About this episode
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 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: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916