these AI copyright suits

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(20:00) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.

(30:00) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/MeghanKReynolds

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

TWIST VC Roundtable: Startup Valuations, Secondary Markets & the YC Revenue Illusion | E2137 Jun 12, 2025

Today’s show: Alex moderates a TWIST VC Roundtable with Jason, Paige Doherty (Behind Genius), and Altimeter’s Megan Reynolds about the state of early-stage venture capital. They break down the rise of secondary markets as a key liquidity path for VCs, analyze the resurgence in M&A activity from major players like Meta, Databricks, and OpenAI, and question whether inflated ARR figures from YC startups are distorting valuations. Jason shares his year-zero investment thesis and offers tactical advice on secondary structuring and identifying high-quality revenue. Whether you're raising, investing, or building, this episode delivers essential insights into the evolving early-stage landscape.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:28) Meet our panelists!(2:37) Will secondaries replace traditional M&A?(10:10) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(14:28) Has M&A actually bounced back?(20:06) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(25:35) Secondary market advice, just for founders(30:10) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(32:49) Why is it so hard for emerging managers to raise funds?

(38:28) Seed funds: the math is not mathing(52:07) Why early investors become “collateral damage”(56:31) The importance of revenue quality in early-stage startups(1:06:43) Quick Fire Question Round!

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Altimeter: https://www.altimeter.com/homeBehind Genius: https://www.behindgeniusventures.com/

Follow Meghan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghankreynolds/

Follow Paige:X: https://x.com/paigefinnn

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigedoherty/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:10) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(20:06) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

(30:10) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

YC Valuations, VC Slowdown, and Office Hours with CustomerIQ | E2136 Jun 10, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex dive into why Y Combinator startups are raising at sky-high valuations with relatively low ARR—what does that mean for investors and founders? VC funds are slowing down and returning to pre-ZIRP pacing, signaling a reset in the market. Plus, in this week’s Office Hours, Sean Steigerwald, founder of CustomerIQ, demos his AI sales agent that lives in your inbox, drafting follow-ups using CRM context. It’s a deep look at early-stage investing, startup efficiency, and where AI is headed in enterprise.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:09) Jason's Singapore trip recap and SoCal update(9:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:40) New rumblings from Mistral; is the French AI startup catching a tail wind?(19:40) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(26:23) VC investing pace is slowing... what does this mean for founders(29:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)(33:33) Founders' guide to raising capital(36:31) Gen AI companies are growing FAST but are there concerns about churn?(42:46) Is YC still worth it? Debating paper gains vs. DPI as metrics.(52:18) Office Hours with Sean Steigerald from Customer IQ: managing active users and more.

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Customer IQ: https://www.getcustomeriq.com/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:40) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(29:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Circle’s IPO Soars, The Future of VC and Cursor’s Crazy Growth | E2135 Jun 07, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex dicuss stories shaping the tech and startup world: Circle’s explosive IPO and what it signals about crypto regulation and public market sentiment, the potential for tokenized venture capital funds to bring liquidity and transparency to startup investing, and Cursor’s extraordinary growth—scaling to over $500M in ARR in just six months.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:25) Circle’s IPO is Soaring and What This Means for Tech(10:21) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(12:00) Is Tokenization the Future of Venture Capital?(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(22:40) Oh, THAT’S Why Anthropic Cutoff Windsurf(27:06) Can the Rippling - Deel Saga Get Anymore Bizarre?(30:22) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Team plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(34:08) Cursor Just Keeps on Winning(43:10) Polymarket: What Will Jerome Powell Do?

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:21) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(30:22) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Team plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Anthropic Cuts Off Windsurf, Deel Rewrites the Narrative and Flock Safety’s Surveillance Tech | E2134 Jun 04, 2025

Today’s show: Alex and Lon discuss Windsurf getting abruptly cut off from Anthropic just before a rumored $3B acquisition by OpenAI, sparking questions around platform risk and foundation-model politics; Deel defends itself by arguing the information it allegedly took was public or obvious, complicating its ongoing legal saga; and Flock Safety’s neighborhood-focused surveillance tech—combining LPR cameras and drones—positions itself as a privacy-conscious tool that gives elected officials control over community data governance.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:48) ADP's Employment Numbers Might Make Your Eyes Water(5:54) Is the Circle IPO Over Subscribed?(9:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(13:00) Anthropic Shows Sharp Elbows With Windsurf(19:55) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(20:57) Is It Really Stealing If It’s Public or Obvious? Deel Says No(29:23) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:50) The Space Future Alex Has Dreamed About(35:10) Anthropic Can’t Stop Scraping Reddit’s Data(42:44) Flock Safety is Bringing Surveillance To a Neighborhood Near You

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Impulse Space: https://www.impulsespace.com/

Flock Safety: https://www.flocksafety.com/

Follow Garrett:

X: https://x.com/glangley

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glangley/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(19:55) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(29:23) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Grammarly’s $1B Round, Brain Computers, and NYT Licenses To Amazon | E2133 Jun 02, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex discuss the hottest tech and startup news: Grammarly secures a massive $1B investment from General Catalyst to fuel its AI ambitions and expand into deeper enterprise offerings; a DARPA-backed brain-computer interface startup emerges as a serious Neuralink rival, signaling renewed momentum in the neurotech space; and The New York Times signs a licensing deal with Amazon, suggesting that traditional media may be starting to find common ground with large language models.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:26) Jason's take on Singapore's regional cuisine(5:50) Why founders should get permission first and more lessons from Udio, Suno, and Spotify(10:07) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist(15:54) The New York Times and Amazon signed a landmark AI deal: what's in it?(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(25:36) Why is Grammarly worth so much money?(30:14) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(39:15) How does Autopilot make money?(43:03) So how long until we all have a computer in our brain?(54:43) How much does revenue predictability really matter?(59:26) Laurene Powell Jobs and Jony Ive go FULL DOOMER(1:03:35) Perplexity, Samsung, and the rest...

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Udio: https://www.udio.com/

Jason’s Stolen Voice: https://x.com/Jason/status/1928995534276088151Autopilot: https://www.joinautopilot.com/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:07) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:14) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

How AthenaHQ and Browser Use Are Building the Next Layer of the Internet | E2132 May 30, 2025

Today’s show: Alex interviews two cutting-edge startups shaping the future of AI: AthenaHQ, pioneering “GEO” (Generative Engine Optimization) to help brands rank in AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Gemini, and Browser Use, building infrastructure that lets AI agents take real actions on the web—from form-filling to workflow automation. Both teams dive deep into how fast AI is evolving, how brands and developers can stay competitive, and why adaptability and technical precision are key in the era of intelligent search and autonomous agents.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:54) Athena HQ's Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategy(10:05) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(14:51) Will GEO Market Adoption Forever CHange Marketing?(19:50) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(22:58) How Being AI Model Agnostic Gives You An Edge(29:54) Superpower - Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up. (35:13) Browser Use and Making Smarter AI Agents(45:03) Will AI Agents Do Your Grocery Shopping For You?

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

AthenHQ: https://www.athenahq.ai/

Browser Use: https://browser-use.com/

Follow Andrew:

X: https://x.com/andrewyan200

Follow Magnus:X: https://x.com/mamagnus00

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:05) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:50) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(29:54) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Google’s AI Design Tool, Salesforce’s $8B Comeback Deal, and M&A Momentum Builds | E2131 May 28, 2025

In this episode, we cover three major stories shaping the startup and tech landscape. First, Google unveils Stitch, an AI-powered web design tool with one-click export to Figma—signaling a major disruption for freelance design marketplaces. Then, Salesforce returns to M&A with its $8B acquisition of Informatica, aiming to broaden its AI data stack beyond CRM. Finally, we break down the surge in startup M&A activity, with billion-dollar deals from OpenAI, DoorDash, and others—hinting at a major Q2 rebound. Don’t miss Jason’s insights on what these trends mean for founders and investors.

(0:00) Episode Teaser

(1:36) Jason’s in SINGAPORE

(3:14) The Power of Shame and why we need “Ozempic for screentime”

(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/⁠twist

(12:38) Google’s latest AI breakthrough: Stitch

(20:13) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(21:20) The NBA on Polymarket and what founders can learn from the Knicks

(27:08) Why did Salesforce buy Informatica?

(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

(32:42) M&A activity continues, and Jason’s spicy Q2 predictions

(40:57) Did tech go woke or was it just performative the whole time?

(45:22) Circle, stablecoins, and the perks of being pro-business

(51:27) What Trump’s “golden share” of US Steel might look like

(54:15) Why Jason is bullish on Joby

(57:28) Episode wrap-up and upcoming events

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

ClearSpace App: https://www.getclearspace.com/

Google Stitch: https://stitch.withgoogle.com/

Joby: https://www.jobyaviation.com/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/⁠twist

(20:13) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Apple’s Tariff Trouble, Anthropic’s New Models, and Our Founder Friday Finale | E2130 May 23, 2025

Today’s show: Trump takes aim at Apple with a potential 25% iPhone tariff, Anthropic releases two powerful new Claude models claiming top performance in coding tasks, and two founders go head-to-head in the final round of Founder Fridays. In this packed episode, Jason, Alex, and Lon unpack what Trump’s latest trade threat really means, why Anthropic’s AI progress could reshape the dev landscape, and which startup—an AI ad network or industrial automation platform—comes out on top. A fast-paced look at the volatility, breakthroughs, and ambition defining today’s startup ecosystem.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(3:41) MORE tariffs, this time on Apple… is this just a message to Tim Cook?(7:08) Potential impact of tariffs on Apple(10:09) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(14:14) Anthropic’s new models are topping the LLM charts but are they REALLY self-aware(20:07) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(24:35) Who should buy OnlyFans? Jason, Alex, and Lon each have ideas(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(35:10) Gut health is important but do we need SMART toilets?(40:34) Which TWiST 500 companies are blowing up on secondary markets?(47:27) The Founder Friday city competition FINAL ROUND: see which startup wins!

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Throne One: https://www.thronescience.com/product?

Arcana: https://arcana.ad/

TACTUN: https://tactun.com/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:09) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(20:07) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

David Friedberg on AI-First Startups & the Future of Biology, Business & Creativity | AI Basics with Google Cloud May 22, 2025

In this episode, Jason chats with David Friedberg—CEO of Ohalo Genetics and co-host of the All-In Podcast—about how AI is transforming agriculture and startups. David introduces Ohalo’s "Boosted Breeding" technology, which enables plants to inherit 100% of genes from both parents, potentially doubling crop yields. They also discuss building AI-first companies, genome language models, and the future of creativity in an AI-driven world.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Friedberg joins Jason to discuss AI Basics.

(1:44) How AI leveled up hiring and operations at startups

(5:46) AI and economic opportunities, complex problem-solving, and leadership's role

(11:48) How to build an AI-first company culture

(16:48) AI's transformative impact on biology and DNA sequencing

(21:36) The “GLM” - GPT for DNA Is already in production

(23:17) Biology meets AI: designing perfect plants with CRISPR and genome models

(32:08) Is the “Age of Abundance” around the corner?

(35:56) Democratization of creativity through AI: personalized Star Wars musicals & the future of media

*

Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. Discover what 23 AI industry leaders think about the future of AI—and how it impacts your business. Read their perspectives here: https://goo.gle/futureofai

*

Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics

Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/

Check out Ohalo: https://www.ohalo.com/

*

Follow David:

X: https://x.com/friedberg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfriedberg/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Jony Ive Joins OpenAI, Waymo Hits 10M Rides, and How to Launch a Marketplace from Scratch | E2129 May 21, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex dicsuss Jony Ive's $6.5B deal with OpenAI and what it means for the future of AI hardware, Tesla’s push into robotaxis vs. Waymo’s 10M paid rides, and Microsoft’s latest move partnering with xAI. We dive into the GENIUS Act and what it means for stablecoin regulation, explore practical, gritty tactics for launching and scaling a marketplace from scratch, and debate the ethics of AI-powered smart glasses and always-on recording. Plus, Jason reflects on the legacy of Scott Adams and the power of systems thinking.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:00) A broadcaster-to-broadcaster moment for Scott Adams(5:18) OpenAI teams with Jony Ive, and why wearables are banned from the J-Ranch(10:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(16:11) From Partnership to Purchase: The M&A Story(20:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(25:42) Robotaxis EVERYWHERE, and thoughts on the continuing self-driving car rollout(30:12) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions(34:41) Should we trust stablecoins now? And who is actually monitoring this?(42:54) Polymarkets: Checking in with some of our favorite market(49:58) REDDIT QUESTION: How do I build a marketplace?(58:53) Customer feedback's role in product iteration(58:55) Every piece of SaaS advice EVER

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Polymarket: https://polymarket.com/

Polymarket for AI Leaderes: https://polymarket.com/event/which-company-has-best-ai-model-on-june-30

LMArena: https://www.lmarena.ai

Real Coffee with Scott Adams: https://www.youtube.com/RealCoffeeWithScottAdams

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(20:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:12) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Drones, Design, and Digital Espionage | E2128 May 20, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Lon explore the wild edges of tech innovation and regulation — from a student-built acoustic weapon that takes down drones (without harming humans) to the legal gray areas of drone defense over private property. They also unpack the escalating espionage drama between Rippling and Deel, and dive into FireCrawl’s viral move to hire AI agents as employees. Plus, a deep look at how world-class design and systems thinking can set startups apart. Packed with insights, laughs, and cutting-edge ideas across defense tech, AI, and startup strategy.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:39) Intro and Jason and Lon share their love of Andor(6:52) How to spot "World Class Design" and why it matters(10:27) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(15:50) Athena, Hillstone, and creating the right system(20:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(23:21) So... corporate espionage is BAD? is what you're saying?(30:14) Gemini Canvas - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.(32:11) Why Firecrawl is hiring AI agents for staff positions(38:28) Bluesky might not be falling after all?(44:39) How Prandtl Dynamics is shooting drones out of the sky

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Prandtl: https://prandtldynamics.com/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:27) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(20:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(30:14) Gemini Canvas - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Microsoft Layoffs, Immigration Blunders, & Office Hours with Jeremy Redman of Airfive | E2127 May 16, 2025

Today’s show: Microsoft lays off 6,000 employees despite record profits, signaling a ruthless new phase in big tech. Jason, Lon, and Alex discuss what it means for the talent market, why tightening U.S. immigration could cripple startup innovation, and whether AI startup Windsurf is selling too early as OpenAI circles. Plus, Klarna’s AI customer service backfires, IPO momentum returns, and Office Hours with airfive founder Jeremy Redman pitches a bold new prepaid SaaS model.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:40) Why ex-Microsoft staffers are talking smack on Blind(10:08) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(15:58) Checking out ElevenLabs’ wild new AI soundboard(20:28) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(24:02) What is Bottom Up TAM and why it isn’t dirty like it sounds(30:10) Google Gemini - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.(33:52) Cohere missed revenue estimates but things aren’t THAT bleak!(37:01) Why America NEEDS highly skilled immigrants(43:12) Working the “I Have a Secret” strategy with Jeremy from Airfive

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

EleveLabs Sound Board: https://elevenlabs.io/sound-effects/soundboardLikable: https://likeable.co/airfive: https://airfive.com/

Follow Jeremy:X: https://x.com/thejeremyredmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejeremyredman/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:08) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(20:28) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(30:10) Google Gemini - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Chime’s IPO, Databricks’ $1B Acquisition & Dave Rubin’s Media Empire | E2126 May 15, 2025

Today’s show: Chime is finally going public with strong financials and a shot at matching its $25B 2021 valuation, signaling real momentum in the IPO market. Databricks just made a $1B bet on agentic AI by acquiring Neon, a Postgres-as-a-service startup riding the new database wave. Then, Dave Rubin joins to share how he built and sold Locals, his uncancellable creator platform, all while navigating the intense media landscape.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:14) Jason and Alex open the show(1:42) Why Chime’s IPO is such a promising sign(7:22) Chime's financials and valuation(10:12) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:17) So why did Databricks buy Neon?(13:22) Where is the AI Integration Desktop App?(17:29) Jason’s plan to bring Americans back to the movies(20:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:58) Make movies All-you-can-eat!(26:26) Special Guest: Dave Rubin(30:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(31:41) Why Dave Rubin goes phone free for weeks at a time(45:24) Why Identity politics is killing business and sports(49:23) Can Locals reinvent subscription models?

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Rubin Report on Locals: https://rubinreport.locals.com/

Follow Dave:

X: https://x.com/RubinReport

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdKr0Bgd_5saZYqLCa9mng

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:12) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(30:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Agentic AI Meets Cybersecurity + Solar Robots in the Desert | E2125 May 13, 2025

Today’s show: Alex interviews founders from two frontier technologies reshaping our world. First, ZioSec is tackling the cybersecurity risks of AI agents with continuous adversarial testing before real attacks happen. Then, Terabase shows how mobile robotic factories are transforming solar energy deployment, assembling massive solar farms directly in the desert. With AI scaling across enterprises and clean energy demand surging, these startups are building critical infrastructure for our future.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction to the episode(0:53) Show Kickoff with Alex(1:15) ZioSec is Putting Agentic AI in Charge of Cybersecurity(9:41) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(11:07)How Complex is ZioZec’s Testing?(19:48) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.(21:01) ZioSec’s Vision for the Future(26:55) Terabase Wants to Transform How Solar is Built(30:00) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.(31:30) Is Solar Our AI Power Problem Savior?

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Links from episode:

Check out ZioSec: https://ziosec.com/

Check out Terabase: http://www.terabase.energy

Follow Aaron:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-walls/

X: https://x.com/aaron0walls

Follow Andruis:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/auseckas/

Follow Terabase:X: https://x.com/terabaseenergy?lang=en

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:41) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

(19:48) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.

(30:00) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Anti-Work Uprising, Copyright Wars & the StreamFog Solution | E2124 May 13, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Lon & Alex are back with a spicy Monday episode of This Week in Startups. Jason goes off on unions vs capitalism, we dig into why fewer seed startups are making it to Series A, and look at OpenAI’s quiet copyright land grab. Plus: YC says Google should be broken up (then kind of walks it back), Perplexity’s wild $14B valuation, and Saudi Arabia wants its own national AI. We wrap with an Office Hours chat with Kevin Bondzio from Streamfog on the future of AR ads in livestreaming.

*

Timestamps:

(2:38) Why Jason’s obsessed with Reddit’s anti-work community

(10:30) Coda - Get started for free at https://coda.io/twist

(12:21) Seed Stage Graduation rates

(20:43) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(26:11) What’s going on with Tech M&A?

(30:04) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(33:50) What’s going on with the Copyright Office?

(37:24) Licensing and competitive advantage in the AI era

(48:28) AI and the future of subscription-based content(56:42) StreamFog wants to change the way creators advertise

(1:14:13) Perplexity’s mega-valuation gets even mega-er

(1:19:13) How Saudi Arabia just became an AI startup

(1:22:05) Y Combinator pokes it’s nose in the Google antitrust case

*

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from episode:

Check out Streamfog: https://streamfog.com/

Check out Peter Walkers post on “Graduating from Seed to Series A” https://x.com/PeterJ_Walker/status/1921288778192200087

Learn about the HUMAIN here: https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2316474

*

Follow Kev:

X: https://x.com/kevbondzio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-bondzio/

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:30) Coda - Get started for free at https://coda.io/twist

(20:43) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(30:04) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

OpenAI Scoops Instacart’s CEO, AI in the Courtroom & Off-Road Startups | E2123 May 10, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon break down OpenAI’s latest power move: hiring Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to lead its consumer apps. They also dive into the ethical storm brewing around an AI-generated victim statement used in court — is this the future of legal testimony? Plus, they explore how late-stage funding rounds like a “Series G” don’t automatically spell trouble anymore, and what The Checklist Manifesto can teach startup founders. Stick around for another Office Hours, where WhereToWheel gets a shot at the spotlight.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) We kick off the show!

(2:28) Intro: It's all about having a system...

(8:52) Wait, OpenAI STOLE Instacart's CEO?

(10:00) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions

(18:03) Why Adam Curry is the Podfather

(20:08) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(22:53) Would you want to be represented in court by an AI Avatar?

(30:44) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(35:38) What the heck is "Minor M&A"?

(48:10) When are we all getting humanoid robots?

(53:30) Where2Wheel wants to help you off-road

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from episode:

Check out Wheel2Wheel: https://dev.where2wheel.com/

*

Follow Where2Wheel:

X: https://x.com/Where2Wheel

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/where2wheel-llc/

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:00) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions

(20:08) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(30:44) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Zoox Crash Fallout, COATUE’s $1B Open Fund, and Office Hours with FusionAds | E2122 May 08, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Lon & Alex discuss the day’s hottest tech and startup news. Zoox’s robotaxi crash and voluntary recall, COATUE’s innovative open-ended venture fund that could democratize private tech investing, the NSO Group's massive $167M fine for spyware abuse, Uber’s record-setting earnings and in-person work push, and a candid AI wake-up call from Fiverr’s CEO urging employees to embrace automation or fall behind. From regulatory shakeups to funding innovation and the rise of AI productivity, this episode captures the chaos and opportunity of tech in 2025.

Timestamps:

(1:09) Show Intro

(2:43) Will Coatue's new low buy-in fund replace or supplement traditional VC investments?

(9:55) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/⁠twist

(13:38) Zoox issues recall: why this might be the best case scenario for self-driving cars.

(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:39) Meta wins settlement against NSO: do spyware companies even need to exist?

(25:45) Uber bests expectations in Q1! Why their future is looking bright.

(29:48) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

(33:10) How scared should we be of AI replacing us? Fiverr's CEO says VERY.

(40:57) In Office Hours, Evan from FusionAds wants to know: how to make clients feel more confident in with AI-generated marketing?

(50:03) The Founder Friday Tournament's Final Four is now... a FINAL FIVE?!

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Do Things That Don’t Scale: https://paulgraham.com/ds.html

FusionAds: https://www.fusionos.ai/ai-generative-advertising

Follow Evan:X: https://x.com/EG_Fusion

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evangraj/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:55) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.co

(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(29:48) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Cursor’s $9B Round, AI-Powered Toys & CloudNuro’s SaaS Fix | E2121 May 06, 2025

Today’s show: Cursor’s explosive growth, hitting $200M in ARR and a massive $9B valuation. They also explore the buzz around Magical Toys’ new AI-powered dinosaur, where LLMs meet playtime. The conversation turns to “vibe coding” and how AI dev tools are changing the way product teams build. Plus, Jason shares stories from his Formula 1 poker table, Uber’s latest autonomous vehicle partnerships get analyzed, and we bring you highlights from our Founder Fridays pitch showdown, featuring Kippy from Sydney and MomSub from Chicago. Stick around to hear how Cloud Neuro is tackling SaaS sprawl.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(3:52) Rise in popularity of F1 and Netflix's impact

(10:23) Uber stock, partnerships, and self-driving technology

(10:47) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

today!

(13:50) Aurora Innovation's SPAC and Cursor's valuation discussion

(19:07) Revenue quality concerns for startups

(20:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(21:37) User engagement versus churn in startups

(23:06) AnySphere's ARR and impact of faster development on tech

(30:29) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(32:11) Anker's portable solar solutions and off-grid living innovations

(37:41) Jason's investment insights on Warner Brothers and Disney

(38:27) Skype's decline and the rise of Zoom and Microsoft Teams

(42:04) Founder Friday bracket final matchup and pitches

(51:08) Interview with Fateen Anam Raffid from Magical Toys

(59:24) Dino AI toy demonstration and future plans

(1:04:20) Interview on CloudNuro's SaaS spend management

(1:10:01) SaaS compliance, vendor-customer relationships, and AI spend management

(1:16:09) CloudNuro's data-driven foundation and AI governance

(1:18:46) Company growth, competitive landscape, and Chicago's entrepreneurial ecosystem*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Links from episode:

Magical Toys: https://www.magicaltoys.com

CloudNuro: https://www.cloudnuro.ai/

*

Follow Fateen:

X: https://x.com/Fateen_Anam

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Follow Shyam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyam-kumar-7b18524/:*

Follow Lon:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:47) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

today!

(20:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(30:29) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com/ Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Apple’s App Store Loss, AI Persuasion, and an Interview with Tyler Denk of Beehiiv | E2120 May 02, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Lon, and Alex break down a loaded week in tech: Apple’s 27% App Store “link-out” fee gets shut down by a judge—unlocking margin for startups and slashing CAC; AI bots on Reddit’s r/ChangeMyView are now 6x more effective than humans at changing minds, signaling a seismic shift in online discourse; and Beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk joins to discuss building in public, rapid product iteration, and the irony of being critiqued like a market leader for innovating too fast. The big takeaway? AI is evolving fast, gatekeepers are falling, and founders who build through chaos are best positioned to win.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:20) Introduction and venture capital power law(4:14) Economic data and labor market trends(8:19) Mimicking trades and Dub's Series A funding

(10:05) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.(14:48) Apple App Store ruling and startup implications

(19:44) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(21:44) App store fees and antitrust concerns(27:34) Fivetran's acquisition and Lena Khan's impact on VC(29:58) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(32:02) Venture capital scenarios and M&A future(37:23) Jason’s Starbucks tweet and union perspectives(45:02) Reddit's AI experiment and online discourse(48:16) Interview with Tyler Denk from Beehiiv(49:52) Beehiiv overview and customer base(51:02) Beehiiv's revenue strategy and Boost feature(57:06) Balancing revenue streams and feature quality(1:04:30) MRR growth and founder transparency(1:08:05) Brand marketing impact and staying focused(1:11:44) Hiring challenges and platform comparisons(1:14:01) Twist 500 initiative update

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/

Follow Tyler:X: https://x.com/denk_tweets

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:05) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

(19:44) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(29:58) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

What's Next for AI Infrastructure with Amin Vahdat | AI Basics with Google Cloud May 01, 2025

In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with Amin Vahdat, VP of ML at Google Cloud, to unpack the mind-blowing infrastructure behind modern AI. They dive into how Google’s TPUs power massive queries, why 2025 is the “Year of Inference,” and how startups can now build what once felt impossible. From real-time agents to exponential speed gains, this is a look inside the AI engine that’s rewriting the future.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason introduces today’s guest Amin Vahdat

(3:18) Data movement implications for founders and historical bandwidth perspective

(5:29) The shift to inference and AI infrastructure trends in startups and enterprises

(8:40) Evolution of productivity and potential of low-code/no-code development

(11:20) AI infrastructure pricing, cost efficiency, and historical innovation

(17:53) Google's TPU technology and infrastructure scale

(23:21) Building AI agents for startup evaluation and supervised associate agents

(26:08) Documenting decisions for AI learning and early AI agent development

*

Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. Discover what 23 AI industry leaders think about the future of AI—and how it impacts your business. Read their perspectives here: https://goo.gle/futureofai

*

Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics

Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/

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Follow Amin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vahdat/?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Bittensor’s Rise, Meta’s Llama Goes Cloud, & AI Now Writes Your Code | E2119 May 01, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, Lon and Special Guest Mark Jeffrey of Hash Rate, cover the explosive rise of Bittensor, a decentralized AI compute network some are calling the “third great coin” after Bitcoin and Ethereum, explore Meta’s bold move to host its open-source LLaMA models via partnerships with Groq and Cerebras—potentially setting the stage for a future AWS competitor—and unpack shocking revelations from the Wall Street Journal about Meta AI chatbots engaging in inappropriate conversations with underage users. Plus, we explore how AI is now writing up to 30% of code at major tech firms like Google and Microsoft, signaling a radical shift in how software gets built.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:28) Introduction to the episode and guests(2:31) Mark Jeffrey's involvement in crypto and Bittensor project(5:06) Bitcoin vs. Bittensor: Stability and efficiency(10:20) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.(15:16) Governance, staking, and starting a subnet in Bittensor(17:52) Exploring Ready.AI and its impact on the future of AI(20:08) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(27:17) Trump's influence on crypto regulations and the stablecoin act(30:03) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist(38:42) AI-driven VC outreach and Alexis Ohanian's advice on cold emailing(45:03) Introducing LayerNext with CEO Buddhika Madduma and customer onboarding challenges(49:04) Ikigai for startups and balancing bespoke work with scalable product development(55:38) Strategies for securing lighthouse customers and the 'bear hug' approach(56:43) Reddit rapid response: Debating the return to office for young professionals(1:04:05) Closing remarks and guest plugs

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from episode:

Hash Rate Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@markjeffrey

LayerNext: https://www.layernext.ai/

r/antiwork: https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/

Follow Mark:

X: https://x.com/markjeffrey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjeffrey/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:20) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

(20:08) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:03) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Meta’s Dangerous Chat, Protect AI & Founder Fridays Pitch Comp | E2118 Apr 29, 2025

Today’s show: we break down the wild story behind Meta’s AI chatbots going completely off the rails — including a bombshell WSJ exposé about bots flirting with minors. Then they cover Palo Alto Networks’ huge $500M+ acquisition of Protect AI, and sit down with the founder of Formulate, who’s building a robotic kitchen for chemicals and cosmetics. Plus, we get into some spicy takes on the secret group chats shaping tech behind the scenes, whether AI can clean up bad code faster than humans, and a Founder Fridays Texas showdown between Osprey and Wispr.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show.

(1:45) Jason’s recent trip to Detroit.

(7:47) The influence of group chats on tech, politics, and Trumpism

(10:54) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(19:48) The importance of proactive communication in media

(20:04) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠ https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(21:44) Palo Alto Networks acquires Protect AI

(28:57) ARX Robotics and the future of autonomous military platforms

(29:31) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

(35:27) Sentra's $50M Series B in data security posture management

(42:16) Lightrun's $70M Series B and venture capital trends

(51:28) Meta's AI chatbots, ethical concerns, and Founder Friday competition

(1:05:19) Formulate interview with Osmaan Shah

(1:11:52) Scaling microfactories and the benefits of Formulate's platform

(1:21:10) Business model and future of robotics in manufacturing

(1:24:38) Potential applications in food and agriculture for Formulate Robotics

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from episode:

Check out Formulate Robotics: https://www.linkedin.com/company/formulaterobotics/posts/?feedView=all

Check out Protect AI: https://protectai.com/

Check out Lightrun: https://lightrun.com/

Check out Sentra: https://www.sentra.io/

Check out the WSK article on Meta’s “Digital Companions”: https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-chatbots-sex-a25311bf?st=6jzH4S&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Check out ARX Robotics: https://www.arx-robotics.com/

*

Follow Osmaan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osmaanshah/

X: https://x.com/osmaanshah

*

Follow Lon:

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:54) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(20:04) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(29:31) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Discord’s Power Move, Slate’s Modular EVs & the “Act for Private Gain” | E2117 Apr 25, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon break down today’s top tech and startup stories — from Slate Auto’s customizable $25K EV truck to Discord’s major leadership shakeup ahead of a potential IPO. They also cover Uber’s self-driving push with Volkswagen, Perplexity AI’s aggressive growth moves, and why value-driven products are winning in a tough economy. Plus, Alex sits down with Tailscale CEO Avery Pennarun to unpack how they grew from 5K to 10K customers — and why fixing internet networking could spark the next huge wave of innovation.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason, Lon and Alex kick off the show!

(3:26) Introduction and features of Bezos-backed EV truck company, Slate

(7:55) Market impact and value proposition of Slate's EV trucks

(9:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(14:04) EV features and market potential discussion

(17:42) Discord CEO steps down and IPO prospects

(20:19) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(24:00) Uber and Volkswagen's self-driving car partnership

(28:39) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.

(30:00) Pace of self-driving car adoption and regulation

(37:20) Butterfly Effect secures Benchmark investment

(38:37) Perplexity and Motorola Razr partnership

(43:12) Jason's experience with Light Phone

(45:39) New York Times and Ziff Davis lawsuits against OpenAI

(50:09) Nonprofit structures and OpenAI's mission issues

(54:01) Founder Friday: Pitchfire and TACTUN's two-year plans

(1:02:28) Introduction to Tailscale and Avery Pennarun

(1:10:17) Tailscale's enterprise adoption

(1:21:13) Current Internet networking issues*

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*

Links from episode:

Check out Tailscale: https://tailscale.com/

Check out Slate vehicles: https://www.slate.auto/en

Check out Not For Private Gain:https://notforprivategain.org/

Check out the Light Phone: https://www.thelightphone.com/

Check out Oregon lawmakers article: ****https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/04/oregon-lawmakers-to-decide-whether-big-tech-should-pay-to-support-local-journalism.html

Check out Manus: https://manus.im/

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(20:19) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(28:39) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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X: https://x.com/ShaunSavage19

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Cursor’s $300M ARR, Uber’s FTC Battle, and Office Hours with GoShare | E2116 Apr 23, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex and Lon unpack the FTC’s lawsuit against Uber and what it could mean for subscription UX, break down how AI startup Cursor is growing faster than almost any SaaS company in history, and discuss how dark patterns, consumer trust, and regulatory scrutiny are reshaping product design. They also touch on the future of big tech breakups, share insights from founder Office Hours with GoShare CEO Shaun Savage, highlighting the power of focus, capital, and customer obsession for startups navigating turbulent markets.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Tease(1:21) Jason talks about personal interests, frugality, and TWIST live tour(7:29) Nick Huber's tweet on tariffs and business impact(9:58) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(11:22) Market uncertainty and paused deals(13:57) Trump's market feedback and tariffs(16:29) Cursor's rapid revenue growth(19:44) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(21:16) Valuation discussion continuation and FTC sues Uber(29:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(31:26) FTC dark patterns and consumer protection(33:23) Founder Friday bracket competition: LifeStack vs MedSimple(43:50) Introduction to GoShare and founder Shaun Savage(45:57) Regulatory challenges in the gig economy and supply chain resilience(57:37) Diversification strategies for GoShare's delivery professionals(1:00:23) Benefits of office hours and brainstorming with portfolio companies(1:01:26) Founder University and Launch Accelerator updates

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Links from episode:

GoShare: https://goshare.co/

Founder University: https://www.founder.university/

Follow Shaun:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunsavage/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:58) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(19:44) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(29:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Robot Lifeguards, TapCheck’s Payday Play & Thalamus’s Wild Market Share | E2115 Apr 21, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Lon break down the biggest stories in tech and startups this week: OpenAI’s new models are powerful but glitchy, Meta’s internal docs hint that Zuck knows the Facebook friends graph is toast, and fintech startup TapCheck might actually be doing some good. Plus, robot lifeguards and humanoid races — the wildest videos of the week and what they mean. Then, Alex sits down with Jason Reminick, founder of Thalamus, the platform that helps match medical residents to hospitals (with 85% market share!). They talk about becoming a Public Benefit Corp and how Thalamus is tackling the doctor shortage in the U.S.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show(1:43) OpenAI's new models and issues with Wikipedia as AI knowledge bases

(8:27) FTC antitrust case around Meta; breaking up big tech

(11:13) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:04) Tapcheck's impact on employee retention and minimum wage variations

(19:56) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(24:31) New company Revel's safety software

(27:14) Humanoid robot marathon in Beijing

(30:15) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://brex.com/banking-solutions

(35:46) New color discovery “Olo”

(40:30) Blue Sky is Falling: Robots, delivery, surveillance, and privacy concerns(55:20) Alex sits down with Jason Reminick of Thalamus

(56:01) Thalamus and the medical residency application process

(59:42) AI in residency applications and standardizing medical school grades

(1:03:30) Thalamus' market share and collaboration with medical associations

(1:10:08) Impact of budget cuts on rural hospitals and business model expansion

*

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Links from episode:

Check out Thalamus: https://www.thalamusgme.com/

Check out the Robot Lifeguard: https://oceanalpha.com/product-item/dolphin1/

Check out TapCheck: https://www.tapcheck.com/

*

Follow: Jason Reminick

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-reminick-md-mba-ms-bb251645/

Thalamus on X: https://x.com/ThalamusGME/status/1757812695787581485*

Follow Lon:

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:13) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:56) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(30:15) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://brex.com/banking-solutions

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

LMArena Goes Startup, AI App Wars Begin, Scott Bair’s Design Playbook | E2114 Apr 18, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon discuss the rise of LMArena as it spins out into a full-fledged startup, what that means for AI benchmarking, and how it could monetize its growing community. They also dive into the emerging value of application-layer AI startups and why OpenAI’s acquisition spree is just beginning. Plus, branding expert Scott Bair drops tactical design tips for founders—from logos to product UX—that can give your startup the edge.

Timestamps:

(0:00) AI companies and value accrual in the AI rush(1:29) Productivity in remote work(5:12) Overview of LM Arena as a startup(7:22) Business models for AI and benchmarking(10:05) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(14:16) Milestone-based investing and early-stage funding(16:34) OpenAI's acquisition moves and AI market dynamics(20:12) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(21:15) Intangible value and strategic acquisitions in AI(24:30) High valuations and consumer AI pricing models(26:00) The rise of drone startups and autonomous weapon systems(29:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(32:00) Venture interest in drones and geopolitical considerations(32:30) Branding, design, and founder questions(43:51) Brand mission and work environment culture(47:10) Savage my startup and live clinic(49:30) Logo design and color theory(56:29) Designing great websites and apps(59:29) Founder University website review(1:00:49) Closing remarks and social media plugs

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Check out:

Lunour: https://www.lunour.com/

Founder Fridays: https://www.founderfridays.tech/

Founder University: https://www.founder.university/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:05) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(20:12) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openpjhone.com/twist

(29:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI Progress and Impact on Ecosystem Players with CapitalG’s Jill Chase | AI Basics with Google Cloud Apr 17, 2025

In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with CapitalG partner Jill Chase to break down how AI is reshaping the startup ecosystem — from founders to investors to incumbents. They cover how CapitalG (Alphabet’s independent growth fund) thinks about the AI stack, why speed alone isn’t enough for startups today, and how to build durable advantages in a world where anyone can copy your product. Jill shares insights from portfolio companies like Motif (next-gen CAD for architecture) and Abridge (AI-powered doctor’s scribe), plus how startups can use AI “in the business” (product) and “on the business” (ops, GTM, etc). They also explore the transition from copilots to agents — and what that means for the next wave of software. If you’re building or investing in AI, this is a must-watch.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:10) CapitalG's investment strategy in AI

(3:04) Understanding value in AI investments

(5:16) Durability in AI startups and market challenges

(10:18) Practical applications of AI in business

(17:52) Case studies of successful AI startups

(21:35) Building massive businesses with small teams

(23:55) Evolution from AI copilots to autonomous agents

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Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. Discover what 23 AI industry leaders think about the future of AI—and how it impacts your business. Read their perspectives here: https://goo.gle/futureofai

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Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics

Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/

Check out CapitalG: https://www.capitalg.com/

*

Follow Jill:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-greenberg-chase-53747538/

X: https://x.com/jillchase124

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Cuts CEO Talks Tariffs, Figma's IPO Buzz, and a Nerd Crawler Update | E2113 Apr 17, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon discuss Figma’s surprise IPO filing following its $1B breakup from Adobe, OpenAI’s quiet push into social networking through a Sora image-sharing feed, and how sweeping new China tariffs are wreaking havoc on ecommerce companies—impacting jobs, supply chains, and pricing. Plus: the Substack vs. Patreon battle heats up, Lyft expands internationally, and we talk to the founders of Nerd Crawler and Cuts Clothing about how policy decisions ripple through startup land. A packed show with insights founders can’t afford to miss.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Tariffs impact on ecommerce and CPG(2:22) Figma files to go public and Adobe's billion-dollar breakup fee(6:48) IPO market, competition, and Hammerspace's $100 million raise

(9:34) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(11:32) Patreon's new streaming feature and Substack's growth(19:08) Jason's experience with Patreon and Substack apps(19:33) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(25:58) OpenAI's new social network and Temu’s Google Shopping ads shutdown(29:24) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(37:11) Nerdcrawler's business model and comic book industry economics(42:33) Marketplaces, scaling challenges, and tariff policy impact on startups(47:29) Steven Borrelli's viral tweet on tariffs and administration response(50:26) Effects of tariffs on costs, supply chain, and American manufacturing(57:56) Infrastructure, investment for US production, and potential layoffs(1:02:34) Closing remarks, endorsements, and quality of Cuts clothing(1:04:25) Addressing misconceptions about Asian manufacturing(1:05:00) OpenAI acquisition of Codium and market impact of tariff fears(1:05:52) Critique of tariff policy communication and domestic job creation discussion

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Check out:

Nerd Crawler: https://nerdcrawler.com

Cuts: https://www.cutsclothing.com/

Follow Lon:

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:34) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

(19:33) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(29:24) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Vertical AI Innovations: Abacus LLM in Finance & Synthesia's Video Avatars | E2112 Apr 15, 2025

Today’s show: Alex interviews founders from Abacus and Synthesia—two companies leading the charge in vertical AI. Abacus is deploying on-prem LLMs to banks and insurers with a focus on data control, accuracy, and integration with legacy infrastructure. Synthesia just hit $100M ARR by helping 70% of the Fortune 100 turn internal documents into scalable AI video. If you're interested in how generative AI is moving from hype to real enterprise utility, this one's for you.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction to vertical AI with Abacus and Synthesia(1:57) Real-world applications of AI in regulated industries & Interview with Abacus founder David Moscatelli(5:02) Unique challenges for banks and credit unions using AI & Abacus OS private LLM(9:56) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(11:57) Abacus features, benefits, and customer acquisition strategies(12:27) Decentralized indexer, data integration, and voice AI technology with VAPI(19:58) Vapi - Go to vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.(24:47) On-premise setup, combating AI hallucinations, and trust in AI responses(30:08) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.(33:40) Abacus company growth, fundraising, and sales hiring(38:25) Introduction to Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli, AI avatars, and building a startup in Europe(41:34) Synthesia’s market positioning, target use cases, and personalized avatars(46:33) Synthesia's training data, partnerships, and improvements in AI avatar technology(55:57) Synthesia’s growth, Fortune 100 companies usage, and financial aspects(1:00:21) AI model competition, market appetite, and enterprise focus(1:02:09) Future of AI in video creation, ethicalconsiderations, and Synthesia's plans

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Check out:

Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/

Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:56) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(19:58) Vapi - Go to vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

(30:08) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

HuggingFace Buys Pollen Robotics, DHH & Bezos Founder Advice & a JCal Origin Story | E2111 Apr 15, 2025

Today’s show: In this episode, Jason, Alex, and Lon dive into Blue Origin’s all-female celeb spaceflight (yes, Katy Perry sang on reentry), Hugging Face’s unexpected move into robotics, and Jack Dorsey’s wild take that we should “delete all IP law.” Plus, they break down Figure AI’s eye-popping $39B valuation, the risks of SPVs, and what founders and investors can learn from the SPAC boom. As Jason puts it: “You just have to assume an 80% failure rate.”

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(1:34) Blue Origin all-female crew launch and space tourism

(7:17) Emerging technologies and tech adoption trends

(10:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(12:38) Hugging Face acquires Pollen Robotics; Open AI and robotics debate

(19:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:42) Significance of Hugging Face in generative AI; Jack Dorsey's IP law stance

(25:01) U.S. high-tech job market; revisiting IP law discussions

(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(31:03) IP law and American innovation(32:22) Challenges in startup exits and secondary trading platforms

(37:09) Figure AI's valuation controversy

(46:37) Startup insights and investing perspectives

(50:39) Jeff Bezos on risk assessment

(57:03) Jason’s personal journey and reflections

(1:02:06) Developing a samurai mindset; societal systems abstraction

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(19:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Palantir's Fellowship, Coco Robots & Startup Office Hours | E2110 Apr 12, 2025

Today’s show: We dive into the latest tech and startup news — including Palantir’s bold new fellowship program that challenges the traditional college path, and DoorDash’s rollout of burrito-delivering Coco robots in LA and Chicago. We debut our new segment “Tips from the Trenches,” focused on how to land your first customers, and wrap up with two great Office Hours: BRX.ai (self-healing AI agents) and InviteJet (calendar-based marketing). Plus, one founder’s wild story about a fake investor using an AI deepfake on Zoom. Don’t miss Jason’s tactical GTM advice and a reminder that if no one complains about your pricing, you’re probably too cheap.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(2:01) Palantir's new fellowship program and alternative education paths

(9:12) Digg's Groundbreakers program and paid community model

(10:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:21) DoorDash's partnership with Coco robotics for deliveries and the future of robotic deliveries

(20:26) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(21:56) Tips from the Trenches “Your First Customers”

(22:31) Strategies for acquiring first customers from Y Combinator founders

(30:35) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist

(32:00) Office Hours with Jake and Daniel from BRX about their product and growth strategy

(41:05) Feedback on BRX's website clarity and branding strategies

(46:45) Office Hours with Brian Watson from InviteJet

(49:00) Challenges faced by InviteJet and dealing with fraudulent investors

(56:43) InviteJet's churn rates, ideal customer profiles, and future plans

(1:01:43) Discussing Invitejet's pricing strategies, customer loyalty, and marketing tactics

*

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Links from the show:

BRX AI: https://brx.ai/

InviteJet: https://www.invitejet.com/

*

Follow BRX:

X: https://x.com/BRXinc

*

Follow InviteJet:X: https://x.com/InviteJet

*

Follow Lon:

*

Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:26) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(30:35) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

70mph Drone Deliveries, 125% Tariffs & What $10M Exits Really Mean | E2109 Apr 10, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon talk about stories reshaping the startup world: 70mph drone deliveries are officially live in Dallas, with Zipline and Walmart promising groceries “as the crow flies” in under 5 minutes. Meanwhile, Trump slaps a 125% tariff on China and hints at a global economic shakeup — Jason warns founders to brace for layoffs and bankruptcies unless they’ve got a Plan B and C. Finally, a UK startup sells for $450M and VCs barely break even… but the founders walk with $20M. Jason explains how small exits create the most dangerous kind of founder: the one who never needs another check. Plus Office Hours with Orchestra CEO Sergie Poe.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!(1:37) Tariffs, market volatility, and startup implications(5:33) Startup resilience: Layoffs and bankruptcies(10:35) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions(12:10) Globalization and startup ecosystems(13:52) Recent startup deals and Zipline's expansion(19:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(21:16) Zipline drones and Marquese Brownlee’s review(24:31) 70MPH Drones and the future of ddeliveries(30:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(31:51) Founder FridaysPitch Madness matchups(33:35) LifeStack and Burble pitches and discussion(43:26) Arcana and Tactun pitches and discussion(50:12) Summer West Whiskey and MomSub pitches and evaluation(56:36) Orchestra's office hours: Challenges and strategies

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Links from the show:

Orchestra: https://orch.so/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:35) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions

(19:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Economic Chaos, More Pitch Madness & the Shopify AI Manifesto | E2108 Apr 08, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex unpack a wild week in tech and the markets — including a fake tweet that moved $4 trillion and Trump’s latest tariff talk. Lon jumps in for another round of Founder Fridays Pitch Madness, where four early-stage startups compete for a spot in the Elite Eight. Plus, Alex chats with Sunny Khamkar, CEO of MenuData, about how AI is revolutionizing the food industry. They also dive into how founders should rethink their runway, what Shopify’s bold AI memo means for the future, and whether VCs are placing earlier bets to chase that $1M ARR milestone. Don’t miss the founder pitches and a fresh take on AI-powered food trend tracking!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(2:11) Market chaos, tariffs, and their effects

(5:59) Economic uncertainty: Advice for founders

(8:00) Tariffs' potential impact on tech sectors

(9:58) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(13:27) SignalFire's billion-dollar fund

(17:32) Achieving significant startup revenue and its importance

(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team Plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(21:54) Krea's $87 million raise and subscription model analysis

(27:33) Big tech's influence on niche subscription services

(30:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(31:09) AI advancements: Midjourney v7 and voice activation

(36:43) Shopify's AI Manifesto

(41:00) Founder Friday bracket updates

(57:16) Founder Q&A: Lessons for first-time founders

(1:05:00) MenuData's CEO Sunny Khamkar interview

(1:16:10) MenuData's pricing, customer base, and growth plans

(1:23:38) AI's vertical impact and Menu Data's strategy

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Links from the show:

Check out MenuData: https://www.menudata.ai/

Check out Krea: https://www.krea.ai/

Check out Tobi Lutke’s ”AI Manifesto” https://x.com/tobi/status/1909251946235437514

Check out Pitchfire: https://www.pitchfire.com/

Check out CREATANT: https://www.creatant.com/

Check out Vidala Labs: https://vidalalabs.com/

Check out Kippy: https://kippy.ai/

Follow Sunny Khamkar:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunny-khamkar-84b905a

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:58) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team Plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(30:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/DaveMoscatelli

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Rippling Targets $16B, Market Chaos, TikTok Timeout, and Office Hours | E2107 Apr 05, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex dive into the startup world’s latest chaos — from Nasdaq’s slide and Trump’s tariffs to Klarna’s IPO pause and Rippling’s $16B target. They break down what founders really need to know: tightening CIO budgets, longer sales cycles, but easier hiring. Plus, TikTok’s ban gets another delay (with Bezos possibly lurking?). In Office Hours, they chat with two sharp founders: Luke Belbina from PodEngine, who's building AI for podcasters and doubling revenue, and David Moscatelli from Abacus, who’s bringing secure, on-prem AI to banks and just hit $1M ARR. Don’t miss it! 👇

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

[3:37] Cloud stocks dip: What it means for startups

[5:31] Trump's tariffs: A new startup recession?

[7:01] Retail’s reaction to tariff pressure

[10:16] LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

[12:35] Supply chains & startup struggles

[14:53] What’s still getting funded in VC

[17:21] Layoffs looming? What founders should prep for

[19:10] AI, macro takes & market signals

[21:32] Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

[23:21] European tech cooling off?

[24:36] Hiring freezes vs. easier recruiting

[27:39] Startup strategies in tough markets

[29:34] Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

[31:38] How to communicate tough changes

[33:33] TikTok ban delayed… again

[39:38] Trump’s China playbook: Startup impact

[42:12] Office Hours: Luke from PodEngine

[47:31] Automating with AI & driving sales

[55:53] Pricing, lead gen & scaling tips

[1:06:30] Office Hours: David from Abacus

[1:08:32] On-prem AI for banks + hitting $1M ARR

[1:14:42] Team building & founder strategy

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from the show:

Check out PodEngine: https://www.podengine.ai/

Check out Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/

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Follow Luke:

X: https://x.com/lukebelbina

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukebelbina/

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Follow David:

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

[10:16] LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

[21:32] Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

[29:34] Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Spycraft in SaaS, Rabbit’s Comeback, and Startup Pitch Madness | E2106 Apr 03, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Today’s show: Jason and Alex go deep into the shocking new details about the Rippling vs. Deel corporate espionage scandal—where a self-admitted spy fed confidential product roadmaps and sales data to a rival CEO for €5K/month. Plus, they interview Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu about their bold comeback with their new “Intern” AI agent that builds entire apps from a single prompt - Jason calls it a breakthrough. And we kick off Pitch Madness with fierce Founder Friday pitch battles featuring AI podcast tools and women’s sports communities. Spy drama, next-gen tech, and raw founder energy—don’t miss it.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser: Rippling vs. Deel Espionage Case(1:46) Podcast updates and listener engagement(2:31) Job openings at Launch and This Week in Startups(4:19) Rippling and Deel lawsuit details and espionage activities(9:58) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.(11:31) Stolen information and the aftermath of the espionage case(16:21) Corporate espionage vs. corporate intelligence debate(19:38) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(23:07) Board independence, whistleblower protections, and CEO behavior(25:10) Y Combinator's culture of rule bending(28:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(30:02) Jesse Lu's YC experience and launch of Rabbit(34:48) Navigating the hype cycle as a founder and RabbitOS demo(45:02) Estate management and technology with Rabbit(48:39) Conclusion of interview with Jesse Lu(48:51) Launching Founder Friday pitch offs(50:43) Pitch: Snipd - AI-powered podcast app(53:29) Pitch: MedSimple - Medical education platform(57:10) Pitch: Trova - Workplace connection platform(58:45) Pitch: Osprey - Community for women in sports and entertainment(1:05:30) Analysis and decision: MedSimple vs Snipped and Osprey vs Trova(1:09:23) Discussion on Osprey's business model(1:10:33) Tips for improving pitch presentations(1:11:02) Announcement of Twist 500 competition(1:11:46) Closing remarks and social media call to action

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Links from the show:

Rabbit website: https://www.rabbit.tech/?srsltid=AfmBOorumixyS_kXbNPL2tDqLBsI08B4Hs3xUSZkOLS2nlKsatop5VG2

Follow Jesse:X: https://x.com/jessechenglyu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesselyu/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:58) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

(19:38) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(28:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

M&A Mania, Palantir Meme Crash + Office Hours with Hookhub | E2105 Apr 01, 2025

Today’s show: Circle gears up for its IPO and the stablecoin wars heat up, Palantir’s meme stock status gets a reality check, and they riff on a possible Uber + DoorDash merger and whether AI should train on Substack content. They react to Sequoia partner Andrew Reed’s inside take on fund dynamics, laugh at a brutal VC meme, and wrap with “Office Hours” featuring Caylee Harrington, founder of Hookhub — the Airbnb for RV parking — to talk vanlife, growth, and building in an unsexy market.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex and Jason kicks off the show!

(1:29) Palantir's stock and market dynamics

(5:43) Meme stocks and reversion to the mean

(6:57) X and XAI merger

(10:01) Squarespace - TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:05) M&A trends in tech and AI content acquisitions

(17:22) Valuation strategies for acquisitions

(22:05) Oracle - TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.oracle.com/twist⁠

(23:31) Circle's IPO and stablecoin regulations

(30:46) Fidelity Private Shares - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(32:26) Crypto community and anti-money laundering in stablecoins

(37:43) IPO and SPAC updates in tech

(41:20) Deep tech investment risks and lessons from SPACs

(44:03) Hookhub's journey and RV market insights

(49:27) Growth and challenges in RV market

(52:01) Hookhub's social media and content strategy

(58:48) Hookhub's investor pitch and growth strategy

(1:04:11) Van life business model potential

(1:06:16) Sequoia's internal culture and investment strategy

(1:13:03) Sequoia vs. Andreessen Horowitz and VC indexing

(1:15:32) Venture capital humor and closing remarks

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Links from the show:

Hookhub: https://www.hookhub.co/

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Follow Caylee:

X: https://x.com/Mariano_APO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a/

v

Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:01) Squarespace - TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:05) Oracle - TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://www.oracle.com/twist⁠

(30:46) Fidelity Private Shares - Visit ⁠⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI Revolution Gains, Non-Consensus Startups & Prosperous AI | E2104 Mar 29, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon cover everything from wild political headlines to big moves in AI and venture. They kick things off with the surprising Trump pardon of Trevor Milton, the disgraced Nikola founder, and break down CoreWeave’s rocky IPO debut. Then, Jason and Alex sit down with Mariano Apodaca, founder of Prosperous AI, to talk about AI tools for negotiating construction and aerospace material costs. Later, in a brand new segment called "Office Hours with JCal," Jason reacts to real founder feedback clips, pulls key startup lessons, and explains why building for a market that doesn’t yet exist might actually be your biggest edge. Along the way, the team explores the power of taking just 10% of the value you create — a pricing philosophy that could unlock your next big win.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(4:05) Breaking news on CoreWeave and Founder University insights

(9:21) Hubspot for Startups - Visit https://www.hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

(10:57) Trevor Milton's pardon and AnySphere's Cursor success

(19:21) Pricing strategies for startups

(20:19) Vanta - TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(21:38) AI sentiment and startup growth strategies

(25:14) Guest interview: Mariano from Prosperous AI

(30:21) Notion - TWiST listeners can try it for free at https://notion.com/twist

(31:52) Prosperous AI's market data integration and growth

(35:03) Founder University's impact on Prosperous AI

(40:54) Product line expansions and fundraising growth strategies

(44:20) Startup decision-making and investor feedback

(47:02) Founder University and customer feedback importance

(51:12) Canva CEO's insights and handling investor rejection

(58:17) Products creating new markets and finding outlier founders

(1:06:15) Venture success with Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham

(1:09:18) Market selection, execution, and partner-product fit in startups

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Links from the show:

Prosperous AI: https://prosperousprocess.ai/

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Follow Mariano:

X: https://x.com/Mariano_APO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a/

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:21) Hubspot for Startups - Visit https://www.hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

(20:19) Vanta - TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:21) Notion - TWiST listeners can try it for free at https://notion.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

11x in Trouble and China's AI Acceleration | E2103 Mar 27, 2025

OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist

LinkedIn Ads - To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Brex - the financial stack founders can bank on. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at brex.com/banking-solutions.

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon dig into the controversy around 11x, the Andreessen-backed startup accused of misrepresenting revenue and using fake logos, and what that says about early-stage accountability. Then we break down China’s dual-front blitz in AI and EVs: DeepSeek’s open-source model rivals GPT-4, and Xiaomi’s $30K SU7 is a straight-up Porsche clone shaking the EV market. Finally, we unpack the “4-persona framework” that helped Wiz rocket to $100M+ ARR faster than anyone — a must-know concept for any founder looking to build, sell, and scale like a beast.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser

(1:27) Introduction of co-hosts Lon Harris and Alex Wilhelm

(3:23) New set design and color analysis(5:43) Announcement of "Twist OT" and potential Patreon model(

8:09) Gamestop's Bitcoin strategy and Michael Saylor's influence

(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist

(14:26) MSTR and their shift to Bitcoin

(17:01) Michael Saylor’s conflict of interest

(20:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(23:09) Investment strategies for company treasuries(25:10) Allegations against Eleven x startup

(30:35) Brex - the financial stack founders can bank on. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at brex.com/banking-solutions.

(32:56) The importance of transparency and accountability in startups

(42:31) Chinese advancements in AI technology and ChatGPT features

(55:09) Insight from Israeli VC Gili Raanan on successful startups

(1:04:26) Founder Friday March Pitch Madness bracket competition

(1:10:26) How to start a Founder Friday chapter and community

(1:11:21) Bracket competition and Launch Accelerator's 34th cohort

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Follow Alex:

Follow Lon:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist

(20:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(30:35) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

23andMe BANKRUPT, Saylor Still Buying Bitcoin, + Founder Interviews | E2102 Mar 25, 2025

Today’s show: In this episode, Alex and Lon kick things off with the latest tech news — including 23andMe’s dramatic collapse, MicroStrategy’s half-million Bitcoin haul, and whether we’re finally seeing a rebound in startup M&A. Then they sit down with three standout founders building the future across AI chips, data privacy, and healthcare. First up, Etched CEO Gavin Uberti explains why they’re betting big on transformer-specific ASICs. Then, Skyflow co-founder Anshu Sharma breaks down how they’re helping enterprises use LLMs without leaking private data. Finally, MedServe’s team walks us through how they’re securing medications in outpatient clinics and staying on the right side of the DEA.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex kicks off the show

(1:15) 23andMe bankruptcy and SPACs impact

(5:23) MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy

(8:58) Increase in M&A activity and market trends

(10:06) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(13:37) Browser use, agentic AI, and VC market insights

(19:28) Financial responsibility in startups

(20:28) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(21:56) Interview with Gavin Uberti of Etched

(30:32) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(32:12) Economic and technical aspects of chip efficiency

(39:53) Etched's market demand, manufacturing, and AI scaling

(43:05) Founder insights and hardware startup potential

(45:43) Introduction to Skyflow and Anshu Sharma

(50:19) Skyflow's growth and customer acquisition strategies

(1:03:09) ServiceNow's new product and Skyflow's bullish outlook

(1:06:33) M&A interest and AI stack value creation

(1:12:06) Skyflow's funding and cybersecurity customer trust

(1:13:12) Introduction to MedServe and Milwaukee's startup ecosystem

(1:16:30) MedServ's solution to drug dispensing and diversion

(1:23:05) Economic challenges and solutions for smaller facilities

(1:26:50) MedServe cabinet features and use case demonstration

(1:29:51) Cybersecurity and physical security of MedServe systems

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Etched:

Website: https://www.etched.com/

X: https://x.com/Etched

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/etched-ai/

*

Follow MedServe:

Website: https://medserverx.com/

X: https://x.com/MedServeRX

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/medserverx/

*

Follow Skyflow:

Website: https://www.skyflow.com/

X: https://x.com/SkyflowAPI

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skyflow/

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Lon:

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:06) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(20:28) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:32) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠ Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Fact-Checking Mark Rober, and the Fall of TechCrunch | E2101 Mar 21, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon break down a subreddit question: A founder builds 100% of the product, is promised equity—and now he’s being pushed out. We break down exactly what he should do next. Plus, YouTuber Mark Rober’s viral Tesla test gets fact-checked by a small creator, and the results don’t look great for Mark. Finally, TechCrunch gets quietly sold to Regent in what looks like a fire sale. Is this the end of an era for tech media?

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:25) Jason's memories of Tony Hsieh

(4:09) High stakes poker stories with Tony Hsieh

(7:28) Reflecting on joy and fun in life

(9:45) Atlassian - Head to ⁠https://www.⁠⁠atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(11:46) Founder question from Reddit

(20:12) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(21:52) Subreddit question: Stealth vs. building in public(27:33) Update: Mark Rober's Looney Tunes wall experiment

(31:21) Lemon.io - Get $2000 off your first hire at http://lemon.io/hire

(37:50) Lessons from the Mark Rober experiment

(40:24) The future of tech journalism and subscription models

(47:34) Jason’s idea for a gadget museum

(50:12) Updates on CoreWeave and Klarna IPOs

(51:43) Bipartisan bill to amend Section 230

(56:29) Algorithms and their impact on Section 230

(59:00) Global perspectives on online speech and anonymity

(1:00:00) Podcast closing and call for social media engagement

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Follow Alex:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:45) Atlassian - Head to ⁠https://www.⁠⁠atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(20:12) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(31:21) Lemon.io - Get $2000 off your first hire at http://lemon.io/hire

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Tesla vs. Mark Rober, Google’s $32B M&A Bet, & XRP’s SEC Victory | E2100 Mar 19, 2025

Today’s show: Tesla FSD drama, Google’s massive $32B cybersecurity bet, and XRP’s SEC victory. Jason, Lon, and Alex break down the internet firestorm over Mark Rober’s viral Tesla test, why Google’s Wiz acquisition could spark a new M&A wave, and what the SEC dropping its case against XRP means for crypto’s future.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:27) Show intro(2:01) Jason's skiing trip and Tesla stock banter(3:00) Criticism of Democratic party’s approach(5:44) Discussion of Mark Rober's Tesla and lidar video and autopilot vs FSD(8:00) Mark Rober's response and debate over his relationship with lidar CEO(9:56) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(11:02) Further criticisms and analysis of Rober's video and audience expectations(19:41) Suggestion for Rober to redo the test and video title accuracy(20:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:38) Accountability and public reaction to Rober's video(25:00) Potential fallout, personal consequences, and stock impact(29:58) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist(31:18) Personal investments and conflicts of interest(33:25) Wiz acquisition and implications for M&A market(37:28) Calculation of returns and LP impact(40:38) Benefits of M&A for society and antitrust concerns(43:27) Examples of market cornering, price gouging, and cloud computing(49:29) XRP and SEC lawsuit update and implications(56:29) Proposed regulations for crypto projects and Trump coin(1:00:21) The need for clear crypto regulations and potential for new projects

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Links from the show:

Mark Rober’s Philip Defranco interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1htfqXyX6M

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:56) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(20:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(29:58) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI-Powered Coding & Space Tugboats? Inside the Future of Software & Satellites! | E2099 Mar 18, 2025

Today’s show: Alex interviews two incredible founders from the TWIST 500! First, Replit CEO Amjad Masad breaks down how AI-powered coding is changing software development and what the future of agents looks like. Then, Starfish Space co-founder Austin Link explains how they’re building a satellite towing service to extend missions and clean up orbit. Two deep dives into the future of tech and space.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex kicks off the episode!

(0:53) Discussing Replit's capabilities and introduction of CEO Amjad Masad

(4:17) Replit's evolution and turning down a billion-dollar acquisition offer

(9:48) Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

(11:42) Impact of LLMs and AI agents

(17:13) Choosing Anthropic's Claude for Replit

(19:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(21:29) Anthropic success and closed source AI implications

(24:37) Replit market response and economics of AI models

(28:14) Future of Replit's AI tools and plans

(33:41) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(35:12) Introduction to Starfish Space and its mission

(38:50) Core missions and challenges of the Otter satellite

(47:29) First official mission with Otter and key partnerships

(50:57) Economics and ownership of satellite services

(53:11) Key components of the Otter project

(57:19) Startups in the space economy and comparison with Orbit Fab

(59:08) Starfish Space hiring push and final thoughts

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the

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Links from the show:

Check out Starfish Space: https://www.starfishspace.com/

Check out Replit: https://replit.com/

Follow Amjad:

X: https://x.com/amasad

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amjadmasad/

Follow Austin Link:

X: https://x.com/Austin

LinkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-link-space/

Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

Thank you to our partners:

(9:48) Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

(19:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(33:41) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

All rights for the video shared and linked below belong to the original copyright holder, and we are using the footage under the principle of fair use.

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Self-Driving Car Myths, Klarna’s Big IPO & Netflix’s $300M Gamble | E2098 Mar 17, 2025

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon break down a wild viral test on self-driving cars— will FSD see through fog, or does LiDAR win? Plus, Klarna is finally going public… but is "buy now, pay later" still the future or just a debt trap? And Netflix drops $300M on a Russo Brothers sci-fi blockbuster—critics hate it, but audiences love it. Was it worth it? We also dive into big tech’s crackdown on remote work, the Uber of estate managers, and why content creators might be falling into an algorithmic trap.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser: Can you fool a self-driving car?

(3:11) The Electric State film discussion

(7:35) Netflix's strategy, subscriber growth, and podcast licensing deals

(10:06) Disney's content strategy insights

(10:55) NetSuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(14:27) Kids investment club and estate manager service ideas

(21:02) Horatio - Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.

(22:44) Estate management expansion and Uber's role in transportation

(27:19) Klarna's IPO, financials, and buy now, pay later services concerns

(30:25) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(35:12) E-commerce trends and algorithmic content creation impact

(40:21) Remote vs. in-person technical interviews

(43:08) Work-life balance, early rising myths, and avoiding burnout

(50:45) The importance of mentorship and coaching

(52:06) Google autocorrect issues for startup names and future of SEO

(56:24) Mark Rober's "Can you fool a self-driving car?" video discussion

(1:00:13) Human vs. FSD driving standards and safety

(1:03:29) Waymo's strategy and autonomous driving competition concerns

(1:06:14) Government regulations and milestones for autonomous vehicles

(1:08:18) Global AI competition and safety standards in the automotive industry

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Lon:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:55) NetSuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(21:02) Horatio - Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.(30:25) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Europe’s Startup Future with Harry Stebbings | E2097 Mar 14, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex break down the biggest tech stories of the moment. OpenAI is pushing to rewrite copyright laws to benefit AI companies while suing others for doing the same—hypocrisy or smart strategy? Meanwhile, European startups are fleeing to the U.S. as overregulation and weak IPO markets make scaling harder. Harry Stebbings joins to discuss whether Project Europe can reverse the trend. Plus, with AI-driven startups staying lean, angel investing is evolving—should investors wait for traction or bet on potential? Jason shares his 2024 playbook. Watch the full episode now!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:15) OpenAI's recommendations, stance on copyright, and ethics(8:30) Sam Altman's political donations and the media's response

(9:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(15:48) Introduction of guest Harry Stebbings and his venture capital journey(19:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(22:05) Discussing the human aspect of investing and handling criticism(27:37) Project Europe and its support for EU founders(30:49) CLA. Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech(32:16) Balancing roles as an investor and public figure(33:04) Analyzing the European startup ecosystem(35:48) Addressing Project Europe's age cap and mentorship(38:09) Global talent competition and Europe's stance(42:29) Economic impacts and the future of Project Europe(45:18) Growth and housing in Austin compared to other tech regions(47:36) Startup funding strategies and angel investment advice(55:27) Evolving startup and content creation landscapes(57:37) Founder University announcement

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Links from the show:

Check out Project Europe: https://www.projecteurope.co/

Check out 20VC: https://www.thetwentyminutevc.com/

Check out Stride VC: https://stride.vc/

Follow Harry:

X: https://x.com/HarryStebbingsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrystebbings

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(19:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(30:49) CLA. Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Is Project Europe a YC Riff? Nick Denton is Back! And more! | E2096 Mar 13, 2025

Today’s show: Europe wants to keep its founders from fleeing, AI is growing at breakneck speed, and Nick Denton is back with a spicy Twitter storm—so we had to talk about it. Jason, Alex, and Lon break down Project Europe, a new $10M fund aimed at stopping the European startup brain drain. Plus, Anthropic’s revenue just jumped 40% in a single quarter, and we debate what that means for AI’s future. Meanwhile, China’s EV makers are coming for Tesla, Saudi Arabia is building a gaming empire with a $3.5B Pokémon GO buyout, and we ask the big question: Should X and XAI just merge? Since XAI gets real-time data from X, it’s got a major advantage—so what’s stopping them from becoming one?

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex, Jason and Lon kick off the show!

(1:29) Recap of Jason's appearance on Glenn Beck's show and advice to MBA students

(4:21) The value of an MBA vs. starting a company(8:14) Nick Denton on Musk, Trump, and investment thesis

(9:47 Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(15:16) The rise of Chinese EV manufacturers and Tesla's challenges

(19:09) Jason's stance on vandalism, protests, and political affiliations

(20:35) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(23:13) Tesla's brand challenges and future prospects

(25:03) Jason's audience and political neutrality(26:35) Inflation data and its implications for startups

(28:07) Project Europe and entrepreneurship in the EU and Middle East

(29:45) AdQuick. Easily plan, deploy and measure out-of-home campaigns as easily as digital ads. Visit www.AdQuick.com/twist to learn more

(38:09) Jason's personal health and productivity protocol

(41:18) Anthropic's revenue growth, API credits, and AI developments(45:09) AI competition and consumer trust

(46:41) Mainstream adoption of ChatGPT and AI challengers

(48:02) Grok AI's integration with X

(51:12) Sale of Niantic's games business and global market shifts(

58:06) India's economic rise and TSMC's potential deal with Intel

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:47 Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:35) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(29:45) AdQuick. Easily plan, deploy and measure out-of-home campaigns as easily as digital ads. Visit www.AdQuick.com/twist to learn more

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/lijiali_vision

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The Future of AI Customer Support with LiveX AI’s Jia Li | AI Basics with Google Cloud Mar 11, 2025

In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with Jia Li from LiveX AI to explore how human-like AI agents are changing the game for businesses. Instead of clunky bots, these AI agents engage customers in real-time, helping with onboarding, support, and even stopping them from leaving before they churn. We’ll break down how they work, why they feel more natural than traditional chatbots, and how companies can train them to eliminate costly mistakes. Plus, we’ll talk about whether AI-powered support might actually be better than human agents.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction to startup and AI basics(1:00) Collaboration with Google and insights from industry experts(1:44) Introduction of Jia Li and LiveX AI's innovative customer retention(4:32) LiveX AI's AI agent demonstration and training methodologies(9:38) Personalizing user experience with LiveX AI

*

Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. Discover what 23 AI industry leaders think about the future of AI—and how it impacts your business. Read their perspectives here: https://goo.gle/futureofai

*

Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics

Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/

Check out LiveX AI: https://www.livex.ai/

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Follow Jia Li:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lijiali/

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Student Roy Lee Hacks Amazon, SBF's Jailhouse Chat + more! | E2095 Mar 11, 2025

Timestamps:

(0:00) Roy Lee's hack and Amazon's reaction

(3:03) MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy(4:29) Market reactions to Trump's policies(6:33) Creating value in current market conditions(8:00) South by Southwest highlights

(10:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(12:03) The $20,000 electric car concept(16:18) Electric unicycles as a startup category

(19:12) Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(20:31) Electric unicycles trend discussion(21:31) Guest introduction: Roy Lee(23:32) Roy Lee's background and startup idea(25:41) Technical coding tests and InterviewCoder

(30:14) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(32:01) Amazon's reaction to InterviewCoder and Columbia's actions(37:03) Roy Lee's future and startup funding discussion(41:19) Hiring, revenue, and fundraising strategies(44:37) Venture capital dynamics and maintaining company control(47:52) Capturing audience before investment and SBF's legal issues(57:57) ServiceNow acquires Moveworks(1:00:00) Impact of Tiger's peak valuations on LPs and IRR calculations*

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Follow Roy:

X: https://x.com/im_roy_lee

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roy-lee-goat/

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(19:12) Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:14) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/nikola_mrksic

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI’s Next Leap: Hyper-Realistic Agents & Unlimited Power | E2094 Mar 07, 2025

Today’s show: AI is evolving at lightning speed—smarter assistants, faster models, and now, the massive energy demands that come with it. In this episode, Alex dives into two cutting-edge companies from the TWIST 500 that are shaping AI’s future in very different ways. First, Alex interviews Zap Energy, where CEO Benj Conway explains how their breakthrough fusion power technology could provide unlimited, clean energy to fuel AI and beyond. Then, we talk to PolyAI, where CEO Nikola Mrkšić shares how their conversational AI is revolutionizing customer service with ultra-realistic, human-like voice assistants. If you're excited about where AI is headed—from hyper-realistic agents to a future powered by fusion—this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) AI's impact on business and technology; Fusion technology; AI powered voice assistants(1:51) Power demands of AI; Fusion energy's potential and commercialization(6:50) Zap Energy's approach to scaling and efficiency in fusion(9:58) Oracle. Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist(12:11) Zap Energy's Sentry project and the future of fusion power(18:02) Competition in fusion development and importance of liquid metal walls(20:10) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(21:38) Thermal management in fusion energy and Zap Energy's milestones(24:19) PolyAI's CEO on conversational AI and generative AI(28:39) Founding PolyAI and advancements in AI technology(30:30) Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(32:30) PolyAI's technology stack and deep learning advancements(39:13) Growth, competitive landscape, and AI's impact on employment(46:16) Startups M&A in applied AI and conclusion with Nikola Mrkšić*

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from the show:

Check out Zap Energy: https://www.zapenergy.com/

Check out Poly AI: https://poly.ai/

*

Follow Benj Conway:

X: https://x.com/Energy_Zap

*

Follow Nikola Mrkšić:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikola-mrksic

*

Follow Alex:

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:58) Oracle. Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist(20:10) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(30:30) Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Coreweave IPO, AVRide & Digg is Back! | E2093 Mar 05, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover CoreWeave’s filing for a $35 billion IPO after explosive revenue growth. But with 77% of its revenue coming from just two customers, is it built to last? Meanwhile, AVRide is bringing autonomous Hyundai robotaxis to Uber in Dallas, pushing the self-driving revolution forward as Waymo scales to 200,000 weekly rides. And finally, Digg is back! Kevin Rose and Alexis Ohanian are reviving the iconic social news platform, using AI-powered moderation to tackle Reddit’s biggest challenge. Tune in as Jason and Alex break it all down!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode teaser(1:34) Jason's South by Southwest appearances & All In fan meetups(4:17) Digg relaunch, history, and Kevin Rose's AI strategy(10:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(11:43) Jason’s involvement with Digg’s revival and lessons learned(15:02) Using Reddit for startup communities(20:00) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(22:07) Kevin Rose's journey and ketamine therapy(24:18) CoreWeave's public filing, clients, and revenue growth(29:52) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.(34:22) CoreWeave's potential acquisition and investor IRR(40:45) Using LLMs for financial analysis and political funding discussion(46:19) CoreWeave data centers and AV Ride partnership with Uber(50:18) Challenges in electric bikes and healthcare startups(53:10) Novo Nordisk's direct-to-consumer strategy with Wegovy(57:28) Future of healthcare and Brian Johnson's health regimen(1:05:52) Challenges and excitement in the autonomous vehicle industry

Links from episode:

Check out digg: https://digg.com/

Check out AVRide: https://www.avride.ai/robot

Check out the Mozi app: https://www.mozi.app/

Check out Nerd Crawler: https://www.nerdcrawler.com/

Check out article about Novo Nordisk and Wegovy: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/05/novo-nordisk-goes-direct-to-consumer-with-wegovy-what-it-means-for-obesity-rival-eli-lilly.html

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(20:00) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(29:52) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman

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AI Agents & the Future of Work with LangChain’s Harrison Chase | AI Basics with Google Cloud Mar 04, 2025

In this episode: Jason sits down with Harrison Chase, CEO of LangChain, to explore how AI-powered agents are transforming the way startups operate. They discuss the shift from traditional entry-level roles to AI-driven automation, the importance of human-in-the-loop systems, and the future of AI-powered assistants in business. Harrison shares insights on how companies like Replit, Klarna, and GitLab are leveraging AI agents to streamline operations, plus a look ahead at what's next for AI-driven workflows. Brought to you in partnership with Google Cloud.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction to Startup Basics series & Importance of AI in startups(2:04) Partnership with Google Cloud & Introducing Harrison Chase from Langchain(4:38) Evolution of entry-level jobs & Examples of AI agents in startups(8:00) Challenges & Future of AI agents in startups(14:24) AI agents in collaborative spaces & Non-developers creating AI agents(18:40) Closing remarks and where to learn more

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Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. Discover what 23 AI industry leaders think about the future of AI—and how it impacts your business. Read their perspectives here: https://goo.gle/futureofai

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Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics

Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/

Check out LangChain: https://www.langchain.com/

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Follow Harrison:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrison-chase-961287118/

X: https://x.com/hwchase17

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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US Crypto Reserve Bombshell, Ramp’s $13B Climb, & more | E2092 Mar 04, 2025

Today’s show: Trump just floated the idea of a U.S. Crypto Reserve, suggesting a 10 bips transaction tax and naming unexpected altcoins like XRP, Solana, and Cardano. Jason and Alex break down what this means for crypto markets, regulation, and startups—plus the legal and political fallout. Is this a game-changer or just another pump-and-dump controversy?

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex and Jason kick of the show!(1:48) Trump's crypto policy and PR strategy(7:14) Analysis of Trump's proposed US crypto reserve

(10:21) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(11:32) Predictions on legal challenges to Trump's crypto proposal(12:08) Industry reactions to the crypto tax proposal

(20:27) OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠(22:26) Crypto report around market hours and Eric Trump's tweet(24:13) Predictions on Trump's future crypto policies and inflation impact(27:10) Trump's Truth Social and Crypto Investments dynamics(30:48) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(31:05) Jason's alternative idea for a crypto tax(36:40) Ramp's funding and fintech sector growth(41:02) Discussion on investment performance and Jason's ETF idea(46:42) Challenges companies face with public offerings and market fairness(50:14) Potential CoreWeave IPO and high CapEx costs(54:39) Founder Hack from Matt Turck(57:12) Exploring hybrid business models

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Links from the episode:

Check out Angel University: https://www.angel.university/Check out the JCal Case Study at Stanford Business: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/jason-calacanis-case-study-creating-resourcesCheck out Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/Check out Ramp: https://ramp.com/

Check out Coreweave: https://www.coreweave.com/

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LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm*

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:21) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(20:27) OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠(30:48) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Board Talk Empire with GRIN's Brandon Brown, Founder Hacks & SEC Memecoin Clarity? | E2091 Mar 01, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex break down the latest head-scratching SEC ruling on meme coins—did they just legalize pump-and-dumps to protect Trump’s token? Plus, they dive into why venture debt can destroy startups, the rise of AI-driven companies, and how Tesla is gearing up to challenge Waymo in the self-driving car race. Then, Brandon Brown from GRIN joins the show to talk about scaling to 8-figure revenue, surviving brutal market corrections, and why he’s stepping down as CEO after a decade. This one’s packed with insights for founders, investors, and anyone watching the future of crypto, startups, and AI unfold.*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show!(1:39) Palmer Luckey feud, and supporting Trump in Silicon Valley(9:36) AI's impact on startup growth and job displacement

(10:11) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.(12:20) Product market fit and Salesforce productivity(15:01) Howey Test and its application to cryptocurrencies

(20:07) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(26:13) Jason's libertarian views on meme coins

(31:13) Hubspot for Startups. Get up to 75% off plus 3 months of Perplexity AI for free. Go to https://www.hubspot.com/startups(32:16) Meme coin regulation and political implications(37:22) GRIN's Brandon Brown interview and company evolution(46:10) Leadership changes and challenges at GRIN(53:28) Venture debt risks and business cycle preparedness(59:00) Leadership skills and defining reality(1:04:13) Updates on Waymo and autonomous rides(1:09:06) Tesla and the global autonomous vehicle market

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Check out GRIN: https://grin.co/

Checkout Angel University with Jason Calacanis & Mike Savino: https://www.angel.university/

Check out the Founder Friday City Competition: https://www.founderfridays.tech/city-competition

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Follow Brandon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-brown-0898731/

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Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:11) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.(20:07) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(31:13) Hubspot for Startups. Get up to 75% off plus 3 months of Perplexity AI for free. Go to https://www.hubspot.com/startups

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The Incredible Double Interview: Superhuman and Robinhood | E2090 Feb 27, 2025

Today’s show: Jason interviews Rahul Vohra, CEO and founder of Superhuman, and Vlad Tenev, CEO and co-founder of Robinhood. This is a packed episode featuring founder tips, fun stories about how Superhuman and Robinhood got their start and much more!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode teaser(2:13) Product market fit and founder journeys(3:25) Jason's investment in Superhuman and market positioning(5:14) AI's role and features in Superhuman(10:25) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(14:37) Targeting users and competitive advantages(22:23) Evolution and new features of Superhuman

(20:52) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(24:37) Tackling spam with Superhuman's AI

(27:05) Custom auto labels and email classification

(29:47) Vapi. Go to Vapi.ai and use code Twist200 to get $200 in credits

(32:03) Superhuman's auto reminders and drafts

(34:14) Vlad Tenev and the origins of Robinhood

(39:31) Product design philosophies of Robinhood and Superhuman

(49:29) Scaling design principles and investment decisions(

52:31) Subjectivity in product design

(55:14) Customer feedback in product development

(1:00:00) Superhuman's subscription model and customer acquisition

(1:05:11) PR strategies and news hijacking

(1:12:06) Investment experiences with Robinhood

(1:13:35) Navigating company valuation fluctuations

(1:15:03) Influences on Vlad Tenev and new Robinhood desktop product

(1:22:02) Company resilience and employee reorganization

(1:25:52) Crypto regulation and startup mentality

(1:30:05) Investment trends among Robinhood users

(1:31:12) Retail benefits for startups and capital raising challenges

(1:34:04) Accreditation for private investing and solutions

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Links from this episode:

Check out Superhuman: https://superhuman.com/

Check out Superhuman’s blog post that details all of the new features Rahul went over in the demo: https://blog.superhuman.com/the-next-superhuman-ai/.

Check out Robinhood Legend: https://robinhood.com/us/en/legend/

Article “How Superhuman Built an Engine to Find Product Market Fit”: https://review.firstround.com/how-superhuman-built-an-engine-to-find-product-market-fit/

Check out Rick Rubin’s book: https://www.amazon.ca/Creative-Act-Way-Being/dp/0593652886

Article on Bezos and Washington Post: https://www.newsweek.com/bezos-makes-big-change-washington-post-opinion-focus-endorsed-musk-2036618

Media Bias Chart: https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-chart

Check out “Working Backwards” book about Amazon insights: https://www.amazon.ca/Working-Backwards-Insights-Stories-Secrets/dp/1250267595

Check out Rahul’s article on acquisition: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rip-mailbox-founders-how-stop-worrying-love-being-acquired-vohra/

Follow Rahul:

X: https://x.com/rahulvohra

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulvohra/

Follow Vlad:

X: https://x.com/vladtenev

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vlad-tenev-7037591b/

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:25) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(20:52) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(29:47) Vapi. Go to Vapi.ai and use code Twist200 to get $200 in credits

Apple Drops $500B on AI while Google Gemini Eyes Your iOS Devices! | E2089 Feb 25, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Lon break down the latest trends shaping AI training, the evolving job market, and the shifting landscape of social media. A tribute to Steve Jobs on what would have been his 70th birthday explores his lasting impact, Apple’s massive $500 billion AI investment, and the future of US manufacturing. The conversation dives into Outlier’s role in AI training data, its effects on journalism, and broader job market implications. Jason also shares insights on autonomous vehicles, Apple’s AI strategy, and the latest in crypto—covering meme coins, regulatory battles, and the state of angel investing. Plus, a look at Oscar season and the cultural moments making waves.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Lon kick off the show!(2:59) TikTok discussion and Steve Jobs' 70th birthday tribute(4:36) Jason's history with Steve Jobs and impact of blogging(8:56) Jason's interaction with Steve Jobs about podcast monetization(10:13) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:27) Steve Jobs' legacy and Apple's innovation(14:12) Apple's $500 billion investment in AI and TSMC chip manufacturing(20:08) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(21:18) Geopolitical implications of Apple's US manufacturing investments(24:06) Outlier's role in AI training data and legal risks(27:02) Journalists in AI training and job market implications(30:40) Vapi. Go to https://www.vapi.ai and use code Twist200 to get $200 in credits(32:39) Outlier’s AI training recruitment and global reach(34:14) AI's future in various industries(36:53) Experiences with autonomous vehicles and Waymo(37:23) Hot-swappable LLMs and Apple's AI integrations(41:03) Commercial implications of AI deals for Apple(43:08) Public access to podcast docket and meme coins discussion(47:03) Milei’s meme coin and libertarian views on crypto(52:15) Crypto trader's tragic incident and dangers of investing on margin(58:19) Jason's gambling habits and future of crypto regulation(1:01:05) Angel investing and Oscar season discussion

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:13) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:08) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(30:40) Vapi. Go to https://www.vapi.ai and use code Twist200 to get $200 in credits

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/CastelionCorp

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Castelion Hypersonic Missiles and Crunchbase’s AI Powered Predictions | E2088 Feb 22, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show: Jason interviews Bryon Hargis, CEO of Castelion, about the United State’s hypersonic technology gap with China, how we’re catching up and what it will take to win the hypersonic missile race. Alex interviews Jager McConnell, CEO of Crunchbase, about their newly released, scary accurate, AI powered predictive models.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode teaser(1:14) Introduction of Byron Hargis and Castellion's mission(2:20) Significance of hypersonic munitions(5:55) Impact and challenges of hypersonic systems in defense(7:16) Castellion's development and cost of hypersonic weapons(9:39) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:28) Shift in defense contracting and venture backing(18:25) Sales strategies and founder insights in defense startups(19:38) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(21:10) China's manufacturing capabilities and defense paradigm shifts(24:37) Role of automation and robots in manufacturing(28:58) AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.(31:37) Crunchbase's transition to predictive insights(38:01) Crunchbase's technology stack and AI models(41:36) Financial implications of AI-first model for Crunchbase(48:43) AI integration challenges and financial performance(52:50) AI-driven predictions and their accuracy(54:24) Future prospects for Crunchbase: Acquisition vs. IPO(55:22) Upcoming guests: Vlad from Robinhood and Raul from Superhuman

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Checkout Castelion:

Website: castelion.com

Checkout Crunchbase:

X: https://x.com/crunchbase

Website: https://www.crunchbase.com/

Follow Bryon:

X: https://x.com/hargsb

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbh/

Follow Jager:

X: https://x.com/jagermcconnell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jager/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:39) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:38) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(28:58) AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKP2iiF1oYI

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

EV Truck Startup Nikola Runs Out of Juice | E2087 Feb 20, 2025

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Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

Today’s show: Jason and Lon Harris cover Nikola’s Chapter 11 and how founders can avoid the same mistake, Superhuman AI’s new features, Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines and where Sam Altman went wrong holding onto top talent, plus much more!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode teaser(1:26) Introduction to startup news and trends(2:47) Bill Ackman's J trade and Herbalife controversy(5:24) Comparing trading strategies: Jason vs. Pelosi(9:49) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(11:29) HP's acquisition of Humane and its significance(13:52) Challenges facing the AI industry(20:30) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(21:47) OpenAI veterans launch a new venture(28:09) Chamath's venture into high stakes poker(29:35) Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(36:37) Nikola's Chapter 11 filing and securities fraud(48:10) The upside of failing as a founder in the U.S.(50:24) Superhuman introduces AI-powered email features(51:58) Preview of upcoming guests on the podcast(53:03) Key characteristics of successful founders(56:21) Play-along: Guess the fake startup(1:04:12) Movie trilogy rankings: Superman, Star Wars, Terminator

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Check out these past Guess The Fake Startups segments:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhnOXuGnh14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueazpyGOgcc

Follow Lon:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(9:49) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(20:30) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(

29:35) Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/coffeebreak_YT

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Is $LIBRA the End of Memecoins? with Coffeezilla | E2086 Feb 19, 2025

In today's episode: Jason and Alex break down one of the craziest crypto stories yet—a $100M meme coin meltdown, insider trading, and Argentina’s president caught in the middle. Coffeezilla joins the show to explain how meme coins are rigged, why Dave Portnoy got a $5M refund while everyone else got wrecked, and what really went down with the Libra token. Plus, we debate if crypto can be fixed or if the grift is too far gone.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.(2:17) Libra fiasco, crypto scams, and influencer involvement(4:42) The impact of meme coins on politics and ethical considerations(8:02) Trump's involvement in meme coins(10:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(11:30) The Libra coin scandal and its broader implications(18:39) Coffeezilla interview clip with Hayden Davis(20:20) Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(21:46) Introduction to Pump.fun and discussion on token launching risks(23:21) Coffeezilla joins Alex and Jason!(24:10) Discussion on Argentinian president and Tech Forum Argentina(27:29) Examination of Hayden Davis and token manipulation(29:29) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial setup.(31:02) Analysis of the broken crypto system and regulatory issues(35:40) Intentional fraud, regulation, and meme coins in politics(41:21) Potential solutions and regulatory controls under new administration(50:23) Concerns and proposed framework for crypto regulation(54:52) Importance of regulation and combating crypto fraud(58:18) Coffeezilla's perspective on meme coins and future regulations(1:01:22) Advice to potential crypto investors and FTC news implications(1:02:08) Impact of regulation on American innovation and tech giants' growth(1:05:03) Current administration's stance on business combinations(1:06:10) Arguments against large companies acquiring competitors(1:07:23) Risks and potential benefits of hypothetical acquisitions(1:08:29) Debate on market competition dynamics

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Follow Coffeezilla:

Patreon: patreon.com/coffeezilla

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQMnBA3CS502aghlcr0_aw

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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IPO Shakeups, NVIDIA’s Big Bets & Must-Know Founder Hacks | E2085 Feb 15, 2025

Today’s show: IPO shakeups, big AI moves, and essential founder hacks—this episode covers it all. Jason breaks down Robinhood’s 6X stock surge and his strategy for $HOOD, plus the latest on tech IPOs as Turo pulls out and SailPoint surges. We dive into AI’s open-source battle, with X.ai chasing a $10B raise and DeepSeek challenging Hugging Face. And for founders, Jason shares the startup golden rule you should break for success—plus, a brand-new startup idea he’s willing to fund right now.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.(1:51) The ‘new’ news cycle(2:17) Calming down during chaotic times(4:29) IPO updates: Turo and SailPoint, private equity, public markets, and M&A(9:37) Rental car business & sharing economy job creation

(9:53) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:21) Robinhood's financial performance & fintech resurgence(18:08) NVIDIA's investment in WeRide & self-driving technology(20:02) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.

(21:28) Cooking, convenience, DoorDash, Uber, CloudKitchens & startup opportunities(25:45) Smart IoT devices & revisiting the mobile convenience stores idea(29:59) Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(33:12) XAI's potential funding & AI's impact on consumer behavior(40:49) Revisiting failed startup ideas & founder hacks(47:18) Customer advisory councils: size, incentives, and roles(52:09) Humanoid robots & market competition in the next decade(58:51) OpenAI model selection & user experience(1:00:56) Founder University pitches compilation(1:13:56) Audience question: Addressing criticism on Trump and Elon Musk(1:17:26) Discussion on Palantir, bias, state of journalism, and investigative reporting

*

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(9:53) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:02) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.

(29:59) Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Slow Ventures' Creators Fund and Helion Energy's Fusion Reactors | 2084 Feb 12, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover…TBD

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:16) Welcome Alex Wilhelm & Sam Lessin; Slow Ventures Creator Fund(3:49) Significance of the $60M creator-focused fund(5:47) Community-building and product development strategy(7:02) Mr. Beast's success as a case study(9:41) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 athttps://www.vanta.com/twist(11:17) Financial structures and strategies in creator investments(14:14) Addressing challenges in creator-focused investing(19:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visitnorthwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(22:24) Startups optimizing operations in challenging climates(24:50) Transition to fusion energy and Helion's technology(27:46) Helion's fusion technology and CEO David Kirtley(29:16) Commercial fusion power timeline(29:43) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit athttp://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(32:12) Fusion energy's market potential and agreements(33:39) Comparing fusion to other energy sources(36:10) Safety and environmental considerations for fusion(43:00) Helion's upcoming milestones and team expansion(44:00) Lon Harris on AI, copyright, and fair use(47:00) Exploring fair use and IP infringement in AI(53:00) Market impact and licensing for AI technologies(56:00) Financial implications for AI and copyright(58:00) Distinguishing personal vs. commercial use of copyrighted material

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Thank you to our partners:

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Great TWIST interviews:Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe,Steve Huffman,Brian Chesky,Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie,Sophia Amoruso,Reid Hoffman,Frank Slootman,Billy McFarland

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Tech's Super Bowl, Huge Earnings Week, Lon Returns and more! | E2083 Feb 11, 2025

Today on This Week in Startups: Lon Harris is back, and we’re diving into all things Super Bowl—especially the tech takeover in this year’s commercials. We break down the biggest ad moments, from Squarespace to Uber Eats, Instacart, and even Harrison Ford’s Jeep spot. Plus, we dig into Google Trends after the ChatGPT ad, the unexpected appeal ofThe Banshees of Inisherin, and Matthew McConaughey’s latest move with Salesforce. That’s not all—France is making bold AI moves, OpenAI is getting into chip development, and we’ve got aFounder Fridays competition coming up!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason, Alex and Lon “kick off” the show!(5:09) Breakout Super Bowl commercials(9:23) Rocket's Super Bowl ad and its impact

(10:21)Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time athttps://Lemon.io/twist(13:00) High-risk hobbies of the rich and famous(15:23) We all loved the new Squarespace ad and its effectiveness(19:07) The appeal of "The Banshees of Inisherin" and ChatGPT Super Bowl ad(20:17) OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first six months athttps://www.openphone.com/twist

(21:34) Google Trends analysis of ChatGPT ad impact(22:19) A look at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowll half-time show and his popularity(24:15) Rating the ChatGPT Super Bowl ad(31:01) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months athttps://www.Coda.io/twist(32:42) Uber Eats and Instacart Super Bowl ads & Harrison Ford's Jeep commercial(39:49) Matthew McConaughey's role with Salesforce and A-list actors in 2025(44:14) France's AI investment and strategy(47:10) AI in customer service and SaaS pricing(52:34) IT unemployment and AI's impact on tech support(56:45) Upcoming earnings reports from key tech companies(1:02:12) OpenAI's custom chip development with TSMC(1:02:35) Founder Fridays: A new initiative for founders and competition format*

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:21)Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time athttps://Lemon.io/twist(20:17) OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first six months athttps://www.openphone.com/twist(30:31)Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months athttps://www.Coda.io/twist*

Great TWIST interviews:Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe,Steve Huffman,Brian Chesky,Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie,Sophia Amoruso,Reid Hoffman,Frank Slootman,Billy McFarland

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Gas Stations in Space and Carried Interest on the Chopping Block | E2082 Feb 08, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex discuss the carried interest tax loophole being in Trump’s crosshairs, a great interview with Orbit Fab and their plans for the industrialization of space, Deel’s $300M secondary and much more!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:30) Introduction and welcome(2:40) AI startups reaching revenue milestones(9:00) Impact of carried interest tax changes

(10:01) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain athttps://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:25) Would ending the carried interest tax loophole hurt startup investing?

(19:17) Atlassian. Head tohttps://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(21:18) Introduction of OrbitFab's CEO, Daniel Faber(22:24) OrbitFab's market position, fuel standards, and customer adoption(27:14) Financial and logistical aspects of satellite refueling

(29:27) AdQuick. Visithttps://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.(31:03) Technical challenges in space operations and future applications(34:16) Raising capital and company growth in space startups(38:58) Community updates and secondary transactions in the market(49:32) CapBase acquisition by Deal(50:37) UAE-France data center collaboration and energy strategy(54:34) European AI and nuclear advancements(57:14) US tech employment trends and Meta's layoffs(1:00:51) Opportunities for founders and startup support resources

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:01) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain athttps://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:17) Atlassian. Head tohttps://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(29:27) AdQuick. Visithttps://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.

Great TWIST interviews:Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe,Steve Huffman,Brian Chesky,Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie,Sophia Amoruso,Reid Hoffman,Frank Slootman,Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters:https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

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Substack:https://twistartups.substack.com

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Is Palantir's Surge Just Hype | E2081 Feb 06, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Palantir’s surge (is it all hype?), Temo and Shein and the de minimise loop hole, Uber’s earnings and the future of self-driving technology and much more!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:38) New studio space and remote work productivity challenges(4:02) "Severance" vs. "Landman" - TV shows comparison(7:07) Palantir's valuation, financial performance, and stock analysis(9:49) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(11:27) Alex Karp talks up Palantir to investors(14:36) Price-sales ratio: Palantir vs. Nvidia and founder advice(19:33) Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠(21:46) Temu, Shein, and the de minimis loophole in trade(30:06) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.(31:34) Uber's earnings, market performance, and self-driving technology future(38:33) Waymo's growth and the commodification of self-driving tech(44:11) Market dominance, platform switching, and competition mental models(47:18) Kalshi, Robinhood, prediction markets, and regulatory challenges(52:17) BYD's self-parking technology and the future of self-driving cars(56:43) Final thoughts and request for startup growth data

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Thank you to our partners:

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*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025(19:33) Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠(30:06) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Lovable's Anton Osika on Revolutionizing Software Development and OpenAI Drops Deep Research | E2080 Feb 04, 2025

OpenAI dropped Deep Research—hilariously, the exact same name as Google’s existing tool. Jason and Alex dive into the AI arms race, break down Lovable.dev’s insane growth to $10M ARR in weeks, and test whether AI can really replace software engineers. Plus, they analyze Trump’s latest tariff chaos and what it means for startups, global trade, and the economy.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.

(1:09) Jason’s talk and case study at Stanford (2:38) Managing the chaotic news cycle (5:22) NBA trade insights: Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis (7:15) Lovable startup's rapid growth (9:44) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:02) Lovable's AI demo and European startup landscape (15:20) Lovable's target market and pricing strategy (19:48) PrizePicks. Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST

(21:39) Custom software development's future with AI (23:17) Launching and designing AI-powered apps (27:07) US sovereign wealth funds and crypto regulation (28:56) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (33:42) Creative tax and debt reduction strategies (41:34) Defense spending and OpenAI's new product (46:51) OpenAI's market impact and ethical considerations (53:02) AI's role in content creation and job market (58:13) Venture capital trends and startup ecosystem (1:01:19) DeepSeek's popularity and security concerns (1:03:28) Tariffs, economic impact, and supply chain importance *

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Check out:

Standford Case Study on Jason: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/jason-calacanis-case-study-creating-resources

OpenAI’s Deep Research: https://openai.com/index/introducing-deep-research/

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Follow Anton

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Website: www.lovable.dev

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Thank you to our partners:

(0:00) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (0:00) PrizePicks. Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST (0:00) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups *

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Is OpenAI Really Worth $300B? ElevenLabs’ Series C & YC’s Funding Focus | E2079 Feb 01, 2025

Today’s show: The AI revolution is about to hit your household—Jason and Alex break down how general-purpose robots, AI-powered chicken coops, and voice clones are redefining daily life and work. They dig into OpenAI’s sky-high valuation, the surprising rise of DeepSeek’s R1 model, and why the AI cost curve is dropping at an insane pace. Plus, the latest on AI hardware, antitrust battles, and why the “No Buy 2025” trend could change how we think about consumer tech.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (3:10) Episode topics overview and fan participation (5:48) Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses discussion (9:27) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. (11:05) 11 Labs' Series C funding and voice cloning technology (18:09) Automation's impact on jobs and ethical considerations (20:05) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

(21:22) Market trends towards sustainability and AI in smart chicken coops (27:04) Y Combinator's AI startup focus and investment considerations (29:47) Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist (31:42) AI in compliance, auditing, and personal staff replacement (35:06) AI development tools, hardware investments, and data trust issues (39:29) AI company valuations, OpenAI's revenue, and AI commoditization (51:04) AI ethics, SoftBank's strategy, and audience questions on AI hardware (59:27) Government AI funding, DOJ suit, and tech industry commoditization (1:09:21) AI advancements, consumer electronics costs, and computing hardware trends (1:12:08) Closing thoughts on technology's impact on life and teaser for next week

*

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Thank you to our partners: (9:27) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. (20:05) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (29:47) Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist *

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Boom Supersonic's Milestones, OpenAI Ethics, and Startup Tools | E2078 Jan 29, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Jason’s unique sauna experience, leading them to discuss the value of niche communities and supporting small startups, spotlighting Boom Supersonic's achievements and Starlink's aviation collaborations. Financial updates include the Federal Reserve's actions and Trump's public opinion. They analyze the impact of CapEx on tech giants and Meta's AR/VR success. The DeepSeek controversy, OpenAI's intellectual property issues, and AI race risks and opportunities are explored. Jason and Alex conclude with insights on building startups and modern tools for entrepreneurs.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser (1:39) Introduction to the podcast; Jason's sauna experience; GoPolar app (3:41) Niche communities; encouraging small startup projects (10:11) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(13:48) Boom Supersonic's achievements and flight details (18:30) Starlink's role in aviation; Apple collaboration; Helium project

(20:47) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today. (24:11) Financial updates; Federal Reserve; Trump's public opinion

(30:14) Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist (31:57) Federal spending; debt strategies; upcoming tech earnings (37:18) Impact of CapEx on tech giants; Meta's AR/VR success (42:26) DeepSeek controversy; OpenAI's response and IP issues (50:13) AI race risks and opportunities; OpenAI's market position (57:13) Building startups; Founder University; modern tools for startups (1:02:15) Closing remarks; upcoming episodes

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Check out:

Boom Supersonic: https://boomsupersonic.com/

GoPolar App: https://www.gopolar.app/

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:11) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (20:47) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

(30:14) Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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DeepSeek Rattles Markets + SailPoint's Going Public… again? | E2077 Jan 27, 2025

Today’s show: A $6M open-source AI model from China, DeepSeek, sends shockwaves through Wall Street, wiping billions off NVIDIA’s market cap and forcing a rethink on AI infrastructure spending. We explore the 25% surge in startup shutdowns, the lessons from leaner teams, and why some companies just couldn’t make the runway. Plus, SailPoint returns to the public markets saddled with $1.6B in debt—what does this say about private equity’s “buy, fix, and flip” strategy? Don’t miss this deep dive into the latest tech and startup news!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (1:58) DeepSeek's market impact and Project Stargate (4:18) Innovation, H100 GPUs, and open-source AI models (8:41) Jevons paradox, Pat Gelsinger's analogy, and AI efficiency

(10:03) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (13:25) AI's benefits for startups and privacy concerns (19:32) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (19:51) AI optimization vs. hardware consumption

(22:20) OpenAI's revenue, valuation, and NVIDIA's market value (30:13) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (33:21) Unified AI digital assistants and DeepSeq's new model (35:01) AI's role in venture capital and team size reduction (41:04) China's influence and DeepSeek's market impact (43:22) Startup shutdowns and potential for increased M&A activity (53:02) Nvidia's historical analysis, risks of leverage, and SailPoint's IPO

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(10:03) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (19:32) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (30:13) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist *

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Twilio Bets Small, DeepSeek Scares & the GameOn Fraud | E2076 Jan 24, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Twilio’s team size compression, DeepSeek’s scary good AI for only $6M and the GameOn fraud saga that sounds too crazy to be true.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex and Jason kick off the show (6:27) Rundown of potential topics (7:10) Twilio's team size strategy and AI's impact on workforce

(9:40) Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST (14:52) Entrepreneurship in the AI era and automation concerns

(19:30) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (22:49) Meta's investment in data centers and surplus compute power

(26:36) Technology’s potential to solve humanity’s problems (30:12) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up. (32:01) Empathy for workers displaced by automation (34:11) DeepSeq's role in reducing AI industry costs (37:27) Game On startup fraud case and due diligence in startups (53:13) Venture capital's role in startup oversight (55:36) OpenAI's Operator announcement and AI autonomy risks

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Created By Humans | Sila’s Battery Evolution | E2075 Jan 23, 2025

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Today’s show: Alex covers The Stargate Project, other hot news items, and two great interviews. Created By Humans’ Co-founder Trip Adler talks about the future of copyrights and AI. Gene Berdichevsky, Co-founder and CEO of Sila, discusses the future of batteries and our clean energy future.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex kicks off the show.(1:22) Introduction to Mistral's IPO, Anthropic's funding, and Project Stargate(6:01) Market reactions and AI funding landscape(10:19) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(11:35) Tripp Adler discusses AI in literature and Created by Humans(16:20) Authors' concerns and AI companies' reactions(19:42) Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(20:58) Tripp Adler on AI, copyright, and the future of authorship(27:47) Human-created content symbol and synthetic vs. human data

(29:52) Atlassian. Head to Atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(34:08) Gene Berdichevsky on Sila's battery technology and Titan Silicon anodes(41:29) Battery tech's role in industry transformation and consumer devices(48:25) The impact on renewable energy and grid storage(53:02) Hard tech challenges, fundraising, and IPO considerations(56:38) Netflix's quarterly earnings and tech market forecasts

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(10:19) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025(19:42) Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(29:52) Atlassian. Head to Atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Trump, Memecoins, and What to Expect from the New Administration | E2074 Jan 21, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex explore America's fascination with billionaires and self-made figures, touching on recent events in Washington, DC, and the tech industry's political influence. They discuss Gen X's rising political power, tech CEOs' prominence at inaugurations, and critique Democrats' tech policies. The conversation covers economic factors in elections, like inflation and abortion rights, COVID's origins, immigration policy, and foreign policy. AI regulation under Biden and Trump's economic strategies, including crypto regulations, are debated. They also discuss Trump's impact on M&A, antitrust laws, and the startup ecosystem, with insights on tech IPOs and tax policy.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (1:06) Diving into recent DC events and tech's political role (3:13) Gen X's rising political influence and tech CEOs' prominence at inauguration (7:00) Discussion on tech founders' importance and criticism of Democrats' tech stance (10:17) PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. (11:35) Economic factors influencing elections: Inflation and abortion rights (17:15) COVID origins investigation and executive orders affecting tech (19:58) OpenPhone. TWiST listeners can get 20% off your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist

(21:25) Steve Bannon, JD Vance, and immigration policy discussions (23:20) US potential territory expansion and foreign policy (30:23) LinkedIn Jobs. TWiST listeners can post their first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (32:13) Trump's economic strategies, legacy, and US energy production (41:23) AI and drone technology: Regulation and countermeasures (51:05) Crypto's economic value, personal freedoms, and investment risks (1:01:27) Entrepreneur wellness, Trump's EV policies, and state vs. federal regulation (1:04:23) New admin’s influence on M&A, antitrust laws, and startup ecosystems (1:09:08) Upcoming tech IPOs, tax policy, and regulatory capture discussion

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(10:17) PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. (19:58) OpenPhone. TWiST listeners can get 20% off your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (30:23) LinkedIn Jobs. TWiST listeners can post their first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist *

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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TikTok Ban, Data Centers in Space… and What's a Vector? | E2073 Jan 17, 2025

Today’s show: Alex sits down with two CEOs from companies freshly added to the TWIST500. We get a masterclass from Bob van Luijt of Weaviate, on vector databases helping AI and LLMs do what they do. An then Philip Johnston from Lumen Orbit explains his vision of building data centers in space!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex kicks off the show. (0:58) Supreme Court ruling on TikTok and key market numbers (3:49) Interview introduction with Weaviate and Lumen Orbit CEOs (4:06) Deep dive into vector databases with Weaviate's Bob van Luijt. (8:23) Lemon. TWiST listeners get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:35) Exploring deep learning, vector indexing, and Weaviate's open-source significance (18:03) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist ⁠today.

(19:32) Discussion on vector databases use cases and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) (27:17) Weaviate's business model, revenue streams, and growth (28:12) Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist (32:52) The future of AI, agentic architectures, and enterprise adoption (40:50) Lumen Orbit's vision for space-based data centers (42:54) Philip Johnston on the technical aspects of Lumen Orbit (49:12) Satellite demonstrators, technology challenges, and VC interest (53:26) Addressing chip obsolescence and cost advantages in space (56:21) Deployment strategies and competition in the space data center market (1:00:12) Strategies for staying ahead of competition and future plans for Lumen Orbit

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(28:12) Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist *

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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What’s Going On With Google Gemini Deep Research? | E2072 Jan 16, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex interview Aarush Selvan, lead PM at Google Gemini Deep Research, and discuss their groundbreaking work. They also took a moment to cover TikTok’s dire situation and AI investment to start the year.

(0:00) Show Teaser

(1:26) Jason Calacanis shares his Japan skiing experience (6:18) Arush Selvan from Google Gemini team background discussion (9:26) PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. (14:23) Deep research demonstration and server resource usage (19:42) Coda. TWiST listeners get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (22:11) Google's business model and AI-generated research reports (29:55) Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST (32:00) Personalized data integration and content permissions in AI tools (34:22) Differentiation and hallucinations in AI-generated content (44:11) Business models for AI search engines and OpenAI's new task feature (54:30) Synthesia's AI-generated video tool demo and privacy in biometric payments (59:36) Investments in AI companies and TikTok's potential ban (1:04:17) Chinese government influence and US rule of law in tech (1:07:29) Irony of migrating to Little Red Book and upcoming inauguration (1:08:02) Staying updated with This Week in Startups

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Check out Google Gemini Deep Research: https://blog.google/products/gemini/google-gemini-deep-research/

Check out Open AI Scheduling: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10291617-scheduled-tasks-in-chatgpt

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(9:26) PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. (19:42) Coda. TWiST listeners get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (29:55) Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Profound, Resistant AI & OpenAI’s Economic Pitch | E2071 Jan 14, 2025

Today’s show: Alex covers Mark Zuckerberg’s Joe Rogan interview, OpenAI’s economic pitch and the pending IPO of India’s Groww. Our guests include two companies freshly added to the TWIST500: James Cadwallader from Profound and Martin Rehak from Resistant AI.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex kicks off the show! (2:51) A look at key moments from this week’s Mark Zuckerberg interview on Rogan. (8:08) James Cadwallader, Co-Founder and CEO of Profound join Alex. (10:05) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today. (11:23) Comparing Profound’s approach to SEO and looking and how problemism impacts search.

(20:21) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. (24:48) Building Profound in NYC, business model, and managing LLM costs (30:51) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (32:15) Introduction to Resistant AI's mission and building an AI startup (34:18) Resistant AI's approach to fraud detection and criminal techniques evolution (41:17) Shift in the landscape of digital threats and security solutions ROI (51:39) Synthetic fraud detection demonstration and business growth (58:01) The Biden administration's AI diffusion plan and OpenAI's policy recommendations (1:04:25) Groww: India's largest retail stock broker and tech IPO landscape

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Check out Resistant AI: https://resistant.ai/

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(10:05) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today. (20:21) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. (30:51) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST *

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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The LA Fire's Cost and the U.S. Jobs Report | E2070 Jan 10, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover the LA wildfires and their eventual total cost, as well as the U.S. jobs report and the rise of static team size in tech.

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (1:45) Jason’s trip to Japan (3:09) Ski industry disputes and resolutions (9:51) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today. (11:07) Ongoing fires in LA, federal aid, and insurance challenges (18:18) Startup Stand Insurance's wildfire risk simulation

(20:18) Atlassian. Head to Atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. (24:48) Could people sue the state of California over the wildfires? (29:32) Analysis of California government competence (29:37) LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (34:56) Economic impact of job report, inflation, and Trump administration policies (42:31) Inflation's psychological effects and tech industry responses (46:03) Static team size and its effect on the labor market (50:13) Impact of automation and AI on startups and the job market (54:08) TikTok's Supreme Court case begins

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Links to topics that were discussed on the show:

Iwanai Ski Resort: https://iwanairesort.com/

Stand Insurance: https://www.inc.com/bruce-crumley/how-a-startup-plans-to-offer-coverage-to-high-risk-homeowners-dropped-by-big-insurers/91067831

U.S. Jobs Report: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Salesforce Job Freeze: https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/this-big-tech-company-has-stopped-hiring-coders-due-to-boost-provided-by-ai-460260-2025-01-10

Thank you to our partners:

(9:51) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (20:18) Atlassian. Head to Atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. (29:37) LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Meta's Moderation and Nvidia's Domination | E2069 Jan 08, 2025

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex discuss Meta’s moderation announcement, Nvidia’s seeming domination in the processor space, Anthropic’s $2B raise and some fun products coming out of CES.

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.(5:15) Fire in Pacific Palisades and Malibu: Insurance and Startup Opportunities(9:48) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(17:32) Meta's New Content Moderation Strategy and Zuckerberg's Motivations(20:09) Oracle. ⁠⁠TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠

(22:35) More on Zuck’s motivations and what the new president can do(30:30) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain:https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(40:26) NVIDIA's AI Supercomputer Chip and Tech Industry Innovations(49:15) Lenovo's Rollable Laptop and Slack's iOS Integration(56:31) BYD's Supercar and Anthropic's Valuation(1:02:45) Jason's Experience with Luxury Japanese Minivans

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:48) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025(20:09) Oracle. ⁠⁠TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠(30:30) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain:https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Twist News: Fusion, Rural Investment, and Applied AI | E2068 Jan 06, 2025

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Lemon.io. TWiST listeners get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Sam Altman’s fusion proclamation and the age of abundance we’re approaching, rural investment and subsidies with austerity on the horizon, and applied AI.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (1:33) The new interactive live show docket (4:34) The Vail Resorts Epic Pass controversy

(10:16) PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. (12:10) Critique of Vail Resorts' management and stock performance (14:39) Sam Altman's interview on fusion energy (18:03) US oil production, energy innovation, and the importance of risk-taking (20:54) Lemon.io. TWiST listeners get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (23:07) Ro Khanna on rural business subsidies (29:59) Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist (31:29) Debating government subsidies and the impact on rural living (35:10) Government debt and austerity measures (39:47) Chinese hacking into US infrastructure and cybersecurity concerns (47:10) China's economic challenges and the importance of domestic production (55:10) SF Smashburger spot review and handling online criticism (1:02:21) Security precautions for public figures and the decline of empathy online

*

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

U.S. State-by-State AI Regulation

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Check out the following articles and companies mentioned in the episode:

UPS Service Centers Close in Rural America

Salt Typhoon Hack (via Washington Post)

Density.io

Deep Sentinel

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:16) PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. (20:54) Lemon.io. TWiST listeners get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (29:59) Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist *

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

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Venture Concentration, High-Skill Immigration, And Who Should Buy Lyft? | E2067 Jan 04, 2025

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Todays show: Jason and Alex discuss the over saturation of venture capital, how to fix the high-skill immigration issue, including an interview with Lisa Wehden of Plymouth, and the pressing question of who should buy Lyft?

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the episode (1:56) Jason and Alex discuss their New Year holidays and resolutions (6:25) Jason shares tips for mindfulness and meditation (8:01) Reflecting on family moments and making memories (10:13) Paddle. Go to paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.

(11:27) Jason and Alex delve into venture capital and Instacart's funding rounds (17:41) Jason announces focus on early-stage investments and Founder University (19:12) Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST. (21:05) Venture capital fundraising concentration and strategy (25:40) Impact of large funds on seed rounds and venture capital immigration (29:08) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit: http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (31:05) Social media weaponization, self-censorship, and high-skilled immigration (36:45) Criticisms, reforms, and solutions to H1B visa issues (45:40) Consultancy costs and Jason's simple solutions for H1B visa reform (50:05) The rise and fall of Bench and Level; predictions for startup failures by 2025 (56:21) Potential mergers in on-demand and autonomous sectors; viability of an Amazon-Lyft merger (1:03:08) Expanding the Mag 8 to reduce tech giant dominance (1:04:33) Valuations of major tech companies (1:05:26) Overview and support offerings of Founder University and getstartupcredits.com

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:13) Paddle. Go to paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. (19:12) Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST. 29:08) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit: http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

2024 TWISTY Awards | E2066 Dec 31, 2024

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Todays show: The 2024 TWISTY Awards are here! Jason and Alex look back at the year and dole out awards for Best CEO, Bag Securer of the Year, and more; plus a look back at the best TWIST moments.

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the episode (1:36) Twisty Awards 2024 Overview (2:06) Breakout Startup of the Year Nominations and Winner (5:53) Pre IPO Startup of the Year Nominations and Winner (10:03) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (15:06) Main Character of the Year Nominations and Winner (19:10) Bag Secure of the Year Nominations and Winner

(20:07) OpenPhone. TWiST listeners can get 20% off your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (22:05) CEO of the Year Discussion (not Elon Musk) (24:43) Twist Interview of the Year Highlight (29:34) Notion: TWiST listeners can try it for free at https://notion.com/twist (31:07) Best Venture Capital Guest Feature (33:32) Defunct Startup of the Year Category (35:46) News Topic of the Year Debate (43:00) Best Tech Product of the Year Nominations (45:07) Funniest Twist Moment of the Year (48:05) Episode of the Year

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:03) Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:07) OpenPhone. TWiST listeners can get 20% off your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (29:34) Notion: TWiST listeners can try it for free at https://notion.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Palantir’s Valuation, VC’s Go To Washington and Much More | E2065 Dec 24, 2024

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Todays show: Jason & Alex discuss Palantir’s valuation, possible opt-in empire building for the United States and the incoming presidents appointments pulling from tech and VC.

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (0:22) Approaches to population growth: immigration and opt-in empire building (1:40) Live streaming and show schedule (2:09) Introduction of Alex Wilhelm and seasonal greetings (3:41) Jason's Twitter controversy regarding Palantir (7:06) Palantir's financial analysis and market comparison (10:27) Oracle.TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (13:41) Deeper dive into Palantir's valuation and growth (18:18) Memestock caution and market dynamics (19:03) DevSquad. TWIST listeners can get 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (20:21) Jeff Bezos' fake wedding and Michael Saylor's Bitcoin strategy (22:17) Cultural takes on weddings and Michael Saylor's media attention (22:55) Defense tech: Palantir and Anduril's consortium (27:18) The rise of entrepreneurs in defense technology (28:45) Ken Howery's ambassadorship and US geopolitical strategies (29:49) Ramp. TWiST listeners, get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist (31:13) Funding ambassadorships and their significance (34:10) "Opt-in" empire building for US growth (42:40) Government's recent strategic hires (43:45) Evaluating new government hires and their impact (50:30) AI policy advisory and Surem Krishnan's role (56:09) Investment accreditation and securities law evolution (1:02:15) Modernizing securities laws for new assets (1:03:59) Emil Michael appointed under secretary for research and engineering (1:06:45) Michael Kratzios and emerging technology assistance

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(10:27) Oracle**.** TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (19:03) DevSquad. TWIST listeners can get 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (29:49) Ramp. ****TWiST listeners, get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Codeium’s Vision for AI-Driven Development with Varun Mohan | E2064 Dec 20, 2024

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Todays show:Jason & Alex chat with Varun Mohan, founder & CEO of Codeium, the revolutionary AI-powered coding platform backed by Kleiner Perkins & Founders Fund. Varun shares insights on pivoting to greatness, scaling enterprise solutions, and launching Codeium's new IDE, Windsurf.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (0:30) Failure examples and Star Wars character confusion (1:38) Introduction to the episode, guests, and Perplexity AI (4:36) Varun Mohan and Codium's journey in AI and IDE development (11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:29) The challenge of moderate success and building 10x better experiences (19:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (21:21) Alex Wilhelm's Cascade demo and Codium's capabilities (24:49) Codium's pricing and the future of no code development (31:45) PrizePicks - Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! (33:31) Satya Nadella on SaaS's future and AI replacing agents (36:00) AI's impact on developer jobs, salaries, and remote work (41:27) Elite developers, hiring strategies, and in-person vs. remote work (46:03) Twist 500, upcoming events, and what VCs seek in startups (53:02) Hyper competition in AI services and niche market strategies (58:26) Audience Q&A and closing remarks

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X: https://x.com/_mohansolo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varunkmohan

Check out: https://codeium.com

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(31:45) PrizePicks - Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup!

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Databricks' Record Raise, TikTok goes to the Supreme Court, and all about the Grammarly-Coda Deal | E2063 Dec 19, 2024

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*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

*

Todays show:

Alex and Jason discuss Databricks’ record raise, TikTok’s big day at the Supreme Court, Shishir Mehrotra on the Coda-Grammarly merger, and more.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show(3:38) Insights on Databricks' private fundraise and venture capital trends(8:37) Predictions on unlimited free energy, water, and food

(9:41) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(14:25) The declining costs of cloud computing(17:12) Evaluating growth rate for startup valuations(19:46) Competitive landscape: Databricks vs. Snowflake

(20:48) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist22:07 The strategic importance of selecting the right customers26:34 Venture capital communication and the ghosting phenomenon28:43 TikTok's ongoing legal challenges

(31:25) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(32:33) Shashir Mehrotra on the Coda-Grammarly merger(37:16) Vision and applications of the Coda-Grammarly partnership(42:35) Future of AI agents and Grammarly's role(45:13) SaaS industry dynamics and AI's role in upselling(49:10) The impact of AI on job automation and workforce productivity(54:40) Team sizes and AI-driven productivity debate(57:18) The future interaction with AI agents(1:00:40) Efficiency gains from combining Grammarly and Coda(1:02:02) The role of ChatGPT and AI in social media(1:03:46) Tailoring AI tools for business needs(1:06:26) Lessons from mergers and acquisitions in the tech sector(1:08:08) Strategic acquisitions and their importance in the tech industry

*

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:41) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(20:48) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(31:25) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Sora Disappoints, ChatGPT Pro Tested, Inference Time Reasoning & More with Sunny Madra | E2062 Dec 18, 2024

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Sunny kick off the show

(1:26) Discussing Groq's recent developments and Middle East tech inspiration (3:51) Global business challenges and Jason's 2025 announcements (7:53) Gemini app demo and ChatGPT 4 comparison

(9:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(11:24) Evaluating ChatGPT 4.0 Pro limitations and robo-taxi fleet costs (12:46) Differences between ChatGPT models and future improvements

(19:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(20:58) LLM focus shift and robo taxi cost model experimentation (23:01) Importance of prompt engineering in AI tools adoption (25:31) Workplace AI adoption challenges and generational tech differences (27:22) New productivity hacks and Gemini app's growth

(30:27) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/twist (34:06) Startup support programs and Google Gemini's research capabilities (37:08) AI model performance evaluation and simplification (45:02) Meta's Llama 3.370b launch and AI industry impact (46:37) Infrastructure costs, competitive landscape, and AI-generated content evolution (55:44) Trust and bias in language models, news analysis startup ideas *

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out Sora here: https://sora.com/

Check out Kling here: https://klingai.com/

Check out Groq: https://groq.com/

*

Follow Sunny:

X: https://x.com/sundeep

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(19:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(30:27) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Silicon Valley Clones and Jersey Drones: Decoding the Signals with Nicole Wischoff | E2061 Dec 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:03) Government reactions to drone sightings (4:02) Theories and politicians' reactions to the drones (9:21) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist. (10:48) Official statements on drone sightings (13:34) Speculation on drones' radiation detection capabilities (15:20) TikTok insights and Swiss startup Arctis Radiation Detectors (20:21) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (21:52) Personal reactions and media aspects of drone sightings (26:12) Startups in drone detection and geopolitical implications (30:36) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (32:23) American Security Drone Act of 2023 and government coordination (39:01) Nicole Wischoff joins Alex and Jason. (40:28) Startup pitches and trend discussions (46:14) Investment strategies and AI's impact on startups (51:10) Market dynamics in various industries (52:09) Fundraising strategies and venture capital insights (57:56) Closing thoughts with Nicole Wischoff (58:05) Venture capital performance metrics (1:00:39) Challenges for large venture funds

*

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*

Mentioned on the show: Check out Wischoff Ventures: https://www.wischoff.com/

Robin Radar Systems: https://www.robinradar.com/

Arktis Radiation Detectors: https://www.arktis-detectors.com/

ApolloShield: https://www.apolloshield.com/

John Ferguson’s full post: https://www.instagram.com/thegardenstate/reel/DDnmN8oRw3T/

American Security Drone Act Of 2023: https://smartpay.gsa.gov/resources/american-security-drone-act/#:~:text=On December 22%2C 2023%2C the,Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA)

*

Follow Nicole:

X: https://x.com/NWischoff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholewischoff

*

Follow Alex:

Follow Jason:

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*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:21) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist.

(20:21) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(30:36) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Cyera's Hypergrowth, Cake's Cap Table Push, and ServiceTitan's Stellar IPO | E2060 Dec 13, 2024

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show with Cyera’s Yotam Segev to dive into the state of enterprise data security. They discuss Cyera’s impressive feat of raising $300 million just quarters after its previous mega-round and explore the company's recent nine-figure acquisition of Trail Security. Next, Alex unpacks ServiceTitan's successful IPO and Broadcom's milestone achievement of reaching a $1 trillion market cap. To close, Cake Equity’s Kim Hansen joins the conversation to share insights into his company’s growth strategy and how it’s thriving in a highly competitive market.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex kicks off the show

(2:12) Cyera’s Yotam Seveg joins the show

(10:05) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(11:34) Evolution from information security to cybersecurity and automated data categorization

(20:44) Cyera's acquisition strategy and impact on the company

(28:00) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

(29:10) AI's impact on data security and competition in the cybersecurity market

(34:19) ServiceTitan IPO, market reaction, and implications for the industry

(37:34) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(39:05) Tech companies reaching significant market caps and IPO performances

(47:17) Texas attorney general's lawsuit against tech companies over data practices

(48:21) Cake Equity’s Kim Hansen joins the show

(49:02) Cake Equity's mission, platform, and cap table management software demo

(54:29) Cake Equity's user interface, employee engagement, and expansion plans

(58:22) Automation in onboarding and international growth challenges for Cake Equity

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.cyera.io

https://www.cakeequity.com

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Follow Yotam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yotam-segev

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimhansencake

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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The Top 6 Startup Finance FAQ’s | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn Dec 12, 2024

Todays show:

In the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics, Jason sits down with Scott Orn from Kruze Consulting to answer the six most important founder/startup questions around finance, accounting, and taxes.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason to dive into Finance Basics FAQs.

(1:05) How can I avoid paying payroll tax as a startup founder?

(6:54) How do you shut down a startup?

(11:33) Why do I owe Delaware $50,000 in franchise taxes?

(12:58) I’ve got my first customer lined up! How do I get paid?

(16:26) Can I tell VCs that implementation revenue is ARR?

(19:59) Should I raise venture debt when I raise my Series A?

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Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com Check out more Finance Basics here: THISWEEKINSTARTUPS.COM/basics

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Negative Venture Returns, GM Kneecaps Cruise, and Finix joins the TWiST500 | E2059 Dec 12, 2024

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the reporting that Tiger Global's 2021-era fund is not only posting poor results, it's lagging peers from the same timeframe. Then, the pair also interview Suvir Wadhwa, founder and CEO of Flite, a former Launch accelerator company, and dug into the Cruise-GM news along with a peek at the next head of the FTC.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:19) Tiger Global's investment strategy and performance

(5:49) Challenges of quick capital deployment and market timing

(10:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(11:15) Impact of losing key investors or advisors on startups

(12:24) Public market trends affecting private investments

(16:09) Market downturns' effects on startups and investors

(20:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(21:16) Political influences on market and technology sectors

(29:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (31:10) Trump administration's business policies and immigration

(38:20) Changes in the FTC leadership and impacts on startups

(41:40) Finix's addition to the TWiST500

(44:53) GM's scale-back on Cruise and future implications

(51:25) Self-driving technology's impact on car ownership

(52:39) Flite's Suvir Wadhwa joins the show

(54:18) Flite's business model, AI benefits, and market reach

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out Flite: https://www.flite.city/

Check out the TWiST500: https://www.twist500.com/

Check out Tiger Global: https://www.tigerglobal.com/

Check out E1207: How Tiger Global is outpacing VC with fast, cheap capital ft. Founders Fund’s Everett Randle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koDKxjHe_Kk

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Follow Suvir:

X: https://x.com/suvirwadhwa

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvirwadhwa/

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Drones, Deepfakes, and Disruptors with Lon Harris, Remento and Cuby | E2058 Dec 11, 2024

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Lon Harris kick off the show

(2:06) Welcome back to Lon Harris and discussion on current events

(6:04) Drones in New Jersey: Security issues and speculations on their origin

(11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:04) Privacy concerns surrounding drone technology (15:27) The future of drone delivery services (19:32) OpenAI's launch of the video generation tool, Sora

(20:04) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(21:34) The emergence of new mediums from AI tools

(31:04) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (32:28) Startup of the Day: Remento (43:06) Uber's milestone and the future of ride-sharing (51:14) Alex Gumbel from Quby Technologies joins the TWIST500 (56:00) Economics of mobile micro factories and deskilling labor in home construction (1:04:09) Market demand and strategic focus in construction innovation (1:07:10) Business model, customer base, and production goals for Qubii Technologies (1:11:11) Challenges and future prospects in the construction industry

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out OpenAI’s Sora: https://sora.com/

Check out Cuby: https://www.cubytechnologies.com/

Check out Remento: https://www.remento.co/

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

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(31:04) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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TWiST News: Bitcoin’s Future, Reddit Answers, SEC Shifts, and more! | E2057 Dec 10, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Anthony Pompliano joins Jason and Alex to discuss crypto markets, Bitcoin's future, and Michael Saylor's Bitcoin strategy. Then, they dive into Reddit's new Q&A feature, SEC shifts, and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(7:36) Anthony Pompliano joins the show

(9:55) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist

(11:48) Impact of new administration on Bitcoin and crypto markets

(19:58) Concerns from OG Bitcoiners and Bitcoin as a marketing tool

(20:38) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(22:07) Michael Saylor's Bitcoin strategy and historical trade comparisons

(27:17) Risks of MicroStrategy's Bitcoin holdings and price volatility

(30:15) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.

(31:47) Bitcoin yield, new metrics, and investment advice

(39:48) Rationality and risk in Bitcoin investment and audience engagement

(47:23) SEC accreditation, private investment funds, and the Brian Thompson case

(1:01:56) Reddit's new Q&A feature, “Reddit Answers”

(1:12:05) Kids Online Safety Act and social media regulation

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(20:38) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(30:15) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Ghost Engineers, Measuring Productivity, & Memecoin Scams | E2056 Dec 07, 2024

Todays show:

In this episode, we discuss Hailey Welch and the viral Hawk coin, then discuss David Sachs' new White House role and recent job data's economic impact. We address the United Healthcare CEO's murder, debate cancel culture, and a viral tweet on software engineers' habits. Deedy Das offers insights on tech inefficiencies and the shift to in-person work. Coffeezilla joins to explore crypto scams, influencer marketing ethics, and regulation. We wrap up with David Sachs' Czar role in AI and crypto for the US government, market dynamics, and a new addition to the Twist 500.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:53) Economic outlook and recent job data (5:12) Reaction to United Healthcare CEO murder

(9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(10:48) Cancel culture debate and public statements (16:00) Viral tweet about software engineers' work habits

(19:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(20:08) DeeDee Doss interview on software engineer productivity (23:17) Management incentives and tech company inefficiencies (25:16) Shift to in-person work in tech startups

(29:37) Ramp - Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist (31:20) Remote work psychology and potential abuse (37:35) Strategies to prevent remote work abuse (39:24) Hayley Welch interview on viral meme coin (41:00) Coffeezilla's investigations into scams and frauds (47:42) Cryptocurrency red flags and influencer consequences (52:50) Crypto regulation and influencer marketing ethics (59:03) Influencer credibility and responsibility (1:03:21) Coffeezilla's assignment and Rabbit AI device insights (1:04:01) David Sachs announcement and AI/crypto in government (1:07:25) Regulatory capture and Silicon Valley dynamics (1:09:15) Market perspectives and government influence

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Mentioned on the show:

Check on Menlo Ventures: https://menlovc.com/

Check out Coffeezilla: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQMnBA3CS502aghlcr0_aw

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Follow Coffeezilla:

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Follow Deedy:

X: https://x.com/deedydas

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debarghyadas/

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Year-End Planning for Startup Success | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn Dec 05, 2024

Todays show:

In the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics, Jason sits down with Scott Orn from Kruze Consulting to tackle essential year-end planning for startups. "Year-End Planning: Setting Your Startup Up for Success," covers crucial topics like assessing next year's fundraising needs, crafting an operating plan, preparing for taxes and compliance, and more. Don't miss these practical tips to ensure your startup is ready to thrive in the new year!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason

(2:17) Evaluate Your Fundraising Needs for Next Year

(7:05) Financial Statement Review and Clean-up

(8:34) Set High-Level Goals and Strategy

(11:27) Cost Optimization Review

(13:39) Create Next Year's Operating Plan

(17:19) Tax and Compliance Planning

(19:02) Team and Equity Management

(20:22) Cash Management Strategy

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Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com Check out more Finance Basics here: THISWEEKINSTARTUPS.COM/basics

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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TWiST News: $100k Veteran Pitch Winner EMPEQ, US Unicorn Dominance, and T500 Updates | E2055 Dec 05, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss breaking news on Paul Atkins and SEC leadership transitions into discussions on corporate security concerns. Then, Mike Sherbakov and Herbert Dwyer share insights on veteran leadership and EMPEQ's equipment management technology. The conversation highlights technology applications in military contexts and Empeq's dual-use tech. The episode also covers SaaS growth, touches on crypto's influence on elections, economic growth, and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:54) Paul Atkins and SEC leadership

(6:36) Corporate security concerns

(12:18) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(13:24) Mike Sherbakov and Herbert Dwyer join the show

(20:37) Herbert Dwyer on EMPEQ

(24:21) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST

(25:44) Technology applications in military and equipment management

(30:15) SaaS growth, funding, and customer profiles

(34:42) EMPEQ's dual-use technology and contact information

(36:33) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(38:01) Launch CloudKitchens incubator and food delivery tech

(44:28) Twist 500 database and Hugging Face spotlight

(53:07) Live events for Twist 500 and EU startup culture

(1:02:28) Crypto's impact on elections and economic growth

(1:17:02) Safety nets and basic needs in capitalism

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Thank you to our partners:

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*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

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(36:33) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l45B4mYl-o

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TWiST News: Bitcoin, Saylor's Microsoft Pitch, and the Delaware-Tesla Fight | E2054 Dec 04, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Micro1. Micro1 is an AI recruitment engine to hire world class engineers fast. Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire

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Todays show:

Jason and Alex discuss Michael Saylor’s pitch for Microsoft to shift shareholder returns into Bitcoin, the Delaware court's ruling on Tesla pay, and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(7:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(8:47) Michael Saylor's Bitcoin Pitch to Microsoft

(24:01) The Digital Transformation through Bitcoin

(29:46) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(30:47) Bitcoin as an investment compared to traditional assets

(38:01) Michael Saylor’s take on Bitcoin's investment potential

(39:40) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire

(41:19) Asset-heavy vs. asset-light business models

(57:46) Tesla compensation package and Delaware court ruling

(1:03:56) Delaware Judicial System and Corporate Governance

(1:19:00) Corporate incorporation trends

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Mentioned on the show:

https://x.com/saylor/status/1863323760511627565

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Follow Alex:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(7:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

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(39:40) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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TWiST News: Pardons, Enron, Crypto's Moment, and the Future of Chinese Venture | E2053 Dec 03, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Todays show:

In today’s episode, Jason and Alex explored the curious return of Enron, the latest developments in Bitcoin and MicroStrategy, and the evolving cryptocurrency landscape. They closed with an analysis of China's uneven investment climate and its effects on venture capital activity.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:30) Hunter Biden's pardon and implications for presidential power

(7:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(9:31) Enron's return and potential crypto play

(14:47) Crypto regulation changes under the new administration

(24:43) Investment strategies in Bitcoin and the impact of hiring decisions

(26:51) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(28:25) Michael Saylor and MicroStrategy's strategy on Bitcoin

(37:31) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

(39:22) Diversification in investments and Michael Saylor's promotional tactics

(43:28) NFTs vs. traditional investments

(46:47) Sequoia's global deals search

(55:11) Consumer confidence, US and China economies, and debt discussion

(1:02:09) Nearshoring trend, credit card delinquencies, and potential bankruptcies

(1:06:02) Bernie Sanders' stance on defense spending and populism

(1:08:02) Dogecoin leaderboard

(1:17:07) Bitcoin predictions and Bitcoin valuation

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(37:31) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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The Self-Driving Unicorn You Need to Meet & MicroStrategy's Bitcoin Bet | E2052 Nov 27, 2024

Todays show:

Jason and Alex welcomed Alex Kendall to the show. He's the founder and CEO of Wayve, an AI company working on self-driving. You might recall that Wayve raised $1 billion earlier this year, but TWIST wanted to know how the company intends to commercialize -- and how soon. From there, it was back to the bitcoin mines. Figuratively, as the hosts dug into MicroStrategies' bitcoin buying bet. Precisely why it is trading at such a NAV premium remains occluded to the show, but we did chase down its debt terms. Next week: More TWiST500!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:32) Introduction of guest Alex Kendall Co-Founder & CEO of Wayve (3:00) Alex Kendall on Wayve's autonomous driving approach and AI technology (8:29) LiDAR vs. camera-first solutions debate

(10:19) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

(12:23) Economic viability and strategy of autonomous vehicles (17:49) Timeline for Wave's technology deployment and future market scenarios

(19:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:34) Autonomy subscription models and AI driving behavior challenges

(30:01) Kyte - Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

(33:00) AI driving culture and Twist 500 update (37:05) MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy and market concerns (41:33) Bitcoin convertible debt analysis (49:03) Deciphering complex business models and historical examples (51:24) Evaluating new financial terms and investor advice (52:29) Final thoughts and invitation to Michael Saylor

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out Wayve: https://wayve.ai/ Check out MicroStrategy: https://www.microstrategy.com/ TWiST Episode #1251 with Do Kwon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLZL8iPKsHQ

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X: https://x.com/alexgkendall

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgkendall/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:19) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

(19:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:01) Kyte - Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://www.microstrategy.com/press/microstrategy-announces-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-and-announces-42-billion-capital-plan_10-30-2024

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TWiST News: Startups & Wealth Taxes, The Bitcoin Boom, and The OpenAI Browser | E2051 Nov 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Jason and Alex are joined by Dune's CEO to discuss wealth taxes and their impact on startups, highlighting the need for nations to support digital innovation. Then, they dive into MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy, OpenAI's browser plans, and the 2025 IPO class, including excitement for CoreWeave's debut!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(6:07) Impact of taxes on startup formation and Norway's economic background

(10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:53) Norway's wealth tax implications and policy changes

(18:09) Exodus of top taxpayers and the paradox of Norway's wealth tax

(20:14) Wall of shame for tax critics

(27:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(28:41) Dune Analytics' revenue growth and new index product launch

(36:47) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://devsquad.com/twist

(38:15) Michael Saylor and MicroStrategy's Bitcoin investment strategy

(49:01) Market irrationality and risks associated with Bitcoin investments

(55:01) Crypto wealth diversification and new investment structures

(1:02:20) OpenAI's new browser project and its impact on search

(1:05:51) Increasing reliance on browsers and Bluesky's potential

(1:15:37) CoreWeave's IPO and the future of GPU clouds

(1:18:22) Bitcoin market dynamics and predictions

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Mentioned on the show:

https://x.com/ASvanevik/status/1857568015929455050/photo/1

https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2550877

http://launch3.squarespace.com/blog/l019-bitcoin-p2p-currency-the-most-dangerous-project-weve-ev.html;jsessionid=EE99D323A0E532A507C8E2CD1EF05BAF.v5-web008

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Follow Fredrik:

X: https://x.com/hagaetc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrikhaga

Check out Dune: https://dune.com

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(27:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(36:47) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://devsquad.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

How Startups Can Crush Enterprise AI Sales | E2050 Nov 23, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Todays show:

Alex is joined by Joff Redfern and Derek Xiao of Menlo Ventures to discuss the significant role AI plays in modern workflows. We look behind the numbers of their recent report: “2024: The State of Generative AI in the Enterprise” while exploring AI spending trends in enterprises, with a focus on its impact on the healthcare and legal sectors. The conversation highlights popular AI use cases, the role of large language models in content creation, and workflow automation. We delve into advances in generative AI applications, enterprise spending, strategies for AI startups, training AI for market verticals, and the future of artificial general intelligence.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Joff Redfern and Derek Xiao join Alex

(4:08) Yahoo's evolution and Anthropic's recent funding (6:23) AI spending trends in enterprises

(10:14) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(12:20) AI's impact on healthcare and legal sectors and its rapid adoption (19:25) Popular AI use cases in enterprises

(20:56) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/startups

(23:17) The role of LLMs in content creation and workflow automation (27:04) Advances in generative AI applications and agentic systems

(30:43) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(32:14) Enterprise generative AI spend, ROI, and budget expansion (38:45) Selecting generative AI tools and AI-first startup opportunities (47:43) Competition and strategies for AI startups (50:10) Training AI for market verticals and the future of AGI (53:03) Recap of enterprise AI spend and trends

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from the show: Check out Menlo Ventures: https://menlovc.com/ Menlo’s report “2024: The State of Generative AI in the Enterprise”: https://menlovc.com/2024-the-state-of-generative-ai-in-the-enterprise/

*

Follow Joff:

X: https://x.com/mejoff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mejoff/

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-backed-startup-d-matrix-launches-first-ai-chip-2024-11-19

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TWiST News: Nvidia's AI Edge, Google Might Have to Sell Chrome, and Founder Fridays Updates | E2049 Nov 22, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Ramp. The corporate card and spend management software designed to help you save time and money. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist.

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Digital Ocean. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or seeing your project take off, DigitalOcean is the cloud platform that lets you focus on what matters: building killer apps. Right now get up to $100k in free credits at https://www.do.co/twist. Terms and conditions apply.

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Todays show:

Jason and Alex kick off the show with a deep dive into Nvidia’s blowout earnings and the skyrocketing demand for its upcoming Blackwell chips. Meanwhile, Google’s search monopoly took center stage as proposed remedies, including a potential Chrome divestment, sparked heated debate. To unpack the implications, Brave’s Jean-Paul Schmetz joined the discussion, offering insights into the fight for search independence. The episode wrapped up with updates from three Founder Friday hosts, sharing what they’re hearing from the builders shaping the future.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:20) Google's antitrust case and DOJ's proposed remedies

(5:22) Nvidia's market performance and AI chip competition

(7:00) Nvidia's Blackwell architecture and AI advancements

(9:45) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist.

(11:13) Google's advertising market dominance and Chrome divestiture

(21:00) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(22:50) DOJ's negotiation strategy with Google

(25:50) Brave browser's business model, competition, and privacy focus

(31:00) DigitalOcean - DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.

(32:13) Brave's search engine development and DOJ's impact

(40:26) AI's role in search technology and the future of browsers

(44:08) DOJ's remedies and their effect on smaller search engines

(46:22) Google's growth strategies and M&A outlook

(51:03) Founder culture, motivation, and Founder Fridays initiative

(58:50) Founder Fridays host Georges Colbert joins the show

(1:06:12) Founder Fridays experiences in Longview, Texas with Kitty and Coco

(1:15:09) Endora's success and advice for Founder Fridays hosts

*

Want to host or join the next Founder Fridays? Check out https://www.founderfridays.tech

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Mentioned on the show: Check out Albetroz: https://albatroz.ai/

Check out Endora: https://www.endora.app/

Check out Brave: https://search.brave.com/

https://x.com/Jason/status/1859630517894983977

https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/public-policy/doj-search-remedies-nov-2024

*

Follow Jean-Paul:

X: https://x.com/jpschmetz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpschmetz

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Follow Kitty:

X: https://x.com/endorakitty

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittyboglesherman

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X: https://x.com/endoracoco

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cocoharmon

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:45) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist.

(21:00) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(31:00) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

TWiST News: Venture-Backed Defense Startups, Anti-Drone Guns, and Querio's AI Data Platform | E2048 Nov 21, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

Sprig. The Product Experience platform that generates AI-powered opportunities to continuously improve your product at scale. Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

*

Todays show:

Jason and Alex dig into why Nvidia's latest earnings report is such a big deal, and how the chip giant could help keep the AI hype alive. Or, how it could poke a hole in market enthusiasm. The pair also welcome the CEO of Allen Control Systems to discuss building venture-backed defense companies. Then, the CEO of Querio joins the show to show off what his company has built.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:32) Nvidia’s expected $33B revenue and its transition from gaming GPUs to AI workloads.

(9:01) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(10:05) Nvidia’s growth over time

(15:55) When will an Nvidia lighthouse customer switch to a competitor’s product?

(22:28) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(23:28) Allen Control Systems’ Steven Simoni joins the show

(32:38) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

(33:52) The rise of venture-backed defense startups and autonomous systems for military applications

(50:20) Querio’s Rami Abi Habib joins the show

(55:38) Demo of Querio’s platform

*

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out Allen Control Systems: https://www.allencontrolsystems.com

Check out Querio: https://querio.ai

*

Follow Steven:

X: https://x.com/stevensimoni

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni

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Follow Rami:

X: https://x.com/ramiabih

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/datarami

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:01) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:28) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(32:38) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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X: https://x.com/spenserskates

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Anatomy of a Win-Win Acquisition: Synergy, Growth, AI, and the Future of SaaS | E2047 Nov 19, 2024

Todays show:

Spenser Skates and James Evans join Alex to discuss Amplitude's acquisition of Command AI, shedding light on recent startup M&A trends and the strategic vision behind this move. The conversation delves into Command AI's user assistance technology and its integration into Amplitude, which aims to enhance user surveys and feedback. Spenser outlines Amplitude's product-led growth strategy and its approach to scaling through acquisitions while managing risks and ensuring cultural alignment. The discussion also covers the acquisition deal structure, regulatory concerns, and the decision-making process between raising funds and selling. Also, we hear Spenser’s unfiltered take on private equity and regulatory oversight!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Spenser Skates of Amplitude & James Evans of CommandAI join Alex.

(1:40) Startup M&A trends and Amplitude's acquisition of Command AI

(4:30) Overview of Command AI's user assistance technology

(7:05) Integration and benefits of Command AI within Amplitude

(10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:45) Enhancements in user surveys and feedback with Command AI

(16:58) Amplitude's strategic vision behind acquiring Command AI

(20:22) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(21:28) Product-led growth and enhancing user experience at Amplitude

(26:08) Amplitude's approach to scaling through strategic acquisitions

(30:01) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(31:30) Managing acquisition risks, integration, and cultural alignment

(35:19) Acquisition discussions and deal negotiation

(39:48) Acquisition deal structure and stakeholder conviction

(42:08) Addressing regulatory concerns and valuation mismatches in acquisitions

(44:20) Decision-making: Raising funds vs. selling a company

(46:00) Post-acquisition: Integrating Command AI's technology

(49:37) Amplitude's future growth strategy and leadership

(54:00) Transition from founder mode to distributed leadership

(56:15) Role of AI in Amplitude's product development

(59:44) AI model considerations and financial sustainability in B2B software

(1:01:34) Market position and growth of Command AI

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out Amplitude: https://amplitude.com

Check out CommandAI: https://www.command.ai

*

Follow Spenser:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spenserskates

*

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-evans-7086b3126/

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Thank you to our partners:

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*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2024/11/15/mike-tyson-jake-paul-netflix-issues-buffering-reactions/76343456007

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TWiST News: Netflix Goes Live, The FCC Revamp, Free Speech, and Regulatory Shifts | E2046 Nov 19, 2024

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Netflix's 'fight' night, exploring content rights, media models, and the fragmentation of sports. They then covered Brendan Carr's promotion to FCC chair, a win for satellite Internet but raising concerns about business interference. The conversation shifted to global social media regulation before examining the tech community's excitement about Emil Michael potentially leading the Department of Transportation.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:14) Netflix's live event issues and potential in sports streaming

(6:28) The growing intersection of professional wrestling, sports betting, and viewership

(10:03) Evolving business models in streaming: Advertising vs. subscription

(11:55) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(13:49) The future landscape of sports streaming rights and network deals

(17:17) Maintaining editorial independence in media companies

(20:24) Analyzing NFL viewership trends and their influence on television

(21:11) Netflix's content strategy and Amazon Prime's new ad policies

(23:10) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(24:39) AI, monetization, and the move towards ad-free experiences

(27:49) Exploring the viability of Netflix hosting pay-per-view events

(33:52) Brendan Carr's FCC chairmanship and the future of rural broadband

(38:22) The role of the free market in social media platform regulations

(32:21) Kyte - Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

(45:02) Political shifts and their impact on tech and social media

(49:50) TikTok's regulatory challenges and UK censorship laws

(1:03:11) Emil Michael's potential cabinet position and government efficiency

(1:12:26) Strategies for balancing the federal budget and reducing national debt

(1:16:19) ByteDance's valuation amidst US restrictions

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/18/media/brendan-carr-trump-fcc-nominee-project-2025/index.html

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Misaligned Incentives Between GPs and Founders with Altimeter's Jamin Ball | E2045 Nov 15, 2024

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Todays show:

Altimeter's Jamin Ball joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss VC-founder dynamics, fund returns, rapid fundraising, and its impact on M&A. They cover public vs. private valuations, startup liquidity, AI's influence, SaaS trends, and Jamin’s outlook on IPOs and exits.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jamin joins Alex to kick off the show

(6:30) Alignment of incentives between VCs and founders

(10:25) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(11:54) Venture capital allocation demand and its impact

(15:55) Comparison of returns between small and large venture funds

(21:54) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(23:23) Power laws in startups and venture capital's impact

(24:19) Effects of rapid fundraising cycles on founders

(31:33) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(32:59) Raising large rounds and long-term commitments

(35:15) Venture capital's influence on startup M&A activity

(37:38) Public vs private market valuation disparities

(39:24) Future of startup liquidity and exit scenarios

(46:06) Proposals for realigning venture capital funds and founder incentives

(47:41) Impact of AI on startup growth and venture capital

(52:20) SaaS multiples and cloud software market analysis

(57:43) Software spending trends and startup optimism for 2024

(1:00:15) Procurement scrutiny in startup budgets and market differentiation

(1:01:17) Promising companies and Jamin Ball's investment outlook

(1:01:28) Expectations for IPOs and startup exits in the coming year

*

Mentioned on the show:

Join Jamin’s substack here: https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/

Jamin’s article: https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/p/clouded-judgement-102524-misaligned

Check out Altimeter: https://www.altimeter.com/home

Follow Bill Gurlery on X: https://x.com/bgurley

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X: https://x.com/jaminball

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamin-ball-49366137

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2024/oct/01/amid-australias-chaotic-climate-politics-the-rooftop-solar-boom-is-an-unlikely-triumph

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TWiST News: Face Robots, Solar's Growth, The Polymarket Mess, and YC's Latest Call for Startups | E2044 Nov 15, 2024

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Todays show:

Jason and Alex host Phil Deutch, CEO of NGP Energy Tech Partners, to discuss solar power’s potential in the energy crunch fueled by data center growth. They then explored the FBI's raid on Polymarket’s CEO, and wrapped up with Y Combinator’s latest startup requests, including Alex’s space venture dreams and Jason’s interest in AI-proof jobs.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:09) Robotic demo from Columbia University and the future of human interaction

(3:09) Population declines and changing societal norms

(5:38) NGP Energy Technology Partners’ Phil Deutch joins the show

(6:28) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST

(8:02) Global Solar Energy Trends and Impact of Regulations

(17:27) Historical Energy Fears and Future Energy Predictions

(21:39) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(22:40) Nuclear energy in the United States and data center demand

(30:07) The impact of energy on geopolitics

(34:48) Historical energy crises and solutions

(37:38) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

(38:35) EV tax credits, political implications, and air pollution statistics

(50:14) The Polymarket mess and prediction market regulation

(1:09:55) Y Combinator's latest startup requests

(1:13:05) Stablecoins, government software, and public safety technology

(1:22:26) Gig economy and AI's impact on platforms like Fiverr and Uber

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/technology/polymarket-shayne-coplan-fbi-search.html

https://berkeleyearth.org/air-pollution-and-cigarette-equivalence

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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X: https://x.com/pdeutch

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-deutch-21a76a6

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

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(21:39) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(37:38) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://x.com/DeepRobotics_CN/status/1856601226357387396

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TWiST News: Underwater Drones, Robot Swarms, and Klarna's Going Public | E2043 Nov 14, 2024

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:40) VATN Systems’ Nelson Mills joins the show

(4:01) The Torsk and its applications, focusing on defense and cost efficiency

(7:23) Product velocity, military drone usage, and vehicle speed and depth capabilities

(10:48) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:01) Discussion on Chinese navy, US shipbuilding, and Rhode Island's manufacturing capabilities

(15:45) Climate for raising money in defense tech and competition in global politics

(21:04) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(22:33) Underwater drone technologies: Autonomy, swarming, communication challenges, and battery life

(28:32) Defense technology importance and peace through strength

(29:17) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

(35:00) LG's new stretchable screen technology and Deep Robotics' quadruped robot

(45:19) Robotics in warfare, cybersecurity, and civilian impact

(48:50) Autonomous surgical robots and science fiction predictions in AI

(54:14) Fintech market insights: Klarna's IPO and political climate effects on valuations

(1:00:18) Unicorn IPO challenges and influencing in the crypto market

(1:03:08) Comparison of the current market to previous manias and government efficiency

(1:08:42) Impact of AI on job market, economy, and autonomous trucking

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Mentioned on the show:

https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/11/11/surgery-robots-trained-with-videos

https://www.klarna.com/international/press/klarna-announces-confidential-submission-of-draft-registration-statement-to-sec-for-proposed-initial-public-offering

https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/klarna-adds-savings-accounts-competing-banking-business/724369

*

Follow Nelson:

X: https://x.com/nelson_mills_

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millsn

Website: https://www.vatnsystems.com

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Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

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(29:17) Sprig - Visit ⁠https://www.sprig.com/twist⁠ to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://investors.serverobotics.com/static-files/96eeebc1-712f-46fe-9aee-c1242bddea38

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TWiST News: Serve Robotics, High Skill Immigration, and the Trump Trade | E2042 Nov 11, 2024

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Serve Robotics’ self-driving robots, delivery economics, and building while public with CEO Ali Kashani. Then, the pair dug into high-skill immigration under the upcoming administration and massive price gains in stocks and crypto assets. Alex wondered if the stock market isn't overvalued, full-stop, but both hosts agreed that enthusiasm is hot heading into the new year.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (7:27) Serve Robotics' Ali Kashani joins to discuss Serve's latest developments (10:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (12:37) Expansion challenges and navigating regulations (20:42) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (22:19) Business model, future plans, and partnerships (29:14) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (30:41) Coopetition in the robotics and delivery space (35:16) Autonomous deliveries forecast for 2030 (49:17) High skill immigration and global talent competition (54:19) Leadership styles and labor market shifts (1:07:16) Government's stance on cryptocurrency (1:13:25) Blockchain innovation and tokenizing venture capital

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.vebulabs.com/autocado

https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/a-positive-path-forward

https://www.longtermtrends.net/market-cap-to-gdp-the-buffett-indicator

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/11/nx-s1-5186522/tom-homan-border-czar-trump

*

Follow Ali:

X: https://x.com/ahkashani

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikashani

Website: https://www.serverobotics.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Follow Alex:

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Thank you to our partners:

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(29:14) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://security.apple.com/blog/private-cloud-compute/

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TWiST News: Reddit Earnings, Apple Intelligence, and more AI money | E2041 Nov 08, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Apple’s on-device AI and its privacy implications, Reddit’s earnings, and Amazon’s multi-billion dollar investment interest in Anthropic with strategic chip conditions. They also discuss economic indicators like inflation’s impact on voter sentiment and what metrics will define success for the next administration. Finally, they explore how product velocity has been key to Toast’s SaaS success and share valuable lessons for startup growth.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:29) Discussion Apple Intelligence and privacy concerns

(10:32) Runway - Sign up at https://www.runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free.

(12:12) Trust in tech companies and privacy

(17:20) Trends on AI topics and ChatGPT

(17:20) Trends and tech product comparisons

(20:59) OpenAI's Chat.com acquisition

(22:45) Mac mini unboxing experience wrap-up

(24:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups⁠⁠

(26:12) Analysis of Toast's business and growth

(36:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(37:30) Reddit's growth, user engagement, and moderation challenges

(47:36) Social media incentives and reputation systems

(52:07) Reddit's AI translations and community management strategies

(57:25) Reddit's potential for creating a search engine

(1:00:38) OpenAI's citation challenges

(1:05:30) Amazon's interest in Anthropic and AI regulation

(1:07:37) US immigration and AI regulation under Trump administration

(1:11:43) TikTok's role in US-China relations

(1:15:42) Major IPOs and market potential

(1:17:19) Economic topics and inflation's impact on consumer spending

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Mentioned on the show:

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Follow Alex:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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TWiST News: Skydio's Drones, High-Skill immigration, and M&A Unleashed | E2040 Nov 07, 2024

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*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:55) Skydio’s Adam Bry joins the show

(4:22) Overview of Skydio's autonomous drones and public safety applications

(9:31) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

(11:07) Skydio as the largest US drone producer and Chinese sanctions impact

(17:36) Risks of Chinese-made drones and Skydio's cybersecurity measures

(21:28) Drones in defense and combat applications

(25:15) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

(27:24) Drone light shows and military implications, Skydio's mission and hiring

(31:44) Future applications of drone technology and hardware startup challenges

(39:31) Geopolitical tensions and impact on American companies

(39:43) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(41:36) Presidential election results and implications for entrepreneurship

(48:49) Tariffs, immigration policies, and economic impact

(57:41) Prediction markets

(1:00:07) High-skilled immigration and antitrust policies

(1:04:35) Political influence on business dynamics and media

(1:07:02) Mergers, acquisitions, and startup liquidity post-Lena Khan

(1:11:26) Secondary markets, Lyft and DoorDash valuation trends

(1:15:15) The future of search engines

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out Skydio: https://www.skydio.com/

Check out Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/

Article on Amazon’s purchase of MGM: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a36543339/james-bond-amazon-mgm-deal-explained/

Article on election ad spending in 2024: https://www.afaqs.com/news/advertising/harris-and-trump-spent-nearly-10-billion-on-ads-in-2024-us-elections-7452195

Trailer for 1982 Doc “Buried”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4NpOlJ_O-I

*

Follow Adam:

X: https://x.com/adampbry

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adambry/

Follow Alex:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:31) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

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(39:43) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Insane Demands of AI & Datacenters: Exowatt’s Mission for Affordable, Sustainable Power| E2039 Nov 05, 2024

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Todays show:

In this episode, host Alex sits down with Exowatt’s Hannan Parvizian to explore how the company is addressing the massive energy demands of AI and datacenters. They discuss Exowatt's mission to deliver affordable, sustainable power solutions that meet the needs of a rapidly expanding tech landscape. Together, they dive into the challenges and innovations shaping the future of clean energy for data-heavy applications.

*

Timestamps:(0:00) AI search energy consumption and corporate willingness to pay for AI(1:30) Introduction to power, electricity, and Hannan Parvizian of ExoWatt(4:21) Renewable energy, fossil fuels, and data center energy consumption(7:15) AI race, energy demands, and founding of ExoWatt

(8:25) Key challenges in the renewable energy sector

(9:24) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(12:23) Cost of electricity, energy bills, and Texas energy market

(13:40) Exowatt’s unique technology and competitive edge(17:46) Introduction to ExoWatt's P3 product

(21:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist(22:39) Energy storage technologies and comparison

(30:47) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist(31:58) P3 modules' energy capacity and storage(34:55) Heat-to-electricity conversion mechanism(37:56) ExoWatt's company background, funding, and scaling challenges(43:14) Variable pricing, customer demand, and AI's energy consumption outlook(50:10) American manufacturing dynamism and AI's impact on the job market*

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TWiST News: AI in Gaming, Nvidia and GPU Clouds, Nuclear Energy Challenges, and Waymo Updates | E2038 Nov 05, 2024

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss AI's role in gaming with Decart’s AI-generated video game and its potential impact.(10:31) Viral growth strategies for startups and Runway AI's video creation innovations. Financial topics include NVIDIA's market value and Amazon's nuclear power ambitions.(21:39).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:34) Election security in America and challenges of swinging state votes

(8:41) AI-generated video game by Decart and its potential in gaming and entertainment

(9:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(17:07) Viral growth strategy for startups and collaboration between Decart and Etched

(A20:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(21:37) NVIDIA's value, financial speculation, and customer concentration

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(44:16) Amazon's nuclear power deal and regulatory challenges

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TWiST News: Grape-picking robots, startup investing for all, and the earnings numbers you need to know | E2037 Nov 02, 2024

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(4:49) Extend Robotics’ Dr. Chang Liu joins the show

(6:23) The challenges of real-world automation, robotic grape picking, and human in the loop AI

(10:44) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(12:14) Teleoperation, network latency, and future of robotic harvesting

(21:05) Building a tech company in the UK and second-order effects of AI

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(24:35) AI models learning from best human practitioners

(26:56) Global remote work impact and virtual assistants

(30:38) Impact of global salary standards on US developers

(33:02) Oracle - Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist

(34:28) Accredited investor rules and potential changes

(42:26) Sophisticated investor tests and angel investing

(47:32) Investing in local businesses and AI news

(48:36) OpenAI announcements and Google’s blowout quarter

(52:22) Democratizing education with AI tutors and OpenAI's new search product

(1:03:39) OpenAI’s advanced voice feature and earnings highlights

(1:06:26) Tech giants' AI initiatives and implications

(1:08:03) Amazon’s AWS growth and AI business expansion

(1:14:39) Audience question: Interesting AI sectors for startups

(1:21:05) The Chinese EV market

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Check out Extend Robotics: https://www.extendrobotics.com/ Here is the “Empowering Main Street in America Act”: https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/emsaa_section-by-section.pdf Check out SearchGPT: https://openai.com/index/searchgpt-prototype/ Check out the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra: https://www.mi.com/global/discover/article?id=3768 Check out Nio: https://www.nio.com

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Fast growth, big capital, and how Moniepoint is building a fintech unicorn in Africa | E2036 Oct 31, 2024

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Todays show:

Moniepoint made waves this week by raising a massive $110 million Series C. For a startup in a category (fintech) that has seen its venture fortunes falter and a company building for the African market (which has seen its venture inflows slow), Moniepoint is an outlier – twice. Three times if you consider how quickly the company has grown in recent years. How did its round come together? How was it priced? And why aren’t more investors putting capital to work in Africa? Tune in, we have answers.

*

Timestamps: (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show

(1:21) Moniepoint's origin story and pivot to the current model

(10:30) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(10:13) Balancing profitability and venture capital

(16:48) Digitalization's impact on Moniepoint's growth

(25:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(26:43) Moniepoint's office and IPO strategies

(28:18) Launch of consumer banking services

(31:07) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

(32:07) The recent fundraising round and valuation insights

(38:32) Moniepoint's expansion plans in Africa

(42:17) Fostering the early-stage startup ecosystem

(44:18) Tosin's journey in angel investing

(46:38) Spotlight on African startups in the global market

(49:37) Angel University - Apply now at https://www.angel.univeristy

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(31:07) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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AI-Driven Auto Shops with Mastertech.ai and Data Observability with Monte Carlo | E2035 Oct 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by:

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm interviews leaders from Monte Carlo and Mastertech.ai, exploring their roles in data observability and AI applications. Linda Gray shares her journey founding Mastertech.ai and highlighting AI's transformative role in auto shops.(2:05) Monte Carlo's Lior Gavish discusses the importance of data downtime and AI's influence on data monitoring. (35:51)

*

Timestamps: (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show

(2:05) Linda Gray's career and Mastertech.ai origin

(5:17) Mastertech.ai and the auto repair industry

(8:06) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(9:11) Technological adoption and Mastertech.ai's benefits

(16:18) Mastertech.ai's OEM approval process and community data

(20:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:20) Mastertech.ai's AI-driven diagnostics demo

(34:34) Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100.

(35:51) Lior Gavish from Monte Carlo joins Alex

(45:15) AI's accelerant effect on Monte Carlo's growth and strategy *

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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TWiST News: The Startup Redefining Sonos, Influencers, Elections and Google's next AI push | E2034 Oct 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Sonos director Mattias Scheek joins Jason & Alex to discuss his journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition. Then, Jason and Alex dive into election security (34:57), influencer marketing, Google’s upcoming AI release (1:10:42), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:18) Earnings week predictions & discussion on national debt

(9:17) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.

(10:24) Mattias Scheek from Sonos joins the show

(11:23) Mattias Scheek's journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition

(17:49) Challenges for hardware startups in venture capital

(20:25) Getting acquired: The process, strategy, and life after

(22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

(23:11) Sonos' hi-fi strategy and industry issues in audio clarity

(33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. (34:57) Voting irregularities, election security, and influencer marketing

(45:14) Trump Rogan YouTube search issues and search engine comparison

(53:06) Monetization experiments on YouTube and Launch Cloud Kitchens Incubator

(1:10:42) Google's upcoming AI model for PC browsers and cybersecurity risks

(1:15:52) Apple's app permissions approach and AI

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Mentioned on the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnUry6mCxs

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(22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

(33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Merge's Unified API Bet in the AI Era | E2033 Oct 25, 2024

In this episode: Alex talks with Shensi Ding from Merge, who shares her transition from finance to tech and highlights the critical role of integrations in modern businesses. They explore the challenges of building and maintaining these integrations, emphasizing the importance of standardized data models. Shensi discusses partnerships and the strategies to overcome resistance. The conversation delves into trust-building, enhancing integration observability, and expanding Merge's offerings to include AI applications. They also touch on financial efficiency, growth strategies, and Merge's evolution beyond APIs, concluding with insights into future plans and potential acquisition interest. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show with guest Shensi Ding of Merge.

(5:18) Shensi's journey from finance to tech and the importance of integrations (10:20) The challenges of building and maintaining integrations

(11:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(13:17) Identifying the market gap for Merge and the benefits of standardized data models (17:39) Partnership building, Salesforce integration, and overcoming resistance

(20:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(21:16) Further discussion on trust-building and integration challenges (26:04) Enhancing integration observability and customer support

(30:01) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire

(31:21) Expanding Merge's integration list and its AI applications (35:27) Discussing financial efficiency, runway management, and team dynamics (43:16) Growth strategies, customer base expansion, and go-to-market experiments (47:10) Pricing strategies, customer value, and market trends (50:05) Future plans for Merge, acquisition interest, and long-term vision (52:26) Evolution of Merge beyond API focus.

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(30:01) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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AI for Investors, Publisher Rewards, Sleep Tech & More – 2024 Jam with JCal Recap | E2032 Oct 24, 2024

In this episode we look back at all the Jam with JCal sessions from 2024. This is where startups pitch their groundbreaking ideas to Jason, covering everything from AI-driven investor tools and gamified publisher rewards to sleep tech and architecture compliance software. Watch as these innovative founders get unfiltered feedback and game-changing advice! Don’t miss these exciting pitches that could be the next big thing.

*

Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show, setting the stage for our "Jam with JCal" season recap, focusing on startups using .TECH domains.

(0:53) Jason discusses the origins of the Jam with JCal sessions and how Travis from Uber inspired the format.

(1:39) Ramsey Shaffer presents Uptrends AI, explaining how it helps financial advisors manage and stay ahead of market news.

(17:24) Ana Malhotra introduces Rome, a yard-sharing service for dogs.

(32:24) Tyce Herrman talks about Ullama, software for architects that analyzes 3D building models for code compliance, highlighting their journey and challenges.

(44:56) Ulan Abdurazakov presents CorePod, an AI-powered device designed to help users get better sleep with personalized voice interaction

(57:25) Elliot Easterling presents Bonbon, a rewards platform for publishers to boost engagement through gamification, and discusses their go-to-market strategy.

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Get your .TECH domain here: https://get.tech/

Check out Uptrends AI:https://www.uptrends-ai.tech/

Check out the Rome app: https://theromeapp.tech/

Check out Ulama: https://www.ulama.tech/

Check out CorePod: https://www.corepod.tech/

Check out Bonbon: https://bonbon.tech

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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TWiST News: Headphones.com, How Sound Takes Down Drones, TollBit Secures Series A | E2031 Oct 23, 2024

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Todays show:

Jason and Alex dive into the latest updates from Claude AI, exploring the new “Use Computer” feature and its implications. Next, Andrew Lissimore of headphones.com shares the journey of turning a side hustle into a thriving business, highlighting the advantages of owning a premium domain and leveraging YouTube for customer acquisition. The team from Prandtl Dynamics then joins to showcase their handcrafted, anti-drone technology. Finally, the episode concludes with an in-depth discussion on TollBit’s Series A funding and their strategies for scaling in the competitive marketplace space.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:52) Anthropic's latest launch, Claude 3.5 Sonnet capable of "Computer use".

(8:33) Future of AI assistants and employment effects

(10:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(11:36) AI's impact on white-collar jobs and economic implications

(21:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:13) Andrew Lissimore from headphones.com joins the show

(30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(32:06) Deep dive into high-end audio and audiophile community

(38:03) The role of reviews and content at headphones.com

(47:00) Leveraging Organic search and YouTube for brand growth

(50:11) Prandtl Dynamics team on anti-drone technology

(55:21) Building cost-effective anti-drone solutions

(1:03:42) Prandtl Dynamics business potential and funding

(1:09:04) TollBit's Series A funding news and AI data marketplace

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Check out Prandtl Dynamics: https://prandtl.ca

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Follow Andrew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlissimore

Website: https://www.headphones.com

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Election Security, Skift's Rafat Ali, and Anthropic Unleashes PC AI | E2030 Oct 23, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(4:10) Heritage Foundation's stance on election integrity and fraud

(11:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:48) Technological improvements for secure elections

(21:07) Hans von Spakovsky's perspective on the 2020 election

(22:29) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(24:01) Election security and legal consequences of fraud

(30:06) Closing remarks on election security

(32:11) Reflecting on the election fraud discussion and transfer of power

(31:00) (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.

(36:06) Introduction of Rafat Ali and discussion on Uber-Expedia rumors

(42:16) Evaluating the potential Uber-Expedia acquisition

(45:04) Challenges and consumer behavior in online travel industry

(48:33) Future of loyalty programs and travel industry partnerships

(52:17) Uber's strategic moves in the travel sector

(57:00) AI advancements in travel and media

(1:00:19) Media strategies and data monetization

(1:05:21) Skift's business model, LinkedIn's role, and remote work strategies

(1:11:24) Skift's growth and potential IPO discussion

(1:13:18) Uber's expansion into the airline industry

(1:15:41) Latest developments in AI with Anthropic's Claude 3.5 model

(1:20:07) Announcement of Angel University workshop

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Mentioned on the show:

Check out The Heritage Foundation: https://www.heritage.org/

Check out The Heritage Foundation’s database: https://www.heritage.org/voterfraud

Check out Skift: https://skift.com/

*

Follow Hans:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-von-spakovsky-0a544913/

Follow Rafat:

X: https://x.com/rafat

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafatali/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

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(31:00) (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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TWiST News: F1 on Apple Vision Pro, Self-Driving, and Stablecoins | E2029 Oct 22, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100.

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the GPU market insights and the discovery of a new prime number. John LePore from BlackBox Infinite joins to discuss bridging science fiction with real-world tech, focusing on VisionPRO and Hollywood VFX. The discussion shifts to autonomous driving, Tesla's safety improvements, and Stripe's acquisition of Bridge.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(5:15) Discovery of a new prime number and GPU market insights

(7:15) BlackBox Infinite's John LePore joins the show

(10:06) DigitalOcean - Approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist to get started. Terms and conditions apply

(11:54) VisionPRO app development and Hollywood VFX integration

(16:51) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

(18:35) Bridging the gap between science fiction and real-world technology

(20:36) Deep dive into the F1 experience prototype

(28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.

(29:35) Inspirational media and its impact on technology

(32:10) The influence of science fiction interfaces on real-world tech

(38:59) How safe is self-driving technology today?

(1:03:11) Stripe buying Stablecoin provider Bridge *

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Follow John:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnymotion

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:06) DigitalOcean - Approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist to get started. Terms and conditions apply

(16:51) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

(28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The Anatomy of a Startup Acquisition with Cacheflow's Sarika Garg | E2028 Oct 18, 2024

Todays show:

Cacheflow’s Sarika Garg joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss the challenges of B2B software sales (4:26), finding product-market fit (14:08), HubSpot's acquisition of Cacheflow (17:32), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Cacheflow’s Sarika Garg joins Alex

(2:25) Sarika Garg's startup journey and founding of Cacheflow

(4:26) Challenges in B2B software sales, managing billing complexities, and SaaS explosion

(10:09) Initial funding, product development, and growth

(10:34) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(14:08) Finding product-market fit and scaling strategies

(17:32) HubSpot's acquisition of Cacheflow

(21:20) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:24) Preparing for Series A and positioning as an AI company

(24:57) Deal with HubSpot and integration plans

(29:41) Runway - Sign up at ⁠https://runway.com/twist⁠ to get your first 3 months free

(30:58) Diverse cap table, early exit, and founder lessons

(33:45) Importance of a part-time CFO and organizational efficiency

(37:26) Integration with HubSpot's Commerce Hub

(39:02) Shifts in SaaS buying behavior and future plans at HubSpot

(47:01) Remote work’s impact

*

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Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Cacheflow: https://www.getcacheflow.com

Check out Alex’s articles on Cacheflow: https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/06/cacheflow-doubles-valuation-while-raising-10m-proving-that-the-venture-market-is-far-from-dead/https://techcrunch.com/2021/11/10/cacheflow-drops-stealth-tag-raises-6m-to-simplify-the-saas-buying-experience/

*

Follow Sarika:

X: https://x.com/sarikagarg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarikagarg

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Follow Alex:

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:34) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(21:20) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(29:41) Runway - Sign up at ⁠https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The Best Financial Advice VCs Give Startups | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn Oct 17, 2024

Todays show: Kruze’s Scott Orn joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics! In this episode, they break down the best financial advice that VCs give founders including, managing cash flow (0:21), accounting methods (5:19), building an effective financial plan (15:22), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason

(0:21) The best financial advice VCs give startups, managing cash flow, and the risks of over-fundraising

(5:19) Growth strategies for early-stage startups and accounting methods

(8:28) Legal aspects of financial representation and maintaining credibility with VCs

(15:00) Building an effective financial plan for your startup

(17:47) Historical perspectives on funding and the importance of regulatory considerations

*

Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com

*

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Scott:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1txb73-0MvKq_FAcGWMsUcctwgEVHYkgQ38kgEnOuHMs/edit?gid=1464971737#gid=1464971737

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

TWiST News: Subscription Economics, Density's Waffle, and The Cost of AV Fleets | E2027 Oct 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Fundrise. Fundrise provides access to diversified portfolios of private real estate to all investors with their industry leading, easy to use platform. Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist

Brave. Brave is an internet privacy company on a mission to protect your personal info online. Download Brave today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more. All in a single click.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:06) FTC's new subscription rules and impact

(6:58) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist

(8:16) Density's mission and "Waffle" product announcement

(16:02) Real-time wayfinding and utilization tracking

(22:45) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more

(23:59) Data's impact on city planning and operations

(27:12) Sensor costs and impact on adoption

(32:24) Unit economics and adoption curves

(39:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(40:22) Robotaxi fleet modeling project

(48:33) Google and Kairos nuclear power deal

(50:00) Amazon's nuclear energy agreements

(55:09) Solar and fracking trends

*

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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TWiST AV Models:

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Mentioned on the show:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1txb73-0MvKq_FAcGWMsUcctwgEVHYkgQ38kgEnOuHMs/edit?gid=1464971737#gid=1464971737

https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/sustainability/google-kairos-power-nuclear-energy-agreement

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-nuclear-small-modular-reactor-net-carbon-zero

https://ourworldindata.org/energy-gdp-decoupling

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czkkgnp1d2xo

https://archive.is/ZOO42#selection-1051.130-1059.17

https://www.semafor.com/article/10/03/2024/solar-boom-in-china-turns-electricity-prices-negative

*

Check out these startups:

https://www.trlyr.com

https://www.terra.one

https://www.tozero.solutions

https://www.altris.se

https://bedrock.inc

https://www.unbound-potential.com

https://www.3dc.co.jp/en

https://www.flowaluminum.com

https://www.hydrostor.ca

https://www.thaleron.com

https://sizableenergy.com

https://www.kitekraft.de

https://www.byterat.io

https://www.ionworks.com

*

Follow Andrew:

X: https://x.com/andrewfarah

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewfarah ⁠

Check out: https://density.io

*

Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(6:58) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist

(22:45) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more

(39:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI Demos: ChatGPT-o4 Canvas, Notebook LM & Meta's Movie Gen | E2026 Oct 16, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://claconnect.com/tech

*

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Tesla’s Robotaxis (2:17), demo ChatGPT-4o new Canvas interface (25:23), break down Meta’s Movie Gen model (41:11), Notebook LM (54:41), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra and Jason kick off the show

(2:17) Tesla's Robotaxi reveal and challenges with regulatory approval

(10:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(11:22) Self-driving architectures and potential applications for Tesla's Cybervan

(18:15) Update on Tesla's Optimus robot and the future of autonomous vehicles

(22:04) Interest rates and startup funding challenges

(22:13) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(23:14) Traffic congestion, urban planning, and future players in autonomous vehicles

(25:23) ChatGPT-4o with Canvas demo

(31:28) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech (41:11) Meta vision models and Groq demo

(42:35) Apple AirPods updates and AR glasses privacy concerns

(47:46) Meta's new vision models, open-source impact, and OpenAI's business model

(54:41) Notebook LM's tools

(1:00:13) Capturing family history with AI and Meta Movie Gen's potential

*

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LINKS:

Check out OpenAI’s Canvas: https://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/

Check out Notebook LM: https://notebooklm.google.com/

Check out Meta Movie Gen: https://ai.meta.com/research/movie-gen/ Check out Meta Llama 3.2: https://ai.meta.com/blog/llama-3-2-connect-2024-vision-edge-mobile-devices/

*

Follow Sunny:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(22:04) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(31:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

TWiST News: Tesla Robotaxis, Electric RVs, and How Startups are Helping Secure Elections | E2025 Oct 15, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to dive into Tesla’s Robotaxi event, highlighting Tesla's bold plans for a self-driving, bus-style vehicle (4:33). Then, Lightship RV co-founders Toby Kraus and Ben Parker talk about the future of electric RVs (25:04). Finally, Voatz CEO Nimit Sawhney shares how blockchain is being used to secure elections (51:35).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(4:33) The Tesla Robotaxi event

(6:46) The potential impact of Tesla's bus platform

(11:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:29) ChatGPT 4 with Canvas demonstration

(18:23) Predictions on the future of self-driving cars

(23:36) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(25:04) Lightship RV co-founders Toby Kraus and Ben Parker join the show

(27:55) Description and features of Lightship RV

(33:58) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

(35:05) Financing strategy and market potential for Lightship

(39:00) Impact of market trends on Lightship

(41:19) Lightship's unique selling points, competition, and market strategy

(51:35) Voatz CEO Nimit Sawhney joins the show

(54:48) Voatz's progress, voting process, and blockchain integration

(1:02:25) Election fraud concerns and attack vectors

(1:06:02) Voatz's business model and sales cycle

(1:08:11) Discussion on Dominion Voting Systems and election security

(1:10:15) The debate over voter ID requirements and voting transparency

(1:13:38) Upcoming topics: Solar energy advancements

(1:14:28) Twist 500 nominations and submission guidelines

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out:

https://lightshiprv.com

https://voatz.com

*

Follow Toby:

X: https://x.com/kraus_toby

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobykraus

*

Follow Ben:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminparker1203/

*

Follow Nimit:

X: https://x.com/yenhwas

*

Follow Alex:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(23:36) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(33:58) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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https://www.coreweave.com

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TWiST500 Spotlight: The must-know startups from AI to robotics! | E2024 Oct 11, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

We reviewed the first 100 companies on the TWiST500 list, covering sectors from fintech to AI, robotics, and space. Dozens of must-know startups emerged. Today, Alex breaks down the categories seeing the most entrants and highlight some of our favorite picks.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show

(3:08) AI for Devs: Qodo & Poolside

(6:25) AI Infrastructure: CoreWeave

(8:43) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(10:15) Data for AI: Tollbit & Scale

(14:05) Robotics: Figure & Dusty Robotics

(17:51) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(19:08) Fintech: Circle & Altruist

(22:37) Cybersecurity: Huntress & Wiz

(26:30) Crypto: Farcaster

(28:17) Other Standouts: Harvey AI, Kojo & Albedo Space

(30:04) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

(31:17) Angel University kicks off November 6th

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Companies mentioned on the show:

https://www.qodo.ai

https://www.poolside.ai

https://www.tollb.it

https://www.scale.com

https://www.figure.ai

https://www.dustyrobotics.com

https://www.circle.com

https://www.huntress.com

https://www.wiz.io

https://www.farcaster.xyz

*

Check out these TWiST episodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGtV_V54m30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZPO5oYUuQU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEwo0VXlZQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdkWFoFD50Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEwo0VXlZQ

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Follow Alex:

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Thank you to our partners:

(8:43) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(17:51) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

(30:04) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Navigating the AI Boom | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn Oct 10, 2024

Todays show: Kruze’s Scott Orn joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics! In this episode, they break down the unique aspects and dynamics of the current AI boom, contrasting AI startup revenue, costs, and growth rates with traditional SaaS models (4:11). They also dive into AI tools' impact on productivity and labor efficiency (8:12), the accounting challenges and operational issues AI startups face (14:27), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason (1:06) Unique aspects and dynamics of the current AI boom (4:11) AI startup revenue, costs, and growth rates vs traditional SaaS (8:12) AI tools and their impact on productivity and labor efficiency (14:27) Accounting challenges and operational issues in AI startups

*

Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Follow Scott:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/08/doj-indicates-its-considering-google-breakup-following-monopoly-ruling.html

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

TWiST News: M.G. Siegler Explains the Current Venture Crisis and Google’s Antitrust Woes | E2023 Oct 09, 2024

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Todays show:

M.G. Siegler joins Jason and Alex to discuss the current venture capital crisis (14:11), and challenges in the venture industry, particularly in early-stage returns and high valuations (18:42). They also address future exits and the impact of regulatory measures on M&A (27:14), Google's antitrust case (49:08), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) M.G. Siegler joins Jason and Alex

(5:05) M.G. Siegler's journey from journalism to venture capital

(8:33) Differences between journalism and venture capital

(10:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist

(11:02) Media training and transparency in companies

(14:11) Venture capital's current state and CRV's capital return

(16:23) Challenges and opportunities in the venture industry

(18:42) Early stage venture returns and the impact of high valuations

(21:42) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill atat https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

(23:07) Future exits and liquidity evaluations in startups

(27:14) Acquisitions, hackquisitions, and regulatory impact on M&A

(34:09) Venture capital dynamics and fundraising during market downturn

(35:48) Predictions for the startup market recovery

(38:02) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

(38:57) AI competition among tech giants and Meta's hardware challenges

(45:47) Venture capital dynamics and favorite AI tools

(49:08) Google's antitrust case

(55:25) Possible effects of opening Google's search API

(1:03:41) Potential Google spin-offs

(1:06:27) Audience Q&A

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Mentioned on the show:

https://spyglass.org/vc-crisis

*

Follow M.G. Siegler:

X: https://x.com/mgsiegler

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgsiegler/?originalSubdomain=uk

Check out: https://www.spyglass.org

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Thank you to our partners:

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*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

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(38:02) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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https://www.radianaerospace.com

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The Next-Generation of Single-Stage-to-Orbit Spaceplanes with Radian's Richard Humphrey | E2022 Oct 08, 2024

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Todays show:

Radian’s Richard Humphrey joins Alex to discuss the future of space travel, focusing on spaceplanes like the Radian One (2:05). The two dive into technological advancements (10:20), funding challenges (14:28), the potential to reduce orbital launch costs (47:56), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Radian’s Richard Humphrey joins Alex

(2:05) Discussion on Richard Humphrey's aviation history and spaceplane development

(4:22) Spaceplanes versus rockets: advantages and disadvantages

(8:51) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(10:20) Spaceplane projects: historical context and current technology

(14:28) Funding challenges and venture capital interest in space industry

(17:14) Radian 1 spaceplane's rocket sled launch mechanism and specifications

(20:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(25:28) Reusability and refurbishment process of the Radian 1 spaceplane

(29:03) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(30:33) Radian 1 project updates: recent tests and future timeline

(39:00) Commercial model and government interest in horizontal launches

(42:38) Orbital launches: future demand and space economy implications

(44:49) Space launches: US and Chinese dominance, and potential for rapid cargo transport

(47:56) Private orbital flights: cost, feasibility, and space tourism

(53:19) Reducing orbital launch costs and the transformative potential of space access

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Check out Radian:

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Follow Richard:

X: https://x.com/RadianSpace

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardhumphrey ⁠

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(8:51) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(20:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(29:03) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Hacking Meta's AR glasses, a shakeup at Initialized, and the best startups of the decade | E2021 Oct 07, 2024

Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex and Jason kick off the news show!

(3:26) Overview of Harvard's AR glasses tech demo and club projects

(10:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:35) Discussing responsible tech use, privacy, and entrepreneurial aspirations

(18:30) Guests' academic focus and future in technology

(19:41) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(21:27) AR technology trends, practicality, and ethical considerations

(26:10) AI advancements, deepfakes, and AR in healthcare

(29:37) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

(31:06) Insights on young founders and the podcast's live format evolution

(31:58) Venture capital trends and Initialize Capital's restructuring

(39:28) Founders Fund and CRV developments, returning capital to LPs

(42:02) Analysis of scale insurgents and successful startup unicorns

(46:39) Secondary market opportunities and fund exit strategies

(53:00) New Twist 500 members: Snyk and Nym

(59:56) TikTok's impact on the music industry and content creators

(1:01:05) Investment discussions with Chef Reactions and TikTok creators *

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anhphu5/

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X: https://x.com/CaineArdayfio

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caine-ardayfio/

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

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(29:37) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Highlighting Data Intelligence with Databricks & Bonbon’s Reward Innovation | E2020 Oct 04, 2024

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Databricks’ Naveen Rao joins Alex Wilhelm

(8:54) Regulatory challenges and open-source AI

(10:02) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(13:57) Meta's Llama models and reinforcement learning

(19:46) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(20:55) Open vs. closed source AI models and advances

(28:09) Precision in AI and enterprise applications

(30:20) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(52:08) Tech incumbents' evolution and AI competition

(54:55) AI model sizes and synthetic data quality

(57:29) AI inspiration from biology and future innovation

(1:03:06) Databricks' growth trajectory and potential IPO

(1:04:25) Elliot Easterling of bonbon joins TWIST for a Jam with JCal.

(1:05:16) Bonbon.tech and the rewards platform overview

(1:14:44) Gamification strategies and user engagement

(1:22:18) Exploring growth opportunities and market expansion *

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Check out Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/

Check out Bonbon: https://bonbon.tech

Link to Newsom vetoes SB 1047 article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9jwyr3kgeo

The short guide to understanding data intelligence from Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/blog/short-guide-understanding-data-intelligence

Mosaic AI Agent Framework post: https://www.databricks.com/blog/announcing-mosaic-ai-agent-framework-and-agent-evaluation

Data Intelligence Platform product tour: https://www.databricks.com/resources/demos/tours/horizontal/introducing-databricks-intelligence-platform?itm_data=demo_center

Mosaic AI new features and demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acIBdCOj88E

Unity Catalog GitHub: https://github.com/unitycatalog/unitycatalog

“Thinking Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman summary on Medium - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/89308/thinking-fast-and-slow-by-daniel-kahneman/9780385676533

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Follow Naveen:

X: https://x.com/naveengrao

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naveen-rao-bba5b01/

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X: https://x.com/e_easterling

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://ilaunion.org/ila-responds-to-usmxs-statement-that-distorts-the-facts-and-misleads-the-public/

The Automation Endgame, VCs Returning Cash, and the OpenAI Wager | E2019 Oct 03, 2024

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the ongoing ILA strike and impact (2:34), Startup opportunities in port automation (39:49), CRV's $275M return to investors (55:33), OpenAI closing its $6.6 billion mega-round (1:12:07), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:34) The ILA strike overview and impact

(4:59) Technology and efficiency in global ports

(10:10) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

(11:43) Labor, supply chain fragility, and union perspectives

(20:12) Future of port automation and union demands

(27:07) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(28:27) Societal impacts of potential future labor changes

(38:07) Kyte - Download the Kyte app or book online at https://www.kyte.com and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

(39:38) Startup opportunities in port automation and technology resistance

(45:13) Innovations in port tech

(50:11) Broader impact of automation on employment

(55:39) CRV's $275M return to investors

(1:00:06) Focusing on core strengths in venture capital

(1:02:16) Current market conditions and lack of late-stage IPOs

(1:08:26) Essential skills for venture capital investing and variability in VC fund performance

(1:12:07) OpenAI closing its $6.6 billion mega-round

(1:18:27) Audience Q&A

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106498.pdf

https://ilaunion.org/ila-halts-negotiations-with-usmx-amid-automation-disputes/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-do-dock-workers-make-longshoreman-salary/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/02/technology/crv-vc-fund-returning-money.html

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Thank you to our partners:

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(38:07) Kyte - Download the Kyte app or book online at https://www.kyte.com and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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X: https://x.com/moniquewoodard

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Monique Woodard, Fund of Funds Panel & The Pro-Rata Yacht! | E2018 Oct 02, 2024

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Timestamps:

(1:18) Alex kicks off the show!

(2:27) Our Fund of Funds panel from Liquidity Summit 2024 take the stage.(2:54) Insights from Ben Choi on Fund of Funds(6:25) Emerging Manager Funds with Michael Downing

(9:47) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:38) Challenges for Emerging Managers in Venture Capital

(20:25) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(21:30) Venture Capital Performance with Seyonne Kang

(32:12) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free.

(33:30) Monique Woodard on Raising a First Fund(38:35) Debunking Myths of Raising a First Fund(40:46) Importance of Individual vs. Institutional Investors(42:18) Building Relationships for Subsequent Funds(43:45) Identifying Your Ideal LP Persona(45:19) Leveraging Your Fund's Unique Strengths(49:24) Strategies for Fund 2 and Beyond*

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Check out Cake Ventures: https://www.cake.vc/

Check out Stepstone Group: https://www.stepstonegroup.com/

Check out Next Legacy Ventures: https://www.nextlegacy.com/

Check out MDSV Capital: https://www.mdsv.vc/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquewoodard/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seyonne-kang-b283021/

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X: https://x.com/benjichoi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bchoi/

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X: https://x.com/michaeldowning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldowning/

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:47) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

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*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(32:12) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free.

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://x.com/martin_casado/status/1840490481777770850

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The AI Supercycle, California's AI Safety Bill Vetoed, and the Future of AR/VR | E2017 Oct 01, 2024

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss AI regulation bill SB 1047 (1:46), the biggest supercycle today (6:18), OpenAI’s growth trajectory (25:20), the AR and VR technology evolution (48:51), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:46) AI regulation bill SB 1047

(2:34) Defining the AI supercycle

(6:18) Concurrent supercycles: Self-driving cars and fusion

(8:03) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(9:08) Detailed discussion on SB 1047's impact and reactions

(17:14) AI regulation in California: A broader perspective

(19:54) CloudDevs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite LATAM talent today.

(21:01) Industry leaders' reactions to SB 1047 veto and open source in AI

(25:20) Rule-breaking in startup success and evaluating OpenAI's valuation

(36:47) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

(38:00) Infrastructure ownership for tech giants and the future of startups in AI

(48:51) AR and VR technology evolution and market potential

(55:38) AR glasses' impact on daily life and mental health

(1:05:59) AR vs. VR applications and social implications

(1:07:27) Audience Q&A

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Mentioned on the show:

https://x.com/AndrewYNg/status/1840497561821651069

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/29/governor-newsom-announces-new-initiatives-to-advance-safe-and-responsible-ai-protect-californians/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-09-29/meta-steps-up-pressure-on-apple-vision-with-orion-ar-glasses-and-cheaper-quest-3-m1nkq76p

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKgJTJojVEw

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(8:03) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(19:54) CloudDevs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite LATAM talent today.

(36:47) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

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The Future of Sound: Udio’s Vision for AI-Generated Music | E2016 Sep 27, 2024

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Todays show:

Udio’s David Ding joins Alex to discuss the inception of Udio (1:32), advancements in AI music creation (8:47), and the evolution of Udio’s AI model (10:32). Plus, David demos Udio’s capabilities live (32:47)!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Udio’s David Ding joins Alex

(1:32) David's journey and the inception of Udio

(4:26) AI music generation and user control over music elements

(7:52) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(8:47) Advancements in AI music creation and data annotation

(10:32) Evolution of Udio's AI models and early versions

(14:59) Udio's target audience and the future of AI in music

(20:06) Udio's potential DAW integration and music production terms

(21:52) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(23:17) Udio's funding and business model

(27:11) Financial discipline and GPU cost efficiency at Udio

(31:28) Brave Search API - Get started for free at ⁠https://www.brave.com/jason

(32:47) GPU-based compute challenges and a live Udio demo

(48:03) Udio's user interface, engagement, and community insights

(49:57) Udio's growth, virality, and competitive stance

(53:27) Udio's model quality and expansion roadmap

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(31:28) Brave Search API - Get started for free at ⁠https://www.brave.com/jason

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Data Centers and Energy with Phil Deutch | E2015 Sep 26, 2024

Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser of today’s Liquidity Summit talk from Phil Deutch.

(1:29) Alex kicks off the show.

(2:11) Jason introduces Phil Deutch at the Liquidity Summit 2024

(3:52) Phil Deutch’s talk “Data Centers & Energy: A First Principles Understanding of Investment Opportunities & Challenges”

(4:39) Data center power demands and the impact on energy demand

(7:30) The complexity of energy generation and distribution

(9:24) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(10:55) Electricity generation in the US, transmission, and distribution challenges

(15:17) Market opportunity for faster electricity delivery and sustainability challenges

(20:08) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(21:14) The nuclear power debate, role of AI and batteries in energy management

(25:55) Consumer awareness and recent outages' impact on energy consumption

(29:16) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(30:39) Audience questions on the transition to AI and EV adoption challenges

(34:09) Future innovations in energy: Solar, storage, and the potential for free electricity

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X: https://x.com/pdeutch

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-deutch-21a76a6/

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LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:24) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:08) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(29:16) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/16/the-toolbelt-generation-why-teens-are-losing-faith-in-college.html

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OpenAI CTO Departure, DOJ AI Compliance, M&A Trends, and more! | E2014 Sep 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss OpenAI CTO’s departure (2:03), DOJ AI compliance guidelines (9:11), current trends in tech M&A (19:15), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:03) Breaking news: OpenAI CTO departure and speculation

(8:17) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

(9:11) DOJ AI compliance guidelines

(17:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠

(19:15) Current state and trends in tech M&A

(29:13) Liquidity, market trust, and the move towards a cashless society

(36:05) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST

(37:21) Startup funding, valuations, and disciplined fundraising

(50:09) Instacart's valuation journey and venture capital challenges

(53:25) Optimism for the AI-driven business super cycle

(55:36) The future of labor: Skilled trades vs. knowledge workers

(1:02:03) Trends in apprenticeships, college enrollment, and geographic arbitrage

(1:08:24) Startup opportunities in vocational training and alternative education models

(1:11:09) Google's career certificates initiative

(1:14:16) Job expectations and the reality for young professionals

(1:15:42) Tenet Media controversy

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Mentioned on the show:

https://globalventuring.com/corporate/exit/exits-corporate-backed-startups-august-2024

https://www.wsj.com/articles/justice-department-pushes-companies-to-consider-ai-risks-116cfcf7?mod=hp_minor_pos11

https://www.ft.com/content/78b7e7a7-7428-4c5e-bfa2-0921c9d6cd25

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(8:17) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

(17:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠

(36:05) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Amazon's RTO Impact, Lina Khan’s 60 Minutes, and Microsoft's Big Nuclear Deals | E2013 Sep 24, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Amazon's return to office (RTO) policy (11:27), Lina Khan’s 60 minutes (31:09), Apple's new iOS features (48:32), Microsoft's big nuclear deals (1:05:25), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:14) Viral tweet from Harry Stebbings about venture capital and entrepreneurship

(4:38) Discussion on the balance between luxury and grit in entrepreneurship

(9:29) Cleaning up the excesses in the industry

(9:58) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(11:27) Amazon's return to office (RTO) policy and its implications

(20:11) Potential impact of RTO on Amazon's innovation and stock price

(20:55) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(22:25) Amazon's use of Gen AI to reduce the need for developers

(24:32) Amazon's M&A strategy and competitive positioning

(29:39) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (31:09) Lina Khan, antitrust enforcement, and market competition

(45:49) Specific anti-competitive behaviors in tech industry and potential solutions

(48:32) Apple's new iOS features and their impact on productivity tools

(53:00) Siri's evolution and improved AI capabilities in iOS

(57:32) The concept of "getting Sherlock'd" and its impact on startups

(59:08) Apple's AI advancements and their implications for OpenAI

(1:05:05) The potential challenges of AI dominance in OS-level interfaces

(1:05:25) Microsoft's involvement in nuclear power and its significance

(1:10:30) The importance of energy independence for AI development

(1:15:43) Audience question: Return to office in tech vs. other industries

(1:18:11) Audience question: App store rules and market share

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:58) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(20:55) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(29:39) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

How Pie's 'Block Ads, Get Paid' Model Is Giving Users Control of Ads & Privacy | E2012 Sep 20, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

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Todays show:

Pie.org’s Ryan Hudson joins Jason to discuss consumer behavior (5:57), Honey’s business strategy (10:47), Pie’s consumer ad control (14:20), legal considerations of ad blocking (27:21), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Pie.org’s Ryan Hudson joins Jason

(2:30) History and initial reactions to Honey

(5:57) Consumer behavior, trust, and conversion rates

(9:17) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(10:43) Merchant reactions and Honey's business strategy

(14:20) Future of Pie and consumer ad control

(17:50) Demo of Pie browser extension

(20:35) Economic implications of ad blocking

(27:23) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(28:34) Legal considerations of ad blocking

(30:20) Apple's privacy stance and ad reintroduction strategies

(36:22) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(37:50) Funding decisions and advice for young founders

(43:40) Company values and political engagement

(49:08) Remote work and the value of in-person interactions

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Follow Ryan:

X: https://x.com/ketau

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanhudson ⁠

Check out: https://www.pie.org

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:17) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Navigating Challenges in Distressed Companies with Becki DeGraw | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Sep 19, 2024

Todays show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down challenges in distressed companies(1:04), pay-to-play scenarios (2:31), the importance of a market check in financing (9:25), and high-profile legal and ethical issues (18:03).

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Wilson Sonsini partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason

(1:04) Distressed companies and VCs leaving the board; Challenges in distressed companies

(2:31) Insider-led down rounds and pay-to-play scenarios

(7:07) Legal actions and stockholder lawsuits in successful turnarounds

(9:25) The importance of a market check in financing; Voting against board decisions

(18:03) Character and incentives in the startup ecosystem; High-profile legal and ethical issues

*

Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠⁠https://www.wsgr.com⁠

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Follow Becki:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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No hype, Just works: How Comma reached 100M miles in autonomous driving | E2011 Sep 18, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

.Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist

Micro1. Micro1 is an AI recruitment engine to hire world class engineers fast. Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

*

Todays show:

Comma’s Harald Schäfer joins Jason to discuss the future of autonomous driving, Comma’s open-source approach (7:24), how camera-based systems stack up against lidar (20:52), self-driving technology developments globally (32:55), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Comma’s Harald Schäfer joins Jason

(2:02) Comma's approach to self-driving technology

(4:06) Cost, installation, and car manufacturers' reactions to Comma

(6:38) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(7:24) Open source and different approaches in autonomous driving

(13:08) Comparing Waymo, Tesla FSD, and comma AI's strategies

(20:52) Lidar vs. camera-based systems in autonomy and the advantages of camera-based systems over human drivers

(24:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(24:56) Autonomous vehicle rollout timeline and predictions

(27:33) Open source projects and major car manufacturers' adoption

(31:25) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

(32:55) Self-driving technology developments in China

(34:25) Tesla's anticipated announcements and AI integration in robotics

(39:48) Accessing and contributing to open-source self-driving projects

(41:01) Data sharing and transparency in autonomous driving

(43:14) Global adoption and demographics of self-driving technology

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X: https://x.com/___harald___

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harald-schäfer-567830132

Check out: https://www.comma.ai

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(6:38) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

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(31:25) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

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Summarize Anything & Discover Connections with Recall’s Sankari Nair | E2010 Sep 18, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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CommandAI. Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit https://www.command.ai/twist to get a custom live demo.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Recall’s Sankari joins Jason

(4:15) Explanation of automatic taxonomy creation and adding content to Recall (8:11) Recall’s augmented browser feature and web content indexing

(10:26) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (14:39) B2B applications, multiplayer mode, and capturing institutional knowledge

(19:15) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(20:40) AI costs for summarization and model preferences (22:08) Personalized learning features and Recall pricing strategy (26:10) The concept of luxury software and jamming on potential features (31:00) CommandAI - Visit https://www.command.ai/twist to get a custom live demo.

(32:34) LinkedIn integration and visual knowledge graph representation (35:26) Jason and Sanks play with the quiz section of Recall (40:43) Final thoughts on startup journey and investment opportunities

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(31:00) CommandAI - Visit https://www.command.ai/twist to get a custom live demo.

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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OpenAI's new models, the MrBeast leak, Waymo ♥’s Uber and more! | E2009 Sep 17, 2024

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss OpenAI's latest model and implications (11:49), Uber's partnership with Waymo and its implications (38:16), Analyzing Mr. Beast's content creation and business culture (1:01:21). and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.

(3:57) Highlights from the All-In Summit (9:16) Tackling media criticism and the state of journalism

(10:23) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

(11:49) Alex and Jason dive into OpenAI's latest model and implications (19:46) Examination of OpenAI's corporate structure and financing

(20:39) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24⁠

(21:51) Further analysis of OpenAI's business model (27:08) OpenAI's valuation and perspectives on speculative investment

(30:26) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at ⁠https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(32:07) The landscape of AI startup investments (35:20) How AI is enhancing developer productivity (36:33) AI's potential in consumer markets (38:16) Uber's partnership with Waymo and its implications (41:15) The realities of autonomous vehicle technology deployment (47:00) The government's role in autonomous vehicle tech and partnerships with big tech (52:26) Economic insights: Predictions on the Fed rate cut (56:26) The influence of interest rates on startups and investment strategies (58:52) Discussing cost of living adjustments and food delivery trends (1:00:44) Innovations in autonomous food preparation (1:01:21) Analyzing Mr. Beast's content creation and business culture (1:09:12) How large companies can maintain focus on goals

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Mentioned on the show:

OpenAI o1’s announcement: https://openai.com/index/learning-to-reason-with-llms/

OpenAI release article on The Verve: https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/12/24242439/openai-o1-model-reasoning-strawberry-chatgpt

Supermaven article: https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/16/ai-coding-assistant-supermaven-raises-cash-from-openai-and-perplexity-founders/

Twitter post from Michael Seibel: https://x.com/mwseibel/status/1835063692117103090

Waymo and Uber expand partnership: https://waymo.com/blog/2024/09/waymo-and-uber-expand-partnership/

Polymarket on Fed Interest Rates: https://polymarket.com/event/fed-interest-rates-september-2024?tid=1726496650092

Leaked Mr Beast doc: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11dV24Mda_kNEBCLtPtBomWG4IkngvQKK/view

Travis Kalanick | All-In Summit 2024 video**:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j7lwauJN2s

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(30:26) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Relationship Advice of the Investor Sort with Meghan Reynolds of Altimeter | E2008 Sep 13, 2024

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Todays show:

Meghan Reynolds takes the stage at Liquidity Summit 2024 to discuss the intricacies of raising capital and pitching to VCs. Meghan dives into many topics including the importance of relationships (3:07), fund size rationalization (20:36), market sentiment (25:55), and other crucial aspects of successful fundraising!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Meghan Reynolds takes the stage at Liquidity Summit 2024

(3:07) Meghan Reynolds’ talk “Relationship Advice: Of the LP / GP Sort”

(9:43) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(10:59) Client service in investor relations and fundraising strategies

(15:07) The complexity factor in raising capital

(19:19) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free.

(20:36) Rationalizing fund size, securing re-ups, and worst pitching practices

(25:55) Market sentiment and single deal SPV dynamics

(29:34) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(31:02) VC allocations, private credit, and market dynamics

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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The New Power Law & How I Built a $100B Portfolio | E2007 Sep 11, 2024

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason joins Pejman Nozad and Jason Shuman at the Liquidity Summit 2024.

(3:25) Pejman Nozad’s “How I Built a $100B Portfolio”

(10:42) .Tech Domains. Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech/

(21:34) Fidelity Private Shares. Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com/ Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(23:50) Jason joins Pejman for a fireside chat.

(36:33) Oracle. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist

(38:02) Jason Shuman’s “The New Power Law: Good vs Great Funds”:

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(36:33) Oracle. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Boom: Supersonic speeds for everyday travel with Blake Scholl | E2006 Sep 11, 2024

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Todays show:

Boom Supersonic’s Blake Scholl joins Jason to discuss the future of supersonic flight (1:18), Boom's vision and test flights (9:25), the evolution of hardware startups (22:29), the future of autonomous aviation (1:17:06), and much more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Boom Supersonic’s Blake Scholl joins Jason

(1:18) Commercial flight speed & Concorde history

(8:34) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(9:25) Boom's XB-1 test flights and airline partnerships

(15:04) Pricing, market comparison, and venture capital's view on hardware startups

(21:16) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:29) Evolution of startup market and hardware innovation

(29:03) Boeing's innovation decline and attracting talent to projects

(36:15) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(37:42) Working with tech legends and overcoming engine design challenges

(49:14) Cross-discipline innovation

(57:01) Learning from Air France 447 and cockpit safety design

(1:03:36) Cockpit technologies and the MH370 mystery

(1:11:30) Public perception of aviation risks and airport security impact

(1:17:06) The future of autonomous aviation

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Scaling Childcare with Tech: Winnie.com’s Blueprint for Growing with Purpose & Profit | E2005 Sep 09, 2024

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Sara Mauskopf, CEO of Winnie joins Alex

(1:45) Winnie's evolution, pivot, and focus on childcare services (7:25) Building Winnie's database and reflections on company growth

(9:55) Brave Search API. Get started for free at ⁠https://www.brave.com/jason

(12:08) The value of transparency and growth metrics

(19:20) CLA. Get started now at ⁠https://www.claconnect.com/

(21:16) Market positioning, motivations, and goals in the childcare industry (23:30) Addressing gender dynamics and startup funding (27:34) Balancing investor expectations with business models

(29:43) Sprig. Visit https://sprig.com/twist ****to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

(31:10) Profitability, operational efficiency, and managing costs (37:01) Marketing strategies, brand growth, and the impact of Google’s model (40:30) Adapting to changing childcare demands due to remote work (44:08) Efforts to reduce childcare costs and home-based business challenges (50:06) Balancing profitability with growth and venture capital experiences (54:00) SaaS pricing challenges and the impact of AI (58:22) Tech M&A, FTC regulations, and innovation policies

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Check out 2024 Inc. 5000 list: https://www.inc.com/inc5000/2024

Check out the BLS statistics: https://www.bls.gov/cps/telework.htm#data

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The Rise of Stablecoins with Circle’s Jeremy Allaire | E2004 Sep 06, 2024

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Todays show:

Circle’s Jeremy Allaire joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss the growth of stablecoins (49:06), stablecoin market infrastructure (22:23), their impact on global financial systems (56:07), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Circle’s Jeremy Allaire joins Alex Wilhelm

(2:08) Jeremy's early career and the evolution of the internet

(5:28) Transition from Macromedia to Circle's founding

(12:10) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free.

(13:21) Bitcoin, stablecoins, and Circle's compliance

(20:53) Google Cloud - Get up to $200K in Google Cloud credits – or up to $350K for AI startups – plus training and guidance. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(22:23) The current state and future of stablecoin market infrastructure

(28:07) Integrating stablecoins with traditional finance

(34:12) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

(35:40) Stablecoins' impact on global financial systems

(41:30) Circle's business model, scalability, and blockchain potential

(49:06) Growth of USDC and other currency stablecoins

(51:10) USDC market cap trends and interest rates

(56:07) Stablecoins in the global financial system and US regulation

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Medium: Reaching Profitability while The Internet is Broken + CorePod | E2003 Sep 05, 2024

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OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Tony Stubblebine of Medium joins Alex.

(3:10) The broken internet and ad-based models

(5:57) Impact of AI on content creation and platform quality

(10:01) Medium's curation and financial model

(11:18) Notion - Try notion projects for free at https://www.notion.so/twist

(18:23) Medium's growth, geographic expansion, and AI translation

(20:02) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24

(22:05) AI-driven media platforms and the impact of AI spam

(29:32) OpenPhone - TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(30:59) Medium's subscriber growth and financial milestones

(34:35) AI data exclusivity and challenges in forming training data cohorts

(41:26) Medium's venture scale potential, profitability, and mission

(45:17) CEO's mindset and financial scaling towards 10 million subscribers

(50:41) Tony's personal use of AI in his workflow

(53:24) Future of AI in practical applications and business model disruption

(57:09) Organizing content and the challenge of integrating different formats

(1:02:19) Growth potential of niche markets and Medium's independence

(1:06:23) Jam with JCal! Introduction to Ulan Abdurazakov and CorePod

(1:07:27) Corepod product discussion and go-to-market strategy

(1:17:23) Jason Calacanis's advice on testing and market validation

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Fundraising hurdles and M&A slowdown with Becki DeGraw | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Sep 05, 2024

Todays show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down fundraising trends (1:33), the challenges of M&A (7:39), and the evolving regulations for tech companies (13:29).

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Wilson Sonsini partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason

(1:33) Fundraising trends and investor expectations

(3:57) Breakeven points and penny warrants

(7:39) M&A slowdown and regulatory challenges

(13:29) Proposals for M&A regulation reform

(16:08) Compliance costs and cybersecurity for startups

(19:58) Legal strategies for startups and data policies

*

Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠⁠https://www.wsgr.com⁠

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

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Superhuman 2.0: The AI edge, top productivity hacks, and the future of email | E2002 Sep 04, 2024

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NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system that unifies accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR into a single platform. Giving you ONE source of truth. Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning today! Visit https://www.netsuite.com/twist

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist

AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Todays show:

Superhuman’s Rahul Vohra joins Jason to discuss the evolution of Superhuman. They delve into Superhuman's onboarding strategy (11:17), live demos of Superhuman's AI features (27:37), explore AI's impact on team management (52:07), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Superhuman’s Rahul Vohra joins Jason

(2:02) Rahul Vohra's background and Superhuman's pitch

(6:33) Evolution and early challenges of Superhuman

(9:59) NetSuite - Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning today! Visit https://netsuite.com/twist

(11:17) Superhuman's onboarding strategy and customer feedback importance

(20:55) New features in Superhuman 2.0 and multiplayer email

(26:00) AI's impact on podcast production

(26:16) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(27:37) Live demo of Superhuman 2.0

(38:38) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(40:08) Importance of documenting conversations and Superhuman for Sales

(44:17) Live demo of Superhuman's “Ask AI” feature

(52:07) AI's impact on productivity and team management

(58:27) AI tools for productivity

(1:07:26) AI's future as a chief of staff and email management

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Rahul:

X: https://x.com/rahulvohra

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulvohra

Check out: https://superhuman.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:59) NetSuite - Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning today! Visit https://netsuite.com/twist

(26:16) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(38:38) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI Demos: Gemini Gmail, Search GPT, Groq with Voice & Playground | E2001 Sep 04, 2024

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to jump into AI demos.

(1:21) Analysis of Q4's impact on startups and Nvidia's market performance

(5:09) Chip design advancements and AI prevalence in startup technology

(8:12) Experiences with ChatGPT-4 and Google's Gemini in Gmail

(10:14) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:36) Discussion on generative AI: filtered vs. unfiltered content

(19:50) Vanta. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at ⁠https://www.vanta.com/twist

(20:03) Importance of SOC 2 compliance and AI's role in LinkedIn

(22:42) AI integration in Gmail and throwing AI at business problems

(25:28) AI personalization tools and grading AI email integration

(29:01) Micro1. Visit ⁠https://www.micro1.ai/twist⁠ to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

(32:22) Deep dive into Search GPT functionalities and Google's AI search evolution

(39:08) Practical AI search tests and Yelp's data integration

(43:17) Ethical considerations in personalized AI technology

(45:26) AI-powered product recommendations and monetization of AI models

(51:44) Legal challenges in AI and generation of web apps

(56:15) Exploring practical AI applications and Claude AI's app development

(1:00:14) The era of building your own apps and fast image generation tools

(1:02:12) Comparison of Playground and Canva, impact on graphic design

(1:04:28) Groq's itinerary creation and the future of user interfaces

(1:07:14) Closing remarks and acknowledgments

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Check out Gemini Gmail Chat: https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2024/06/gemini-in-side-panel-of-gmail.html

Check out Search GPT: https://chatgpt.com/search

Check out Groq with Voice: https://groq.com

Check out Claude: https://claude.ai/

Checkout Playground: https://playground.com/design

*

Follow Sunny:

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners: (10:14) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:50) Vanta. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at ⁠https://www.vanta.com/twist

(29:01) Micro1. Visit ⁠https://www.micro1.ai/twist⁠ to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZX4fUYo6C0&list=PL24nOpPUQlbZcij2Jo-KNUpWFDSrrQKtH

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Episode 2000! Epic guests, huge news, and how to build a media legacy in 14 short years | E2000 Aug 30, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Brex. the financial stack founders can bank on. Brex knows cash is king for startups, so they built a banking experience that takes every dollar further. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24

*

Todays show:

Jason and Alex kick off episode 2000! They reflect on TWiST’s origins and early episodes (1:48), highlighting notable guests and memorable moments (22:31). They also share fan messages, and insights from cohosts (46:05), and wrap up celebrating standout moments (1:04:14).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:48) The origins and early days of TWiST

(9:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:03) Recollections of the first TWiST episodes

(20:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(22:31) Highlighting notable guests and memorable early episodes

(30:33) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

(32:02) More on standout guests and the TWiST studio evolution

(38:37) David Sacks makes his first appearance on TWiST

(46:05) Messages from TWiST fans and cohosts

(1:05:14) Celebrating standout moments and key highlights on the show

(1:28:02) A special message from the Launch team

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3bmpMX2qQ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP7B0oWTR3o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cdrCYrZIvI

https://youtu.be/wM0pVE_b1KU?si=NM1pK-pz9tUQFOqr&t=1366

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=550X5OZVk7Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VOQnK7O2To

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1_z9oOdytA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1DDVq3_vs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYA_vdHSD8w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwhP7K3bFRI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3seTmyRbcHU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANGHOQ2Cqtc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL2wWE27CUI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXEO3oJKINA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43MgbwQBDik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfJtIibCx78

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(30:33) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/joetannorella

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Startup Pitch Competition: Three founders compete for $25K | E1999 Aug 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Fidelity Private Shares℠. Manage your cap table and data room, get faster, more accurate 409A valuation and fully automate your next financing round. Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

Google Cloud. Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Get up to $200K in Google Cloud credits – or up to $350K for AI startups – plus training and guidance. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

Runway. Looking to up-level your financial planning Runway is the modern and intuitive way to model, plan, and align your business for everyone on your team. Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free.

*

Todays show:

Jason and Kelly kick off the Founder University startup pitch competition (00:00), then we hear from Eric Gilbert-Williams on The Public Bored (4:32), Matt Schwed on Speed AI (11:38), and Joe Tannorella on PodEngine (15:50). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment, and details how to apply!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Kelly kick off the show

(4:32) Eric Gilbert-Williams pitches The Public Bored

(10:24) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(11:38) Matt Schwed pitches Speed AI

(15:50) Joe Tannorella pitches PodEngine

(23:33) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(25:03) Ranking the three companies

(29:12) Founders' experiences and learning outcomes at Founder University

(31:47) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free.

(33:18) Q&A

*

Founder University: Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠

*

We are doing Founder Fridays meetups! Visit ⁠https://founderfridays.tech to learn more

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Eric:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-gilbert-williams

Check out: https://www.publicbored.com

*

Follow Matt:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattshwed

Check out: https://getspeed.ai

*

Follow Joe:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joetannorella

Check out: https://podengine.ai

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:24) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(23:33) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(31:47) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-michel-bernigaud-426a181a8/recent-activity/all

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The charges against Pavel Durov, the future of encryption, and secondaries are heating up | E1998 Aug 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

Lemon.io. Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the arrest of Pavel Durov (2:10), national security concerns (13:54), and encryption debates (20:02). They also dive into G Squared raising $1B for it’s latest fund, IBM's activities in China, iPhone production shifts, more (55:50)!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:10) Breaking news: Arrest of Pavel Durov, implications, and legal issues

(13:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(13:54) National security concerns and French president's statement on Durov's arrest

(20:02) U.S. stance on encryption and the encryption debate

(30:27) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(31:53) Global perspectives on encryption, privacy, and tech platform power

(38:41) Lemon.IO - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(40:02) U.S. law enforcement, encrypted services, and social media censorship

(55:50) Lightning round: G Squared raising $1.1B for its latest fund and IBM in China

(1:11:06) Audience questions

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://cointelegraph.com/news/telegram-issues-official-statement-on-pavel-durov-detention

https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1828077245606342672

https://x.com/Jason/status/1827488958512820448

https://www.apple.com/customer-letter

https://www.ft.com/content/b7bac796-c194-442a-95c8-204425435309

https://www.secondariesinvestor.com/secondaries-fundraising-more-than-doubles-to-hit-all-time-high

https://www.wsj.com/business/ibm-shuts-china-r-d-operations-in-latest-retreat-by-u-s-companies-b37cd9a0?st=7d9jarhfpzsugmm&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXO3OsYCS0g&t=218s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWLjgs2CEyE

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(13:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:27) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(38:41) Lemon.IO - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI Demos: New Runway, Flux, Grok 2.0 & Jam Session with Ulama | E1997 Aug 23, 2024

Todays show:

Sunny joins Jason to dive into all things AI, including: utilizing ChatGPT for efficiency and quick answers (7:03, the future of AI applications and Claude demo (12:47), Flux demo (36:56). Runway Gen-3 Alpha (41:13), and new Jam with JCal with Tyce Herrman of Ulama.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to jump in to AI demos. (1:24) Sundeep Madra on AI market trends and consumer adoption (3:31) AI-native interns and AI's role in career trajectories (7:03) Utilizing ChatGPT for efficiency and quick answers

(10:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:47) Future of AI applications and Claude demo

(19:44) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(20:56) Operating systems and AI integration (22:20) Grok for real-time information and AI images of public figures (25:14) AI-generated content concerns and parody vs misinformation

(30:12) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://linear.app/twist

(31:07) AI's impact on the 2024 election and content regulation (36:56) Introduction to Flux and demo of AI-generated images (41:13) AI's potential misuse in elections and Runway ML's new model (44:00) Creativity, fan films, and real-time editing advancements in AI (51:13) AI platforms for service industries and Mastertech AI applications (57:22) Funding opportunities for startups and closing remarks (1:01:55) Jam with JCal! Ulama introduction and software overview (1:04:34) AI in code compliance and architect feedback (1:07:45) Challenges in launching a standalone product and market potential (1:12:27) Strategies for architectural firm integration and marketing strategies

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Check out Grok 2.0: https://x.com/i/grok

Check out Flux: https://replicate.com/black-forest-labs/flux-pro

@RyanMorrisonJer’s tweet about Midjourney and Flux: https://x.com/ryanmorrisonjer/status/1822637652501319684?s=42

Check out Runway Gen-3 Alpha: https://runwayml.com/research/introducing-gen-3-alpha

Check out Avoca: https://www.avoca.ai/

Check out MasterTech AI: https://www.mastertech.ai/

Check out the Jam with JCal contest: https://jamwithjcal.tech/

Check out Ulama: https://www.ulama.tech/

*

Follow Sunny:

*

Follow Tyce: X: https://x.com/tycecycle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyceherrman/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners: (10:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:44) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(30:12) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Legal must-haves before raising capital with Becki DeGraw | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Aug 22, 2024

Todays show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down common legal oversights (5:26), risks of DIY legal documents (9:15), pro forma cap tables & ESOPS (18:31), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Wilson Sonsini partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason

(1:13) Legal preparations for startups and the importance of early legal counsel

(5:26) Common Legal Oversights: Cap table, IP assignments, and employment agreements

(9:15) Risks of DIY legal documents and safes

(11:53) Cap tables and equity management

(15:49) Impact of mismanagement on legal and financial outcomes

(18:31) Pro forma cap tables and employee stock option plans (ESOPs)

(21:39) Preparing for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) scenarios

*

Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠⁠https://www.wsgr.com⁠

Check Out: https://www.thisweekinstartups.com/basics

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Becki:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://x.com/pitdesi/status/1826262321045610846

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI on the blockchain, Waymo's rise, and the truth about tech layoffs | E1996 Aug 22, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

.Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

CommandBar. Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠⁠ to get a custom live demo.

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss AI on the blockchain (41:04), Waymo’s growth (29:27), tech layoffs (58:47), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:24) Bolt's fundraising controversy and business model

(8:24) CEO loans and board conflicts at Bolt

(11:25) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(12:46) Public vs. private equity borrowing and media integrity

(21:18) Technology media industry reflections

(28:32) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(29:27) Waymo's growth and autonomous vehicle market

(39:49) CommandBar - Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

(41:04) Story raises $80M for blockchain-based IP network

(46:23) Stablecoins and SEC investigations

(58:47) The truth behind tech layoffs

(1:07:26) Audience questions

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/25/fintech-bolt-just-laid-off-over-100-employees-across-engineering-sales-and-marketing

https://www.pymnts.com/personnel/2023/one-click-checkout-startup-bolt-laying-off-10-of-workforce

https://www.reddit.com/r/SelfDrivingCars/comments/1co9loz/waymo_makes_now_50000_paid_trips_every_week_in_3

https://waymo.com/blog/2024/06/waymo-one-is-now-open-to-everyone-in-san-francisco

https://x.com/TechTekedra/status/1825910695311114384

https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/23/alphabet-to-invest-another-5b-into-waymo

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/18/cars/china-baidu-apollo-go-robotaxi-anxiety-intl-hnk

https://www.comma.ai

https://autoware.org

https://openai.com/index/gpt-4o-fine-tuning

https://openai.com/index/conde-nast

https://apnews.com/article/authors-sue-anthropic-claude-ai-chatbot-chatgpt-copyright-54ae787070bdfc8019ab29b70487c02

https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/858877/000119312524200636/d878533d8k.htm

https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/20/cisco-employees-face-a-month-of-silence-ahead-of-second-layoff-in-2024

https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/1/24210656/intel-is-laying-off-over-10000-employees-and-will-cut-10-billion-in-costs

https://layoffs.fyi

*

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:25) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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(39:49) CommandBar - Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://x.com/daveclark85/status/1825448801672327229

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Venture returns, recovering startups, and VC conflicts | E1995 Aug 20, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss venture capital fund performance (15:02), potential big tech breakups (41:14), SF Standard piece analysis on Ben and Felicia Horowitz (47:04), startup shutdowns (1:11:28), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(5:31) Discussion on productivity and browsers with ChatGPT-4

(10:21) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(11:54) Debate on regulations in the U.S.

(15:02) Deep dive into venture capital fund performance, IRR, and DPI

(25:37) Strategy of David Clark's fund of funds

(27:16) Realities of investing in venture capital

(30:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:53) Venture capital performance impact on LPs and future fundraising

(34:23) Consequences for new and small venture firms

(39:24) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://fundrise.com/TWIST

(41:14) Analysis of antitrust issues and potential big tech breakups

(45:29) Search engine market competition strategies

(46:19) Venture capital market stress and its effects on VC behavior

(47:04) SF Standard piece analysis on Ben and Felicia Horowitz

(59:12) Venture capital rivalries and media narratives

(1:03:03) Discussion on US deficit, economic policies, and election outcomes

(1:11:28) Startup shutdowns, failure rates, and positive venture capital data

(1:17:02) Reflections on resilience during tough economic times

(1:20:08) Audience questions

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Mentioned on the show:

https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/16/felicia-ben-horowitz-party-switch

https://archive.is/xgHUv

https://carta.com/blog/vc-fund-performance-q1-2024

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:21) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(30:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(39:24) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://fundrise.com/TWIST

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/futures-slide-amazon-intel-forecasts-disappoint-jobs-data-awaited-2024-08-02

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Liquidity: Recession fears, AI market shifts, and the future of tech hubs | E1994 Aug 16, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Elad Gil, David York, and Jason Calacanis to discuss recession fears (2:15), new investment trends (24:44), geographic and talent concentration in the startup sector (56:48), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Elad Gil, David York, and Jason Calacanis

(2:15) Recession fears and their effects on Silicon Valley and startups

(5:18) AI market segments, enterprise adoption, and SaaS spending slowdown

(10:55) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:19) Private equity, tech buyouts, and excess capital management

(19:35) AI-driven buyouts and efficiency improvements

(23:09) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(24:44) New investment trends and key startup ecosystems

(28:10) Founder inspiration and the impact of competitive ecosystems

(30:06) Role of accelerators in early-stage investing and startup formation

(34:16) Layoffs, FIRE movement, and FTC ruling on non-competes

(37:21) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(38:48) Liquidity and challenges for LPs in incubators and accelerators

(56:48) Geographic and talent concentration in the startup sector

(1:02:32) Tech hub movements, office culture, and remote vs. in-office work trends

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.boringbusinessnerd.com/post/top-startup-accelerators

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Follow Elad:

X: https://x.com/eladgil

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eladgil

Check out: https://eladgil.com

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Follow David York:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-york-2407295

Check out: https://ttcp.com/

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X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠

Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:55) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(23:09) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(37:21) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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X: https://x.com/raechellambert

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Final Boss Sour’s James Hicks + River’s Rae Lambert | E1993 Aug 15, 2024

Todays show:

Jason sits down with James Hicks to discuss the unique aspects of Final Boss Sour's products and marketing (3:25), the future of commerce, influencers, and retailers' adaptations (23:12), followed by a discussion with Rae Lambert about River's software platform and community management best practices (46:16), high-end memberships, landing lighthouse customers, and influencer engagement (1:04:35) .

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off today’s show with guests James Hicks and Rae Lambert.

(3:25) Discussing the appeal and unique aspects of Final Boss Sour's products

(7:25) Better-for-you products and social media strategies

(9:40) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(10:50) Potential of TikTok for social shopping and influencer monetization

(21:04) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(23:12) Future of commerce, influencers, and retailers' adaptations

(30:00) Video game tie-ins and product development logistics

(37:22) Experiential retail and pop-up concepts

(38:36) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

(40:04) Ray Lambert and community building with River

(46:16) River's software platform and community management best practices

(52:16) Business models, monetization strategies, and paid events

(1:00:00) Community roles, expansion and engaging with fans

(1:03:19) Audience questions, community engagement insights, and hiring attempts

(1:04:35) High-end memberships, landing lighthouse customers, and influencer engagement

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Check out Final Boss Sour: https://finalbosssour.com/

Check out Final Boss Sour TikTok Shop: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/tiktok-shop-final-boss

Check out Science: https://www.science-inc.com/

Check out River: https://www.getriver.io/

Check out Rae’s blog: https://www.raelambert.com/

Check our Founder Fridays: https://www.founderfridays.tech/

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Follow James:

X: https://x.com/jamesghicks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hicks-43957512/

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Follow Rae:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raechel-lambert/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:40) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(21:04) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(38:36) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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WeRide IPO, Polymarket + Perplexity, the Trump Bump and more! | E1992 Aug 14, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the evolution of startup costs and media aggregation (3:17), media's addiction to Trump coverage (13:46), Polymarket and Perplexity partnership (40:08), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:17) Evolution of startup costs and media aggregation (7:47) Jason and Alex discuss Trump and Elon conversation (10:09) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (13:46) Media's addiction to Trump coverage

(20:04) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (21:18) Trump's media strategies and speech analysis

(30:04) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (31:17) Societal resistance to tech and the rise of self-driving cars (37:14) Self-driving technology's impact on Uber and Lyft (40:08) Polymarket and Perplexity partnership (47:34) Hacking capitalism and the FIRE movement (54:12) Perplexity's AI competition and the value of proprietary data (1:00:45) Reddit's traffic and monetization (1:07:35) European venture capital and the rise of unicorns (1:13:00) Work culture: Europe vs. US (1:16:11) Investing in AI startups and consulting opportunities

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Mentioned on the show:

Trump/X conversation transcript: https://turboscribe.ai/transcript/share/4422534834081521519/HWE18owsC2u8E5u2HpZNikyBdermlV2YSwGlTEPKJJw/donald-trump-and-elon-musk-full-transcript-august-12-2024-https-x-com-i-spaces-1nakepnklwoxl
Jason’s argument concerning the Trump Bump: https://x.com/Jason/status/1823381839647756392
WeRide IPO filing: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1867729/000119312524197868/d343706df1a.htm
Alex’s notes on WeRide: https://www.cautiousoptimism.news/p/inside-werides-ipo-filing-and-the
Perplexity + Polymarket deal: https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/12/prediction-market-polymarket-partners-with-perplexity-to-show-news-summaries/
Polymarket Dune data: https://dune.com/rchen8/polymarket
Balderton raises $1.3B: https://sifted.eu/articles/balderton-1-3bn-fundraise-news
PitchBook data concerning recent European VC activity: https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/q2-2024-european-venture-report

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:09) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(20:04) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:04) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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X: https://x.com/directedbypablo

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Startup Pitch Competition: Four founders compete for $25K | E1991 Aug 09, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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.Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

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Todays show:

Jason and Kelly kick off the Founder University startup pitch competition (00:00). We hear from Pablo on Big Rentals (4:18), Brittany on Where2Wheel (12:28), Ardalan on MyLens (21:31), and Mariano on Prosperous AI (29:07). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (38:34), and details how to apply!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Kelly kick off the show

(4:18) Pablo Fernandez pitches Big Rentals

(11:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠

(12:28) Brittany Peregoff pitches Where2Wheel

(20:10) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(21:31) Ardalan Mirshani pitches MyLens

(29:07) Mariano Apodaca pitches Prosperous AI

(35:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(36:33) Review of the four startups

(40:44) Q&A

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Founder University: Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠

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Follow Pablo:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablofernandezorg

Check out: https://BigRentals.com

*

Follow Brittany:

X: https://x.com/bperegoff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-peregoff-2134092b

Check out: https://where2wheel.com

*

Follow Ardalan:

X: https://x.com/ardalanmirshani

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirshani

Check out: https://mylens.ai

*

Follow Mariano:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a

Check out: https://prosperousprocess.ai

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠

(20:10) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(35:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

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Navigating startup funding market trends with Becki DeGraw | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Aug 08, 2024

Todays show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down the current state of startup funding (0:37), anti-dilution provisions (7:11), re-incentivizing management teams (16:23), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason

(0:37) Market update: Current state of startups and funding

(1:21) Consolidated investment trends and the venture capital slowdown

(4:23) The importance of due diligence, runway, and down round impacts

(7:11) Anti-dilution provisions and strategies for investor communication

(16:23) Re-incentivizing management teams and insider-led funding scenarios

(23:46) Importance of investor relations and board management

*

Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠⁠https://www.wsgr.com⁠

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Follow Becki:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

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Liquidity Summit Talks: Antonio Gracias and Gavin Baker | E1990 Aug 07, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Alex leads us into two great talks from Liquidity Summit 2024.

First Jason sits down for a one-on-one with Valor’s Antonio Gracias (1:38), followed by a great talk with Gavin Baker of Atreides (39:01)

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser of today’s Liquidity Summit talks from Alex.

(1:13) Alex kicks off the show.

(1:38) Valor’s Antonio Gracias joins Jason

(4:26) Unbiased data and business models in AI

(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:14) Achieving AGI and robots in real-world applications

(14:26) Venture capital dynamics and innovation

(18:09) Athena case study: Investor operational support

(22:05) CommandBar - Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

(23:04) Traditional venture playbook and crossover hedge funds

(28:33) US balance sheet implications and emerging entrepreneurship regions

(33:39) Immigration policy's role in recruitment

(36:19) Investing in socially impactful companies

(38:09) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

(39:01) Atreides Management’s Gavin Baker joins Jason

(47:38) The importance of investing in relationships

(54:32) Resilience in public equity investing and learning from failure

(1:00:29) AI adoption differences between startups and enterprises

(1:02:32) America's innovation through resilience and immigration

(1:03:43) Google and Apple's AI strategies and infrastructure

(1:11:32) Meta's strategic moves in search and the metaverse

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Check out Valor: https://www.valorep.com/

Check out Atreides: https://atreidesmgmt.com/

Follow Antonio:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-p-gracias

Follow Gavin:

X: https://x.com/GavinSBake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinbaker-portfoliomanager/

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:05) CommandBar - Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

(38:08) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠

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TWiST 500! Huntress, TollBit & Cyera | E1989 Aug 05, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠

Intercom - Intercom’s AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

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Todays show:

We are kicking off our coverage of the TWiST500 with three fantastic founders: Kyle Hanslovan of Huntress (11:44), Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi of TollBit (36:40), and Tamar Bar-Ilan of Cyera (56:44).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Introducing three founder interviews from our TWiST500!

(1:23) Huntress CEO, Kyle Hanslovan joins Alex.

(2:04) Celebrating a milestone in ARR and discussing growth strategies

(4:19) Impact of cybersecurity incidents on Huntress

(10:30) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at

(11:44) Huntress's services for SMBs and endpoint detection and response

(20:09) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(21:46) Selling to SMBs: Challenges, strategies, and early lessons

(29:05) Addressing internal IT departments and IPO considerations

(35:12) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(36:40) TollBit’s Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi join Alex.

(37:38) Tollbit's early development and fundraising journey

(41:03) Media readiness and increasing publisher onboarding

(50:31) Flexible pricing models and expanding data types for AI partners

(56:44) Tamar Bar-Ilan of Cyera joins Alex.

(57:23) Cyera and its data security mission

(1:04:07) Overview of Cyera’s data platform and recent funding

(1:08:53) Company growth, AI adoption, and demand drivers

(1:17:52) Encryption's role in data security and future IPO plans

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Huntress: https://www.huntress.com/

Check out TollBit: https://tollbit.com/

Check out Cyera: https://www.cyera.io/

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Follow Olivia from TollBit:

X: https://x.com/oliviajoslin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-joslin-13a9a4a2/

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Follow Toshit from TollBit:

X: https://x.com/tollbitofficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toshit-panigrahi-a6496076/

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Follow Kyle from Huntress:

X: https://x.com/KyleHanslovan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylehanslovan/

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Follow Tamar from Cyera:

X: https://x.com/cyera_io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamar-bar-ilan-67bb481a7

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Follow Alex:

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:30) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠

(20:09) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(35:12) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Overcoming SMB Roadblocks: Expert tips from Gusto's Josh Reeves | Episode 1988 Aug 02, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

DevSquad. DevSquad helps startups design better products. If you need UI and UX expertise and don’t want to hire an entire design team, head to http://devsquad.com/startups and book a call. Mention that you are coming from TWiST to get 10% off.

*

Todays show:

Josh Reeves joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss building a product people love (21:11), SMB challenges (23:56), growth strategies (36:47), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Josh Reeves joins Alex Wilhelm

(2:16) Josh's previous startups and the early days of web development

(6:26) Transition to digital solutions and security for small businesses

(10:31) Gusto's growth, success metrics, and market penetration

(13:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(14:30) Gusto's North Star, marketing strategies, and channel growth

(21:11) Building a product people love with good unit economics

(22:29) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(23:56) Challenges of selling to SMBs and Gusto's product expansion

(28:50) Maintaining simplicity in product development

(35:18) DevSquad - Visit https://www⁠.devsquad.com/startups, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

(36:47) Ensuring product quality and the role of organic growth in marketing

(44:39) Competitive landscape in payroll and HR space

(48:54) Gusto's potential fintech ventures and communication styles among founders

(56:07) IT spending growth among SMBs and international expansion

(1:00:16) Navigating competition and partnerships

(1:01:41) Diversification of go-to-market strategies

(1:03:31) Financial strategies and thoughts on going public

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Josh:

X: https://x.com/joshuareeves

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuareeves

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Follow Alex:

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Thank you to our partners:

(13:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:29) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(35:18) DevSquad - Visit https://www⁠.devsquad.com/startups⁠, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/aging-vc-funds-secondary-stakes-market-limited-partner-exits

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The $97 Billion VC Panel | E1987 Jul 31, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Google Cloud. Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Get up to $200K in Google Cloud credits – or up to $350K for AI startups – plus training and guidance. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

Brex. the financial stack founders can bank on. Brex knows cash is king for startups, so they built a banking experience that takes every dollar further. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Dana Johns, Tom Loverro, and Jason Calacanis to discuss secondaries (2:37), VC leverage against startups (23:44), venture capital strategies (29:34), cybersecurity investments (38:03), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Dana Johns, Tom Loverro, and Jason Calacanis

(2:37) Secondary pricing signaling a potential VC recovery

(9:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.squarespace.com/twist

(11:02) Timeframes, returns for secondary funds, and founders' secondary sales

(15:32) Increasing liquidity in private markets

(22:42) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(23:44) VC leverage against startups is near an all time high

(29:34) Venture capital strategies, succession planning, and valuation in the Goldilocks zone

(37:11) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

(38:03) Cybersecurity investments, IPO window, and M&A market dynamics

(51:28) Lightning round on latest investments

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.secondariesinvestor.com/blackstone-plans-to-launch-biggest-secondaries-fund-yet

https://news.crunchbase.com/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-funding-venture-wiz-ai-cyera

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Follow Dana:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danasjohns

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Follow Tom:

X: https://x.com/tomloverro

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomloverro

Check out: https://www.ivp.com/

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Follow David:

X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠

Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.squarespace.com/twist

(22:42) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(37:11) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/RamseyShaffer

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The Power of WEKA with Antonio Gracias and Liran Zvibel + Jam with JCal: Uptrends AI | E1986 Jul 30, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

CommandBar - Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.

.Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://www.jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

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Todays show:

Antonio Gracias of Valor and Liran Zvibel of WEKA join Jason to discuss WEKA’s product market fit and real-world applications (13:49), energy solutions for future data centers and capital allocation strategy (30:07), and a Jam with JCal session with Uptrend AI’s Ramsey Shaffer (37:00).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Antonio Gracias of Valor and Liran Zvibel of WEKA join Jason.

(2:52) Investment thesis for WEKA and discussion on investment strategies

(5:30) Investing in winners and the future of compute and AI technology

(10:14) CommandBar - Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.

(13:49) WEKA’s product market fit and real-world applications

(21:49) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(23:08) Innovative customers and technology behind the Las Vegas Sphere

(25:12) Impact of Weka’s technology on rendering and data management

(30:07) Energy solutions for future data centers and capital allocation strategy

(34:22) Weka's hiring and job opportunities

(35:34) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(37:00) Jam with JCal winner Ramsey Schaffer, CEO of Uptrends AI.

(38:09) Ramsey’s pitch and Jason's feedback

(45:22) Importance of founder-led sales, pricing strategy, and UX improvements

(51:02) Engaging with customers and final thoughts on Uptrends ai *

Links from show:

Check out Valor Equity Partners: https://www.valorep.com

Check out WEKA: https://www.weka.io

Check out Stability AI: https://stability.ai

Check out the Sphere: https://www.thesphere.com

Enter the Jam with JCal contest: https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

Check out Uptrends AI:https://www.uptrends-ai.tech

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Liran:

X: https://x.com/liranzvibel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liranzvibel/ *

Follow Ramsey:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyshaffer/

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners: Timestamps:

(10:14) CommandBar - Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.

(21:49) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(35:34) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Scaling Creativity: Josh Silverman on Etsy's growth, AI integration, and market strategies | E1985 Jul 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Coda. Coda empowers your startup by bringing words, tables, and teams together. Strategize, plan, and track goals effectively with all your valuable data in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get started for FREE and get 6 free months of the Team plan.

Intercom. Intercom’s AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

Micro1. Micro1 is an AI recruitment engine to hire world class engineers fast. Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

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Todays show:

Etsy’s Josh Silverman joins Jason to discuss the marketplace business model (2:54), UX challenges (4:58), company operations during the pandemic (36:57), AI’s impact on team size (50:56), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Etsy’s Josh Silverman joins Jason

(2:54) The marketplace business model and Etsy's growth

(4:58) Maintaining Etsy's unique marketplace and UX challenges

(10:34) Defining handmade and GenAI art on Etsy

(11:53) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(13:18) Preventing inauthentic sellers and the seller approval process

(20:14) Etsy's star seller program and the importance of artisanal items

(26:26) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(27:55) Durable products, warranties, and customer loyalty

(35:47) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

(36:57) Company operations during the pandemic and efficiency era

(44:11) Global talent, remote work, and productivity at Etsy

(50:56) AI's impact on team size, productivity, and customer support

(55:10) SEO strategies, organic traffic, and handling IP issues

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Josh:

X: https://x.com/jgsilverman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuasilverman

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:53) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(26:26) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(35:47) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/22/wiz-walks-away-from-googles-23b-acquisition-offer-read-the-ceos-note-to-employees

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Wiz passes on Google, Meta pushes open-source AI ahead, Spotify’s earnings, and more! | E1984 Jul 24, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at ⁠https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. The newest generation of the pod, the Pod 4 ultra has arrived. Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the end of the Wiz-Google deal (5:37), Spotify's performance (13:36), Universal Basic Income (UBI) (27:49), Meta's AI strategy (53:05), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(5:37) The end of the Wiz-Google deal

(12:24) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(13:36) Spotify's successful quarter

(21:41) Daniel Ek's strategy and Spotify's future risks

(26:57) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at ⁠https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠

(27:49) Universal basic income (UBI)

(38:05) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(39:34) Findings and implications from a recent UBI study backed by Sam Altman

(48:22) The efficiency and impact of welfare programs

(53:05) Meta's AI developments

(59:58) Mark Zuckerberg's thoughts on Apple and open source AI

(1:06:50) Predictions for Meta's competitive moves

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Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Mentioned on the show:

https://news.crunchbase.com/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-funding-venture-wiz-ai-cyera/#:~:text=In%20the%20second%20quarter%2C%20cyber,to%20startups%20in%20173%20deals

https://ai.meta.com/blog/meta-llama-3-1

https://x.com/rowancheung/status/1815763595197616155?t=1204

https://x.com/eldsjal/status/1815691024473166268?s=12

https://www.axios.com/2024/07/23/spotify-profit-q2-2024-earnings

https://x.com/smilleralert/status/1815372032621879628/photo/1

https://www.openresearchlab.org/findings/entrepreneurship

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SPOT

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-22/ubi-study-backed-by-openai-s-sam-altman-bolsters-support-for-basic-income

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(12:24) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(26:57) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(38:05) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Building Enduring Value and Hitting Incremental Gains with Benchmark’s Sarah Tavel | E1983 Jul 22, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

*

Todays show:

Benchmark’s Sarah Tavel joins Jason to discuss strategies for competing in a changing venture landscape (9:12), the critical role of governance and accountability in startups (19:39), the relationship between hype, investment decisions, and startup promotion (55:20). and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sarah Tavel joins Jason.

(1:38) Sarah Tavel, Benchmark Partner, on disciplined fund size and efficiency (5:06) Benchmark's commitment to founders and investment strategy (9:12) Strategies for competing in a changing venture landscape

(10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (15:50) Valuations, ownership, and building deep relationships with founders

(18:30) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (19:39) The critical role of governance and accountability in startups (28:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(30:16) The power of incremental improvements and executive limitations (34:32) Vanity metrics vs. building enduring value in startups (43:12) The consequences of choosing status over results in startup success (46:22) Building trust in leadership and the pressures of maintaining success (49:03) The importance of non-consensus bets and independent thinking (55:20) The relationship between hype, investment decisions, and startup promotion (58:19) In-person work vs. remote work: Impact on startup productivity (1:02:58) SaaS market challenges: Pricing, AI impact, and future models (1:07:33) Exciting AI investments and the transformative potential of new technologies (1:13:01) AI advancements, new use cases, and the competitive landscape (1:17:16) How incumbents and consumers are benefiting from AI advancements (1:19:15) Embracing AI in daily tasks and business operations *

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Check out Benchmark: https://www.benchmark.com/ *

Follow Sarah:

X: https://x.com/sarahtavel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtavel/ Sarah’s Substack: https://www.sarahtavel.com/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (18:30) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (28:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

US space innovation, defense tech challenges, and more with True Anomaly’s Even Rogers | E1982 Jul 19, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://vanta.com/twist

.Tech Domains. Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://www.jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

DevSquad. DevSquad helps startups design better products.

If you need UI and UX expertise and don’t want to hire an entire design team, head to https://www.devsquad.com/startups and book a call.

Mention that you are coming from TWiST to get 10% off.

*

Todays show:

True Anomaly’s Even Rogers joins Jason to discuss US competitiveness and innovation space and defense tech (8:53). They also dive into True Anomaly’s innovations (26:41), securing government contracts (31:41), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) True Anomaly’s Even Rogers joins Jason

(4:35) Space innovations and True Anomaly's tech

(8:01) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(8:53) Space defense, treaties, and infrastructure resilience

(17:01) Space warfare challenges and scenarios

(22:24) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(23:41) Securing government contracts for space and defense startups

(26:41) True Anomaly’s Jackal deployment

(31:41) Defense contracting: cost-plus vs. fixed price models

(34:19) International sales of defense technology and regulations on defense tech exports

(36:28) DevSquad - Visit https://www.devsquad.com/startups, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

(37:57) Defense industry's role in capitalism and global politics

(43:19) Taiwan-China conflict and its global impact

(46:49) The major concern with new weapons technology

(50:29) Jam With JCal contest winner Ana Malhotra from Rome joins Jason

(54:24) Jason’s feedback for Rome

*

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Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Even:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanst-aafl

Check out: https://www.trueanomaly.space

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(8:01) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(22:24) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(36:28) DevSquad - Visit https://www.devsquad.com/startups, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.axios.com/2024/07/15/sequoia-capital-stripe

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Top 5 VC funds raise big $, venture capital DPI is back, and Sequoia’s offer to LP’s | E1981 Jul 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

CommandBar. Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Jamie Rhode, Matthew Mulvey, and Jason Calacanis to discuss DPI coming to Silicon Valley (2:11), demographic data on the backgrounds of Unicorn founders (26:55), and trends for limited partners (36:10), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Jamie Rhode, Matthew Mulvey, and Jason Calacanis

(2:11) DPI, Wiz acquisition, and economic impacts on distributions

(5:48) Consistent vintage exposure and proactive DPI management strategies

(8:55) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(10:22) Sequoia's liquidity approach and LP needs in venture capital

(17:13) The role of emerging managers and secondary markets in VC

(25:44) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(26:55) Unicorn founder demographics and underdog success

(35:05) CommandBar. Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

(36:10) LP preferences, the challenges for emerging managers, and democratizing venture investments

(50:54) The decline of first-time funds, motivations for fund creation, and innovations in fundraising

(51:56) Venture portfolio management with AI and technology adoption parallels

*

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Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/27/unicorn-founders

https://x.com/Samirkaji/status/1801351637895942243?utm_campaign=OpenLP+newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8j6WSVjgGUZXegAo58QYJgSmqd90ozahWmHQWU0Qsnyk_KaXsIldVB7mrcruCafZe_JukeEs-r0fC78VCzJ0kOU7Ppog&_hsmi=313664446&utm_content=313664446&utm_source=hs_email&mx=2

*

Follow Jamie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrcfa

Check out: https://www.screendoor.co/

*

Follow Matthew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmulvey/

Check out: https://www.liquid2.vc/

*

Follow David:

X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠

Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(8:55) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(25:44) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(35:05) CommandBar. Visit https://commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://polymarket.com/event/will-biden-drop-out-of-presidential-race?tid=1721076355768

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Google weighs $23B for Wiz, startups in a second Trump admin, and Sequoia's Stripe sale | E1980 Jul 15, 2024

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the role of social media and rhetoric in spreading conspiracy theories in the wake of the attempt on Trump (5:43), Silicon Valley's political landscape and views on Biden and Trump’s policies (20:14), Sequoia's strategy with Stripe shares, secondary markets, and private investments (50:00), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:57) Reflections on the assassination attempt on Trump and media cycles

(5:43) The role of social media and rhetoric in spreading conspiracy theories

(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:19) Political implications of post-shooting events and allure of conspiracy theories

(20:14) Silicon Valley's political landscape and views on Biden's policies

(22:31) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(25:03) Trump's policies and their impact on Silicon Valley and startups

(33:31) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(35:00) Market conditions, Google's potential acquisition of Wizz, and cybersecurity

(47:02) State-sponsored hacking and the complexity of cybersecurity

(50:00) Sequoia's strategy with Stripe shares, secondary markets, and private investments

(1:01:02) The evolving role of secondary markets in venture capital and problem-solving in capitalism

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

Check out Polymarket trading data:

Don’t miss the WSJ’s big Wiz scoop:

https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/google-near-23-billion-deal-for-cybersecurity-startup-wiz-6

Alex’s take on the deal

https://www.cautiousoptimism.news/p/why-google-may-spend-23b-buying-wiz

The Axios piece on what Sequoia is cooking up for Stripe shares:

https://www.axios.com/2024/07/15/sequoia-capital-stripe

And you can find the OneStream IPO docs here:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1889956/000095017024083395/onestream_s-1a.htm

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:31) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(33:31) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/stubhub-delays-ipo-launch-due-to-choppy-market-conditions-42b37bf0

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Five levels of AI, venture's recovery & the hottest construction startups | E1979 Jul 13, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at CLAconnect.com/tech

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss StubHub's IPO (3:26), inflation trends (23:46), the venture capital landscape in Asia and Europe (30:00), OpenAI’s five levels of AI (46:32), TWIST 500 updates (58:32), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:26) StubHub's IPO

(12:47) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(13:39) Experience-based Companies and Entertainment Industry

(17:56) Cost-effective Entertainment

(22:37) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

(23:46) Inflation Trends and Venture Capital Impact

(30:00) Venture Capital Landscape in Asia and Europe

(33:12) Investment Trends in India and the Middle East

(37:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(39:28) Investor Interest in India and Geopolitical Considerations

(46:32) OpenAI's five levels of AI

(53:29) AI competition, model advancements, and the future of SaaS

(58:32) TWIST 500 updates and startups in the construction tech space

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-11/openai-sets-levels-to-track-progress-toward-superintelligent-ai

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/07/after-chatgpt-and-the-rise-of-chatbots-investors-pour-into-ai-agents.html

https://sierra.ai/blog/ai-agents-guide

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/12/wholesale-prices-rose-0point2percent-in-june-slightly-hotter-than-expected.html

https://news.crunchbase.com/ai/asia-venture-42dot-hozon-zepto-china/

https://buildcover.com

https://iconbuild.com

https://www.monumental.co

https://www.mightybuildings.com

https://www.dustyrobotics.com

https://www.samara.com

https://paintjet.com

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(12:47) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:37) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

(37:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Anand Nandakumar on the future of remote driving and ride services | E1978 Jul 10, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Intercom. Intercom’s AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Todays show:

Anand Nandakumar joins Jason to discuss Halo Car’s technology (1:16), remote driving opportunities (12:07), the Cruise incident (35:17), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Anand Nandakumar joins Jason

(1:16) Halo Car's technology and vision for the future

(7:36) Economics and challenges of remote driving services

(10:04) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(12:07) Remote driving job opportunities and cost of living impacts

(14:30) Synergy of remote and self-driving technologies

(19:27) Autonomous vehicle adoption and industry challenges

(21:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(23:07) Economic challenges for autonomous vehicle companies

(30:47) Remote driving technology for consumers

(33:49) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(35:17) Regulatory issues and performance of autonomous vehicles in different weathers

(41:34) How to experience Halo Car's technology

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Anand:

X: https://x.com/kumi360

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anandnr

Check out: https://halo.car

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:04) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(21:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(33:49) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/andreessen-horowitz-is-building-a-stash-of-more-than-20-000-gpus-to-win-ai-deals?rc=g3wfdp

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

GPU clusters, venture trends, and the robotics startups we’re most excited about | E1977 Jul 10, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Tech Domains. Don’t miss our “Jam Session with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://vanta.com/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss news that a16z has built out a GPU cluster that it rents to its portfolio companies (4:22), Q2 venture trends (31:02), robotics startups (57:39), new TWIST500 companies (1:11:51), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(4:22) Venture capital firms building AI GPU clusters and a16z's “oxygen”

(10:09) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(11:13) Where this leads the industry

(20:21) Michael Ovitz's influence and venture capitalists' work ethic

(30:10) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist⁠

(31:02) Q2 venture capital funding trends and strategies for struggling companies

(37:00) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(38:23) Global AI funding trends and current state of venture capital

(57:39) Teleoperation robots, remote work arbitrage, and ethical considerations

(1:11:51) Robotics companies' funding, the future of AI and robotics, and the TWIST500

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://infogram.com/global-quarterly-ai-funding-through-q2-2024-1h0n25okznz5l4p

https://infogram.com/global-venture-dollar-volume-q2-2024-1hnp27eewj9on4g

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/14/business/robots-japan-supermarkets-spc-intl/index.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/overemployed

https://www.athena.com/#Elite-Assistants

https://nypost.com/2024/04/09/us-news/nyc-restaurants-use-zoom-cashiers-from-philippines

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:09) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(30:10) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist⁠

(37:00) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

AI Demos: Sunny’s Back with Luma Labs, Kling, Claude Sonnet & Getting AI Native | E1976 Jul 03, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into ONE platform. Giving you ONE source of truth. By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

DevSquad. DevSquad helps startups design better products. If you need UI and UX expertise and don’t want to hire an entire design team, head to

http://devsquad.com/startups and book a call. Mention that you are coming from TWiST to get 10% off.

*

Todays show:

Sunny joins Jason to dive into all things AI, including the power of Claude Sonnet (6:49), the importance of “AI Native” workers (21:40), Luna Labs and their recent video that brings famous memes to life (36:40), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason.

(2:26) Living in the toughest fundraising environment and the failure of Lina Khan.

(6:49) Let’s jump back into AI demos with Claude Sonnet.

(10:28) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(11:46) Real-world applications with Jason’s team.

(13:52) Firing up ChatGPT 4.o for results that are extra-ordinary.

(20:16) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(21:40) The importance of “AI Native” workers.

(23:50) Is Google search going backwards compared to the power of today’s AI models?

(28:24) DevSquad - Visit https://devsquad.com/startups, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

(30:11) The omnipresence of AI at home and with work teams.

(36:40) Sunny demos Luna Labs, including the recent creation of bringing famous memes to life in one killer video.

(40:17) Sunny demos Kling.

(43:33) Sunny shows us Qwen, what he calls the best open-sourced model.

(49:04) Sunny demos the voices of Cartesia AI.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Check out Min Choi’s Twitter post: https://x.com/minchoi/status/1807790101033890286

Check out Claude Sonnet: https://claude.ai/new

Check out Luma Labs: https://lumalabs.ai/dream-machine

Check out Kling: https://kling.kuaishou.com/

Check out Qwen: https://huggingface.co/spaces/Qwen/Qwen2-72B-Instruct

Check out Cartesia AI: https://play.cartesia.ai/

*

Follow Sunny:

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners: (10:28) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(20:16) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(28:24) DevSquad - Visit https://devsquad.com/startups, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Logan Allin and Neil Datta on which startups AI puts at risk, tech regulation, and H-1B reform | E1975 Jul 02, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Intercom. Intercom’s AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

Vensure. Vensure is an HR firm that specializes in serving rapidly growing technology companies. Providing fully customized HR and benefit strategies designed to grow with their client’s needs. Visit http://Vensure.com today to schedule an HR evaluation, and learn how they can help you.

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Logan Allin, Neil Datta, and Jason Calacanis to discuss Vinod Khosla’s views on AI (1:13), Trumps H-1B policy (11:24), incorporation to funding stage (36:09), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Logan Allin, Neil Datta, and Jason Calacanis

(2:57) Vinod Khosla's talk on AI at Collision Conference

(5:12) Tech regulation, AI, and M&A's impact on portfolios

(13:28) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at intercom.com/TWIST

(14:58) Globalization and navigating AI in venture

(23:44) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(25:13) Trump's stance on H-1B visas and immigration policy

(42:19) Vensure - Visit http://Vensure.com today to schedule an HR evaluation, and learn how they can help you.

(43:37) Carta data on incorporation to funding stage

(54:34) Lighting round on recent investments

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Logan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganallin

Check out: https://fin.capital

*

Follow Neil:

X: https://x.com/NKDAdvisory

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neildatta

Check out: https://nkdadvisory.com ⁠

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(13:28) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(23:44) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(42:19) Vensure - Visit http://Vensure.com today to schedule an HR evaluation, and learn how they can help you.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/28/dei-more-like-common-decency-and-silicon-valley-is-saying-no-thanks

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

The MEI vs DEI debate, tech press, Chime buys Salt Labs, and more! | E1974 Jul 02, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. The newest generation of the pod, the Pod 4 ultra has arrived. Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. In just 10 clicks and 10 minutes, set up your entire business identity—name, address, mail service, phone, email, website, and domain. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today.

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the weekend debate regarding MEI/DEI (12:12), Amazon buys Adept’s key talent (42:39), Chime buys Salt Labs (52:41), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:47) Weekend recap and political debate analysis

(10:50) Media's role in political coverage

(14:49 ) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(16:12) The weekend debate regarding MEI/DEI and that TechCrunch article

(27:50) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(29:20) Discussion on DEI vs MEI and meritocracy in Silicon Valley

(41:10) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

(42:39) Amazon buys Adept’s key talent

(52:20) Chime's acquisition of Salt Labs

(1:16:12) Challenges and strategies for EdTech companies

*

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Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://techcrunch.com/2010/09/21/so-a-blogger-walks-into-a-bar

https://x.com/alexandr_wang/status/1801331034916851995

https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/28/amazon-hires-founders-away-from-ai-startup-adept

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/19/microsoft-hires-inflection-founders-to-run-new-consumer-ai-division

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/21/microsoft-inflection-ai-investors-reid-hoffman-bill-gates

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kna9E_3kFF0

https://www.chime.com/blog/chime-acquires-enterprise-employee-rewards-company-salt-labs

https://www.saltlabs.com

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(14:49) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(27:50) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(41:10) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Sequoia & the Hewlett Foundation on VCs NOT raising funds, Cisco's $1B AI fund, and more! | E1973 Jun 27, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. The newest generation of the pod, the Pod 4 ultra has arrived. Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Konstantine Buhler, Ana Marshall, and Jason Calacanis to discuss VCs not raising new funds (3:04), Cisco's $1 billion AI fund (31:36), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Konstantine Buhler, Ana Marshall, and Jason Calacanis

(3:04) VCs not raising new funds, market impact, and the current state of venture capital

(5:32) Challenges for new fund managers, power laws, and investment strategies

(10:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(12:01) Capital deployment, returns, and portfolio assessment

(17:28) Emerging managers and market trends

(29:57) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(31:36) Cisco's $1 billion AI fund

(40:06) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(41:21) AI applications and business models

(50:27) Investment strategies for M&A vs. IPO

(53:19) Lightning round on latest investments

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

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*

Follow Konstantine:

X: https://x.com/KostaBuhler

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/konstantinebuhler

Check out: https://www.sequoiacap.com

*

Follow Ana:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-marshall-b072136

Check out: https://hewlett.org

*

Follow David:

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠

Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(29:57) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(40:06) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

*

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

TWIST NEWS: AI Music, Circle’s IPO, TWIST500 and more! | E1972 Jun 27, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. In just 10 clicks and 10 minutes, set up your entire business identity—name, address, mail service, phone, email, website, and domain. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show!

(2:11) Ai generated memes.

(7:36) The butler experiences.

(9:59) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(11:52) The Texan stock exchange.

(21:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(25:14) Circle’s pending IPO.

(30:05) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

(31:46) Alex breaks down some amazing details around stable-coins like Tether and crypto companies like CoinBase and Circle.

*

Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

(links)

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:59) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(21:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:05) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

*

All rights for the video shared and linked below belong to the original copyright holder, and we are using the footage under the principle of fair use.

*

Great TWIST interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Immigration, The Trump Interview, Air Taxis in the Bay Area and the Future of Remote Work | E1971 Jun 25, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

Lemon.io. Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the most incredible new ride Jason has ever seen (9:02), Jason’s recent Donald Trump interview (14:49), JCal becoming a meme (36:34), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:38) Club 33 at Disney.

(9:02) The most incredible new ride Jason has ever seen.

(10:43) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(14:49) A look at the Donald Trump interview on All In.

(19:54) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:45) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(36:34) JCal became a meme!

(37:15) The gentleman’s RIF and the status of remote workers. (48:26) New air taxi plan from Archer.

*

Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

Check out the Donald Trump interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blqIZGXWUpU

Check out Disney’s Club 33: http://www.disneylandclub33.com/#google_vignette

Check out Archer: https://news.archer.com/archer-san-francisco-air-mobility-network-connecting-five-locations-across-bay-area-kilroy-oyster-point

Check out Joby Aviation: https://www.jobyaviation.com/

Check out Dell article: https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1dl16s2/nearly_half_of_dell_workers_opt_for_fulltime/

Check out Athena: https://www.athenago.com/

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:43) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(19:54) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:45) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Start-Up Nation Deep Dive with Dan Senor | E1970 Jun 22, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

DevSquad - Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist.

Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

AssemblyAI - Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Dan Senor joins guest host Mark Suster.

(10:45) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(19:28) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

(30:39) AssemblyAI - Maximum value from voice data and AI. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Dan’s podcast “Call Me Back”: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/call-me-back-with-dan-senor/id1539292794

Check out Start-Up Nation Central: https://startupnationcentral.org/

*

Follow Dan:

X: https://x.com/dansenor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-senor/

*

Follow Mark:

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:45) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(19:28) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

(30:39) AssemblyAI - Maximum value from voice data and AI. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

From the future of flight to brand building, insight from Liquidity Summit 2024 | E1969 Jun 20, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Coda. Coda empowers your startup by bringing words, tables, and teams together. Strategize, plan, and track goals effectively with all your valuable data in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get started for FREE and get 6 free months of the Team plan.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

*

Todays show:

Alex leads us into two great talks from Liquidity Summit 2024. First we have Sky Dayton’s “Aviation Safety, Air Taxis and the Future of Flight” (3:28), followed by Mike Jones’ with “Lessons in Brand Building” (24:14)

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser of both speakers.

(1:33) Alex kicks off the show.

(3:28) Sky Dayton’s talk “Aviation Safety, Air Taxis and the Future of Flight”.

(11:03) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(20:45) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(24:14) Mike Jones’ talk “Lessons in Brand Building”

(30:17) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(44:30) Wrap up with Alex.

*

Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Check out Science Inc.: https://www.science-inc.com/

Check out Joby Aviation: https://www.jobyaviation.com/

*

Follow Sky:

X: https://x.com/skydayton

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skydayton/

*

Follow Mike:

X: https://x.com/mjones

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjones/

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:03) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(20:45) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(30:17) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://companiesmarketcap.com

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Nvidia tops Microsoft, FTC sues Adobe, weight loss startups, and more! | E1968 Jun 19, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

.Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam Session with JCal” contest, coming soon! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Nvidia's rise as the most valuable company (2:34), the GLP-1 phenomenon (11:50), the FTC suing Adobe (34:21), new TWIST500 companies (47:09), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:34) Nvidia's rise as the most valuable company

(10:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(11:50) Eli Lilly and the GLP-1 Phenomenon

(23:42) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(25:08) Telehealth and its future

(33:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(34:21) FTC sues Adobe

(47:09) New TWIST500 Companies

(1:18:22) Would Amazon buy TikTok?

*

Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/david-ricks-eli-lilly-ceo-a67f90d7

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/06/ftc-takes-action-against-adobe-executives-hiding-fees-preventing-consumers-easily-cancelling

https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2024/Adobes-Statement-Regarding-Federal-Trade-Commission-Complaint/default.aspx

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-complaint-against-adobe-and-two-adobe-executives-alleged-violations

https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1356176/dl?inline

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1997859/000119312524162032/d396527ds1a.htm

https://www.color.com/blog/colors-copilot-and-partnership-with-openai

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB390

https://frame.work

https://creators.wattpad.com

https://www.royalroad.com/home

https://www.ft.com/content/e33cb565-6d44-4f9a-9105-f3afc03aa732

*

New TWIST500 companies:

https://albedo.com

https://www.dawnaerospace.com

https://about.webtoon.com

https://www.spacex.com

https://www.color.com

https://www.biltrewards.com

https://sakana.ai

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(23:42) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(33:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.ft.com/content/357f3c68-b866-4c2e-b678-0d075051a260

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Woke Google Maps, how Wells Fargo is losing money on fintech, and the global AI race | E1967 Jun 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Mercury. With Mercury, you can simplify your financial operations with banking and software that power your critical financial workflows, all within the one thing every business needs, a bank account. And with new bill pay and accounting integrations, you can pay bills faster and stay in control of company spend. Apply in minutes at ⁠https://www.Mercury.com

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss woke Google Maps (1:57), Bilt & Wells Fargo dynamics (16:20), AI progress in China and Japan (32:00), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:57) Woke Google Maps

(9:44) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(16:20) Bilt and Wells Fargo fintech dynamics

(17:00) CNBC interview with Bilt founder Ankur Jain

(25:50) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(32:00) AI progress in China and Japan

(39:41 ) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://www.mercury.com

(45:09) Defining AGI and its implications

(49:06) McDonald's AI ordering systems and their challenges

(1:04:37) Audience question on EU's AI Act and its impact on startups

*

Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openais-japanese-rival-gets-1-billion-valuation-from-silicon-valley-investors

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:44) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(25:50) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(39:41 ) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://www.mercury.com

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Lessons in Unreasonable Hospitality with Will Guidara | E1966 Jun 14, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

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LinkedIn Ads - To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

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Todays show:

Will Guidara joins Jason to discuss the book Unreasonable Hospitality and how it relates to all businesses including startups (3:44), Will’s annual “The Welcome Conference” in NY (14:32), how the show The Bear lifted Will’s ‘NY street hotdog’ story and made it their own - which then led to his involvement with future seasons (36:19), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Will Guidara of Unreasonable Hospitality joins Jason.

(3:44) Important premises from the book Unreasonable Hospitality and how it relates to all businesses including startups.

(6:26) Will explains how it felt to see parts from his book appear on the hit show The Bear.

(8:13) Iconic examples of hospitality and how it can turn customers into advocates for your brand.

(10:04) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

(11:08) Powerful examples of going above and beyond for your customer.

(14:32) Will’s annual “The Welcome Conference” in NY.

(20:57) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://www.devsquad.com/twist

(22:13) Jason shares an anecdote of how he helps others.

(24:17) Will and Jason riff on interesting examples of unreasonable hospitality, including one that should exist for airplane passengers.

(30:44) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(32:12) A perspective shift that changes the value of call centers.

(36:03) How the show The Bear lifted Will’s ‘NY street hotdog’ story and made it their own - leading to his involvement for future seasons.

(40:21) Will feels that The Bear was able to craft and articulate his message spot on in one of their best episodes.

(42:22) How to gain from the addictive personality traits in the restaurant business.

(51:15) The “Chicken for Two” at the NoMad hotel.

(53:31) Breaking down the state of tipping culture and how its removal from Eleven Madison Park was highly successful.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Check out Unreasonable Hospitality: https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/

Sign up for Will’s newsletter: https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/newsletter

Check out “The Welcome Conference”: https://www.thewelcomeconference.com/

Check out Will’s hospitality agency “Thank You”: https://www.thankyou.nyc/

*

Follow Will:

X: https://x.com/wguidara

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willguidara/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:04) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://www.oracle.com/twist.

(20:57) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://www.devsquad.com/twist

(30:44) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

http://www.zendesk.com/twist

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Inflation cools, how Waymo handled a crash, and the next startups to go public | E1965 Jun 12, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. The newest generation of the pod, the Pod 4 ultra has arrived. Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

Zendesk. The best customer experiences are built with Zendesk. Qualifying startups can join their Startup program and get Zendesk products free, for six months! Visit http://www.zendesk.com/twist today to get started.

CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at ⁠https://www.claconnect.com/tech

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Waymo crash implications (3:53), Apple's AI announcements post-WWDC (17:17), inflation cooldown (27:21), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(3:53) How Waymo handled a crash and self-driving car standards

(8:08) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(10:04) Car safety technology

(17:17) Apple's AI announcements and stock impact

(25:41) Zendesk - Get six months free at

(27:21) Inflation update: Recent CPI data and its implications

(33:34) High interest rate environment and venture capital

(40:48) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at ⁠https://claconnect.com/tech

(42:12) 10 companies most likely to IPO

*

Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.reddit.com/r/SelfDrivingCars/comments/1cxo27o/waymo_car_crashes_into_pole/

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/12/24175489/waymo-recall-telephone-poll-crash-phoenix-software-map

https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/13/waymo-recall-crash-software-self-driving-cars/

https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/12/waymo-second-robotaxi-recall-autonomous-vehicle/

https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/AAPL?qsearchterm=aapl

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm

https://x.com/ashugarg/status/1800658425040253309

https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/US2Y

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/fed-meeting-fomc-interest-rate-decision-cpi-inflation-june-2024/card/traders-firmly-expect-a-rate-cut-in-september-q8qGgjh8jorUx56RBpK8

https://kalshi.com/markets/ratecutcount/number-of-rate-cuts#ratecutcount-24dec31

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/12/fed-meeting-today-on-interest-rate.html

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/databricks

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/gusto

https://archive.is/fGJav#selection-2217.0-2226.0

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/shein-b79e

https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0001514587&owner=exclude&count=40&hidefilings=0

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/turo

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(8:08) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(25:41) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(40:48) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at ⁠https://claconnect.com/tech

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apple’s WWDC 2024: Reactions, Highlights & Breakdowns with Jason and Alex | E1964 Jun 11, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://www.equinixstartups.com to apply today.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:50) Jumping into the keynote from Apple and whether or not it impressed.

(5:24) “Apple Intelligence” has landed!

(8:32) Reactions to the new Siri.

(10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:42) The importance of Apple’s addition of “on-screen awareness”.

(16:30) Breakdown of Apple’s use of data with their AI.

(19:48) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(23:53) ChatGPT’s integration with Siri.

(26:32) Unpacking the “free” use of ChatGPT with Apple products.

(30:01) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

(31:07) Discussing the relationships between OpenAI and Microsoft and now Apple.

(34:44) More “ooohs” and “ahhhs” from Apple’s new Image Playground.

(40:25) Jason breaks down other key announcements from WWDC 2024 including a password manager and Apple TV’s new “Insights”.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Links:

Watch Apple’s WWDC 2024 Keynote: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2024/101/

Article on Fearless Fund: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-06-06/the-fearless-fund-should-keep-fighting-racism-in-venture-capital

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:48) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(30:01) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/fizz-is-the-latest-campus-gossip-app-it-took-two-days-to-shake-up-one-high-school-1d59ffd4

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The state of seed, the first TWIST500 startups, and the impact of anonymous apps on society | E1963 Jun 11, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Attio. A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to https://attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

.Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://www.jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

*

Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss concerns about the app "Fizz" (12:24), the state of seed (31:35), the first TWIST500 startups (58:58), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(11:15) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

(12:24) Concerns about the app "Fizz" and the use of anonymity in social media apps

(19:14) The impact of anonymous apps on society, parenting concerns, and the responsibility of investors in harmful tech startups

(23:16) The case for banning smartphones in schools

(30:19) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(31:35) The state of seed

(35:33) Impact of AI on startup efficiency

(38:17) .Tech Domains - Apply for the “Jam with JCal” contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(39:45) The variety of seed deals

(45:13) How to leave and join a rival company legally

(58:58) The first TWIST500 startups

(1:05:48) Impact of AI on journalism and media companies

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-fizz-app-anonymous-messaging-cyber-bullying-vermont-2024-6

https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/10/insiders-bet-more-on-fizz-a-social-network-that-has-now-bubbled-up-at-80-college-campuses/

https://x.com/JonHaidt/status/1799525595509850522

https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/28/yik-yak-shuts-down-after-square-paid-1-million-for-its-engineers/

https://x.com/Jason/status/1799868195899376014/photo/1

https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/07/y-combinator-yc-startups-tiny-seed-rounds-vc-investors-not-interested/

https://x.com/dhh/status/1799427898652389827

https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahemerson/2024/06/07/buzzy-ai-search-engine-perplexity-is-directly-ripping-off-content-from-news-outlets/

https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/24/zendesk-drama-concludes-with-10-2-billion-private-equity-acquisition

*

Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:15) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

(30:19) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(38:17) .Tech Domains - Apply for the “Jam with JCal” contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Great Builders & Success First with Intercom’s Eoghan McCabe | E1962 Jun 08, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Ads - To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

.Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://www.jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

Northwest Registered Agent - Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. In just 10 clicks and 10 minutes, set up your entire business identity—name, address, mail service, phone, email, website, and domain. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

*

Todays show:

Intercom’s Eoghan McCabe joins Jason to discuss: the state of the business at Intercom and his return as CEO (8:33), the future of customer service with AI (24:28), what makes a great manager (59:36), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Intercom’s Eoghan McCabe joins Jason. (1:50) Family history of the two McCabe’s: Jason and Eoghan. (5:49) The kindness and dedication of Intercom’s co-founder Des Traynor. (8:33) What Intercom is, the state of the business and Eoghan’s return as CEO. (10:41) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (12:37) Looking at overlap and adjacencies when you are building SaaS products. (16:36) The brilliance of the pre-seed pricing model, and is it broken? (19:47) .Tech Domains - Apply for the “Jam with JCal” contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech (22:16) What is next for companies with. SaaS-based pricing. (24:28) The future of customer service and AI. (30:30) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (36:09) Expectations from AI one year from now. (45:23) Breaking down the negative press and social reaction to the Humane Pin. (52:34) What the world will look like as conversational AI develops. (59:36) What makes a great manager and the “return of the king” at Intercom.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Check out Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/

*

Follow Eoghan:

X: https://x.com/eoghan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eoghanmccabe/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:41) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(19:47) .Tech Domains - Apply for the “Jam with JCal” contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(30:30) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/kirstenagreen

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Rising Above the Noise in Consumer VC with Kirsten Green of Forerunner | E1961 Jun 07, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta - Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

Mercury - With Mercury, you can simplify your financial operations with banking and software that power your critical financial workflows, all within the one thing every business needs, a bank account. And with new bill pay and accounting integrations, you can pay bills faster and stay in control of company spend. Apply in minutes at ⁠https://www.Mercury.com

*

Todays show:

Kirsten Green joins guest host Mark Suster to discuss Forerunner’s framework on making investments (8:33), how AI will change how consumer companies and applications are built (16:28), cultural shifts that are investable (33:38), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Kirsten Green joins guest host Mark Suster.

(2:49) Kirsten’s advice to stand out in consumer venture with only seven percent of VC dollars being allocated to consumer.

(8:33) Forerunner’s framework on making investments.

(11:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(12:09) The value of searching for where businesses are missing the mark, and the “wow” factor of the Oura Ring.

(16:28) How AI will change how consumer companies and applications are built

(19:46) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

(20:50) The current state of the consumer search experience and the power of personalization that AI can bring.

(24:16) The disruptive lesson from mobile and the next level of being context aware.

(28:24) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://www.mercury.com

(31:57) Forerunner Ventures lives within the intersection of invention and culture.

(33:38) Cultural shifts that are investable.

(36:36) The consumer shift from large to small screen.

(40:42) The importance of the mix between direct and indirect revenue.

(42:32) Discussing the relevance of “freemium”.

(55:48) What the exit environment is like going forward.

(1:02:55) What will it take to bring back the small and mid-cap market?

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Check out Forerunner Ventures: https://www.forerunnerventures.com/

*

Follow Kirsten:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstengreen/

*

Follow Mark:

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(19:46) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://w ww.oracle.com/twist.

(28:24) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://www.mercury.com

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Texas energy grid challenges and solutions with Base Power’s Justin Lopas | E1960 Jun 06, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Todays show:

Base Power’s Justin Lopas joins Jason to discuss the critical link between energy availability and GDP per capita, focusing on Texas' deregulated energy market and recent power outages (2:16). They also dive into ERCOT's role (7:40), dynamic grid pricing (20:04), batteries' potential for grid resilience (23:09), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Base Power’s Justin Lopas joins Jason

(2:16) Discussion on Texas energy grid and recent power outages

(5:34) Deregulated energy market in Texas

(7:40) How the Texas grid works and the role of ERCOT

(9:35) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(10:50) Issues with the Texas energy system, power outages, and comparison with California's energy issues

(20:04) Dynamic grid pricing in Texas

(23:08) ERCOT's procedures during overload conditions and the role of batteries in grid resilience

(25:39) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:40) Cost comparison with Tesla Powerwalls

(36:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(45:12) Current deployment status, operational challenges, and regulatory challenges in the energy market

(50:32) Proposal for trusted vendor programs and preferred vendor status

(1:03:41) Correlation between energy availability and GDP per capita

(1:04:19) Solving the energy problem to boost human prosperity

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Check out Base Power: https://www.basepowercompany.com

*

Follow Justin:

X: https://x.com/JLopas

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinlopas

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:35) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(25:39) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(36:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/FutureJurvetson

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Steve Jurvetson and The Metals Company on Ocean mining, EV market growth, and AI's tech impact | E1959 May 31, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer.

The newest generation of the pod, the Pod 4 ultra has arrived.

Head to eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

Mercury. With Mercury, you can simplify your financial operations with banking and software that power your critical financial workflows, all within the one thing every business needs, a bank account. And with new bill pay and accounting integrations, you can pay bills faster and stay in control of company spend. Apply in minutes at https://www.Mercury.com

Northwest Registered Agent. Start your business fast and secure with Northwest Registered Agent! In just 10 clicks and 10 minutes, set up your entire business identity - name, address, mailservice, phone, email, website, and domain. Everything You Need to Launch Your Business in Minutes! For $39 business formation visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

*

Todays show:

Steve Jurvetson and Gerard Barron join Jason to discuss the growth and challenges of the EV market (1:50). Then, they discuss TMC’s involvement in polymetallic nodules and robotic vacuuming for ocean nodules (15:34), the geopolitical aspects of deep-sea mining (40:50), and AI’s impact on technology (52:01).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Steve Jurvetson and Gerard Barron join Jason

(1:50) EV market growth and challenges

(2:42) The mission of The Metals Company

(5:54) Gerard Barron explains polymetallic nodules

(13:59) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(15:34) Robotic vacuuming and ocean nodules

(19:17) Environmentalists' perspectives on ocean mining

(28:16) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com

(29:47) Deep dive into VC with Steve Jurvetson

(36:16) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

(40:50) Geopolitical aspects of deep-sea mining and future outlook

(52:01) The age of AI and its impact on technology

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Check out The Metals Company: https://metals.co

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X: https://x.com/gtbgtb

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardbarron

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Follow Steve:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevejurvetson

Check out: https://future.ventures

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(13:59) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(28:16) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com

(36:16) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

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Mastering Venture Capital and Founder Strategies with Rory O’Driscoll and Mark Suster May 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Rory O’Driscoll joins guest host Mark Suster to discuss: advice for founders with traction but not yet booming (2:33), thirty years of internet cycles and their impact on venture capital (13:25), the approach to big-picture thinking vs. immediate traction and strategizing exits (36:58), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Rory O’Driscoll joins guest host Mark Suster.

(2:33) Rory’s advice for founders with traction but not yet booming.

(9:09) Aligning incentives between founders and venture; reminding CEOs to be "selfish.”

(10:23) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (13:25) Reflections on thirty years of internet cycles and their impact on venture capital.

(18:25) Debating AI: Does it favor the incumbents? (20:07) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://www.wistia.com/startups (21:35) What Rory and Scale Venture looks for when investing in AI. (26:20) How OpenAI has changed the landscape (29:18) HiddenLayer - HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more. (30:30) Debating “faux-mentum” vs. long-term sustainability in investments. (34:34) Balancing deep passion and business savvy when evaluating founders. (36:58) Rory’s approach to big-picture thinking vs. immediate traction and strategizing exits

(44:02) The importance of picking vs. price discipline.

(1:00:58) Advice for founders dealing with “busted cap tables.”

(1:08:07) Rory’s advice for his younger self.

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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X: https://x.com/rodriscoll

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(10:23) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (20:07) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://www.wistia.com/startups (29:18) HiddenLayer - ****HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more. *

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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https://x.ai/blog/series-b

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TWIST News: xAI's massive $6B raise, the startups building our drone future & TWIST500 | E1957 May 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist.

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Todays show:

Jason and Alex discuss xAI raising $6B (2:07), the TWiST500 (30:11), the startups building our drone future (39:55), North Korean tech talent taking American remote tech jobs (55:50), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(2:07) xAI raised $6B series B

(10:03) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(11:30) The evolution of smartphone adoption over time

(19:08) Global Internet users from 2005-2023

(26:06) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(26:57) The control over silicon and Apple’s move switch from Intel

(30:11) TWiST500 announcement

(38:24) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(39:55) Armed robot dogs, drone warfare, and the startups building our drone future

(55:50) North Korean nationals taking American remote tech jobs

*

Links and articles from show:

https://www.twz.com/sea/rifle-armed-robot-dogs-now-being-tested-by-marine-special-operators https://news.crunchbase.com/ai/defense-military-ai-tech-startups-vc-funding-anduril-shield-ai/?utm_source=cb_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20230703

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/21/north-korea-it-workers-us-hiring

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/24/north-korea-crypto-hacking-activity-soars-to-record-high-in-2023-new-report-shows.html

https://www.statista.com/statistics/273018/number-of-internet-users-worldwide

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/26/china-robot-gun-dog-military-cambodia

https://www.allencontrolsystems.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMnkqY98Cyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8igjcW39T4k

*

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:03) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(26:06) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(38:24) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist *

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://x.com/mikeeisenberg

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AI investments, VC ecosystem geography, and VC hypocrisy | E1956 May 27, 2024

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Jaime Matus, Michael Eisenberg, and Jason Calacanis to discuss AI investments and the potential washout of overfunded startups (4:11). They also touch on VC hypocrisy (38:47), and the role of geography in the VC ecosystem (54:53).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Jaime Matus, Michael Eisenberg, and Jason Calacanis

(4:11) Pitchbook data summarizing the total amount of capital invested in AI

(12:12) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(16:33) Predicting a washout of overfunded AI startups and sky high valuations

(25:30) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(26:57) Discussing Michael Eisenberg's career and investment experiences

(37:22) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(38:47) Discussion on Greg Isenberg's tweet about VC hypocrisy

(54:53) Fundraising rankings by ecosystem

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Follow Jaime:

X: https://x.com/JaimeMatusVC

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-matus

Check out: https://www.invariantes.com

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg

Check out: https://aleph.vc

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Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

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LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(12:12) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(25:30) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(37:22) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Glue: The New Slack Killer with David Sacks and Evan Owen | E1955 May 23, 2024

In this episode, David Sacks and Evan Owen of Glue join Jason to demo their new “slack killer” product (4:38), explain the role of AI within Glue (14:14), discuss building products with remote vs in-person teams (36:47), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Sacks and Evan Owen join Jason to show us newly launched Glue.

(2:42) David Sacks answers, “Why build another product?”.

(4:38) Evan jumps into a demo of Glue.

(9:37) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:15) Popular data sources users are incorporating into Glue.

(14:14) Digging deeper on the AI of Glue and when it will be able to be proactive in its participation. (19:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (21:07) Glue’s strategy on converting users from tools like slack in this competitive landscape.

(27:18) Glue’s approach to pricing.

(30:16) Dot Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest. To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech/

(31:45) Training models and the heated subject of privacy and security.

(34:12) How building a company now, fourteen years after Yammer, has been different for Sacks.

(36:47) Diving into the topic of building products with remote vs in-person teams.

*

Check out Glue: https://gluegroups.com/ Glue on X: https://x.com/GlueAI

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow David:

X: https://x.com/DavidSacks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidoliversacks/

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Follow Evan:

X: https://x.com/kainosnoema

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanaowen/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:37) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (30:16) Dot Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest. To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech/

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-announces-financial-results-for-first-quarter-fiscal-2025

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$NVDA's earnings, media economics in the AI era, Farcaster's mega crypto round, and more! | E1954 May 23, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Mercury - Mercury is the fintech startups use for banking* and all their financial workflows. Paying bills, staying in control of company spend, and closing the books doesn't need to be so complex — that's why Mercury powers it all from the one thing every business needs: the bank account. Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC.

HiddenLayer - Generative AI is revolutionizing industries. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Helping you generate more – by enabling seamless & secure Generative AI. Visit https://HiddenLayer.com/TWiST

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

(1:50) Nvidia earnings for First Quarter Fiscal 2025

(12:53) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(14:32) Continuing discussion on Nvidia's earnings

(22:39) News Corp and OpenAI strike ‘multi year global partnership’

(29:21) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com

(30:51) Apple News+ is driving big numbers for The Daily Beast

(39:03) HiddenLayer - HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more.

(40:14) Wearable AI startup Humane is exploring a sale

(50:56) Windows Recall

(1:08:45) Farcaster raises $150M: Is crypto making a comeback?

*

Links and articles from show:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/21/farcaster-a-crypto-based-social-network-raised-150m-with-just-80k-daily-users/

https://gizmodo.com/humane-ai-pin-selling-billion-1851493143

https://www.semafor.com/article/05/19/2024/as-clicks-dry-up-for-news-sites-could-apples-news-app-be-a-lifeline

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/openai-news-corp-strike-deal-23f186ba?mod=latest_headlines

https://s201.q4cdn.com/141608511/files/doc_financials/2025/Rev_by_Mkt_Qtrly_Trend_Q125.pdf

https://x.com/dsiroker/status/1792956339515273537

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(12:53) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(29:21) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at ⁠http://mercury.com⁠

(39:03) HiddenLayer - HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more. *

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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OpenAI drama, billion-dollar exits, and founder salaries with new co-host Alex Wilhelm | E1953 May 21, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta - Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

LinkedIn Ads - To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Equinix - The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://www.equinixstartups.com to apply today.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to dive into this week’s news.

(1:17) Announcing new co-host on TWiST Alex Wilhelm of TechCrunch fame!

(3:03) Alex breaks down what’s on the docket for today!

(4:16) The OpenAI equity issue.

(10:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(12:39) OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4o. (15:33) Why ChatGPT is better than Siri.

(17:50) OpenAI’s net revenue in the wake of last week’s announcements. (20:04) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (22:06) Comparing the needs of consumers vs enterprise for ChatGPT. (24:17) OpenAI has pulled “Sky” one of the voices for the new ChatGPT 4o due to it sounding like Scarlett Johansson

(28:48) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups (30:01) Alex’s favorite topic around how much founders paying themselves. (38:46) A billion-dollar deal in cybersecurity.

(45:43) Breaking news Scar Jo!

(56:24) What’s going on with crypto-venture capital.

(58:02) A look at “decentralized twitter” called Farcaster.

*

Links from episode:

OpenAI Equity link: https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-openai-nda-clause-vested-equity-ilya-sutskever-2024-5

OpenAI revenue growth https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/20/chatgpts-mobile-app-revenue-saw-biggest-spike-yet-following-gpt-4o-launch/

Founder salary report: https://pilot.com/founder-salary-report-2024

CyberArk-Venafi deal: https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/20/cyberark-snaps-up-venafi-for-1-54b-to-ramp-up-in-machine-to-machine-security/

Crypto VC rising: https://www.reuters.com/technology/venture-capital-funding-crypto-rises-24-bln-pitchbook-says-2024-05-20/

Check out Farcaster: https://www.farcaster.xyz/

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Follow Alex:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(20:04) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (28:48) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Crypto, the Midas List, and democratizing VC with Delian Asparouhov and Mel Williams | E1952 May 20, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit!

Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. In just 10 clicks and 10 minutes, set up your entire business identity—name, address, mail service, phone, email, website, and domain. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Mel Williams, Delian Asparouhov, and Jason Calacanis to discuss discuss crypto regulation (17:05), AI spending (27:21), and immigration's role in startups (55:43).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Mel Williams, Delian Asparouhov, and Jason Calacanis

(3:46) WSJ reports that top crypto funds are back in the market

(9:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(10:54) Jason's proposal for a "sophisticated investor test" for crypto investments

(17:05) The limitations of current SEC regulations and the potential political impact of crypto regulation

(26:03) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(27:21) AI spend is up across the board in 2024

(39:42) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

(41:01) GPT-4o demos and the rapid commoditization of AI technology

(48:29) The impact of AI on the economy

(55:43) Immigration and its impact on the startup ecosystem

(1:06:11) Self-censorship and the importance of a free society

*

Follow Mel:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mel-williams-00584a5

Check Out: https://truebridgecapital.com

*

Follow Delian:

X: https://x.com/zebulgar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delian-asparouhov-87447742

Check out: https://foundersfund.com https://www.varda.com

*

Follow David:

Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(26:03) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(39:42) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Pioneering physical AI with Archetype AI’s Ivan Poupyrev | E1951 May 18, 2024

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Todays show:

Ivan Poupyrev of Archetype AI joins Jason to demo Archetype AI’s product “Newton” and discuss the application of sensors in various industries (2:55). The two also dive into anticipatory interfaces (44:14), the role of sensor technology in AI (31:09), and the potential for robots in various industries (28:12).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Ivan Poupyrev of Archetype AI joins Jason.

(2:55) Demo of Archetype AI's product, Newton, which interprets and processes motion data

(9:22) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(10:48) Exploration of potential business model and use cases for Archetype AI

(22:15) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(23:30) Use cases in aviation, military, and automotive industry

(28:12) The connection between robots and artificial intelligence

(30:17) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(31:09) The evolution of sensor technology and its role in AI

(44:14) The pace of technological innovation and the future of anticipatory interfaces

(49:00) Future plans for Archetype AI, hiring and partnership opportunities

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Archetype AI: https://www.archetypeai.io

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Follow Ivan:

X: https://x.com/ipoupyrev

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-poupyrev

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:21) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(22:17) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(30:20) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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AI Demos: Big Drops This Week from OpenAI & Google | E1950 May 17, 2024

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this week’s AI news and demos.

(2:10) OpenAI did their big reveal on Monday and review on Sam Altman’s appearance on the All In podcast

(5:40) A dive into what OpenAI launched this week.

(10:11) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (13:12) OpenAI’s new model, where the “o” stands for omni, means it can now reason across audio, vision, and text in real-time. (17:21) Open AI’s “memory” setting and their new MacOS desktop app! (19:43) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra. (22:37) Jason highlights the startup Athena. (25:53) Looking at the improvements on the new ChatGPT 4o model. (29:31) HiddenLayer - HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more. (32:34) Breaking down the pricing of the new vs historic ChatGPT models. (35:31) Jason demos Recall. (42:19) Sunny shares Labs.Google and NotebookLM.

(46:03) Labs.Google and “AI Overviews”

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Check out ChatGPT 4o: https://chatgpt.com/?model=gpt-4o

Check out Labs Google: https://labs.google/

Check out Groq: https://groq.com/

Check out article “Apple Nears Deal With OpenAI to Put ChatGPT on iPhone”: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-11/apple-closes-in-on-deal-with-openai-to-put-chatgpt-on-iphone

Check out Athena: https://www.athenago.com/

Check out Recall: https://www.getrecall.ai/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:11) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (19:43) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra. (29:31) HiddenLayer - HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more. *

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Bridging education and business with The OC’s Dr. Justin Terry | E1949 May 16, 2024

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Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Todays show:

Dr. Justin Terry joins Jason to discuss the future of work, education, and the unique impact of Opportunity Central (The OC). They explore how the school incorporates entrepreneurship (9:03), addresses community needs (22:00), and more!

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Timestamps (0:00) The OC’s Dr. Justin Terry joins Jason

(1:38) The OC, leveling the playing field in education, and the future of job availability

(7:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(9:03) Exploration of the unique educational facility and its impact on local businesses

(15:15) Incorporating entrepreneurship and future ready skills in education

(20:13) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today.

(21:32) Addressing community needs through the educational facility

(31:00) Considering expansions and potential partnerships for the facility

(37:42) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(39:03) The impact of the new educational model on students and equalizing opportunities

(51:56) The role of entrepreneurship in public education

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Check out The OC: https://www.theoc.net

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Follow Dr. Justin Terry:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-terry-133761aa

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

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(37:42) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Max Altman & Ben Braverman chart Saga VC's maiden voyage with Mark Suster | E1948 May 15, 2024

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Today's show:

Max Altman and Ben Braverman of Saga VC join guest host Mark Suster to discuss building up Saga VC’s maiden voyage fund (2:23), the advantage of witnessing “great” at the top of the industry (21:14), praise for Saga VC’s Thomson Nguyen (52:59), and more!

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Timestamps: (0:00) Max Altman and Ben Braverman of Saga VC join guest host Mark Suster.

(2:23) Building up Saga VC’s maiden voyage fund.

(7:48) Saga VC’s reason to live and uniqueness.

(9:48) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at https://mercury.com

(11:22) What Ben Braverman brings to Saga VC.

(13:17) Ben speaks about what he learned working with Ryan Peterson at Flexport.

(15:12) Max’s background that brought him to Saga and lessons he learned from Parker Conrad

(19:58) NetSuite. By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(21:14) The advantage of witnessing “great” at the top of the industry.

(25:54) The X-Factor in strong leaders and founders.

(29:16) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist

(30:27) Unique advantages Max and Ben on the foray into venture.

(44:01) What Saga VC looks for in AI companies to fund.

(52:59) Praise for Saga VC’s Thomson Nguyen in his absence.

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Saga VC website: https://www.sagavc.com/ Check out Saga VC on X: https://twitter.com/Saga_Ventures

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Follow Max:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhaltman/

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Follow Ben:

X: https://twitter.com/braveben

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-braverman-a1120314/

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Follow Thomson:

X: https://twitter.com/itsthomson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randomforest/

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:48)Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at https://mercury.com

(19:58) NetSuite. By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(29:16) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/loosararian_j

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AI Robots with Purpose with Jake Loosararian of Gecko Robotics | E1947 May 11, 2024

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DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist.

Hubspot Podcast Network. Hubspot Podcast Network presents a new podcast called The Next Wave. The Next Wave is your personal Chief AI Officer, bringing fresh takes, industry insights and a trustworthy perspective on how to implement AI to grow your business. Just search for “The Next Wave” on YouTube or in your favorite podcast app. “The Large Language Model Race with Pete Huang, Founder of The Neuron” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8elHTM9cOOA

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Todays show:

Jake Loosararian of Gecko Robotics joins Jason to discuss the purpose-designed robots being built at Gecko (3:01), the value of “bear hugging” your key customers (23:39), the “BOM” of current and future robots (1:02:14), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jake Loosararian of Gecko Robotics joins Jason.

(3:01) The purpose-designed robots being built at Gecko.

(7:03) Origin story behind Jake’s startup.

(9:45) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(10:38) Show us the robots!

(17:43) Details on the frequency of needed infrastructure inspections. (19:24) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (23:39) The value of “bear hugging” your key customers. (27:42) Bridging physical and digital with Gecko’s Cantilever digital twins. (29:36) Hubspot for Podcast Networks - The Next Wave: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNextWavePod “The Large Language Model Race with Pete Huang, Founder of The Neuron” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8elHTM9cOOA

(33:50) Extending the value of inspections with fixed sensors. (46:47) Opening up the conversation to the AI data collected.

(54:44) Why some robotics companies fail while others succeed.

(1:02:14) The “BOM” of current and future robots.

(1:06:29) Where humanoid robots may first be “employed”.

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Gecko Robotics: https://www.geckorobotics.com/

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Follow Jake:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-loosararian-23981350/

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:45) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(19:24) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (29:36) Hubspot for Podcast Networks - The Next Wave: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNextWavePod “The Large Language Model Race with Pete Huang, Founder of The Neuron” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8elHTM9cOOA

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/IanCinnamon

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Today's Space Tech Boom with Apex's Ian Cinnamon and Mark Suster | E1946 May 09, 2024

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Dot Tech Domains - Dot Tech domains are the go-to namespace to build anything in tech… and home to the world’s most innovative startups. Keep an eye out for our “Jam Session with JCal” contest… coming soon! Be sure to secure your .Tech domain today at https://get.tech/jason

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Todays show:

Ian Cinnamon joins guest host Mark Suster to discuss all things space tech; including: the importance of building Apex in L.A. (4:49), the drastic change in costs for satellites (16:03), their first Aries Satellite bus on it’s maiden voyage (30:29), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Ian Cinnamon joins guest host Mark Suster.

(1:53) Why space is a hot sector right now with startups and investors.

(4:49) The importance of building Apex in L.A.

(6:44) Ian’s background and what brought him to the space industry.

(9:52) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:13) Origin story and perfect fit with Apex co-founder Max Benassi.

(13:25) What Apex does and why Max’s manufacturing skillset matters.

(16:03) Cost of satellites then and now.

(19:55) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(21:25) Details about the sateliilite bus at Apex.

(23:43) The differences and business implications of LEO, MEO and GEO.

(29:15) Dot Tech Domains - Be sure to secure your .Tech domain today at https://get.tech/jason

(30:29) Their first Aries Satellite bus on it’s maiden voyage and a selfie from space.

(53:30) The current scale and expected growth at Apex.

(56:19) Competitions in the “space” space.

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Apex: https://www.apexspace.com

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Follow Ian:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iancinnamon/

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Follow Mark:

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:52) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(19:55) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(29:15) Dot Tech Domains - Be sure to secure your .Tech domain today at https://get.tech/jason

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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X: https://twitter.com/mwilker

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Bridging academia and job market realities with Extern’s Matt Wilkerson | E1945 May 09, 2024

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CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

HubSpot. If you’re fundraising, be sure to check out the Million Dollar pitch competition from Hubspot for Startups & HubSpot Ventures. Apply now at ⁠https://www.hubspot.com/milliondollarpitch

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Todays show:

Extern’s Matt Wilkerson joins Jason to discuss the concept of externships and their role in bridging the gap between academic curriculum and job market reality. They delve into the demand for cybersecurity professionals (14:18), the value externships offer in career path decisions (28:43), and the impact and evolution of Extern (37:20).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Extern’s Matt Wilkerson joins Jason

(4:22) The concept of externships and he problem of student loans and work experience

(7:04) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

(8:09) The Extern student experience

(14:18) The demand for cybersecurity professionals and the benefits of externships

(19:11) The gap between academic curriculum and job market reality

(23:58) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(25:30) The value of externships in helping students figure out their career paths

(33:02) HubSpot - Be sure to check out the Million Dollar pitch competition from Hubspot for Startups & HubSpot Ventures. Apply now at ⁠⁠https://www.hubspot.com/milliondollarpitch

(34:17) The impact of Extern on students and the job market

(46:04) Understanding customers and the evolution of Extern

(52:11) The mission of Extern and advice for new founders

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Mentioned on the show: https://www.hotjar.com/net-promoter-score

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Matt:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwilkerson/

Check out: https://www.extern.com/

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(7:04) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

(23:58) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(33:02) HubSpot - Be sure to check out the Million Dollar pitch competition from Hubspot for Startups & HubSpot Ventures. Apply now at ⁠⁠https://www.hubspot.com/milliondollarpitch

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/03/svb-venture-capital-arm

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LIQUIDITY: Major challenger to OpenAI, xAI, closing on $6B in funding | E1944 May 06, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into ONE platform. Giving you ONE source of truth. By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity

Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Joshua Berkowitz, Donald Stalter and Jason Calacanis to discuss xAI closed on $6B (5:02), PitchBook's report on Emerging Managers (17:32), SVB’s venture portfolio situation (44:18), and much more!

*

Liquidity Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Joshua Berkowitz, Donald Stalter and Jason Calacanis

(5:02) xAI raises $6B in funding

(9:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(13:16) Sequoia leading a $6B round for AI

(17:32) PitchBook's report on Emerging Managers

(20:38) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity

(28:18) The impact of the surge of venture capital in 2021 and its implications for the ecosystem

(30:41) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

(34:42) The impact of a positive investor attitude on founders

(44:18) The Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) venture portfolio situation

(49:33) Lightning round of last 3 investments

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(20:38) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity

(30:41) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.

*

Mentioned on show:

*

Follow Donald:

X: https://twitter.com/donnystalter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldstalter

Check out:

https://www.fieldguide.io

https://www.permitflow.com

https://slopepay.com

*

Follow Joshua:

X: https://twitter.com/berkowitz_josh

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-berkowitz-86005b23/

Check out:

https://dexa.ai

https://powerset.co

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Follow David:

Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/bmoesta?lang=en

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Decoding Customer Insights, Trust, and the Jobs-to-be-Done Framework with Bob Moesta | E1943 May 03, 2024

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Todays show:

Bob Moesta joins Jason to discuss important customer interview methods, such as the concept and importance of deep listening (7:21), quantitative vs. qualitative and hypothesis-building research (13:08), “The jeweller effect” and building trust (37:47), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Bob Moesta of the Re-Wired Group joins Jason.

(2:33) Jumping into Bob's origin stories and the early lessons that shaped his career.

(4:59) Unpacking the concepts of “the customer is not always right” and that they don’t actually know what they want.

(7:21) The concept and importance of deep listening.

(8:52) Bob’s use of “the death day” and learning the value of time.

(10:57) Hubspot for Podcast Networks - Marketing Against the Grain: https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW. “The Best AI Tools For Marketers In 2024” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeeVKUuEv6Y

(13:08) Quantitative vs qualitative and hypothesis-building research.

(16:51) Bob’s four amazing mentors and how they turned him from an illiterate eighteen-year-old into an innovation machine.

(20:16) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(21:40) The dangers of identifying personas and “the secret sauce”.

(26:08) Drawing importance from the “irrational decision”, as context drives the rationale.

(28:28) Bob explains his approach to interviews.

(31:00) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(32:32) Applying these concepts to a customer buying a diamond or health care.

(37:47) “The jeweller effect” and how do you cause trust?

(40:48) Making people problem aware.

(47:45) Applying the fact that people learn out of routine to the electric car customer.

(54:18) The concept of nostalgia.

(1:03:08) Bob’s current book he is writing about what causes someone to leave one company and go to another.

(1:15:57) At what stage is a company that hires the Re-Wired Group?

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Check out The Re-Wired Group: https://www.anomalo.com/

Check out Bob’s website and publications: https://www.bobmoesta.com/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta/

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:57) Hubspot for Podcast Networks - Marketing Against the Grain: https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW. “The Best AI Tools For Marketers In 2024” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeeVKUuEv6Y

(20:16) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(31:00) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Startup pitch competition! Jason invests $25K into one of three founders | E1942 May 02, 2024

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Todays show:

Jason and Presh kick off the Founder University pitch competition (00:00), then we hear from Peter on Props AI (10:17), Alan on 2ndHandGeek (21:15), and Alex on Zweelie (37:18). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (), and details how to apply!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(1:16) Jason brings on Presh to introduce today's pitches!

(9:17) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://www.geteppo.com/twist

(10:17) Peter Kirkham pitches Props AI

(19:45) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

(21:15) Alan Blakeborough Pitches 2ndHandGeek

(36:16) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com

(37:18) Alex Hanna pitches Zweelie

(41:44) Jason picks the startup he will invest in!

(43:26) Advice for founders and Q&A

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Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th! Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠

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Follow Peter:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-kirkham

Props AI: www.getprops.ai

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Follow Alan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/f3zorroblake

2ndHandGeek: https://exchange.2ndhandgeek.com

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Follow Alex:

X: http://x.com/_alexhanna

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hanna-founder

Zweelie: http://zweelie.com

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:17) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://www.geteppo.com/twist

(19:45) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

(36:16) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at ⁠http://mercury.com⁠

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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AI Demos: Llama 3 Innovations, vibecheck, Globe Engineer, Wisdolia and Tesla’s FSD | E1941 Apr 30, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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Wistia. All-in-one video platform for business, with tools that help you create, manage, and measure the impact of your videos. Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this week’s AI news and demos.

(1:52) Various user-driven enhancements to Llama 3

(8:28) Abacus runs Llama-3 locally on your iPhone.

(10:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:54) ChatGPT's new memory feature

(18:43) Deep dive into the advancements in self-driving car technology and Tesla’s FSD

(21:43) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(24:30) Sunny breaks down how far we are away to different degrees of self-driving cars. (29:22) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

(33:48) Sunny weighs the possibility of a Robotaxi death in the next couple of years.

(37:11) Sunny’s theory that the leader in autonomous cars will be the one to use the Uber model.

(46:02) Jason has producer Cort jump on the pod to try out an “AI Death Calculator”.

(51:10) Sunny demos Vibecheck.

(59:49) Sunny demos Wisdolia.

(1:02:25) Sunny demos Globe Engineer

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Check out Groq: https://groq.com/

Check out the tweet about Llama-3: https://twitter.com/minchoi/status/1784907752659161432?s=42&t=79J_alIF_jrz1wn1s5pboQ

Check out vibecheck: https://vibecheck.market/

Check out Globe Engineer: https://explorer.globe.engineer/

Check out qobuz: https://www.qobuz.com/ca-en/discover

Check out Waymo: https://waymo.com/

Check out Wisdolia: https://app.wisdolia.com/

Check out Monic.AI: https://monic.ai/

Check out the Ai Death Calculator: https://life2vec.io/

Check out Founder Fridays: http://www.thisweekinstartups.com/meetups

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

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(29:22) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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How AI and remote work is coming for your job | E1940 Apr 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Jeff Richards, Ryan Denehy, and Jason Calacanis to discuss down rounds in startups (5:26), changing operations in response to market shifts (23:07), and impact of AI & remote work on job availability (1:02:17).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Jeff Richards, Ryan Denehy, and Jason Calacanis

(5:26) Down rounds and cram down rounds in VC deals

(13:06) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity

(14:22) The terms of investment and the importance of good business fundamentals

(21:67) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(23:24) Changing operations in response to market shifts

(30:20) Increasing deal flow and setting ambitious goals

(35:32) HiddenLayer. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more

(37:26) AI adoption in startups and businesses

(1:02:33) The role of remote work in shaping the global economy and the potential of offshore hiring

(1:09:34) Comparing the fundraising process pre and post COVID

(1:14:30) Wrap up: Jeff's latest 3 investments and Ryan's company, https://www.Electric.ai

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Follow Jeff:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrichards

Check out: https://notablecap.com/

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Follow Ryan:

X: https://twitter.com/denehyxxl

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandenehy

Check out: https://www.electric.ai/

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Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

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LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(13:06) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity

(21:67) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

(35:32) HiddenLayer. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more

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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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PodcastAI: Edward Brawer is here to be your podcast’s arms dealer! | E1939 Apr 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into ONE platform. Giving you ONE source of truth. By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Edward Brawer joins Jason to dive into PodcastAI

(3:25) Introduction and origin story of Edward Brawer's entry into the podcasting AI technology

(5:42) Discussion on the features and benefits of PodcastAI, including its ability to automate podcast production processes

(9:40) Finding product-market-fit for PodcastAI

(11:38) Coda - Get started for free at https://www.coda.io/twist

(13:06) The success of their original cold calls to find those first first customers

(15:04) Main features and outline of PodcastAI version 1.0.

(20:19) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today.

(21:51) Hot feature they just launched: viral moments of your pod

(29:20) NetSuite - has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(31:33) A feature they made specifically from feedback from the All-in pod

(34:33) The hilarious origin story of Edward and Jason revolved around an AI version of Jason that, in turn, created an AI version of David Sacks

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Check out Podcast AI: https://podcastai.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Edward:

X: https://twitter.com/edwardbrawer ⁠

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardbrawer/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:38) Coda - Get started for free at https://www.coda.io/twist

(20:19) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today

(29:20) NetSuite - has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The power of super communication with Charles Duhigg | E1938 Apr 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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HubSpot. If you’re fundraising, be sure to check out the Million Dollar pitch competition from Hubspot for Startups & HubSpot Ventures. Apply now at https://www.hubspot.com/milliondollarpitch

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Todays show:

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg joins Jason to discuss the different types of conversations (9:29), the role of humor (22:48), and they way conversation dynamics can shift (49:30).

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Timestamps (0:00) Charles Duhigg joins Jason to break down his latest publishing, Supercommunicators

(4:01) The importance of communication in startups and lessons from "The Power of Habit”

(8:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(9:29) The role of communication in organizations and the different types of conversations

(21:30) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/twist

(22:48) Exploring the role of humor, laughter, and vulnerability in conversations

(30:06) Understanding gender and cultural differences in communication

(39:23) HubSpot - Be sure to check out the Million Dollar pitch competition from Hubspot for Startups & HubSpot Ventures. Apply now at ⁠https://www.hubspot.com/milliondollarpitch

(40:34) The role anecdotes have in conversation

(49:30) How the dynamic of the conversation shifts when someone has an ask

(1:01:35) The Harvard Study of Adult Development

(1:06:36) Closing remarks

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Check out Supercommunicators: https://www.charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators

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Follow Charles:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesduhigg/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(8:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (21:30) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/twist (39:23) HubSpot - Be sure to check out Hubspot for Startups & HubSpot Ventures for their Million Dollar pitch competition. Apply now at https://www.hubspot.com/milliondollarpitch

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th. Apply here: https://www.founder.university

Ask Jason LIVE!: Navigating startup growth with Real-Time Q&A | E1937 Apr 25, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to ⁠https://www.Squarespace.com/twist⁠ for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Mercury. Mercury is the fintech startups use for banking* and all their financial workflows. Paying bills, staying in control of company spend, and closing the books doesn't need to be so complex — that's why Mercury powers it all from the one thing every business needs: the bank account. Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC.

*

Todays show:

Jason kicks off Ask Jason live! 5 live guests ask questions on key topics, including finding job opportunities (1:43), the “likely winner” and “definitive winner” framework (26:19), how a non-AI startup with traction can stand out to potential investors (1:04:05), and more!

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Timestamps (0:00) Jason kicks off another Ask Jason with 5 live guests!

(1:43) Dustin asks about how to find job opportunities and market his generalist skills

(9:50) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(10:42) Dustin asks about how to find job opportunities and market his generalist skills

(24:57) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/twist

(26:19) Francis asks about defining the terms "likely winner" and "definitive winner" in a strategic framework using specific metrics

(39:15) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com

(40:17) Mathew asks about choosing between mission-aligned sponsors and more lucrative, unrelated advertising opportunities for his podcast

(52:23) Jason asks whether to continue low-cost growth strategies or seek seed funding to boost growth through advertising, as their product is the advertising itself

(1:04:05) Douglas asks about how a non-AI startup with traction can stand out to potential investors

(1:15:37) Host or join Founder Fridays! Go check out https://founderfridays.tech

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Send us your questions for the next episode of Ask Jason LIVE! http://www.thisweekinstartups.com/askjason

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:50) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(24:57) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/twist

(39:15) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at ⁠http://mercury.com⁠

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th. Apply here: https://www.founder.university

AI Demos and News: Llama 3, Marblism, Lumona & AI Jet-Fighter Dogfights | E1936 Apr 23, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Curotec. Are you one of those companies that knows you need to be using AI, but you're not even sure where to start? Well then you need Curotec. They are AI experts, and they're offering TWiST listeners an AI Strategy Roadmap tailored to your business for $5000. That's 50% off the normal cost just for telling them we sent you. Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off!

Zendesk. The best customer experiences are built with Zendesk. Qualifying startups can join their Startup program and get Zendesk products free, for six months! Visit http://www.zendesk.com/twist today to get started.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this week’s AI news and demos.

(2:03) Examination of Facebook's Llama 3 model, its impact on the AI community, and its superior performance compared to GPT-4 despite being a smaller model.

(4:45) Open source vs. commercial products

(9:14) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(10:42) Three big projects where Facebook has affected the open community.

(15:38) US Air Foruce staging dogfights with AI-flown fighter jets. (19:09) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(21:06) Looking at Grok’s capabilities in first-party research.

(27:35) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(29:08) Jason asks Grok a more “spicey” question regarding Trump.

(40:46) Sunny demos Marblism.

(45:33) Sunny demos Lumona *

Check out Marblism: https://www.marblism.com

Check out Lumona:https://www.lumona.ai

Article “US Air Force stages dogfights with AI-flown fighter jet” https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/04/19/us-air-force-stages-dogfights-with-ai-flown-fighter-jet

Check out Groq: https://groq.com

Check out qobuz: https://www.qobuz.com/ca-en/discover

Article: Meta is opening up Horizon OS to third parties, Asus and Lenovo first with new headsets https://www.gsmarena.com/meta_is_opening_up_horizon_os_to_third_parties_asus_and_lenovo_first_with_new_headsets_-news-62561.php

Check out Waymo: https://waymo.com

Check out Founder Fridays: http://www.thisweekinstartups.com/meetups

Check out Bubble: https://bubble.io

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Sunny:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:14) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

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*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI Demos: Meta AI Ups it’s Game with Llama 3 | E1935 Apr 20, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

Eppo. Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://www.geteppo.com/twist

HiddenLayer. Generative AI is revolutionizing industries. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Helping you generate more – by enabling seamless & secure Generative AI. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this week's AI news and demos.

(1:39) AI, LLMs, and Groq infrastructure discussion.

(9:32) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(11:00 ) Meta's AI landing page, new search engine, and investment strategies

(20:06 ) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://www.geteppo.com/twist

(23:19) Zuckerberg's approach towards Google's dominance and the impact of Meta's search engine

(30:19) HiddenLayer. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more.

(32:11) Importance of a dedicated domain name and Google's commitment to Google Plus

(34:36) Meta's progress in AI and the strategy of open sourcing

(45:34) The industrial revolution in technology, AI development, and rights issues

*

Check out Meta AI: https://www.meta.ai/

Check out Groq: https://groq.com/

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Sunny:

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:32) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(20:06 ) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://www.geteppo.com/twist

(30:19) HiddenLayer. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more.

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/loganbartlett

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Redpoint Ventures and Stepstone Group on VC Deployment, M&A, and Google's AI Strategy | E1934 Apr 19, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Hubspot for Podcast Network. Looking to up your marketing game?

Check out HubSpot's Chatbot Builder: https://clickhubspot.com/s0u

Chatbot Tutorial here: https://clickhubspot.com/mfx

DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://www.devsquad.com/twist

Mercury is the fintech startups use for banking* and all their financial workflows. Paying bills, staying in control of company spend, and closing the books doesn't need to be so complex — that's why Mercury powers it all from the one thing every business needs: the bank account. Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Logan Bartlett, Hunter Somerville, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the fundraising market (3:07), M&A (26:45), Google’s huge investment in generative AI (58:15), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Logan Bartlett, Hunter Somerville, and Jason Calacanis

(3:07) Tiger's recent fund and fundraising indicators

(11:55) HubSpot’s Chatbot Builder - https://clickhubspot.com/s0u https://clickhubspot.com/mfx

(13:26) The challenges and realities of venture capital

(25:14) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://www.devsquad.com/twist

(26:45) Startup acquisitions, due diligence, and unethical behaviors in the industry

(31:27) Selling partial positions in startups and structuring the selling of shares

(37:18) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com ⁠

(38:20) Cendana and Kline Hill’s $105M fund to buy stakes in seed VC funds

(46:59) The correlation between capital consumption and equity value, and the dangers of excess capital

(54:28) The role of private equity in tech M&A and the future of tech IPOs

(58:15) Google's $100 billion investment in AI and competition in the AI ecosystem

(1:06:30) The challenge of capacity in seed stage investing and the value of a strong community in portfolio management

*

Follow Logan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganbartlett

Check out: https://www.redpoint.com

*

Follow Hunter:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-somerville-2a24117

Check out: https://www.stepstonegroup.com/

*

Follow David:

Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:55) HubSpot’s Chatbot Builder - https://clickhubspot.com/s0u https://clickhubspot.com/mfx

(25:14) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://www.devsquad.com/twist

(37:18) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/sohailprasad

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Destiny (D/XYZ) and the Buzz Around Public Access to Private Companies | E1933 Apr 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://deploy.equinix.com/startups to apply today.

*

Todays show:

Sohail Prasad joins Jason to discuss Destiny Tech 100 and why it was created (3:46), comparing the market cap to the actual holdings and the pent-up demand (11:35), how Destiny acquires the shares and how they manage both positive and negative reactions (26:49), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sohail Prasad of Destiny (D/XYZ) joins Jason.

(3:46) Breaking down Destiny Tech 100 and why it was created.

(5:20) What is a closed-end fund and how does it fit into the ecosystem?

(8:37) The DIY approach used to bring this to the market.

(9:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(10:54) How Destiny Tech 100 works as a direct listing.

(11:35) Comparing the market cap to the actual holdings and the pent-up demand.

(14:46) Looking at how Sohail and the company make their profits and why he does this instead of gathering higher carry.

(18:52) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:05) The concerns of the swinging nature of the stock price and the long-term view.

(26:49) How Destiny acquires the shares and how they manage both positive and negative reactions. (30:26) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

(34:10) Destiny’s access to financials for companies in their portfolio. (35:51) Strategy behind exits for the fund and companies that then go public. (43:13) The size of the team needed to run Dest

*

Check out Destiny (D/XYZ): https://destiny.xyz/

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Sohail:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohailprasad/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(18:52) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (30:26) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/_playumbrella

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Startup pitch competition! Jason invests $25K into one of three founders | E1932 Apr 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Wistia. All-in-one video platform for business, with tools that help you create, manage, and measure the impact of your videos. Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $200 off the pod plus free shipping!

Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today

*

Todays show:

Jason and Presh kick off the Founder University pitch competition (00:00), then we hear from Jared on Umbrella Sports (6:40), Linda on Mastertech (14:47), and Aleksandr on Ellis (24:20). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (44:17), and Presh details how to apply!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(2:49) Jason brings on Presh to explain the fundamentals of Founder University and introduces today's pitches!

(6:40) Jared Lewandowski pitches Umbrella Sports

(13:20) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

(14:47) Linda Gray pitches Mastertech

(22:51) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

(24:20) Aleksandr Diamond pitches Ellis

(29:39) Jason and Presh assess the startups and their pitches

(39:43) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today

(44:12) Jason picks the startup he will invest in!

(44:51) Feedback on the Founder University experience

*

Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th! Apply here: https://www.founder.university

*

We are doing Founder Fridays! Go check out https://founderfridays.tech

*

Follow Jared:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredlewandowski

Check out Umbrella Sports: https://www.playumbrella.com

*

Follow Linda:

X: https://twitter.com/mastertechai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-gray-6433b251/

Check out Mastertech: https://www.mastertech.ai/

*

Follow Aleksandr:

X: https://twitter.com/heyaleksandr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asdiamond

Check out Ellis: https://ellis.so

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Thank you to our partners:

(13:20) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

(22:51) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

(39:43) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

*

Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th. Apply here: https://www.founder.university

Udio AI’s Music Magic, Aqua’s Unique Dictation, Copyright Laws & the 1000x Potential of AI | E1931 Apr 14, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Hubspot. Join thousands of companies that are growing better with HubSpot for Startups.

Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at http://www.hubspot.com/startups/twist

*

Todays show:

Sunny joins Jason to dive into AI news and demos including, Adam Schiff and the new bill to force AI companies to reveal use of copyrighted art (9:03), Udio the recent AI music creator catching a lot of hype (17:48), the AI dictation power of Aqua (39:10), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this weeks AI news and demos.

(4:02) AI News: Meta, Google and Intel all launched chips this week.

(9:03) Adam Schiff and the new bill to force AI companies to reveal use of copyrighted art

(9:51) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

(17:48) Sunny demos Udio - the recent AI music creator catching a lot of hype.

(19:36) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST

(20:56) Sunny and Jason further explore Udio and discuss the copyright issues around AI models.

(31:45) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

(36:31) Sunny creates a song with Udio about Jason’s passion for copyright laws.

(39:10) Sunny demos Aqua.

(45:36) Sunny demos SWE-Agent

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Check out Udio: https://www.udio.com/

Rolling Stone article on Udio: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/udio-ai-music-chatgpt-suno-1235001675/

Check out Aqua: https://withaqua.com/

Check out SWE-Agent: https://swe-agent.com/demo

Meta’s new chip news: https://twitter.com/Techmeme/status/1778078194345955765

Google’s new chip news: https://twitter.com/WSJ/status/1777654095601348775

Intel’s new chip news: https://twitter.com/Techmeme/status/1777725152102699026

Article on Adam Schiff introducing new bill: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/apr/09/artificial-intelligence-bill-copyright-art

Check out statmuse: https://www.statmuse.com/

*

Follow Sunny:

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:51) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(19:36) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST

(31:45) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://newcomergames.com

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Tomasz Tunguz and David Clark on how to invest in AI and Q1 2024 startup valuations | E1930 Apr 12, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at CLAconnect.com/tech

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts David Clark, Tomasz Tunguz, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the new YC class (1:59), startup valuations (19:34), the investment landscape (30:17), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) David Weisburd intros David Clark, Tomasz Tunguz, and Jason Calacanis

(1:59) The latest YC class and rise of AI startups

(9:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(10:55) Role of the founding team in AI startups

(19:34) Startup valuations and the changing landscape of seed deals and Series A rounds

(29:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(30:17) Tomasz Tunguz’s journey to raising his fund and the challenges of the VC industry

(37:32) Personality types in venture capital and handling company wind downs

(39:20) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(40:52) VC’s moving out and the challenge of picking the right company to invest in

(59:27) Active reserves management

(1:09:00) Lightning round: Top 3 investments

*

Mentioned on show:

https://motherduck.com

https://arbitrum.io

https://www.omni.co

https://www.podengine.ai

https://www.getrecall.ai

*

Follow David Clark:

X: https://twitter.com/daveclark85

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clark-6678b6b/

Check out VenCap: https://www.vencap.com/

*

Follow Tomasz Tunguz:

X: https://twitter.com/ttunguz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomasztunguz

Check out Theory Ventures: https://theory.ventures

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(29:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(39:20) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtzuL3WSiGY

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The Alef Model A and the future of flying cars with Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny | E1929 Apr 11, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Zendesk. The best customer experiences are built with Zendesk. Qualifying startups can join their Startup program and get Zendesk products free, for six months! Visit http://www.zendesk.com/twist today to get started.

*

Todays show:

Alef’s Jim Dukhovny joins Jason to discuss different approaches to flying car tech (1:16), Alef’s vehicle design (9:17), commercial aspects (22:39), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Alef’s Jim Dukhovny joins Jason

(1:16) Alef’s mission and the different approaches to VTOL and flying car technologies

(8:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(9:17) Alef’s approach to vehicle design and use of existing technologies in a new format

(12:10) Technical details of Alef’s vehicle design, including propulsion systems and structural innovations

(14:27) Challenges of designing flying vehicles that function both as cars and aircraft

(21:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(22:39) Commercial aspects, including pricing, customer pre-orders, and manufacturing plans

(26:13) Regulatory and certification challenges and the potential timeline for bringing the product to market

(32:46) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

(34:16) Ballistic parachute systems in drones, planes, and Alef’s vehicles

(38:53) The long-term vision for autonomous flying cars

*

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gzdo107SmE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBCUQlF3MMU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxaFFuN1vpc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT4buS7avd4

*

Follow Jim:

X: https://twitter.com/AlefAeronautics

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdukhovny

Check out Alef: https://alef.aero

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Thank you to our partners:

(8:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(21:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(32:46) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-5

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Liquid AI's Ramin Hasani on liquid neural networks, AI advancement, the race to AGI & more! | E1928 Apr 09, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

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Todays show:

Liquid AI’s Ramin Hasani joins Jason to discuss the mission and the concept of Liquid AI's liquid neural networks (1:09). They dive into liquid neural networks’ applications (16:07), transition from theory to execution (21:37), their efficiency on small devices (27:30), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Liquid AI CEO and co-founder Ramin Hasani joins Jason

(1:09) Liquid AI's mission and concept of liquid neural networks

(7:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(8:34) Demo of Liquid AI: traditional vs. Liquid neural networks in autonomous driving

(16:07) Practical applications of Liquid AI

(20:07) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://geteppo.com/twist

(21:37) Commercializing worm-inspired AI systems, building a team, and solving problems across various sectors

(27:30) Efficiency of liquid neural networks in compact devices like the Raspberry Pi and the transformative potential of AI modeled after worms.

(34:15) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

(35:24) Data ownership in AI and incentivizing data providers

(41:18) Role of AI in real-world applications

(43:57) Societal impact of AI, job displacement, and the optimistic view on AI's potential

(50:25) Explanation of physical models vs statistical models in AI and the challenge of understanding black box AI systems

(57:01) Speculations about AGI's market cap, who might achieve AGI first, and the potential of using AI systems to build various applications

(1:00:12) Comparison between open-source and closed-source models in AI and the trend of open-source moves in the AI industry

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.capgemini.com/us-en

https://www.ctc-g.co.jp/en

https://www.accenture.com

https://www.ey.com/en_gl

https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2024/04/02/the-daily-show-jon-stewart-ai-work-force-jobs-orig.cnn

*

Source of C. elegans worm footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjqLwPgLnV0&t=1s

*

Follow Ramin:

X: https://twitter.com/ramin_m_h

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raminhasani

Check out Liquid AI: https://www.liquid.ai

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*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Apurva Mehta and Jack Altman on Sam Altman, CalPERS, and Liquidation Preferences | E1927 Apr 06, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Discover how Gelt can help you to manage and optimize both your personal and business taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Apurva Mehta, Jack Altman, and Jason Calacanis to discuss Sam Altman’s huge investment wins (2:34), the role of SPVs (13:19), CalPERS increasing their exposure to venture (26:19), and liquidation preferences (45:56).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Apurva Mehta, Jack Altman, and Jason Calacanis

(2:34) Reddit's IPO and Sam Altman's investment success

(5:48) Apurva's investment strategy and thoughts on fund size and portfolio strategy

(11:50) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(13:19) The role of SPVs and the importance of trust in the investment ecosystem

(24:53) Marketing Against the Grain ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrjktuM1Dc

https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

(26:19) CalPERS and pension funds increasing their exposure to venture capital and private equity

(28:11) Is it a good time to invest in venture?

(41:48) Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now

(43:02) Fundraising and decision-making processes

(45:56) Higher liquidation preferences at the later stage

(55:49) Rapid fire segment on recent investments

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.retellai.com

https://www.heygen.com

https://www.owner.com

https://peregrine.io

https://www.marvl.io

https://getprops.ai

https://www.arkitask.ai

*

Follow Apurva:

X: https://twitter.com/mehtaaapurva

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apurvaamehta/

*

Follow Jack:

X: https://twitter.com/jaltma

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackealtman/

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Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

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(11:50) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(24:53) Marketing Against the Grain ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrjktuM1Dc

https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

(41:48) Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

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Growth Hacks for Startups from Elliot Shmukler of InstaCart, LinkedIn and now Anomalo | E1926 Apr 05, 2024

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*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Elliot Shmukler of Anomalo joins Jason to discuss growth tactics for businesses and startups.

(2:33) A primer on modern-day growth for startups from expert Elliot.

(6:20) Why referral programs are so powerful

(9:59) NetSuite. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(11:39) The 2nd best thing you can do for the growth of your startup!

(15:55) Exploring "Give to Get" programs with examples from Elliot’s success.

(20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:13) A critical growth action once you have your virality base is “conversion rate optimization”.

(25:45) The most effective sign-up practived today.

(30:31) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

(31:52) The balance of adding friction in the user sign-up process.

(33:57) Elliot dives deeper into his best growth hacks and the most frustrating moments while at InstaCart, Wealthfront, and LinkedIn.

(39:51) Elliot discusses his new company, Anomalo, and its mission to solve data quality issues.

*

Check out Anomalo: https://www.anomalo.com/

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Elliott:

X: https://twitter.com/eshmu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshmu/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:59) NetSuite. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:31) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/branninmcbee

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

CoreWeave’s Brannin McBee on the future of AI infrastructure, GPU economics, & data centers | E1925 Apr 04, 2024

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Todays show:

Brannin McBee joins Jason to discuss CoreWeave’s transition from cryptocurrency to AI (3:36), the energy dynamics of GPUs (14:04), innovations in data center cooling (19:28), and the future challenges and impacts of AI infrastructure on industries like search, advertising, and e-commerce (45:36).

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) CoreWeave’s Brannin McBee joins Jason

(3:36) The founding story of CoreWeave and the transition from the cryptocurrency market to AI

(12:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(14:04) Energy reliance of GPUs, the future of data centers, and the cost and efficiency of GPU cloud infrastructure

(19:28) Direct-to-chip liquid cooling and other cooling solutions for GPUs

(24:52) Demand trends for GPU capacity and the growth of inference linked to user growth

(29:06) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(30:28) LPUs Vs. GPUs

(34:13) Dominance of Nvidia in training models, implications of open source chips and chip architecture

(39:01) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today.

(40:00) Challenges in training large language models and the use of infrastructure as a weapon by big tech

(45:36) The potential impact of AI on search engines, advertising sector, and ecommerce

(52:46) Timeline for supply-demand balance in AI infrastructure and the operational feat of running multiple data centers

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Brannin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/branninmcbee

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Thank you to our partners:

(12:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(29:06) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(39:01) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠⁠ today.|

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.perplexity.ai

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The state of modern answer engines, AI demos, and more! | E1924 Apr 03, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $200 off the pod plus free shipping!

The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://equinixstartups.com to apply today.

*

Todays show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss the potential of new search engines (16:44), the future of SEO(37:35), and demo innovative AI products (48:37).

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:42) Deep Dive into the cost of running queries and the decrease in the price of hardware storage

(11:41) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(12:33) The LMSYS Chatbot Arena Leaderboard

(16:44) Modern Answer Engines: You.com and Perplexity

(28:53) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

(30:22) Potential and challenges of new search engines

(36:30) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

(37:35) Future of SEO and data sources in the context of new search engines

(48:37) Sunny demos Infinity AI

(54:35) Sunny and Jason discuss Hume AI’s Empathic Voice Interface

*

Check out:

https://huggingface.co/spaces/lmsys/chatbot-arena-leaderboard

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Sunny:

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:41) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(28:53) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

(36:30) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://recargapay.com.br

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Dave Mcclure & Jordan Stein on YC, "Spray and Pray", and Games VCs Play | E1923 Mar 30, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators. Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST

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Hosted by: Hubspot CMO Kipp Bodnar and Zapier CMO Kieran Flannigan

They bring you the latest in marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation.

Available on all your favorite podcast apps.

Curotec. Are you one of those companies that knows you need to be using AI, but you're not even sure where to start? Well then you need Curotec. They are AI experts, and they're offering TWiST listeners an AI Strategy Roadmap tailored to your business for $5000. That's 50% off the normal cost just for telling them we sent you. Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off!

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Dave McClure, Jordan Stein, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the evolution of fund spaces. The discuss investing in the YC ecosystem (00:28), the role of secondary funds today (40:26), and the importance of betting on outliers (1:00:49).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Dave McClure, Jordan Stein, and Jason Calacanis

(00:28) Reddit's IPO adds to YC's track record of successful public listings

(10:21) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST

(11:39) Strategy of investing in YC ecosystem and the importance of entry point evaluation

(18:40) YC's demo day and opportunities for other accelerators

(26:12) Hubspot - Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMNgyVFsk4g https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

(27:18) YC's demo day and opportunities for other accelerators cont.

(32:24) Carta’s report on the rise of capital call requests

(39:15) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(40:26) The role of secondary funds in the current macroeconomic conditions and the potential for more company shutdowns

(1:00:49) Betting on outliers and the decision-making process for doubling down

(1:14:16) Lightning round: Top 3 investments from each guest

(1:25:20) Discussing the upcoming https://www.liquiditypod.com/summit

*

Check out:

https://mercury.com

https://www.gropyus.com

https://www.ridemotive.com

https://testrigor.com

https://www.krepling.com

*

Follow Dave:

X: https://twitter.com/davemcclure

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemcclure

Check out: https://practicalvc.com

*

Follow Jordan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-stein17

Check out: https://cressetcapital.com

*

Follow David:

Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:21) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST (26:12) Hubspot - Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMNgyVFsk4g https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW (39:15) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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X: https://twitter.com/alancowen

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Empathic AI and its role in understanding human emotions with Hume AI’s Alan Cowen | E1922 Mar 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Hubspot for Startups. Join thousands of companies that are growing better with HubSpot for Startups. Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups

*

Todays show:

Hume AI’s Alan Cowen joins Jason to demo Hume AI’s Empathic Voice Interface (6:08), Measurement API (16:20), and discuss the future implications of this tech, both positive and negative (44:14).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Hume AI’s Alan Cowen joins Jason

(3:01) Hume AI and the role of AI in understanding human emotions

(6:08) Hume AI’s Empathic Voice Interface (EVI) and its responsiveness to human emotions

(8:27) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(9:55) The components in speech that Hume AI studies and its application across different cultures

(16:20) Hume AI’s Measurement API and its design for real-time emotion and expression analysis

(21:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:07) What AI can reveal about a person based on their expressions

(24:12) The impact on customer service and security sectors

(27:24) Hume AI’s comedy bot and emotional detection capabilities

(36:08) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Also, be sure to visit https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

(37:01) Hume AI’s comedy bot / roast functionality

(44:11) The future implications, both positive and negative, of emotionally intelligent AI on society

.*

Check out Hume AI: https://www.hume.ai

*

Follow Alan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-cowen

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(8:27) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://l inkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free.

(21:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(36:08) Hubspot for Startups - ****Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Also, be sure to visit https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Ask Jason LIVE!: Unpacking Startup Strategies with Real-Time Q&A | E1921 Mar 27, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

Eppo. Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit http://www.geteppo.com/twist

*

Todays show:

Jason kicks off Ask Jason live! Six live guests ask questions on key topics, including prioritizing multiple founders (13:28), advice around moat for a startup (52:42), and whether not focusing on AI in a pitch will affect investment chances (1:02:38).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off another Ask Jason with 6 live guests!

(1:13) Sean asks about investment firms changing how they invest early on.

(11:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/twist

(13:28) Pierson of jellypod asks about prioritizing multiple founders for investments or accelerators

(22:54) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(24:47) Ann asks if they should raise venture capital to grow faster even though it means giving up some company ownership.

(32:01) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit http://www.geteppo.com/twist

(39:56) Francis asks how to strike a balance between skepticism and enthusiasm when evaluating a company for investment, given that it's impossible to invest in every company.

(52:42) Hosum asks if explaining their startup's moat as current execution and future benefits after reaching product-market fit is enough to convince investors.

(1:02:38) Thom asks if not highlighting AI in our funding pitch will hurt our chances of getting investment.

*

Send us your questions for the next episode of Ask Jason LIVE! http://www.thisweekinstartups.com/askjason

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/twist

(22:54) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(32:01) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit http://www.geteppo.com/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI Demos: Gatekeep, Deepgram, Claude 3 Haiku and more! | E1920 Mar 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Ads: To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign,

go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Coda: A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit!

Wistia is THE all-in-one video platform for business, with tools that help you create, manage, and measure the impact of your videos.

Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups

*

Todays show:

Sunny joins Jason to dive into AI news and demos, including a new report about AI and Enterprises (12:28), Gatekeep AI (23:34), Deepgram API Playground (39:55), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason.

(4:33) What the resignation of the CEO of Stability AI signifies. (11:01) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(12:28) Exploring the a16z report about AI and Enterprises.

(20:42) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(23:34) Sunny demoes Gatekeep AI and get surprising results when Jason asks it to explain a “keystone”.

(31:27) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at wistia.com/startups.

(39:55) Sunny demoes Deepgram API Playground with a fun clip from a young Jason asking Steve Jobs a question.

(50:19 ) Sunny demoes the Claude model Haiku from Anthropic with an image from a famous Michael Jordan dunk.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Report: 16 Changes to the Way Enterprises Are Building and Buying Generative AI: https://a16z.com/generative-ai-enterprise-2024/

Check out Gatekeep AI: https://app.gatekeep.ai/

Check out Deepgram API Playground: https://playground.deepgram.com/

Check out Antrhopic’s Claude Haiku: https://console.anthropic.com/workbench/01fd2f39-ed95-40e1-9d11-c92f1a5ef26f

Claude 3 Haiku announcement: https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-3-haikuplayground:

Article about Stability AI CEO resigning: https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/22/stability-ai-ceo-resigns-because-youre-not-going-to-beat-centralized-ai-with-more-centralized-ai/

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Kleiner Perkins and Penn’s Endowment on India, loss ratios, and the rise of secondaries | E1919 Mar 22, 2024

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Mamoon Hamid, Thomas Scriven, and Jason Calacanis to discuss India’s startup ecosystem (2:36), Carta’s 2018 startup class data (25:45), IPOs in the tech industry (41:18), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Mamoon Hamid, Thomas Scriven, and Jason Calacanis

(2:36) India’s startup ecosystem

(8:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(9:08) Traction and support for Indian startups

(17:29) Sovereign wealth funds and their place in the ecosystem today

(24:15) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(25:45) Deep dive into Carta’s 2018 startup class data, loss ratios, and investment strategies

(40:04) Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now.

(41:18) The future of M&A and IPOs in the tech industry

(49:51) The rise of the secondary market

(1:07:09) Rapid-fire segment on recent investments

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.harvey.ai

https://codeium.com

https://www.glean.com

https://tolt.io

https://www.argyle.build

https://www.podengine.ai

*

Follow Mamoon:

X: https://twitter.com/mamoonha

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamoonha

Check out: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/

*

Follow Thomas:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-scriven-435281/

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Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

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LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(8:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(24:15) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(40:04) Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now.

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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Microsoft consumes Inflection and AI Demos from Suno, Cohere, Deepseek VL and more! | E1918 Mar 21, 2024

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Todays show:

Sunny joins Jason to dive into AI news and demos, including Microsoft absorbing Inflection AI (1:29), the new song creation model from Suno (13:28), impressive reflection skills from Deepseek VL (45:57), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) - Sunny joins Jason (1:29) Big news as Microsoft eliminates competitor Inflection AI by gutting their team. (6:23) Is this a new way to not have regulatory scrutiny like in M&A? (8:14) Apple has been busy acquiring AI companies! (9:14) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping (13:28) Sunny demos the new model from Suno v3. (15:58) Surprising punk song from Suno with interesting lyrics. (17:52) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist (19:24) Implications of Suno bringing everyone access to produce their own songs. (25:24) Sunny demos Coral by Cohere. (28:53) Gelt - It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit http://www.joingelt.com/twist now. (30:08) Diving deeper into fair use regarding the data and content scraped from the internet. (45:57) Sunny demos Deepseek VL.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Check out Suno v3: https://app.suno.ai/create/

Check out Coral by Cohere: https://dashboard.cohere.com/playground/chat

Check out Deepseek VL: https://huggingface.co/spaces/deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-VL-7B

9to5Mac article about Apple buying AI Startups: https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/08/apple-bought-ai-startups/

Tech Crunch Article about Microsoft and Inflection: https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/19/after-raising-1-3b-inflection-got-eaten-alive-by-its-biggest-investor-microsoft/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFUxPOXc4AHnjptN6dxkwFgpZ0kvPL_gTJ1uMicNRJwwtbQbuS1P0AI0MbDZzGawLNTArPSTT6VrWbByv-AyGXGWF_mkTdLG6eBSgiTrJPpqyBvY1y-GZoAE4xzQdq9v8ciP0VfQpKcSr-acjKYZEdwlc0XZV2lP6CeOb9I_QqXl

Rolling Stone Article about Suno: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/suno-ai-chatgpt-for-music-1234982307/

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Follow Sunny:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:14) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping (17:52) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist (28:53) Gelt - It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit http://www.joingelt.com/twist now.

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Optimizing fund structure, GP market fit, & more with Screendoor’s Jamie Rhode | Episode 1917 Mar 21, 2024

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Todays show:

Screendoor’s Jamie Rhode joins Jason to discuss the evolution of early-stage fund managers (3:00), effective portfolio construction (11:18), qualities of high-performing GPs (38:37), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Screendoor’s Jamie Rhode joins Jason

(3:00) Early-stage fund managers today, spray and pray vs. concentrated bets, and importance of GP market fit

(10:11) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(11:18) Effective portfolio construction, investing in startups that are creating new sectors, and finding the right fund managers

(17:28) Why seed stage investing attracts fewer GPs than series A or B

(23:08) Hubspot - Sign up for HubSpot's FREE CRM and get access to the AI Content Writer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmJwJF6ppCo https://clickhubspot.com/zu8

(24:28) Quantity of GPs to invest in and Screendoor’s approach to the DEI landscape

(32:22) Gelt - It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit http://joingelt.com/twist now.

(33:35) Carry, Fees, and the percentage of a fund that Screendoor targets

(38:37) Qualities of high-performing GPs

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Check out Screendoor: https://www.screendoor.co

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Jamie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrcfa/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:11) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(23:08) Hubspot - Sign up for HubSpot's FREE CRM and get access to the AI Content Writer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmJwJF6ppCo https://clickhubspot.com/zu8

(32:22) Gelt - It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit http://joingelt.com/twist now.

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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https://cybernews.com/security/chatgpt-samsung-leak-explained-lessons/#google_vignette

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The future of enterprise search and AI-powered work productivity with Glean’s Arvind Jain | E1916 Mar 20, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Todays show:

Glean’s Arvind Jain joins Jason to discuss how his startup is building the future of AI-Powered enterprise search (2:35). The two also discuss Google Gemini (42:45), Open-Source vs Closed models (45:17), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Glean’s Arvind Jain joins Jason

(2:35) Glean’s beachhead market and primary focus

(5:13) Glean’s approach to data confidentiality

(11:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(13:13) Competition against native tools and building language models in SaaS companies

(17:00) Glean’s approach to permissions

(24:20) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(25:23) Compliance and the "CEO God Mode" feature

(29:28) Potential of productivity software, and people analytics in tech businesses

(38:50) Gelt - It’s time to take control over your taxes. https://joingelt.com/twist now

(40:04) Impact of AI on business models

(42:45) Arvind’s thoughts on Google Gemini

(45:17) Open source vs closed models in AI development and the progress of OpenAI

(47:49) AGI and the limitations and potential of AI as an assistant

*

Check out:

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Arvind:

X: https://twitter.com/jainarvind

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvind-jain-5935161

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

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(38:50) Gelt - It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit joingelt.com/twist now

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Figure’s AI Robot, AI News, Cognition’s Devin, and the biggest AI bet yet! | E1915 Mar 19, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

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Todays show:

Sunny joins Jason to dive into AI news, including the CTO from Open AI talking about their training data for Sora (5:11), the FIgure AI robot (12:26), Devin, the first AI software engineer (38:17), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason for a fun AI day!

(2:08) Elon and open source Grok vs “Closed” AI.

(5:11) The CTO from Open AI talking about their training data for Sora.

(9:28) Exploring the fascinating AI robot from Figure.

(10:57) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(12:26) Comparing the FIgure AI robot and what we have seen from Boston Dynamics and why this is impressive.

(19:47) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

(21:10) Thinking about how humans learn and applying that to AI.

(28:28) The idea that robots may one day be 1:1 with humans.

(30:50) Attio - Head to http://www.attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

(32:01) New bet alert! And it’s a major one. Sunny and JCal bet on how soon we will all have access to AI robots in our homes!

(38:17) Introducing Devin, the first AI software engineer!

(40:24) The “maestro” concept when working with AI.

(47:21) Hot news: Apple in talks to let Google Gemini power iPhone AI Features.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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LINKS:

Cognition’s Devin: https://www.cognition-labs.com/introducing-devin

Figure AI Robot: https://www.figure.ai/

*

Follow Sunny:

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:57) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(19:47) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(30:50) Attio - Head to attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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2024 VC trends, portfolio construction, & more with Churchill's Raja Doddala | E1914 Mar 14, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist.

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Todays show:

Jason Calacanis welcomes Churchill Asset Management’s Raja Doddala to the show to discuss startups and the VC market in 2024. They dive into the competitiveness in pre-seed, seed, and series A (10:40),

portfolio construction (30:24), the future of the vc industry (50:59), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Jason welcomes Churchill Asset Management’s Raja Doddala to the show

(1:52) Trends in pre-seed and seed deal values

(9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

(10:40) Competitiveness and predictability in pre-seed, seed, and series A

(21:28) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST

(22:46) Trends in exit values

(29:19) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(30:24) Exploring portfolio architecture and the difference between mega funds and smaller funds

(50:59) Prospects in the vc over the next few years and the rise of the next generation

(59:26) The role of secondary sales in venture capital and importance of liquidity for VC funds

*

Check out:

Churchill Asset Management - https://www.churchillam.com

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Raja

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajadoddala

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

(21:28) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST

(29:19) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Melengo's Justin Kwong on the future of end-to-end clothing manufacturing | E1913 Mar 14, 2024

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Todays show:

Jason welcomes Melengo's Justin Kwong to the show to discuss how his company simplifies the process of developing, financing, and scaling apparel lines for brands and creators. The two dive into Melengo’s business model, initial customers, fundraising, and much more (1:49). Then, Jason breaks down his A.D.D. framework, designed to enhance efficiency and focus within companies (36:50)!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:48) Justin Kwong from Melengo joins Jason

(4:38) Justin demos Melengo and its use cases

(9:45) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(10:37) Melengo’s business model, initial customers, and fundraising

(22:19) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

(23:26) Building Melengo's team and the next steps for finding product-market-fit

(36:50) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit geteppo.com/twist

(37:50) Jason’s A.D.D. framework (Automate, Deprecate, Delegate)

*

Check out:

Melengo - https://www.melengo.com

A.D.D. Framework - https://calacanis.substack.com/p/startup-productivity-in-the-age-of

LAUNCH Accelerator - https://launchaccelerator.co

Founder University - https://www.founder.university

The Syndicate - https://thesyndicate.com

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Justin:

X: https://twitter.com/jkwong

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinckwong

*

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:45) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:19) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

(36:50) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit geteppo.com/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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AI Demos: Claude 3's Opus, Mistral, Groq Playground, EMO by Ali Baba | E1912 Mar 12, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Looking to up your marketing game? Check out the podcast: Marketing Against the Grain. Hosted by: Hubspot CMO Kipp Bodnar and Zapier CMO Kieran Flannigan. They bring you the latest in marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. Available on all your favorite podcast apps. https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

*

Todays show:

Sunny demos the lightning speed of Groq (4:10), the new model Opus from Claude 3 (5:38), Mistral (35:26), EMO by Ali Baba (45:21), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason for this week’s AI demos!

(1:19) Details on Definitive Intelligence being acquired by Groq.

(4:10) Sunny demos the lightning speed of Groq.

(5:38) Sunny demos the new model Opus from Claude 3 and it’s prompt library.

(8:52) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(10:12) Claude helps interpret Ikea instructions.

(19:18) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(20:35) Looking at the use of “guardrails” in LLMs.

(28:59) Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIE8hmH0fLM*

https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

(35:26) Sunny demos Mistral

(38:53) Sunny demos Groq Playground and creates a framework for a study plan.

(45:21) Sunny demos EMO by Ali Baba.

*

LINKS:

Anthropic Claude 3: https://console.anthropic.com/

Prompt Library: https://docs.anthropic.com/claude/prompt-library

Mistral: https://chat.mistral.ai/

Groq Playground: groq.com/console.groq.com

EMO by Ali Baba: https://humanaigc.github.io/emote-portrait-alive/

*

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Follow Sunny:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sundeep

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm/

*

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*

Thank you to our partners:

(8:52) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(19:18) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(28:59) Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIE8hmH0fLM*

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/joshmohrer

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Uber's leadership lessons, AI's disruption, and the power of solo founders with Josh Mohrer | E1911 Mar 08, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

*

Todays show:

Josh Mohrer, the solo founder building Wave App joins Jason. The two dive into Josh’s time during the early Uber NY days (1:17), solo entrepreneurship in tech (19:59), and more! Josh then showcases the Wave App in action (27:10) and delves into its intricate development journey (32:26).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Josh Mohrer joins Jason

(1:17) Early Uber NY days, Travis Kalanick's leadership, and Uber NY's regulatory challenges

(12:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(19:59) Solo entrepreneurship in tech, enabled by AI advancements

(26:15) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(27:10) Josh demos Wave App and delves into its development journey

(40:45) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(41:39) Future of work, AI in daily life, and generational tech shifts

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Check out: https://waveapp.ai

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Josh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmohrer

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Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(12:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

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(40:45) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Robotic kitchens, restaurant tech, and fast-casual's future with Sweetgreen's Jonathan Neman | E1910 Mar 07, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Todays show:

Jason is joined by sweetgreens’ Jonathan Neman to discuss: the x-factor that makes a strong manager (7:36). deciding between the franchise model vs owned and operated (16:02), robotics in the restaurant industry (24:23), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jonathan joins Jason.

(2:30) The scale and innovation of sweetgreen today

(7:36) The x-factor that makes a strong manager

(10:05) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups

(12:31) The “Sweetlife” and the importance of “polishing forks”

(16:02) Navigating the decision between the franchise model vs owned and operated

(18:30) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(24:23) Robotics in the restaurant industry

(29:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(30:33) The details and benefits of the machines Sweetgreen has brought into its restaurants.

(37:15) Restaurant difficulties with inflation, COVID and “sticker shock”

(38:46) Delivery in the business today pre and post-pandemic

(45:10) How Australia fits into the origin of sweetgreen

(48:01) The best way to build a brand

(52:28) The seed oil conversation

(45:53) sweetgreen is positioned towards tailored menus.

(1:01:12) The challenging topic of food options and availability across different socioeconomic groups.

(1:05:58) The definition of healthy food

*

LINKS:

Check out sweetgreen: https://www.sweetgreen.com/

Watch The Founder (2-16): https://www.amazon.com/Founder-Michael-Keaton/dp/B01MY7FSMF

Watch our Business Breakdown of the film The Founder: https://youtu.be/kYqzEEFU_nw

Watch The Bear: https://tv.apple.com/ca/show/the-bear/umc.cmc.javg04xbn3eonbgfvnaqmodk

Check out Unreasonable Hospitality: https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Jonathan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-neman-9a28aa8/

*

Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:05) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups

(18:30) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(29:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Business Breakdowns: Moneyball's first-principles, paradigm shifts, and ‘burn the boats’ | E1909 Mar 05, 2024

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Todays show:

Lon Harris joins Jason Calacanis to discuss concepts in business, drawing parallels from Moneyball. The two dive into the significance of embracing paradigm shifts (15:38),first-principle thinking (27:16), Billy’s 'Adapt or Die' philosophy (48:54), and the turning point for the A's (1:11:20).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Lon Harris joins Jason

(7:35) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST

(8:53) Moneyball cast breakdown

(15:38) Paradigm shifts in Moneyball: Comparing the Oakland A's situation to startups vs. incumbents

(21:19) Paradigm shifts in Moneyball: Making data-driven decisions

(26:24) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(27:16) The important concept of "First-Principle Thinking”

(35:03) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist

(36:34) Globalization's impact on startup opportunities and the importance of a unified team vision

(48:54) Billy's philosophy: Adapt or Die!

(59:20) The "burn the boats" moment and the importance of commitment in business

(1:11:20) The turning point for the A's and their historic winning streak

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Lon:

X: https://twitter.com/Lons

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Thank you to our partners:

(7:35) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST

(26:24) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(35:03) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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X: https://twitter.com/ssankar

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Mission Over Money & The State of Defense Tech with Palantir's Shyam Sankar | E1908 Mar 04, 2024

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Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Imagine AI LIVE is an AI conference where you'll learn how to apply AI in YOUR business directly from the people who build and use these tools. It's taking place March 27th and 28th in Las Vegas, and TWiST listeners can get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

*

Todays show:

Jason joins Palantir's Shyam Sankar to discuss how the US has avoided another terrorist attack since 9/11 (7:59), the role of AI and robotics in the battlefield (22:34), the future of defense tech (53:48), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason joins Shyam Sankar of Palantir. (3:04) - Silcon valley’s shift in perception around defense tech and Palantir. (5:09) - Palentir being born out of 9/11 and the realization of the countries vulnerabilities. (7:59) How the US has managed to avoid another terrorist attack and what role Palantir's products played. (9:33) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.NetSuite.com/twist (10:48) One major failure regarding 9/11 attack. (11:55) The Gotham Platform: Palantir's first product and how it borrowed from PayPal. (18:12) The most valuable role software could play in defense tech. (18:57) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ (19:52) How defense tech data collection has changed over the years. (22:34) The role of AI and robotics play in the battlefield. (29:22) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist (30:38) The autopilot approach of LLMs at Palantir and the analogy of self-driving cars. (33:28) Palantir's huge early wins with AI integration. (38:01) The defense potential of LLMs and real time interpretation in the field. (39:51) The importance of RF in the modern battlefield. (45:32) Discussing Putin’s serious threat. (48:54) How the defense industrial base was managed and consolidated after WWII (53:48) The future of defense tech, the speed of innovation and enemy adaptation.

*

Check out Palantir Technologies: https://www.palantir.com/

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Follow Shyam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyamsankar/

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Thank you to our partners:

(9:33) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(18:57) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠

(29:22) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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https://www.wsj.com/tech/san-francisco-ai-boom-silicon-valley-307816b2

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Sequoia & Union Square Returns, the Post-AI Labor Market, and the Return of SF? | E1907 Mar 01, 2024

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Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit!

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Erik, Guy, and Jason Calacanis to discuss Sequoia & Union Square Ventures' returns (1:15), AI's impact on startups and labor (17:35), US startups' risk tolerance (38:10), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Erik Torenberg, Guy Perelmuter, and Jason Calacanis

(1:15) VC returns have been leaked, including returns from Sequoia Capital and Union Square Ventures

(11:33) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(17:35) Bearish signs for the startup employment market

(25:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(26:12) The emergence of the first one-person unicorn

(36:46) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(38:10) Founders & investors are now returning to San Francisco

(47:35) Rapid-fire segment on recent investments

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://jam.dev

https://www.perplexity.ai

https://www.antaresindustries.com

https://mesodyne.com

https://limacharlie.io

https://www.cloudnc.com

https://codemate.ai

https://www.golfgolf.tech

https://www.terrakaffe.com

*

Follow Erik:

X: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eriktorenberg/

Check out: https://www.turpentine.co/

*

Follow Guy:

X: https://twitter.com/guyperelmuter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guyperelmuter

Check out: https://www.gridscapital.com/

*

Follow David:

Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/daveclark85

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Unlocking the Power of Data with VenCap’s David Clark | E1906 Feb 28, 2024

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Todays show:

Jason joins David Clark of VenCap to discuss what distinguishes longevity and success in VC (5:25), the importance of strategy and timing when selling (25:47), preparing with founders for when things may go south (48:43), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Clark joins Jason.

(2:41) Looking at the data behind VenCap’s approach to alpha vs beta, managers and their over 500 investments to date.

(5:25) What distinguishes longevity and success in VC.

(9:15) Analyzing the data from David's chart covering 12,000 companies and the power law.

(10:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

(12:43) Portfolio strategy and finding that 1% of fund returners.

(18:59) The value of investing in a company over a longer period of time.

(21:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠

(22:17) The challenges VenCap faces when looking at seed managers.

(25:47) The importance of strategy and timing on selling.

(29:18 ) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://www.uizard.io/twist

(33:05) Managing successful GPs and having them ‘stay in the game’.

(41:49) The misunderstandings of the J-Curve.

(48:43) Preparing with founders for when things may go south.

(58:36) Founder Fridays message from Jason.

*

LINKS:

Check out VenCap: https://www.vencap.com/

Watch the Brian Singerman episode here: https://youtu.be/o5Z0-d5w18M

Watch the Michael Kim episode here: https://youtu.be/a2FL_FvwoUA

Check out Founder Fridays: http://thisweekinstartups.com/meetups

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow David:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clark-6678b6b/?originalSubdomain=uk

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(21:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠

(29:18 ) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://www.uizard.io/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Ask Jason LIVE! Returns to TWiST! | E1905 Feb 27, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

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Todays show:

Jason kicks off Ask Jason live! Six live guests ask questions on key topics like career paths in fintech (1:14), startup challenges (8:48), pivoting strategies (34:23), fundraising (46:54), and customer engagement strategies (52:30).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off another Ask Jason!

(1:14) Tommy asks about getting a degree in fintech in order to join startups

(7:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(8:48) Sam asks about common mistakes for first time founders

(16:40) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(17:32) Clint asks about startups surviving the period before VC investments

(33:12) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(34:23) Daniel asks about startups pivoting in the wrong direction

(46:54) Greg asks about raising funds before product-market fit

(52:30) Oliver wants to know if it is better to go deep with a few customers or gain entry to multiple customers with a more lightweight solution

*

Apply to the LAUNCH Accelerator here: https://launchaccelerator.co/

Just getting started? Apply to Founder.University

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(7:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(16:40) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(33:12) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

⁠https://x.com/twistartups⁠

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Google's AI emergency, Apple's lowkey AI moves, amazing Sora demos & more with Sunny Madra | E1904 Feb 27, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by:

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Imagine AI LIVE is an AI conference where you'll learn how to apply AI in YOUR business directly from the people who build and use these tools. It's taking place March 27th and 28th in Las Vegas, and TWiST listeners can get 20% off tickets at http://imagineai.live/twist

Scalable Path. Want to speed up your product development without breaking the bank? Since 2010, Scalable Path has helped over 300 companies hire deeply vetted engineers in their time zone. Visit ⁠http://www.scalablepath.com/twist⁠ to get 20% off your first month.

Todays show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss how Google’s “woke AI” emergency came to be (1:17), Apple’s lowkey AI integrations (33:51), what OpenAI’s incredible Sora model means for Hollywood (39:39), and much more!

Viewers! How are you enjoying the demos? What grades do you give these AI companies? Tell us what we got wrong and right and what demos you’d like to see on the podcast. Let us know by mentioning us on ⁠X.com⁠.

⁠https://x.com/Sundeep⁠

⁠https://x.com/Jason⁠

See the full list of all AI demos from the show here: ⁠thisweekinstartups.com/AI⁠

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason!

(1:17) What went wrong with Google’s AI: Model training, RLHF, or guardrails? Plus, how Google can look to Meta for a solution

(13:35) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(15:00) More examples of bias in Google’s Gemini model

(20:19) Explorer.Globe.Engineer: an AI-powered research assistant

(27:45) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://imagineai.live/twist

(29:01) Reka’s impressive multimodal functionality

(33:51) Apple starts slowly releasing AI-powered features in its most popular apps

(38:19) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://www.scalablepath.com/twist

(39:39) Sora demos from OpenAI, and what this means for the film industry

Links:

Check out Explorer.Globe: https://explorer.globe.engineer

Check out Reka: ⁠https://reka.ai

Check out Sora: https://openai.com/sora

Follow Sunny X: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠⁠ Check out Definitive: ⁠https://www.definitive.io

Follow Jason:

X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis⁠

Thank you to our partners:

(13:35) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(27:45) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://imagineai.live/twist

(38:19) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://www.scalablepath.com/twist

Check out the Launch Accelerator: ⁠https://launchaccelerator.co⁠

Check out Founder University: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: ⁠https://rb.gy/v19fcp⁠

Reddit’s IPO, Consumer vs. Enterprise AI, and Sam Altman’s New Fund and more! | E1903 Feb 23, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Bryan Rosenblatt, Michael Downing and Jason Calacanis to discuss Reddit’s IPO (1:19), Consumer vs. Enterprise AI (22:02), Sam Altman’s New Fund (38:18), and much more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd hosts Bryan Rosenblatt, Michael Downing and Jason Calacanis

(1:19) Discussion on Reddit’s IPO and potential as an advertising business

(9:28) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠⁠

(10:23) Reddit’s IPO and potential as an advertising business cont.

(16:44) AI Integration in traditional businesses

(20:56) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(22:02) Consumer vs. enterprise AI

(37:09) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(38:18) Sam Altman’s venture capital fund and the future of the AI ecosystem

(1:05:06) Rapid fire segment on recent investments

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Mentioned on the show:

https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/generative-ai-business-implementation-ac995975?mod=tech_lead_pos4

https://www.axios.com/2024/02/15/sam-altman-openai-startup-fund

https://www.solace.health/

https://www.agentio.com/

https://www.recursiveventures.com

https://originalcapital.com

https://silentvc.com

https://www.getrecall.ai

https://www.micro1.ai

https://www.melengo.com

*

Follow Bryan

X: https://twitter.com/BRosenblatt4

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanrosenblatt

Check out: https://www.craftventures.com

*

Follow Michael

X: https://twitter.com/michaeldowning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldowning

Check out: https://www.mdsv.vc

*

Follow David:

Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:28) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(20:56) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at ⁠http://devsquad.com/twist⁠

(37:09) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinckwong/

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Startup Pitches! LAUNCH Accelerator Demo Day | E1902 Feb 22, 2024

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Northwest Registered Agent. Visit - http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason joins seven strong startup pitches from LAUNCH Accelerator.(1:11) Jacqui kicks off the demo day.(1:40) Introductions to the guest jugdes.(4:40) Justin pitches Melengo(10:18) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

(11:32) Edward ptiches PodcastAI(18:09) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(19:04) Daniel pitches Tolt(24:55) Rae pitches River(27:49) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠(34:01) Kash pitches TaxGPT(40:56) George pitches Fanfare(46:31) Jam pitches Monic.ai(52:05) Our panel of judges pick their top three pitches.

*

Apply to the LAUNCH Accelerator here: https://launchaccelerator.co/

Just getting started? Apply to Founder.University

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Follow these founders and their companies:

Justin Kwong & Melengo

https://www.melengo.com

justin@melengo.com

Edward Brawer & PodcastAI

https://podcastai.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardbrawer/

ebrawer@podcastai.com

Daniel Gjokaj & Tolt

https://tolt.io/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielgj/

daniel@tolt.io

Rae Lambert & River

https://app.getriver.io

https://www.linkedin.com/in/raechel-lambert/

rae@getriver.io

Kashif Ali & TaxGPT

https://www.taxgpt.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chkashifali/

kash@taxgpt.com

George Lam & Fanfarehttps://fanfare.app/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgewlam/

george@fanfare.app Jam Mirzakhalov & Monic.ai

http://monic.ai/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirzakhalov/

mirzakhalov@monic.ai

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Thank you to our judges:

Ben Narasin - Tenacity Venture Capital

https://twitter.com/bnarasin

Blaine Davis - Outlander

https://twitter.com/blainerdavis

Minnie Ingersoll - TenOneTen

https://twitter.com/himinnie

Nicole Seah - Costanoa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-seah1/

Stella Zhang - Conductive Ventures

https://www.linkedin.com/in/xinxin-stella-zhang/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:18) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(18:09) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(27:49) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://cressetpartners.com/

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Jordan Stein from Cresset Partners on VC dynamics, evaluating emerging managers, & more! | E1901 Feb 21, 2024

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Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Todays show:

Jordan Stein from Cresset Partners joins Jason to discuss the firms motivation for investing in venture capital (1:12), the state of venture tourism (12:45), the Power Law and risk-taking in VC (29:26), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jordan Stein from Cresset Partners joins Jason

(1:12) Cresset Partners’ motivation for investing in venture capital

(11:24) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

(12:45) The state of venture tourism

(20:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(21:25) Cresset Partners’ co-invest program

(29:26) Jordan's perspective on the Power Law and risk-taking in VC

(34:43) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(35:47) How Cresset Partners evaluates established and emerging VC managers

(43:02) Jason's framework for distinguishing "Likely Winners" vs "Definitive Winners”

(43:45) Cresset Partners’ goal of democratizing wealth management and VC access

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Check out Cresset Partners:

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Follow Jordan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-stein17

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(11:24) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

(20:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(34:43) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/rahoolsidoo

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The future of public safety via rapid drone response with Aerodome's Rahul Sidhu | E1900 Feb 19, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

Imagine AI LIVE is an AI conference where you'll learn how to apply AI in YOUR business directly from the people who build and use these tools. It's taking place March 27th and 28th in Las Vegas, and TWiST listeners can get 20% off tickets at http://imagineai.live/twist

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Todays show:

Rahul Sidhu from Aerodome joins Jason to discuss how his startup is creating the future of public safety air support with an automated drone system. The two dive into privacy concerns and abuse potential for police drones (14:41), challenges of fundraising and selling to the government (34:22), the founding incident of Aerodome (38:46), and much more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Rahul Sidhu from Aerodome joins Jason

(3:44) How the Aerodome drone system works to respond to 911 calls

(13:17) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(14:41) Privacy concerns and abuse potential with police drone usage

(19:43) FAA regulations, geofencing, and obstacle avoidance for drones

(25:16) Pricing and business model

(28:08) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(29:00) Object tracking and combining technologies

(34:22) The challenges of fundraising and selling to government as a startup, but increased venture interest in public safety tech

(37:31) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://imagineai.live/twist

(38:46) Starting Aerodome during the pandemic and protests in 2020. Finding a moderate voice through the All-In podcast

(45:57) The importance of intellectual honesty, steel-manning arguments, and not being married to a single solution as a leader

(47:46) Potential future capabilities and focus on de-escalation

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Check out Aerodome:

https://www.aerodome.com

*

Follow Rahul

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulsidhu

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(13:17) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(28:08) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(37:31) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://imagineai.live/twist

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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/ivps-new-fund-shows-growth-investors-are-ready-to-get-off-sidelines https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/03/mamoon-hamid-and-ilya-fushman-of-kleiner-perkins-more-than-80-of-pitches-now-involve-ai/

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mark Suster and Samir Kaji on the 2024 Venture Market, IPOS, and Secondaries | E1899 Feb 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Mark Suster, Samir Kaji, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the 2024 venture market (1:24), VCs selling secondaries (23:04), IPOS in 2024 (45:56), and much more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd hosts Mark Suster, Samir Kaji,, and Jason Calacanis

(1:24) Thoughts on IVP raising $1.3 Billion for their 18th fund and different angles on the current fundraising market

(14:28) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(15:53) Mark's strategy today for DPI (Distributed to Paid-In Capital)

(23:04) VCs selling secondaries and best practices when disclosing selling after hitting targets

(28:00) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist

(29:21) Thoughts on strip sales, continuation funds, and exotic secondary vehicles. When should GPs pursue that strategy?

(40:56) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(45:56) F-Prime's 2024 State of Fintech Report, the IPO market in 2024, and early stage fintech

(54:47) Kleiner Perkins and how a firm reboots

(1:03:01) The apprenticeship model in Venture Capital, and mistakes GPs make when interacting with LPs

(1:17:44) Rapid-fire segment on top recent investments

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Mentioned on the show:

https://fprimecapital.com/blog/the-2024-state-of-fintech-report

https://www.bland.ai

https://kuberahealth.com

https://www.stonealgo.com

https://giggster.com

*

Follow Mark X: https://twitter.com/msuster

*

Follow Samir X: https://twitter.com/Samirkaji

*

Follow David:

Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thank you to our partners:

(14:28) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at ⁠https://Squarespace.com/twist

(28:00) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at ⁠http://mev.com/twist

(40:56) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

How LPs identify top emerging fund managers with Slipstream’s Alex Edelson | E1898 Feb 15, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Uizard. Struggling to transform innovative ideas into concrete product designs? Uizard can help you turn your visions into polished UI designs in a fraction of the time, while enhancing collaboration across your entire team. Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at uizard.io/twist

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Todays show:

Alex Edelson of Slipstream Investors joins Jason to discuss fund of funds and their place in the venture ecosystem (1:28), ownership in relation to fund size (8:34), picking winners (25:08), generating liquidity for LPs (40:08), and much more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Slipstream Investor’s Alex Edelson joins Jason

(1:28) Alex explains what a fund of funds is and why people choose to invest in fund of funds rather than invest directly

(8:34) Why early stage funds overperform and ownership in relation to fund size

(11:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

(13:09) What Alex looks for when picking venture funds, ownership, and why people invest in fund of funds cont.

(19:49) Evaluating ability to compete for deals at seed vs pre-seed stage

(23:55) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

(25:08) Picking winners: Identifying promising companies early and tracking them

(39:01) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

(40:08) Generating liquidity for LPs and picking emerging fund managers

(56:47) Competing for deals at the seed stage, the differentiation between pre-seed and seed, and deciding when to double-down

(1:01:41) Alex turns the tables and asks Jason some questions. But, first why is optimal fund size important?

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Follow Alex X: https://twitter.com/asedelson Check out Slipstream Investors: https://www.slipstreaminvestors.com/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

(23:55) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

(39:01) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://x.com/twistartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apple’s MGIE, Google’s Gemini Advanced, Microsoft’s Copilot and more! | E1897 Feb 14, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

Scalable Path. Want to speed up your product development without breaking the bank? Since 2010, Scalable Path has helped over 300 companies hire deeply vetted engineers in their time zone. Visit http://www.scalablepath.com/twist to get 20% off your first month.

LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Todays show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo Google’s rebranded Gemini Advanced (30:21), Apple’s MGIE (46:31), and to explore the significance of Microsoft’s Copilot (53:27), plus Lucite, AgentHub, Quilter and more!

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Viewers! How are you enjoying the demos? What grades do you give these AI companies? Tell us what we got wrong and right and what demos you’d like to see on the podcast. Let us know by mentioning us on X.com. https://x.com/Sundeep

https://x.com/Jason

*

See the full list of all AI demos from the show here: thisweekinstartups.com/AI

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(1:56) Super Bowl viewership numbers compared to YouTubers like Mr. Beast.

(6:23) Sunny demos AgentHub.

(10:34) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(12:32) The secrets behind all these media and tech layoffs.

(20:02) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://www.scalablepath.com/twist

(21:23) Sunny demos Lucite.

(22:54) There is a need for AI that fact-checks other AI.

(29:09) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(30:21) The rebranding of Google’s Bard to Gemini while Sunny attempts to demo Gemini Advanced.

(40:15) Sunny demos Quilter.

(46:31) Sunny demos Apple’s MGIE.

(50:41) Answering who will win between Microsoft and OpenAI vs Apple and Meta.

(53:27) The significance of Microsoft Copilot.

*

Links:

Check out AgentHub: https://www.agenthub.dev/

Check out Lucite: https://www.lucite.app/home

Check out Quilter: https://app.quilter.ai/

Check out Apple’s MGIE: https://github.com/apple/ml-mgie

Check out Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/app

Check out Microsoft Copilot Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaCVSUbYpVc

*

Follow Sunny X: https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠ Check out Definitive: https://www.definitive.io/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:34) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(20:02) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://www.scalablepath.com/twist

(29:09) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/briansin

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Founders Fund's Brian Singerman on building a legendary VC firm, “Adapt or Die” and "Ikigai" | E1896 Feb 12, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Imagine AI LIVE is an AI conference where you'll learn how to apply AI in YOUR business directly from the people who build and use these tools. It's taking place March 27th and 28th in Las Vegas, and TWiST listeners can get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Todays show:

Jason speaks to Brian Singerman of Founders Fund about tips for emerging venture capitalists (6:40), a missed opportunity by an overconfident LP (15:49), self-awareness, strategy, the state of venture capital (40:47), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason speaks to Brian Singerman of Founders Fund.

(2:31) “Adapt or die!” and the unique approach and strategy at Founders Fund.

(6:40) Brian's tips for emerging venture capitalists on making investments.

(10:09) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

(11:24) Brian reflects on his career's trials and triumphs

(15:49) Brian shares an anecdote about a gloating LP who passed on one of the greatest venture funds in history.

(21:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(23:04) Brian’s approach for securing a deal with founders.

(28:03) The sharp mind of Sean Parker.

(31:32) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(32:37) The character of founders who change the world and how to work with them.

(37:30) Regulation and the anti-competitive landscape of large companies in the US.

(40:47) Self-awareness, strategy and the state of venture capital.

(44:00) Keith Rabois's transition from Founders Fund back to Khosla Ventures.

(47:27) Reflecting on Ikigai and finding joy and value in one's passion.

*

Links:

Check out Founders Fund: https://foundersfund.com/

Check out past TWiST episode #748 with Brian: https://youtu.be/O8emgaUsOZY?feature=shared

*

Follow Brian:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-singerman-9333b52/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:09) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

(21:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(31:32) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

⁠https://www.corraltech.com⁠

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Dry Powder in Venture Capital, VC Ratings, and more with Grady Buchanan and Victor Gutwein | E1895 Feb 09, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

*

Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Grady Buchanan, Victor Gutwein, and Jason Calacanis to discuss dry powder in VC (1:38), VCs rating VCs (14:22), a study on whether returns persist in venture capital (29:33), and much more

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd hosts Grady Buchanan, Victor Gutwein, and Jason Calacanis

(1:38) VC dry powder levels, cash management by GPs, and investment pace adjustments.

(12:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(14:22) The importance of GP selection for LPs, VC firm ratings, and the impact of relationships in the VC ecosystem

(28:30) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(29:33) Performing due diligence on funds and the persistence of VC Returns

(42:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(51:41) Rapid-fire segment on top recent investments

*

Mentioned on the show:

⁠https://www.hydeparkvp.com⁠

⁠https://deciens.com⁠

⁠https://www.rallyventures.com⁠

⁠https://pavewisepro.com⁠

⁠https://selffundhealth.com⁠

https://www.deeptrustai.com

*

Follow Grady:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gradyb/

Check out: https://nvngia.com/

*

Follow Victor:

X: https://twitter.com/lalayak

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-gutwein

Check out: https://m25vc.com

*

Follow David:

X: https://twitter.com/DWeisburd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd

Check out: https://10xcapital.com

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(12:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(28:30) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(42:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th3vzKTE0O8

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI Demos: AI that interprets human emotion, Hugging Face Assistants, and more! | E1894 Feb 08, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

*

Todays show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo an AI that analyzes human expression (2:07), a generative gaming platform (23:26), Hugging Faces Assistants (39:12), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:07) Hume AI - AI toolkit to measure, understand, and improve how technology affects human emotion

(6:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(7:57) Hume AI demo continued

(19:15) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(20:25) AI Bet Update - Small model deployed on iphone/android

(23:26) FRVR AI - Generative AI to streamline game creation

(34:16) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(35:19) Calling GPTS with @

(39:12) Hugging Face Assistants - LLM-powered assistants specialized in the Hugging Face ecosystem

(45:05) Eleven Labs ChatGPT

*

Mentioned on the show:

Hume: https://beta.hume.ai

FRVR: https://beta.frvr.ai

Hugging Face Assistants: https://huggingface.co/chat/assistants

Eleven Labs ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-h0lbLuFF1-elevenlabs-text-to-speechhttps://twitter.com/dnystedt/status/1754323506056266149

*

Follow Sunny:

Check out: https://www.definitive.io

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(6:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(19:15) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

(34:16) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/alexisohanian

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Alexis Ohanian on Reddit's potential IPO & more | E1893 Feb 07, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/

NetSuite. Once your business gets to a certain size the cracks start to emerge. Things you used to do in a day take a week. You deserve a customized solution - and that's NetSuite. Learn more when you download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist - absolutely free, at http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

Scalable Path. Want to speed up your product development without breaking the bank? Since 2010, Scalable Path has helped over 300 companies hire deeply vetted engineers in their time zone. Visit https://www.scalablepath.com/twist to get 20% off your first month.

*

Todays show:

Jason talks with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian about their pending IPO (2:48), advice he tells young people starting out at his firm (13:51), then Ron Biscardi discusses the future of the iConnections conference (47:01), and more!

*

LINKS:

Check out Reddit: ⁠https://www.reddit.com/

Check out iConnections: https://iconnections.io/

*

Follow Alexis:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisohanian/

Follow Ron:

X: ⁠https://twitter.com/rbiscardi⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-biscardi-79063/⁠

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:48) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(22:19) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

(32:42) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/9/23995150/beeper-imessage-android-apple-statement

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Beeper's fight to break Apple's stronghold on messaging with Eric Migicovsky | E1892 Feb 05, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Curotec. Are you one of those companies that knows you need to be using AI, but you're not even sure where to start? Well then you need Curotec. They are AI experts, and they're offering TWiST listeners an AI Strategy Roadmap tailored to your business for $5000. That's 50% off the normal cost just for telling them we sent you. Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off!

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Ketone-IQ is a clean energy boost without sugar or caffeine. Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

*

Todays show:

Beeper's Eric Migicovsky joins Jason to discuss Beeper's mission of providing a universal chat app (1:32), Apple blocking Beeper Mini after just 3 days (13:35), fighting back against Apple as a startup founder (18:31), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Beeper’s Eric Migicovsky joins Jason

(1:32) Beeper and its mission of providing a universal chat app

(6:30) How Apple locks people into iMessage and makes it hard to switch from iPhone

(12:11) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(13:35) Beeper Mini's release and Apple blocking Beeper Mini after just 3 days

(18:31) Fighting back against Apple as a startup founder

(21:24) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(22:18) The fight against Apple and thoughts on the outcome

(28:01) Prior experience dealing with platform restrictions at Pebble and the differences in timelines between startups and government regulation

(35:04) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

(36:17) Apple's response to recent court rulings requiring App Store changes

(38:54) Speculation on whether Apple's AR glasses will succeed

(41:35) Eric's vision for the future with open protocols for messaging and Beeper's business model

Mentioned on the show:

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/digital-markets-act-ensuring-fair-and-open-digital-markets_en

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/getpebble/pebble-2-time-2-and-core-an-entirely-new-3g-ultra

https://37signals.com/podcast/this-again-apple/

*

Follow Eric:

X: https://twitter.com/ericmigi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmigi/

Check out: https://www.beeper.com/mini

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(12:11) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(21:24) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(35:04) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.ft.com/content/18430e05-33c0-4f48-8c87-fae74ff29bbf

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Late-stage VC market update + Terra Kaffe's Sahand Dilmaghani | E1891 Feb 03, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Uizard.io will help bring your vision to life in minutes, not days with the power of AI. Visit http://uizard.io/twist to get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year.

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Nuts.com is offering new customers a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Jason kicks off the show with an update on the late-stage VC market (1:44). Then, Terra Kaffe’s Sahand Dilmaghani joins to discuss Terra Kaffe’s super-automatic machines (19:35), scaling the B2C business (29:59), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(1:44) Late-stage VC market update

(10:41) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

(11:49) Sahand Dilmaghani on his decision to start Terra Kaffe

(19:35) Advantages of the Terra Kaffe machines compared to pod machines

(24:29) What is takes for a super-automatic machine to make great coffee

(29:05) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(29:59) Scaling where the product is viable, offices, schools, multifamily homes

(35:27) Nuts.com - Get a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

(36:30) The progress in sales and experience with direct to consumer

(50:32) Founder Fridays kicks off today! - Go to https://Thisweekinstartups.com/meetups to learn more

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.ft.com/content/eb2e085a-ef5a-4e91-8634-747e2a602fbe

*

Follow Sahand:

X: https://twitter.com/terrakaffe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahand-dilmaghani/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:41) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

(29:05) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(35:27) Nuts.com - Get a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/MKRocks

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Fund of funds: origins, evolution and deep dive with Michael Kim | E1890 Jan 31, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

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for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, and get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Today’s show:

Cendana’s Michael Kim joins Jason for a deep dive on fund of funds (3:32), how to examine alpha, beta, and quality indices in early-stage investing (28:38), current market trends, future startup outlook (45:11), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Michael Kim joins Jason.

(3:32) Overview of Fund of Funds, their Strengths and “Achilles heel”.

(7:01) Attraction factors for investors in pre-seed and seed startups.

(10:42) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(12:04) The rise and definition of “micro VCs” with insights by Michael Kim.

(15:16) How the early seed stage carved a niche and its growing appeal to LPs.

(22:07) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(23:12) Fund enablers and the importance of “consistent returns”.

(28:38) Examining alpha, beta, and quality indices in early-stage investing.

(34:21) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(35:29) The significance of portfolio management as networks and building a ‘why' for founders to pick you as an investor.

(41:25) The value and longevity of investor networks.

(45:11) Current market trends, future startup outlook.

(48:08) Things have shifted and Michael explains why seed is the new series-A and pre-seed is the new seed.

(52:10) Demographics of founders seeking investment.

*

LINKS

Check out Cendana Capital: https://www.cendanacapital.com/

Watch other episodes with Micheal Kim:

E1075: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSOhe-FnTJE
E1879: https://youtu.be/1Dcu5BfnE_c?feature=shared

Check out the Liquidity Podcast: LiquidityPod.com

*

Follow Michael:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-kim-cendana-capital/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(10:42) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(22:07) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(34:21) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.respondent.io

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Building a consumer app’s MVP and how to fundraise with Zest’s Jake Gutstein | E1889 Jan 31, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

MEV. Tired of the dev shop rollercoaster? Mev is your reliable technical partner, offering a well-established software development process designed to consistently deliver unparalleled value to their clients. Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist!

The Paintbrush Loan is the earliest startup financing on the internet. No pitch deck, no business plan, no minimum time in business, and no warm intros. Plus, you get to keep your equity. Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes.

*

Today’s show:

Zest's Jake Gutstein joins Jason to discuss his journey in creating the cooking app Zest (1:37). The two dive into how the Zest team formed (10:29), finding the right tools for your startup (25:24), Jake's experience in the Launch Accelerator program (33:27), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Zest’s Jake Gutstein joins Jason

(1:37) What prompted the creation of Zest and the initial concept and MVP for Zest

(9:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(10:29) The product development, initial testing, and finding a technical co-founder

(17:21) The decision to go full-time with Zest, the process of raising initial funding, and the importance of overcoming ambiguity and uncertainty

(20:54) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist

(22:05) Demo of Zest’s product

(25:24) Finding the right tools and mentors and the value propositions of Zest discovered through user research

(32:35) Paintbrush - Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

(33:27) Product launch, approach to fundraising, and experience with the Launch Accelerator program

(46:48) Future plans and goals for Zest

*

Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

*

Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

Mentioned on the show:

https://therewiredgroup.com

https://twitter.com/bmoesta

https://twitter.com/nealsales

https://twitter.com/jasonfried

https://twitter.com/dhh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LK6lKCKMQM

*

Follow Jake:

X: https://twitter.com/GutsteinJake LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-gutstein Check out: https://zestapp.co

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(20:54) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist

(32:35) Paintbrush - Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

We celebrate our 100th AI Demo with Sunny Madra! | E1888 Jan 30, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

Curotec. Are you one of those companies that knows you need to be using AI, but you're not even sure where to start? Well then you need Curotec. They are AI experts, and they're offering TWiST listeners an AI Strategy Roadmap tailored to your business for $5000. That's 50% off the normal cost just for telling them we sent you. Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off!

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

*

Today’s show: Sunny joins Jason to celebrate their 100th demo on the show (3:03), explore Paid Leave (17:29), and comb through the X posts of Barsee (32:41), and much, much, more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason

(3:03) We demo MultiOn, our 100th demo on the show!

(12:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(13:30) Jason gives his grade and signs up to use MultiOn.

(17:29) Sunny demos Paid Leave powered by MOMS F1RST.

(21:04) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(23:40) AI demo of Consensus.

(26:53) Consensus reminds Jason of the life and tragedy of Aaron Swartz.

(29:54) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(32:41) Sunny jumps onto X to show us important advancements in AI posted by Barsee.

(35:17) Sunny demos “Depth Anything”.

*

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Aaron Swartz.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Check out the list of AI demos here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/AI

Check out MultiOn: https://www.multion.ai/

Check out Paid Leave: https://www.paidleave.ai/

Check out Consensus: https://consensus.app/

Rolling Stone Article on Aaron Swarts: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-brilliant-life-and-tragic-death-of-aaron-swartz-177191/

Check out Barsee here: https://twitter.com/heyBarsee

*

Follow Sunny

X: https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠ Check out: https://www.definitive.io/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Thank you to our partners:

(12:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(21:04) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(29:54) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

X: https://twitter.com/aileenlee

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Unicorns: now and then with Aileen Lee | E1887 Jan 27, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Ketone-IQ is a clean energy boost without sugar or caffeine. Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://www.hvmn.com/TWIST

The Paintbrush Loan is the earliest startup financing on the internet. No pitch deck, no business plan, no minimum time in business, and no warm intros. Plus, you get to keep your equity. Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes.

Coda is the all-in-one doc for teams. And they introduced an AI-powered assistant to take the BUSY out of the WORK! Get started for free at https://www.coda.io/twist

*

Today’s show: Aileen Lee join Jason to talk about her origins and overcoming challenges as a woman in a male-dominated tech space (2:12), the Unicorn Club and the effects of the ZIRP era (11:51), predictions on which startups will maintain their unicorn status (33:09), and more!

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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LINKS:

Check out Cowboy Ventures: https://www.cowboy.vc/

Read Aileen’s 2024 article here: https://www.cowboy.vc/news/welcome-back-to-the-unicorn-club-10-years-later

Read Aileen’s original Unicorn article here: https://techcrunch.com/2013/11/02/welcome-to-the-unicorn-club/

Check out All Raise: https://www.allraise.org/

*

Thanks to our partners:

(10:26) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://www.hvmn.com/TWIST

(20:39) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

(31:38) Coda - Get started for free at https://www.coda.io/twist

*

Follow Eileen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aileenwlee

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

https://www.wsj.com/articles/pro-take-why-venture-fund-sizes-rose-despite-the-slow-market-fd4c4677

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Venture Fund Size Growth, the Rise of Unicorns, and more with Elizabeth Yin and Zach Coelius | E1886 Jan 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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*

Today’s show: David Weisburd hosts Elizabeth Yin, Zach Coelius, and Jason Calacanis to discuss trends in venture capital, including the growth of fund sizes (2:32), the resurgence of the Bay Area (33:42), the decrease in capital efficiency (51:12), the rise in unicorn companies but lack of liquidity (45:11), and top recent investments (57:27)!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd hosts Elizabeth Yin, Zach Coelius, and Jason Calacanis to dive into the state of venture funds

(2:32) Venture funds are growing in size despite the slow market

(10:37) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(11:43) Exploring the performance: smaller funds vs. larger funds

(28:56) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(29:49) Hustle Fund’s quantitative approach to evaluating startups

(33:42) Is the Bay Area officially back?

(43:51) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(45:11) Number of unicorns has increased but liquidity has decreased

(51:12) The decline in capital efficiency over the past decade

(57:27) Rapid-fire segment on top recent investments

*

LINKS:

https://www.cowboy.vc/news/welcome-back-to-the-unicorn-club-10-years-later

*

Thanks to our partners:

(10:37) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

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(43:51) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

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Follow Elizabeth

X: https://twitter.com/dunkhippo33

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethyin/

Check out: https://hustlefund.vc

Check out: https://letsgo.hustlefund.vc/raise-millions

Check out: Bruinhealth.com

Check out: Goafterwork.com

*

Follow Zach

X: https://twitter.com/zachcoelius

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachcoelius/

Check out: https://coelius.vc/

Check out: Echomark.com

Check out: Findbugzero.com

*

Follow David

X: https://twitter.com/DWeisburd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd/

Check out: https://10xcapital.com/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Check out: Podcast.ai

Check out: Zestapp.co

Check out: getriver.io

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22wlLy7hKP4

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: ⁠https://rb.gy/v19fcp⁠

Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu on launching the R1, future of AI hardware, and going viral at CES | E1885 Jan 24, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

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Uizard.io will help bring your vision to life in minutes, not days with the power of AI. Visit http://uizard.io/twist to get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year.

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Today’s show:

Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu joins Jason to discuss the viral launch of Rabbit's R1 AI companion device at CES, covering the ambitious product vision (1:37), unique design (23:30), custom-built OS and LLM (11:30), manufacturing logistics (49:45), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(00:00) Rabbit’s Jesse Lyu joins Jason

(1:37) Introduction and Pricing of Rabbit R1, a Pocket AI Device

(7:07) Differences between large language models and large action models

(10:03) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(11:30) Data collection process for training the Large Action Model (LAM), Neuro-symbolic algorithm vs. traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

(16:08) Authentication and access to Rabbit's Web Portal, privacy considerations, and speed and latency of voice interactions

(23:30) The role of Teenage Engineering in design inspiration

(30:47) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://scalablepath.com/twist

(32:07) Potential frustrations and limitations with the Rabbit R1 compared to smartphones

(41:30) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

(42:38) Evaluating the Accuracy of Voice-to-Text Translations

(49:45) Product timeline, experimental features, and getting devices to early adopters

(1:12:37) Rabbit’s early development, Jesse's journey, and future prospects of AI

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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LINKS:

https://teenage.engineering

https://www.whathifi.com/news/headphone-30-could-a-computer-in-your-ear-change-headphones-forever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iU6K7NccXk

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Thanks to our partners:

(10:03) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(30:47) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://scalablepath.com/twist

(41:30) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist

*

Follow Jesse

X: https://twitter.com/jessechenglyu

Check out: https://www.rabbit.tech

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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AI Demos: Dinnerfy, Hour One, AI short film “Borrowing Time”, Bland AI and more! | E1884 Jan 23, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist

Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo video creation platform Hour One (9:28), meal planner Dinnerfly (26:35), a short film titled “Borrowed Time,” entirely created using AI tools (49:18), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(1:37) Exploring the dynamics of AI in the workplace, focusing on remote work management and efficiency debates.

(9:28) Sunny demos Hour One sparked from Reid Hoffman’s deep fake post.

(12:06) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(13:35) Sunny further demos his own use of Hour One.

(17:22) Sunny demos Bland AI.

(21:29) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:37) Jason and Sunny analyze "Bland AI," discussing various applications and evaluating the demo.

(26:35) Sunny demos Dinnerfly.

(31:52) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

(34:25) A conversation on Apple’s behaviour regarding its oxygen technology in smartwatches, including a fun John Malkovich reference from the film "Rounders.”

(37:42) Sunny demos AI Comic Factory.

(49:18) Sunny presents a short film entirely created using AI tools, titled “Borrowed Time.”

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

Check out Hour One: https://app.hourone.ai/home

Check out Bland: https://www.bland.ai/turbo

Check out Dinnerfy: https://app.dinnerfy.com/

Check out AI Comic Factory: https://huggingface.co/spaces/jbilcke-hf/ai-comic-factory

Check out AI short film “Borrowing Time”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCIsHNQHcKQ

Check out Jason and Sunny’s 2024 AI bets: http://www.thisweekinstartups/bets

Check out our AI demo clips: http://www.thisweekinstartups.com/AI

*

Thanks to our partners:

(12:06) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(21:29) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(31:52) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

*

Follow Sunny

Check out: ⁠https://www.definitive.io/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://twitter.com/JasonrShuman

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Series A valuations, M&A in 2024, and M.A.N.G with Jason Shuman and Raja Doddala | E1883 Jan 20, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

The Paintbrush Loan is the earliest startup financing on the internet. No pitch deck, no business plan, no minimum time in business, and no warm intros. Plus, you get to keep your equity. Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

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Today’s show:

David Weisburd hosts Jason Shuman, Raja Doddala, and Jason Calacanis to dive into 2024 startup valuation trends (2:00), insights on how VCs can secure great deals in a competitive market (17:46), a detailed look at secondary deals (36:25), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd hosts Jason Shuman, Raja Doddala Jason Calacanis to dive into the world of VCs, LPs and GPs.

(2:00) A look at the encouraging trends in startup valuations as we head into 2024.

(6:39) Delving into the intricacies of current valuation methods and key aspects investors should be cautious about.

(11:22) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

(13:42) Examining the balance of demand and supply in the seed funding stage of new startups.

(17:46) Insights on how venture capitalists can secure the most sought-after deals in today's competitive market.

(22:00) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(23:29) Discussion about M.A.N.G., a rising player in the venture capital scene.(28:26) Exploring the unique and often controversial practice of round-tripping in the venture capital industry.

(33:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(36:25) A detailed look at Lexington's successful raising of $22.7 million in secondary investments.

(57:24) Observing the recent increase in mergers and acquisitions activity within the industry.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Churchill Asset Management here: https://www.churchillam.com/

Check out Primary Ventures here: https://www.primary.vc/

Check out David’s other podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCncFI0XEvTu7k4er6BgVN9g

*

Thanks to our partners:

(11:22) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

(22:00) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(33:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

*

Follow at:

X:

https://twitter.com/rdoddala

https://twitter.com/DWeisburd

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd

*

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajadoddala

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonshuman/

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://twitter.com/berkowitz_josh

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

LP investment strategies, IRR focus, and more with Berkocorp's Joshua Berkowitz | E1882 Jan 17, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://linkedin.com/angelpod

*

Today’s show:

Joshua Berkowitz joins Jason discuss the critical role of LPs in venture capital, his family office's diversification into the field (4:37), strategies for evaluating and selecting fund managers (14:26), and the intricacies of fund management and fundraising (30:41).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Berkocorp’s Joshua Berkowitz joins Jason

(4:37) Why family offices diversify into venture capital - higher returns, high dispersion of returns, and the entrepreneurial aspect

(9:32) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(10:59) Evaluating emerging managers - looking for exceptional strategies and execution

(14:26) Decision making processes at venture firms - consensus vs individual decision-making.

(19:56) What a VC fund has to do to be successful

(25:48) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(26:41) Pros and cons of GPs being very vocal/political on social media

(30:41) Quick disqualifications when evaluating new VC funds and challenges with GP "tourism"

(34:59) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

(36:20) What kills companies - "likely winners" vs "definitive winners"

(58:42) Clarity in the process for GPs raising funds from LPs

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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out: https://www.berkocorp.ca/

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Thanks to our partners:

(9:32) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(25:48) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(34:59) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod

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Follow at:

X:

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LinkedIn:

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/flexport-acquires-shopifys-fulfillment-business

*

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Flexport's Ryan Petersen on returning as CEO, global logistics in a time of conflict & more | E1881 Jan 16, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Curotec. Are you one of those companies that knows you need to be using AI, but you're not even sure where to start? Well then you need Curotec. They are AI experts, and they're offering TWiST listeners an AI Strategy Roadmap tailored to your business for $5000. That's 50% off the normal cost just for telling them we sent you. Check out curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off!

Miro. Working remotely doesn’t mean you need to feel disconnected from your team. Miro is an online whiteboard that brings teams together - anytime, anywhere. Go to https://miro.com/startups to sign up for a FREE account with unlimited team members.

Ketone-IQ is a clean energy boost without sugar or caffeine. Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

*

Today’s show:

Flexport's Ryan Petersen joins Jason to discuss the economics of "pick and pack" (5:42), factory-to-consumer effects (16:00), the impact of the Red Sea crisis (24:14), Flexport's leadership changes (35:11), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Flexport’s Ryan Petersen joins Jason

(1:19) Ryan explains Flexport and the companies focus

(5:42) The Economics of Pick and Pack - Shipping Directly from China to Customer

(11:15) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(12:31) The Origin of Pick and Pack in Global Logistics

(16:00) Factory-to-Consumer Effects on Fulfillment Centers and Product Quality

(22:50) Curotec - Check out http://curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(24:14) Analyzing the Impact of the Red Sea Crisis on Shipping

(29:35) The Trend of Companies Sourcing from Factories Outside China

(33:58) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

(35:11) Inside the Flexport CEO Drama and Leadership Challenges

(42:28) How the Market Collapse Influenced Flexport's CEO Transition

(47:51) Deciding When a Company Should Go Public

(52:07) The State of the Global Workforce and Remote Work in Today's World

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

*

LINKS:

https://customscity.com/from-past-to-present-a-historical-overview-of-section-321-and-its-influence-on-customs-compliance/#:~:text=Section

https://news.usni.org/2024/01/07/indian-navy-retakes-merchant-ship-from-armed-hijackers-in-the-arabian-sea

https://www.oberlo.com/blog/what-is-epacket-delivery

https://www.neom.com/en-us/about/business?gclid=CjwKCAiA-vOsBhAAEiwAIWR0TWI18Hs6lr63ifzYvlOoQMChQJQ9Dqmt4XNzza3SoFSC-_16kQtvCxoCikAQAvD_BwE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BubAF7KSs64

*

Thanks to our partners:

(11:15) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(22:50) Curotec - Check out http://curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(33:58) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

*

Follow at:

X:

https://twitter.com/typesfast

*

LinkedIn:

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Best of CES recap with Sunny Madra | E1880 Jan 16, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist

MEV. Tired of the dev shop rollercoaster? Mev is your reliable technical partner, offering a well-established software development process designed to consistently deliver unparalleled value to their clients. Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://www.mev.com/twist

Imagine AI LIVE is an AI conference where you'll learn how to apply AI in YOUR business directly from the people who build and use these tools. It's taking place March 27th and 28th in Las Vegas, and TWiST listeners can get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to explore CES 2024 highlights including the buzzworthy new device Rabbit R1 (3:57), Elli Q, a new AI companion for the elderly (23:44), the launch of the GPT store (49:22), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:11) Review of CES, highlighting AI's omnipresence.

(3:57) The new device 'Rabbit' at CES, generating significant buzz!

(10:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(11:34) Evaluating the Rabbit R1 and purpose-built devices.

(19:42) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://www.mev.com/twist

(21:04) The role of AI in integrating services via Large Language Models (LLMs).

(23:44) Sunny demos Elli Q, a new AI companion for the elderly.

(32:03) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

(33:37) Sunny showcases a new smartphone designed for kids.

(49:22) The launch of the GPT store

(43:23) Sunny checks out a GPT called “The Associate” and pitches a fun startup idea.

(45:57) Exploring the brave new world and disruptive ability of the GPT store using All Trails as a case study.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Definiteive Intelligernce: https://www.definitive.io/about

*

LINKS:

Verge Article on CES and AI: https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/13/24035152/ces-generative-ai-hype-robots

Bill Gates / Sam Altman Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkXELH6Y2lM

Rabbit AI**:** https://www.rabbit.tech/

Elli-Q: https://elliq.com

MMGuardian article: https://venturebeat.com/games/mmguardian-debuts-ai-smartphones-for-kids/

*

Thanks to our partners:

(10:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(19:42) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://www.mev.com/twist

(32:03) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist

*

Follow at:

X:

LinkedIn:

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

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*

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Michael Kim, Jason Calacanis, and David Weisburd on VC marks, Rabois leaving FF for Khosla, and more | E1879 Jan 12, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Michael Kim joins David Weisburd and Jason Calacanis to discuss LP doubts around GPs marking startups (2:43), LP portfolio construction (13:44), secondary strategies (19:57), Keith Rabois returning to Khosla Ventures (35:15), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd hosts Michael Kim and Jason Calacanis to dive into the world of VCs, LPs and GPs

(2:43) Exploring the doubts LPs may have about how VCs are marking startups

(7:51) Jason's strategy as an LP in funds and the search for a universal gold standard in LP benchmarks

(10:14) Why LPs might be incentivized to allow markups from GPs

(12:49) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(13:44) LP portfolio management best practices

(19:57) Evaluating different GP strategies for secondary deals

(24:37) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://www.devsquad.com/twist

(25:44 ) Comparing "idealistic" and "pragmatic" fund manager archetypes. what the right number is for a founder to sell in secondary

(33:39) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(35:15) Breaking down Keith Rabois leaving Founders Fund to return to Khosla Ventures

(44:52) Addressing the challenges and responsibilities of starting a new firm

(48:08) Bill Ackman’s crusades, how LPs look at backing outspoken GPs

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10X Capital: https://www.10xcapital.com/

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LinkedIn:

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Dara Khosrowshahi, Bill Gurley, Brad Gerstner, & Jason Calacanis on Uber's growth and future | E1878 Jan 12, 2024

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Today’s show:

Dara Khosrowshahi joins Bill Gurley, Brad Gerstner, and Jason Calacanis to discuss his initial reservations about joining Uber and how he overcame them (14:57), the early magic of Uber that captivated investors (22:36), a deep dive into Uber's future plans (45:50), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Dara Khosrowshahi joins Bill Gurley, Brad Gerstner, & Jason Calacanis to discuss all things Uber

(2:41) Setting the stage for Uber entering 2024

(4:52) Untold parts of Uber's story

(09:38) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.Gusto.com/twist

(11:38) Bill Gurley discusses Dara's selection as CEO

(14:57) Dara's initial reservations about joining Uber and how he overcame them

(20:57) Dara’s discomfort in the free-money environment of ZIRP

(21:43) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

(22:36) Exploring the early magic of Uber that captivated investors

(26:27) How valuations impact founder mindset

(30:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/twist

(32:17) Discussing the relevance of secondaries in the near future

(35:02) Breaking down some Uber myths and Dara’s focus on drivers

(45:50) A deep dive into Uber's future plans

(51:31) Uber’s strategy with upselling as AI enters the conversation

(58:04) Bill Gurley on joining Zillow’s board and how innovation is needed in the real estate industry

(1:05:27) Brad Gerstner on markets

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*

LINKS:

Silicon Valley clip referenced:

*

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LinkedIn:

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

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*

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The Growing Ransomware Threat: Targets, Insights, and Strategies with Halcyon's Jon Miller | E1877 Jan 09, 2024

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Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

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Today’s show:

Jon Miller, CEO and Founder of halcyon joins Jason to discuss how ransomware attackers get away with it and stay anonymous (6:12), hacker markets, bounties, tools, and AI's role (16:20), proactive measures for startups to safeguard themselves (34:42), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jon from Halcyon joins host Jason.

(2:52) Delving into the renaissance of ransomware.

(6:12) How ransomware attackers get away with it and stay anonymous.

(8:27) Strategies for counteraction and policy implications.

(10:10) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://www.scalablepath.com/twist

(11:31) 2023 ransomware attacks on MGM and Caesar's in Las Vegas.

(13:52) Halcyon's endpoint agent: a solution to thwart threats.

(16:20) Exploring hacker markets, bounties, tools, and AI's role.

(19:57) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(21:55) The effectiveness of multi-factor authentication and strong passwords.

(22:49) Comparing financial vs. espionage attacks and the Colonial Pipeline event.

(29:26) The escalating danger for companies and the Uber cyber attack.

(31:27) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(32:35) AI and quantum computing: new frontiers for hackers.

(34:42) Proactive measures for startups to safeguard themselves.

(37:08) Growing hacker sophistication in places like China, North Korea and Iran.

(41:00) How the USA ranks in the world with cybersecurity and computer hacking.

(43:41) Your privacy is an illusion and a look at the information available on TikTok.

(48:01) The biggest threat that keeps Jon up at night.

(50:36) American Power Grid Vulnerabilities and ways to be prepared.

*

Check out halcyon: https://www.halcyon.ai

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(10:10) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://www.scalablepath.com/twist

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(31:27) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

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Follow Jon:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmillerhalcyon

*

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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AI Demos: Stable Diffusion Turbo, AI Room Decorator, AI-Driven Clothing Site, and more! | E1876 Jan 09, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Coda is the all-in-one doc for teams. And they introduced an AI-powered assistant to take the BUSY out of the WORK! Get started for free at coda.io/twist!

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo an AI-driven room decorator (9:24), a website that uses AI to design and deliver clothing from concept to completion (26:57), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(1:37) Jason and Sunny discuss http://podcastai.com

(7:54) Nuts.com - Get a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

(9:24) Demo 1: Roomreinvented - Submit a photo of your room and specify your desired decor or choose from presets

(19:41) Ketone-IQ - Get 30% off your first subscription order of Ketone-IQ at http://hvmn.com/TWIST

(20:54) Demo 2: FaceID Plus - Upgrade stock photos with enhanced features

(26:57) Demo 3: Pixite - Create clothing designs using generative AI, then purchase them

(31:38) Coda - Get started for free at https://coda.io/twist

(33:04) Demo 4: SDXL Turbo (Stable Diffusion Clipdrop) - Realtime image generation

(40:14) Demo 5: Storia Lab - AI-assisted image editing

(46:10) Final Demos: Open Motion Lab and DreaMoving

*

LINKS:

https://www.semrush.com/website/youtube.com/overview/

https://www.roomreinvented.com/

https://huggingface.co/spaces/multimodalart/Ip-Adapter-FaceID

https://pixite.ai/

https://clipdrop.co/stable-diffusion-turbo

https://lab.storia.ai/

https://huggingface.co/spaces/OpenMotionLab/MotionGPT

https://huggingface.co/spaces/jiayong/Dreamoving

http://clipdrop.co/

*

Follow Sunny

Check out: https://www.definitive.io/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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*

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Bill Gurley, Brad Gerstner, & Jason Calacanis on the state of tech markets, hosted by David Weisburd | E1875 Jan 06, 2024

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Today’s show:

Bill Gurley, Brad Gerstner, and Jason Calacanis join David Weisburd to discuss the market downturn's impact on startups, including shutdowns and shifting investment strategies (1:29). They also debate the AI boom (54:50), chatbots' future potential and hype (1:01:11), and which tech giants may perform best or worst in 2024 (1:20:32).

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd hosts Bill Gurley, Brad Gerstner, & Jason Calacanis to discuss the state of tech markets

(1:29) Startup shutdowns in 2023 vs dotcom crash

(3:52) Perspective on current market from Bill Gurley

(7:52) Brad's outlook on startup shutdowns continuing in 2024

(11:48) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(13:16) Different investor perspectives based on investment stage

(16:47) Altimeter's recent investing activity

(25:32) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(26:30) Reflecting on past IPOs and paths to building businesses for growth

(36:40) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(38:07) State of Series B/C deals in 2023 vs 2021 peak

(42:42) Why now is a great time to start a company

(47:17) Jason's theories for success in venture

(49:42) Abundance of technical talent in Silicon Valley and impact of AI on company size and competition

(54:50) AI investments in 2024

(1:01:11) Launguage models raising large rounds quickly and the potential for LLMs to hit a ceiling soon

(1:05:18) The best case for Meta being a leader in AI and Apple's position

(1:08:55) Importance of voice recognition for AI interfaces, challenges of enabling transactions via AI, and consumers choosing services via AI

(1:20:32) Picks for best and worst performing tech giants in 2024

*

LINKS:

Unicorn Investors article: https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/top-unicorn-investors-eoy-2023/

Bill Gurley's Above the Crowd article: https://abovethecrowd.com/2011/05/24/all-revenue-is-not-created-equal-the-keys-to-the-10x-revenue-club/

*

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David's Podcast: https://limitedpartnerpodcast.com/

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X: https://twitter.com/altcap

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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*

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AI on Trial: Inside the NY Times vs. OpenAI Lawsuit with Cecilia Ziniti | E1874 Jan 04, 2024

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The Paintbrush Loan is the earliest startup financing on the internet. No pitch deck, no business plan, no minimum time in business, and no warm intros. Plus, you get to keep your equity. Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes.

*

Today’s show:

Cecilia joins Jason for an in-depth discussion about the New York Times versus OpenAI case, delving into the intricacies of fair use and analyzing the Fair Use Test (6:07), examining the legal complexities surrounding data scraping for Large Language Models (28:21), exploring possible ramifications of this legal confrontation between these titans (40:06), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Cecilia Joins Jason

(2:44) Cecilia’s Background in Law

(3:44) Jumping into the case of NY Times vs OpenAI.

(6:07) Exploring Fair Use legal tests

(11:57) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://www.mev.com/twist

(13:50) The case of Roy Orbison vs Two Live Crew and the music industry’s rules on fair use.

(19:04) Picking apart the defense of attribution.

(22:22) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(24:43) Fair Use Test: Factors two and three

(28:21) Legal challenges in data scraping for LLMs

(32:40) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

(34:19) The fourth and final factor in the Fair Use Test.

(40:06) Potential outcomes of NY Times vs OpenAI case

(47:04) Google vs Java and legal discussions on digital platforms

(51:49) Jason shares a possible solution to this case and how the subscription wall could change things.

(57:54) Cecilia’s Grinch images on X

(1:02:22) Legal viewpoint regarding commercial vs non-commercial use.

(1:04:14) Summarizing where all this is going with the NY Times and OpenAI trial.

(1:12:18) Reviewing the market-based solution to this case.

* Check out GC AI: https://getgc.ai

Website: ceciliaziniti.com

Check out Ziniti Law: ⁠https://www.zinitilaw.com/

Check out Cecilia’s Maven Course here: https://maven.com/ceciliaz

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(32:40) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliaziniti/ *

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2024 AI Predictions and Bets with Sunny Madra | E1873 Jan 03, 2024

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*

Today’s show:

Jason and Sunny make a bunch of predictions and bet $1000 on each for the upcoming year in AI.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason to make some 2024 AI bets

(4:46) Bet 1: There will be a top 100 song created by AI

(10:22) Power dynamics in the music industry and its intersection with AI

(13:01) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(14:34) Bet 2: AI will be capable of replicating Jason doing a TWiST Segment without listeners noticing

(18:51) Bet 3: There will be an AI-generated Pixar short that has made it into mainstream

(27:46) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://netsuite.com/twist

(29:06) Bets 4 and 5: We see a small model deployed locally on an iPhone/Android

(39:31) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(49:34) Bet 6: A multimodal model will be #1 by usage, AND open-source multimodal will beat out closed models

(52:00) LLaVA: Large Language and Vision Assistant

(58:04) The potential implications of the New York Times lawsuit

(1:10:01) OpenAI's financial success, copyright lawsuits, and the potential of Disney and the New York Times in AI

*

LINKS:

Midjourney: https://www.tiktok.com/@controllaxyz/video/7319184981987839263?_r=1&_t=8igobwQ1dzq

AI Drake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhVuQ06tO3M

AI Spongebob: https://twitter.com/Teridax/status/1741205766046888149

AI Pixar: https://twitter.com/eyishazyer/status/1741418522448986492

TinyLlama: https://huggingface.co/TinyLlama/TinyLlama-1.1B-Chat-v1.0

Llava: https://llava-vl.github.io/

Suno AI: https://www.suno.ai/

*

Follow Sunny

X: https://twitter.com/sundeep Check out Definitive Intelligence: https://www.definitive.io/

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Business Breakdowns: “The Founder” Ray Kroc and the Story of McDonalds | E1872 Dec 29, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Curotec. Are you one of those companies that knows you need to be using AI, but you're not even sure where to start? Well then you need Curotec. They are AI experts, and they're offering TWiST listeners an AI Strategy Roadmap tailored to your business for $5000. That's 50% off the normal cost just for telling them we sent you. Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off!

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Masterworks. The first company allowing investors exposure into the blue-chip artwork asset class. TWIST listeners can skip the waitlist by going to ⁠https://www.masterworks.com/twist and using promo code TWIST.

*

Today’s show:

Lon Harris sits down with Jason to examine product-market fit and market-pull and their role in McDonalds' success (21:11), the importance of complementary skill sets between founders within any startup.(32:41), the path of doubt, fear and uncertainty that founders experience (45:29), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Lon Harris joins Jason

(3:35) Lon brings us quick hits on the film The Founder.

(9:30) Lon shares his admiration for the film

(10:16) Jason discovered the film through a curious link with Mark Knopfler.

(12:02) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(16:00) Delving into the McDonalds' story

(17:47) Discussion on a common entrepreneurial revelation: efficiency and customer focus

(21:11) Examining product-market fit and market-pull in "The Founder" and its role in McDonalds' success.

(24:09) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(25:36) Building a series of innovations will create enormous value.

(27:35) Ray Kroc takeaway: the pursuit of relentless self-improvement on the way to his one big win.

(32:41) The importance of complimentary skill sets between founders within any startup.

(34:25) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art at https://www.masterworks.com/twist

(35:43) Exploring strengths and criticisms of the franchise model.

(41:36) The role of spouses in startup formation

(45:29) The path of doubt, fear and uncertainty that founders experience before any winning.

(49:54) Lessons around deal-making and negotiation.

(1:00:07) The power struggle between the McDonald brothers and Ray Kroc

(1:02:43) Discussing the significance of equity and stock ownership in business

(1:08:26) Ray Kroc’s brilliance came from his power to observe value and opportunity.

(1:16:51) Business Breakdown Awards for “The Founder”

*

Thanks to our partners:

(12:02) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(24:09) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(34:25) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art at https://www.masterworks.com/twist

*

Follow Lon:

X: https://twitter.com/Lons

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

X: https://twitter.com/glennkelman

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Glenn Kelman on Market Trends, Home-Buying Hacks and Redfin Insights | E1871 Dec 27, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

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Today’s show:

Redfin’s CEO Glenn Kelman joins Jason to discuss essential tips for entering the market (4:55), hacking the system with concepts like “developer homes” and “accessory dwelling units” (22:55), finding happiness and success within simpler goals (28:40), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin, joins host Jason.

(2:13) Residential Real Estate Market: Current Trends and Analysis.

(4:55) First-Time Home Buyers: Essential Tips for Entering the Market.

(8:28) The dire need for building homes and other creative solutions to the housing crisis.

(10:21) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(11:46) Looking at solutions for loans for builders and embracing the novel idea of taxing unused land.

(17:06) The second home phenomenon and it’s impact on the overall market.

(21:24 ) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:55) Hacking the system with concepts like “developer homes” and “accessory dwelling units”

(25:31) Redfin’s success and Glenn learning about what really matters to their customers.

(28:40) Simplifying your business and getting rid of side quests.

(32:27) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(33:55) Remote Work Dynamics: Measuring Productivity and Sustaining Company Culture.

*

Check out Redfin: https://www.redfin.com/

*

Thanks to our partners:

Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

*

Articles and Links from this episode:

*

Glenn’s Past Episodes on TWiST:

Check out Episode E1616: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGIqjrbbllQ
Check out Episode E1405: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqkrAX4thIY
Check out Episode E1261: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJX1lFphY58

*

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennkelman

•

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

FCC's Brendan Carr on Starlink subsidy revocation, China's internet ambitions, and TikTok | E1870 Dec 25, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at Gusto.com/twist.

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

*

Today’s show:

FCC commissioner Brendan Carr joins Jason to discuss the revocation of Starlink's $900 million FCC subsidy (2:41), the satellite internet race (15:00), concern over TikTok's connections to the CCP (29:00), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr joins Jason

(2:41) The FCC's decision to revoke Starlink's subsidy and its implications

(6:00) Consumer experience and reliability of Starlink's service

(9:50) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(8:01) The digital divide, subsidies for rural areas, and the transition from implicit to explicit subsidies

(10:55) Analysis of consumer behavior and potential consequences of the FCC's decision

(15:00) The government's broadband initiative, Amazon's position in the satellite internet race, and the Biden administration's relationship with Elon Musk

(21:33) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(23:03) The emergence of 5G, the potential impact of more satellite internet providers, and China's global internet provider ambitions

(29:00) TikTok's influence, possible manipulation, and the federal government's handling of it (34:33) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (35:32) 2023 is the prime time to start a company - don't let your million-dollar idea collect dust! Go to https://www.founder.university/ to apply today!

*

Check out E1509: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFDN3vUB9kU⁠

*

Links:

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-massive-belt-and-road-initiative

https://www.internetforall.gov/programs

https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-rocket-blast-craters-started-fire-incinerated-land-crabs-report-2023-8#:~:text=SpaceX rocket explosion left craters,blue land crabs%2C" report says&text=The environmental damage caused by,explosion in April shocked officials

https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/ftc-wants-elon-musk-to-release-identities-of-all-journalists-who-were-given-access-to-twitter-files

https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/29/23327765/tesla-nlrb-ruling-union-busting-black-shirt-policy

*

Follow Brendan: https://twitter.com/BrendanCarrFC

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Links: https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/writing-at-the-speed-of-thought-21dfb7f689e4 https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/good-ideas-the-four-minute-version-7e7856e69621 https://www.wired.com/story/googles-notebooklm-ai-ultimate-writing-assistant/

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI-Powered "Tools for Thought": Exploring NotebookLM with Steven Berlin Johnson | E1869 Dec 20, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show:

Steven Berlin Johnson joins Jason to demo Google’s NotebookLM, a new AI-powered research assistant he helped create at Google Labs. They dive into Steven’s journey to Google Labs (1:28), NotebookLM's unique features (14:09), the rights of authors in the digital age (40:22), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Author Steven Berlin Johnson joins Jason

(1:28) Early experiences with the internet and Google’s Project Starline

(8:01) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(9:00) The significance of document organization, the concept and features of "sources" in NotebookLM, and the impact on writing (14:09) Steven demos Google NotebookLM

(28:06) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(29:36) Steven’s NotebookLM demo continued

(33:47) Jason showcases how he utilizes NotebookLM for TWiST's Business Breakdowns segment

(38:56) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(40:22) The rights of authors in the digital age

(52:01) Superintelligence and the trajectory of language models

*

*

Follow Steven: https://twitter.com/stevenbjohnson Check out Steven’s website: https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/ Check out Steven’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/american-innovations/id1370092284

•

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://youtu.be/RxaKWmPEcrk

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Pioneering AI Wearables: Avi Schiffmann and Tab AI | E1868 Dec 20, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Curotec. Are you one of those companies that knows you need to be using AI, but you're not even sure where to start? Well then you need Curotec. They are AI experts, and they're offering TWiST listeners an AI Strategy Roadmap tailored to your business for $5000. That's 50% off the normal cost just for telling them we sent you. Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off!

*

Today’s show:

Avi Schiffman joins Jason to explore the origin story of Tab (3:05), concerns regarding wearables safety and security (13:00), Tab’s prototype and design choices (25:00), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Avi Schiffmann of Tab AI joins Jason

(3:05) The origin story of Tab: building a mental model of who you are.

(6:01) Exploring what Tab can do and its hardware profile

(9:01) Avi Schiffmann's take on Apple's new wearable, Humane

(11:30) Nuts.com - Get a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

(13:00) In-depth discussion on wearables: safety, security, and continuous audio recording concerns.

(18:57) A showcase of Tab's supportive role featuring AI-driven insights and affirmations

(20:02) Avi Schiffmann's insights on achieving positive change through TAB's guidance

(20:54) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(21:54) Comparing Avi's Tab with Rewind AI.

(25:00) Examining the Tab prototype and discussing the pendant design choice

(33:04) ****Curotec - Check out http://curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

(34:29) Addressing the limitations of coaches, therapists, and the chatbot Pi, and how Tab sets itself apart

*

Thanks to our partners:

(11:30) Nuts.com - Get a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

(20:54) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(33:04) ****Curotec - Check out http://curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

Links to other TWiST episodes on wearables:

Oura CEO Tom Hale | E1812

Whoop CEO Will Ahmed | E1786

https://youtu.be/L-6FJQ7AuHY

Rewind AI’s Dan Siroker | E1828

https://youtu.be/lHBBCJUoD4w

*

Follow Avi:

X: https://twitter.com/avi_schiffmann

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI DEMOS: Turning Adele into John Mayer, animating a Jedi Bulldog, AI companions and much more! | E1867 Dec 19, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://www.equinixstartups.com to apply today.

Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.⁠Gusto.com/twist.

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Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to dive into the world of AI-generated characters you can start a relationship with (3:46), take a look at Pika and its stunning AI-animated video clips (35:29), convert Adele’s voice into John Mayer’s (46:26), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(3:46) Diving into the viral post from Digi.ai that builds animated characters you can start a relationship with

(12:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(14:02) Digging deeper into the concept of an AI companion and societal effects

(22:22) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

(23:29) How should conversations with AI be monitored, and the hot topic around confidentiality and security.

(25:59) Sunny demos Vercel which generates and shares REACT code snippets.

(33:58) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at Gusto.com/twist.

(35:29) A look at Pika where AI generates stunning animated video clips from a simple prompt including a Jedi Bulldog from Sunny.

(46:26) Spaces can convert Adele’s singing into the voice of John Mayer!

(50:27) Let’s hear an AI remix of Earl Ives “A Holly Jolly Christmas” with a sprinkle of Lil’ Jon.

(58:02) Sunny demos Outfit Anyone.

*

Check out Digi.ai: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.digiapp.ai

Check out Vercel: https://v0.dev/

Check out Pika: https://pika.art/

Check out Spaces: https://huggingface.co/spaces/amphion/singing_voice_conversion

Check out Outfit Anyone: https://huggingface.co/spaces/HumanAIGC/OutfitAnyone

*

Thanks to our partners:

(12:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/twist

(22:22) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://www.deploy.equinix.com/startups

(33:58) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.⁠Gusto.com/twist.

*

Follow Sunny:

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Startup pitch competition: Jason invests $25K LIVE! | E1866 Dec 15, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist

.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to http://www.startups.tech/jason to find out how!

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Jason and Kelly Schricker introduce the Founder University pitch competition (1:11), then we hear from Abe at GolfGolf (7:16), Mircea from Cicada (15:25), Spencer of dotflo (27:16), and Shreyas from Clinic Assist (34:54). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (34:54), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:11) Jason and Kelly Schricker introduce the Founder University pitch competition

(7:16) Abe pitches GolfGolf

(13:31) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(15:25) Mircea pitches Cicada

(22:14) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at http://www.startups.tech/jason

(27:16) Spencer pitches dotflo

(32:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(34:54) Shreyas pitches Clinic Assist

(43:52) Jason awards a $25K investment

*

Check out the pitch competitors here:

GolfGolf - golfgolf.tech

Cicada - cicadamusic.net

Dotflo - dotflo.co

Clinic Assist - clinicassist.ai

*

Thanks to our partners:

(13:31) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:14) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at http://www.startups.tech/jason

(32:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

•

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow TWiST:

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mastering Early-Stage Board Meetings | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn | E1865 Dec 14, 2023

Today’s show:

Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason to discuss best practices for early stage startups to prepare for and execute successful board meetings. The two dive into the reasons VCs want governance through board meetings (00:56), what should be in a full board packet (6:51), formal things investors look for (11:10), and much more!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason (00:56) The reasons VCs seek governance in startups and key tips for developing a standardized board presentation (6:51) Building a startup financial package and the importance of presenting a financial flash page at the start of a board meeting. (11:10) Essential factors investors consider during a board meeting (15:08) The most common question regarding in-depth operational metrics (20:51) Examining R&D and engineering support expenses in the calculation of the cost of goods sold * Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com * Follow Scott: https://twitter.com/scottorn

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

X: https://twitter.com/jerrycolonna

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Jerry Colonna on 'Reunion': sustaining founder drive, enlightened leadership, and more! | E1864 Dec 13, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Corient. Real wealth requires real solutions. Corient provides wealth management services centered around you. For more information, speak with an advisor today at Corient.com

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit!

*

Today’s show:

Jerry Colonna joins Jason in person for a philosophical dialogue about the search for meaning as an entrepreneur, drawing on their multi-decade friendship. They explore Jerry's personal journey from venture capitalist to founder coach (11:08), the challenges leaders face as startups evolve (40:03), how Jerry helps entrepreneurs transition from founder to CEO (28:54), and much more!

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jerry Colonna joins Jason (1:14) Jason's early internet days and first taste of money/power (10:08) Corient - Speak with one of Corient's wealth management advisors today at http://corient.com (11:08) Jerry's journey as a venture capitalist during the peak Dot-com era to founder coach (18:32) What pushed Jerry to his limits, and how did Jerry overcome his depression (23:36) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (24:56) Jerry's Book "Reboot" and what Jerry sees drives founders (28:54) How to transition from a founder to a CEO (38:31) Coda - Get started for free at https://coda.io/twist (40:03) Finding the right motivation and the steps to being an enlightened leader (57:01) Acute issues that founders contact Jerry about * Check out Reboot: https://www.reboot.io/reboot-leadership-and-the-art-of-growing-up/ Check out reunion: https://www.reboot.io/reunion-leadership-and-the-longing-to-belong/

*

Follow Jerry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-colonna-reboot

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

*

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

X: https://twitter.com/steveruizok

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Drawing the Future with AI featuring tldraw’s Steve Ruiz | E1863 Dec 13, 2023

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The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://deploy.equinix.com/startups to apply today.

NetSuite. Once your business gets to a certain size the cracks start to emerge. Things you used to do in a day take a week. You deserve a customized solution - and that's NetSuite. Learn more when you download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist - absolutely free, at http://www.netsuite.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Steve Ruiz, Founder of tldraw, joins Jason to discuss how Make Real went viral just one week after a recent funding round (5:35), diving into the debate of creating consciousness with AI (20:41), highlighting tldraw's versatility with multiple demonstrations including creating a stopwatch from simple sketches (24:21), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Steve Ruiz, Founder of tldraw, joins Jason.

(2:26) The story behind tldraw and exploring its origins.

(5:35) Discussing tldraw's business and how Make Real went viral just one week after a recent venture round.

(6:46) Understanding “Open Core”

(7:59) Demos: tldraw and Make Real, including the creation of a color picker.

(12:01) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://www.miro.com/startups

(14:42) Further exploring tldraw demos using Iterations

(16:18) How multimodal AI responds to different instructions.

(20:41) Are we creating consciousness in AI or merely simulating it?

(21:25) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://www.deploy.equinix.com/startups

(24:21) More demos! Creating a stopwatch application with varied approaches.

(31:21) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.netsuite.com/twist

(32:42) The future of tldraw and its potential to integrate across various AI models.

*

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(31:21) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.netsuite.com/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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AI DEMOS: Google’s NotebookLM, Bard’s Gemini upgrade, Magnific’s image upscaler, & more! | E1862 Dec 12, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST. Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo Google’s NotebookLM (5:00), Bard’s new capabilities after Gemini upgrade (17:13), Mixtral’s 8x7B model (53:59), and much more!

*

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason (5:00) Sunny demos Google NotebookLM (11:22) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (17:13) Bard's Gemini upgrade and Google's branding challenges (24:45) Ars Technica's experimental test bed (28:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist (29:14) Unpacking Bard's enhanced capabilities (38:44) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (39:50) Evaluating Gemini, Its market position, and the GPT Landscape (53:59) Sunny demos Mixtral's 8x7B model (1:07:38) Sunny creates an AI influencer using Juggernaut XL model in Google Colab (1:18:24) Sunny demos Magnific’s powerful image upscaler * LINKS: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2023/12/chatgpt-vs-google-bard-round-2-how-does-the-new-gemini-model-fare/https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1732433036929589301 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4pX1VAxaAI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kna9E_3kFF0&list=PL24nOpPUQlbYd1U349UDH2rrPaWWreM79&index=3 https://notebooklm.google.com/?pli=1 poe.com https://magnific.ai/upgrade/

*

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Kevin O'Connor on backing visionaries, the future of VC, internet history and more | E1861 Dec 08, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show:

ScOp’s Kevin O’Connor joins Jason (1:39), exploring the early days of the internet, its initial promise, rapid growth, and the recent pivotal changes brought on by AI (1:39). They also discuss tactics for building in a declining market, the emergence of “death-icorns” (19:30), what he looks for in founders (39:18), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason welcomes Kevin O’Connor of ScOp Venture Capital.

(1:39) Exploring the early days of the internet, its initial promise, rapid growth, and the recent pivotal changes brought by AI.

(5:55) Discussing the impact and future prospects of AI as we approach 2024.

(8:41) Delving into the potential influence of AI on sectors like Hollywood and the music industry.

(10:03) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(11:11) Transitioning from founding companies to establishing a fund and supporting new startups.

(15:25) Examining the evolution of founding a company, market dynamics, and fluctuating trends since the 1990s.

(18:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(19:30) Tactics for building in a declining market, the emergence of “death-icorns,” and the pitfalls of debt-financed growth in unprofitable businesses.

(27:57) The pendulum swings back after “the great reshuffling of America” and the phenomenon of over-employment.

(29:53) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(33:13) Identifying unique opportunities in AI investments.

(36:50) Recounting a near acquisition of Kevin’s company Graphiq by Apple for Siri integration.

(39:18) What Kevin currently seeks in entrepreneurs before making an investment.

(47:35) Discussing current valuation trends and the competitive nature of losing deals in venture capital.

*

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Thanks to our partners:

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(29:53) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://www.devsquad.com/twist

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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How to pay yourself as a startup founder | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn | E1860 Dec 07, 2023

Jason chats with Scott Orn about founder salaries, discussing the trade-offs of starting a company, the importance of board-approved salaries, and equity. They also address gender disparities in founder salaries, managing personal expenses, and investor expectations.

*

(0:00) Scott Orn joins to discuss founder salaries

(2:25) Trade-offs of starting a company and how salaries increase with funding

(4:41) Role of builder founders and dangers of underpaying oneself

(8:05) Transitioning into entrepreneurship and managing side hustles

(10:03) Importance of board-approved founder salaries and discussing equity

(13:05) Gender disparities in founder salaries and efforts to close the gap

(15:52) Managing personal expenses and company accounts

(17:05) Leading by example and salary distribution within a company

(20:26) Investor expectations and high-value employees earning more than founders

* Check out Kruze: ⁠https://kruzeconsulting.com⁠

Follow Scott: https://twitter.com/scottorn

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Earth Reimagined: Crafting a planet-scale digital twin with Blackshark.AI's Michael Putz | E1859 Dec 07, 2023

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Today’s show:

Blackshark.ai CEO Michael Putz joins Jason to discuss the necessity and vision behind creating a digital twin of our planet (3:22), why In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture arm, chose to invest in Blackshark.ai (14:59), the story and inspiration behind the name of Blackshark's new product, Orca Hunter (30:25), and much more!

*

TIMESTAMPS

(0:00) Jason welcomes Michael Putz, CEO of Blackshark.ai.

(2:40) What are the lessons learned in video game creation that inform creating a startup?

(3:22) The necessity and vision behind creating a digital twin of our planet

(8:24) Unraveling Blackshark's programming methods and learning algorithms.

(11:04) Arising Ventures - head to http://www.arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team

(12:01) The modern approach to data training and insights from developing Microsoft’s Flight Simulator.

(14:59) Discussing why In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture arm, chose to invest in Blackshark.ai.

(15:41) A live demonstration of Blackshark's innovative new product, Orca Huntr.

(22:16) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art at https://www.masterworks.com/twist

(27:16) Planet Labs and the amazing cadence of updated satellite imagery.

(30:25) The story and inspiration behind the name of Blackshark's new product, Orca Hunter.

(31:48) LinkedIn Marketing ****- Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(34:37) Delving into the Austrian perspective on the in-office versus remote work debate.

(36:53) Exploring how Blackshark’s team leverages AI for increased efficiency and effectiveness.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Blackshark.ai: https://blackshark.ai

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LinkedIn: https://at.linkedin.com/in/michaelputz

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Thanks to our partners: (11:04) Arising Ventures - head to http://www.arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team

(22:16) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art at https://www.masterworks.com/twist

(31:48) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Genomes Unlocked: Anne Wojcicki's Vision for 23andMe and the Future of Proactive Healthcare | E1858 Dec 05, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

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Today’s show:

23andMe's Anne Wojcicki joins Jason for a deep dive on genome testing and healthcare. They cover the dramatic reduction in genome sequencing costs from billions to just $99 (3:15), the role of blood testing and sequencing in shaping 23andMe's health approach (27:02), the curious case of the venomous Gila monster (42:09), and much more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Anne Wojcicki of 23andMe joins Jason for an insightful discussion.

(1:28) Exploring the impact of 23andMe and the trend of genome sequencing for proactive health management.

(3:15) Tracing the dramatic reduction in genome sequencing costs from billions to just $99.

(10:58) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

(12:24) Discussing a pivotal moment in advancing our understanding of health and genetics.

(18:41) Strategies for integrating new health initiatives in the U.S. and international healthcare systems.

(22:26) House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get a free month's supply of Macadamia Milk with any order at https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20!

(23:54) Addressing the need for a paradigm shift in healthcare policies and incentive structures.

(27:02) The role of blood testing and exome sequencing in shaping 23andMe's comprehensive health approach.

(30:45) Embracing a holistic perspective in personal health and wellness.

(32:57) .Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to http://www.startups.tech/jason to find out how!

(34:02) Emphasizing the significance of regular blood tests for health monitoring.

(41:55) A lesson in healthcare for everyone and the curious case of the venomous Gila monster.

(48:59) Connecting the dots between modern healthcare, science, and technology: A real-life 'choose-your-own-adventure'.

(52:39) Exploring the benefits of Lemonaid Health's acquisition by 23andMe.

(58:32) Anne Wojcicki reflects on her 17-year journey in the field and shares her vision for the future of health and genetics.

*

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Thanks to our partners:

(10:58) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

(22:26) House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get a free month's supply of Macadamia Milk with any order at https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20!

(32:57) .Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to http://www.startups.tech/jason to find out how!

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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AI demos: Figma’s FigJam, AI drawing, dancing avatars, and more! | E1857 Dec 05, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo Figma FigJam (2:08), a product that generates images from real-time drawing (31:05), and more while discussing the implications of IP theft writ large.

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:08) Sunny demos Figma’s FigJam

(9:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(10:40) Figma FigJam demo continued

(16:02) Jason shares his AI generated images and discusses how companies navigate copyright issues

(24:58) Brave - Try the Brave Search API at http://brave.com/jason

(26:12) Feedback and thoughts for FigJam

(31:05) Sunny demos Fal, an AI that gives generated images from real time drawing

(40:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(41:49) Sunny demos the Real-Time Latent Consistency Model

(47:01) Sunny demos Alibaba’s Animate Anyone

*

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Check out FigJam: https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500004362321-Guide-to-FigJam

Check out Fal: https://www.fal.ai/dynamic

Check out the hugging face video demo: https://huggingface.co/spaces/radames/Real-Time-Latent-Consistency-Model

Check out Animate Anyone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PCn5hLKNu4

*

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH) on the ‘Post-SaaS era' | E1856 Dec 01, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://equinixstartups.com to apply today.

Today’s show:

DHH joins Jason to discuss a post-SaaS world and Once.com (2:29), the evolving landscape of remote work (21:31), navigating internal culture struggles at Basecamp (32:53), and much more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) DHH joins Jason

(2:29) David discusses his new SaaS alternative Once.com, which charges a one-time fee rather than a recurring subscription

(10:44) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(11:50) David's philosophy on copyrighting

(20:17) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(21:31) The evolving landscape of remote work

(31:46) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://equinixstartups.com

(32:53) The state of fundraising and DHH recounts Basecamp's internal culture struggles

(49:03) Should AI progress should be accelerated or slowed down?

(1:08:08) How willful exposure to hardship can build grit and resilience.

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Once: https://once.com

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Follow David:

https://twitter.com/dhh

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Exploring AI's Pace of Evolution, AGI's Future, and Data Dominance with Adept CEO David Luan | E1855 Nov 29, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show:

Adept Co-Founder and CEO David Luan joins Jason to discuss his experience at OpenAI (2:45), demo Adept's AI-powered workflow builder (13:47), what facets of AI he is most excited about, what keeps him motivated (32:33), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Adept founder and CEO David Luan joins Jason.

(2:45) David's experience at OpenAI and the evolution of deep learning

(5:22) DALL-E origins and its "a-ha moment"

(9:24) The next great well of AI training data

(11:21) Brave - Try the Brave Search API at http://www.brave.com/jason

(12:35) Adept's Northstar since day one

(13:47) Demos: showcasing the power of Adept AI

(15:52) The next battlefield for AI

(18:34) A look into Adept AI Experiments – a sandbox for AI enthusiasts

(20:46) Arising Ventures - head to ⁠http://www.arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team

(21:51) How Adept aims to streamline job processes

(24:54) Strategies to outperform large competitors

(31:13) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at http://www.LinkedIn.com/TWIST

(32:33) What excites David about the future and motivates his daily efforts?

(36:29) The present and expected advancements in AI

*

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Check out Adept AI: https://www.adept.ai

Check out Adept AI Experiments: https://www.adept.ai/blog/experiments

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Follow David: https://twitter.com/jluan

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Thanks to our partners:

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Follow TWiST:

https://proceedings.mlr.press/v70/shi17a/shi17a.pdf https://www.sap.com/products/technology-platform/process-automation/what-is-rpa.html

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24/7 autonomous agents for everything with Induced AI’s Aryan Sharma | E1854 Nov 28, 2023

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Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Nuts.com is offering new customers a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

Today’s show:

Induced AI CEO Aryan Sharma joins Jason to discuss the motivation behind Induced AI (3:20), how the product is being integrated into real-world applications (16:42), strategies for mitigating bad actors (32:16), and more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Induced AI CEO Aryan Sharma joins Jason

(3:20) The motivation behind Induced AI

(10:06) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(11:24) The role of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and integration of LLMs

(16:42) Aryan demos Induced AI’s WorkFlow

(28:24) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(29:31) The impact on business processing outsourcing

(32:16) Strategies for mitigating bad actors

(40:30) Nuts.com - Get a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

(44:17) Journey to Induced AI

*

Links:

*

Check out: https://www.induced.ai/

*

Follow Aryan:

https://twitter.com/aryxnsharma

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aryan-sharma-2628aba2/

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://www.wired.com/story/inside-story-of-pong-excerpt/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vin_Scelsa stability https://twitter.com/jsngr/status/1728848624048853442?s=42&t=79J_alIF_jrz1wn1s5pboQ clipdrop

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI demos: Bard's YouTube summarizer, Stability's image editing tools, and more with Sunny Madra | E1853 Nov 28, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo Bard’s YouTube summarizer (2:27), an iPhone app that draws apps (41:14), Stability’s Clipdrop (59:20), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:27) Sunny demos Bard’s YouTube summarizer

(7:00) Jason's revamping his Substack! First topic; Jason's new ADD management framework: Automate, Deprecate, Delegate

(13:58) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(14:54) Bard’s YouTube summarizer demo continued

(27:09) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(29:09) Sunny demos tlDraw and discusses the evolution of low-code environments

(40:08) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(41:14) Sunny showcases UIDraw, an app to draw and build a web app on your phone with AI

(46:57) Sunny demos Trace, a tool to design a UI via AI

(53:38) Sunny demos Runway TV

(59:20) Sunny demos Stability’s image editing tools, including Clipdrop

(1:05:18) Jason and Sunny’s AI predictions and bet

*

Links:

*

Check out:

https://www.trace.zip/https://www.runway.tv/https://makereal.tldraw.com/

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

OpenAI Chaos Continues with Sunny Madra and David Sacks | E1852 Nov 21, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

NetSuite. Once your business gets to a certain size the cracks start to emerge. Things you used to do in a day take a week. You deserve a customized solution - and that's NetSuite. Learn more when you download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist - absolutely free, at NetSuite.com/twist

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Brave. If you’re building AI and search-based applications, train your models with the Brave Search API. Get started for free at brave.com/jason

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra and David Sacks join Jason to break down all the chaos of the past few days at OpenAI including why the situation is so unprecedented (17:46), the board’s failure (30:18), the impact on startups (43:34), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Recapping the chaotic past few days at OpenAI plus some immediate impacts from the fallout

(16:43) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://netsuite.com/twist

(17:46) David Sacks joins the show and explains why this situation is so unprecedented in Silicon Valley

(28:51) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(30:18) How the board could have handled this better, Sam Altman's misaligned incentives packages (or lack thereof)

(37:14) Silicon Valley's battle-tested standard structure, and why you shouldn't innovate on corporate structure

(42:20) Brave - Try the Brave Search API at http://brave.com/jason

(43:34) Impact on startups reliant on OpenAI's models, a brutal momentum killer for OpenAI

(50:39) Predictions: Return of the King? Mass Exodus? Something else?

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Follow Sacks: https://twitter.com/DavidSacks

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

BREAKING: Sam Altman fired from OpenAI, chaos ensues! | E1851 Nov 18, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at ⁠vanta.com/twist⁠⁠

Lemon.io⁠. Get access to Lemon Hire, a platform with more than 80,000 pre-vetted engineers that you can interview within 48 hours. Get $2000 off your first hire at ⁠http://lemon.io/hire⁠ today!

The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://deploy.equinix.com/startups/
⁠ to apply today.

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason for an emergency podcast! They break down the business implications of Altman leaving OpenAI (1:23), speculation around why he was fired (10:27), ongoing developments like Greg Brockman quitting, and more! (23:24)

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra goes live with Jason for an emergency Pod!

(1:23) Sam Altman ousted from OpenAI and Greg Brockman quits!

(6:44) The board’s accusations against Sam Altman

(10:27) Speculating “no conflict, no interest”

(12:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at ⁠https://vanta.com/twist(13:22)⁠ Sam's extraordinary deal-making, lack of OpenAI shares, and the possible impact from Humane launch

(23:24) The OpenAI and Microsoft relationship

(29:40) ⁠Lemon.io⁠ - Get $2000 off your first hire at ⁠http://lemon.io/hire⁠

(30:49) More speculation and anonymous theories

(34:29) The impact of founder-led switching to not founder-led

(37:10) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups/⁠

(38:30) Questions from live audience

(56:12) Final thoughts

*

Follow Sunny: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠

*

Great 2023 interviews: ⁠Steve Huffman⁠, ⁠Brian Chesky⁠, ⁠Aaron Levie⁠, ⁠Sophia Amoruso⁠, ⁠Reid Hoffman⁠, ⁠Frank Slootman⁠, ⁠Billy McFarland⁠

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: ⁠https://substack.com/@calacanis⁠

*

Follow Jason:

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamvictorperez

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis⁠

*

Follow TWiST:

Substack: ⁠https://twistartups.substack.com⁠

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/TWiStartups⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin⁠

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: ⁠https://www.founder.university/podcast

Real-time AI-powered design with Krea CEO Victor Perez | E1850 Nov 17, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Masterworks. The first company allowing investors exposure into the blue-chip artwork asset class. TWIST listeners can skip the waitlist by going to ⁠https://masterworks.com/twist⁠ and using promo code TWIST.

Fitbod. Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at https://fitbod.me/twist.

Today’s show:

First, Jason interviews Krea CEO and Co-Founder Victor Perez, who demos Krea's creative suite, highlighting its unique blend of AI prompts and interactive design elements (2:40). Then, testRigor’s Artem Golubev breaks down how their AI-powered software helps businesses streamline QA processes (48:54).

Time stamps:

Time stamps:

(0:00) CEO and Co-Founder of Krea.ai join Jason

(2:40) Victor demos Krea’s real-time AI capabilities

(8:24) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(9:22) Startup culture at the Krea house, Krea’s wide range of users, and its unique approach: enabling precise control over object placement and evolving sketches into final products

(17:22) Future plans for video-to-video workflows, Victor’s background, Stable Diffusion’s capabilities, understanding the concept of 'weights' in AI

(26:03) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art at https://www.masterworks.com/twist

(27:22) Debating copyright concerns and the state of training data in Stable Diffusion

(32:20) The challenges of the startup scene in Barcelona, trying the Blueprint diet

(36:32) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(38:00) Artem Golubev, CEO and Co-Founder of testRigor joins Jason and explains testRigor's AI-powered QA solution

(41:29) testRigor's AI approach: Streamlining software QA testing

(48:54) Examining the impact of AI on dev teams, and testRigor demo

*

Check out Krea: http://www.krea.ai

Check out testRigor: http://www.testrigor.com

*

Follow Victor: https://twitter.com/viccpoes

Follow Artem:

https://twitter.com/artemtwtr

https://www.linkedin.com/in/agolubev

*

Thanks to our partners:

(8:24) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(17:24) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art at https://www.masterworks.com/twist

(27:22) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://twitter.com/scottorn

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Avoiding Accidental Tax Fraud | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn | E1849 Nov 16, 2023

Today’s show:

Kruze’s Scott Orn joins Jason to discuss navigating potential ERC fraud (00:45), expected year one spend for startups (11:54), importance of accounting from Day 1 (15:22), and more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Kruze’s Scott Orn joins Jason.

(0:45) Navigating Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and spotting fraud, and the importance of CPA expertise

(9:01) The difference between building software and R&D

(11:54) Expected year one spend for startups

(15:22) Importance of accounting from day 1

*

Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com

*

Follow Scott:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://twitter.com/adrianaoun

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Engineering an AI-powered doctor’s office with Forward CEO Adrian Aoun | E1848 Nov 15, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to startups.tech/jason to find out how!

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

Arising Ventures is a holding company that acquires tech startups facing setbacks. Arising Ventures knows what founders care about because they aren’t bankers, they are tech founders themselves! Go to ⁠http://arisingventures.com/TWIST

Today’s show:

Forward CEO Adrian Aoun joins Jason to discuss how his startup creating the first AI doctor's office (13:55)! The two dive into how Forward's AI technology operates (15:55), the challenges with modern healthcare (9:52), and how Forward plans to revolutionize the healthcare service (40:36).

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Forward CEO Adrian Aoun joins Jason.

(1:46) VC in the Middle East and the lack of diligence in the last boom and bust cycle

(8:51) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason

(9:52) Challenges in healthcare and Adrian’s journey to Forward

(13:55) The Forward “Care Pod”, an AI-powered doctor's office providing scans, monitoring, blood tests and more

(15:55) Adrian demos Forward’s product

(23:44) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(24:50) Forward’s business model and target customer

(28:08) Figuring out how to make healthcare scalable

(30:29) Reactions to the Care Pod and thoughts on wearables

(34:51) The role of a doctor in Forward’s ecosystem

(37:28) Forward’s rollout strategy

(39:35) Arising Ventures - head to http://arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team

(40:36) AI’s role in Forward’s technology

(43:27) The size of the company and plans for expansion

*

Check out Forward: https://goforward.com/

Follow Adrian:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianaoun/

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

PrayingForExits on the rush into defense tech, “innovator’s sprint,” & global VC markets | E1847 Nov 15, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at http://www.Embroker.com/twist While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at http://www.CLAconnect.com/tech

IntouchCX. Want to build a loyal customer base for your startup? Unlock the power of innovative AI and automated support solutions from IntouchCX to deliver fast, personalized support and enhance your customers’ experience. Schedule your consultation today at http://www.intouchcx.com/twist

Today’s show:

The man behind the anonymous accounts “prayingforexits” on Instagram and “@mrexits” on X joins Jason for a jam-packed episode!

Topics covered: Praying For Exits raised a fund! (2:10) Drawing inspiration from Steve Jobs' iconic Think Different Campaign (8:55), defense tech going from “frowned upon” to a very hot market (17:03), and how the modern Middle East will play ball with the USA? (33:29)!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Mr. Exits joins Jason.

(2:16) Praying For Exits raised a fund!

(5:26) Subject-matter experts and the “alumni factor”

(9:01) Drawing inspiration from Steve Jobs' iconic Think Differently Campaign.

(9:23) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://www.Embroker.com/twist

(11:50) Building a startup is akin to compressing a life’s career into 5 years

(12:54)The softening of the American capitalistic machine

(14:32) The shot clock of VC

(16:57) Defense tech going from “frowned upon” to a very hot market

(19:09) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

(21:55) Globalization’s impact on nationalism

(28:20) USA's stake in the world’s top 25 market cap companies.

(29:21) InTouchCX - Schedule a free consultation at http://www.intouchcx.com/twist

(31:30) Speculating on the USA-China endgame.

(33:23) How will the modern Middle-East play ball with the USA?

(44:13) The Golden Visa of Dubai

(43:33) For those aspiring to be invested in by Mr. Exits

Our partners:

(9:23) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://www.Embroker.com/twist

(19:15) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

(29:27) InTouchCX - Schedule a free consultation at http://www.intouchcx.com/twist

*

FOLLOW PrayingForExits: ⁠ https://twitter.com/mrexits

FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI Demos! xAI’s Grok chatbot, OpenAI’s GPTs, & more! | E1846 Nov 14, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups*

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

Corient. Real wealth requires real solutions. Corient provides wealth management services centered around you. For more information, speak with an advisor today at Corient.com

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss and demo xAI’s new chatbot, Grok (2:18), OpenAI’s new GPTs (31:54), and an AI designed to detect fake reviews (55:40). Then, Sunny builds a GPT live on air (36:22)

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:18) Sunny demos xAI’s Grok chatbot

(14:49) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(21:33) Review and feedback for Grok chatbot

(28:36) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(31:54) Sunny demos OpenAI’s Game Time and Invest America GPTs

(36:22) Sunny builds a Launch GPT live!

(37:18) Corient - Speak with one of Corient's wealth management advisors today at http://corient.com

(48:33) Unlocking the potential of GPTs

(55:40) Sunny demos Fakespot, an AI tool for spotting fake reviews

*

Check out Grok: https://grok.x.ai

Check out OpenAI’s GPTs: https://chat.openai.com/gpts/discovery

Check out Fakespot: https://www.fakespot.com/

Check out Definitive Intelligence: https://www.definitive.io/

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

* Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Tech Earnings Breakdown: $UBER, $LYFT, $KIND with TechCrunch's Alex Wilhelm | E1845 Nov 11, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

NetSuite. Once your business gets to a certain size the cracks start to emerge. Things you used to do in a day take a week. You deserve a customized solution - and that's NetSuite. Learn more when you download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist - absolutely free, at NetSuite.com/twist

Miro. Working remotely doesn’t mean you need to feel disconnected from your team. Miro is an online whiteboard that brings teams together - anytime, anywhere. Go to https://miro.com/startups to sign up for a FREE account with unlimited team members.

Arising Ventures is a holding company that acquires tech startups facing setbacks. Arising Ventures knows what founders care about because they aren’t bankers, they are tech founders themselves! Go to http://arisingventures.com/TWIST

*

Today’s show:

TechCrunch's Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to break down the latest earnings reports from Uber (4:04), Lyft (24:28), and Nextdoor (44:15). Then, the two dive into WeWork's failed business model (1:01:44), the viability of various careers as AI advances (38:33), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Tech Crunch’s Alex Wilhelm joins Jason

(4:04) Uber’s earning report

(7:04) Pirate cut-throat mentality analogy and the money-ball system

(10:11) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.netsuite.com/twist

(11:12) Did the press get Uber’s Earnings report right?

(17:39) Uber and the J-Curve

(20:29) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://www.miro.com/startups

(22:17) Uber, China, and DiDi

(23:14) ZIRP environment playbook to own a market

(24:28) Lyft gets a participation trophy

(25:22) Comparing Lyft to Uber’s Revenue (Quarterly)

(27:53) Labor availability

(31:05) Arising Ventures - head to http://www.arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team

(32:15) Immigration policy and a record-low unemployment

(37:37) The underground economy

(38:33) AI effects on unemployment

(39:12) Let’s build new cities!

(44:15) NextDoor earnings

(55:34) A case for hiring remotely

(59:13) Combining remote work with the power of AI

(1:01:44) Clip from TWiST E969 with Alex about WeWork

(1:04:22) Earnings “supplements”

(1:07:35) When Alex discovered business as a youth

(1:14:18) A South Park clip!

*

Check out TWiST E969: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1DDVq3_vs

Follow Alex: https://twitter.com/alex

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://www.reuters.com/business/softbanks-wework-once-most-valuable-us-startup-succumbs-bankruptcy-2023-11-07

The Case for Adam Neumann + driverDoc's Josh Kolar on automation for trucking companies | E1844 Nov 10, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

Lemon.io. Get access to Lemon Hire, a platform with more than 80,000 pre-vetted engineers that you can interview within 48 hours. Get $2000 off your first hire at http://lemon.io/hire today!

.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to startups.tech/jason to find out how!

*

Today’s show:

First, Jason breaks down what forced WeWork’s bankruptcy filing (2:27), and what it might look like if Adam Neumann took back the company. (5:45) Then, driverDoc's Josh Kolar joins Jason to discuss creating all-in-one digital management platform for trucking companies (25:54).

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(2:27) Breaking down WeWork’s bankruptcy

(5:45) Is there a case for Adam Neumann’s return to WeWork?

(12:38) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(13:46) Adam Neumann's standing in the industry

(22:40) Lemon.io - Get $2000 off your first hire at http://lemon.io/hire

(25:49) driverDOC CEO and Co-Founder Josh Kolar joins Jason

(25:10) Unveiling the entrepreneurial journey that led to the birth of driverDOC.

(29:00) How driverDOC is navigating the complex landscape of fragmented trucking industries.

(30:04) Adding value to the legacy apps and the big vision for driverDOC

(31:19) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://www.startups.tech/jason

(32:31) The introduction of AI and multi-modal helps to accelerate the innovation of driverDOC

(34:22) An analysis of the current state of bill of lading standardization in the logistics industry.

(36:31) Advancements in live package tracking for improved shipment visibility.

(38:31) Building a startup in the heartland of America

(40:13) The impact of Uber and Amazon on freight

(41:32) The case of Convoy and the brokerage model

Referenced in the podcast:

https://www.newcomer.co/p/will-adam-neumann-rescue-wework

*

Check out driverDoc: https://www.driverdoc.io

Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshkolar

*

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Managing your treasury in 2023 | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn | E1843 Nov 08, 2023

Todays show:

Kruze's Scott Orn joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics! In this episode, they discuss the current state of the market (0:40), diversifying bank relationships (6:09), managing risk (16:25), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Kruze's Scott Orn joins Jason

(0:40) The current state of the market

(6:09) The SVB lesson: Diversify your bank relationships

(16:25) Capital preservation, liquidity, and risk management

*

Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com

*

Follow Scott:

https://twitter.com/scottorn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://s23.q4cdn.com/407969754/files/doc_earnings/2023/q3/earnings-result/Uber-Q3-23-Earnings-Press-Release.pdf

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Uber profitable again, SBF guilty, Biden's AI EO + Motive's John Habeck | E1842 Nov 08, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at CLAconnect.com/tech

*

Today’s show:

First up, Jason takes on the news solo by breaking down Uber's Q3 earnings (2:23), reflecting on SBF's guilty verdict (13:39), and giving some takes on Biden's EO on AI (15:53). Then, Motive CEO John Habeck joins to break down building "Shopify for Car Dealerships" (21:39).

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(2:23) Uber earnings report and Uber’s profitability

(12:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(13:39) SBF’s guilty verdict

(15:53) Takes on Biden's executive order on AI

(20:11) House of Macadamias - Get a free month's supply of Macadamia Milk with any order at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20!

(21:39) Motive CEO John Habeck discusses building a startup in a "sleeping giant" industry

(32:18) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(33:17) Understand the TAM for "Shopify for Car Dealerships”

*

Referenced in the podcast:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/10/30/executive-order-on-the-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-development-and-use-of-artificial-intelligence

https://www.businessofapps.com/data/uber-statistics

https://twitter.com/EconomyApp/status/1721899291248324642

*

Check out Motive: https://www.ridemotive.com

* Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

OpenAI DevDay!: demoing GPT-4 Turbo, "GPT Store" potential, and more with Sunny Madra | E1841 Nov 07, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Today’s show:

Sunny joins Jason to discuss OpenAI’s DevDay announcements (1:33). Then, Sunny demos an AI-driven chatbot creator (32:49), an AI email-first Chief of Staff (39:12), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason to break down OpenAI DevDay!

(1:33) OpenAI DevDay announcements: GPT-4 Turbo, expanded context windows, Custom GPTs, and more

(12:57) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(14:28) How OpenAI's "GPT Store" could change the way we consume the internet

(22:02) GPT-4 Turbo, speed, cost reduction, expanded context window issues

(26:16) Coda - Get started for free at https://coda.io/twist

(32:49) DEMO: Droxy.ai: a custom chatbot platform

(37:54) InTouchCX - Schedule a free consultation at http://intouchcx.com/twist

(39:12) DEMO: Mindy.com: an AI-powered email Chief of Staff

(45:43) DEMO: Brave Nightly's webpage summarizer

(50:24) DEMO: Zapier's AI-powered Zaps

*

Check out what happened at OpenAI DevDay: https://devday.openai.com/

Check out Droxy Ai: https://www.droxy.ai/

Check out Mindy: https://mindy.com/

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://twitter.com/gaganbiyani

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The hard lessons from building three startups with Maven’s Gagan Biyani | E1840 Nov 03, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at www.vanta.com/twist

The Embroker Startup Program helps startups secure the most important lines of insurance, at a lower cost, and with less hassle. For guaranteed 10% off on premiums (& up to 20% depending on quote) go to www.embroker.com/twist.

Brave is an internet privacy company on a mission to protect your personal info online. Try the Brave Search API at http://www.brave.com/jason

Today’s show:

Maven Co-Founder and CEO Gagan Biyani joins Jason to break down his startup's live, cohort-based education model (2:28). Then, Gagan dives into his past journeys at Udemy, where he was eventually fired but wound up revolutionizing online learning and going public (35:08), and Sprig, a food-delivery startup that went on to raise $60M and scale to $20M in revenue, but ultimately failed (47:36).

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Gagan Biyani, CEO of Maven, joins Jason to discuss the future of online learning.

(2:24) Maven: the evolution of online learning.

(3:23) Exploring Maven's elite courses offered by a diverse pool of passionate professionals.

(6:57) Analyzing who is leveraging Maven for education and the cost dynamics of online learning.

(10:30) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(11:36) How Maven's live cohort-based learning emphasizes accountability and interactivity for higher success rates.

(13:15) Comparing the outdated cost structures of traditional education with modern alternatives.

(23:10) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://www.Embroker.com/twist

(26:31) Unveiling the potential earnings for educators in the online learning marketplace.

28:27) The online educational landscape featuring insights on Coursera, Udemy, and others.

(30:56) Brave - Try the Brave Search API at http://www.brave.com/jason

(33:40) Jason built the “pit” at TechCrunch50, where he and Gagan first met.

(35:08) How Udemy's early days were shaped by the Founder Institute and Adeo Ressi.

(41:28) Gagan shares his personal story of being fired from Udemy and his lessons learned.

(47:33) The trials, tribulations, and ultimate closure of the food delivery startup, Sprig.

(53:39) Discussing the most effective methods for scaling and growing a product.

(55:02) The world of fundraising and understanding the power law in venture capital.

Check out Maven: https://www.maven.com

Follow Gagan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaganbiyani * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

https://twitter.com/purn3ndu

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Giving NPCs the power of AI with Convai's Purnendu Mukherjee | E1839 Nov 02, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show:

Convai CEO Purnendu Mukherjee joins Jason to discuss creating AI-powered NPCs using Convai (6:05), the birth of generative AI (22:17), open-source vs. closed AI (36:01), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Convai CEO Purnendu Mukherjee joins Jason

(3:54) The motivation behind Convai

(6:05) Purnendu breaks down creating an NPC character using Convai

(10:16) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://equinixstartups.com

(11:36) Demo of character creation using Convai's unique toolset

(17:18) Integrating AI Characters into Game Worlds with Convai

(20:50) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(22:17) Convai’s business model and the issue game developers have with moving from flat rate to usage-based charges

(25:00) Purnendu reflects on his time at Nvidia

(29:57) The birth of the generative AI boom

(34:30) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(36:01) Navigating the Future: AI Regulation & open-source vs. closed AI

(40:11) The countdown to self-creating AI

(43:13) Purnendu breaks down data collected for AI and the uses for an AI-enabled Amazon Mechanical Turk

Check out Convai: https://www.convai.com

Follow Purnendu:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/purn3ndu

*

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Airtable CEO Howie Liu on pivoting from blitzscaling to profits, AI applications, and more | E1838 Nov 01, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.

*

Today’s show:

Airtable CEO Howie Liu joins Jason to discuss his philosophy of product-led growth (1:35), the current explosion of AI (36:37), and much more!

Time stamps:

(0:00) Airtable CEO Howie Liu joins Jason

(1:35) Howie’s philosophy on product-led growth

(5:05) Bridging the gap between spreadsheets and purpose-driven apps

(7:12) Tweet storm referenced on the All-In podcast

(13:19) ⁠Lemon.io⁠ - Get $2000 off your first hire at ⁠https://lemon.io/hire

(17:13) Blitzscale hiring

(24:28) InTouchCX - Get started with a free consultation at ⁠https://intouchcx.com/twist

(26:18) Charging per-seed basis and revisiting Airtable on E814 in 2018

(30:36) Jason shares two successful use cases utilizing Airtable

(35:32) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at ⁠https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(36:37) The AI boom and its potential dangers

*

Check out All In E146: https://youtu.be/X-Sb8sIi22g?si=fhiIi5ehFOyrMUD-&t=3673

Check out Howie in TWiST E814: https://youtu.be/55JnirJ7oHk?si=oPlNol8cotYrJTI1

*

Follow Howie: https://twitter.com/howietl

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI Demos! Cap table management platform, AI-powered job interviews, & more! | E1837 Oct 31, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Arising Ventures - Head to http://arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team

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Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more

*

Today’s show:

Sunny joins Jason for more demos! An AI-driven ownership and equity platform for founders (14:37), an AI interviewer who conducts live interviews (27:20), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(6:08) Jason’s experience with ChatGPT multimodal

(13:31) Arising Ventures - head to http://arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team

(14:37) Sunny demos Mantle, an AI-powered cap table management platform for founders

(25:49) Nuts.com - Get a free gift with purchase and free shipping on orders of $29 or more at http://www.Nuts.com/twist

(27:20) Sunny demos Talently.ai, an AI-powered job interviewer

(39:37) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more

(40:50) Sunny demos Morise.ai, a tool that helps YouTube creators generate titles, descriptions, and tags for videos!

*

Check out Mantle: https://withmantle.com

Check out Talently AI: https://interview.talently.ai

Check out Morise AI: https://morise.ai

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Loop Golf's Matt Holder on auto tee times for golfers, plus: Cruise robotaxi suspension | E1836 Oct 27, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Mercury. With Mercury Raise, startup founders no longer have to navigate roadblocks alone. Visit http://mercury.com/raise to get access to a network, connections, and advice.

Corient. Real wealth requires real solutions. Corient provides wealth management services centered around you. For more information, speak with an advisor today at http://corient.com

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://vanta.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

First, Loop Golf's CEO Matt Holder joins Jason for a jam session on scaling his startup, which is building an automatic tee time booking app for golfers (4:32). Then, Jason gives a recap on the news surrounding Cruise robotaxi & more! (32:43)

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Loop Golf’s Matt Holder joins Jason

(4:32) What sets Loop Golf apart from traditional golf booking apps

(8:17) Matt demos Loop Golf

(15:23) Mercury Raise - Visit http://mercury.com/raise to get access to a network, connections, and advice

(16:49) The sudden surge in the popularity of golf

(20:53) The current state of golfer-tracking technology

(24:27) Corient - Speak with one of Corient's wealth management advisors today at http://corient.com

(25:29) Incorporating real-time features into Loop Golf

(27:40) Thoughts on surge pricing and additional app features

(31:33) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(32:43) The suspension of Cruise’s robotaxi permit in San Francisco.

*

Check out Loop Golf: https://loopgolf.co/

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Demoing Google Suite's AI plus legal docs, detection, and more! | E1835 Oct 27, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Lemon.io. Get access to Lemon Hire, a platform with more than 80,000 pre-vetted engineers that you can interview within 48 hours. Get $2000 off your first hire at http://lemon.io/hire today!

Codecademy. Build the future you want to see with Codecademy. Codecademy Pro helps you learn everything you’ll need to shape what comes next in the tech space. Try it free for 14 days. Visit Codecademy.com/TWiST

NetSuite. Once your business gets to a certain size the cracks start to emerge. Things you used to do in a day take a week. You deserve a customized solution - and that's NetSuite. Learn more when you download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist - absolutely free, at NetSuite.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo an AI-powered legal docs tool (6:46), detection tool (15:38), Google’s workspace AI (35:15), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(6:46) Sunny demos Legal Now - AI-powered legal docs tool

(10:01) Lemon.io - Get $2000 off your first hire at http://lemon.io/hire

(11:10) Sunny demos Rows - Web-based Excel

(15:38) Sunny demos Originality AI - AI detection tool (22:36) Codecademy - Try Codecademy Pro FREE for 14 days at http://codecademy.com/TWiST

(24:02) Apple testing M3 MacBook Pros with 16 CPU cores and 40 GPU cores

(31:32) Sunny demos Summarize.tech - Summarizes YouTube videos

(33:57) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://netsuite.com/twist

(35:15) Sunny demos Google Docs AI write

(43:49) Sunny demos Google Sheets AI

*

Check out Legal Now: https://ai.legalnow.xyz/

Check out Rows: Rows.com Check out Originality AI: https://app.originality.ai/content-scan/6910415

Check out Summarize.tech: https://www.summarize.tech/www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_MeKSnyAo

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Check out Definitive Intelligence: https://www.definitive.io/

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Google, Microsoft, and Snap earnings, plus the state of VC in the Middle East | E1834 Oct 25, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at https://Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://CLAconnect.com/tech

IntouchCX. Looking for ways to make your startup more efficient? IntouchCX has a ground-breaking suite of AI-powered tools for end-to-end optimization to give your business the edge it needs to thrive. Get started with your free consultation at http://intouchcx.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Jason kicks the show off with a discussion on the state of venture capital in the Middle East (1:34). Then, he breaks down Q3 earnings reports for Google, Microsoft, and Snap (18:12), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:34) The state of VC in the Middle East

(10:15) The founder ecosystem and adapting to EU regulations

(13:57) Updates on "THE LINE"

(16:45) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(18:12) Google Q3 earnings

(22:48) Microsoft Q3 earnings

(28:21) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(29:57) Snap’s Q3 earnings

(38:33) InTouchCX - Get started with a free consultation at http://intouchcx.com/twist

(39:57) Snap’s Daily Active Users (DAU)

(43:15) Frameworks for investing in consumer internet companies

(44:56) Greycroft layoffs

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The Trial of SBF: A deep dive with Inner City Press's Matthew Russell Lee | E1833 Oct 24, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to https://startups.tech/jason to find out how!

*

Today’s show:

Mathew Russell Lee from Inner City Press joins Jason to discuss life as an independent journalist (13:47), startup fraud trends (2:27), his firsthand observations from the SBF courtroom (17:05), the state of the justice system (1:01:16), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Inner City Press’ Matthew Russell Lee joins Jason

(2:27) The failed Nikola Badger launch and trial of CEO Trevor Milton

(10:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(11:24) Current status of the SBF trial

(13:47) Matthew's approach to journalism

(17:05) Firsthand observations from the SBF courtroom and reflections on cooperators’ testimonies

(20:56) The dynamics among the accused and framing of their involvement

(23:54) The jury’s key point of interest

(28:38) Catalog - Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist

(30:07) SBF’s family involvement and use of effective altruism

(34:58) SBF's defense strategy and alleged misuse of client funds

(40:58) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason

(43:25) SBF’s extradition and Sam Trabucco's role in the Chinese bribery scheme

(47:09) Recouping money

(50:57) Remaining aspects of the SBF trial

(53:57) SBF's character and upbringing

(56:19) Outcomes of previous fraud cases and thoughts on SBF's conviction

(1:01:16) SDNY's nature and the state of the U.S. justice system

*

Follow Matthew: https://twitter.com/innercitypress

Check out Inner City Press: https://www.innercitypress.com/

Check out Matthew's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MatthewRussellLee

*

Check out TWiST episode 1090: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH-zhlqvJWM

Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo:

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Reverse-engineering autonomy in humanoid robots with Sanctuary AI CEO Geordie Rose | E1832 Oct 21, 2023

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.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to startups.tech/jason to find out how!

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Today’s show:

Sanctuary AI CEO Geordie Rose joins Jason for an incredible interview on the complexities of using AI to train robots (11:09), developing large behavior models (17:53), the 'lights out' moment in manufacturing (42:52), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Sanctuary AI CEO Geordie Rose joins Jason

(3:42) Sanctuary AI's approach to robotics and motivation behind creating humanoid robots

(6:05) The human hand's integral role in AI-driven robot development: Planning, reasoning, and understanding the world

(11:09) Moravec’s paradox and the challenges of instilling perception in robots

(16:40) InTouchCX - Get started with a free consultation at http://intouchcx.com/twist

(17:53) The significance of "Micro-Policies" and developing large behavior models

(22:59) Exploring human cognition and large behavior models

(28:52) Fount - Get $500 off an executive health coach at https://fount.bio/twist

(30:23) Sanctuary AI’s Phoenix robot, robot training, and use of large language models

(37:46) Robotics in automotive manufacturing

(41:43) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason

(42:52) The"lights out' moment in manufacturing and the challenge of regulatory capture in AI

(56:01) Humans’ problem-solving nature and roots of technological fear

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Check out Sanctuary AI: https://sanctuary.ai/

Follow Geordie: https://twitter.com/realgeordierose

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Check out Bill Gurley’s 2,851 Miles: https://youtu.be/F9cO3-MLHOM?feature=shared

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https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply

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Should Apple buy Disney? Plus: Apple's $1B blockbuster bet and more with Lon Harris | E1831 Oct 19, 2023

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Today’s show:

Lon Harris joins Jason to discuss Apple’s major push into Hollywood blockbusters (1:38), their anti-Netlix, “auteur” approach (4:27), updates on the WGA+SAG-AFTRA strikes (29:11), film recommendations (46:10), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Lon Harris joins Jason

(1:38) Apple’s major push into Hollywood blockbusters

(4:27) Apple's anti-Netflix, “auteur” approach

(6:11) Why is this timely? Approaches to film marketing and releases

(13:56) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art at https://www.masterworks.com/twist

(15:21) Breaking down the budget for Apple's Killers of the Flower Moon

(18:13) Why is Netflix taking the opposite approach

(20:12) Sequels and audience burnout

(21:25) Movie budgets: Napoleon, Barbie, Oppenheimer

(27:45) Codecademy - Try Codecademy Pro FREE for 14 days at http://codecademy.com/TWiST

(29:11) Update on the WGA strike and AI's place in film

(38:01) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(39:31) Update on SAG-AFTRA negotiations

(43:53) Understanding the "auteur" approach and the significance behind original IP

(46:10) Film and Show Recommendations: Fall of the House of Usher, The Mill, The Diplomat, Mr. Inbetween, Past Lives, The Burial, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

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Follow Lon: https://twitter.com/Lons

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Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel on travel industry trends, M&A, leadership, and more! | E1830 Oct 17, 2023

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Today’s show:

Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel joins Jason to discuss trends in the travel industry (31:20), healthy M&A environments (24:24), job disruption due to AI (37:22), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel joins Jason

(2:37) Booking Holdings' companies and their operations

(5:30) Shifts in the travel industry

(10:52) A look at the ascension of Airbnb

(15:25) The impact of alternative accommodations

(17:15) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(18:21) AI's influence on user interfaces

(20:55) Uber's entry into travel and Uber’s everything app

(22:44) Competition in travel

(24:24) What makes for healthy M&A in the USA and thoughts on Lina Khan's strategy

(28:19) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(29:44) Consequences of removing M&A from the table

(31:20) Trends in travel over the past two decades

(34:14) Advocating for a 32-hour work week in China and the four-day work week debate

(37:22) Job disruption due to AI and where will people shift to next

(41:01) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(42:19) Traits of generations X, Y, and Z in relation to entrepreneurship and capitalism

(45:34) Selecting company leaders and management techniques

(48:00) Recovering from COVID-19's impact on the travel industry

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Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI demos: ChatGPT’s UI punch ups, Google’s generative image search, and more with Sunny Madra | E1829 Oct 17, 2023

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Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo an AI-enabled survey tool (1:31), ChatGPT’s multimodal UI feedback (44:58), Google generative image search (59:15), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(1:31) Sunny demos Trove’s conversational surveys

(10:43) Final thoughts and grades for Trove

(17:43) Mercury Raise - Visit http://mercury.com/raise to get access to a network, connections, and advice

(19:07) Sunny demos the ChatGPT's multimodal calculator builder

(22:45) Microsoft reportedly losing $20/month per GitHub Copilot user

(28:58) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(30:20) Sunny demos SuperManage

(34:46) Grades for SuperManage

(43:30) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(44:58) Demo of ChatGPT's Multimodal UI feedback

(49:01) OpenAI’s business model

(54:09) Grades for ChatGPT Multimodal UI feedback

(59:15) Sunny demos Google’s generative image search

(1:02:12) Grades for Google’s generative image search

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Check out Trove: https://gettrove.co/app/dashboard

Check out SuperManage: https://supermanage.ai/

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Debating personal AI hardware with Rewind AI’s Dan Siroker | E1828 Oct 12, 2023

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.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to startups.tech/jason to find out how!

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

*

Today’s show:

Rewind CEO Dan Siroker joins Jason to discuss the new Rewind Pendant AI device that can record conversations (1:08), debate privacy and ethical concerns around covert recording (9:32), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:08) Dan breaks down the Rewind Pendant

(8:05) Codecademy - Try Codecademy Pro FREE for 14 days at http://codecademy.com/TWiST

(9:32) Privacy and ethical concerns around covert recording

(20:42) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason

(21:47) Comparisons to products like Google Glass and Humane

(24:15) Design considerations and the best use cases for Rewind Pendant

(30:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(31:32) The need for thoughtful development of personal AI and the value of open feedback

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Follow Dan: https://twitter.com/dsiroker

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Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Follow TWiST:

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/29/bill-ackmans-spac-gets-green-light-from-the-sec-and-hes-looking-for-something-to-buy.html

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

NEWS: Ackman's SPARC, Unity CEO steps down amidst dev revolt, AI operating costs skyrocket | E1827 Oct 12, 2023

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Today’s show:

Jason is back to break down the news: Bill Ackman's SPARC (1:32), Unity CEO steps down due to developer revolt over pricing changes (15:33), the AI operating cost problem (32:17), the latest on SBF's trial (45:32), and more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:32) Bill Ackman's SPARC

(14:02) Catalog - Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist

(15:33) Unity CEO steps down over developer revolt, importance of getting pricing right

(24:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist

(26:05) Lyft looks to get rid of surge pricing

(32:17) Big tech firms are losing money on AI tools due to high operating costs

(37:10) Roots - Head to https://investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today

(38:43) Google's Project Green Light: AI is helping cities like Seattle reduce carbon emissions from cars by optimizing traffic lights

(45:32) SBF Trial Update

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LINKS:

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230929101720/en/Pershing-Square-SPARC-Holdings-Ltd.-Announces-Launch-and-SPAR-Distribution

https://www.sec.gov/oiea/investor-alerts-and-bulletins/what-you-need-know-about-spacs-investor-bulletin

https://fortune.com/2022/07/12/bill-ackman-liquidates-largest-spac-ever-returns-4-billion-investors-blank-check-era-fades

https://venturebeat.com/games/john-riccitiello-steps-down-as-ceo-of-unity-after-pricing-battle

https://unity.com/pricing#plans-individualsand-teams

https://www.axios.com/2023/09/13/unity-runtime-fee-policy-marc-whitten

https://twitter.com/InnerslothDevs/status/1701731398498013575

State of early-stage VC, finding PMF, Caroline Ellison testifies & more with Zach Coelius | E1826 Oct 11, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit!

Miro. Working remotely doesn’t mean you need to feel disconnected from your team. Miro is an online whiteboard that brings teams together - anytime, anywhere. Go to https://miro.com/startups to sign up for a FREE account with unlimited team members.

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Today’s show:

Zach Coelius joins Jason to discuss the phases of early-stage startups (2:01), break down the state of VC (13:17), answer live questions from the audience (22:36), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Zach Coelius joins Jason

(2:01) The three phases of early-stage startups

(10:00) Fount - Get $500 off an executive health coach at https://fount.bio/twist

(11:31) Advantages that Builder/Founder startups possess

(13:17) The state of VC: The LP and GP relationship, post-ZIRP, and startup soft landings

(21:10) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(22:36) Question: How do you describe PMF in the simplest terms possible

(29:20) Question: How hard is it for first-time founders to raise pre-seed?

(39:46) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(41:11) Question: I will be in the Bay Area for two weeks… any advice on how to efficiently meet VCs to pitch my startup?

(45:56) Question: What are attributes of companies that are getting funded today? More stable and breakeven? Different industries? What is working today?

(54:49) Breaking news: Caroline Ellison, CEO of Alameda Research testifies for first time today in SBF’s trial

(1:01:49) Cruise robotaxi fleet deployed in San Francisco

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Follow Zach: https://twitter.com/zachcoelius

*

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Bill Gurley and Sunny Madra talk open-source vs. proprietary AI | E1825 Oct 10, 2023

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Today’s show:

Bill Gurley and Sunny Madra join Jason to discuss open-source AI vs. proprietary AI (1:12), friends and foes of open-source AI (5:42), and strategic choices companies make between open and closed approaches (9:48). Then, Sunny demos more AI tools (22:45), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(1:12) Bill Gurley joins to break down open-source vs. proprietary AI

(5:42) Friends and foes of open-source AI

(8:17) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(9:48) Strategic choices companies make between open and closed approaches

(21:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(22:45) Sunny demos LLaVA: Large Language and Vision Assistant

(29:56) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(31:00) Sunny breaks down parameter models

(38:56) Companies manufacturing their own chips

(42:26) Sunny demos Mistral AI

(46:56) Jason and Sunny demo Meta AI on WhatsApp

(50:44) FTX and the SBF trial

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Follow Bill: https://twitter.com/bgurley

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Check out LLaVA: https://llava-vl.github.io/

Check out Mistral: https://huggingface.co/spaces/Open-Orca/Mistral-7B-OpenOrca?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

NEWS: Breaking down SBF's trial and the downfall of FTX | E1824 Oct 07, 2023

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Today’s show:

Jason breaks down the SBF trial (11:47), the peak of the crypto hype (19:15), and takes a few live questions (42:26)!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:42) Michael Lewis’ book and FTX’s downfall

(10:18) House of Macadamias - Get a free month's supply of Macadamia Milk with any order at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20!

(11:47) SBF’s trial and the prosecutor's argument

(15:42) The reasons people flipped on SBF

(19:15) Crypto hype, wash trading, and the reason for regulations

(23:31) Roots - Head to https://investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(25:05) The defense's argument

(28:49) How investors look at SBF and the importance of governance in a startup

(33:57) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(35:12) Witnesses and Jason's verdict prediction

(42:26) Questions from live audience!

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Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

NEWS: Anthropic targets $20B+ valuation, Flexport chaos & more! | E1823 Oct 06, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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With Mercury Raise, startup founders no longer have to navigate roadblocks alone. Visit mercury.com/raise to get access to a network, connections, and advice.

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

NetSuite. Once your business gets to a certain size the cracks start to emerge. Things you used to do in a day take a week. You deserve a customized solution - and that's NetSuite. Learn more when you download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist - absolutely free, at NetSuite.com/twist.

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Today’s show:

Jason breaks down Amazon’s Anthropic deal and the state of AI mega-rounds (5:29), Flexport’s growing pains through the lens of founding CEO vs. hired gun (24:58), and DoorDash’s new stealthy “Dine Out” feature (44:52).

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(2:42) Recap of Anthropic's big week

(5:29) Amazon’s Anthropic deal and the state of AI mega-rounds

(7:35) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(9:04) Two major details in Amazon’s Anthropic deal

(18:57) Strategic investors and Anthropic’s corporate structure

(23:32) Mercury Raise - Visit http://mercury.com/raise to get access to a network, connections, and advice

(24:58) Flexport’s growing pains through the lens of founding CEO vs. hired gun

(35:17) Why Dave Clark being fired “for cause” instead of being allowed to resign matters

(38:20) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://netsuite.com/twist

(39:45) Flexport's offer to Clark

(44:52) DoorDash’s new stealthy “Dine Out!” feature

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Reuters article: https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/amazon-steps-up-ai-race-with-up-4-billion-deal-invest-anthropic-2023-09-25/

The Information article: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-rival-anthropic-in-talks-to-raise-2-billion-from-google-others-as-ai-arms-race-accelerates

CNBC article: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/the-inside-story-of-dave-clarks-tumultuous-last-days-at-flexport.html

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Kayak CEO Steve Hafner on the state of travel, AI's place, hospitality trends, and more! | E1822 Oct 03, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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LinkSquares. Life for in-house legal just got a whole lot easier. From contract creation to execution and more, LinkSquares is the go-to for all your legal needs. Learn more at https://linksquares.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Kayak CEO Steve Hafner joins Jason to discuss the current landscape of the travel industry (1:56), its economic dynamics (17:40), emerging trends in hospitality (41:08), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Kayak CEO Steve Hafner joins Jason

(1:56) The state of the travel industry today and the adoption of AI

(10:50) Roots - Head to https://investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(12:15) Navigating shifts in UI and building bulletproof features for at-scale companies

(15:32) Kayak's response to the impact of Covid-19 on the industry

(17:40) The economics of the travel industry

(28:14) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(29:36) OpenTable, diner ratings, and the advent of QR code ordering

(34:29) The drive behind OpenTable's revenue stream and product adoption

(39:54) LinkSquares - The go-to for all your legal needs; learn more at https://linksquares.com/twist

(41:08) Hospitality trends in hotels

(50:02) The impact of AI gains on Kayak’s operations

*

Follow Steve: https://twitter.com/shafner

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI demos! Microsoft’s Windows Copilot, ChatGPT multimodal, Meta’s AI chatbots | E1821 Oct 03, 2023

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*

Today’s show:

Sunny joins Jason for more demos! Microsoft’s Windows 11 Copilot (2:42), ChatGPT’s multimodal features (28:37), and Meta’s new AI chatbots (1:04:34) are all covered!!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:42) Sunny demos Windows 11 Copilot preview

(9:48) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(10:55) Windows 11 Copilot to desktop interaction and areas needing improvement

(15:06) Consequences of recording desktop interactions for AI and the final grade for Windows 11 Copilot

(27:17) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(28:37) Sunny demos ChatGPT’s multimodal features

(36:32) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(38:01) Job destruction and AI’s effects on the workplace

(43:57) The utilization of multiple AI agents

(46:05) ChatGPT’s voice chat feature

(52:24) Personalization and the path to AGI

(1:02:09) Common Crawl and use of web crawl data

(1:04:34) Meta’s new AI chatbots

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Check out Definitive Intelligence: https://www.definitive.io/

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

OpenAI taps Jony Ive for “iPhone for AI," FTC/Amazon + Roam Around CEO Shie Gabbai | E1820 Sep 29, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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*

Today's show:

Jason kicks off the show by discussing the reported talks between OpenAI, Jony Ive, and Masayoshi Son to build the "iPhone of AI” (1:17), and the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Amazon (9:45). Then, Roam Around CEO Shie Gabbai joins Jason to discuss the journey of doing a travel startup in the AI space (20:53), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:17) OpenAI in advanced talks with Jony Ive and Masayoshi Son, aiming to Raise $1 Billion for the "iPhone of AI”

(8:13) Supergut - Get 25% off with code TWIST at https://supergut.com

(9:45) The FTC and 17 states have brought an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon and Lina Khan's agenda

(13:48) Quick recap of Lina Khan’s results so far as FTC chair and the tactics used in the Amazon lawsuit

(19:24) Catalog - Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist

(20:53) Roam Around CEO Shie Gabbai joins Jason

(23:51) Shie demos Roam Around and explains the driving idea behind the app

(27:23) The emergence of multimodal LLMs and other technological advancements

(31:46) Business model, additional product features, and the path ahead

(37:01) Codecademy - Try Codecademy Pro FREE for 14 days at http://codecademy.com/TWiST

(38:21) The B2B side of AI and the travel industry's tension with Google

*

Follow Shie: https://twitter.com/Shie_eth

Check out Roam Around: https://www.roamaround.io

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Startup pitch competition: Jason invests $25K | E1819 Sep 29, 2023

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Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

*

Today’s show:

Kelly Schricker joins Jason to kick off another startup pitch competition featuring four companies from Founder University Cohorts 5 and 6!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason and Kelly kick off another startup pitch competition!

(6:52) Why founding teams have an advantage over solo founders

(11:47) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(13:18) Founder University's program, and crafting the best pitch for your company

(22:24) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason

(23:38) Jason Kappes pitches Newcomer Games

(25:58) Jason’s feedback for Newcomer Games

(32:24) Mercury - Join 100K+ startups banking with Mercury at http://mercury.com

(33:36) Matthew Majcher pitches Scrumly

(35:43) Jason’s feedback for Scrumly

(40:41) Jared Rosen pitches HomeScore

(42:59) Jason’s feedback for HomeScore

(52:21) Phoenix Do pitches Fitted

(54:26) Jason’s feedback for Fitted

(1:08:49) Kelly and Jason review the four companies and their pitches

(1:16:16) Jason picks his winning startup!

*

Check out Newcomer Games: https://newcomergames.com

Check out Scrumly: https://www.scrumly.ai

Check out HomeScore: https://homescore.co

Check out Fitted: https://www.fittedcollective.com

*

Follow Kelly: https://twitter.com/KSchricks

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The future of fintech with Plaid CEO Zach Perret | E1818 Sep 28, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist.

The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

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*

Today’s show:

Plaid CEO Zach Perret joins Jason to break down the behind-the-scenes details of Plaid’s canceled merger with Visa (1:21), Plaid’s origin story (16:44), tactics on growing a community within your early customer base (27:36), and more!

*

FOLLOW Zach: https://twitter.com/zachperret

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason welcomes Plaid CEO Zach Perret!

(1:21) Plaid's canceled Visa merger, coming out the other side of a canceled acquisition stronger

(11:30) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(12:36) Zach breaks down Plaid's product and business

(16:44) Plaid's origin story

(26:08) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://embroker.com/twist

(27:36) Tactics for growing a community within your customer base

(35:24) Competition, specifically from financial giants

(38:58) Fount - Get $500 off an executive health coach at https://fount.bio/twist

(40:28) FedNow, CBDCs, and the next evolution of payment rails

(50:13) Silicon Valley Bank implosion from Plaid's POV

(53:17) Surviving 2022, and the future of fintech in 2023 and beyond

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Grammarly CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury on the future of user-centric language tools | E1817 Sep 27, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://CLAconnect.com/tech

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LinkSquares. Life for in-house legal just got a whole lot easier. From contract creation to execution and more, LinkSquares is the go-to for all your legal needs. Learn more at https://linksquares.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Grammarly CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury joins Jason to discuss his journey to CEO (15:28), Grammarly’s product features (26:20), AI integrations (32:28), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Grammarly CEO Rahul Roy-Chowdhury joins Jason

(4:19) Rahul's start in tech and his time on the Google Chrome team.

(8:57) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(10:24) The Chrome team and Chrome OS

(15:28) Journey to Grammarly CEO

(19:29) Exploring applications and platforms for Grammarly

(25:05) LinkSquares - The go-to for all your legal needs, learn more at https://linksquares.com/twist

(26:20) The product roadmap and what draws people into Grammarly

(35:04) Grammarly's business and enterprise offerings

(37:32) Codecademy - Try Codecademy Pro FREE for 14 days at http://codecademy.com/TWiST

(38:53) Product Features: Knowledge Share and Grammarly Goals

(42:28) The addition of Grammarly Go and the LLM powering it

(47:12) Controversial product features

(54:17) When to use the native desktop application and extensions

(57:13) Future integration of AI and the path ahead

*

Follow Rahul: https://twitter.com/rahulrc

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Google Bard Extensions and AI demos with Sunny Madra | E1816 Sep 25, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at https://investwithroots.com/TWIST

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Google's recently launched Bard Extensions (2:27), demo AI tools (49:02), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:27) Demo of recently released Google Bard Extensions

(7:51) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(9:23) Demo of Google Bard Extensions continued (Google Maps)

(20:07) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(21:30) Demo of Google Bar Extensions (Gmail and YouTube)

(33:58) Roots - Head to https://investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(35:23) Jason and Sunny grade and share opinions on Google Bard Extensions

(41:24) Microsoft Copilot

(43:01) YouTube Create, YouTube’s editing app for mobile creators

(49:02) Jason demos VENDOR

(52:21) Sunny demos SEC Insights

*

Check out Google Bard Extensions: https://www.bard.google.com

Check out yc.v.inc: https://www.yc.v.inc

Check out Microsoft Copilot: https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2023/09/21/announcing-microsoft-copilot-your-everyday-ai-companion/

Check Out YouTube Create: https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/made-on-youtube-2023/

Check out SEC Insights: https://www.secinsights.ai/

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Check out Definitive Intelligence: https://www.definitive.io/about

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Jason Unplugged: IPO market, WaPo tactics against Dave Portnoy + Live Q&A | E1815 Sep 23, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Corient - Speak with one of Corient's wealth management advisors today at http://corient.com

*

Today’s show:

Jason goes live to break down Cisco acquiring Splunk and what this means for the broader M&A market (3:56), the latest IPO trends (13:50), WaPo tactics against Dave Portnoy (16:14), and questions asked by the live audience (23:52)!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(3:56) Cisco acquires Splunk for $28B

(7:07) MasterClass - Get 15% off an annual membership at https://masterclass.com/startups

(8:36) Instacart’s IPO and why CPG is a major advertising category

(13:50) IPO trends and what that means for the startup market

(16:14) WaPo tactics against Dave Portnoy

(22:26) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art using at https://Masterworks.com/twist

(23:52) Questions from live audience: "Do VCs ever go back to previous business trends or does everyone focus exclusively on the it-thing like AI today?”

(26:05) "How do startups outside Silicon Valley access VC funding, or do you just have to make the journey there?”

(27:10) "Heard you say you believe we still have six months of this down market. What makes you arrive at this prediction...?”

(30:57) "Since you invest in so many companies each year, how do you find alpha and separate these startups from each other?”

(33:49) Corient - Speak with one of Corient's wealth management advisors today at http://corient.com

(34:49) Why is Jason doing the cloud kitchen incubator?

(38:19) "Do you believe there should be guardrails on AI or as little regulation as possible to help spur innovation?”

(40:40) " Which areas do you recommend founders to cut burn that impacts growth released?”

(42:24) "Interest is forbidden in Islam, but I really want to invest or create an investment group without interest. Is this possible?”

(44:14) "How do you advise founders to solve disagreements internally?”

(45:39) "What is a book that you've read recently that you would highly recommend?”

(45:56) "Do you think the UK is underperforming when it comes to unicorns and big impact on startups?”

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

How Replit is using AI to supercharge IDEs with Amjad Masad | E1814 Sep 22, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to https://startups.tech/jason to find out how!

Supergut is the only nutrition brand clinically-proven to improve digestion, balance blood sugar, sustain energy, and manage weight. Save 25% on their delicious shakes, bars, and prebiotic mix at https://Supergut.com with code TWIST.

*

Today’s show:

Replit CEO Amjad Masad joins Jason to discuss the latest developments in IDEs (3:04), leveraging AI for coding (11:48), Replit’s Ghostwriter (23:40), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Replit CEO Amjad Masad joins Jason

(3:04) The origin of integrated development environments (IDEs) uses and importance for developers

(6:44) IntelliSense, Replit's Ghostwriter and other debugging tools

(10:28) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(11:48) Leveraging AI in suggestion tools and coding platforms

(14:17) The role of autonomous agents in startup development

(19:20) Replit's Bounties platform and Replit's mission to build artificial developer intelligence (ADI)

(22:25) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason

(23:40) Amjad Masad demos Replit's Ghostwriter and other apps

(31:46) Getting more people to become developers and low-code platforms

(36:35) Supergut - Get 25% off with code TWIST at https://supergut.com

(38:06) “Make Something Wonderful” Steve Jobs in his own words

(43:56) The human mind and the origin of Amjad's passion for computers

(48:22) Embracing AI and the resulting changes at Replit

(55:27) Paradigm shifts in Hollywood and tech

(1:03:06) thebrain.com

*

Check out Replit: https://replit.com

Follow Amjad: https://twitter.com/amasad

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Benchmark's Sarah Tavel on the state of VC, AI's impact on startups & more! | E1813 Sep 20, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Mercury. 90% of startups fail. Just 10 out of every 100 make it. Mercury exists to close that gap — helping companies succeed with banking and credit cards engineered for the startup journey. Join over 100,000 companies banking with Mercury at http://mercury.com

Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

*

Today's show:

Benchmark's Sarah Tavel joins Jason to discuss the state of VC (1:57), her time at Benchmark (13:33), her recent Substack blogs (31:51), AI's impact on startups (44:31), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Benchmark's Sarah Tavel joins Jason

(1:57) The state of VC and the biggest things founders have had to contend with

(12:08) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(13:33) Benchmark's culture

(21:35) Evolving trends in VC

(24:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(25:45) Tradeoffs and common VC mistakes

(31:51) Sarah's Substack blogs and the inspiration behind her writing

(35:42) Mercury - Join 100K+ startups banking with Mercury at http://mercury.com

(36:54) Entrepreneurship in 2023 and the importance of a founder's long-term vision

(44:31) Technology catalysts and how AI is impacting startups

(58:36) Business models, the amount of developers needed, and navigating funding rounds

(1:04:42) The complexities of strategic partnerships and corporate VC

(1:14:54) M&A in the era of Lina Kahn and looking at the macro picture as an investor

*

Follow Sarah: https://twitter.com/sarahtavel

Check out Sarah's Substack: https://www.sarahtavel.com

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Oura CEO Tom Hale on Hardware-as-a-Service, navigating ZIRP, journey to CEO & more! | E1812 Sep 19, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

LinkSquares. Life for in-house legal just got a whole lot easier. From contract creation to execution and more, LinkSquares is the go-to for all your legal needs. Learn more at linksquares.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Oura CEO Tom Hale joins Jason to discuss his journey to becoming CEO of Oura (3:02), subscription-based business models (7:05), navigating ZIRP (39:37), the challenges of scaling a hardware business (45:00), and so much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Oura CEO Tom Hale joins Jason

(3:02) Tom's journey to becoming CEO

(7:05) The significance of subscription models for business operations & product innovation

(11:28) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(12:57) Oura's subscription-based business model

(23:04) Cultivating positive habits & Oura’s advanced tracking features

(26:26) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(27:47) Leading a company and instilling core values

(34:51) The impact of pausing marketing & harnessing the power of virality

(38:20) LinkSquares - The go-to for all your legal needs, learn more at https://linksquares.com/twist

(39:37) The ZIRP phenomenon and the challenges of scaling up

(45:00) Finding a strong product-market fit

(53:35) Merging personalization with consumer-focused approaches in healthcare

(1:03:45) Oura’s company culture

*

Check out Oura: https://ouraring.com

Follow Tom: https://twitter.com/tomeghale

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

OpenAI and Google race to launch multimodal LLM plus AI demos with Sunny Madra | E1811 Sep 19, 2023

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Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Sunny’s All-In Summit experience (1:34), OpenAI’s race to beat Google in launching the first multimodal LLM (9:07), whether generative AI needs a UI shift (33:00), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(1:34) All-In Summit 2023 recap and Sunny’s experience

(7:44) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(9:07) OpenAI’s race to beat Google in launching the first multimodal LLM

(14:42) Experiences with image-generating AI and Midjourney's interface

(19:23) The culture at Apple and where risk aversion sets them back

(22:32) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(24:03) Google’s advantages and chances against OpenAI in multimodal LLMs

(31:30) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(33:00) UI developments and what sets multimodal LLMs apart

(44:22) ChatGPT Enterprise

(45:37) Sunny demos Canva’s ChatGPT plugin

(55:00) Code LLaMa's potential and Falcon 180B’s unique features

(59:41) Sunny demos Headshots AI

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Check out Headshots AI: https://headshots-starter.vercel.app/overview

Check out Falcon 180B: https://falconllm.tii.ae/

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: The Path to Reaching Net Zero with Avnos CEO Will Kain | E1810 Sep 15, 2023

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Today’s show:

Avnos CEO Will Kain joins Jason to discuss the importance of direct air capture technology for our planet (4:07), CO2's relationship to climate change (11:02), the path to reaching net zero (36:45), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Avnos CEO Will Kain joins Jason

(4:07) What carbon capture is and what makes it important

(6:15) The high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere

(9:46) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/unicorn

(11:02) CO2’s relationship to climate change

(19:05) Fount - Get $500 off at https://fount.bio/twist

(20:36) Direct air capture (DAC) technology developments and the cost of carbon capture

(26:17) What is takes to power a DAC system, resource efficiency, and Avnos’ unique HDAC

(32:33) Environmental conditions for DAC

(35:16) Catalog - Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist

(36:45) The path to reaching net zero

(38:49) Monetization strategies

(42:46) The section 45Q tax credit legislation and the VC angle

(50:48) Avnos’ number one goal

(55:44) Mastering natural systems

(59:36) AI’s impact on DAC technology

*

Check out Avnos: https://www.avnos.com

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Transforming DTC via supply chain innovations with Boll & Branch CEO Scott Tannen | E1809 Sep 14, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show:

Boll & Branch CEO Scott Tannen joins Jason to discuss taking control of the supply chain (11:40), building a trusted brand through transparency (18:12), the importance of boots-on-the-ground methodology (28:02), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Boll & Branch CEO Scott Tannen joins Jason

(3:12) Boll & Branch’s position in the market

(4:53) The origin story, insights gained about supply chains, and increasing product quality

(10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:40) Going deep into the supply chain dynamics and Boll & Branch’s key innovation

(16:05) The benefits of organic cotton and creating a cost of goods advantage

(18:12) How traceability sets Boll & Branch apart as a textile brand

(24:40) Plunge - Go to https://plunge.com and use code twist150 for $150 off

(26:11) Hotels and the hospitality business

(28:02) The importance of Fairtrade certification and the boots-on-the-ground methodology

(38:33) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://netsuite.com/twist

(40:04) Human rights, inclusion, and global wages

(45:10) The impact of inflation post-covid and the changes in consumer behavior

(46:48) The cost of marketing and the channels that work

*

Check out Boll & Branch: https://www.bollandbranch.com/

FOLLOW Scott: https://twitter.com/scotttannen

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Expanding AI chip capabilities beyond Nvidia with Modular CEO Chris Lattner | E1808 Sep 14, 2023

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Today’s show:

Modular CEO Chris Lattner joins Jason to discuss the process of building LLMs (8:14), what caused Nvidia to be entrenched in machine learning today (35:37), the AI wrapper debate (41:44), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Modular CEO Chris Lattner joins Jason

(2:24) Where hardware and optimization stand today

(8:14) What goes into deploying and distributing an AI model into a product

(10:32) Roots - Head to https://investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(12:02) Why companies make their own machine-learning software

(14:32) Nvidia’s outlook on what Modular is building

(18:46) Chris’s time at Apple

(20:05) Strategies for reducing complexity

(22:53) Awareness of underlying complexities in the technology stack

(25:14) Supergut - Get 30% off with code TWIST at https://supergut.com

(26:46) What it will look like in five to ten years; Increase consumption by creating new categories

(31:29) The open-source community; RISC-V and Arm

(34:15) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(35:37) How Nvidia secured its position

(38:21) The AlexNet moment

(41:44) The AI wrapper debate

(44:32) OpenAI moving from non-profit to profit and open to closed-system

(46:32) The lack of programmers and the ability to do more with less

(52:09) Modular Mojo and other developments

*

Check out Modular: https://www.modular.com/

FOLLOW Chris: https://twitter.com/clattner_llvm

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Inside crypto’s wild rise and fall with “Number Go Up” author Zeke Faux | E1807 Sep 12, 2023

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Today’s show:

Zeke Faux, the author of “Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall,” joins Jason to discuss crypto’s crazy rise and fall (3:58), how SBF learned to play the game (16:22), red flags at Tether (26:13), and so much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Zeke Faux, the author of “Number Go Up” joins Jason

(3:58) Meeting Sam Bankman-Fried in the Bahamas and first impressions

(10:23) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(11:30) SBF, his colleagues, and a hint of substance abuse

(16:22) The group psychosis and how they learned to play the game

(24:51) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(26:13) Operations and red flags at Tether

(35:44) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(37:15) Revisiting Zeke’s investigative journalism in Cambodia

(44:16) From organized crime to legitimate business

(46:59) Terraform Labs and the collapse of Luna

(49:05) The VC perspective and regulations in place

*

Buy Number Go Up: https://www.amazon.com/Number-Go-Up-Cryptos-Staggering/dp/0593443810

FOLLOW Zeke: https://twitter.com/ZekeFaux

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora on cybersecurity in the age of AI | E1806 Sep 11, 2023

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LinkSquares. Life for in-house legal just got a whole lot easier. From contract creation to execution and more, LinkSquares is the go-to for all your legal needs. Learn more at linksquares.com/twist.

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Today’s show:

Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora joins Jason to discuss his time as head of Google Europe (2:26), strategies learned from Larry Page (15:23), precision AI’s role in cybersecurity (43:14), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora joins Jason

(2:26) Becoming head of Google Europe and meeting Eric Schmidt, Larry Page and Sergey Brin

(10:15) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(11:46) Maintaining Google’s culture in Europe and the hiring process

(15:23) Applying strategies learned from Larry Page to Palo Alto Networks

(17:59) Sub-categories of EQ manifested in the workplace

(22:12) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(23:41) What led Nikesh to be CEO of one of the top Cybersecurity firms

(30:24) Cybersecurity against artificial intelligence

(35:31) The SEC’s mandate on breach reporting

(38:35) LinkSquares - The go-to for all your legal needs, learn more at https://linksquares.com/twist

(39:51) The SEC’s mandate on breach reporting continued

(45:54) Gains from AI and what it means for organizations

(43:14) Precision AI’s role in security

(53:14) The future of AI technology and the battle of the chatbots

(57:41) Nikesh’s time at SoftBank working directly with Masayoshi Son

*

FOLLOW Nikesh: https://twitter.com/nikesharora

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Building for the circular economy and the future of shopping with Poshmark’s Manish Chandra | E1805 Sep 09, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

.Tech domains are the go-to namespace to build anything in tech… and home to the world’s most innovative startups. Secure your .Tech domain today and lock down a 1-year domain for $10, or a 5-year domain for $50 at https://go.tech/TWIST today!

Plunge. Go to https://plunge.com and use code twist150 for $150 off your cold plunge tub.

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Today’s show:

Poshmark CEO Manish Chandra joins Jason to discuss the expansion of the “Circular Economy” (2:47), consumer-to-consumer shopping (18:30), building a community with Poshmark (32:59), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Poshmark CEO Manish Chandra joins Jason

(2:47) The expansion of the "Circular Economy" and what drives consumers towards Poshmark

(6:31) The most popular shopping categories and Poshmark’s day one vision

(11:51) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(13:20) Impact of the fast fashion movement

(20:56) Global shipping and areas for optimization

(24:38) Poshmark introducing live shows

(27:04) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason

(28:12) The social shopping space

(32:59) Important factors in building a community

(37:52) Plunge - Go to https://plunge.com and use code twist150 for $150 off

(39:20) Lessons learned from Manish’s entrepreneurial journey

*

FOLLOW Manish: https://twitter.com/marrc

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Sequoia’s Roelof Botha on “Crucible Moments” and the state of VC | E1804 Sep 07, 2023

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Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

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Today’s show: Roelof Botha joins Jason to discuss the state of VC (3:35), Sequoia’s new series “Crucible Moments” (9:31), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sequoia Capital’s Roelof Botha joins Jason

(3:35) The state of the Silicon Valley ecosystem

(8:00) Supergut - Get 30% off with code TWIST at https://supergut.com

(9:31) “Crucible Moments” and their significance

(14:31) Pre-IPO vs. Post-IPO market values

(18:10) Founder ambition and mistakes made during “Crucible Moments”

(22:25) The importance of founders starting narrow and what makes a great VC in tech

(27:20) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(28:49) Commonalities between the AI boom and the crypto boom

(33:31) U.S. frameworks regarding crypto

(37:10) Mercury - Join 100K+ startups banking with Mercury at http://mercury.com

(38:23) The milestone-based reward system in venture capital

(43:24) Taking over as head steward at Sequoia Capital

(56:02) “Crucible Moments” at Sequoia

(1:05:57) Maintaining consistency in life and venture

*

FOLLOW Roelof: https://twitter.com/roelofbotha

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

David Sacks and Ethan Ruby on launching SaaSGrid | E1803 Sep 06, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Fitbod. Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST.

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Today’s show:

SaaSGrid Co-Founders Ethan Ruby and David Sacks join Jason to demo SaaSGrid and break down the solution it provides for founders (3:12). They also cover the software recession (26;18), AI’s impact on SaaS (36:41), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) David Sacks and Ethan Ruby join Jason

(3:12) The solution SaaSGrid provides for founders

(7:02) Ethan demos SaaSGrid

(9:25) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off and a free box of Namibian Sea Salted Macadamia Nuts at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20

(10:45) Burn multiple and startup efficiency

(16:27) Fixed cost of a SaaS business today and major roadblocks in SaaS

(20:40) Determining target customers and when outbound makes sense

(25:10) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(26:18) Headwinds against SaaS and the software recession

(30:12) The MRR chart and analyzing contraction and churn

(35:13) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(36:41) AI’s impact on SaaS companies

(41:47) The ZIRP/COVID-19 bubble and founders skipping funding rounds

(44:37) The 3 MOST important things for SaaS companies to pay attention to

*

Check out SaaSGrid: https://www.saasgrid.com/

FOLLOW Ethan: https://twitter.com/ethanjruby

FOLLOW David: https://twitter.com/DavidSacks

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Preventing future fraud using AI with Sardine CEO Soups Ranjan | E1802 Sep 05, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

LinkSquares. Life for in-house legal just got a whole lot easier. From contract creation to execution and more, LinkSquares is the go-to for all your legal needs. Learn more at https://linksquares.com/twist

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://LinkedIn.com/nextunicorn

Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at https://investwithroots.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Sardine CEO and Co-Founder Soups Ranjan joins Jason to discuss the potential harms of generative AI re: fraud (9:53), the value of intrinsic AI (29:48), Sardine's fraud-prevention solution (26:02), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sardine CEO Soups Ranjan joins Jason

(6:11) What Soups learned from his time as Coinbase’s director of risk management and data science

(8:36) LinkSquares - The go-to for all your legal needs. Learn more at https://⁠linksquares.com/twist

(9:53) Fraud in finance and spotting bad actors

(15:03) “Pig Butchering” scams and Kitboga’s crackdown

(24:35) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/nextunicorn

(26:02) Using machine learning to prevent future fraud

(29:48) Extrinsic AI vs. intrinsic AI and doomsday scenarios

(33:53) What sets Sardine apart from other companies

(35:19) Roots - Head to https://investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(36:53) Overlap in techniques, actors, etc. in fraud protection

*

Check out Sardine: https://www.sardine.ai/

FOLLOW Soups: https://twitter.com/soupsranjan

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Building a blood-testing startup in 2023 with Vital CEO Vasu Nadella | E1801 Sep 04, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

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Today’s show:

Vital Biosciences CEO Vasu Nadella joins Jason to discuss exactly how Vital’s “VitalOne” conducts 50+ blood tests with a small sample of blood (9:16), building investor trust in the wake of past industry failures (18:45), creating accessible care (40:35), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Vital Biosciences CEO and Co-Founder Vasu Nadella joins Jason

(1:18) Theranos’ background and what prompted Vasu to pursuit

(7:56) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(9:16) Vasu demos how the VitalOne works, lessons learned on Vital’s journey

(18:45) Scaling the company, raising a war chest, building trust in the product, benchmarking and governance for labs

(27:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(29:07) State of lab robotics, paths for incorporating AI into Vital’s technology, benefits of converging technologies

(39:16) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(40:35) Creating accessible modern lab testing

(45:38) Consumer behavior and the outcome of consumers controlling spend

*

Check out Vital Bio: https://vitalbio.com

FOLLOW Vasu: https://twitter.com/vasunadella

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Bootstrapping to IPO, product-led growth, & scaling SaaS with Atlassian's Scott Farquhar | E1800 Sep 01, 2023

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*

Today’s show:

Atlassian Co-CEO Scott Farquhar joins Jason to break down how he and his Co-Founder bootstrapped Atlassian to an IPO (1:34), his lessons from acquiring, growing and eventually selling HipChat (13:43), thoughts on product-led growth (29:27), generative AI tools for the enterprise (39:43), and more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Atlassian Co-CEO Scott Farquhar joins Jason!

(1:34) Atlassian origins, bootstrapping to IPO

(12:22) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:43) Lessons from HipChat: Acquiring and growing the service, selling to Slack, what Scott would do differently

(19:39) Atlassian's two playbooks: bootstrapping and aggressive growth

(27:57) Supergut - Get 25% off with code TWIST at https://supergut.com

(29:27) How product-led growth leads to a sharper product team, how Atlassian is thinking about LLMs and generative AI

(38:20) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(39:43) Remaining flexible re: AI tools, utilizing customer data, when to expect major knowledge work breakthroughs in AI

(47:27) How Scott thinks about AI, remote work, and efficiency

(1:01:39) Staying motivated in Atlassian's third decade

*

Check out Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com

FOLLOW Scott: https://twitter.com/scottfarkas

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Developing drugs to extend dog lifespans with Loyal CEO Celine Halioua | E1799 Aug 30, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Today’s show:

Loyal CEO and Founder Celine Halioua joins Jason to discuss developing drugs that delay dog aging (10:19), lessons learned as a solo founder (49:34), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Loyal CEO Celine Halioua joins Jason

(1:43) The human dream of achieving life extension

(4:37) Celine’s background

(8:48) Fount - Get $500 off at https://fount.bio/twist

(10:19) Why Celine decided to start with a focus on dogs

(16:43) Wegovy, Ozempic, and the category of drugs that Loyal is developing

(20:44) Breaking down how the drugs work and the consequences of selective breeding

(24:21) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/unicorn

(25:36) Stem cell therapy and the placebo effect

(33:29) Environmental factors to consider in drug development

(37:05) The path to commercialization

(39:27) Catalog - Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist

(40:56) Staying intellectually curious and the path to commercialization continued

(46:11) Hitting Series A milestones with less than $500K of the original $5M raised in seed round

(49:34) Lessons learned as a solo founder

*

Follow Celine: https://twitter.com/celinehalioua

Check out Loyal: https://loyalfordogs.com/

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

NEWS: Instacart and Klaviyo file for IPO, State of VC distributions, AI lawsuits | E1798 Aug 29, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

Carta now lets you launch and administer SPVs for your syndicate. Share your knowledge, capital, and network to launch your syndicate SPVs through Carta. Get 10% off your first SPV at carta.com/twist with promo code TWIST.

Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at investwithroots.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Jason breaks down the exit market for LPs (8:57), Instacart and Klaviyo’s IPOs (22:13), writers suing OpenAI and Meta (50:15), and more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Producer Nick joins Jason

(2:27) The significance of Instacart and Klaviyo’s IPO filings

(5:41) The VC exit market

(7:50) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(8:57) The exit market for LPs and over-indexing in venture

(13:57) VC bloat and current state of the market

(20:39) Carta - Get 10% off your first SPV at https://carta.com/twist with promo code TWIST

(22:13) Breaking down Instacart’s S-1

(28:56) Ad dollars moving to new platforms and the importance of being close to the sale

(33:26) Instacart GTV tail off

(36:30) Roots - Head to investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(38:03) Breaking down Klaviyo’s S-1

(44:09) Why it is crucial for founders to retain ownership early on

(50:15) Writers suing OpenAI; are broad-based LLMs trained on tons of data becoming a liability?

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

NEWS: Nvidia’s insane earnings beat, Arm’s IPO filing, and more! | E1797 Aug 24, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Fitbod. Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST.

*

Today’s show:

Jason breaks down Nvidia smashing its quarterly earnings (3:58), Arm filing its F-1 (26:38), how founders should vet accelerators (56:10), and more! (1:03:53)

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Producer Nick joins Jason

(3:58) Nvidia obliterating their Q2 earnings

(8:33) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(10:01) The earnings report’s effects on stock, induced traffic, and the “sell the news” strategy

(16:02) Breaking down the numbers and the market cap chart

(21:31) Overcorrection in big tech companies, the rolling recession, and Nvidia as a momentum stock

(25:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(26:38)Arm filing its F-1 and SoftBank’s deal with Vision Fund

(34:39) Arm’s business model and the risks of whale customers

(37:53) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(39:22) Arm China’s risk to Arm

(46:17) The role of startup accelerators

(49:36) The constant complaints about YC valuations on YC demo day

(53:40) How raising at too high a valuation can lead to getting caught in a valuation trap

(56:10) The Fulcrum venture accelerator “scam” and how founders should vet accelerators

(1:03:53) The greatest bag securer of all time!

(1:13:41) Ryan Breslow’s “corporate wrongdoing”

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Empowering robots to think for themselves via AI with Covariant’s Peter Chen | E1796 Aug 23, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/nextunicorn

*

Today’s show:

Covariant CEO Peter Chen joins Jason to discuss the future of AI in robotics (1:33), the key concepts of reinforcement learning (13:50), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Covariant CEO Peter Chen joins Jason

(1:33) AI’s role in robotics and its value in e-commerce warehouses

(7:38) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(8:59) Reinforcement learning today and the AlphaGo moment

(13:50) The 2 key concepts of reinforcement learning

(17:35) Approaches to accessing data for AI in robotics

(20:35) Robotics hardware

(22:50) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(23:57) Covariant's hardware and software in use

(27:32) The importance of adaptability

(32:40) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/nextunicorn

(34:08) The Tesla Optimus and humanoid robots

(39:58) Overcoming hardware constraints

(44:38) Boomerang investors and customers

*

Follow Peter: https://twitter.com/peterxichen

Check out Covariant : https://covariant.ai/

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Is Nvidia overpriced? Plus, price targets, GodMode demo, and more! | E1795 Aug 22, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST. MasterClass. Learn from the world’s best minds - anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace. Get 15% off an annual membership to MasterClass at masterclass.com/startups Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at investwithroots.com/twist *

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Nvidia’s upcoming earnings and if the company is overvalued (1:08). Then, Sunny demos more AI tools, including an incredible AI dubbing product (16:43)!

*

Time stamps:(00:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason (1:08) Is Nvidia overvalued? (6:05) Leveraging hardware gains (9:46) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (11:02) Nvidia’s price targets and why Jason would not Jay Trade it (16:43) Sunny demos rask.ai (18:50) AI voice dubbing (26:18) MasterClass - Get 15% off an annual membership at https://masterclass.com/startups (27:51) Sunny demos a reconstructed Pink Floyd song from brain recordings (33:28) Sunny demos GodMode (37:43) Roots - Head to investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today! (39:20) Sunny demos Plut o.fi

(46:34) Content theft and Sunny demos PlayHT (55:47) Sunny’s X experiment

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep Check out : https://app.rask.ai/

Check out GodMode: https://github.com/smol-ai/GodMode/releases/tag/v1.0.0-beta.2 Check out the Pink Floyd brain recording: https://news.berkeley.edu/2023/08/15/releases-20230811 Check out Pluto.fi: https://www.pluto.fi/ Check out PlayHT: https://play.ht/

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Inflection AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman on building modern AI, DeepMind origins, and much more | E1794 Aug 18, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

Carta now lets you launch and administer SPVs for your syndicate. Share your knowledge, capital, and network to launch your syndicate SPVs through Carta. Get 10% off your first SPV at carta.com/twist with promo code TWIST.

*

Today’s show:

Inflection AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman joins Jason to discuss DeepMind’s influence on AI (1:17), the hardware revolution (26:27), the foundation of Inflection AI (49:45), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Inflection’s CEO Mustafa Suleyman joins Jason

(1:17) Life before DeepMind

(8:34) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(10:05) DeepMind’s origin story

(15:58) The pitch to Peter Thiel and feedback from early investors

(19:34) DeepMind’s first project

(24:59) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(26:27) The hardware revolution and growth in computing

(30:15) DeepMind’s acquisition by Google and strategy for building an elite team

(34:14) Major achievements at Google

(37:49) Carta - Get 10% off your first SPV at https://carta.com/twist with promo code TWIST

(39:22) Google’s cautious approach to releasing an AI product

(44:59) Regulatory issues and fair compensation

(49:45) The foundation of Inflection AI

(59:50) The downsides of AI and Mustafa’s book, The Coming Wave

(1:08:58) Complacency in tech and Mustafa’s thoughts on remote work

*

Follow Mustafa: https://twitter.com/mustafasuleyman

Check out Inflection AI: https://inflection.ai

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Manufacturing pharma drugs in space with Varda’s Delian Asparouhov | E1793 Aug 16, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at CLAconnect.com/tech

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to http://linkedin.com/unicorn to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

*

Today’s show:

Varda’s Delian Asparouhov is back with Jason to discuss Varda (18:43), his insights on different aspects of venture capital (1:41), the shifts in silicon valley culture (11:56), and much more! Then, Jason is joined by Argyle CEO Maret Thatcher to discuss how her startup is using AR headsets to make construction PMs faster and more efficient. (58:27)

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Varda President and Co-Founder Delian Asparouhov joins Jason

(1:41) Delian’s insights on different aspects of venture capital

(8:35) Defense tech and silicon valley’s aversion to military

(10:48) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(11:56) The shift in silicon valley culture

(14:39) Culture wars and keeping everyone focused

(18:43) The inception of Varda

(23:15) Varda’s first provisions and overall mission

(27:14) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

(28:31) The customer base and transporting cargo into space

(33:14) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/unicorn

(34:30) Proving this is a sustainable business and “induced demand” in this area

(47:21) Government engagement in the startup community

(50:53) Progress around the globe and U.S. relationship with China

(58:27) Argyle CEO Maret Thatcher joins Jason

(1:03:50) Argyle’s product and Magic Leap’s role

(1:07:42) Video examples of the product in the field

(1:09:09) The customer base and how designs are rendered

(1:22:25) Business model and live demo of Argyle's UI

*

Follow Delian: https://twitter.com/zebulgar

Check out Varda: https://www.varda.com

Follow Maret: https://twitter.com/MaretSheWrote

Check out Argyle: https://www.argyle.build

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

The “AI wrapper” debate, AI-powered lead gen, auto-clips, resumes, and more with Sunny Madra | E1792 Aug 15, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist.

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

*

Today’s show:

First up, Sunny Madra is back to discuss the “AI wrapper” stigma, the first official demo-to-investment, and demo more useful AI products! (2:41) Then, Tonebase CEO Igor Lichtmann joins to demo his product, break down how he achieved product-market fit while maintaining capital efficiency, and more! (42:47)

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny Madra is back for more AI demos!

(2:41) The “AI wrapper" debate; VenturusAI is joining the LAUNCH Accelerator as the first full-circle demo-to-investment

(10:09) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(11:23) Klap.app turns YouTube links into multiple TikTok-style videos with captions and ranks them on "Virality Score"

(19:08) Kickresume uses generative AI tools to help users build a fully-fleshed out resumes and prepare for job interviews

(25:15) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(26:34) Browse AI helps users build AI-powered web scraping/data extraction bots with no code

(34:16) Oppwiser is an AI-powered lead gen platform for sales teams

(41:16) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

(42:47) Tonebase CEO Igor Lichtmann joins to demo his music education startup, break down how he achieved product-market fit while maintaining capital efficiency, and more!

*

Check out Tonebase: https://tonebase.co

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Check out Klap: https://klap.app

Check out Kickresume: https://www.kickresume.com

Check out: Browse AI: https://www.browse.ai

Check out Oppwiser: https://oppwiser.com

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Zillow CEO Rich Barton on branding, building in provocative industries, and more! | E1791 Aug 11, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Fitbod. Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST.

*

Today’s show:

Rich Barton joins Jason to give a masterclass on his thought process behind creating evocative top-tier brands like Zillow, Expedia, and Glassdoor. (22:02) Rich also discusses the lessons he learned from Bill Gates during his time at Microsoft (49:22), how tech management has evolved (57:04), and more!

Rich's blog on branding: https://www.hopperanddropper.com/syllables-scrabble-letters-and-picking-brand-names

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Zillow CEO Rich Barton joins Jason

(1:58) The creation of Zillow’s Zestimate

(7:03) “Tension and Importance” and empowering people in the workplace

(13:24) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(14:53) Branding and creating iconic company names

(16:53) Navigating major layoffs

(22:02) Back to building top-tier brands, “What got us here, won’t get us there”

(27:54) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(29:25) Steering the complex dynamics of startup-attorney interactions

(33:22) Defying convention to create stellar products and the effects digital currency

(37:54) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(39:23) Innovating in the real estate industry

(49:22) Lessons Rich learned from Bill Gates during his time at Microsoft

(57:04) How tech management has evolved

(1:01:27) How Covid-19 and remote work changed the landscape

(1:07:02) The concept of “iBuying”

(1:10:31) Continuous high-interest rates, “zoom towns”, and the “great reshuffling”

*

Follow Rich: https://twitter.com/Rich_Barton

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Making surgeons bionic via computer vision & AI with Proprio’s Gabriel Jones | E1790 Aug 09, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Superside. Design and creative are crucial for growth. Tech companies like Shopify, Amazon, and Meta have found the perfect solution: Superside. Get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package superside.com/TWIST

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/nextunicorn.

*

Today’s show:

Proprio CEO Gabriel Jones joins Jason to discuss the struggles surgeons face in the operating room today (23:05), the solutions Proprio’s Paradigm system provides (27:14), the future of surgery (37:03), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Proprio CEO Gabriel Jones joins Jason

(2:09) Proprio’s Light Field-Enabled Surgical technology

(7:03) Gabriel demos the Proprio Paradigm robotic computer vision system

(10:26) Superside - Go to https://superside.com/twist to get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package

(11:58) Generational shifts in medicine

(18:03) The ultimate impact of this technology

(21:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(23:05) The data Proprio operates on and the struggles surgeons face today

(27:14) Bench-top simulation

(32:05) Use of AI and robotics in surgery today

(35:36) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/nextunicorn

(37:03) The choice to utilize Proprio’s technology for spine surgery first

(39:03) Reducing the time needed to perform surgeries

(44:17) Academia vs. Venture, and the importance of “proof points” for investors

(46:44) The FDA approval process

*

Check out Proprio: https://www.propriovision.com/

Follow Gabriel: https://twitter.com/aGabrielJones

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI demos + Jason invests $25K live! | E1789 Aug 08, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get 20% off your first purchase and a free box of Namibian Sea Salted Macadamia Nuts at houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code twist20!

*

Today’s show:

First up, Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo some new AI tools, including auto-generated articles, social clips, and ChatGPT’s newest feature. (3:50) Then, Jason sees pitches from three recent Founder University graduates and invests $25K in one of their startups! (40:33)

Time stamps:

(00:00) Sunny joins Jason

(2:20) The pace of progress in the industry and influx of AI startups

(3:50) Sunny demos byword.ai

(9:58) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(11:19) Building a company today and improving LLMs

(17:21) Sunny demos Submagic

(23:53) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(25:09) Sunny demos ChatGPT’s new Custom Instructions feature

(29:40) TWiST's "all-star" summer and brief TWiST history

(39:13) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off and a free box of Namibian Sea Salted Macadamia Nuts at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20

(40:33) Jason and Kelly kick off another $25K startup pitch competition!

(44:13) Rami pitches Querio.ai

(49:18) Batuhan pitches BeforeSunset.ai

(59:54) Allen Pitches Semanttic

(1:07:03) Kelly and Jason share thoughts, then Jason picks a startup!

(1:11:34) Q&A with Jason

*

Check out byword_: https://byword.ai/

Check out Submagic: https://www.submagic.co

Check out Querio.AI: https://www.querio.ai

Check out BeforeSunset.AI: https://www.beforesunset.ai

Check out Semanttic: https://www.semanttic.com/

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

LK-99 breakthrough with Varda’s Delian Asparouhov & Andrew McCalip | E1788 Aug 04, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

Superside. Design and creative are crucial for growth. Tech companies like Shopify, Amazon, and Meta have found the perfect solution: Superside. Get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package superside.com/TWIST

*

Today’s show:

Varda CEO Delian Asparouhov and R&D head Andrew McCalip join Jason to break down their recent experiment in replicating the LK-99 room-temp superconductor (4:19), the current state of material science (18;52), what the world would look like if this works (26:34), and more. Then, Krepling’s Liam Gerada joins Jason for an update on his business! (40:46)

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Varda CEO Delian Asparouhov and R&D head Andrew McCalip join Jason

(1:21) The LK-99 superconductor and how Varda is involved

(4:19) Varda’s latest achievements in replicating the LK-99 superconductor

(8:05) Is this the real deal or just a strong diamagnetic effect

(11:00) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(12:30) Securing the material needed to run these experiments

(14:06) The increased interest in Varda and feedback from the community

(18:52) The culture shift in the tech industry

(25:06) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(26:34) Brute force science: How innovation emerges and receives funding

(30:17) How the venture model has continued to evolve

(34:28) Superside - Go to https://superside.com/twist to get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package

(36:00) Questions from the live audience

(40:46) Krepling’s Liam Gerada joins Jason for an update on his business!

*

Check out Varda: https://varda.com

Follow Delian: https://twitter.com/zebulgar

Follow Andrew: https://twitter.com/andrewmccalip

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

How AI startups can navigate the legal landscape with Adam Shevell | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Aug 03, 2023

Today’s show:

Wilson Sonsini partner Adam Shevell joins Jason to discuss gaining access to datasets (1:10), fair use in copyright cases (6:29), and more!

*

Time stamps: (00:00) Wilson Sonsini partner Adam Shevell joins Jason (1:10) Gaining access to datasets, avoiding copyright infringement, and why IP is protected (6:29) The concept of fair use and when it applies (11:26) What new founders should pay attention to (14:59) The Github case (17:42) Proper strategy for getting permission (22:56) How startups get crushed with legal bills (23:32) The Andy Warhol supreme court case * Check out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠https://www.wsgr.com *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Unlocking the power of photonic computing with Lightmatter CEO Nick Harris | E1787 Aug 02, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Carta now lets you launch and administer SPVs for your syndicate. Share your knowledge, capital, and network to launch your syndicate SPVs through Carta. Get 10% off your first SPV at carta.com with promo code TWIST.

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Pro Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Pro Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/unicorn to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

*

Today’s show:

Lightmatter CEO Nick Harris joins Jason to discuss how his startup is revolutionizing the future of computing with photonic chips (1:48), the challenges of building the next-generation AI hardware (18:35), and more!

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Lightmatter CEO Nick Harris joins Jason

(1:48) Photonic computing and the optic engines involved

(5:08) Lightmatter’s background and customer base

(9:24) The impact of this technology

(11:38) Carta - Get 10% off your first SPV at https://carta.com with promo code TWIST

(13:12) Catching up to demand and the endgame for process tech in semiconductors

(15:37) Using AI tools to build AI chips and the potential of data centers in space

(18:35) Fixing issues associated with advanced chips and supercomputers

(21:58) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at

checkout!

(23:30) Where we are on the path to AGI

(26:17) Nick’s background in quantum computing

(29:15) The LK-99 superconductor

(33:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://LinkedIn.com/unicorn

(34:58) Scientists gaining recognition and the app diversion

(40:17) LinkSquares CEO Vishal Sunak on going from $1M to $10M in ARR in 2 years

*

Follow Nick: https://twitter.com/theanalognick

Check out Lightmatter: https://lightmatter.co

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Whoop CEO Will Ahmed on the “Quantified Self” movement, product design & more | E1786 Aug 01, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist CLA. Innovation takes balance. Our CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at CLAconnect.com/tech Notion just launched Notion Projects, which includes new, powerful ways to manage projects and leverage the power of their built-in AI features too. Try it for free today at notion.com/twist. *

Today’s show:

Whoop Founder and CEO Will Ahmed joins Jason to discuss Whoop’s journey (1;50), the driving paradigm behind Whoop’s innovative product designs (31:38), the future of wearable tech (41:26), and more!

*

Time stamps: (00:00) Whoop Founder and CEO Will Ahmed joins Jason (1:50) The “Quantified Self” movement and features that set Whoop’s product apart (4:04) How the device interprets health data and obtains consistent results (7:24) Whoop’s customer base (8:52) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (9:59) The decision to pivot to a subscription business model (14:31) Amazon turning from potential investor to failed copy-cat competitor (20:09) Incorporating new strategies into the business (24:49) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (26:21) Developments since the product’s inception (31:38) Whoop Body and the driving paradigm behind the product design (40:00) Notion - Try Notion Projects for free today at notion.com/twist (41:26) What lies ahead and the future of wearable tech (44:47) The ability to share the recorded health data (47:20) AI utilizing large health datasets and the Whoop Journal * Follow Will: https://twitter.com/willahmed

Check out Whoop: https://www.whoop.com *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI-generated South Park, “Holy Grails” of AI & more with Sunny Madra | E1785 Aug 01, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at investwithroots.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Fable Simulation's new AI showrunner (5:51), AI-powered note-takers and CRMs( 37:25), and more!

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

(2:27) Using AI to analyze large datasets

(5:51) The WGA strike and Fable Studios’ AI-generated South Park episode

(12:29) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(13:45) AI-generated South Park continued

(16:58) What is lost with AI and the Modern Seinfeld Twitter account

(23:40) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(25:10) The pace of innovation with RunwayML

(31:06) Production studios sharing the wealth & alternative plans

(36:00) Roots - Head to investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(37:25) Sunny showcases Folk app’s CRM

(45:29) Sunny demos Circleback

(51:32) Using Claude to break down an investor presentation and Sergey Brin back at Google

*

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Check out Circleback: https://circleback.ai

Check out Folk.app: https://www.folk.app

Check out RunwayML: https://runwayml.com

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Market dynamics, RIFs, and AI’s role in law with Becki DeGraw | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Jul 27, 2023

Today’s show:

Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they discuss the contrast between late-stage and seed-stage investing (2:52), repricing stock options (5:48), the adoption of AI in the legal industry (23:29), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason

(1:19) The increase in tech layoffs and AI startups

(2:52) Late-stage vs. early-stage investing and the seed-stage value chart

(5:48) Repricing stock options when underwater

(14:05) Disclosing revenue, burn rate, and growth rate

(18:08) RIFs and knowing your employees

(20:57) The long-term effects of remote work

(23:29) The use of AI and chatbots in law

*

Check out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Building the future of healthcare communication with Abridge CEO Shiv Rao | E1784 Jul 26, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups *

Today’s show:

Abridge CEO Shiv Rao joins Jason to discuss how his AI platform saves doctors time by automating consultation note-taking(8:29), the future of the medical field(37:23), and much more!

*

Time stamps: (00:00) Abridge CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Shiv Rao joins Jason (3:22) Abridge's journey and tailwinds in the industry (6:43) The sudden advancement in AI tech (8:29) The importance of conversation in healthcare (12:00) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist (13:29) Dr. Shiv demos Abridge (21:49) Reinforcement training and building trustworthy models (23:10) Use of this product in the field and feedback from clinics (26:53) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (28:00) Time saved using Abridge (30:30) How patients interact with Abridge and data privacy (35:56) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (37:23) The future of the medical field (49:11) The pace of healthcare today

*

Check out Abridge: https://www.abridge.com/ Follow Dr. Shiv: https://twitter.com/shivdevrao *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

MongoDB CEO Dev Ittycheria on great leadership, building winning teams, and more | E1783 Jul 25, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Roots is a real estate investment platform for all investors. There are no entry fees, and you can start with as little as $100. Head to investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

*

Today’s show:

MongoDB CEO Dev Ittycheria joins Jason to discuss recent tech trends (10:58), the move towards remote work (17:58), his strategy for building winning teams (37:17), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) MongoDB CEO Dev Ittycheria joins Jason

(2:32) Dev’s background and how MongoDB operates

(9:28) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(10:58) The last 9 months in tech and the pace of AI

(13:57) RIFs and staffing a modern-day tech company

(17:58) Remote, Hybrid, or back to the office

(22:25) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(25:33) Hiring and inspiring the next generation

(28:47) The trust but verify operating philosophy

(31:32) Entitlement in the tech industry

(35:52) Roots - Head to investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today!

(37:17) Great leadership and managing a team

(41:14) Bad management and the feedback cycle

(53:30) Recruiting talent in the U.S.

*

Check out MongoDB: https://www.mongodb.com

Follow Dev: https://twitter.com/dittycheria

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Ryan Smith on buying the Utah Jazz, evolving Qualtrics, AI’s early days, and more | E1782 Jul 24, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Superside. Design and creative are crucial for growth. Tech companies like Shopify, Amazon, and Meta have found the perfect solution: Superside. Get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package superside.com/TWIST.

*

Today’s show:

Ryan Smith joins Jason to discuss buying the Utah Jazz while simultaneously prepping for an IPO (3:19), Qualtrics going from IPO prep to acquired to spin out IPO to a take-private in under five years (58:56), his thoughts on AI’s impact (49:12), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Qualtics Co-Founder Ryan Smith joins Jason

(3:19) Ryan’s decision to buy the Utah Jazz NBA team

(9:05) The Rudy Gorbet Utah Jazz deal

(12:05) Fin - Try Fin, Intercom's new AI customer support chatbot, at https://intercom.com/f

(12:46) The process of owning an NBA team while prepping for an IPO

(21:09) The impact of the midseason tournament

(23:30) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(24:50) Providing a better user experience with free-to-watch games in Utah

(26:37) Paradigm shifts in media and building an NBA media giant

(36:10) The importance of going direct in media

(39:52) Superside - Go to https://superside.com/twist to get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package

(41:24) Qualtrics’ product evolution

(49:12) Ryan’s thoughts on AI’s impact on business

(54:49) Job displacement as a result of AI

(58:56) Qualtrics going from IPO prep to acquired to spin out IPO to a take-private in under five years

(1:03:31) The change in approach to private vs public businesses

*

Check out Qualtrics: https://www.qualtrics.com/

Follow Ryan: https://twitter.com/RyanQualtrics

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

HubSpot CTO Dharmesh Shah on empowering entrepreneurs, HubSpot’s journey, and AI automation | E1781 Jul 21, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist Fitbod. Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST. *

Today’s show:

HubSpot CTO Dharmesh Shah joins Jason to discuss his angel investing origin and strategies (2:36), HubSpot’s journey from a startup to a public company (6:19), the potential of generative AI (42:03), and much more!

*

Time stamps: (00:00) HubSpot Co-Founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah joins Jason (2:36) Dharmesh explains what prompted his angel investing journey (6:19) HubSpots journey from startup to where it stands today (8:48) Dharmesh’s decision to focus on Small Minus Big (SMB) investing (11:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (12:19) SMB investing conversation continued (16:08) The difference in cycles between big and small businesses (17:45) The best reason to start a company (21:25) Ways to go about assessing ideas (23:29) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist (28:34) Breaking down the entrepreneurial work ethic (34:15) Anticapitalist sentiment in the U.S. (38:11) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist (39:40) Starting a business in a downturn (42:03) AI’s impact on business and Business Process Automation (BPA) (46:39) Dharmesh’s thoughts on the next stage of AI and the effect on jobs (54:41) How AI will lead to more efficient organizations and increase margins

*

Follow Dharmesh: https://twitter.com/dharmesh *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

⁠Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo⁠: ⁠https://www.launch.co/four⁠

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Navigating SAFEs, Pay-to-Play Rounds & Risks with Becki DeGraw | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Jul 20, 2023

Todays show:

Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down legal standards in the startup ecosystem(2:19), SAFE agreements and convertible notes(5:41), conflicts faced by founders and investors(20:58), and much more!

Time Stamps:

(00:00) Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason

(2:19) Breaking the box or sticking to widely accepted frameworks

(3:47) General trends and the adoption of safe agreements

(5:41) Differences between SAFE agreements and convertible notes

(10:34) Companies that raised high valuations during a hot market and need to raise funds again

(15:43) The impact of down rounds and pay-to-play provisions on investors, founders, and employees

(20:58) Conflicts faced by founders, existing investors, and new investors

(27:58) Surviving down markets

*

Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠https://www.wsgr.com/en/⁠

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⁠Apply for Funding⁠: ⁠https://www.launch.co/apply⁠

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Great recent interviews: ⁠Steve Huffman⁠, ⁠Brian Chesky⁠, ⁠Aaron Levie⁠, ⁠Sophia Amoruso⁠, ⁠Reid Hoffman⁠, ⁠Frank Slootman⁠, ⁠Billy McFarland⁠, ⁠PrayingForExits⁠, ⁠Jenny Lefcourt⁠

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: ⁠https://substack.com/@calacanis⁠

*

Follow Jason:

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis⁠

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Next Unicorns: Bringing AI-powered solutions to medical analysis with PathAI CEO Andy Beck | E1780 Jul 19, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Pro Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Pro Cover and get $150 off at checkout! Carta now lets you launch and administer SPVs for your syndicate. Share your knowledge, capital, and network to launch your syndicate SPVs through Carta. Get 10% off your first SPV at carta.com with promo code TWIST. LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups *

Today’s show:

PathAI CEO Andy Beck joins Jason to discuss AI in the medical field (1:58), demos his product, which uses AI to analyze millions of cells (15:37), and much more!

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Time stamps: (00:00) PathAI CEO Andy Beck joins Jason (1:58) How AI aids with health diagnosis (5:46) Analyzing biopsy images and labs switching to digital (7:43) How images and annotations from Pathologists are used to train the AI model (9:58) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout! (11:30) Resistance to machine learning in the medical field (15:37) Andy demos PathAI’s AIM-PD-L1 algorithm (21:01) The measure it manage it phase and the road to more effective diagnosis (26:01) Carta - Get 10% off your first SPV at https://carta.com with promo code TWIST (27:27) The past 50 years in cancer diagnosis and looking into the next 10 (33:49) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (35:05) The use and scale of datasets and creation of systems in a capitalistic society (45:40) How PathAI is able to minimize hardware constraints (48:22) Democratizing access to health expertise

*

Check out PathAI: https://www.pathai.com/ Follow Andy: https://twitter.com/andybeck *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

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Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

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Tim Urban on the path to AGI and trends in tech history | E1779 Jul 18, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Today’s show:

Tim Urban joins Jason to break down the road to AGI(15:38), people's trust in organizations(57:31), trends in tech throughout history(25:36), and so much more!

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Time stamps: (00:00) The creator of Wait But Why, Tim Urban joins Jason (1:49) Movies and social media creating dopamine addicts (11:16) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (12:36) Tim’s “Procrastination” Ted Talk and talks on AI (15:38) Tim’s book and his outlook on framing human history

(22:16) MasterClass - Get 15% off an annual membership at https://masterclass.com/startups (25:36) Trends in tech history and the road to AGI (33:29) The dark paths of AI (37:31) Superside - Go to https://superside.com/twist to get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package (41:16) The exciting potential of AI (42:10) Breaking down the human operating system: What happens when there is no longer work? (46:56) The exponential growth of computing (50:26) Why it is difficult to predict the outcome of AI tech (52:35) Gains in AI and expanding our understanding of the universe (57:31) The history of trust in organizations (01:06:21) How to find the truth and how misinformation is spread

*

Check out Wait But Why: https://waitbutwhy.com/ Check out Tim’s Book: https://waitbutwhy.com/whatsourproblem Follow Tim: https://twitter.com/waitbutwhy *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI itineraries, newsletters, doodles, and more with Sunny Madra! | E1778 Jul 18, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

.Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to https://startups.tech/jason to find out how!

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*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo 6 awesome AI products and features including Copilot2Trip(4:25), Hoppy Copy(19:40), Stable Doodle(34:31), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason (4:25)Sunny demos Copilot2Trip’s AI travel assistant (6:30) OpenAI’s fine-tuning ability (11:26) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason (12:26) Comparing Copilot2Trip’s itinerary capabilities to Google Bard’s (16:51) What will become of Google Bard and ChatGPT (19:40) Sunny demos Hoppy Copy (24:41) Journalism in the digital era (28:55) Notion - Try Notion Projects for free today at notion.com/twist (31:01) The San Francisco Chronicles article and where AI struggles in journalism (34:31) Sunny demos Stable Doodle (36:32) Bringing back the voice interface (39:42) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist (43:01) Google Bard’s new Multimodal capability (50:39) Sunny demos 10Web’s AI website builder

*

Check Out Copilot2Trip: https://copilot2trip.com/ Check Out Hoppy Copy: https://www.hoppycopy.co/ Check Out Stable Doodle: https://clipdrop.co/stable-doodle Check Out 10Web: https://10web.io/ Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

VenturusAI's instant MBA & Samantha Wong on identifying soon-to-explode startup markets | E1777 Jul 14, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

Superside. Design and creative are crucial for growth. Tech companies like Shopify, Amazon, and Meta have found the perfect solution: Superside. Get quality design at scale without breaking the bank for your startup at superside.com/TWIST

*

Today’s show:

VenturusAI founder Emanuel Ciciu joins Jason as he dives into the origin story of his new startup before talking about building vertical AI solutions (1:30). Then Blackbird VC's Samantha Wong gives a presentation at Angel Summit about identifying soon-to-explode startup markets (41:53).

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Emanuel joins Jason

(1:30) VenturusAI origin story

(5:20) The evolution of prompt engineering

(9:09) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(10:23) The true cost of building on top of a LLM

(12:56) Building vertical AI solutions

(18:15) VenturusAI demo

(23:36) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(24:42) VenturusAI path to 100 customers

(29:51) Next steps for VenturusAI

(35:40) Jason places a bet

(40:28) Superside - Go to https://superside.com/twist to get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package

(41:53) Blackbird VC's Samantha Wong on identifying soon-to-explode startup markets at Angel Summit

*

Check Out VenturusAI: https://venturusai.com/ Follow Samantha: https://twitter.com/holasammy *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Understanding Secondary Market Transactions with Becki DeGraw | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics Jul 13, 2023

Today’s show:

Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason to kick off another series of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down secondary market transactions, including the evolution of secondaries (00:50), trends in the industry (3:16), critical aspects of Qualified Small Business (QSBS) stock(20:06), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(00:00) Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason (00:50) The increased use of secondary markets (3:16) How companies staying private longer influenced the rise in secondaries (4:25) Determining how much founders should be allowed to sell (6:21) Spending more than a company is worth (9:26) The Pari-Passu concept explained and how it applies to early investors, founders, and employees (10:38) Who gets to sell pre-IPO (12:44) Off the cap table transactions and hypothetical scenarios (18:26) Tender offers and the NASDAQ secondary market (20:06) The critical aspects of qualified small business (QSBS) stock

*

Check Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com/en/ *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Next Unicorns: Building a $1B AI Avatar Business with Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli | E1776 Jul 12, 2023

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit!

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

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Today’s show:

Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli joins Jason to discuss how his startup uses AI to generate realistic video avatars (10:16) before demoing the product. Then, the two discuss job disruption (31:43), preventing deepfake misuse (45:18), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli joins Jason (3:47) Achieving unicorn status after Nvidia-backed fundraise (12:25) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist (13:54) Determining pricing for the product (17:19) Victor demos Synthesia and its AI features (24:38) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (31:43) Job Disruption: How AI will impact hiring and business functions (39:38) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (41:06) AI and dual fate technology (45:18) Preventing DeepFake misuse (52:40) OpenAI hit with a lawsuit

*

Check Out Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/ Follow Victor: https://twitter.com/vriparbelli *

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Using GPUs as leverage, MSFT beats the case, FTC fails under Khan | E1775 Jul 11, 2023

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

VEED makes it super easy for anyone (yes, you) to create great video. Filled with amazing features like templates, auto subtitles, text formatting, auto-resizing, a full suite of AI tools, and much more, VEED gives you the tools to engage your audience on any platform. Head to VEED.io to start creating incredible video content in minutes.

*

Today’s show:

Jason breaks down investors and companies using the GPU shortage as leverage to invest in AI startups (1:33) before discussing Microsoft’s run-in with EU regulators over bundling Teams into its Office suite (28:53). They wrap on the FTC's loss in its quest to stop Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition, and Lina Khan’s track record as FTC chair (37:58).

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Nick joins Jason

(1:33) Nvidia’s GPU leverage

(9:48) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(11:07) CoreWeave’s pivot & the pros and cons of WFH

(19:28) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(20:54) Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman’s GPU play

(27:24) Veed - Sign up and engage your audience on any platform at https://www.veed.io/avatars?utm_campaign=TWIS&utm_medium=YT&utm_source=MKT

(28:53) Microsoft’s run-in with EU regulators over bundling

(37:58) FTC loses cases against Microsoft and Activision Blizzard merger

(46:37) Lina Khan’s track record as the head of the FTC

*

Follow Nick: https://twitter.com/nickcalacanis

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Threads, ChatGPT usage drops, and AI demos with Sunny Madra | E1774 Jul 11, 2023

Fin can’t burn its mouth on hot pizza. Or wave at someone who wasn’t waving at them. Fin can resolve half of your customer support tickets instantly before they reach your team. Meet Fin. A breakthrough AI bot by Intercom – ready to join your support team today. Visit https://intercom.com/fin

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Pro Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Pro Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

Carta now lets you launch and administer SPVs for your syndicate. Share your knowledge, capital, and network to launch your syndicate SPVs through Carta. Get 10% off your first SPV with promo code TWIST at http://Carta.com

*

Today’s show:

Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo VenturusAI (11:01) and other tools, before discussing Sunny’s new AutoGPT project (34:38). They wrap up talking about Meta’s launch of Threads (49:08), Google’s attempts at building a social network, and Inflection AI’s new supercomputer (1:00:13).

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason

(1:49) ChatGPT sees a decline in growth

(10:22) Fin - Try Fin, Intercom's new AI customer support chatbot, at https://intercom.com/fin

(11:01) Sunny demos VenturusAI

(24:29) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

(26:01) Sunny demos Vercel

(34:38) Sunny's new AutoGPT

(41:58) Carta - Go to http://Carta.com and use code TWIST to get 10% off your first SPV

(43:29) The decision to be open-sourced or closed

(49:08) Meta’s new platform Threads

(1:00:13) Google’s attempts at a social network

(1:03:28) Inflection AI's supercomputer, roundtripping and training LLMs

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Business Breakdowns: The rise and fall of “Blackberry” with Lon Harris | E1773 Jul 07, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get 20% off your first purchase and a free box of Namibian Sea Salted Macadamia Nuts at houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code twist20!

*

Today’s show:

Lon joins Jason to extract the business lessons from the film Blackberry (2:19). The two discuss the company’s rise and fall, the benefits of having multiple co-founders (9:11), the psychology of framing (23:05), knowing when to "fake it 'til you make it" (56:19) and much more!

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Cold open! “What got us here won’t get us there.”

(2:19) Jason and Lon intro Business Breakdowns - a new series!

(5:51) Blackberry cast breakdown

(9:11) Lessons: Importance of having multiple, complementary co-founders and market pull

(13:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(14:32) Lessons: “Burn the boats,” importance of diligence, product velocity

(21:51) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(23:05) Lesson: Framing the product or pitch

(26:11) Lesson: Importance of riding and recognizing paradigm shifts

(31:04) Lessons: Marketing as a status symbol, real-world virality, being of action, “bend don’t break”

(36:50) Lesson: What got you here won’t get you there

(40:53) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off and a free box of Namibian Sea Salted Macadamia Nuts at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20

(42:12) Lessons: Blackberry’s downfall, importance of focus, product association

(53:13) Lesson: Knowing when to cash in your chips

(56:19) Lesson: Know when to “fake it ‘til you make it”

(59:51) Business Breakdown Awards, presented by Jason and Lon

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Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Reimagining reading with VR featuring Sol Reader CEO Ben Chelf | E1772 Jul 06, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by: .Tech Domains has a new program called startups.tech, where you can get your startup featured on This Week in Startups. Go to https://startups.tech/jason to find out how!

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

Issuu is the all-in-one platform for creating and distributing beautiful digital content. Get started with Issuu today for free or sign up for an annual premium account and get 50% off when you go to Issuu.com/podcast and use promo code twist.

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Today’s show:

Sol Reader CEO Ben Chelf joins Jason to discuss Sol Reader’s design (1:24), how wearable e-readers will create more focused readers (28:06) the ways in which devices reshape the human brain (24:37), and much more!

Follow Ben: https://twitter.com/bchelf

Check Out Sol Reader: https://solreader.com/

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Sol Reader CEO Ben Chelf joins Jason (4:00) Ben presents the prototype and demos Sol Reader (8:28) LLM and future integrations for Sol Reader (12:40) .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://startups.tech/jason (14:04) Overcoming the challenges of a hardware startup (17:59) Sol Reader’s business model (21:09) Audio integration and transcript features (23:22) Optimizing Sol Reader's first product launch (26:38) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at ⁠https://crowdbotics.com/twist⁠ (28:06) The origin of the wearable e-reader concept and efforts to diminish screen time (38:45) Issuu - Sign up for free or get 50% off an annual premium account by using promo code twist at https://issuu.com/podcast (40:05) Initial product testers' feedback

(44:59) Apple’s Vision Pro headset

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Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Shein registers for US IPO, Trump SPAC insider trading & more | E1771 Jul 01, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Fin can’t burn its mouth on hot pizza. Or wave at someone who wasn’t waving at them. Fin can resolve half of your customer support tickets instantly before they reach your team. Meet Fin. A breakthrough AI bot by Intercom – ready to join your support team today. Visit https://intercom.com/fin

*

Today’s show:

Nick joins Jason, who breaks down a report that Shein has confidentially registered for a US IPO (1:24). This leads to a discussion about Shein’s alleged unethical labor practices and voting with your dollar (11:22), Shein’s influencer stunt that backfired, DWAC’s insider trading debacle (47:25), and self-driving vehicle footage being used as evidence in criminal cases (33:27).

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Nick joins Jason for a full news show

(1:24) Shein confidentially registers for a US IPO

(9:54) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:22) Shein’s alleged labor practices and voting with your dollar

(31:58) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(33:27) Shein’s TikTok "factory washing" campaign

(40:37) Fin - Try Fin, Intercom's new AI customer support chatbot, at https://intercom.com/fin

(41:21) Jason’s advice for Dani Carbonari

(47:25) Trump’s return to Twitter + Trump SPAC insider trading debacle

(57:03) Police forces using autonomous vehicle footage to prosecute suspects

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Creating the future of search and competing vs Google with Perplexity AI’s Aravind Srinivas | E1770 Jun 28, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by: Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

*

Today’s show:

Perplexity’s Aravind Srinivas joins Jason to discuss competing with the major players in the generative search / AI chatbot market (1:25), designing an AI-powered search engine (4:49), and much more. *

Check out Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/

Follow Aravind: https://twitter.com/AravSrinivas

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas joins Jason

(1:25) Competing in the generative search / AI chatbot market

(4:49) How Perplexity's AI model formulates answers

(11:18) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at https://crowdbotics.com/twist

(12:46) How Perplexity is citing sources

(20:20) Incorporating advertising into AI chatbots

(25:32) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(26:40) How Perplexity recruits talent and Aravind's time at OpenAI

(32:04) The future of AI technology and overcoming overlap

(38:26) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at ⁠https://openphone.com/twist

(39:53) Meta's LLaMa model being leaked

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Zapier Co-Founder Mike Knoop on category creation, API evolution & AI architecture | E1769 Jun 27, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Pro Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Pro Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

*

Today’s show:

Zapier’s Mike Knoop joins Jason to discuss the early days of Zapier before breaking down the evolution of app integrations and API usage (1:20). They dive into reducing friction for Zapier users, regulating AI, the limitations of present-day AI architecture, and more (43:06).

*

Check out Zapier: https://zapier.com/

Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/mikeknoop

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Mike Knoop joins Jason

(1:20) Zapier’s origin story

(8:40) Zapier’s key inflection point and its profit-sharing model

(14:05) Zapier’s business model

(15:48) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(17:03) The evolution of app integrations and API usage

(23:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(25:00) Zapier demo + incorporating AI into your workflow

(36:43) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

(38:14) Linkedin tightening the belt on its API

(41:21) Zapier’s enterprise customers

(43:06) Reducing friction for Zapier users

(51:41) Regulating AI

(55:19) The limitations of present-day AI architecture

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

IRL to shut down after faking 19M users, ZIRP fraud, Databricks acquires MosaicML for $1.3B | E1768 Jun 27, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Notion just launched Notion Projects, which includes new, powerful ways to manage projects and leverage the power of their built-in AI features too. Try it for free today at notion.com/twist.

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply

Fin can’t burn its mouth on hot pizza. Or wave at someone who wasn’t waving at them. Fin can resolve half of your customer support tickets instantly before they reach your team. Meet Fin. A breakthrough AI bot by Intercom – ready to join your support team today. Visit https://intercom.com/fin

*

Today’s show:

Jason is joined by Vinny Lingham to break down IRL shutting down after faking 95% of users (1:12), ZIRP fraud (12:59), Databricks acquiring MosaicML for $1.3B, and some AI demos! (1:02:31)

*

Check out Waitroom: https://waitroom.com/

Follow Vinny: https://twitter.com/vinnylingham

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Vinny joins Jason

(1:12) IRL's 19M fake users

(5:45) Twitter bots and the fake account problem

(11:50) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

(12:59) Diligence in early-stage startups

(20:59) Databricks acquires MosaicML for $1.3B

(27:02) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at ⁠https://linkedin.com/twist

(33:09) Testing Google’s new generative search

(37:47) Fin - Try Fin, Intercom's new AI customer support chatbot, at ⁠https://intercom.com/fin⁠

(38:31) Testing generative search on the most expensive steaks in Los Angeles

(41:56) Vinny's thoughts on Toxic Wealth and the Titan tragedy

(53:34) DeepMind CEO says Gemini is more capable than ChatGPT

(1:02:31) Vinny demos Colorize and Replika

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Titan tragedy, Meta removes news in Canada + Elizabeth Yin at Angel Summit | E1767 Jun 23, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Today’s show:

Jason first reflects on the Titan submersible tragedy as he discusses the concept of ‘Toxic Wealth’ (1:41). Then, he explains why Meta will remove news content from Instagram and Facebook in Canada due to Bill C-18 (14:59). Finally, Elizabeth Yin gives a presentation live from Angel Summit on her five major learnings from 700+ startup investments (22:59).

*

Follow Elizabeth: https://twitter.com/dunkhippo33

Check Out Hustle Fund: https://www.hustlefund.vc

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Elizabeth’s passion

(1:41) Jason discusses the Titan submersible tragedy and how money can lead to recklessness and toxic wealth

(13:40) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(14:59) Meta removes news content from Instagram and Facebook in Canada

(21:33) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(22:59) Elizabeth Yin of Hustle Fund at Angel Summit

(31:32) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(32:51) How to invest in startups

(50:17) Q&A with Angel Summit audience

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

StoneAlgo’s Devin Jones on “Zillow for diamonds” + Mar Hershenson on the art of picking | E1766 Jun 21, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

iConnections is a platform to connect and meet with elite capital allocators through their online platform and bespoke events. The first 25 VC funds to sign up for iConnections Miami 2024 event in January of next year will receive a 20% discount! Head to iConnections.io/twist to sign up today!

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist.

*

Today’s show:

First, StoneAlgo CEO Devin Jones joins Jason for a jam session on scaling his startup, which is building “Zillow for diamonds” (4:38). Then, Mar Hershenson gives a presentation on “The Art of Picking.” (38:19)

Mar’s talk was recorded live at LAUNCH Angel Summit.

*

Follow StoneAlgo: https://twitter.com/stonealgo

Follow Mar: https://twitter.com/MarHershenson

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Cold intros DO work!

(1:30) Jason explains what LAUNCH looks for in startup investments

(4:38) Jason intros StoneAlgo CEO Devin Jones, who breaks down his startup: “Zillow for Diamonds”

(14:27) iConnections - Get 20% off iConnections Miami 2024 event at http://iconnections.io/twist

(15:58) Bootstrapping StoneAlgo as a side project, never underestimating categories, understanding the diamond market

(26:10) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(27:37) Capital efficiency, frugality, how Devin scored an investment off of a cold email

(37:13) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(38:19) Pear VC’s Mar Hershenson gives a talk on “The Art of Picking” live from LAUNCH Angel Summit

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

EyeRate CEO Ray Weisberg on scaling from $0 to $10M + Steve Jurvetson on disruptive tech | E1765 Jun 20, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups.

VEED makes it super easy for anyone (yes, you) to create great video. Filled with amazing features like templates, auto subtitles, text formatting, auto-resizing, a full suite of AI tools, and much more, VEED gives you the tools to engage your audience on any platform. Head to VEED.io to start creating incredible video content in minutes.

Fin can’t burn its mouth on hot pizza. Or wave at someone who wasn’t waving at them. Fin can resolve half of your customer support tickets instantly before they reach your team. Meet Fin. A breakthrough AI bot by Intercom – ready to join your support team today. Visit intercom.com/fin.

*

Today’s show:

First, EyeRate CEO Ray Weisberg joins Jason to break down his startup’s business model (4:55), category creation and framing (13:32), how they plan on scaling from $10M to $100M (22:51), and more. Then, Steve Jurvetson gives a presentation on discovering and identifying disruptive new technologies. (36:34)

Steve’s talk was recorded live at LAUNCH Angel Summit.

*

Follow EyeRate: https://twitter.com/EyeRateBusiness

Follow Steve: https://twitter.com/FutureJurvetson

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Great founders sometimes means very little contact!

(1:42) Jason explains LAUNCH’s investment strategy and ownership targets

(4:55) EyeRate CEO Ray Weisberg breaks down EyeRate’s early pivot, how they help real-world businesses increase customer engagement, and how the business is scaling

(12:10) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(13:32) Lessons learned from scaling from $0 to nearly $10M in revenue, “category creation,” and framing

(21:19) Veed - Sign up and engage your audience on any platform at https://www.veed.io

(22:51) Thoughts on scaling from $10M to $100M, understanding market pull, content marketing ideas, hiring C-suite “bar raisers,” write-first culture

(35:52) Fin - Try Fin, Intercom's new AI customer support chatbot, at https://intercom.com/fin

(36:34) Steve Jurvetson gives a talk on finding and investing in disruptive technologies

(1:00:37) Steve takes a couple of questions from Jason and the audience

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Gavin Baker on AI platform shift, upside vs downside, extinction risk, Nvidia outlook & more | E1764 Jun 19, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Hampton. Are you a startup founder or CEO seeking expert advice? Join Hampton, the private, highly vetted community for high-growth founders. Get invaluable insights, connections, and support to accelerate your business at joinhampton.com/twist today!

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

.Tech domains are the go-to namespace to build anything in tech… and home to the world’s most innovative startups. Secure your .Tech domain today and lock down a 1-year domain for $10, or a 5-year domain for $50 at go.tech/TWIST!

*

Today’s show:

Atreides Management’s Gavin Baker joins Jason to break down the current macro picture, the AI platform shift, and the reshuffling of the entire tech deck. (1:27) They also cover the potential impact of AI recursively improving itself and extinction risks (15:06) before discussing chip demand, Nvidia’s outlook, and more! (25:13) Then, Embroker's Chief Insurance Officer David Derigiotis explains how to differentiate your business with cybersecurity! (40:24)

Gavin's fireside chat was recorded live at LAUNCH Angel Summit in Napa.

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Gavin and Jason on joining the resistance!

(1:27) Current macro picture, the AI platform shift, and how AI is reshuffling everything in tech

(13:42) Hampton - Join Hampton's community of high-growth founders today at https://joinhampton.com/twist

(15:06) Exponential compounding of generative AI, AGI chances, recursive AI improvement

(23:55) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(25:13) Chip demand, Nvidia’s outlook, which high-end fields might be most at risk, extinction risks

(39:02) .Tech Domains - get a 1-year domain for $10 or a 5-year domain for $50 at https://go.tech/TWIST

(40:24) Embroker Chief Insurance Officer David Derigiotis gives a talk on how to differentiate your business with cybersecurity

*

Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

*

All opinions expressed in this episode are solely the speakers’ own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of any firm affiliated with the speakers. This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. Clients of the speakers’ firms may maintain positions in the securities discussed.

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman on mod revolt, building a legendary community & more | E1763 Jun 17, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Trovata. Starting up is hard. Trovata makes managing cash easy. Start automating your cash management at Trovata.io/TWIST. Use Code TWIST for 30% off one full year of premium features like AI forecasting.

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Pro Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Pro Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

*

Today’s show:

Reddit CEO and Co-Founder Steve Huffman joins Jason to discuss building a platform that serves Reddit's community (13:33), addresses the situation with third-party apps and moderators (35:00), and much more!

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Reddit CEO Steve Huffman joins Jason

(2:40) The evolution of Reddit and its community

(4:10) The tailwinds powering Reddit and Steve's thoughts on speech mitigation

(12:00) Trovata - Use code TWIST at https://trovata.io/twist for 30% off one year of premium features, like AI forecasting

(13:33) The Reddit "Keep it real" ethos and the importance of allowing open debate

(17:47) Authoritarianism and challenging orthodoxies

(24:29) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at ⁠https://Embroker.com/twist

(25:44) Steve's optimism for AI and why this is only the beginning

(35:00) The response to Reddit's API use in various LLMs

(37:57) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Pro Cover and get $150 off at checkout!

(39:29) Going in-depth on Reddit's situation and API history

(48:03) What it comes down to for third-party apps

(56:20) What changed Steve's opinion on advertising

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

How AI is making influencers bionic with Forever Voices CEO John Meyer | E1762 Jun 14, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub helps all founders build a better startup, at a lower cost, from day one. Startups get up to $150K in Azure credits, access to free OpenAI credits, free dev tools like GitHub, technical advisory, access to mentors and experts, and so much more. There is no funding requirement, and it only takes minutes to join. Sign up today at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups.

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

Today’s show:

Forever Voices CEO John Meyer joins Jason to discuss becoming a Thiel fellow (2:48), how his AI technology can make influencers and celebrities bionic (15:26), how it enables universal interaction (23:37), and more!

Follow John: https://twitter.com/BEASTMODE

Time stamps:

(0:00) Forever Voices CEO John Meyer joins Jason

(2:48) John discusses becoming a Thiel fellow

(9:25) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(10:58) John explains what led to his decision to start Forever Voices

(15:26) How this technology will evolve over time

(18:05) The use of AI in grief counseling

(22:28) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at ⁠https://crowdbotics.com/twist

(23:37) Thoughts on expanding past celebrities and influencers

(24:38) What CarynAI is and its impact on society

(37:21) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at ⁠https://openphone.com/twist

(38:50) Developing these AI models and preventing addiction on this platform (45:46) Will the AI variants be developed by others (48:25) Jason’s advice for founders on raising capital

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Reddit communities revolt + Brad Gerstner on state of private and public markets in 2023 | E1761 Jun 13, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist.

iConnections is a platform to connect and meet with elite capital allocators through their online platform and bespoke events. The first 25 VC funds to sign up for iConnections Miami 2024 event in January of next year will receive a 20% discount! Head to iConnections.io/twist to sign up today!

*

Today’s show:

First up, Jason does a full breakdown of what’s going on at Reddit, and why this is happening now (1:21). Then, Brad Gerstner joins to break down the state of the markets in 2023 (18:28), his “Time to Get Fit” letter to Meta (30:06), and more!

Brad’s fireside chat was recorded live at LAUNCH Angel Summit in Napa.

Follow Brad: https://twitter.com/altcap

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason tees up today’s segments!

(1:21) Breaking down the Reddit situation: Why 2000’s-era web companies relied on third-party apps built on their API

(3:10) Origin and current state of the Reddit revolt, CEO Steve Huffman’s AMA and comments

(10:27) Jason’s hot takes on how to solve the third-party app API pricing issue, Reddit’s IPO price, and more

(17:00) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(18:28) Brad Gerstner joins live from Angel Summit! Importance on non-consensus conviction, first-party research, how Brad first invested in Facebook

(29:00) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(30:06) Brad breaks down the greatness in Zuckerberg and Meta’s reaction to his “Time to Get Fit” letter

(34:08) Current state of the markets

(38:05) iConnections - Get 20% off iConnections Miami 2024 event at http://iconnections.io/twist

(39:48) Predicting what the AI innovation cycle will look like when compared to past cycles: pc, internet, mobile, cloud; why now is the most important time for AI investing

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apple Vision Pro, Meta’s MusicGen, Waitroom demo & more with Vinny Lingham and Sunny Madra | E1760 Jun 13, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

MasterClass. Learn from the world’s best minds - anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace. Get 15% off an annual membership to MasterClass at https://masterclass.com/startups.

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Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

*

Todays show:

Vinny and Sunny are back! First, Vinny demos Waitroom (2:12), before the group breaks down Apple’s new Vision Pro headset (41:10), then, Sunny demos a suite of new AI tools, including Meta’s MusicGen model(19:53).

Follow Vinny: https://twitter.com/vinnylingham

Checkout Waitroom: https://waitroom.com/

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Checkout Definitive: https://definitive.io/

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Vinny and Sunny join Jason (2:12) Waitroom's features (5:38) Waitroom's design for VC's and Sunny's thoughts (9:42) Features to add to next (13:43) Masterclass - Get 15% off an annual membership to MasterClass at ⁠https://masterclass.com/startups.⁠ (19:53) Meta's MusicGen (24:26) Creating music with AI (29:03) Merge - Integrate up to 3 customers for free today at ⁠https://merge.dev/twist (30:35) Exploring authenticity as AI becomes more prevalent (32:27) Sunny demos LumaLabs (36:55) Jason AI interviews Steve Jobs (39:45) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (41:10) Apple's Vision Pro headset (42:32) The key differences between Oculus Meta Quest and Apple's Vision Pro (49:49) The effects of headsets in the workplace (52:53) Using ControlNet to create artwork for QR codes (56:39) Developing code using Replit

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

DoorDash Co-Founder Stanley Tang on founding story, lessons + First-time fund manager panel | E1759 Jun 09, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

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*

Today’s show:

The contents of this episode were recorded live at LAUNCH Angel Summit in Napa.

DoorDash Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder Stanley Tang joined Jason live on stage at Angel Summit to discuss DoorDash’s founding story, avoiding ZIRP distractions, and the cloud kitchen movement (1:23).

Then, Jason sits down with Kelli Fontaine of Cendana Capital, Sophia Amoruso of Trust Fund, and Paige Doherty of Behind Genius Ventures to chat about becoming and investing in first-time fund managers (36:49).

Follow Stanley: https://twitter.com/stanleytang

Check Out DoorDash: https://www.doordash.com/

Follow Kelli: https://twitter.com/kells_bells

Check Out Cendana Capital: https://www.cendanacapital.com/

Follow Paige: https://twitter.com/paigefinnn

Check Out Behind Genius Ventures: https://www.behindgeniusventures.com/

Follow Sophia: https://twitter.com/sophiaamoruso

Check Out Trust Fund: https://www.trustfund.vc/

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Nick kicks off the show

(1:23) DoorDash’s founding story with Stanley Tang

(11:06) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(12:20) The Palo Alto delivery experiemnt

(16:07) DoorDash’s first delivery

(18:21) The era of excess

(23:00) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(24:23) Avoiding ZIRP distractions

(26:44) Navigating through the pandemic

(30:59) The Cloud Kitchen movement

(35:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(36:49) Defining a fund of funds and selecting managers with Kelli Fontaine of Cendana Capital

(44:00) Raising a private fund with Paige Doherty of Behind Genius Ventures

(48:14) The origin story of Trust Fund with Sophia Amoruso

(53:42) The prevalence of startup funds

(59:35) Advice for first-time fund managers and having the ability to say no

(1:04:36) Running a small fund in a sustainable matter

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

How AI companions can help solve loneliness with Replika’s Eugenia Kuyda | E1758 Jun 07, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

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OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

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Today’s show:

Replika Co-Founder and CEO Eugenia Kuyda breaks down her startup’s origin story and purpose (1:43), the relationships users have with its AI chatbot (10:21), the potential of AI therapists, Replika’s new chatbot Blush, and more! (35:10)

Follow Eugenia: https://twitter.com/ekuyda

Check Out Replika: https://replika.ai/

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Eugenia joins Jason

(1:43) Replika’s origin story

(8:54) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(10:21) Replika’s purpose and their current user base

(16:21) Relationships within the app

(20:25) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(21:58) Creating happiness with AI

(26:26) Avoiding addiction

(29:25) Demographics within the AI field

(33:42) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(35:10) Crafting LLMs to envoke thought-provoking questions and AI therapy

(49:53) Replika's new AI chatbot, Blush

(1:01:05) The loneliness crisis and specific cases for using these AIs

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Using AI to diagnose Dementia with Vistim Labs James Hamet + Jason LIVE at iConnections | E1757 Jun 06, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit!

Miro. Working remotely doesn’t mean you need to feel disconnected from your team. Miro is an online whiteboard that brings teams together - anytime, anywhere. Go to https://miro.com/startups to sign up for a FREE account with unlimited team members.

VEED makes it super easy for anyone (yes, you) to create great video. Filled with amazing features like templates, auto subtitles, text formatting, auto-resizing, a full suite of AI tools, and much more, VEED gives you the tools to engage your audience on any platform. Head to VEED.io to start creating incredible video content in minutes.

*

Today’s show:

CEO and Founder of Vistim Labs James Hamet joins Jason, as they discuss the current roadblocks with diagnosing dementia (1:18), before James breaks down how they use AI to detect signs of neurological disease (23:29). Then, Jason sits down with Kaitlin Malin at SALT iConnections New York, to discuss the keys to angel investing and AI (40:52).

Follow James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jchamet/

Check Out Vistim Labs: https://vistimlabs.com/

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) James joins Jason

(1:18) The faults with how we diagnose Dementia today

(6:46) Visitim Labs’ product

(9:25) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(10:46) Test trials and patient demographics

(12:53) Vistim’s go-to-market strategy

(18:24) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://miro.com/startups

(20:32) James shares a video demoing Vistim Labs’ capabilities

(23:29) James’ previous startup, Neurable

(27:02) Catching Alzhimers’ early, habits that prevent neurological disease and the four horseman

(39:23) Veed - Sign up and engage your audience on any platform at https://www.veed.io

(40:52) Jason’s sits down with Kaitlin Malin at SALT iConnections New York

(46:03) Raising a 506-C fund’

(52:13) Jason’s keys to becoming a successful angel

(58:27) Jason’s thoughts on AI

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Rory's brain vs ChatGPT, outrageous marketing, work trends and MUCH more w/ Rory Sutherland | E1756 Jun 05, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Release. Large enterprises pose unique challenges for SaaS startups. Unlock customers with unique needs for private and single-tenant hosting without the toil of DIY with Release Delivery. Get your first month free at https://release.com/twist .

Notion just launched Notion Projects, which includes new, powerful ways to manage projects and leverage the power of their built-in AI features too. Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist.

*

Todays show:

Rory Sutherland joins Jason to cover an almost unbelievable range of topics. The limits of this conversation know no bounds! Don't miss this one.

Follow Rory: https://twitter.com/rorysutherland

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Time stamps:

(00:00) Rory Sutherland joins Jason

(2:28) Broad adoption of video conferencing

(7:26) Unpacking simple social norms

(11:46) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:05) The importance of framing and the role of reliability

(15:04) The pandemic's influence on video conferencing trends

(18:46) A.I.'s role in a post-pandemic world

(21:53) Application of A.I.

(22:45) Brainstorming and how the human brain functions

(23:44) Rory Vs. ChatGPT brainstorming unique soda flavors

(28:43) Release - Get your first month free at ⁠https://release.com/twist

(30:12) ChatGPT's response

(34:55) The behavioral science behind AI suggestions to humans

(36:34) Tolerating eccentricity within the ad industry

(38:42) The disproportionate faith in AI vs Humans

(41:04) Notion - Try it for free today at notion.com/twist

(42:30) AI and the dormant fallacy (55:57) What is driving the next generation

(57:59) Modern work trends: Vacation time, the four-day weekend, and flexible work

(01:07:26) The Jevons paradox in Economics and the WGA strike

(01:16:19) Technology that doesn't quite think like a human

(01:22:30) The Elgin Marbles controversy

(01:25:16) Reevaluating the concept of retirement age

(01:28:24) The startup surge in UAE

(01:32:53) Promoting social freedom, betting on startups, and marketing outrageous products

(01:44:25) Discussing historical houses and the Ennis house

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

RunwayML, AI Steve Jobs, & more with Sunny Madra & Vinny Lingham | E1755 Jun 03, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist.

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

.Tech domains are the go-to namespace to build anything in tech… and home to the world’s most innovative startups. Secure your .Tech domain today and lock down a 1-year domain for $10, or a 5-year domain for $50 at https://go.tech/TWIST today!

*

Today's show:

Sunny and Vinny are back to break down what's next after AI layoffs(30:10), discuss RunwayML's massive valuation(52:09), and more!

Follow Vinny: https://twitter.com/vinnylingham

Check Out Waitroom: https://waitroom.com/

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

Check Out Definitive: https://definitive.io/prompts/new

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Sunny and Vinny join Jason

(1:39) Sunny demos Runway

(9:16) Jason AI interviews AI Steve Jobs

(12:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(13:44) Jason AI interviews AI Steve Jobs continued

(18:27) The potential for genealogist AI startup

(22:26) Converting thoughts into text with Audio Pen AI tool

(24:40) Microsoft charging 40% more for AI-enhanced services

(28:55) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at ⁠https://Embroker.com/twist

(30:10) Comparing hiring with improving employee efficiency

(33:46) The ChatGPT share feature

(37:47) Meta's Image Bing AI tool

(40:33) .Tech - Lock down a 1-year domain for $10, or a 5-year domain for $50 at https://go.tech/TWIST

(42:01) Microsoft integrating AI into windows

(49:29) The Sales Recording Law

(52:09) Big funding rounds and why investors must get in early

(55:30) Japan going all in on copyright

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

How open-source & distributed models can win AI with MosaicML’s Naveen Rao | E1754 Jun 01, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist.

Trovata. Starting up is hard. Trovata makes managing cash easy. Start automating your cash management at Trovata.io/TWIST. Use Code TWIST for 30% off one full year of premium features like AI forecasting.

The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub helps all founders build a better startup, at a lower cost, from day one. Startups get up to $150K in Azure credits, access to free OpenAI credits, free dev tools like GitHub, technical advisory, access to mentors and experts, and so much more. There is no funding requirement, and it only takes minutes to join. Sign up today at aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

*

Todays show:

MosaicML Co-Founder and CEO Naveen Rao joins Jason to discuss the open-source vs closed AI debate, the profound impact of AI on society (41:06) AI’s rapid pace of change, and its implications for the future of employment and education (40:42). They wrap the show by breaking down the potential problems with centralized regulation (54:37).

Follow Naveen: https://twitter.com/NaveenGRao

Check Out MosaicML: https://mosaicml.com

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Naveen Rao joins Jason

(2:54) MosaicML and its purpose

(5:10) Obtaining datasets and incentivizing creators

(8:30) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(9:37) The process of using your data with MosaicML

(11:55) Defining tokens and prompts

(16:53) Fine-tuning the AI model and reinforcement learning

(19:27) The competition with open-source models

(24:26) The cost of running AI models

(26:08) Trovata - Use code TWIST at https://trovata.io/twist for 30% off one year of premium features, like AI forecasting

(27:35) How the GPU crunch has affected cloud models

(32:13) Why demand will not cease

(34:21) Specialized models vs. general models (39:12) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(40:42) The impact AI will have on employment

(48:49) The impact AI will have on education

(54:37) Thoughts on OpenAI becoming ClosedAI

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

*

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

How generative AI is enabling hologram assistants with Looking Glass CEO Shawn Frayne | E1753 May 31, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get 20% off your first purchase and a free bottle of cold-pressed macadamia oil at houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code twist20!

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

Meowtel. Traveling soon? Book a local and insured sitter on Meowtel, the #1 cat sitting app. Save $25 on your first booking with code TWIST25 at https://meowtel.com!

*

Today’s show:

Looking Glass Co-Founder and CEO Shawn Frayne joins Jason to demo their new hologram assistant (1:03) before breaking down the unique use cases for Looking Glass’s technology and Shawn’s perspective on the pace of AI (10:24).

Follow Shawn: https://twitter.com/shawninvents

Check Out Looking Glass: https://lookingglassfactory.com/

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Shawn joins Jason

(1:03) Shawn demos Looking Glass’ hologram assistant + Looking Glass’ business model

(8:53) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off and a free bottle of cold-pressed macadamia oil at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20

(10:24) AI’s impact on product design and how users interact with Looking Glass’ platform

(17:57) Investing in hardware startups

(20:43) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at http://crowdbotics.com/twist

(22:10) Looking Glass’ customer base

(31:23) Meowtel - Get $25 off your first booking with code TWIST25 at https://meowtel.com

(32:42) Shawn’s perspective on AI

(37:18) Shawn and Jason’s first picks for holographic assistants

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Breaking down Bard with Google’s Jack Krawczyk | E1752 May 30, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

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Hampton Join Hampton's community of high-growth founders today at https://joinhampton.com/twist

Meowtel - Get $25 off your first booking with code TWIST25 at https://meowtel.com

*

Today's Show:

Jack Krawczyk, the head Google’s Bard team, chats with Jason about Bard’s capabilities and Google’s plan for monetization. Following a few demonstrations of the AI chatbot (43:32), Jason wraps the episode with some thoughts on the series finale of HBO’s Succession (01:01:45)

Follow Jack: https://twitter.com/JackK

*

Time stamps:

(00:00) Jack Krawczyk joins Jason

(4:58) Discussing the responsible release of products

(7:43) The delicate balance of choosing to release or hold

(10:24) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

(11:57) Addressing concerns about the usage of creators' content

(13:42) Unpacking the process of vetting new features and the purpose of Google's Red Team

(18:39) Integrating tools and features into the framework of Bard

(20:51) Upholding core values in the incorporation of tools

(23:58) Hampton - Join Hampton's community of high-growth founders today at https://joinhampton.com/twist

(25:23) The impact of Bard's coding capabilities on developers

(29:36) Gauging the distance from non-developers writing meaningful code

(31:11) The business model behind Google Bard

(34:18) Meowtel - Get $25 off your first booking with code TWIST25 at https://meowtel.com

(36:44) The potential paths ahead

(39:30) Google's vision for plugins and opportunities for startups

(43:32) Jack demos Google Bard

(55:52) Reflecting on the pace of AI

(01:01:45) Breaking down HBO's Succession and why it's a must-watch

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Follow TWiST:

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Understanding the UAE startup opportunity with Brad Gerstner and Ibrahim Ajami | E1751 May 26, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

VEED makes it super easy for anyone (yes, you) to create great video. Filled with amazing features like templates, auto subtitles, text formatting, auto-resizing, a full suite of AI tools, and much more, VEED gives you the tools to engage your audience on any platform. Head to VEED.io to start creating incredible video content in minutes.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist

iConnections is a platform to connect and meet with elite capital allocators through their online platform and bespoke events. The first 25 VC funds to sign up for iConnections Miami 2024 event in January of next year will receive a 20% discount! Head to iConnections.io/twist to sign up today!

*

Today’s show:

Altimeter’s Brad Gerstner and Mubadala's Ibrahim Ajami join Jason to discuss their first UAE impressions (1:33), how the country is attracting startup talent, unclogging the capital allocator log jam, and more (19:43)!

*

Follow Brad: https://twitter.com/altcap

Follow Ibrahim: https://twitter.com/IbrahimAjami

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Brad and Ibrahim join Jason

(1:33) First impressions of the UAE

(10:25) Veed - Head to https://www.veed.io/pricing?utm_campaign=TWIS&utm_medium=Marketing&utm_source=YouTube and start creating professional-quality videos in minutes!

(11:55) The story of Mubadala

(19:43) Attracting talent to the UAE

(26:53) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(28:21) The shifting perspective of the UAE and the opportunity it presents

(35:07) The level of curiosity in Abu Dhabi

(37:02) iConnections - Get 20% off iConnections Miami 2024 event at http://iconnections.io/twist

(38:21) Adjusting to the changing market

(41:58) Mubadala’s portfolio and investing in SoftBank’s Vision Fund

(49:40) Getting fit

(56:27) Unclogging the manager log jam and the denominator problem

(1:04:59) Investing in relationships

(1:11:38) The progression of the UAE

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

ChatGPT vs Hollywood writers and the WGA strike with Lon Harris | E1750 May 25, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at http://embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Hyperice. Warm up and recover faster with the Hypervolt 2 massage gun and Normatec compression therapy boots. Save $50 off your order of $150 or more with code TWIST50 at checkout on http://hyperice.com/.

Release. Large enterprises pose unique challenges for SaaS startups. Unlock customers with unique needs for private and single-tenant hosting without the toil of DIY with Release Delivery. Get your first month free at https://release.com/twist .

*

Today’s show:

Lon Harris is BACK to discuss the WGA strike and how ChatGPT can (and will) impact Hollywood writers (6:18). They also break down how streaming services can appeal to show writers, Spotify’s planned AI-for-ads, and more! (19:56)

Follow Lon: https://twitter.com/Lons

Check Out Binge Boys: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/binge-boys/id1535514923

*

Time stamps:

(0:00) Lon joins Jason

(1:44) Jason discusses his new reality TV show

(6:18) The WGA Strike and the misconceptions of Hollywood

(13:29) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(14:33) Employing writers and the lack of transparency in the film industry

(19:56) Breaking rank as a streaming service

(24:21) Hyperice - Get $50 off your order of $150 or more with code TWIST50 at http://hyperice.com/

(25:30) Hollywood writers’ thoughts on ChatGPT

(37:14) Release - Get your first month free at https://release.com/twist

(38:41) Creating Adam Sandler movies with ChatGPT

(42:15) Jason and Lon breakdown if Succession will go down as a top HBO show

(48:51) Jason’s advice to the writers union and streaming services

(53:06) HBO debuts Max

(1:00:13) Spotify’s new use for AI

(1:06:09) Highly anticipated releases, plus Jason and Lon’s thoughts on how TikTok is affecting society

*

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Text-to-UI demo with Galileo AI Co-founder Arnaud Benard + How to design loved products | E1749 May 24, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at http://crowdbotics.com/twist

Hampton. Are you a startup founder or CEO seeking expert advice? Join Hampton, the private, highly vetted community for high-growth founders. Get invaluable insights, connections, and support to accelerate your business at http://joinhampton.com/twist today!

The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub helps all founders build a better startup, at a lower cost, from day one. Startups get up to $150K in Azure credits, access to free OpenAI credits, free dev tools like GitHub, technical advisory, access to mentors and experts, and so much more. There is no funding requirement, and it only takes minutes to join. Sign up today at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

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Today’s show:

Galileo AI’s Arnaud Benard joins Jason to demo their text-to-UI platform before discussing the AI startup scene in Silicon Valley (3:47). Then Lunour’s Scott Bair gives a presentation on how to design loved products from rough wireframes to a polished design (34:17).

Follow Arnaud: https://twitter.com/arnaudai

Check Out Galileo AI: https://www.usegalileo.ai/

Follow Scott: https://twitter.com/scott_bair

Check Out Lunour : https://www.lunour.com/

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Arnaud joins Jason

(1:29) Discovering Galileo AI

(3:47) Arnaud demos Galileo

(9:28) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at http://crowdbotics.com/twist

(10:36) Galileo’s inception, its business metrics and its AI models

(17:28) Hampton - Join Hampton's community of high-growth founders today at https://joinhampton.com/twist

(18:52) Building an AI startup today

(24:43) Arnaud’s position on AutoGPTs

(28:02) San Francisco’s startup and food scene

(32:43) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(34:17) How to design loved products with Scott Bair

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Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Startup pitch competition: Jason invests $25K | E1748 May 23, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups.

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Lemon.io. Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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Today’s show:

Jason hosts another pitch competition featuring two startups from our Founder University program! Apply for Founder University: https://course.founder.university⁠

Check out NeighborBrite: https://neighborbrite.com/

Check out Coffee Clozers: https://www.coffeeclozers.com/

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:22) Jason and Kelly introduce the pitch competition

(4:25) Luis pitches NeighborBrite

(12:19) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(13:32) Liam pitches Coffee Clozers

(21:24) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:42) The value of Founder University

(25:46) Jason awards the $25K investment

(31:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(32:28) Q&A with Jason

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Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Demoing Google’s MusicLM, AssemblyAI, and other AI tools with Sunny Madra | E1747 May 23, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Issuu is the all-in-one platform for creating and distributing beautiful digital content. Get started with Issuu today for free or sign up for an annual premium account and get 50% off when you go to http://issuu.com/podcast and use promo code twist.

Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://vanta.com/twist

.Tech domains are the go-to namespace to build anything in tech… and home to the world’s most innovative startups. Secure your .Tech domain today and lock down a 1-year domain for $10, or a 5-year domain for $50 at http://go.tech/TWIST today!

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Today’s show:

Sunny joins Jason to discuss the latest in AI. They chat about the launch of ChatGPT’s new iOS app and demo Google’s MusicLM (1:24). Then, Sunny tests AssemblyAI’s LeMUR and Wondercraft AI before wrapping with a look at Stable Diffusion’s deep fake capabilities (29:38).

Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

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Time stamps:

(0:00) Sunny joins Jason

(1:24) ChatGPT launches its IOS app

(4:59) Sunny demos Google’s MusicLM

(8:14) Issuu - Sign up for free or get 50% off an annual premium account by using promo code twist at https://issuu.com/podcast

(9:33) Having taste, and how did Google train MusicLM

(21:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(22:09) The legal issues with training MusicLM

(29:38) Sunny demos AssemblyAI’s LeMur

(38:34) .Tech domains - lock down a 1-year domain for $10, or a 5-year domain for $50 at http://go.tech/TWIST

(39:58) Sunny demos Wondercraft AI

(47:18) Stable Diffusion’s deep fake technology

(51:36) Creating more content with AI

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Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Fireside chat with Jason Calacanis & Brad Gerstner hosted by Mubadala’s Ibrahim Ajami | E1746 May 19, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Trovata. Starting up is hard. Trovata makes managing cash easy. Start automating your cash management at http://trovata.io/TWIST.Use Code TWIST for 30% off one full year of premium features like AI forecasting.

OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://openphone.com/twist

Today’s show:

Jason and Brad speak with Mubadala Capital’s Head of Ventures, Ibrahim Ajami, at Hub71 in the UAE. The three discuss how startups can survive and thrive in an economic downturn (1:02) before diving into the sacrifices that founders must make to create an incredible product. (14:16) They also explain how the AI revolution will affect software, startups, capital allocators, and more! (40:36)

Follow Mubadala: https://twitter.com/MubadalaCapital

Follow Ibrahim: https://twitter.com/IbrahimAjami

Follow Hub71: https://twitter.com/hub71ad

Follow Brad: https://twitter.com/altcap

Time stamps:

(0:00) Nick kicks off the show

(1:02) Surviving the downturn

(12:46) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(14:16) Sacrificing to build a great product

(26:34)Trovata - Use code TWIST at https://trovata.io/twist for 30% off one year of premium features, like AI forecasting

(27:47) Brad’s letter to Mark Zuckerberg and AI creating ultra-efficient startups

(39:02) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist

(40:36) The AI revolution

(50:48) The implications of AI on the software industry

(55:50) Creating the Silicon Valley culture

(59:32) Reflecting on the success of the Launch Accelerator

(1:06:23) Building culture within your firm and dealing with failure

(1:19:03) Opinions on WFH

(1:25:05) Recognizing product velocity

(1:29:11) Advice for young founders

(1:34:47) Advice for founders in emerging markets

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Follow TWiST:

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Viral fundraising tactics with Rewind AI’s Dan Siroker + How to build a strong brand | E1745 May 18, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Merge. Let your developers get back to their core product. Merge is a single API to add hundreds of integrations to your app. Integrate up to 3 customers for free today at http://merge.dev/twist.

Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at http://embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST.

Hyperice. Warm up and recover faster with the Hypervolt 2 massage gun and Normatec compression therapy boots. Save $50 off your order of $150 or more with code TWIST50 at checkout on http://hyperice.com

Today’s show:

Rewind AI CEO and Co-Founder Dan Siroker joins Jason to break down his viral fundraising strategy before diving into a demo of Rewind’s AI software (1:27). Then, Scott Bair of Lunour gives a talk on how to build a strong brand, where he dives into topics like branding, creating a logo and more! (34:49)

Follow Dan: https://twitter.com/dsiroker

Check out Rewind: https://www.rewind.ai

Time stamps:

(0:00) Dan Siroker joins Jason

(1:27) Dan discusses his method of raising capital publicly and the valuation they settled on

(9:08) Merge - Integrate up to 3 customers for free today at ⁠https://merge.dev/twist

(10:38) Advice for founders taking a high valuation, choosing the right firm, and differentiating Rewind AI from file search

(19:03) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at ⁠https://Embroker.com/twist

(20:35) Dan demos Rewind AI

(25:04) Privacy concerns, dealing with legal issues, and Rewind’s enterprise use cases

(33:21) Hyperice - Get $50 off your order of $150 or more with code TWIST50 at ⁠http://hyperice.com/

(34:49) How to build a strong brand with Scott Bair

Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Follow TWiST:

Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Magic.dev CEO Eric Steinberger on making developers bionic | E1744 May 17, 2023

This Week in Startups is presented by:

Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at http://crowdbotics.com/twist.

The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub helps all founders build a better startup, at a lower cost, from day one. Startups get up to $150K in Azure credits, access to free OpenAI credits, free dev tools like GitHub, technical advisory, access to mentors and experts, and so much more. There is no funding requirement, and it only takes minutes to join. Sign up today at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups.

Release. Large enterprises pose unique challenges for SaaS startups. Unlock customers with unique needs for private and single-tenant hosting without the toil of DIY with Release Delivery. Get your first month free at https://release.com/twist.

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Today’s show:

Jason is joined by Magic.dev CEO and Co-Founder Eric Steinberger to discuss how his startup makes developers more efficient with AI by auto-generating code. The first portion of the interview features Eric demoing his software. Then, Jason and Eric dive into the impact that these rapid AI advancements will have on society (31:28), how their tools have the potential to significantly minimize coding time and what that means for entrepreneurship (13:55), and much more!

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Time stamps:

(00:00) Eric Steinberger joins Jason

(1:44) Eric and Jason explain what Magi.dev is

(3:43) Eric Demos Magic.dev

(9:13) What makes this AI model unique

(11:02) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at ⁠http://crowdbotics.com/twist⁠

(12:11) Magic.dev's motivation behind building their own language model

(13:55) The efficiency gains achieved with Magic.dev

(17:32) Exploring reinforcement learning and grounding the AI model

(19:45) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(21:19) The two parallel paths unfolding

(23:57) How close we are to developing more capable AI systems

(31:28) The impact of Moore's Law on technology and society

(37:34) Release - Get your first month free at ⁠https://release.com/twist

(39:03) Alternative perspectives on the pace of AI advancement

(43:14) The origins of Eric's positive outlook on AI

(47:49) Thought's on AI regulation and choke points

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Great recent interviews: Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow Jason:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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