Episodes

3h ago

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Quadratic - http://quadratic.ai/twist Today’s show: Don’t get distracted! Here are the MOST CRUCIAL aspects of running a startup, where founders need to keep their full and uninterrupted focus. - Make sure you’re saving up your cash - Why you need to just get started and build SOMETHING - Trust and reliability is EVERYTHING for new products - Why distribution should be your top priority Download all this practical and tactical startup advice from seasoned veterans Jason Calacanis, Amanda Bradford, and William P. Barnes in this Tokyo edition of TWiST. Timestamps: (00:00) Amanda and Will’s big takeaways from Founder U in Saudi Arabia and now Tokyo (3:19) Why cash flow management is so important before you find PMF (5:57) Why first-time founders get the order of operations wrong (6:45) Just build SOMETHING, even if it’s taped together (11:19) “Focus is everything in the early stages” (14:17) From a wedge to a bridge (15:50) Quadratic - Bringing the productivity boost of AI into your spreadsheets. Visit http://quadratic.ai/twist to sign up and use the code TWIST to get one free month of their pro tier subscription. (18:45) What to put on your “Not Right Now” list (19:11) Embracing simplicity (22:00) The importance of trust and reliability (especially for Uber!) (28:12) Why innovation needs a constraining variable (33:40) To really drive word of mouth, you have to overdeliver (36:32) Distribution is the primary job of a founder/CEO (38:19) Some of the panel’s favorite distribution hacks (45:54) Why Jason respects Japan’s commitment to excellence and competency (49:38) Looking for “high slope” in early employees (53:11) Transitioning your team from early-stage startup to growth (57:45) Whoever writes it down gets credit for the idea (58:04) Q: Has the meaning of money changed for the panel now that they’ve had successful exits? * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (15:50) Quadratic - Bringing the productivity boost of AI into your spreadsheets. Visit http://quadratic.ai/twist to sign up and use the code TWIST to get one free month of their pro tier subscription. Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

22h ago

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Uber - http://uber.com/twist Deel - http://deel.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Today’s show: SpaceX is buying xAI, forming a mega-corp that plans to launch data centers into SPACE. Will Tesla also join up, fulfilling Elon’s destiny to become real-life Tony Stark, with his own Musk Industries? Jason and Alex break down the future of SpaceXAI in a breaking news report. THEN, we’re still celebrating OpenClaw (née Clawdbot) Mania! Oliver and Lukas return to TWiST to share their Almost Top 10 (okay it’s just a Top 6) favorite Skills so far. Learn how they’re using Replicants to summarize TWiST episodes, surf Reddit, produce original Gamma decks, train agents to make themselves smarter, and take care of LAUNCH’s administrative and operations tasks. Timestamps: (00:00) BREAKING: SpaceX bought xAI! (1:56) Why it will be cheaper to generate compute in space than here on Earth (8:19) Will Tesla eventually join the club, forming “Musk Industries”? (11:36) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist (12:37) ALSO BREAKING: We’re still obsessing about Clawdbot/OpenClaw (14:58) So is OpenClaw and all of its various skills secure yet? NO. (16:42) Today we’re looking at our picks for the Top 6 OpenClaw skills (17:13) Alex’s first pick: Reddit (read only), which makes it easier to track down what you want on the aggregator (19:35) Reddit hates bots! But maybe they’ll change their tune? (21:47) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (22:46) Our Replicant summarized the last few episodes of TWiST… but at what COST? (18 cents) (26:40) Lukas taught our Replicant to make Gamma decks for us (29:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (30:21) Our Replicant has ALL the Polymarket data now! The power! (34:14) AI agents are also playing cards together on ClawPoker (35:07) Oliver tested out our pal Matt Van Horn’s (@mvanhorn) self-improving “Last 30 Days” skill (38:22) Why memory is so crucial for getting models to improve themselves over time (40:33) Yo dawg I know you like monitoring tasks so I built you a task monitor that monitors your tasks so you can task monitor your tasks (41:40) What makes OpenClaw so powerful is also what makes it dangerous! (49:12) If you want to really learn about OpenClaw, you need to make your own skills (50:03) Jason’s advice for OpenClaw’s suddenly famous creator: Peter Steinberger (@steipete) (56:31) What would be the best way(s) to monetize OpenClaw? (57:54) Will an OpenClaw agent sue a human in court? * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (11:36) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist (21:47) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (29:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

3d ago

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Deel - http://deel.com/twist LinkedIn Jobs - http://linkedin.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Today’s show: On Today’s action packed episode of This Week in Startups, our team is going full AI! Jason is joined by Oliver Korzen and Lukas Durand from the LAUNCH team, alongside Rahul Sood, founder/CEO of Irrevernt Labs and founder of Voodoo PC. With the rise of Clawdbot/Moltbot, the question on everyone’s mind is how fast, how much and how safe! Lukas and Oliver show off the ways that This Week in Startups are automating the hours of research and administrative tasks that take up our days and the what this means for running a podcast and venture firm. Timestamps: (00:00) Why we’re so obsessed with OpenClaw (Clawdbot) (00:47) LAUNCH’s own Lukas Durand has joined the pod for the first time… Here’s how he and Jason met… (02:26) Oliver is also here… check out his new series, This Week in AI (03:11)How LAUNCH has its OpenClaw bot set up (without all the details!!!) (06:03) The first few services that LAUNCH authenticated with our OpenClaw… And why! (6:59) How OpenClaw is helping Oliver to book the show (11:06) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (14:08) Why OpenClaw sometimes struggles with context and memory, and how to work around it (16:03) Understanding how to set up “cron jobs” (20:19) LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at http://linkedin.com/twist That’s http://linkedin.com/twist. Terms and conditions apply. (22:23) How OpenClaw works as our virtual podcast producer, and how much time we’ll save (24:40) Can OpenClaw also help us prep the podcast agenda (aka THE DOCKET)? (28:32) Lon chimes in to talk about how Claude helped him prep Jason’s Davos interviews (31:30) Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (32:28) How many “Replicants” or AI agents does one company really need? (36:09) Why Jason asked his OpenClaw bots to self-report on what they’re learning (37:14) What OpenClaw WON’T do… Where did these guardrails come from? (39:44)The hardware side… How much of this can you do from a Mac Studio? (43:29) Zombie Staffers: How OpenClaw can “revive” long-lost employees… (48:09) We’re putting OpenClaw in charge of the TWiST 500 (51:18) Rahul Sood joins us to talk about the dangers of OpenClaw and how to stay protected (53:01) Why so many OpenClaw skills have major vulnerabilities (1:00:00) Moltbook: Where bots hang out with other bots and share info (1:06:44) Why powerful AI agents will make creative work by humans so much more important. (1:07:22) Rahul’s final recommendations for max possible OpenClaw security (1:14:00) Is OpenClaw going to bring hiring to a halt? (1:21:10) Why getting comfortable with AI tools will become essential for every employee Thank you to our partners: (11:06) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (20:19) LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at http://linkedin.com/twist That’s http://linkedin.com/twist. Terms and conditions apply. (31:30) Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

5d ago

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Gusto - http://Gusto.com/twist Zite - http://zite.com/twist Circle.so - http://circle.so/twist Guest links: Andrew Duffy, Founder and CEO, http://sparkplug.app — Retail incentives and brand partnerships platform Ford Smith, Founder of http://Ultranative.com — Investing in transformative startups Socrates Rosenfeld, Founder and CEO of http://iheartjane.com — One stop shop for cannabis products Today’s show: On TWiST’s first Cannabis Roundtable, Jason is joined by three top Cannabis founders and investors: Ford Smith of Ultranative, Andrew Duffy of Sparkplug, and Socrates Rosenfeld of Jane. How will the regulatory environment and the move to Schedule III change the industry? Are those regulations shaping consumption? How are investors thinking about cannabis startups given the difficulty with exits? Most importantly, what’s the deal with the increasing potency of cannabis? Each guest has their own perspective, Andrew sees it as a natural reaction from CPG brands to power users, Ford points to “flyover” operators unconcerned with long-term health of the industry, while Socrates refers to moonshine drinking during the prohibition to say that regulations create these problems. Speaking of moonshine, alcohol consumption is dropping dramatically among Gen-Z, with many pointing to cannabis consumption as a substitute. Some perceive cannabis as healthier and lacking caloric nature of alcohol, which could explain why there are now more daily smokers than daily drinkers! Timestamps: (0:00) Guest Introductions for the Cannabis Roundtable! (2:50) Why Jason invested in Sparkplug (6:44) How Ford Smith got into Cannabis investing — is it Cannabis a good investment? (11:40) Gusto - Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at http://Gusto.com/twist. (12:46) Socrates breaks down building a major cannabis marketplace (18:13) Canadian legalization and tailwinds for cannabis. (20:25) How Cannabis startups are pivoting to deal with high competition and regulatory pressure (21:47) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to http://zite.com/twist to get started. (27:07) Who benefits from legalization of cannabis? Healthcare? Retail? Banking? (28:03) How the alcohol industry is getting crushed by cannabis usage (31:27) Circle.so - The easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle’s Professional Plan by going to http://circle.so/twist. (32:47) Is new cannabis too potent? Is high potency cannabis a result of illegal rules. (42:05) Why heavy consumers are driving CPG startups to high doses (44:14) Cannabis psychosis and the problem with brands selling potency items. * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (11:40) Gusto - Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at http://Gusto.com/twist. (21:47) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to http://zite.com/twist to get started. (31:27) Circle.so - The easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle’s Professional Plan by going to http://circle.so/twist. Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

Jan 27

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Quo - http://quo.com/TWiST Lemon IO - https://lemon.io/twist Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Today’s show: Jason is back from Davos and Tokyo! We are jumping right back in with a group of Clawdbot power users: Alex Finn, Matt Von Horn, and Dan Penguine. Clawdbot is a hot open source AI project that lets users automate… everything! Dan helped his automate his aging parent’s tea shop, Matt built news sourcing bots, and Alex runs his one-man SAAS startup with Clawdbot as an AI employee! But with all of that power comes the responsibility of making sure you are not giving your AI too many authorizations that could come under fire! Whether fisching emails, “injections”, or bad decision making from incorrect information online. Check out how these 3 experts, Jason and Alex are thinking about the bleeding edge of AI! Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing today’s Clawdbot experts! (04:09) How Matt Von Horn makes “Skills” with Clawdbot (10:53) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST. (13:25) Dan Penguine’s “Normy” use case: automating his parent’s tea shop (19:50) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist (22:23) Alex Finn breaks down how Clawdbot lets him run a one man startup (24:28) Alex Finn on Clawdbot autonomously building apps within his business (28:33) Security concerns with Clawdbot, can your AI get hacked? (32:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (35:07) Why is everyone buying Mac Minis? (37:39) How to think about LLM Token usage (46:02) Clawdbot will build CRMs, project management software, etc without being asked. Is this the end of SAAS? (46:58) Matt live uploads his new Clawdbot skill on aire! (48:22) Why was Clawdbot able to move so much quicker than Anthropic and OpenAI? (50:17) What is Clawdbot’s business model as an open source AI? (53:27) Matt’s recursive AI prompt loop and how AI prompts layer * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (10:53) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST (19:50) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist (32:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

Jan 24

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Sentry.io - sentry.io/twist Hubspot - clickhubspot.com/twist2 Northwest Registered Agent - https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Today’s show: One day soon, you might consult an AI general practitioner about your health, and then the computer will recommend human specialists to take up your case. On TWiST Tokyo, Jason chats with Fred Almeida — founder and CEO of American Medical Intelligence Inc. — and Maxwell Weiss, a partner at Pacific Bays Capital. Together, they discuss the future of medicine, and the opportunities for individuals to take greater control over their health and preventative care strategies. PLUS a look at how Japan has stayed at the forefront of technology despite NOT being a manufacturing hub, why so many Americans are willing to take a pay cut to move to Japan for work, and the concept of “genten shugi,” and how it prevents some Japanese people from communicating with English speakers, despite understanding the language. THEN we hear pitches from some of our favorite Founder University x Japan companies, and Fred, Jason, and Max pick their favorites! Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing today’s big guests: founder Fred Almeida and investor Max Weiss! (5:43) Why Fred thinks one day soon, an AI will be your general practitioner (8:26) The power of getting self-directed medical diagnostics (13:27) Max says Japan has moved into Decade 2 in its venture capital journey (14:37) Sentry - New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST (16:05) Max and Jason had wagyu barbecue the other night (17:10) Japan doesn’t OFFICIALLY have a standing army… (21:37) Why the line between talking startups and politics is blurring (23:05) Hubspot - Check out the guide “Advanced ChatGPT Prompt Engineering: From Basic to Expert in 7 Days.” Download it for free at clickhubspot.com/twist2 . (24:59) Japan doesn’t make a lot of things, but it produces the underlying tech behind a lot of things (25:52) Understanding Genten Shugi: Why some in Japan still have an “English allergy” (29:42) Why some Americans will take a pay cut to come work in Japan (33:28) Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (34:10) PITCH #1: Cascade(36:10) PITCH #2: Altsource Global(38:10) PITCH #3: GoalMochi(40:25) Jason, Max, and Fred give feedback on our first three pitches(42:45) Would GoalMochi ever consider adding personas for added expertise, like say a nutritionist?(44:30) How does Cascade plan to compete against the massive ad networks of companies like Google and Meta?(46:05) PITCH #4: RandomChat(48:10) PITCH #5: Eir(50:05) More feedback for our final two pitches of the day(52:44) Fred wants to know how Eir’s product will integrate with other systems(54:19) Why Gigi made herself available to chat in her app(57:50) Why Jason thinks RandomChat should add anonymous personas 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 Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (14:37) Sentry - New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST (23:05) Hubspot - Check out the guide “Advanced ChatGPT Prompt Engineering: From Basic to Expert in 7 Days.” Download it for free at clickhubspot.com/twist2 . (33:28) Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

Jan 21

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Northwest Registered Agent - www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Crusoe Cloud - https://crusoe.ai/savings LinkedIn Jobs - http://linkedIn.com/twist Today’s show: On today’s TWIST episode, Alex interviews two of the top startup co-founders: Keller Cliffton of Zipline and Anastasis Germanidis of Runway. Zipline announced its $600 million raise at a $7.6 BILLION valuation. Kellers breaks down the origins, economics, and future of Zipline’s contrarian bet in drone delivery. What was science fiction a decade ago is now a regular part of life for many. In fact, Zipline operates more flights than United! Zipline is set to leapfrog the car delivery apps AND self driving cars with the superior economics of drone delivery. It is much cheaper to transport your burrito in a lightweight drone than a 6,000 pound self driving car! Then, Alex is joined by Anastasis Germanidis, the CTO and co-founder of Runway, to explain why the next frontier of generative AI is world models! Runway is looking to build a universal simulation, which will unlock massive gains in robotics, autonomy, and simulations. The world model would be able to simulate rare edge cases that could take years to find naturally! Check out how this cutting edge AI startup’s NYU Tisch School of Art’s origins Then, See Jason’s answer to the question: “When should founders pivot or give up?” Timestamps: (00:00) The Drone revolution is here! (02:46) Inside Zipline’s factory to build 20K drones a year (04:40) American dynamism Vs. Chinese manufacturing dominance (09:00) How Zipline is growing 75% month on month (9:50) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (11:15) Zipline teleports food and goods to your house (21:54) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/savings to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (23:02) Is it affordable to use a drone to deliver a burrito? (29:18) Zipline DOUBLES United’s flight numbers (31:11) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs new AI assistant. (32:21) Anastasis break’s down Runway’s AI modeling (35:24) Runway’s Gen 4.5 and the world model (40:57) Why do robotics companies need a world model? (43:04) Using AI to simulate robot laundry folding (52:37) Runway’s origins at NYU’s art school (55:46) Founder Q/A: When to pivot or give up on your startup * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (9:50) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (21:54) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/savings to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (31:11) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs new AI assistant. Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

Jan 20

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Circle.so - http://Circle.so/twist Deel - http://deel.com/twist Uber AI Solutions - http://uber.com/twist Today’s show: Not long ago, promising young Japanese graduates wanted to go work for the largest, most established, and even oldest corporations: Sony, Mitsubishi, and the like. But now, just over the last few years, more and more Japanese people are becoming entrepreneurs and founders. TWiST Japan continues with a fascinating look inside the country’s growing startup ecosystem with special guest, venture capitalist Shinichi “Shin” Takamiya. He’ll walk Jason through how Japan stayed ahead of the rest of the world in technology, but started falling behind when it came to founding companies, and how the Japanese are now starting to level the playing field. PLUS why his fund, Globis, sees other VC firms as collaborators rather than the competition… How AI is helping Japanese and American founders build their companies more quickly… Why Jason prefers training younger people to become VCs rather than hiring more experienced players… Shin’s guide to eating out in Tokyo… and much more! Timestamps: (00:00) We’re so excited to bring Founder University in Japan! (04:15) Jason and our guest first met 15-25 years ago… (06:06) How is Japan always so far ahead of the rest of the world? (08:29) Globis is one of Japan’s largest and oldest venture capital firms! (10:48) Circle.so - the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle’s Professional Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist (12:38) Why founders need to play the long game when it comes to networking (15:03) “The founder is the most precious resource in the startup community” (16:50) Shin takes us inside his Mercari (a massive Japanese marketplace site) investment (18:20) How startups became “cool” in Japan, just recently (19:43) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (21:09) You don’t have to tell an investor your whole story… just get them interested (25:28) Why Jason likes to train young folks to be VCs, rather than hiring for experience (28:44) The differences between being candid and rude (29:44) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist (35:40) Why Globis sees other VC firms as collaborators (39:08) The world’s OLDEST company is 1500 years old… and it’s from Japan… (39:54) Why a lot of great businesses aren’t right for VC investment (43:34) Why picking the right market is so crucial (48:37) When you know the direction of change but can’t predict the timing (50:34) How founders are using AI to build better companies faster (54:39) Shin’s guide to eating out in Tokyo * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (10:48) Circle.so - the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle’s Professional Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist (19:43) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (29:44) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

Jan 16

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Lemon.io - https://lemon.io/twist Deel - http://deel.com/twist LinkedIn Jobs - http://linkedIn.com/twist Today’s show: Some pitches sound just like ads… and it’s a huge red flag for investors. On our latest edition of TWiST Tokyo, Jason welcomes legendary angel investor (and long-time friend of the pod) Thomas McInerney. His list of investments reads like a Who’s Who of the tech elite, including Notion, SpaceX, Uber, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity…. At Founder University x Tokyo, they discuss how the angel investing landscape has shifted, why it’s so important for founders to stay humble, the reasons that investors need to stay not just optimistic but aggressively so, and what angels can add to companies beyond just writing checks. Plus we revisit some classic TWiST clips featuring Thomas from over 10 years ago AND take a look at three of our favorite pitches from our Japanese founders. Timestamps: (00:00) FLASHBACK: Clips from Tom’s classic TWiST appearances (02:54) Why Jason and Tom love hanging and building in Tokyo. (05:30) How has the angel investing landscape changed over the last decade plus? (09:38) “Being an investor is a commodity… You have to provide more than just money.” (12:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (13:34) How Thomas evaluates very early stage startups (14:56) Why Thomas invested in nuclear tech when it was hugely unpopular (17:31) Why it’s so important for new founders to be both humble and smart (18:50) The relevance and accuracy of Marc Andreessen’s “Idea Maze” metaphor (20:40) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (21:41) How Elon Musk brings oversized, visionary ideas to life (26:11) Why founders using buzzwords is a huge red flag (27:13) The little “poker tells” Thomas and Jason look for in a founder (28:26) “If there’s any doubt, there’s no doubt.” (30:47) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant. (32:04) PRO TIP: Don’t run out of money! (38:10) The importance of being an aggressive optimist for investors (43:27) The human brain cannot comprehend 1000x growth (45:33) PITCH #1: Sakenomist is the cross-border commerce platform, starting with sake exporters (Hiroshi Takeuchi) (51:47) PITCH #2: HomiiWorld, the IRL social app which helps you meet new people anywhere in the world * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (12:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist (20:40) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more. (30:47) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant. Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara https://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQ Eoghan McCabe https://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4 Steve Huffman https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424 Brian Chesky https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112 Bob Moesta https://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94Q

Jan 14

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Every.io - http://every.io/ LinkedIn Jobs - https://www.linkedin.com/twist Zite - http://zite.com/twist Today’s show: Why do 40% of Japanese students want to build a company rather than join the corporate workforce? On TWiST, Jason considers this question along with special guest Kathy Matsui, general partner of the global VC fund MPower Partners. Their wide-ranging discussion also features a look inside one of Jason’s favorite international companies, Japan’s own fashion retailer Uniqlo, where Kathy is a board member. (While in town, he took the opportunity to check out their flagship store in Ginza.) They also take a look back at Japan’s economic crisis in the ‘90s, and why recovery took such a very long time… MPower’s philosophy while raising their second fund, and why they’re so focused on what they call “Japan Dynamism”… the key question of whether Japanese startups should focus on the domestic market first BEFORE chasing global customers… why an ESG (environment, social, governance) focus in Japan is so different from DEI in the US… and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Kathy Matsui is on the board of one of Jason’s favorite companies, Uniqlo (and its parent, Fast Retailing) (10:52) Why deflation in the ‘90s was “poison” for Japanese businesses and workers (13:41) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/ (15:05) Why do American entrepreneurs keep falling in love with Japan? (18:17) How the Japanese government is encouraging more founders to start tech companies (20:05) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant. (21:15) Why more Japanese grads are becoming entrepreneurs (23:46) What MPower means by “Japan Dynamism” and why they’re focused on it for Fund 2 (24:26) The various reasons so few female founders are getting funded in Japan (27:38) The differences between MPower’s approach and corporate DEI in the US (30:03) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to https:/zite.com/twist to get started. (31:48) Is the “first Japan, then the WORLD” approach a waste? (35:34) In Japan, you don’t build trust in just one meeting… (39:19) Kathy’s take on the complex relationship between Japan and the MENA region (42:13) Why the UAE and Saudi Arabia aren’t “dumb money,” as some in Silicon Valley assume (43:49) Can Japan still rely on the United States as a strong geopolitical partner? There are question marks… (48:16) Regarding China: “When you move up the stack… be careful what you wish for!” (49:06) Q: Aladdin is developing smart trash cans… Kathy and Jason’s tips on founder Yuki Kanai’s pitch (54:31) Q: Maya Hojnacki from AltSource Capital asks about how MPower helps startups facing regulatory or policy obstacles (57:17) Q: Hiroki from Goi wants Jason and Kathy’s take on Japan’s point-based immigration policies (1:06:38) Why Japan desperately needs AI to start taking more jobs * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Thank you to our partners: (13:41) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/ (20:05) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant. (30:03) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to https://zite.com/twist to get started. Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

Jan 13

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Netsuite - https://www.netsuite.com/twist LumaAi - https://lumalabs.ai/twist Squarespace - https://squarespace.com/twist Today’s show: Government fraud and waste has become a prominent issue in the last month. That’s what we are looking at. On Today’s episode of TWiST, Jason interviews Alex Shieh of the The Antifraud Company. Under the False Claims Act, enterprising Americans, like Alex, can receive up to 30% of fraud dollars they uncover! Jason digs into the business of fraud with Alex Shieh and how a generational company could be built around it! PLUS Alex Wilhelm and Marcus Brotman take a look at the history of BOOM, $1.5 Billion dollar startup bringing back supersonic commercial travel! Jason first interviewed Blake Scholl almost 10 years ago in 2016. Back then, BOOM was a dream to bringing back supersonic travel. The Concorde’s failure, and why BOOM is different, is central to Blake’s thinking. What is fascinating is Blake’s mindset and vision for the early stages of this future unicorn startup. THEN, Jason answers live Q/A at Founder University Tokyo! In partnership with JETRO, Jason and the LAUNCH team are bringing Founder University to 35 Japanese startups over the next 9 weeks! Timestamps: (00:00) Why the Concorde failed and how BOOM Supersonic is bringing back faster than light travel (08:34) The 30% efficiency rule for Mach 2 flights (11:46) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (17:12) Building million dollar planes on a startup budget (20:22) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist (24:11) The Checklist Manifesto: Lessons for pilots and founders! (26:02) How to build a team that can go supersonic (32:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (33:55) Private Sector Doge: The Anti Fraud Company (38:48) The $500B in Fraud uncovered (48:34) How Alex Shieh’s team uses AI to hunt down fraud (52:48) How you can win 30% of exposed fraud with the false claims Act (56:27) Founder University Tokyo Q&A 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/ * Thank you to our partners: (11:46) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (20:22) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist (32:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

Jan 13

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Northwest Registered Agent - www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Caldera Lab - http://calderalab.com/TWIST Pipedrive - http://pipedrive.com/twist Today’s show: TWiST is coming to you all from TOKYO as we launch Japan’s first-ever Founder University! That’s right, a full week of key insights from Japan’s top founders, investors, and tech visionaries… when we can pull ourselves away from our favorite izakaya spots, that is. First up, Jason welcomes HyreSearch.com co-founder Sho Takei, a veteran of Uber and CloudKitchens who now helps startups recruit top talent from around the world. Together they discuss the massive changes AI is bringing to every facet of the hiring process, Sho’s experiences working for infamously “super-pumped” Travis Kalanick, his tips for for establishing a corporate culture when hiring your first few employees, why being a co-founder is just a bit like getting married, and LOTS MORE. Timestamps: (00:00) We’re in TOKYO JAPAN for Founder University with Hyre co-founder (and Uber vet) Sho Takei. (03:13) The challenges of early Uber recruiting in Asia (05:22) Are Japanese workers motivated by stock-based compensation? Or is cash still king? (08:24) Why tax rates give Singapore and Dubai a competitive advantage. (09:17) Do in-person startups have an edge against entirely remote companies? (11:50) How Jason thinks Hyre could grab their ultimate domain name… (13:26) Northwest Registered Agent: Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www .northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (15:32) Just because a startup tactic works in the US… doesn’t mean it will work in Japan (17:39) Travis Kalanick and Uber’s unique “super pumped” approach to recruiting (20:01) It’s hard to fire someone in Japan! The high stakes for hiring mistakes. (23:35) Sho’s tips for establishing a culture and hiring your first few employees (“hiring is guessing, and firing is knowing”) (25:33) Why being a co-founder is kind of like getting married (27:46) Caldera Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order. (28:59) How AI is revolutionizing the hiring process, and why you still need a human in the loop (34:02) How do you win over amazing talent that’s already happy at another company (39:47) Pipedrive: Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at http://pipedrive.com/twist (43:19) How Hyre operates as an agency and also an in-house recruiter (44:57) The surprising importance of “candidate experience” when hiring in Japan * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (13:26) Northwest Registered Agent: Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (27:46) Caldera Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order. (39:47) Pipedrive: Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at http://pipedrive.com/twist

Jan 10

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Hubspot - http://clickhubspot.com/twist1 Circle.so - http://circle.so/twist Sentry - http://sentry.io/twist Today’s show: On the last TWiST episode before Jason goes to Japan and Alex begins on paternity leave, the hosts break down the blockbuster tech news that is kicking off 2026. Discord AND Strava both eyeing billion dollar IPOs, two massive social media apps with millions of daily active users. Jason unpacks Discord’s the growth story, from a gaming-first product launch in 2015, to a community/work platform and social media for all. Jason explains why Strava proves that data is the MOAT for consumer apps. PLUS Jason and Alex are joined by Producer Oliver to rank the top CES products. Jason gave his thoughts on the different robots, self driving cars, and multi-fold phones on display. Would you buy a triple-fold phone? Timestamps: (00:00) Discord looks to go public at $7 Billion! (10:05) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1 (13:37) Strava going public and why data IS the moat for consumer software (19:28) Circle.so: the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. (22:25) Anthropic’s $350B valuation and why it makes sense (31:59) Sentry: New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (33:05) Why is China upset about META’s Manus acquisition — and why Jason is hopeful for the US-China relationship (37:24) Jason’s favorite part of CES: The rise of open source AI! (40:59) Why Jason LOVES his self driving Tesla — why public companies need to be safe and not push too quickly (44:24) Producer Oliver’s Top CES Tech products (54:46) Jason’s Major Takeway from CES (59:43) How many times can you fold a phone? (1:04:04) New interfaces for smartphones * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (10:05) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1 (19:28) Circle.so: the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. (31:59) Sentry: New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara https://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQ Eoghan McCabe https://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4 Steve Huffman https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424 Brian Chesky https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112 Bob Moesta https://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94Q Aaron Levie https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/box-ceo-aaron-levie-breaks-down-box-ai-and-generative/id315114957?i=1000612384545 Sophia Amoruso https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sophia-amoruso-on-branding-raising-a-fund-portfolio/id315114957?i=1000601352978 Reid Hoffman https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/reid-hoffman-on-ais-crescendo-moment-regulation-and/id315114957?i=1000612548498 Frank Slootman https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/snowflake-ceo-frank-slootman-on-moving-the-needle-win/id315114957?i=1000602560622

Jan 8

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Gusto - https://www.gusto.com/twist Lemon IO - https://lemon.io/twist Quo - http://quo.com/TWiST Today’s show: We keep hearing about how AI is killing our ability to think, filling our media with slop, and ruining our kids’ ability to learn. It seems the internet is filled with negative sentiment about the future AI is bringing. Jason is joined by Grant Lee, CEO and co-founder of Gamma, as well as Steven Johnson, editorial director of NotebookLM to tackle these questions on today’s AI roundtable! Grant and Steven break down how they are using AI to push forward their own productivity as well as their teams. Both say that AI makes you more creative! Steven points out that it helped him write his books by having AI do the “chore work” while he got to focus on the valuable insights and higher level thinking. One valuable tip was that AI can be used to uncover customer insights in a new medium. Steven and Grant both put customer feedback into an LLM, allowed them to have high level conversations with their whole user base about what features and products they each enjoy. If that isn’t creative, then what is? Learn about all this and more in today’s roundtable! Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing Steven Johnson and Grant Lee! (10:12) Gusto: Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at https://www.gusto.com/twist (11:28) How Jason and the TWiST team uses NotebookLM (12:37) Will AI replace lawyers in startups and VC? Should they? (16:08) How the Gamma team uses AI understand their consumers (19:43) Lemon.io: Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist (22:38) How the Google team uses AI to “talk” to their whole user base. (24:45) Is AI replicating our brains and consciousness? (28:18) The ways that AI is changing how companies process information. (30:39) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST (31:43) Jason thinks groupchats are the modern coffee shop for interesting ideas! (32:48) Why Steven thinks AI makes creatives MORE ORIGINAL (40:02) HALF of US adults think AI makes you less creative (43:20) Grant defends using AI for doing research + making business decisions (45:28) Superforecasting — How to think about your thinking (53:00) Is education going back to blue books and oral exams? (56:30) Jevons Paradox and How AI will increase jobs for all! (59:50) Edison put whale hunters out of business but brought in electricians and movie industry (1:02:36) Jason coaches his employees to 10x themselves with AI tools to push value (1:05:54) Jason’s call to join the AI revolution * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (10:12) Gusto: Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at https://www.gusto.com/twist (19:43) Lemon.io: Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist (30:39) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST

Jan 6

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Crusoe Cloud - https://crusoe.ai/build Uber - http://uber.com/twist Every.io - http://every.io/ Today’s show: Jason and Alex are BACK on TWiST for 2026! This holiday season was anything but calm, with deca-corn acquisitions, massive Polymarket bets, and major new startups breaking from stealth! Jason talks the recent Nvidia-Groq $20B acquisition, a major exit for Chamath as the lead investor back in 2017! Jason delves into how the VC fund math shapes out for pre-seed VC funds vs. Series A VC funds. Jason and Alex delve into drama swirling META’s AI team. Yann LeCun, META’s former Chief AI Scientist, announced that he would be leaving META to become Executive Chairman at AMI Labs. LeCun left the META team in the new year, calling the new Chief AI Scientist, Alexandr Wang, inexperienced. LeCun now looks to move AI beyond the era of LLM at AMI Labs. PLUS Jason and Alex talk about the new social media app Tangle, from Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, and Evan Sharp, co-founder of Pinterest. Their Startup, West Co, launched tangle, which seeks to become an “intentional living” app. The two look to improve how humans interact with modern tech. Jason points out that very few news products have worked, but is eager to see how two industry veterans build in the space. Timestamps: (00:00) Why Restaurants are OVER — Peptides and other self medications (06:41) Nvidia Acqui-Hires Groq for $20 BILLION (9:48) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (11:00) The VC fund math between seed vs. Series A funds (15:00) META buys TWiST 500 Company, Manus! Why it matters. (20:20) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist (21:24) Why Yann LeCun left META, and what could be behind it (25:27) Producer Claude on the Gondola Crash in Zurich (29:13) Jason’s Request for Augmented human intelligence (30:11) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/ (32:04) How one Trader made $436.8k on one bet on polymarket! (36:05) Jason’s Predictions for 2026 IPOs (40:01) Is news broken? How Tangle is tackling it. (45:53) How much should startup incur in legal expenses? Should founders try to use AI to avoid costs? (50:59) Why Google should let NotebookLM cook, make it a standalone brand! * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (9:48) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (20:20) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist (30:11) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/

Dec 30, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Squarespace - https://squarespace.com/twist Hubspot - http://clickhubspot.com/twist1 Today’s show: We’re saying goodbye to 2025 with our annual TWISTY Awards, looking back on our favorite pod moments from throughout the year. Featured clips include Jason’s message to the members of Reddit’s r/AntiWork community… Why JCal would NEVER work with Sam Altman or OpenAI… The time that Jason got doxxed and then found the guy responsible on LinkedIn… Why LA Mayor Karen Bass earned a *disgraziad*… Alex saying “Yessir!” in a weird way… And much more classic TWiST content. See y’all next year! Timestamps: (00:00) It’s the final episode of the year: The TWiSTY Awards for our favorite moments and guests of the year (2:06) The nominees for Best Name Drop (7:02)2025 in Trends (9:52) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (14:28) The best Jason anecdotes and personal stories (19:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (22:28) Our favorite 2025 guests, including Doug Leone, Coffeezilla, Anton Osika, and more (29:03) The year in Jason Rants (30:18) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1 (36:11) Controversial moments and the year’s hottest takes (44:11) DISGRAZIAD! Here are the most shameful people and companies of 2025 (50:50)Alex’s best/worst Dad Jokes (54:32) It’s a simple word… groceries * 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/ * Thank you to our partners: (9:52) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (19:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (30:18) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1

Dec 29, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Northwest Registered Agent- https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Vanta - http://www.vanta.com/twist Lemon IO - https://lemon.io/twist Today’s show: Jason’s already a millionaire many times over… but what are the huge, blockbuster, dream purchases that he’s still holding off on? BESIDES the private jet we all know he wants? The Noti Gang has asked, and JCal finally answers, on a holiday TWiST where we’re taking questions from viewers and fans. Check out the episode for lots more intriguing queries, like how to push forward and glean useful information when your first customers aren’t using your product the way you’d envisioned. Plus, is there room for both AI agents and great SaaS startups in the coming years? Hear why Jason thinks there IS. AND we’ve got the very last Gamma Pitch Deck Competition entry before we announce our winner in the new year. Check out AskHumans, an innovative approach to improving market research. Timestamps: (00:00) On a special holiday TWiST, we’re answering YOUR pressing Founder Questions! (8:35) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (09:35) What should a founder do when a VC reaches out cold? (13:37) The importance of maintaining “ball control” (15:35) A European founder asks: Should I take European investments if they’re targeting American customers? (19:47) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (20:51) A member of the Noti gang asks for JCal’s dream mega-purchases (24:12) Why Jason thinks there’s room for BOTH AI agents and great SaaS companies (27:18) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist (28:23) It’s our final Gamma pitch with Zak from AskHumans! (29:24) How AskHumans uses AI to improve on marketing surveys and research (34:33) Management and measurement were designed before computers could understand language… why this matters. (35:48) Why no one ever wants to give feedback in a video (39:01) Why Zak’s pitch is “two chapters of the same story”… and was this a pivot? (44:14) Why founders need to assume LLMs are going to get exponentially better * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (8:35) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (19:47) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (27:18) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara https://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQ Eoghan McCabe https://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4 Steve Huffman https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424 Brian Chesky https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112 Bob Moesta https://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94Q Aaron Levie https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/box-ceo-aaron-levie-breaks-down-box-ai-and-generative/id315114957?i=1000612384545 Sophia Amoruso https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sophia-amoruso-on-branding-raising-a-fund-portfolio/id315114957?i=1000601352978

Dec 23, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Caldera + Lab - http://calderalab.com/TWIST Crusoe Cloud - https://crusoe.ai/build Uber - http://uber.com/twist Today’s show: Why did a power outage in the Bay Area cause Waymos to pile up on city streets? Jason was actually in San Francisco to take in the spectacle of Waymos blocking traffic. But why did this happen? And can we look forward to a day when automated cars are more graceful and coordinated than ballet dancers performing “Swan Lake”? We’re asking the tough (and also culturally erudite) questions! PLUS self-driving cars are coming to London, Coinbase’s buying spree continues, another entrant in our nearly-complete Gamma Pitch Deck Competition, AND why Jason predicts that Google is going to buy UBER! You won’t want to miss this holiday TWiST! Timestamps: (00:00) It’s a holiday TWiST! Jason’s calling in from vacay in Lake Tahoe. (03:11) Jason was in SF for the great Waymo power outage! (06:06) Why Jason says one day Waymos will be better coordinated than dancers in “Swan Lake” (07:33) We predicted Starlink coming to every Tesla nearly 3 years ago! (09:05) Caldera + Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order. (11:29) Jason calls what Tesla’s Optimus team is planning “otherworldly” (14:39) Why Jason thinks we’re all going to live in an “Opt-In Truman Show” someday soon (18:52) Baidu, Lyft, and Uber bring self-driving cars to London… they don’t have them already?! (20:49) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (24:02) When do we get to 50% of all rides being done by autonomous vehicles… and how many robotaxis will that take? (27:50) Why Jason thinks Google is going to buy… UBER?! (31:12) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist (32:30) Will it eventually come down to which car can drive a mile for the cheapest? (35:08) Coinbase picks up The Clearing Company, which makes frameworks for prediction markets (39:50) How much did the biggest AI models improve this year? (44:09) Who’s going to actually buy Warner Bros? We’re checking the Polymarket. (47:06) GAMMA PITCH w/ Jonathan Sherman of Lumix Ads (51:00) Why Jason says Jonathan’s pitch is a 9.5 out of 10 (52:50) What Jason looks for in a founder: “a big audacious vision” (54:18) How Lumix (safely) collects users’ “mobile ad ID” on the go to identify them Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (09:05) Caldera + Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order. (20:49) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (31:12) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist

Dec 20, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Luma AI - https://lumalabs.ai/twist Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Lemon IO - https://lemon.io/twist Today’s show: DID YOU KNOW… most of the tried and true techniques devised by marketing gurus in the ‘40s and ‘50s still apply today? On TWiST, we’re joined by online marketing expert Sam Parr, host of “My First Million” and founder of Hampton. He’s sharing all of his top tips and tricks for making your writing more compelling, and converting your readers into new customers. In this essential pod for any and all founders, hear Jason and Sam run down their list of the best-ever marketing books, why there’s no such this as “too long” only “too uninteresting,” when to use AI and when to rely on your own brain, why you’re the average of your five best friends, and lots more deep insights. Timestamps: (00:00) Sam Parr of The Hustle, Hampton, and My First Million is here to teach us how to become better copywriters (03:59) How Sam got interested in the (then-shady) world of internet marketing (06:26) Why Sam recommended THESE advertising books to Jason (08:15) All the principles that ad execs developed in the ‘50s still work! (09:43) Glengarry had it right; the magic of A.I.D.A. (11:19) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist (14:30) There’s no such thing as “too long,” just “too uninteresting” (16:15) The goal is to write at a 4th grade reading level (18:12) Why Sam only uses AI for “The Big Idea,” not the actual writing (19:37) Why you’re the average of your five best friends (21:14) 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! (22:15) Using AI to dig in and research, to make your writing more interesting (23:42) CopyWork: The technique that helped Sam fine tune his writing (28:41) Avoiding “The Feature Death March” (30:56) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist (32:00) Words are better than images, but videos are better than anything (34:43) Why stories make such a huge impact (37:36) Sam and Jason are both obsessed with the book “How to Be Rich” (43:02) First World Problems are still problems!! (44:31) Why Sam launched Hampton and what it takes to get in (47:10) Why scaling a community is so much harder than launching (51:04) The lessons founders can take from Ted Turner (58:36) What Jason likes best about My First Million (1:00:28) It’s never too early to get your first $10 million (1:04:07) How accurately did Producer Claude guess what Sam was going to teach us? * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (11:19) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist (21:14) 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! (30:56) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist

Dec 18, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: LinkedIn Ads- http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Squarespace - https://squarespace.com/twist Enterpret - http://Enterpret.com/twist Today’s show: How do top tech CEOs hire? AI has thrown out the playbook for getting hired — so what are the most innovative firms looking for? Anyone can learn any skill and automate much of it, what is to be valued in the modern labor market? On our first AI Roundtable episode of TWiST, Jason is joined by three top tech CEOs: Wade Foster (Zapier), Mikey Schulman (Suno), and Ali Ansari (Micro1). They each give their perspective on the tech talent wars and how to get hired in 2026. The resounding answer on how to get a job? JUST START DOING THE JOB! If you want to be a designer, start sending designs to companies you want to be hired by — don’t just sit around waiting to be hired. The biggest value you can bring is a “high agency” mindset to your company and the role. Show you get after it! They are also hitting on: - How AI is getting used to make music today - The tech industry’s communication problem - How to raise kids in the age of AI Timestamps: (00:00) It’s our first ever “This Week in AI” Roundtable, and we’ve got an amazing panel (05:50) How Meta and OpenAI skew how everyone thinks about compensation (09:37) The importance of looking beyond SF for talent (10:24) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (14:39) Is AI making more people seek out developer jobs? (18:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (19:36) When design becomes its own bottleneck… and some workarounds. (22:37) It’s not how much you know, it’s how adaptable you are (24:10) The best way to get hired: just start doing the job (30:09) Why Ali says we’re entering the "Post-Training" (31:34) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. (33:32) Understanding the value of your company’s data and using it to get better outputs (41:14) Mikey calls Suno the “GLP-1s of the music industry”: everyone uses it but no one admits it (46:39) Mikey Talks break out AI artists like Xania Monet (49:32) Questions raised about how AI will effect job markets (54:43) How AI and robotics will unlock new jobs and opportunities (58:48) Possible solutions to the AI and automation question. (01:04:03) Technology's communication problem and how to fix it. (01:05:24) Are people replacing their friends with AI? (01:08:11) How CEOs are thinking about raising young kids in the world of AI. (01:12:21) Lightning round on AI agents, workflows vs. agents (01:16:49) Trapped value in sales calls, questions, company meetings that are unlocked by AI (01:22:10) How Ali pitched the LAUNCH team outside of a Jeni's Ice Cream store Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason Thank you to our partners: (10:24) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (18:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (31:34) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.

Dec 16, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Vanta - https://www.vanta.com/twist NetSuite - https://www.netsuite.com/twist Lemon.io - https://lemon.io/twist * Today’s show: Domestic robots have never been hotter… so why is iRobot in so much trouble?! On TWiST, we’re investigating the recent troubles facing the automated vacuum robot, Roomba. We’ve all seen these little discs sweeping up our friends’ floors… but now the company behind them is running out of cash. What happened to iRobot, and would things have turned out differently if they had been sold to Amazon back in 2022? PLUS why Jason thinks you should spend your disposable income on investing… Is Alex still a journalist, and what does that actually mean for his portfolio?… Are founders and investors too cautious when it comes to signaling risk?… Why did all those internal Pipe documents leak online?… And MUCH MORE! Timestamps: (00:00) Why Jason loves Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation! (09:48) Jason warns “no one is coming to help you with your job loss”; you’re on your own! (10:21) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (13:05) Why Jason thinks laid-off HR folks should be starting their own “micro-funds" (14:13) Does Alex consider himself a journalist? Is it unethical for him to invest in companies? (Let’s get INTO IT.) (16:02) You can’t become complacent when you’re in the lead! (20:03) Why you should use disposable “entertainment” income on investing (22:32) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at h ttps://www.netsuite.com/twist (23:36) $9B in new funds?! What is Lightspeed up to? (26:10) Is everyone too cautious about “signaling risk”? (28:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (31:21) How does Jason think those Pipe documents leaked? And WHY? (38:15) The critical importance of diversification (39:35) iRobot went BANKRUPT! Who killed the Roomba? (44:47) Are there ANY potential deals that would bother Jason? It’s all about market share. (48:18) HuggingFace is moving major Reachy Minis! How open source turns everything upside down. (53:22) How Polymarket will decide when/if the AI bubble “bursts.” * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (10:21) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (22:32) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (28:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara https://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQ Eoghan McCabe https://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4 Steve Huffman https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424 Brian Chesky https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112 Bob Moesta https://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94Q Aaron Levie https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/box-ceo-aaron-levie-breaks-down-box-ai-and-generative/id315114957?i=1000612384545 Sophia Amoruso https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sophia-amoruso-on-branding-raising-a-fund-portfolio/id315114957?i=1000601352978 Reid Hoffman https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/reid-hoffman-on-ais-crescendo-moment-regulation-and/id315114957?i=1000612548498 Frank Slootman https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/snowflake-ceo-frank-slootman-on-moving-the-needle-win/id315114957?i=1000602560622

Dec 13, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups DevStats - https://www.devstats.com/twist Crusoe - https://crusoe.ai/build Today’s show: FINALLY, you can hang out with Kylo Ren and Olaf the Snowman… thanks to the magic of AI. On TWiST, we’re digging into the mega OpenAI-Disney deal. Mickey is giving Sam Altman a $1 billion investment AND will allow is copyrighted characters to appear in Sora and ChatGPT images. Of course, Jason predicted this would happen WAY BACK during the summer months and even showed off his “Darth Calacanis” creation on the “All-In Podcast.” PLUS Amazon has been launching and pulling AI features from Prime Video… what gives? Jason’s predictions on the coming AI blowback and who’s on what side. Why he’s so focused on Education, Health Care, and Housing as issues. AND why founders should always take calls from Big Companies, even if it might just be a fishing expedition. It’s a new Friday TWiST! Check it out! Timestamps: (00:00) Lon joins Alex and Jason to talk about the big Disney-OpenAI deal bringing Disney characters to Sora (03:10) Jason totally called the Disney-OpenAI stuff on All-In (9:42) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (18:59) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.devstats.com/twist. (20:15) Why Amazon Prime Video pulled its AI recaps and anime dubs (24:44) Who gets to set the rules around AI: The Debate Continues (26:13) Jason’s predictions on the AI blowback coming in 2026… with clips! (30:11) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (31:21) Is AI here to help people or replace them? (35:55) It’s all about EHH: Education, Health Care, Housing (40:47) How all of this and MORE will be impacted directly by AI automation (45:35) Why Alex wants to lower the temperature around AI Doomerism (51:19) JUST FOR FOUNDERS: When should you take a call from a BigCo? (53:45) Why Jason thinks just about everyone in media will lose to TikTok and YouTube Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (9:42) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (18:59) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.devstats.com/twist. (30:11) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.

Dec 11, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Uber - http://uber.com/twist Pilot - https://pilot.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Today’s show: Boom is still making supersonic jets but ALSO plans to start selling their turbines as power sources for AI data centers. It’s a perfect example of problem-solving on the go and how “the best founders… MAKE IT HAPPEN.” Join us for another insightful VC roundtable episode, featuring special guests Bryan Kim (a16z) and David Clark (Ven Cap). They’re discussing why Boom’s turbine announcement is about necessity AND opportunity PLUS… - Why we might NOT be in an AI bubble after all - Promoting your startup without spending your entire runway on marketing - Why founders need to be RELENTLESS - Bill Gurley’s classic response about Uber’s Total Addressable Market - AND LOTS MORE Bill Gurley’s iconic “Miss By a Mile” post: https://abovethecrowd.com/2014/07/11/how-to-miss-by-a-mile-an-alternative-look-at-ubers-potential-market-size/ Link to David’s LinkedIn (including the AI Bubble chart): https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7404139606398443520/ Timestamps: (02:11) It’s a VC Roundtable with special guests Bryan Kim (a16z) and David Clark (Ven Cap) (03:07) Why Bryan is leading a Series A into learning app Oboe (06:20) Calculating a startup’s value to make everyone “somewhat unhappy” (09:19) How Oboe hits a lot of the same metrics that LAUNCH looks for in startups (11:58) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/ai-solutions (12:57) How funds decide when to cash out and lock in some DPI (18:12) When some LPs want to sell and others want to buy… (19:57) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (24:07) Is the threat of AI job displacement boosting self-improvement apps? (27:37) Why Jason says we’re all standing on the shoulders of Bill Gurley (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 https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (31:28) Boom’s turbine pivot, and why it’s about necessity AND opportunity (in that order) (34:14) THE BEST FOUNDERS find a way to make it happen! (39:10) So… are we in an AI bubble? David says NOT NECESSARILY! Checking out the actual metrics. (44:36) We’re still SO EARLY in AI… We’re still seeing mostly skeuomorphic uses! (It’s a real word!) (48:06) William Gibson was right: “The Street finds its own uses for things” (51:11) How AI startups should think about margins (55:58) Why LAUNCH tells founders to “start at the high end” (57:33) Should founders spend a lot of $$$ on marketing in 2025? The panel disagrees! (1:00:05) Momentum vs. Product Release Velocity (1:03:26) It all comes back to the “relentlessness of the founder” (1:05:17) Our panel’s hopes and dreams for the coming year * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (11:58) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/ai-solutions (19:57) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (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 https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

Dec 10, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Goldbelly - Goldbelly.com Every.io - http://every.io/ Zite - zite.com/twist Today’s show: Today, Zapier’s a multi-billion company helping enterprises integrate AI agents and other time-saving shortcuts into their workflows… but we had the founder on TWiST when they were just getting started! In a 2016 chat, founder Wade Foster walked JCal through their 2012 seed round, running a small entirely remote team with no HQ, the complexities of building a tool that relies on third-party APIs, and why Microsoft Office was the “Holy Grail” for his integration software. PLUS we’ve got a new entrant in your Gamma Pitch Deck competition! Tour CEO/CTO Amulya Parmer tells us how his app is saving property managers time and grief, while eliminating “looky-loos” and increasing their “hit rate.” FINALLY, Alex chats with Tomas Puig of TWiST 500 marketing analysis startup Alembic. It turns out, LLMs aren’t ideal for scrutinizing marketing campaigns because they lack the requisite historical data. Find out how they’re using Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) to dig deeper than GPT and Claude can go. Timestamps: (02:40) Amulya from Tour opens the show with praise for Jason (03:34) Tour’s 2-minute Gamma pitch: automated property tours for managers (06:47) Why Jason thinks Tour is an ideal tool for Gen Z (10:01) Goldbelly - Goldbelly ****ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout. (13:32) How Tour can eliminate “looky-loos” and increase the “hit rate” (14:38) Why Tour prices based on individual properties and apartments (19:13) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io . (20:23) Jason wants to sprinkle some AI into Tour (24:29) Welcoming Tomas Puig from Alembic (25:12) Does epic-scale brand marketing actually pay off for these brands? (27:27) The hardest thing about being a marketer… (28:31) Alembic’s origins: organizing huge unstructured data sets (30:18) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to zite.com/twist to get started. (31:27) Case Study: making sense of Delta’s Olympics data (33:37) Applying simulation models and supercomputers to marketing data (35:48) How Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) help Alembic spot trends and link causal relationships (41:13) The key advantage of training models on private data (43:16) Building their own clusters vs. renting (44:41) “You don’t ask if you have Product Market Fit… You hold on for dear life.” (46:28) Flashback with Alex and Lon to Jason’s 2016 chat with Wade Foster of Zapier (54:48) The dangers of building atop other platform’s APIs (01:03:00) What Zapier learned pre-pandemic about leading remote teams (01:13:12) Why MS Office was the “Holy Grail” for early Zapier 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:01) Goldbelly - Goldbelly ****ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout. (19:13) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io . (30:18) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to zite.com/twist to get started. Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

Dec 9, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Superhuman - https://superhuman.com/podcast Squarespace - https://squarespace.com/twist Enterpret - https://www.enterpret.com/dlp/this-week-in-startups Today’s show: A screenshot showing a “Target Ad” in ChatGPT results went viral… over the weekend, but the OpenAI chatbot has NOT actually opened the advertising floodgates just yet. As ChatGPT staffers were quick to explain on social media, this was actually an invitation for a user to integrate their Target account into ChatGPT, for an easier agentic browsing and shopping experience. But it does prompt Jason and Alex to ask some intriguing questions… Is OpenAI just waiting for Google or someone else to launch AI ads first, and face the inevitable flood of backlash they’ll presumably receive? Is there someone at OpenAI already thinking DEEPLY about how these in-feed ads should work? And what does this mean for their wager on when ChatGPT is going to actually get ads? Is that already decided? These answers and more are coming your way on today’s action-packed TWiST… PLUS the latest on the Warner Bros Discovery-Netflix deal, PR guru Lulu Cheng Meservey’s new venture fund, and why Jason and Lon are obsessing about Apple TV’s “Pluribius.” Timestamps: (01:59) They put Target ads in ChatGPT? Or was it just an integration? Is there a difference? (5:24) Is someone at OpenAI really thinking deeply about how in-feed ads should work? (07:36) Is OpenAI just waiting for Google to start running ads to post their own? Jason has suspicions… (10:01) Why Jason thinks startup people have so much trouble communicating with normies (10:32) Superhuman - Get AI that works where you work. Unlock your Superhuman potential at http://superhuman.com/podcast (13:22) The insane competition now facing down OpenAI and Sam Altman (18:40) Why Jason will no longer use data from SaaS companies looking for a marketing win (19:52) Does this mean ChatGPT TECHNICALLY has ads? Does Alex win the bet?! What does Polymarket think? (20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (25:17) Why Jason is already tired of the Netflix-Paramount-WBD story (30:06) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. (34:03) President Jason’s new proposal: A 60-day “pre-approval” antitrust window (47:29) Why Jason’s not interested in news commentary… just the facts. (51:40) Jason and Lon take a few moments to praise “Pluribus” (54:45) PR guru Lulu Cheng Meservey is starting a venture firm… here’s why she wants to start a “movement” (58:05) Why PR people hate but also respect Jason Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (10:32) Superhuman - Get AI that works where you work. Unlock your Superhuman potential at http://superhuman.com/podcast (20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (30:06) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.

Dec 6, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Sentry - http://sentry.io/twist LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Pipedrive - pipedrive.com/twist Today’s show: Netflix wants to gobble up Warner Bros. Do they just want to own Batman and Harry Potter, or is this secretly about destroying movie theaters? Sure, this is usually a startup show, but news THIS BIG warrants attention! So Lon stops by to tell Jason and Alex about the big Netflix acquisition news, why so many theatrical movie fans are terrified for the future, and why this might face particular regulatory scrutiny both at home and abroad. PLUS… are Googlers gaming Polymarket? This is one scenario in which prediction markets are NOT exactly like stocks. THEN we’re looking at some of our favorite startups from the Fall ‘25 Y Combinator cohort (and asking Producer Claude for his picks)… Considering why Perplexity keeps getting sued and how they can stop it… and doing a victory lap for Jason’s early investment in breakout AI training project Micro1. Timestamps: (02:05) Netflix buying Warner Bros! Jason, Lon and Alex react. (05:04) Jaytrade Update: J kind of missed the boat on this one (05:36) What does this mean for theatrical cinema? (08:42) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (09:52) Jason’s pitch to Disney CEO Bob Iger (please send this to him!) (19:36) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (23:29) Is this deal going to get approval, at home and abroad? (25:52) Are Googlers gaming Polymarket? (28:02) Can you do “insider trading” on a prediction market? (29:23) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist (37:00) How accelerators like Y Combinator serve as “finishing schools” for startups (37:52) A Quick Look at some of our fav companies from YC’s Fall ’25 cohort (39:01) Why startups need to “skate to where the puck is going” (40:08) Why sometimes old ideas (like solar-powered aircraft) are often worth revisiting (45:29) Jason’s advice for founders (and investors) in the “feel good” or activist space (50:48) Why Lon, Alex, and Claude ALL thought Hyperspell sounds like a hot startup (52:58) Perplexity getting sued again! Why can’t they make friends! (57:51) Meanwhile, Meta’s signing AI deals with news publications. (59:21) Micro1, which Jason helped to fund, has hit $100M ARR! Why do AI companies need so many experts? 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 Thank you to our partners: (8:42) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (19:36) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (29:23) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist

Dec 4, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Crusoe - http://crusoe.ai/build Gusto - https://www.gusto.com/twist Today’s show: Delegating is its own unique skill, requiring training and a real investment of time and attention. On TWiST, Jason chats for a full hour with the founder of one of his favorite startups, Athena, which trains online assistants and pairs them with busy founders and executives. (Jason has 2!) But getting the MOST out of your executive assistants is less obvious than it looks. Jonathan unpacks some of the secrets to “Black Diamond Delegating,” and how he manages to keep 6 different high-level helpers operating at once. Plus, Jason and Jonathan look back at the Open Angel Forum days, where Jason invested in Jonathan’s previous company, Thumbtack, praise the “Checklist Manifesto,” discuss the telltale signs you’ve achieved market pull, and lots more insights. Timestamps: (01:53) We’re joined by Jonathan Swanson from one of JCal’s fav startups, Athena!(02:02) Jason and Jonathan first met during the Open Angel Forum, when Jonathan was working on Thumbtack(06:44) Finding the “little touches” that can help make an app more delightful(9:47) 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!(12:05) The shift from Thumbtack to Athena was all about time(12:52) How Jonathan delegates to 6 exec assistants at once(14:22) Pricing Athena’s EAs: Jason runs the numbers(15:09) Why Athena made Jason believe in hiring assistants again(18:15) Getting past the “Cardinal Sins of Delegation”(19:38) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(20:48) Will AI ever be able to replace Athena assistants?(23:41) Inside how Athena finds and trains assistants from around the world(27:01) How JCal became an Athena Ambassador… and almost crashed the system!(30:55) Gusto - Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at https://www.gusto.com/twist (32:11) The magic of having assistants work on “backstop projects” and creative tasks(37:14) How to know when you have achieved market pull(40:05) Why getting the most out of delegating takes real investment and training(44:36) More praise for the Checklist Manifesto(46:26) Jonathan gives us a peek at what “Black Diamond Delegation” looks like(52:14) Jason’s early experiences hiring overseas assistants, from the Mahalo days*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(9:47) 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!(19:38) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(30:55) Gusto - Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at https://www.gusto.com/twist

Dec 3, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Vanta - https://www.vanta.com/twist Pilot - https://pilot.com/twist Today’s show: Did you know there’s actually a shortage of US bricklayers? It’s TRUE! So feel free to marvel at Monumental’s brick-laying robots. They’re not putting anyone out of work, but filling a much-needed gap. Join Alex and Monumental founder/CEO Salar al Khafaji for a deep-dive on how the startup is making construction robots play nice together by maintaining separate “zones” of operation, why Salar thinks startups need to focus on truly complex, real-world problems to truly blossom, and the secrets of fundraising in Europe. PLUS Alex chats with Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan about designing the next generation of autonomous marine crafts. (That is to say, ocean drones.) From their home base in San Diego, the company is trying to get completely independent of all Chinese parts. Find out how it’s going, how they’re overcoming the “wildly negative” ROI on maritime tech, and why we have so few defenses against tiny, agile drones. All that AND Jason takes some of YOUR Founder Questions. Timestamps: (03:23) How Monumental determined what kinds of robots construction sites need the most (06:49) How maintaining “zones” ensure that the robots all play nice with one another (07:52) There’s a shortage of bricklayers, so Monumental’s NOT taking anyone’s job (9:16) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (13:21) Why startups need to tackle large-scale, complex, real-world problems to really grow (15:44) Why Monumental is building in The Netherlands, and running pilots in the UK (19:07) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (20:44) Why construction is unique among applications for automation and robots (26:01) Salar argues that fundraising in Europe is not as hard as you may have heard (27:55) We don’t just need housing, we need BEAUTIFUL housing (31:11) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (33:25) How the Scout autonomous boat challenge inspired Seasats (35:28) Trying to make drones into an “iPhone Style” project (37:39) Why Seasats is focused on endurance and staying power more than launches (39:15) The complexities of working with fuel cells (42:27) The importance of beautiful design even when working on government technology (45:51) Why they’re building Seasats in beautiful San Diego, CA (47:29) The challenge of getting entirely free from Chinese components (53:52) “The Power of Small Things Has Changed” (55:18) The “wildly negative” ROI on most humanoid robotics companies also applies to maritime tech (59:09) Why there are so few defense nets against people with tiny but agile drones (01:02:32) FOUNDER Q’s: Is a founder working 24/7 a red flag? (01:10:11) How bad is it to use VC money to pay off credit cards? (01:12:49) A look at Cursor’s unique recruitment strategy. (01:19:57) Should young VCs go to startup conferences? Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (9:16) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (19:07) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (31:11) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

Dec 2, 2025

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Quo - http://quo.com/TWiST Squarespace - https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Miro - http://miro.com/ Today’s show: Michael Saylor’s Strategy play is struggling with the price of Bitcoin on a steep decline… Is his new “dollar reserve” the answer? On TWiST, we’re looking into the state of $MSTR and why Jason remains SO skeptical about this increasingly convoluted financial scheme. Is CNBC giving Michael Saylor a pass? Is that why he won’t go on “All-In”? And do investors realize that loans go BEFORE equity? We’re asking the TOUGH questions… PLUS Jason’s Four Red Flags for companies with convoluted tactics… Why S&P Global downgraded Tether, and why Jason thinks the US government waited TOO LONG to pass stablecoin regulations… Jason reacts to the NYT “hit piece” on Bestie David Sacks… we’re checking out the new Matic robot vacuum and Sunday Robotics’ Memo bot… PLUS much more of the day’s biggest tech news and stories. Timestamps: (03:04) Why Jason broke his “No Demo Day” rule for the LAUNCH 35 Accelerator (07:08) What we can learn from BitcoinTreasuries.net about the marketplace (07:42) Why Jason remains SO skeptical on $MSTR… and any sufficiently convoluted financial scheme… (7:56) Jason’s Four Red Flags for rogue companies and financial schemes (9:49) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST (14:31) When loans go before equity, and how this can dilute your investment! (18:05) Is CNBC giving Michael Saylor a pass? Why Jason thinks he won’t go on “All-In.” (19:30) Checking in with Polymarket’s thoughts on potential MicroStrategy Bitcoin sales (20:21) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (22:58) Speaking of complex schemes… why S&P Global downgraded Tether (29:26) Is Tether too good to be true, as an investment? (25:17) Why Jason thinks the US waited too long to pass stablecoin regulations. (30:24) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out http://miro.com to find out how! (36:15) Jason’s reaction to the NYT piece about Bestie David Sacks (43:14) Is there a growing divide within the GOP about how to engage with tech companies? (44:04) What are “Glue Employees” and why are they important? (45:03) How to tell your “Glue Employees” apart from the “union reps” and other rabble rousers… (51:50) Sunday Robotics: another human-ish robot but with WHEELS (and a baseball cap) (56:05) We’re checking out the Matic robot vacuum as well… Should these products be combined? * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://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/ * Thank you to our partners: (9:49) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST (20:21) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist (30:24) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out http://miro.com to find out how! Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara https://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQ Eoghan McCabe https://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4 Steve Huffman https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424 Brian Chesky https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112

Nov 26, 2025

Register here to join Founder University Japan’s kickoff! 👉🏻 https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show: On TWiST, Alex is chatting with Neubird CEO Gou Rao about the intricate complexity of IT Ops, and the vast amount of layers and components that have to be delivered very quickly to your phone in order to stream a simple video clip.Neubird has developed Hawkeye, an AI “engineer” that uses “context engineering” to isolate and troubleshoot problems, while still keeping costs down. Loading up a video to show your friends may SOUND straightforward, but it’s actually, as Alex notes, a miracle anything on the internet works at all.PLUS we’ve got Subject AI CEO Michael Vilardo stopping by to tell us how the app uses gamification to keep kids learning and engaged. NOTE TO FOUNDERS: Mike got invited on the show because he sends email updates to his “dream investors,” including Jason. It’s a solid best practice!Finally, we’re flashing back to a remarkably prescient 2019 interview with then-Scale AI chief Alexandr Wang, who tells us why he thinks the AI Doomsday scenarios — AND the elaborate AGI promises — are both way overblown.Timestamps:(3:19) Neubird asks: What if we took AI tools and applied them to IT ops?(5:17) Why does IT ops seem to get so much more complicated over time?(6:14) Gou walks us through all the various components that need to be delivered when you post a simple TikTok video(8:41) Why agentic systems (like Hawkeye) are the ideal tool for monitoring metrics, logs, traces and alerts(10:05) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (11:17) How is IT Ops different from Site Reliability Engineering (SRE)?(12:36) Is Hawkeye an AI Agent or an “Engineer”? How we decide what to call our “co-pilot.”(16:07) How “context engineering” helps Hawkeye isolate problems, and keeps inference costs down(17:27) Is Hawkeye plug and play? Or does it need to be trained on a specific system?(18:59) How Neubird measures Hawkeye’s overall effectiveness(19:59) Perspective AI: Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to http://getperspective.ai/twist (21:47) Hawkeye can diagnose and make recommendations, or go in and fix the problem itself, if you like!(24:27) What Gou thinks about the pace of AI innovation: Has it slowed? Are we in a lull?(25:41) LLMs already have a lot of knowledge, but how do we enhance their EQ?(28:58) TIP FOR FOUNDERS: Send updates to your “dream” investors! That’s how Mike got on the show!(30:20) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at https://Uber.com/twist⁠ (31:21) The importance of branding… Why Mike pivoted to Subject.ai(33:43) How Subject helps bring teachers and students together for more 1-on-1 interaction(35:48) Mike walks us through how Subject works, and how gamification keeps kids engaged(39:56) Is anything lost when an AI grades a student’s test, rather than a human?(42:09) Subject can serve as a “teacher of record” in classrooms(46:28) Why Mike and Subject AI are back in the office(47:40) TWIST FLASHBACK with Alexandr Wang of Scale AI from November 2019(53:10) Alexandr explains AI to Jason (back when it was still called “Machine Learning”)(1:01:08) How AI will help people focus on “higher-value work”(1:04:48) Why Alexandr thinks apocalyptic AI scenarios are unrealistic(1:13:28) Are the big promises around AGI overblown?*Thank you to our partners:(10:05) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (19:59) Perspective AI: Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to http://getperspective.ai/twist (30:20) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at https://Uber.com/twist

Nov 24, 2025

Register here for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff 👉🏻 https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: The team from Familify had released a well-reviewed storytelling app for kids and parents… but it just wasn’t growing! Then they noticed that Bible stories and faith-based content was particularly popular. So they decided released a brand new app, Theo, just for these sorts of lessons and stories. And the new product overtook Storybook in just a few weeks! It’s a vital lesson for founders… Even if you succeed, you may be able to succeed EVEN MORE. Remain flexible and open to strong new ideas (especially if, like Francisco, your wife suggests them!) PLUS we’re chatting with Collin from En Vérité about how AI can make do diligence much less painful for investors AND checking out our latest Gamma Pitch Deck competitor. Find out why Jason says Jake Triton from Pitch Prfct might just be closing in on Product Market Fit. Timestamps: (5:20) How Storybook, then Theo was motivated by a children’s mental health crisis (5:46) Despite great reviews, Storybook wasn’t growing! Here’s what they did. (7:13) The Power of Experiments: Theo overtook Storybook in popularity in JUST WEEKS (10:04) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:04) Digging in to the decision to flip from all stories to Bible stories (12:34) The difference in how users perceive prayer vs. meditation (14:06) Will they make different Theos for different denominations of Christianity? Other faiths? (14:55) Jason makes the case for the Theo app and its team (19:59) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (21:50) Key lessons for founders from Francisco’s pitch today (26:51) Collin Sebastian from En Vérité joins the show to tell us how En Vérité helps prepare founders for the due diligence process (30:00) Enterpret : Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. (31:03) Jason recalls some diligence horror stories from his past (32:14) Where En Vérité gets their data and how they use it (36:39) What Collin learned from his time at SoftBank (39:44) The Gamma Pitch Deck Competition returns with Jake Triton from PitchPrfct [ https://x.com/JakeTriton ] @pitchprfctsms (42:29) Why Jason thinks Jake is closing in on Product Market Fit (45:51)How PitchPrfct plans to have AI help build your campaign and workflow 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:04) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (19:59) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (30:00) Enterpret : Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. 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

Nov 22, 2025

Register here to join Founder University Japan’s kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: Google and Meta had their cases dismissed (or received a slap on the wrist)… Despite all the backlash and cynicism, AI companies continue making bank and releasing hot new products… What does it all mean? For Jason Calacanis, the signs are pointing to a “major M&A moment,” with huge opportunities for increased efficiency and consolidation among America’s favorite brands and largest companies? Who will it be? Join Jason and Alex for a round of hot speculation. PLUS why Jason thinks Michael Burry is both right and wrong about GPU depreciation, why NOTHING is certain about these OpenAI mega-deals, Google’s Nano Banana Pro can make infographics and they’re VERY impressive… and much more. Timestamps: (1:54) Jason’s calling in from Vegas… He’s doing a hot lap at F1! (3:18) How restaurants are becoming the new Hot IP (6:50) Founder University is heading to TOKYO! (9:27) Why Jason thinks the future of startups is truly global (10:06) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist (11:39) Nvidia killed it on the numbers… but what are the vibes around AI? Jason sounds off. (13:05) Why nothing is certain when it comes to the Nvidia/OpenAI deal (19:40) Is Google now WINNING consumer adoption of AI? How did it get this close? (19:57) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (26:07) Meanwhile, AI apps are still dominating the iOS Store (27:09) Why Jason and Alex think Michael Burry’s both right and wrong about GPU depreciation (30:13) 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! (37:46) We’re testing out Nano Banana Pro on a BBQ infographic challenge (43:42) What a week for AI models! It doesn’t seem like things are slowing down… (46:12) Kalshi is growing fast, but can it catch Polymarket? (47:50) Is a rate cut coming? Jason and Alex read the tea leaves. (50:13) Why Jason predicts a “major M&A moment” in the next six months (52:09) VIEWER QUESTION: What should a software engineer be working on RIGHT NOW. (54:02) Founder Friday is now… STARTUP SUPPER CLUB 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:06) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist (19:57) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (30:13) 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: 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

Nov 20, 2025

Today’s show: The race for more compute gets all the headlines, but Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch tells us the REAL danger is running out of data! On TWiST, Jason and Alex are chatting with the head of France’s largest foundation AI company, Mistral AI, about how enterprises can get more out of their AI pilots, whether the West is lacking leadership on open-source, why Mistral AI isn’t pursuing every possible kind of AI application, and optimizing your models for performance rather than benchmarks (aka benchmaxxing). Find out what it’s like to run a huge AI company in today’s intense environment! PLUS… why everyone made the wrong call on OpenAI vs. Google… Kraken’s fresh $20 billion valuation… Jason’s urgent message to every company thinking about M&A… and much more! Timestamps: (3:35) Why did everyone get it wrong on Google vs. OpenAI? (10:51) Why Jason thinks drone delivery will make everyone safer (9:52) SQUARESPACE: Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:26) Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch joins us! What’s it like to run a foundation model AI company in this intense environment? (14:50) Why enterprises aren’t getting enough value out of AI and how Mistral AI aims to correct this (18:45) Why Mistral AI’s goal is, ultimately, to disappear… (20:19) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (22:49) Are Europe and the US lacking leadership on open source AI? (24:53) Mistral AI doesn’t need to compete in every category... how big of an advantage is focus? (27:05) The “two bottlenecks” in Machine Learning: Compute and Data (29:01) How Mistral AI works with human experts to annotate their models, and where they source them from (30:06) Nexos.ai : Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist . (34:24) Is optimizing your model for benchmark tests (aka benchmaxxing) like cheating? (40:08) Will we ever be able to run smaller AI models on our phones? (44:21) When does Arthur think we’ll have truly helpful humanoid robots in our lives? (49:42) Suno lawsuits and why Jason says you should NEVER break the rules, ESPECIALLY with the music industry (54:28) Release the Kraken! They’re now worth $20 billion. (56:48) Jason is going to F1… should he take up the offer and do a dry run? (58:30) How Meta beat the FTC and why Jason is so excited about it (1:01:37) Who should buy Crunchbase?

Nov 19, 2025

AI Model Showdown: Grok 4.1 vs. Gemini 3 | E2211 Register for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: *Will the arrival of two hotly-anticipated, intensely powerful AI models snap the Doomer cycle? On a new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider the current AI landscape, one where cynicism about insider mega-deals, fear of job displacement, and concerns about bubble bursts seem to rule the day. Will the arrival of two powerful new models — xAI’s Grok 4.1 and Google’s Gemini 3 — help the industry to course-correct? And how do we decide how much these models have improved anyway? PLUS we’re investigating Cloudflare’s recent downtime and their acquisition of Replicate. Are we heading toward a future in which everyone runs their own models, locally? And how worried should founders get if their products or sites go down for a few hours? Finally, if you’re an investor, and want to come to Jason’s Dim Sum Demo Day in San Francisco, here’s the link: http://launch.co/dimsum Timestamps: (2:01) Why the internet got broadly degraded when Cloudflare went down (5:00) How worried should founders become when their sites go offline? (6:44) Downtime aside, what did Cloudflare want with Replicate? (8:12) Why Jason predicts one day we’ll run our own local language models (9:39) Goldbelly - Goldbelly ****ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout. (15:25) How to turn off “Learn From This App” on your iPhone (17:29) Will the arrival of hotly-anticipated new models stop the spread of Doomerism and AI cynicism (20:00) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io . (23:53) Checking back in with the “Best AI Model” Polymarket… why has ChatGPT dropped so low? (29:43) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Build apps, forms, websites and portals that connect to the tools you already use. Go to zite.com/twist to get started. (31:14) ANOTHER AI mega-deal? Nvidia and Microsoft are investing in… ANTHROPIC (33:06) Why so many AI deals now include “up to…” language around investments (35:04) What Jason thinks of Dario Amodei’s warning about white collar job displacement (39:39) If we all agree AI job displacement is coming… what can be done? (45:16) All about Jason’s Dim Sum Investor Demo Day in San Francisco! 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 Thank you to our partners: (9:39) Goldbelly - Goldbelly ****ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout. (20:00) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io . (29:43) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Build apps, forms, websites and portals that connect to the tools you already use. Go to zite.com/twist to get started. Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe , Steve Huffman , Brian Chesky , Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie , Sophia Amoruso , Reid Hoffman , Frank Slootman , Billy McFarland

Nov 18, 2025

*Are we finally reaching Peak eVTOL? Jason and Alex on Joby’s big Abu Dhabi moves and Archer’s purchase of LA’s Hawthorne Airport. On a PACKED Monday TWiST, Jason is BACK from MENA and Tokyo. Hear tales from his whirlwind trips launching new Founder University satellite programs… and find out why construction and fintech are BOOMING across the Middle East. PLUS Ramp raised $300M… here’s why Alex calls the round “pretty baller.” We question why AI companies are growing SO MUCH FOUNDER than their SaaS counterparts. We’re digging into the Problem with Dropbox. AND we’re saying goodbye to KitKat, the beloved SF bodega cat who was reportedly run over by a Waymo. Here’s why Jason’s not too broken up about it (but he’s JUST JOKING!) 👉 Register here for Founder University Japan’s kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: Timestamps: (2:17) Big takeaways from Jason’s MENA Founder University trip (6:54) Why construction and fintech are booming across the Middle East(9:56) Netsuite. The business landscape is very chaotic right now. That’s why you need NetSuite, by Oracle. Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (12:35) Everything was very different at Founder University Japan! It’s coming in January. (15:59) Ramp raised $300M at a $32B valuation… why Alex says it’s “pretty baller” (17:15) Ramp says AI agents are making money more intelligent… the heck does that mean? (19:26) We’re building more space for machines than humans now… and why Jason’s not sure this will last (19:48) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (23:41) Why AI is growing SO MUCH faster than even top SaaS companies (25:32) The Problem with Dropbox… (30:21) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.DevStats.com/twist . (32:39) Jason ate his way across Tokyo… here’s all the deets (33:16) RIP KitKat, beloved SF bodega cat killed by a Waymo (39:03) So who SHOULD get to make decisions about local roads? (44:15) Dario Amodei from Anthropic shares Jason’s concerns about AI job displacement (52:02) What’s going on with crypto prices? Is this vibe-based? Just based on the wider economy? (58:14) Viewer questions: What strategies should founders employ in the current fundraising landscape? (1:02:42) Bezos RETURNS to the C-Suite. What IS “Project Prometheus”? (1:10:24) Jason thinks Bezos still returns to Amazon at some point… or runs for President. 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 Thank you to our partners: (9:56) Netsuite. The business landscape is very chaotic right now. That’s why you need NetSuite, by Oracle. Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (19:48) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:21) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.DevStats.com/twist . 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

Nov 14, 2025

👉 Register here to join Founder University Japan’s kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: Nox’s new app RPLY reminds you to text your friends back, getting you to iMessage inbox zero. On today’s TWiST, we’ve got Molly Cantillon of Nox, telling us how she plans to make lackadaisical texters (like our co-host Alex) more effective, even if it means breaking into Apple’s walled garden. Hear about how RPLY maps your relationships so that it can understand your messages contextually, and help you stay organized. Then, Gregg Mojica of Alloy Automation swings by the show to dispel some common myths about AI agents. For the most part, these little machine learning helps aren’t truly autonomous… Hear how Alloy’s agents decide when it’s time to bring in a human for help. PLUS is AI in a “lull” right now? Hear why Gregg thinks there’s still a LOT of room for these apps to improve. Finally, it’s another TWiST Flashback. We’re jumping back to 2013 for an eye-opening chat between Jason and Shopify founder/CEO Tobi Lutke. Hear some fascinatingly prescient takes on the rise of SaaS, how early Shopify differentiated itself from other ecommerce and website building solutions, AND why Tobi dreamed of making Ottawa a true tech hub. Timestamps: (02:57) Molly Cantillon of Nox is trying to help you get better at texting (04:01) How RPLY gets even chaotic texters like Alex more organized (05:10) The complexities of entering into Apple’s “walled garden” (07:20) Keeping RPLY safe, in case you’re using it for work!(09:24) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how! (11:59) How RPLY uses relationship mapping to understand and prioritize your messages(19:23) Perspective AI - Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist . (21:08) Why Nox wants its AI to become “the Invisible OS.”(29:30) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (30:40) We’ve got Gregg Mojica of AI agent makers Alloy Automation (31:42) How the rise of AI agents changed the core of Gregg’s business (34:03) Why most AI agents still aren’t truly autonomous (35:00) How Alloy’s agents decide when to bring in a human for help (37:02) Why the rapid acceleration of AI development has made some enterprises pump the brakes (39:00) Is AI in a “lull” right now? Why Gregg thinks there’s still room to improve. (40:31) How close are we to AI apps going truly mainstream? (43:41) Why Alloy Automation didn’t raise a massive round like so many of its AI peers? (Or are they?!) (46:48) The difficulty of hiring in today’s AI landscape (50:21) In today’s TWiST Flashback, we’re revisiting Tobi Lutke of Shopify’s appearance from way back in 2013! (52:11) Why Shopify switched from selling snowboards to storefronts (59:37) Turning Ottawa into a tech hub, and the “secondary market” theory (1:05:32)The constant tension between growing your global footprint and expanding your features (1:08:52)Who were Shopify’s actual rivals?

Nov 13, 2025

👉 Register here to join the kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: Just getting our stuff into orbit isn’t enough… Orbital Operations wants to help companies take things HIGHER. In today’s TWiST 500 interview, Alex chats with Ben Schleuniger, whose startup Orbital Operations is solving the complexity of space logistics. The advent of reusable rockets has made it easier and cheaper than ever for us to place objects in Low Earth Orbit (or LEO). But what if we want to reach higher orbits? That’s a much more challenging issue: space is already kind of CROWDED, and not all of our vehicles can carry enough fuel to power them that far out into the cosmos. Orbital’s fix? Cryogenic orbital maneuvering vehicles (or OMVs) like the Astraeus, which uses hyper-efficient propulsion systems, allowing them to travel further and faster speeds, and even potentially get refueled in orbit. Learn more about this fascinating tech PLUS we’re looking back at classic Jason interviews with Greg Brockman of OpenAI and Vlad Tenev of Robinhood, AND checking in with Oliver’s latest This Week in AI demo for Character AI’s blockbuster conversational chatbots. Timestamps: (02:56) Alex opens the show with Ben Schleuniger, co-founder of space tech startup Orbital Operations (03:47) Why is movement within orbit such a challenging problem? (4:28) The key importance of launch vehicle reusability (07:05) How Orbital’s Astreaus vehicle utilizes cryogenic propellants… and why (08:49) The secret to keeping those propellants cool (10:04) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (13:57) How Orbital is preparing for their Series A, and how they plan to spend the cash(20:37) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (28:09) TWiST FLASHBACK: Revisiting OpenAI Greg Brockman’s visit from 2018 (31:31) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (37:57) How GPUs unlocked the AI revolution (35:02) Tackling early concerns about deepfakes (41:17) Looking ahead to the dawn of AGI (50:05) AI DEMO: Oliver stops by to walk us through Character AI’s key features (50:51) Watch as Oliver simulates a chat with former President Barack Obama (53:30) How to use ChatGPT to enhance your Character AI prompts (56:57) TWIST FLASHBACK with Robinhood’s Vlad Tenev from May 2017 (57:14) Back then, Robinhood was valued at a mere $1.3 billion! (59:21) How Robinhood made financial transactions SO MUCH FASTER than they used to be (1:00:57) When Robinhood realized they had Product Market Fit… via Hacker News! (1:06:44) The magic of being better, faster, and cheaper (1:08:12) This segment was filmed BEFORE Robinhood offered crypto (1:11: 08) Jason’s Eagle Computer Speech and how to avoid “Taj Mahal Syndrome” 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 Thank you to our partners: Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST 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! LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.

Nov 11, 2025

Register for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: Find out why AI is perfectly suited to legal tasks… despite being too fast for “billable hours” On today’s TWiST, Alex takes a deep dive into LLM Law with Harvey AI co-founder/president Gabe Pereyra. It turns out, much like software development, doing legal work relies on learning specialized language and sifting through a dense and expansive corpus of information… making it an IDEAL use case for LLMs. Buuuuut AI works so fast… the current structure of legal payments (billable hours) no longer applies. Find out how Harvey is working around these challenges — and what they plan to do if OpenAI decides to get into the legal game — in this fascinating interview. THEN, Alex chats with another AI visionary — OpenRouter co-founder and CEO Alex Atallah — who allows developers to plug and play all the major models into their applications. Find out why specialized LLMs trained for “resourcefulness” are coming into fashion… why benchmarks and evals have become so crucial to the industry… AND whether we’ll end up spending as much on AI inference as the human workers it’s replacing… in this essential discussion. PLUS Jason stops by for some more Founder Q’s! Timestamps: (0:00) Welcome back to TWiST! (1:32) Alex kicks off the show with Harvey AI co-founder and President Gabe Pereyra to talk about applying AI to the legal profession (4:52) How major international law firms (and their enterprise clients) fueled Harvey’s mega-growth (6:54) Why LLMs are perfectly suited for legal work (9:24) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.x and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. (17:22) Looking ahead: expanding beyond the law. (20:42) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at Uber.com/twist (21:44) The problem: AI can’t charge “billable hours”… it’s too fast! (23:44) Will the major AI players like Google and OpenAI build their own version of this? (29:53) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (30:41) Alex welcomes OpenRouter co-founder and CEO Alex Atallah, whose rankings he loves and uses all the time (33:10) Why Alex says we’re seeing more specialized LLMs trained for more “resourcefulness” (36:05) How increased competition and diversification makes things tougher for developers (41:09) Alex suggests that new models are exciting for users, like product launches used to be (42:29) OK, let’s get into it… How does OpenRouter make money? (45:38) Understanding what kinds of training data the AI companies want the MOST (47:47) The important currency of evals and benchmarks (49:13) Why OpenRouter is ramping up its LLM recommendation engine (53:44) Will AI inference spend end up costing as much as the humans it’s replacing? (56:49) Time for a Founder Q! What should founders do about quick vibe-coded competitors? 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 Thank you to our partners: (9:24) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.x and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. (20:42) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at Uber.com/twist (29:53) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Nov 10, 2025

👉 Register here for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: *Three of our favorite TWiST 500 startups — Ledger, 1Password, AND Mercury — are circling IPOs. Find out why the cybersecurity space remains so hot… AND why Jason says you really need to have multiple banks. PLUS Marc Andreessen called The Pope an AI Doomer on X, then thought better of it. We’re tracking the entire viral controversy… SPEAKING OF viral feuds, allegations are FLYING around about recently-funded AI agent makers Giga. Does the startup pose some genuine red flags, or was it just a questionable launch video? AND why Alex and Jason remain optimistic the AI vibes could turn around, presentation maker Gamma is growing FAST, plus an update on Jason and Alex’s Polymarket IPO wager… Timestamps: (02:17) Jason is hosting the big show from Tokyo today (tonight for him)… Where is Founder U headed next? (04:03) Jason’s eating his way across Japan… what are his top “bang bangs” so far? (07:47) Is The Pope a Doomer? Why Andreessen called out His Holiness (then deleted it) (9:22) Quo - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at http://quo.com/TWiST (12:08)Why Jason still thinks mass AI job displacement is coming (17:48) Will AI-related job loss lead to an explosion in startups and small businesses? (19:24) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (20:39) Have lots of Americans suddenly turned on AI Why? (25:30) Why Alex and Jason remain optimistic that the AI vibes could turn around (29:44) Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist . (31:01) Alex’s new favorite definition of Product Market Fit, or “Market Pull,” as Jason clarifies (33:31) Delving into the Giga controversy… “ugly” talk, wild X allegations, etc. (46:11) THREE TWiST 500 are readying IPOs… Catching up with Ledger, 1Password, and Mercury (53:42) Why Jason and Alex think you need multiple banks (57:40) Why presentation maker Gamma is growing even faster than we thought! (1:00:37) Checking in with Jason and Alex’s Polymarket IPO bet… (1:03:44) Could startups become so richly valued that they become “uninvestable” without an IPO? 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 Thank you to our partners: (9:22) Quo - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at http://quo.com/TWiST (19:24) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (29:44) Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.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: 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

Nov 8, 2025

Register for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: *The key to avoiding long airport delays? Low-altitude sea planes! Why didn’t you think of that? We’ve got an awesome line-up of TWiST 500 founders giving us an inside glimpse inside their startups on this Friday special edition. FIRST: Billy Thalheimer of REGENT introduces us to their aircraft/boat hybrid The Seaglider, and walk us through how it all works, AND why they’re operating in BOTH the commercial and defense sectors from their Rhode Island HQ. THEN, we’ve got Convexia co-founder Ayaan Parekh showcasing how they’re using a collective of specialist AI agents to exploit other pharma labs’ leftovers and turn them into new drugs and treatments for rare diseases. FINALLY, Hunter Leath of Archil joins the show to tell us why efficient utilization of cloud data remains a surprisingly complex, and unsolved problem. His solution? Caching-as-a-Service! Find out how it all works, and why pre-caching is SO difficult to do, in this TWiST exclusive chat. Timestamps: (03:01) Billy Thalheimer of REGENT introduces us to the Seaglider (05:06) Inside the EV aircraft/boat hybrid’s three modes of operation (08:22) How REGENT uses low altitude flight to avoid airport-related hassles (9:42) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to ⁠http://sentry.io/twist⁠ and use code TWIST (13:57) The converging tech that makes Seaglider possible (18:20) How REGENT is operating in BOTH the commercial and defense sectors (19:39) LinkedIn Ads - Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to ⁠http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups⁠ to claim your credit. (25:05) Why Rhode Island?! (29:23) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at ⁠https://pipedrive.com/twist⁠ (31:04) Convexia co-founder Ayan Parekh joins Alex to discuss “the world’s first AI-maximalist pharmaceutical company” (33:02) Using AI agents to revisit leftover bio IP and unused data (33:22) Why so many drugs fail to reach market (35:46) Applying different agents to different kinds of tasks (44:26) The unique opportunities posed by rare diseases (46:58) On the road toward vertical integration (50:48) Hunter Leath of Archil tells us why utilizing cloud data effectively remains a complex, unsolved problem (51:56) What is “Caching as a Service”? (55:53) Why pre-caching is NOT obvious and “tremendously difficult to do” (57:00) Why the major cloud players didn’t built this themselves (01:00:37) Deliberately keeping the focus narrow… for now… 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 Thank you to our partners: Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST LinkedIn Ads - Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at https://pipedrive.com/twist 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

Nov 6, 2025

Register for Founder University Japan’s kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: *On TWiST, Jason welcomes an all-star VC panel — Deedy Das of Menlo Partners and Jay Eum of GFT Ventures — for a deep dive into the shocking scale of early-stage AI raises, a transitional moment for investors, the growing importance of the “prosumer” market, ChatGPT’s insane smile curves, and much much more. IN THIS EPISODE What the panelists make of Roelof Botha’s exit from Sequoia… and is he really going anywhere… Why Jason says VC is no longer the best way to get rich… Why so many private companies are growing SO HUGE before going public… And much more! Timestamps: (00:03:37) Jason is fresh from surviving Riyadh traffic but he’s here and introducing our all star panel (00:04:03) Why Jason compares Riyadh to Silicon Valley in the 1960s (00:05:21) Friend of the Pod Roelof Botha is stepping down at Sequoia… our insiders try to guess what might have happened… (10:00) Crusoe - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (00:13:11) Deedy moved up at Menlo without being a venture native… he shares the secrets behind his rise. (00:19:09) Was Roelof wrong about “return-free risk”? Does more capital always = more great companies? (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 https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (00:26:54) With so many private companies growing SO HUGE… when is the right time to go public? Considering the case of Glean and Stripe… (30:00) AWS Marketplace - If you’re ready to really accelerate your sales cycle, AWS Marketplace is your next stop. Head to https://aws.com/startups to learn more. (00:30:07) Why Jason says venture capital is no longer the best way to get rich (00:32:34) Why AI apps are so appealing to enterprises after years of paying for SaaS (00:36:32) The growing importance of “prosumers” (00:37:31) Why Deedy says a smile curve is the most beautiful depiction of “Product Market Fit” (00:44:36) Why it’s still tough to raise pre-seed money, even during an AI “boom”! (00:46:08) Why Jason says the hardest job in the tech ecosystem is being an investor (00:55:52) “Time is one of the primary drivers of venture capital return.” - Jay Eun (00:57:42) Deedy on the shocking amounts being raised by early-stage AI companies (01:00:21) Just how much DO VCs work compared to founders? The panel compares notes. (01:02:53) Are some investors not doing diligence? Deedy on the speed of some AI deals. (01:16:51) The panel picks their fav portfolio company of the moment (or one of their faves) Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com 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 Thank you to our partners: Crusoe - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit AWS Marketplace - If you’re ready to really accelerate your sales cycle, AWS Marketplace is your next stop. Head to https://aws.com/startups to learn more. 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

Nov 3, 2025

👉 Register here to join the Founder University Japan kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: *Starcloud has started sending AI chips into orbit. So is this where the datacenters the power AI will one day live? And does wifi work in the vacuum of space? We’re asking the TOUGH questions. PLUS Jason and Alex are doing a deep dive on all this week’s OpenAI news. Will they ever be able to pay back all these GPU purchases? What happens to the wider economy on the off chance they don’t thrive? And what’s with these rumors that ChatGPT has stopped giving medical or legal advice? All that and a look at TrustMRR (and why Jason advises you not to publicly share your Stripe), why Jason thinks Netflix should buy CNN, our hosts favorite Nazi hunter movies, and MORE. Timestamps: (0:00) Would you trust an LLM with your health? (2:08) Jason is bringing Founder U to The Kingdom AND Japan, so he’s streaming in today live from Riyadh (4:20) Jason’s guide to mastering international travel. (Shoutout to Whoop) (5:05) Are the big AI companies going TOO HARD on GPUs? And does this matter? (11:30) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (14:53) What happens to the wider economy if ChatGPT FAILS? Who gets hit by the “contagion”? (18:22) Jason’s more likely scenario: What if ChatGPT becomes just one player in a larger market? (21:22) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (23:57) ChatGPT can still give you general health and legal advice… just not a full diagnosis (31:57) Nexos.ai Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist . (33:09) TrustMRR and startups sharing their Stripe data… Why Jason says total transparency might be too much (38:35) We’re really sending datacenters to space! Starcloud made it happen. (41:02) Does wifi work in space? A TWiST investigation… (47:01) Checking in with Polymarkets on the NYC mayoral election and the government shutdown (53:09) Legal AI startup Legora (from Sweden) is now a unicorn… why this niche is growing so fast (58:14) Netflix wants to buy WBD… Here’s why our hosts think they should keep CNN. (1:07:58) BUT WE DIGRESS: Lon and Jason’s favorite Nazi hunter movies (1:10:25) Founder Q’s! The best way to track runway and burn rate for early stage companies. 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 Thank you to our partners: Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. Nexos.ai Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist .

Nov 1, 2025

What will be OpenAI’s IPO price? Place ya bets! | EXXX *Polymarket’s sharps are already placing bets on when ChatGPT maker OpenAI will go public… and Jason and Alex want in on this action. They’re placing side wagers on how the House that Sam Altman built will be valued once it finally goes public. PLUS find out why Amazon is Jason’s stock pick for the next five years… Why startups are starting to release their own foundation models, and what this means for major players like OpenAI and Anthropic… AND Producer Oliver stops by with an in-depth look at the music-generating Suno app. Friday shows don’t get any bigger than this. Register for Founder University's Japan Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk Today’s show: * Timestamps: (0:00): Jason doesn't trust Sam Altman... Stay tuned! (2:24) Jason’s been using Tesla FSD’s “Mad Max” Mode and it’s a SPICY ride! (8:54) Jason and Alex checked out Higgsfield’s new Face Swap tool… Jason thinks this will revolutionize the movie casting process (10:39) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit. (14:03) Here’s what Jason thinks: there are acceptable uses of Higgsfield’s tech but some are OVER THE LINE (17:23) Here’s why Jason says the music industry deals with startups like the Mafia (19:59) 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! (21:02) Producer Oliver has been playing around with AI music app Suno… here’s a live demo (22:47) We’re using Suno to make a Dire Straits song about JCal! (30:11) PaperOS - Whether you’re raising a round, launching a fund, or managing a venture portfolio, PaperOS can unlock simplicity and scale across your empire of capital, contracts, and companies. Claim your $10,000 credit at https://paperos.com/twist (39:42) IT’S EARNINGS WEEK! What Jason and Alex make of the fresh numbers from Amazon, MSFT, and Alphabet (40:58) Jason’s checking out his Grokipedia page… could this be the internet’s new go-to resource? (45:15) Why Amazon is Jason’s pick of THE stock for the next 5 years (46:42) Three startups made their own AI models! Is the era of paying big co’s for their LLMs coming to an end? (50:09) Jason’s warning for anyone “dumb enough” to use OpenAI’s API… they are studying you! (57:16) It’s a new Jason-Alex bet… What will OpenAI’s IPO price be? (59:35) What happened with Navan’s IPO? Jason and Alex dig into the numbers. (1:07:37) Why Jason compares some later investors to Wormtongue from “Lord of the Rings”

Oct 30, 2025

Today’s show: *Why rebrand an app with 40 million daily active users? On TWiST, Grammarly CEO Shishir Mehrotra swings by to explain why he’s renaming his company after the mail app he just purchased, Superhuman. Plus he’s giving us a first look at the startup’s new AI assistant, Superhuman Go, digging into their new agent-centered strategy, looking ahead at the potential for AI job displacement, and more. Jason and Alex also talk about our new nuclear deal with Westinghouse and Japan, OpenAI’s conversion and what it means for Microsoft, 1x’s tele-operated Neo-bot for chores, and much more! Timestamps: (00:07:56) Jason is headed to Tokyo, and NOT just for skiing this time! (10:00) Uber AI Solutions**:** Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at Uber.com/twist (00:12:21) Untangling this US government-Japan-Westinghouse deal for nuclear power… and why nuclear power is SO important (20:00)DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to https://www.DevStats.com/twist (00:20:04) Why Jason says sabbaticals and 4 day work weeks are for established brands, not startups (30:00) Perspective AI: Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist . (00:33:01) Will income inequality become a concern, even for the wealthy? Jason says YES. (00:37:29) Shishir Mehrotra from Gram— NO WAIT, Superhuman! joins us to talk name changes (00:38:16) Using Grammarly as a model for the new AI assistant, Superhuman Go. (01:08:39) Nvidia shot past $5 TRILLION in value… How is no one freaked out about this?! (01:14:52) OpenAI executed their conversion… but Jason says “public benefit corporation” status is pretty meaningless (01:25:02) Checking out the Neo robot from 1x… he wants to help you with chores and he’s for sale! (01:32:09) Uber’s speeding up its self-driving plans 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 Thank you to our partners: Perspective AI - Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist . DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to https://www.DevStats.com/twist Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at Uber.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: 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

Oct 29, 2025

Today’s show: Jason’s been skeptical on Apple lately, but he’s BLOWN AWAY by his new iPhone Air.Hear why JCal thinks Cupertino’s latest release is “completely inspiring,” and why he’s sure it’s the next step on the road to Apple Glasses. We’re chatting with LAUNCH founder Zach Handshoe of spacial video startup SpatialGen about designing products for Cupertino AND the intense pressure of performing a Steve Jobs-level keynote. PLUS Raiza Martin of Huxe stops by to tell us why they’re using audio to make AI assistants more personalized AND proactive, and how they’re already getting noticed in an increasingly crowded App Store. AND we’ve got another Gamma Pitch Competition entrant! Chess Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli presents his expert-focused app, ChessEver. Timestamps: (2:05) Friend of the pod @ZacharyHandshoe stops by to talk about supporting Apple Immersive Video (and staying up during the AWS outage) (9:37) Enterpret - Turn feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. (15:55) The iPhone Air can already shoot spatial video! Just part of why Jason calls it a “completely inspiring” product. (21:25) Crusoe Cloud - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. (24:30) Jason offers viewers a peek inside LAUNCH’s Whisper Network (32:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (33:10) Huxe co-founder (and NotebookLM vet) Raiza Martin wants to make your AI assistant more personalized and proactive. (37:14) Why Raiza and her team went with an audio-forward interface instead of a chatbot. (43:25) How Huxe is getting noticed in the App Store as a brand new arrival. (50:25) The big LLMs still aren’t great at writing engaging content for humans, so Huxe is doing it themselves. (52:41) Chess Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli from ChessEver joins us for his Gamma pitch! (54:26) Why Vasif is focusing on very serious players FIRST before appealing to more casual chess fans (1:05:28) Jason thinks ChessEver is at the moment of “triangulation” in their journey to finding Product Market Fit… what do Grandmasters really want? 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 Thank you to our partners: Enterpret - Turn feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action. Crusoe Cloud - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today. 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: 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

Oct 28, 2025

Today’s show: Australia has accused Microsoft of employing a dark pattern… Hear why Jason says these kinds of sneaky tactics aren’t usually worth it. It’s a brand-new Monday TWiST and it’s PACKED with news. In addition to Australia’s allegations against MSFT, we’re looking at Chinese drone fails and wondering how live experiences will change in the age of AI. PLUS has Tesla finally “solved” FSD after years of promises? Does it matter that so much of Mercor’s revenue goes back out to contractors? Do Chinese LLMs have a major advantage when it comes to the stock market over Western counterparts? Why Jason avoids overseas deals when he doesn’t speak the language or know the culture. And much more! Timestamps: (00:03:44) Fall is here! And Jason is already looking ahead to “BFCM” and the holiday season. (00:07:13) We’re bringing back the TWiSTies and a Prediction 2026 show (00:07:33) People are using AI to create fake receipts for fraudulent invoices! (10:00) Pipedrive - Bring clarity and control to your sales process with Pipedrive, the #1 CRM for small and medium sized businesses. Supercharge your sales today. Start with a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist . (00:14:23) It’s earnings week for Meta AND Alphabet AND Microsoft AND AMAZON! (00:19:55) What happened with the disastrous Chinese drone and fireworks show? (20:00) Monarch - Thanks to our partner, Monarch! Try the app and get 50% off your first year by visiting monarchmoney.com/twist . (00:27:37) Why Jason thinks live experiences are going to get much bigger and more impressive in the age of AI (00:29:34) Why Tesla is training FSD on synthetic data now… Has FSD finally been “solved”? (30:00) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits (00:45:10) What’s going on with these new Sequoia funds? Jason unpacks the strategy… (00:50:50) Jason doesn’t like to invest overseas unless he speaks the language and knows the culture (00:51:11) Jason’s thoughts on the controversy surrounding Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire’s comments (00:58:34) Mercor pays out 60-70% of its toppling revenue to contractors… does this MATTER? (01:06:14) Do Chinese LLMs have a major advantage when it comes to investing? (Humans are now betting on all this on PolyMarket) (01:09:45) Australia alleges that Microsoft is employing a dark pattern… why Jason says that’s a problem. 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 Thank you to our partners: AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST Pipedrive - Bring clarity and control to your sales process with Pipedrive, the #1 CRM for small and medium sized businesses. Supercharge your sales today. Start with a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.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: 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

Oct 25, 2025

Today’s show: *Working from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week, might seem like TOO INTENSE a commitment for some, but Jason argues that elite performance — and the mega-compensation that goes along with it — sometimes requires personal sacrifice. While 72-hour weeks might lead to burnout for some, it really comes down to individual choice. PLUS Jason and Alex deep dive the NBA gambling scandal and the sketchy reality behind high-stakes home games of poker. PLUS Presh Kumar takes us behind the scenes, to see how AI apps helped him develop and workshop the video for his new wellness startup, Tempo, and what’s with Anthropic buying chips from their AI rivals, Google? It’s a can’t miss This Week in Startups. Timestamps: (00:06:49) Jason and Alex are poker fans… what do they think about this insane NBA gambling scandal? (10:00) LinkedIn Ads - Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit. (20:00) Nexos.ai - Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist . (00:25:09) Is working “9-9-6” a reasonable goal? A guarantee of success? Why Jason compares it to being an Olympian. (30:00) Every.io - Running a startup is hard enough. Every takes care of incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes and more so that you focus on building, not back-office admin. Visit every.io . (00:38:00) Our old buddy Presh walks us through the process of making his Tempo launch video (00:42:28) Jason and Alex check out some of Ridley Scott’s famous storyboards (00:48:03) Anthropic is buying TPUs from Google… Are these companies in LIKE with each other? 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 Thank you to our partners: LinkedIn Ads - Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit. Nexos.ai - Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist . **Every.io -** Running a startup is hard enough. Every takes care of incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes and more so that you focus on building, not back-office admin. Visit every.io . 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

Oct 22, 2025

Today’s show: *Amazon’s dropping a LOT of employees for AI and robots… are Jason’s darkest predictions coming true? Legendary investor Elad Gil joins Jason and Alex for the full show today! Together, they’re digging into the Amazon news, looking back at Jason’s predictions from just last month, and theorizing about just how many people will lose their jobs to computers, and what we’re going to do about it. (Is it possible the US hasn’t been massively hit by job displacement so far because those gigs already moved overseas?) PLUS… Anthropic’s Dario Amodei responds to criticisms from JCal’s bestie David Sacks, Sesame emerges from stealth to work on AI wearables, and where will people in the future interact with their favorite apps? A headset? Phones? Somewhere else? The great debate continues. Timestamps: (00:04:04) Our guest is iconic angel investor Elad Gil! What’s he working on… (00:04:54) Alexandria AI translates public domain books into all commonly spoken languages… Do people actually prefer AI translations? (00:09:16) Why compute tends to centralize over time… (It’s because of economies of scale!) (00:09:29) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (00:12:49) So are we building TOO MANY datacenters? Will AI apps eventually run on your phone anyway? (00:16:39) Jason says “The Age of Efficiency is upon us.” (00:19:24) When companies trade inference for market share (00:19:27) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (00:21:57) Why one of the main challenges of adopting AI is buy-in and convincing teams to use it. (00:25:47) Elad’s robotics questions: (1) What % of winners will be incumbents? (00:27:50) Jason called the Amazon news last month and we have the receipts! (00:29:36) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first yea (00:45:33) Jason says Adobe and Figma should abandon the UK entirely. (00:45:55) Time for a Polymarket: The sharps say 80% chance Tesla beats their quarterly earnings (00:51:02) What is Sesame? They just emerged from stealth, they raised $250M, and they’re working on AI wearables. (00:53:21) Jason has concerns about AI wearables that are always recording… Does Elad share these concerns? (01:03:17) The crypto industry is now one of the largest purchasers of US government debt… what does that mean? Who owns who? (01:08:53) Anthropic responded to JCal’s Bestie David Sacks… Is Dario Amodei a doomer? Fearmongering? (01:19:12) Why Jason thinks AI companies need to self-regulate 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 Thank you to our partners: Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first yea 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

Oct 22, 2025

Are AI tools in the classroom just time-savers, or can they have genuine educational value?In a must-watch TWiST 500 interview, Alex chats with Magic School founder (and former principal) Adeel Khan about how AI tools can make teachers more effective, and keep students inspired, without just doing all the work for them. He talks about turning an AI chatbot into a true assistant teacher, that keeps the lessons balanced yet challenging, and particularly empowers classroom novices and non-professionals.THEN… is 6 years too long for employees to wait to vest? Is this just another founder trying to reinvent EVERYTHING, just because they can’t resist? Ramp CEO Eric Glyman joins Jason and Alex to answer pressing founder questions from viewersPLUS there’s a new entrant in our Gamma Pitch Deck competition, and it’s so compelling, Jason can’t wait to invest! Kris Canete of On the Fly Energy tells us about America’s fragile power grid and his elegant solution: flywheel energy storage!Timestamps: 0:00 - Welcome to TWiST! 02:59 - Former principal Adeel Khan of TWiST 500's Magic School AI tells us why “teachers are magic” 09:41 - Goldbelly ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout. 10:50 - How AI tools can particularly help out classroom novices and non-pros who are just getting started 20:57 - Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist. 26:58 - How Magic School stays ahead of shifting standards across different states and regions 32:57 - Zite is the fastest way to build *business software* with AI. Build apps, forms, websites and portals that connect to the tools you already use. Go to *zite.com/twist* to get started. 33:30 - Why the best feedback Adeel ever got came from a teenager 36:30 - Making AI a true assistant teacher, that keeps lessons balanced yet challenging 38:38 - Is a 6-year vesting schedule too aggressive? Eric Glyman responds. 41:00 - When even ambitious founders should sometimes just accept a standard deal. 57:33 - What IS flywheel energy storage?01:00:00 - Why Jason loves the Fly Energy Gamma pitch and wants to invest right now.01:34:13 - Gamma Outro*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: [ https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com ]( https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ )Check out the TWIST500: [ https://www.twist500.com ]( https://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: [⁠ / alexwilhelm ]( / alexwilhelm )*Follow Jason:X: / jason LinkedIn: [ / jasoncalacanis ]( / jasoncalacanis )Great TWIST interviews: [Will Guidara,]( • Lessons in Unreasonable Hospitality with W... ) [Eoghan McCabe]( • Great Builders & Success First with Interc... ), [Steve Huffman]( https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... , [Brian Chesky]( https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... , [Bob Moesta,]( • Decoding Customer Insights, Trust, and the... ) [Aaron Levie]( https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... , [Sophia Amoruso]( https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... , [Reid Hoffman]( https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... , [Frank Slootman]( https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... , [Billy McFarland]( https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... )*Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis *Follow TWiST:Twitter: / twistartups YouTube: / thisweekin Instagram: [ / thisweekinstartups ]( / thisweekinstartups )TikTok: / thisweekinstartups Substack: [ https://twistartups.substack.com ](<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_

Oct 21, 2025

Today’s show: *Is the AI bubble going to POP? And if so, how much of our economy is it going to take down with it?On a new TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon debate the size and scale of the AI bubble, whether poppage is imminent, and just who we can blame for the last few economic crises. (HINT: Not the tech industry!)PLUS why Jason STILL thinks the current AI cycle will be the biggest in tech history, how this morning’s AWS mega-failure might impact the company’s earnings, the spread of AI fakes in the wake of this weekend’s No Kings march, why LLMs may soon put your broker out of business, and much much more.**Timestamps:** (00:02:26) Is AI a BUBBLE? And if so, how BIG?(00:05:12) Are all the major bubbles and corrections always Wall Street’s fault?(00:08:39) Why Jason thinks this AI will be the biggest cycle in the history of technology(10:00) LinkedIn Ads: Thanks to our partner @LinkedInMktg. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to [http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups](https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups) to claim your credit.(20:00) Thank you to our partner @trustvanta! TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist(00:23:01) Will this morning’s AWS failure impact Amazon’s earnings?(30:00) Thanks to our partner @Openphone! Streamline and scale your customer communications with Quo. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at [http://quo.com/TWiST](http://quo.com/TWiSThttp://quo.com/perks/twist)(00:32:49) People couldn’t spot AI fakes from this weekend’s protests… are we cooked?(00:49:54) Jeremy Strong shows off his Mark Zuckerberg impression… and Jason is impressed *Thank you to our partners:LinkedIn Ads: Thanks to our partner @LinkedInMktg. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to [http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups](https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups) to claim your credit. @trustvanta! TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist @Openphone! Streamline and scale your customer communications with Quo. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at [http://quo.com/TWiST](http://quo.com/TWiSThttp://quo.com/perks/twist)*Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: [https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups](https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups/)TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: [https://twistartups.substack.com](https://twistartups.substack.com/)*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916All 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.Listen here:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-startups-audio/id315114957Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ULQ0ewYf5zmsDgBchlkr9Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes315114957/this-week-in-startups-audioMore from us:Twitter: https://twitter.com/twistartupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsOfficial site: https://thisweekinstartups.comSubscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1Subscribe to TWiST Clips for all the best moments:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7tJlcUA6PzVHEMo-X7ddg?sub_confirmation=1#startups #entrepreneurship #investing #angelinvesting #tech #news #business

Oct 18, 2025

Deel’s growth overshadows SpyGate, Claude learned new skills, and the great “momentum is moat” debate | EXXX Today’s show: *Deel’s growing fast enough that investors are overlooking the espionage allegations and jumping on board anyway. (LAUNCH now owns a lil taste of Deel, so Jason is on board!) PLUS is the Mag 7 about to become the Mag 70… Why legendary investor Roelof Botha thinks VC is not an asset class… How startups can use capital as a weapon… AND Anthropic gave Claude more skills, which they hope will help pay their bills. Timestamps: (00:01:34) Jason’s excited for ski season and checking his favorite powder app, OpenSnow (00:04:02) Why Jason’s done with meetings; he’s pulling a Doug Leone! (00:06:27) Jason can tell the market’s heating up because people are starting to lose their minds. (00:09:31) How much will global AI tools one day be worth? Alex is crunching the numbers. (10:00) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how! (00:15:22) PREDICTION: The Mag7 is about to become the Mag70 (20:00) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (00:25:36) Deel’s big raise… Why major growth overshadows spying allegations (30:00) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit. (00:33:31) Why Roelof Botha says VC is a “return-free risk,” and not an “asset class.” (00:40:49) The two reasons why VC firms end (00:44:18) How startups can use capital as a weapon (00:57:52) Anthropic gave Claude Skills to pay the bills (01:00:51) Jason’s vision for what Grammarly could become 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 Thank you to our partners: Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how! Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit. 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

Oct 16, 2025

Today’s show: *On a very special TWiST, Jason’s joined by “one of the greatest investors in in the history of VC,” Steve Jurvetson of Future Ventures. Together, they look back at some of Steve’s earliest investments and learnings, the promise and ultimate failure of nanotech, breaking down the AI hype cycle, the primacy of neural networks, the return of nuclear power, why “AI safety” might be illusory, and much more. It’s a packed show full of deep insights from one of the greatest minds in technology today. Do not miss this ep! Timestamps: (00:00)Jason’s 1-on-1 today with “one of the greatest investors in the history of VC,” Steve Jurvetson (00:03:04) The early origins of Steve’s fascination with “deep tech” (00:08:03) Jason and Steve recall playing around with the TRS-80 (“The Trash-80”) (10:00) Perspective AI: Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist . (00:15:13) Keeping your portfolio diverse when so many companies look the same (20:00) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (00:20:49) The promise of nanotech and why it fell apart (00:25:46) Breaking down the “hype” cycle and how trends get co-opted (00:26:27) Why Moore’s Law and the Power Law are so important for investors (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 https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (00:33:36) Understanding the rise of GPUs and how they resemble tiny brains (00:51:32) Revisiting a classic clip of Steve talking about robots (00:54:04) How Jason and Steve got their hands on some of the earliest Tesla Roadsters (01:00:09) Flashback Clip: Elon predicts 2025 in 2015… how’d he do? (01:02:46) Why did the world turn SO strongly against nuclear energy? (01:16:06) Can we make AI “safe” in the age of GPT Psychosis? Is it too inscrutable? (01:21:54) Why Steve thinks technology will ultimately doom autocratic regimes. 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 Thank you to our partners: TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. 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! Perspective AI: Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/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: 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

Oct 13, 2025

Today’s show: *Eric Glyman of Ramp joins us to share the fintech unicorn’s growth secrets AND their Lab full of research data. On TWiST, Jason and Alex chat with Eric about Ramp’s counter-intuitive mission — helping startups spend LESS money — PLUS they take a deep dive into the company’s treasure trove of startup trend data. Why is there a huge spike in unemployed recent college trends? Is “static team size” as a big a story as Jason and Alex think? What does it actually take to get companies to adopt AI Agents? The answers all might be in these Ramp numbers. PLUS Eric joins us for some hot Founder Q’s, and what’s going on with all this Y Combinator drama? We’re sifting through the angriest tweets for the inside scoop. FINALLY, Jason recommends some of his favorite startup accelerators of the moment (aside from his own) including… PearX Arc from Sequoia Antler Speedrun from a16z Timestamps: (00:02:18) The 72-hour rule strikes again: Trump’s China’s tariff reversal (00:03:10) Why crypto got hit even HARDER than the stock market post-Trump announcement (00:07:32) Market manipulation “at a scale we’ve never seen before…”; what does this mean for everyday investors? (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 (00:12:55) Ramp CEO Eric Glyman swings by to update us on his fintech unicorn’s growth and their “Lab” for research data (20:09) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (00:21:40) Is “static team size” a real trend? What the Ramp data shows… (00:26:25) Ramp’s “counter-intuitive” mission: to help companies spend LESS money, not more. (30:24) Paper OS offers the largest library of AI-driven Workflows for both founders & fund managers. Claim your $10K credit at paperos.com/twist (00:38:07) WHY the huge spike in unemployed recent college grads? Especially among the guys? (00:49:16) What it actually takes to get companies to adopt AI agents into their processes (00:52:25) Why Jason thinks Eric is a top-tier TWiST guest. We’re going through the metrics… (00:54:05) There’s YC drama on social media now… we’re spilling the tea. 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 Thank you to our partners: Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist PAPER OS - Building an empire? PaperOS offers the largest library of AI-driven Workflows for both founders & fund managers. Whether you’re raising capital, launching a fund, or wading through diligence, PaperOS unlocks simplicity and scale for your ever-growing empire. Claim your $10K credit at paperos.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: 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

Oct 10, 2025

Figure’s 03 Chore-bot, Jake Paul Sora takeover, ChatGPT app integrations, and more | E2191 Today’s show: Figure’s butler-bot could be cleaning up after you soon than you think! On a Friday TWiST, Jason and Lon are checking out the Figure 03 demo reel, checking out the humanoid robot that could soon be hanging out in your house, doing your chores. Lon’s a bit skeptical that full-sized Westworld drones will soon be on everyone’s home but the technology is obviously moving forward at a rapid clip and cutting-edge AI models are making the bots smarter than ever. PLUS… what will be the impact of Presidents Trump and Xi’s new fight over rare earth minerals? Why are Jake Paul and Mark Cuban starring in SO MANY Sora clips? How well do these ChatGPT app integrations work, and why are they going to free users first? And much much more, on a can’t-miss new TWiST Timestamps: (0:00) Figure’s humanoid and its new capabilities (2:15) Show start: Jason welcomes co-host Lon Harris (6:24) The global dependency on China for rare earth minerals (9:48) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (10:54) Sora, AI likeness & deepfakes (17:05) DEMO: Producer Oliver showcases ChatGPT's new integrations! (19:45) 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! (27:54) The future of AI: Will there be thousands of app integrations? (30:41) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (33:44) Discussing Reflection AI: A new American open-source model (40:35) Reddit Rapid Response: Why young professionals should work in the office (47:50) How AI is eliminating entry-level jobs & the need for executive training (54:15) Jason's pitch to shut down the USPS and turn post offices into nursery schools (58:25) Jason shares his personal journey with GLP-1s & Ro.co (1:01:05) The Figure One robot: New video and future potential (1:04:20) How LLMs are the key to unlocking humanoid robot capabilities 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 Thank you to our partners: .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. 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! Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.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: 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

Oct 9, 2025

Today’s show: *Zach Dell of Base Power joins us at the top of today’s show to talk about building batteries in Austin, that $1 billion investment, and why an “all of the above” energy strategy is the only way forward. PLUS Jason and Alex’s thoughts on that Tesla non-upside down car announcement, growing resentments toward AI datacenters, Chinese robots actually going on sale, Tim Cook’s potential Apple exit, xAI’s Nvidia agreement and MUCH MORE. Timestamps: (00:02:10) A MAJOR GUEST! Zach Dell of Base Power joins us from the top of the show. (00:03:31) The basics of Base Power’s business model: the best electron is the cheapest electron (00:08:38) Zach teases Base’s new, time-saving approach to battery installation (00:10:32) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (00:18:12) How Base’s grid can help drive down overall energy prices (00:21:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (00:30:12) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (00:36:20) Tesla did not announce an upside fan car… Oh well… (00:44:27) Buy your Chinese robot TODAY on Walmart dot com? Or not! (00:48:12) Is Tim Apple EXITING Apple? Who’s next? (00:59:22) ANOTHER mega-deal? Now xAI is circling a Nvidia investment… 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 Thank you to our partners: Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business 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: 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

Oct 8, 2025

Everything’s going great here at This Week in Startups — and we’re expanding! As we launch a brand new podcast next year, we’re looking to bring on two new creative roles: Video Editor — Full-time or part-time, remote or in-person (Austin). If you love startups and tech and you’re skilled at editing, this is your shot. Send your portfolio to editor@launch.co . Short-Form Video Editor (CapCut) — Help us create top-tier TikToks, Reels, and YouTube Shorts from our podcast content. If you’re great with CapCut and have a feel for viral startup content, email capcut@launch.co . We don’t care about degrees or titles — just talent, creativity, and passion for startups. Competitive pay, flexible hours, and the chance to work with one of the top startup shows in the world. Apply now: Video Editor → editor@launch.co Shorts Editor → capcut@launch.co #startups #hiring #videoediting #podcast #ThisWeekInStartups #tech

Oct 7, 2025

Today’s show: *How many weirdly circular mega-deals is OpenAI going to sign this year? On a new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider OpenAI’s latest agreement with AMD, how the biggest American companies keep trading cash and chips back and forth, and whether or not the entire AI economy might be a house of cards. PLUS what kind of fan/leafblower tech is Tesla working on… what can Jevons Paradox tell us about the AI landscape… how easy is it to master games in the YC Arena… and WHY has NASA never built a base on the moon? We’re asking the TOUGH QUESTIONS so you don’t have to, only on the #1 tech podcast, “This Week in Startups.” Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex open the show discussing hunting and traditional Texas meat exchanges (2:16) ANOTHER weirdly circular OpenAI mega-deal? How many mega-deals can one company MAKE? (3:50) Are all these “bizarre” OpenAI deals creating a house of cards? (10:00) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . (20:00) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (21:14) Is the Tesla Roadster 2 coming soon? Or maybe a leaf blower?! (22:00) Datacenters in space! Is it getting crowded up there? (26:22) Why no moon base yet? Jason demands a moon base. (27:00) We’re playing games in the YC Arena… Can Jason guess which pitches got accepted? (30:00) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (32:00) How Jason picks companies to invest in, based on a few signals and metrics (04500) We found out what Figure’s bots are actually doing for BMW (53:00) Sharpies figured out how to make their pens here in the US… who’s next?! (57:00) Could ChatGPT really replace Deloitte consultants? Considering the latest controversy… (01:03:29) It’s another Gamma Pitch: Welcome Ryan Yannelli of NextVisit AI, which helps therapists take notes 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 Thank you to our partners: Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://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 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

Oct 4, 2025

Today’s show: Is Sora not just a copyright-killer but a TikTok-killer? Hear our review! The “This Week in Startups” team has been playing around inside OpenAI’s viral app, which just hit #1 in the iOS Store. See all of Lon’s creations, explore the land beyond the Uncanny Valley, and find out why the hottest new social app could stand to be a bit more social. PLUS Brave surpasses 100M MAUs… why Jason would sell ALL his OpenAI shares right away, Apple pulls the ICEBlock app from the App Store, AND how one founder hacked his local coffee shop to network and even get face time with a few VCs! It’s all happening of a fast-paced Friday TWiST. Timestamps: (0:00) Why Jason started an Executive Training program at LAUNCH (05:17) Perplexity’s Comet browser is now FREE to use; Jason unpacks their strategy (10:02) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST (13:42) PLUS browser/search engine Brave passed 100M MAUs! (17:44) How a founder “hacked” his local coffee shop (20:06) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (21:35) You need to make it EASY for people to give you feedback! (25:41) A look at the leanest startups around and how companies are doing more with less (30:11) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. We’ll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit. (30:38) Why Jason would sell ALL his OpenAI shares right away! (38:56) Lon stops by to review the Sora app; the good, the bad, and the remixes! (48:45) Apple pulled the ICEBlock app… is this a free speech issue? (56:11) A new startup wants to fight gov’t corruption… and keep a share of the proceeds 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 Thank you to our partners: Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist LinkedIn Ads: Thanks to our partner @LinkedInMktg. Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. We’ll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit. 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

Oct 2, 2025

Today’s show: Sora 2 will generate a video of whatever you like and respects no IP (unless they opt out) On a brand new TWiST, Jason and Alex check out Sora 2, the latest text-to-video app from TWiST 500 mainstays OpenAI, and look at some of the video videos that have already emerged from the TikTok-style scrolling video app. (TikSlop?) THEN we’re considering the case of “AI actress” Tilly Norwood, and whether her big debut is a legit shift in the world of entertainment or just a marketing gimmick-slash-sales pitch.PLUS Jason’s thoughts on the Wealthfront IPO, how Spotify shifted the entire music economy, Jason’s pitch for making bets with stock purchases, why Americans need more financial literacy, AND another check-in with the sharps over at Polymarket. Timestamps: (0:00) What does the government shutdown mean for startups? Not much? (04:21) Jason’s an investor in Wealthfront… hear his thoughts on their potential IPO (08:14) Why Jason thinks the death of Boomers will boost crypto (10:21) 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! (17:26) Why is everyone so excited for Sora… but not Meta’s app? (19:49) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (28:38) Is Tilly Norwood just a gimmick or Hollywood’s next hot ingenue? (29:15) Perspective.ai - Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist . (35:58) POLYMARKET: When is OpenAI’s browser coming out?! (40:17) How Spotify changed the entire economy of music… and when a Founder/CEO should hang it up. (47:24) Why Jason thinks Americans need better financial education and literacy (49:39) Audience Q: What’s the best place to buy secondaries? (52:49) Why you should bet small while you’re learning 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 Thank you to our partners: 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! CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech Perspective.ai - Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/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: 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

Sep 30, 2025

Today’s show: How do you get investors excited about jets when they’re hyper-focused on new AI tools? In a fresh TWiST 500 interview, Alex sits down with Blake Scholl of Boom Supersonic to talk about the Overture, the world’s fastest plane that recently broke the sound barrier over the Mojave Desert. (That’s a first for a private company, rather than a military or government.) Hear about the secrets to avoiding a noisy and disruptive sonic boom, using satellites to set the most efficient routes, designing the Overture’s complex engine, dispelling the common myth that hardware startups are money pits and much much more. PLUS we’ve got two brand new companies entering our Gamma Pitch Deck Competition. Time to see how they stack up to our first impressive entrant, Where2Wheel. Timestamps: (02:22) Introducing Blake Scholl from Boom Supersonic (04:03) How Boom is improving on the classic Concorde experience (08:29) How hyper-fast Overture flights could change passenger behavior (10:02) Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist . (11:10) The long road to breaking the speed barrier (14:34) How satellites could help guide Boom’s planes (16:37) The next milestones to check off Blake’s list (19:13) Breaking up the jet engine duopoly (20:57) Nexos.ai Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at nexos.ai/twist . (24:28) How 3D printing speeds up the R&D process (30:26) DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to https://www.DevStats.com/twist (34:10) Gamma Pitch Deck Competition: Confy vs. The Drive 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 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 Thank you to our partners: Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist . Nexos.ai Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at nexos.ai/twist . DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to https://www.DevStats.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: 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

Sep 29, 2025

Today’s show: Friend’s new AI pendant just wants to be your new pal. So why do New Yorkers hate them? On a brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider the Friend AI pendant, which listens to everything you say all day and then sends you snarky texts about it. WIRED says it’s unhelpful and will make your friends hate you. New Yorkers are so sick of their aggressive subway ads, they’re tagging them with graffiti. But what do Jason and Alex think of the wearable companion? PLUS the value of bringing your last team with you to your new project… why partnerships often lead to purchases… Producer Claude got an upgrade… two fresh TWiST 500 companies… the rise and fall and further fall of Tai Lopez… AND Jason explains the rules of private jets. Timestamps: (0:00) Jason congratulations the Eagles while wondering what’s going on with Philly fans (03:23) New Yorkers are not in love with these Friend AI pendants and their subway ads (10:08) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:28) Show Continues… (13:49) Are people actually using AI agents? Is it still too early? (17:01) Startup Lesson: The value of bringing your last team with you (19:27) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (20:43) Anthropic released the new Claude… can they catch back up with Grok? (27:13) Why Circle’s community app is blowing up all of the sudden (29:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits (30:48) How startups SHOULD measure growth and profitability. And why you need to show your work. (36:42) Why human writers are about to be MORE valuable in the age of AI Slop. (42:20) TWO new startups are joining the TWiST 500… Jason’s thoughts on Phia and Huxe (46:23) Influencer and bookshelf haver Tai Lopez is under investigation by the SEC! A look back at a viral superstar… (54:11) Jason explains the rules of flying in private jets 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 Thank you to our partners: Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.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: 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

Sep 27, 2025

Today’s show: Factory, a Sequoia-backed producer of AI agents for programming, raised $50 million at a $300 million valuation. So Jason and Alex are wondering… how much capital is TOO MUCH? We’re going deep on a question that often perplexes founders: How would weigh a HUGE potential market against STIFF pre-existing competition. PLUS that Neon app that records your calls deleted itself, why AI ISN’T taking away all the radiology jobs yet, how inherent biases impact everyone’s view of the economy, ChatGPT may be getting ads very soon, and MUCH MUCH MORE. Timestamps: (0:00) The Neon app: why would anyone let an app record all of their phone calls? (04:43) Another -slop term… What is THINKSLOP?! (09:46) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (11:25) Why is TikTok US only worth $14 billion?! (17:10) Wait, why ISN’T AI taking jobs away from radiologists? (20:06) 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 (28:38) How can xAI afford to sell AI to the US gov’t for 42 cents? (29:37) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (33:44) How inherent biases impact everyone’s view of the economy. (46:29) Why is everyone dunking on Meta’s new SlopTok app? (53:37) It certainly seems like ChatGPT is going to get ads soon… (03:49) The first entry in our Gamma Pitch Deck Competition is II off-roading marketplace Where2Wheel 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 Thank you to our partners: .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. 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 Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.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: 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

Sep 25, 2025

Today’s show: What is “workslop”? And is it already slowing you down at the office? On a new This Week in Startups, we’ve got full co-host quorum with JCal, Alex, AND Lon tackling a meaty docket of news at the cross-section of tech, startups, and pop culture. For starters: A new Harvard/Stanford study suggests that AI isn’t massively improving workplace efficiency because SOME workers aren’t using it properly. Are low-quality, lazily-assembled AI outputs costing US enterprises millions in lost productivity? It’s certainly possible based on these results. PLUS, why YouTube invited back all those banned creators… a deep-dive into CA’s new social media law that’s dividing tech and civil rights advocacy groups… what we can learn from Stripe’s mega-share buyback… a look at what Polymarket’s sharps think will happen with the US TikTok deal… and much more. Timestamps: (0:00) Intro. What will South Park have to say about prediction markets? (06:06) Alibaba’s new AI model will turn you into any celebrity… can you still believe what you see? (09:49) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (11:03) Show Continues… (19:42) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits (21:02) Is CA’s new proposed law a boon for civil rights, or a weapon against free speech? (29:47) 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!(32:21) Why YouTube invited banned creators back (41:24) What is Workslop? And is it costing companies MILLIONS? (48:42) PolyMarket asks… when will the US TikTok deal go down? (52:27) Would Jason invest in Tether? (01:01:29) Why Stripe is buying back so many shares… and what the future may hold. (01:12:16) Another Reddit Rapid Response: should startups do pilot programs? 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 Thank you to our partners: Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits 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: 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

Sep 23, 2025

Today’s show: New proposal on H-1B visas… and it’s pretty similar to Jason’s pitch from last month! On a new TWiST, Jason and Lon wonder if the White House is watching the pod and borrowing some of our best ideas! Specifically, the new $100K H-1B visa proposal sounds a lot like Jason’s suggestion from August… with a few significant tweaks. PLUS we’re looking at the latest news about the US TikTok entity, why Jason’s not concerned about the new algorithm, the explosion of major data centers in Scandinavia, the European Commission’s scaling back of anti-cookie regulations, AND the first big marketing push from virtual assistant startup Howie! That’s a packed show! Timestamps: (0:00) Alex is out today so Jason and Lon introduce the show. (04:11) Did they borrow their new H-1B visa proposal from JCal? (10:10) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:28) Show Continues… (19:21) 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 (20:28) Show Continues… (26:42) Answering YOUR pressing H-1B questions. (30:13) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . (31:30) Show Continues… (32:51) The Murdochs are likely joining the TikTok deal… (34:38) Why Jason’s not concerned about TikTok being in the hands of mostly Trump allies (39:29) A look inside the Nordic data center boom and why it’s happening (01:03:32) Checking out Howie’s first ad… how much did it cost to make? 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 Thank you to our partners: Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST 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 Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . 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

Sep 19, 2025

Today’s show: On an action-packed TWiST, Alex and Jason check out Meta’s latest wearables, which promise to fix the “constantly staring down at your phone” problem and prevent you from blocking that little light letting others know you’re filming them. Think the upgrade is worth $799 of your hard-earned money? PLUS, Lovable CEO Anton Osika stops by to answer YOUR questions, talk about how people are using the iconic vibecoding app, balancing accessibility and user engagement with the need to actually bring in revenue, and why Stockholm has become arguably Europe’s leading tech hub. AND Beehiiv joins with Discord, Google bakes Gemini into Chrome, and MORE of the week’s biggest tech news. Check out all this and more in a brand-new “This Week in Startups”! Timestamps: (0:00) Why Jason thinks Meta’s new $799 Smart Ray Bans, which covertly record people in 3K, are creepy! (04:14) Why, in the technology business, not quitting is how you succeed. (09:47) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (10:54) Show Continues… (17:02) Anton Osika from Lovable calls in from Stockholm: Why he thinks it’s Europe’s biggest tech hub. (20:37) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (21:44) A look at Lovable’s new security features, to make founders feel more confident in their vibe coding (27:31) How Lovable is balancing engagement with the need to make money (29:55) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (31:03) Show Continues… (42:29) Anton’s tactical advice for founders who want to build a community around their product. (49:14) A viewer asks: Is vibe coding CHEATING? (59:01) Google is baking Gemini into Chrome… but how will it work? And what about privacy? (01:05:05) Beehiiv links up with Discord. Why Alex has a few concerns! (01:11:01) Responding to some of YOUR comments. (Leave us reviews and comments on Apple and Spotify!) 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 Thank you to our partners: .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.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: 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

Sep 18, 2025

Today’s show: Jason sits down with Wilson Sonsini partner Chris Paniewski for part two of our Startup Legal Basics series on AI law — this time tackling the question every founder is asking: who owns the output of AI systems? Chris has advised on some of the biggest AI deals in history, and in this episode he helps break down how intellectual property law is colliding with generative AI. Jason and Chris cover: What kinds of IP rights might apply to AI-generated output ( copyrights, patents, trade secrets ) Why human authorship is central to copyright law Whether prompts are protectable IP How GenAI platforms’ terms of service affect ownership Real-world examples from Star Wars to Wirecutter to Warhol What startups should document when using AI in development How investors diligence AI companies on IP strategy If you’re a founder, investor, or operator trying to understand how to responsibly use AI without losing your IP, this conversation is essential. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason introduces part two of Startup Legal Basics with Chris Paniewski (1:20) Star Wars example: using LLMs to generate existing IP (3:10) Human authorship requirement in copyright law (5:25) Prompts, super-prompts, and the role of creative control (7:45) Photography analogy & the “monkey selfie” case (10:00) Patents, inventorship, and AI-generated inventions (12:05) Startups balancing speed to market vs. protectable IP (14:15) How to layer human creativity on top of AI output (16:20) Fair use, derivative works, and investor diligence * Check Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics * Follow Chris:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-paniewski-09331a59/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

Sep 17, 2025

Today’s show: Hear why Eric Jackson thinks Opendoor is the new Carvana, and how he’s planning to bring Drake on board as an investor (plus Jason’s Bestie Chamath). On a brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex are chatting with Jackson of EMJ Capital about his hunt for elusive 100 baggers (stocks that return 100-to-1). PLUS we’re chatting with Weave Robotics’ Kaan Doğrusöz about designing practical domestic robots RIGHT NOW, rather than prototypes for 2030. Hear about how they got Isaac to fold laundry like a pro. All that and… how Jason would turn around TechCrunch, why board members should always have skin in the game, that Waymo motorcycle accident, AND Uber and Tesla’s first team-up to haul freight! Timestamps: (0:00) Jason is worried about the next generation facing the end of apprenticeship; here’s his advice for young workers (10:24) 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) Kaan Doğrusöz of Weave Robotics joins to talk about getting his laundry-folding robot, Isaac, into customer’s homes (18:01) Isaac doesn’t have hands; here’s how Weave makes it work with grippers (20:44) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . (21:48) Show Continues… (24:51) Checking out some of Weave’s competitors… how did they settle on Isaac’s design? (30:01) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how! (31:10) What’s going on with TikTok? (36:15) Jason’s pitch is “BOYA”: Bring Your Own Algorithm (38:54) Eric Jackson of EMJ Capital stops by to talk up $OPEN and why he wants Drake to invest (40:14) Eric’s early YouTube career as an activist Yahoo! Investor (44:42) Lessons Eric learned from Carvana and how that informed his $OPEN bet (01:00:30) Why bringing Keith Rabois back was Eric’s ultimate dream for Opendoor (01:03:02) Why board members should always have “skin in the game” and why $OPEN wants Chamath back (01:07:26) Tesla and Uber are finally working together… They said it was impossible! (01:09:31) A look at YouTube’s new AI podcasting features 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 Thank you to our partners: 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! Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how! 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

Sep 16, 2025

Today’s show: On a special edition of TWiST, Alex presents a trio of TWiST 500 interviews. First up, Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine on the company’s new Really Simple Licensing (or RSL) initiative, and how it’s helping to compensate writers for their content. THEN, Human Native CEO Dr. James Smith joins for an even deeper dive on AI licensing, why a writer’s content isn’t just DATA to them, and why the company is pivoting away from its old marketplace model. FINALLY, Jason Marks of TELO Trucks stops by to show off his EV mini-truck, walk us through why people need a powerful but tiny truck, and explain why they’re building trucks right here in the US of A. Timestamps: (0:00) Intro: It’s a trio of TWiST 500 interviews today! (02:57) Alex chats with Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine (04:54) Why Medium’s more worried about HIDING from AI than anything else (10:24) Nexos.ai . Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at nexos.ai/twist . (11:27) Show Continues… (15:02) What is RSL and why aren’t AI companies offering publishers a good value? (19:58) Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist . (20:59) Show Continues… (22:03) How Medium calculates its revenue split with writers (26:57) Alex welcomes Human Native CEO/founder Dr. James Smith. (27:34) Writers see their content as their life’s work, but tech co’s just see DATA (30:01) DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to DevStats.com/twist (31:06) Show Continues… (33:01) Why H.N. is pivoting away from licensing and the marketplace model (47:23) TELO Trucks CEO Jason Marks joins the show (48:25) What is a “mini-truck” and why they’re TELO’s focus (52:28) Why TELO is building their EV trucks right here in the US (54:42) Why towing capacity still matters, even on a mini-truck 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 Thank you to our partners: Nexos.ai . Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at nexos.ai/twist . Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist . DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to DevStats.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: 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

Sep 15, 2025

Today’s show: There are new LAUNCH Accelerator and Founder U cohorts this week, and Jason’s running down some of his favorite new startups. PLUS Alphabet is the latest member of the $3T club, why Eric Schmidt was SO RIGHT about remote work, Robinhood is opening up private companies to more investors, Polymarket adds earnings reports, how Jason wagered on The Emmys this year, and MORE! Timestamps: (0:00) It’s kickoff day for LAUNCH Accelerator 35 AND Founder University! (02:32) Let’s talk about some new companies. Jason runs down the LA35 line-up and why he’s excited about these awesome startups. (10:33) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (11:57) Show Continues… (19:50) Squarespace - Turn your idea into a beautiful 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. (21:05) Show Continues… (27:43) Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers and get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (28:58) Looking back at Jason’s solar energy rematch vs. Energy Sec. Chris Wright. (31:23) Why Jason thinks solar power (+nuclear) is the future. (41:03) Why Alphabet is the latest member of the $3 trillion market cap club. (46:40) Jason says Eric Schmidt was right about work from home culture (48:51) How Robinhood is giving everyday investors access to private companies (51:44) Polymarket introduces prediction markets for corporate earnings. (53:58) Why Jason loves prediction markets… and how he gambled on the Emmys this year. 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 Thank you to our partners: OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist Squarespace - Turn your idea into a beautiful 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 and 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: 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

Sep 13, 2025

Today’s show: On Friday’s TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon look back at some highlights from this week’s big All-In Summit in Los Angeles, including a fiery, no holds barred presentation from Palantir CEO Alex Karp, Elon Musk delving into the key challenges facing Optimus, and Tucker Carlson debating Mark Cuban on Ukraine. PLUS… why schools may start blocking social media apps, the FTC’s new investigation into social chatbots, AND omnidirectional Zoox robotaxis are headed to Las Vegas. Timestamps: Welcome back to TWiST! (1:52) Jason’s thoughts on the killing of Charlie Kirk (10:34) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (10:52) Show Continues … (12:15) Reacting to All-In Summit highlights (Elon Musk, Alex Karp, Tucker Carlson, Mark Cuban) (21:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits (22:18) Show Continues … (26:09) Palantir, Alex Karp, and debate dynamics (31:03) 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 (32:13) Show Continues … (45:03) How the internet used AI tools to make sense of Charlie Kirk’s death (56:22) Why Jason thinks it’s smart to block social media during school hours (1:03:43) The FTC chatbot investigation leaves out Anthropic’s Claude… here’s why (1:13:27) Zoox robotaxis make their Vegas debut… Here’s how they’re different from Waymo (1:19:38) Are Tesla robotaxis headed for CA soon? Polymarket says… maybe (1:27:21) Closing remarks and banter 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 Thank you to our partners: Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits 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 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

Sep 11, 2025

Jason sits down with Wilson Sonsini partner Chris Paniewski for a special Startup Legal Basics on one of the thorniest questions in tech right now: how copyright law applies to AI training data. Chris has worked on some of the biggest AI deals ever — including Scale AI’s $14B+ partnership with Meta and OpenAI’s $6.5B acquisition of Jony Ive’s design studio — and brings practical, on-the-ground insights from advising leading AI companies. In this episode, Jason and Chris cover: Why AI copyright law is unsettled and will take years to shake out The difference between training data and output in legal terms How “fair use” really works (and why it’s a defense, not a permission slip) The risks of scraping vs. licensing, and why open source ≠ free use How investors are diligencing AI startups around training data Why startups must think differently once they’re funded vs. hacking in a dorm room Whether you’re building an AI product, investing in one, or just trying to understand where the law is headed, this conversation breaks down the real legal risks every founder should know. Timestamps: (0:00) Jason introduces the Startup Legal Basics series & Chris Paniewski (1:25) Why AI copyright law is unsettled (3:40) Training data: scraping vs. licensing (6:05) Open web ≠ open license; pitfalls around terms of service (8:15) Investor diligence & risks around training data (11:00) Open source & Creative Commons: common founder mistakes (13:25) “Fair use” explained: the four-part test (15:45) Why most disputes never make it to case law Check Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics Follow Chris:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-paniewski-09331a59/ Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis 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

Sep 10, 2025

Today’s show: In this founder-focused episode of This Week in Startups, we sit down with Republic’s Kendrick Nguyen to learn more about the company’s efforts to make the private markets accessible to the common investor. Best known for its work in equity crowdfunding, the Valor-backed startup now offers access to secondary shares, tokenized assets, and much more. Following, TWiST spoke with Positron CEO Mitesh Agrawal to learn more about his company’s inference-focused AI compute hardware. Related to fellow TWiST500 company Etched, Positron is building custom chips to take on the computing work required to deliver your AI query results faster and with less power draw than what GPUs can offer. With AI inference compute demand rising, the fellow Valor-backed startup has even more powerful systems coming to market in 2026 that have our hopes up that the AI cost curve can continue to point downward. Timestamps: (0:00) A future with more efficient and accessible intelligence(0:41) the following sponsors are mentioned: AlphaSense, Vanta, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure(1:26) Introduction to the episode and the two featured companies, Republic and Positron(2:43) The history and purpose of Republic, a financial crowdfunding platform(5:39) Discussion of the current state and growth of equity crowdfunding(9:19) Kendrick Nguyen explains Republic's role as a financial infrastructure company, not a competitor to venture capital firms(11:17) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠ (12:25) Republic's different products, Republic Capital and Republic Venture, are explained(14:00) The challenges and progress of secondary trading for non-accredited investors(20:14) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(21:21)The concept of a unified "e-finance" infrastructure is introduced(25:45) Positron CEO Mitesh Agarwal discusses the future of AI chips and the limitations of current GPUs for inference workloads(31:12) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist(32:22) Discussion on the inefficiency of GPUs for inference and how Positron's Atlas system addresses it(38:30) Positron's strategy of using their Atlas system to prove their technology and generate revenue(42:51) The market shift from AI training to inference and the future of Positron's chips(51:14) The confidence in Positron's capital efficiency and their ability to compete with NVIDIA(52:47) Positron's focus on linear algebra acceleration rather than just transformers 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 Thank you to our partners: (09:04) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (21:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (31:43) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain 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: 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 🎥 Watch the full episode here 👇

Sep 9, 2025

Today’s show: In this TWiST founder triple-shot, Alex digs into the real-world rollout of AI agents: Paid.ai ’s Manny Medina explains agent economics and value-based pricing, iTruckr’s Camilo Ramirez shows agents booking loads and coordinating drivers, and Tenax’s Elise Myrans demos computer vision + drones that score a single home’s wildfire/flood risk for smarter underwriting—plus live office-hours on winning enterprise pilots without getting stuck in PoC purgatory. Timestamps: (00:00) Brainstorming hacks for sales cycles in regulated industries — castles, moats & alligators! (03:50) Meet Paid.ai : tracking costs & monetization for AI agents (04:35) Paid.ai ’s Manny Medina on the “year of agents” & early enterprise traction (09:04) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (11:06) The tough economics of AI agents vs SaaS — margins squeezed by tokens (18:20) How Paid.ai gets granular: tracking signals & agent activity with OpenTelemetry (21:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (29:16) Enter iTruckr: Camilo Ramirez brings AI dispatch to the freight industry (31:43) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (39:02) Scaling from small fleets to mid-sized trucking companies — lessons from AI Trucker (55:59) Tenax ai helps homeowners & insurers manage wildfire, flood & climate risk 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 Thank you to our partners: (09:04) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (21:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (31:43) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain 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: 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

Sep 5, 2025

Today’s show: Jason heard Lina Khan on The Bulwark and got a little fired up. Plus Google doesn’t have to invest in Chrome… or basically do much of anything… Atlassian picked up not just any browser company but THE Browser Company… Follow-up thoughts on that MIT “companies aren’t using AI” study… AND Jason’s “two stock markets” theory. It’s a can’t-miss Friday TWiST. Timestamps: (00:00) Sony responds to Kpop Demon Hunters success… but Jason’s not buying it! (10:44) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (11:10) Jason heard Lina Khan on The Bulwark and he has THOUGHTS (12:40) Google doesn’t have to divest Chrome! So what ARE the remedies? (18:31) Atlassian’s buying a browser company? Which one? THE Browser Company. (20:57) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (21:22) When early DPI is better than NO DPI. (26:58) AI that helps you GET a job?! What a twist! (29:46) Jason and Alex have questions about that MIT AI study… (30:57) 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 . (32:07) More Browser News! Why Jason’s bullish on Brave. (35:10) Perplexed by “Perplexity”: Jason’s rules for domain names (39:54) The path is cleared for Polymarket’s return to the US (47:06) Jason’s “Two Stock Markets” theory (53:02) Mistral looking to raise 2 billion… euro! (56:08) Jason’s political philosophy: More joy and happiness (59:18) Stripe’s new stablecoin blockchain has no native token! So what’s it for? (01:04:12) Jason’s tips for lowering your churn rate (01:11:56) How to use Reddit to uncover pain points 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:44) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (20:57) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (30:57) 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 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

Sep 4, 2025

Today’s show:Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw returns to Startup Legal Basics with Jason. This time, they dive into the “have” companies — the breakout startups with multiple term sheets, competitive valuations, and unusual deal terms. From founder voting proxies to mandatory follow-on investment clauses, Becki breaks down the creative “off-menu” structures showing up in today’s financings, and what founders and investors need to watch for. Whether you’re a founder navigating investor FOMO or a VC competing to get on the best cap tables, this conversation will give you insight into the new rules of the game. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason welcomes Becki back to Startup Legal Basics (0:32) The “haves” vs. “have-nots” in today’s startup market (1:28) Creative legal structures: the “off-menu” items (4:19) Travis’ Uber favor & modern founder asks (7:05) Rise of secondaries & unusual board structures (11:22) Mandatory follow-on investment clauses in seed rounds? (14:13) Crypto’s resurgence and legal implications (15:55) The decline of proper diligence in hot deals * Check Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics * Follow Becki:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

Sep 3, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex are joined by Nuro’s Dave Ferguson to unpack the Lucid–Uber–Nuro deal aiming to launch fully driverless Gravity SUVs on Uber by 2026. They dig into why off-the-shelf sensors and Nvidia’s Thor chip drive costs down, how mapping 150 cities improves safety, and why lidar still matters for night and edge cases. Plus: lessons from Cruise’s collapse, how regulators think about safety multiples, and why autonomy could finally make rides cheaper than owning a car. Timestamps: (00:00) Show intro… (06:23) Uber x Lucid x Nuro: why this 2026 robotaxi deal matters (09:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:13) What the self-driving “cost stack” really looks like in 2025 (14:08) Road-mapping at scale: Nuro’s 150-city data collection push (15:38) Can AVs handle snow & rain? Weather rollout and Uber Black positioning (20:05) 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! (21:07) Show Continues… (24:24) Probabilistic vs. deterministic driving models — and the DARPA roots (30:08) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . (31:08) Show Continues… (35:38) Post-Cruise reality check: transparency, regulators & trust 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 Thank you to our partners: (09:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (20:05) 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! (30:08) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . 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

Sep 3, 2025

Today’s show: Find out why it’s important to “get curious,” and more deep founder insights on a new TWiST. Jason and Alex are back with a look at Robot vs. Human violence spilling out into the streets, Elon Musk’s vision for humanoid robots, and a reconsideration of Apple’s open-source AI models. Is the hardware giant not getting enough credit for its smaller-scale innovations? Plus Grok has another hit model, AND a chat with Scale Social founder Runbin Dong about the importance of knowing your worth. Timestamps: (0:00) Robot vs. Human violence in the streets! Is anti-clanker behavior inevitable? (05:13) Producer Claude’s company Anthropic is growing FAST, raising BIG money (09:21) More on why Jason is convinced Tesla’s Optimus robots are the future (10:35) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST (11:50) Show Continues… (20:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (21:19) Show Continues… (23:31) Ask Jason: Should you get a ticket for messing with an autonomous vehicle? (27:04) Is Apple not getting enough credit for its open-source AI models? (30:30) 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 (31:55) Show Continues… (38:08) Grok has another hit AI model… how can anyone even keep track of this?! (40:27) Runbin Dong of Scale Social stops by from ICELAND (42:54) How Runbin’s job delivering homemade dumplings inspired his startup (47:05) Why founders need to know their WORTH when pricing their products (59:21) Jason’s advice for companies that are creating their own category 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:35) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST (20:00) 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) 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: 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

Aug 29, 2025

Today’s show: *“KPop Demon Hunters” is one of the year’s biggest smashes… AFTER Sony sold it off to Netflix for cheap! Hear about what went wrong with one of the year’s worst deals… PLUS Grok is counting on SPEED to help it outpace rivals… How Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) ran into trouble on the podcast circuit… Nvidia’s big earnings report, and why everyone is watching that company in particular SO closely… PLUS a new Polymarket predicting the future of OpenAI! Timestamps: (0:00) How Sony missed out on “Kpop Demon Hunters” (10:15) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (11:20) Show continues… (13:59) Why some politicians struggle so much on podcasts (19:30) 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 (20:53) Show continues… (30:24) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (31:37) Grok is relying on SPEED to outpace rivals… and it’s working (41:23) Are AI companies playing a mega-budget game of chicken? (42:31) Why everyone’s watching Nvidia’s earnings so closely (47:50) Jason says he’ll NEVER go back to a non-AI browser (53:32) Polymarket: Is OpenAI going to release their own browser? 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:15) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (19:30) 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 (30:24) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist Ready to level up your AI collaborations? Head to www.claude.ai/twist You can’t do everything we’re doing without a paid plan… But TWiST listeners get 50% off their first three months of Claude Pro. Just go to Claude dot AI Slash TWiST to get started. 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

Aug 28, 2025

Today’s show:Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw returns to Startup Legal Basics with Jason to break down what’s happening in today’s startup market. From excess dry powder on the VC side to companies struggling to “grow into” their valuations, Becki shares what founders need to know about deal terms, pay-to-play provisions, and the shift from the 2021 heyday to today’s more structured environment. Why down rounds and structured deals are becoming more common How “pay-to-play” works (and why it’s showing up so often now) The psychology of VCs vs. founders during tough fundraises What the M&A landscape really looks like in 2025 Legal provisions investors are using to protect themselves in today’s talent wars Whether you’re a founder preparing for your next round or an investor navigating tougher terms, this conversation will help you understand the new realities of startup fundraising. * Timestamps: (0:00) Becki DeGraw joins Jason for Startup Legal Basics (1:12) The “perfect storm” shaping today’s startup market (4:30) Companies struggling to grow into 2021 valuations (6:31) Why down rounds and structured deals are rising (8:59) Pay-to-play explained: what happens if investors don’t participate (15:43) The mid-market M&A wave vs. big tech acquisitions (20:37) Talent wars, acqui-hires, and protective legal provisions * Check Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics * Follow Becki:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

Aug 27, 2025

Today’s show: On a brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex are asking why there are SO MANY note-taking AI apps? Plus another death has been linked to ChatGPT… is it too easy to get past chatbot guardrails? Why Donald Trump Jr. is joining Polymarket…. How the US Navy could catch up with its international rivals… AND should Apple just buy a big AI company to help them catch up? All that PLUS a visit from Colin Russ, whose viral H1B Visa thread might just inspire Jason to reach out to his good friend, Vice President JD Vance. Check out the full episode! Timestamps: (0:00) Intro, Jason’s checking out Notion’s new AI note taking app… is it time to cancel Granola? (06:57) How Google Gemini’s new 2.5 Flash Image tool (formerly known as “nano-banana”) could change advertising (10:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:40) Show Continues… (17:50) Another death linked to ChatGPT… is it too easy to get around AI chatbot guardrails? (19:26) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist (20:34) Show Continues… (28:10) Donald Trump Jr. invests in Polymarket and joins the board… (29:45) 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! (30:49) Show Continues… (33:30) How Jason thinks the US Navy could catch up with China and other rivals, with help from startups (40:01) Do Jason and Alex think Apple might REALLY buy a big, expensive AI company? Would that be admitting defeat? (45:57) Colin Russ (@ThaaatColin) tells us about his viral X thread and why he’s worried about H1B visa fraud (55:32) Jason’s solution for the H1B system, and a message for VP Vance. (01:08:25) Jason responds to Kara Swisher, who accused him sucking up to power (01:19:07) Jason responds to his old pal Sam Harris, who thinks he’s loyal to the wrong people 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (19:26) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist (29:45) 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: 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

Aug 26, 2025

Today’s show: On an upbeat and optimistic new TWiST, Jason and Alex are debating why any new innovation or technology gets hit with a wave of bitter cynicism. PLUS Jason defends the government taking shares of Intel, explains the importance of interoperability, and predicts how AirBnB’s Joe Gebbia will upgrade the US government’s website design. All that PLUS thoughts on the Netskope IPO, Perplexity offering publishers actual revenue share, a deep dive on the new AI-based PAC, thoughts on open-source LLMs, and much much much more. Timestamps: (0:00) Cynicism vs. Optimism and why Jason thinks cynics go after any interesting new technology (10:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (11:04) Show Continues… (14:37) Why Jason supports the Intel deal but worries it will become a trend (20:46) 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 . (22:00) Show Continues… (27:02) Is it hypocritical to oppose socialist grocery stores but support the Intel deal? Jason says NO. (29:41) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (30:58) What does xAI hope to get out of this OpenAI/Apple lawsuit? Jason and Alex theorize… (39:12) Why Jason thinks interoperability is so important and how App Stores OUGHT to work (41:12) How AirBnB’s Joe Gebbia could potentially upgrade the US government’s websites (49:27) What does Netskope do exactly? SASE?! Producer Claude explains… (58:32) Alex and Jason celebrate Perplexity rev sharing with publishers (01:10:02) Jason’s thoughts on the Leading the Future PAC, and US AI policy 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (20:46) 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 . (29:41) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at 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 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

Aug 22, 2025

Today’s show: Terra’s collapse, Powell’s pivot, and OpenAI’s explosive growth all collide in this TWiST deep dive. Do Kwon has pled guilty after Terra/Luna’s $60B implosion, Fed Chair Powell hints at a September rate cut, and OpenAI has officially crossed $1B in monthly revenue (on a $12B run rate). Jason and Alex unpack what this means for founders, LPs, and the next wave of AI + crypto. They also cover Canva’s $42B comeback, Anthropic’s doubled $10B fundraise, and the brewing battle between Figma & Canva. Plus: Uber, Nuro & Lucid’s $6B robotaxi push — and why drivers are already protesting in Wuhan & Boston. #Startups #Crypto #AI #VentureCapital #OpenAI #Anthropic #Canva #Figma #ThisWeekInStartups Timestamps: (0:00) INTRO (01:15) Fed rate cut signals & market reaction (05:36) Jason’s $400K in new fund bets (10:25) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how! (11:30) Show Continues… (16:22) Do Kwon & the Terra/Luna collapse (20:22) 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 . (21:23) Show Continues… (29:43) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (30:55) Show Continues… (36:14) OpenAI’s $1B/month revenue run rate (42:13) Anthropic’s $10B round & AI market sizing (51:31) Canva’s $42B valuation & Figma comparison 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:25) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how! (20:22) 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 . (29:43) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.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: 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

Aug 20, 2025

Today’s show: In this TWiST 500 double feature, Alex sits down with two breakout founders: Chalk’s Marc Freed-Finnegan & Tollbit’s Toshit Panigrahi! First, Chalk’s CEO Marc Freed-Finnegan is tackling one of AI’s biggest bottlenecks—data freshness. Instead of relying on stale batch jobs, Chalk delivers real-time pipelines for inference compute, automatically transpiling Python into C++/Rust so it can run blazing fast in production. Investors are calling it the ‘next Databricks’—and after hearing this convo, you’ll see why. Then, Tollbit’s CEO Toshit Panigrahi returns after raising a $24M Series A and signing up 1,400+ publishers. With RAG traffic exploding and robots.txt losing its teeth, their ‘bot paywall’ could reshape how AI agents pay for the content they consume. Are we heading for a Spotify moment for data licensing? A must-watch if you care about the economics of AI, from data pipelines to publisher monetization. Timestamps: (0:00) Intro + sponsors (1:03) Alex tees up two Twist 500 interviews: Chalk & Tolbert (2:47) Why AI is shifting from training compute to inference compute (4:41) Data freshness & real-time inference explained (10:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:00) How Chalk transpiles Python into C++/Rust for speed (18:52) Chalk’s business model, margins & $500M valuation (20:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (21:24) Show Continues… (28:02) Tollbit returns: $24M Series A & the rise of RAG bot traffic (30:37) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (31:41) Show Continues… (36:53) Robots.txt losing relevance & the case for bot paywalls (39:19)Publishers, AI agents & the future economics of the web 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (30:37) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain 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: 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

Aug 19, 2025

In this AI Basics episode, Jason sits down with Matt Rouif, Co-founder & CEO of Photoroom — the AI photo editing app with 300M+ downloads and 5B images processed annually. They break down: Why Photoroom built its own specialized AI models How they grew from a scrappy startup to $50M+ in revenue Lessons in product-led growth (from eBay sellers to DoorDash & Amazon) Red-teaming, brand safety, and building trust in AI imagery The future of personalized ads, content, and design This one is a masterclass for founders, operators, and builders. Timestamps: (0:00) Matt Rouif joins Jason to discuss AI Basics. (0:45) Meet Matt Rouif: Photoroom’s $50M+ AI photo startup (3:15) Live demo: background removal + virtual try-on (7:40) From indie sellers to DoorDash & Amazon (12:20) The “Barbie Movie” API moment (17:05) Red-teaming AI: trust, safety & brand protection (22:10) Running a 100-person AI startup (26:30) The future of personalized ads (put you in the ad?) 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 episode: Check out Photoroom: https://www.photoroom.com/ Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/ Follow Matt: X: https://x.com/matthieurouif LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthieurouif/ Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis 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

Aug 18, 2025

Today’s show: We’re back with two insightful new TWiST founder interviews. First up: Dean Leitersdorf of Decart tells us about squeezing maximum productivity out of your GPUs. But it’s not all talk: he also shows us the incredible open world model that can magically transform live footage. THEN! Jason and Alex chat with Syncere AI founder Aaron Tan about Lume, his robotic lamp device that went viral for folding laundry. Hear why Aaron thinks the future of robotics is not necessarily humanoid, and all about his future plans for the Lume arms. Timestamps: (0:00) Alex introduces our TwiST 500 interviews (02:27) TWiST 500 Interview #1: Dean Leitersdorf, CEO and Founder of Decart (04:37) Setting out to build a “kilo-corn,” a trillion dollar company (06:27) How making AI much faster opens up a world of new opportunities (09:48) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (11:00) Why Dean thinks chatbots are the interface of the future (17:24) How Decart builds and trains its models more efficiently (and for less money) (20:01) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (21:14) Show Continues… (24:36) Interview #2: Aaron Tan of Syncere AI (25:13) Behind-the-scenes of that viral Lume “robot lamp folding laundry” video (30:23) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . (31:25) Moving beyond laundry: what else these Lume robots 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 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 Thank you to our partners: (09:48) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (20:01) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (30:23) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups . 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

Aug 15, 2025

It’s a Friday TWiST and Jason and Alex are FIRED UP about this internal Meta doc laying out appropriate vs. inappropriate AI behavior… You won’t BELIEVE with what Zuck approves for 8-year-old users. PLUS… AI job displacement is HERE, at least in the Big Apple… Jason’s getting kind of paranoid about the surveillance state… AI remains frothier than ever through new Cohere and Cognition rounds… and why we’re dubious that Sam Altman REALLY plans to spend $1 trillion on OpenAI data centers. It’s all happening on a brand-new This Week in Startups. Give it a click! Timestamps: (0:00) Intro - How Opendoor became a meme stock (06:58) When companies have less value than cash on hand… what gives? (10:23) - (11:24) 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 (19:13) New York’s not adding jobs… Jason and Alex dig in and offer some theories. (20:25) - (21:30) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (26:56) AI job displacement is HERE and it’s happening, folks… (30:05) Why Jason predicts unemployment will be 20% higher 1 year from today… add it to the TWiST Calendar (30:24) - (31:37) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist (33:02) Wait, Meta AI is having “sensual” chats with children? WHY? (40:00) Will there be fallout to the Meta exposé? Legal? Staffing? Otherwise? (47:47) AI remains frothier than ever with new Cohere and Cognition rounds. (52:33) Sam Altman says he’s going to spend $1 trillion on data centers… Jason’s dubious. 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:23) 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 (20:25) 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! (30:24) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.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: 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

Aug 14, 2025

Today’s show: We’re back with another all-star VC roundtable discussion. Joining Jason are Dave McClure of Practical VC, NVNG’s Grady Buchanan, and Tomasz Tunguz of Theory VC. Together, they’re having a deep insider discussion of the state of venture, secondary markets, running funds of funds, the legacy of Lina Khan, the difficulty of recruiting, and why the pendulum has potentially swung in founders’ favor. Timestamps (0:00) INTRO, The origins of Practical VC and how secondary funds work. (05:44) So… how does Dave decide what to BUY? (09:27) Melanie - Companies are staying private longer… Is this good for fund managers? (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 (11:18) Show Continues… (14:17) We’ve all heard about unicorns but… what about centaurs?! (16:19) Jacob - Are VC marks… bullsh*t?! How long until your LPs should see DPI? The panel debates. (17:22) Jacob - Is Jason too hard on Lina Khan? Dave says VCs created the problem! (20:07) 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 (21:30) Show Continues… (30:01) 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 . (31:16) Show Continues… (31:34) When it’s time to embed an expert into a struggling startup (34:15) How investing in SO MANY COMPANIES gave Dave a trove of data (40:33) Sometimes VCs have to be the “voice of reality”… (45:53) Are stock buybacks the best use of capital? (49:29) Jacob - The End of the ZIRP Era meets the Dawn of the AI Era (51:04) Why running your business on debt, not equity, requires tough choices (58:23) When you need to “take the medicine” on returns and live to fight another day. (01:11:17) Is Grady actively seeking managers that have shown a demonstrated ability to produce liquidity? (01:13:24) Dave says the pendulum has swung into founders’ favor. (01:20:25) Dave teases his new secondary podcast, “Trading Places”! 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 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 (20:07) 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 (30:01) 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 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

Aug 12, 2025

Today’s show: On an all-new Monday TWiST, Lon joins Jason and Alex to talk about a whole bunch of stories at the intersection of tech, business, and pop culture. First up, is GPT Psychosis real? And if so, what are the warning signs that your loved ones have been ONESHOTTED. Then, why did Jason get so upset at the NY Times piece about Mark Zuckerberg’s Palo Alto compound? PLUS we’re discussing Trump’s export fees on AMD and Nvidia, Jason’s pitch for why the president should work more closely with Congress, a new tool in the search for rare-earth minerals, just how many self-driving trucks are on Chinese roads today, and much much more! Timestamps: (0:00) INTRO, Why Jason hated the NYT story about Mark Zuckerberg’s compound. (09:54) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist (11:14) Show continues… (19:54) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (21:01) Show continues… (27:25) GPT Psychosis: Is it real and how widespread is it? (29:13) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:16) Show continues… (45:45) What it means to get “One-Shotted”: is Sam Altman doing this on purpose? (53:56) Jason says working multiple jobs at once is STEALING… is that fair? (01:04:53) Are Trump’s Chinese export fees for AMD and Nvidia a justified licensing process? Or a shakedown? (01:09:22) Jason’s pitch for working closer with Congress, and why Alex has concerns about clarity (01:12:02) PolyMarket: Will tariffs generate >$250b in 2025? 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 Thank you to our partners: (09:54) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist (19:54) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (29:13) 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: 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

Aug 8, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Lon recorded a Thursday night special edition, so no Alex this time, but still lots to talk about. First up, Jason thinks it’s time for Tim Apple to exit the stage in lieu of a product obsessive innovator. Speaking of new products, GPT-5 is here and the hosts are… not exactly blown away. Are we in the midst of the AI trough of despair? PLUS we’re talking Ripple’s acquisition of Rail, Donald Trump’s new AI chatbot, Bumble’s new direction, Airbnb’s potential paths forward and MUCH MUCH MORE. Timestamps: (0:00) Why Jason thinks Apple lacks innovation (plus a look back at his 2019 thoughts) (08:54) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST (09:54) Show continues… (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 https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (21:18) Is GPT-5 coming for Lovable and Bolt? (29:42) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at AlphaSense.com/Twist . (30:55) Show continues… (35:05) Ripple buying Rail, and why sometimes regulations are GOOD for companies (43:28) Is Ripple about to become the MicroStrategy of XRP? (47:48) Truth Social AI is perplexing, powered by Perplexity (53:27) Should people be using ChatGPT for therapy? What do you think? How does that make you feel? (01:04:42) Anthropic’s Dario Amodei recalls his greatest haters (01:11:04) Bumble but… for friendship? (01:12:20) DoorDash’s crazy growth, and the guys discuss who should buy Airbnb 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 Thank you to our partners: (08:54) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code 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 https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (29:42) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at AlphaSense.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: 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

Aug 7, 2025

Today’s show: It’s a brand-new PACKED episode of TWiST. Jason and Alex welcome guest Zach Dive of Adam.new, to tell us why he made a deepfake AI ad starring Jason and the All-In besties. PLUS a rundown of the biggest tech and startup news of the day, including Disney’s decision to sunset Hulu, OpenAI’s new open-weight models, the Cloudflare vs. Perplexity feud, Uber’s newly-announced stock buyback, China’s Luckin Coffee coming to Manhattan, and much much more! Timestamps: (0:00) Luckin Coffee hits NYC… along with COMMUNISM?! (09:15) Is China taking on major American brands on PURPOSE? (10:16) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:29) Show Continues… (20:17) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (21:30) Show Continues… (26:02) RIP HULU: Why Disney is sunsetting the iconic app. (28:37) Nostracanis Returns: Jason’s 2017 Disney vs. Netflix predictions came true (30:24) .TECH - Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (31:28) Show Continues… (35:39) Zach Dive of Adam.new joins to tell us about making a viral deepfake ad starring JCal and the Besties (44:10) Zach shares thoughts on AI and copyright, and why it’s a problem for the “big dogs,” not him… yet (48:12) Jason wants to wet his beak… but is there room in the Adam.new seed round? (53:07)OpenAI’s new models are open-WEIGHT; how that’s different from open-source. (58:36) Do Nvidia and Apple devices NEED kill switches and backdoors? Why it’s such a tough question. (01:02:10) GPT-5 arrives TOMORROW?! (01:03:31) Cloudflare vs. Perplexity… let them fight? 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:16) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (20:17) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (30:24) .TECH - Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain 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: 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

Aug 5, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex are running down the biggest tech, startup, and business stories of the day on a brand-new Monday TWIST.Which countries are leading the AI race, based on academic papers? Why Jason thinks covert agencies are spying on Meta’s superintelligence team. Lina Khan’s taking a victory lap on the Figma IPO but what did she REALLY accomplish during her Biden administration tenure? PLUS, why we’re bringing Founder University to the MENA region. All that and MORE on a packed episode! Find out why we’re the #1 podcast for startups and founders. Timestamps: (0:00) Why Jason is attending more TV poker tournaments (4:02) Did you know Founder University is headed to MENA? Calling all Riyadh founders. (10:01) 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) Show Continues… (19:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (21:01) Why Jason doesn’t think Lina Khan deserves her Figma IPO victory lap. (23:17) Jason thinks Figma is overpriced: how quickly could a rival build a competitor? (27:53) For an investor, there’s a huge difference between a home run and a GRAND SLAM. (30:42) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST (31:55) Show Continues… (40:59) Why Jason thinks covert agencies are spying on Meta’s global Superintelligence Team… (50:43) Which countries are leading the AI race in terms of research? Producer Claude helps with the answer. (57:12) Fact-checking the viral BYD TikTok: can their self-driving cars really drive themselves off the ship? (59:52) Jason and Alex check out some of their dream cars 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 Thank you to our partners: 10:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (19:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (30:42) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.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: 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

Aug 1, 2025

Today’s show: Alex is back with three more awesome interviews with founders on the bleeding edge of innovative tech. Dr. Hon Weng Chong walks us through the basics of biological computing and Cortical Labs’ first-ever commercial computer running on living human cells. Turing founder Jonathan Siddarth unpacks the secrets of LLM benchmarking, and explains why even our most advanced tests need to get much much harder right away. Finally, Mercor founder Brendan Foody on how AI is about to reinvent the hiring process, and marrying the effectiveness of recruiters with the ease of online job boards. It’s three — count ’em, three — can’t miss TWiST interviews guaranteed to make you smarter Timestamps: (0:00) OpenAI’s GPT-5: When is it coming out? Is it going to be TOO smart? (08:06) Cortical Labs’ Hon Weng Chong on the electric connection between neuroscience and machine learning (10:20) 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! (11:27) Show Continues… (15:17) The extreme difficulty of going from the lab to a shippable product (20:00) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (21:05) Show Continues… (28:15) Why data is a factor of time (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 (31:16) Show Continues… (42:44) Turing CEO Jonathan Siddarth explains why it’s so important to keep benchmarking our LLMs (47:24) What it means when a model “saturates” a test, and why benchmarks need to get HARDER (50:22) What happens with the LLMs can answer all of our smartest questions? (53:44) AI Agents train in gyms? Wait, really? (01:01:33) Coding teaches models how to think, and more training mysteries don’t understand (01:03:11) Brendan Foody from Mercor explains the “matching problem” that makes hiring such a pain (01:07:02) How Mercor combines a job board’s distribution with the value of a recruitment agency (01:10:49) Brendan recalls building his first AI interviewer in his college dorm (01:20:16) Mercor has the opposite of a retention problem and crazy growth 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:20) 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) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (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 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

Jul 30, 2025

Today’s show: It’s another All Star Investor Panel! Jason and Alex welcome TrustFund VC founder Sophia Amoruso AND WeekendFund investor/Product Hunt founder Ryan Hoover.Together they’re going DEEP on the current environment for startups, founders, and investors. How do tell durable from brittle revenue… Everyone’s different approaches to follow-on investments and recycling… Strategies on when to trim a position… The benefits of hosting co-working events and jam sessions… And LOTS LOTS more! It’s an essential watch for anyone building or investing in companies in 2025! Timestamps: (0:00) Introducing our amazing investor panel! (03:15) The panel shares their First Fund experiences (10:03) 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) Show cont… (12:46) Where we’re at on the investor Greed-Fear Index (13:54) The delicate art of investor discipline (20:47) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (21:59) Sophia’s criteria for a follow-on investment (24:17) Founders are going direct on social media (29:35) 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 . (30:49) Show cont… (32:33) Why we’re seeing so many more Series Bs (33:30) So when do you trim a position? (39:35) There are SO MANY COMPANIES! Why surface area matters. (43:25) Durable vs. brittle revenue and how to tell them apart (46:15) When it’s time to angel invest outside your fund (49:04) The panel’s approaches to capital recycling (57:15) The benefits of co-working “jam sessions” 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:47) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (29:35) 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 . DISCLAIMER *All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use. Rate as of 7/18/25. APY is variable and subject to change. 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

Jul 29, 2025

Today’s show: SYDNEY SWEENEY’S AMERICAN EAGLE AD DIVIDES OUR PANEL!PLUS WHAT STARTUPS CAN LEARN FROM THE VIRAL ASTRONOMER RESPONSEJason, Alex, and Lon are looking at some of the biggest media stories of the day before returning to their favorite topic, tech. Tune in for deep dives on IMAX’s new AI film festival, Figma’s big IPO and much more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show! (3:45) Lon’s joining Alex and Lon to discuss the controversial Sydney Sweeney genes/jeans ad (7:20) A look at the polarizing takes on this jeans ad. (10:10) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (11:46) Hear the verdict from Jason, self—proclaimed Chairman of the Interwebs (16:42) Alex points out the economic impact of the controversy (20:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (21:25) Back to the show! (26:35) Paltrow’s Astronomer ad, meme-processing and the ideal way to change the conversation (30:04) Vouched - Trust for agents that’s built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist (31:28) Back to the show! (36:48) Netflix and the growing controversy around AI’s role in filmmaking (42:53) IMAX/Runway collaboration and Hollywood’s shifting attitude toward AI (47:34) Everything that went wrong with the Tea App (54:27) Why Jason thinks app stores should ban “anonymous” forms and message boards (1:04:19) Figma upped its IPO price… what does it mean for the return of liquidity? And is this too high or fairly priced? (1:07:53) Paul Graham says you shouldn’t drop out of college to work on a startup… Why Thiel Fellows disagree * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:10) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (20:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:04) 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 * 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

Jul 25, 2025

Today’s show: Jason’s back and filling us in on his experiences in Washington DC, at the All-In AI Summit, including getting a Trump shoutout from stage, debating immigration with VP Vance, and calling out Sec. Wright for dismissing solar power.THEN Jason and Alex talk about the immense promise of open-source robotics and check out Hugging Face’s Reachy…PLUS picking apart the White House’s new AI-related executive orders, why Jason is afraid of China repeating its Huawei success, a free exchange about tariffs vs. free trade, AND a pressing query from a founder on Reddit: how bad is it to add AI to your product too early? Timestamps: (0:00) INTRO, Alex updates Jason about all this week’s TWiST 500 interviews (03:33) Inside Jason’s experiences at this week’s All In AI Summit with POTUS! (05:33) Jason’s back and forth on solar power with US Energy Sec. Chris Wright (09:56) Inbound - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at [ https://www.inbound.com/register ]( https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31) (11:02) Promo end (16:54) Jason asks AMD CEO Lisa Su about reaching “superintelligence” and whether it could trigger an unemployment crisis (19:51) 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 . (20:44) Promo end (23:42) Jason says… any time you have to wait days or weeks for a service or product, there’s a MASSIVE opportunity. (26:16) What do Trump’s new AI executive orders actually say? (27:27) Which EO’s are red meat for Trump’s base, and which ones are likely to become laws and have real impact? (29:50) 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 https://public.com/twist . (31:05) Promo end (35:17) How Huawei went worldwide and why Jason doesn’t want that to happen again with AI. (38:32) Jason and Alex have a little tariff vs. free trade debate. (47:03) VP Vance complained about US tech companies laying off Americans, then hiring immigrants; Jason gives his take (53:35) Jason answers a Reddit question: Is adding AI to your product too early a TRAP? Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Thank you to our partners: (09:56) Inbound - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at [ https://www.inbound.com/register ]( https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31) (19:51) 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 . (29:50) 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 https://public.com/twist . *Disclaimer:All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use. Rate as of 7/18/25. APY is variable and subject to change.

Jul 23, 2025

Today’s show: TWiST is back with a three more hugely insightful (and also fun!) founder interviews. First up, Trey Holterman from Tennr tells us why getting in to see a specialist is so time consuming, and how AI is making the entire health care industry more streamlined.THEN Gill Verdon from Extropic AI unpacks deterministic vs. probabilistic computing, and how thermodynamics can make everything from robots to VR more effective.FINALLY, Tyler Denk from our fav newsletter platform Beehiiv walks us through their future roadmap, and explains why they’re adding new features SO OFTEN.It’s a packed episode full of fresh insights for founders. Check it out! Timestamps: (0:00) Alex opens the show with the venture/investor POV on TWiST 500 med tech company Tennr (03:38) Tennr CEO/co-founder Trey Holterman on the inefficiencies facing medical specialists and why patients are actually “leads” (10:20) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:44) Paid Promo END (14:05) How Tennr trained an AI model to comb through clinical histories, medical files, and doctor’s notes (18:19) Why automation matters for Tennr but it’s not the WHOLE story (20:03) 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! (21:10) Paid Promo END (22:57) The incredible cultural influence of the Dominos Pizza Tracker (29:57) 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 (31:20) Gill Verdon from Extropic on the difficulty of keeping up with the demand for compute and the “scaling law” (35:37) Thermodynamic regimes, the differences between deterministic vs. probabilistic computing, and why this matters (41:31) Gill on expanding Extropic’s research team while keeping a close eye on burn (52:17) Will robots ever be FULLY autonomous, with no ties or connections back to the fleet? Gill says… maybe! (58:52) Beehiiv’s Tyler Denk on hitting $20M ARR while ALSO scaling up their ad network (01:00:35) The practical and psychological importance of product velocity and shipping as many features as possible (01:01:57) Why Tyler says “Substack vs. Beehiiv” is analogous to “Amazon vs. Shopify” (01:08:08) How much larger can the newsletter market still GROW? (And the promise of moving beyond content and into marketing emails.) (01:09:00) Why Tyler thinks the strongest publishers own their audience and distribution 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:20) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:03) 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! (29:57) 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

Jul 21, 2025

Today’s show: TWiST is back with a trio of can’t miss interviews with some of our favorite TWiST 500 founders. First up, John Harris of Harbinger Motors tells us about making his EV batteries right here in the USA, and why the loss of EV tax credits might not hurt the business as much as you’d think… THEN, we’re talking to James Hawkins of PostHog about how keeping his burn rate low opened up a wealth of new opportunities for his company… THEN Yoshi Yokokawa from Alpaca HQ stops by to talk about working in a category that’s no longer the hottest thing in the Valley (like fintech) and the importance of stable coins to his business model. You won’t want to miss this one! Tons of fresh and important insights for founders. Timestamps: (0:00) INTRO, The market’s hit an ALL TIME HIGH… what does it mean for founders and smaller companies? (2:19) Figma’s going IPO… how its success could impact other the entire landscape for the rest of the year. (10:12) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (11:29) Harbinger co-founder/CEO John Harris tells us about building EVs for commercial fleet, live FROM the factory (19:58) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today. (21:15) Harbinger co-founder/CEO John Harris tells us about building EVs for commercial fleet, live FROM the factory (cont…) (30:07) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. (31:07) How much of Harbinger’s product is actually manufactured in the US (and why that’s a more complex question than it sounds) (31:39) Why the rollback of EV tax credits might NOT have a huge impact on Harbinger’s business. (36:53) James Hawkins of PostHog explains how and why Stripe funded their most recent round. (40:23) Will it soon be easier to build a virtual product manager than hire the right human person? MAYBE! (42:11) Why building PostHog as open source was so vital for boosting adoption among developers (47:45) Why James credits a low burn rate and being “multi-product” with PostHog’s success and traction (01:00:02) Alpaca CEO and co-founder Yoshi Yokokawa explains to us how the API brokerage infrastructure co. actually makes money (01:00:41) Why it matters that Alpaca is a “self-clearing market maker”: Yoshi unpacks how trades actually get executed (01:07:46) The massive impact of Robinhood on the entire fintech business and how this benefits Alpaca (01:18:06) Yoshi’s tips for founders working in categories that aren’t THE HOTTEST IN THE WORLD right now 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:12) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (19:58) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today. (30:07) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today. 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

Jul 18, 2025

Today’s show: WHY DOES @SUBSTACKINC NEED $100M IN NEW FUNDING?HOW DO THEY PLAN TO STAY AHEAD OF @BEEHIIV?Jason and Alex are debating the future of indie publishing on an all-new TWiST, considering the future of these rival platforms, plus Patreon and more.PLUS they’re digging into Lovable’s latest raise and what it says about the current economics of vibecoding, surveying the automated driving landscape in light of Uber’s new agreement Lucid and Euro, explaining Jason’s “meme processing” theory of internet humor, AND looking ahead to Christopher Nolan’s IMAX epic “The Odyssey.”Join us for the longest-running and most in-depth podcast on Earth for startup founders. Timestamps: (0:00) Intro - Everyone is getting hyped for Nolan’s “The Odyssey” (03:49) “Meme Processing,” the Astronomer saga, and giving people a little grace (10:07) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31) (18:49) Substack vs. Patreon vs. Beehive: Who ya got?! (19:43) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (29:39) 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 . (37:58) Lovable, vibecoding, and how much AGI might one day be worth (01:00:36) Uber’s Lucid/Nuro deal: Alex did the math (01:08:03) Is autonomous driving about to change EVERYTHING? Jason says… YES. 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:07) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31) (19:43) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (29:39) 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 . All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use. *Rate as of 7/18/25. APY is variable and subject to change. 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

Jul 17, 2025

Today’s show: Jason and Alex tackle a full tech and business news docket on today’s show, including Jason’s big SF trip with Launch Accelerator’s 34th cohort, some peculiar social media posts from VC Geoff Lewis, a look inside the HUGE seed rounds being commanded by early-stage AI startups, crunching the numbers on how much compute data centers need to sell before they’re profitable, Polymarket asks who will be the next CEO of X and MUCH MUCH MORE. Join us for the longest-running and most in-depth podcast on Earth for startup founders. Timestamps: (00:00) INTRO (01:31) Jason’s in SF with LAUNCH Accelerator cohort 34… His take on the mood in Silicon Valley. (07:52) Odd X posts from Bedrock Capital’s Geoff Lewis… what does it all mean? (10:09) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (14:44) Ask JCal: What founders can do to guard their own mental health and well-being (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! (22:04) Thinking Machines Lab set a new record for a seed round: what’s going on with these MEGA deals? (28:51) Alex (and Kabir from LAUNCH’s research team) investigated the economics of data centers… just HOW MUCH can you make from selling compute? And how long does it TAKE to turn a profit? (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 . (37:09) Superintelligence vs. AGI: Jason thinks we’re still more than 2-3 years away… (39:52) GPx is not a traditional VC fund: here’s what industry vet Brian Singerman is up to (49:37) The importance of setting your own corporate culture… before it gets set for you! (58:15) Polymarket has ideas for the next X CEO… see where Jason ranks on the list! (01:03:18) Reddit wants to know… Do investors judge founders negatively who rely on lots of AI tools? 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 Thank you to our partners: (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 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

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? 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 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 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

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 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 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 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

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. https://goo.gle/futureofai * 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: Official A2A Announcement Hands-on A2A Tutorial (Medium) * Follow Yoav: X: https://x.com/yshoham LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoavshoham/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

Jul 9, 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 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 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: 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

Jul 9, 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 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

Jul 7, 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 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 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: 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

Jul 2, 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 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 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 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

Jul 1, 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 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 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: 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

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 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 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: 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

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? 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 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 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

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 https://cloud.google.com/ 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/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

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: 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 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: 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

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 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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! 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: Altimeter: https://www.altimeter.com/home Behind Genius: https://www.behindgeniusventures.com/ Follow Meghan: X: https://x.com/MeghanKReynolds LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghankreynolds/ Follow Paige:X: https://x.com/paigefinnn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigedoherty / 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

Jun 7, 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: 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 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: 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

Jun 4, 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 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: 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: 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 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: 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

Jun 2, 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/1928995534276088151 Autopilot: https://www.joinautopilot.com/ 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

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: 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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/soundboard Likable: https://likeable.co/ airfive: https://airfive.com/ Follow Jeremy:X: https://x.com/thejeremyredman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejeremyredman/ 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 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: 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

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: 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 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: 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

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? 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: 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: 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 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: 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

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 * 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: 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/ * 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 * 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 * 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

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. * 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 * 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/ * 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 * 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: 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

May 8, 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: 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 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: 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

May 6, 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 * Follow Shyam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyam-kumar-7b18524/: * 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 * 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: 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

May 2, 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: 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 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: 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

May 1, 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/ * Follow Amin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vahdat/?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

May 1, 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: 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 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: 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

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 * 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: 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 * 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: 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

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. * 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* 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: 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/ * 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 * 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 * 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

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 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: GoShare: https://goshare.co/ Founder University: https://www.founder.university/ Follow Shaun: X: https://x.com/ShaunSavage19 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunsavage/ 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 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: 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

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. * 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 * 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: 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: 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 * 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 * 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

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 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 Check out: Lunour: https://www.lunour.com/ Founder Fridays: https://www.founderfridays.tech/ Founder University: https://www.founder.university/ 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 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: 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

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. * 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 * 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 CapitalG: https://www.capitalg.com/ * Follow Jill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-greenberg-chase-53747538/ X: https://x.com/jillchase124 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

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 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 Check out: Nerd Crawler: https://nerdcrawler.com Cuts: https://www.cutsclothing.com/ 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 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: 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

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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Check out: Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/ Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/ 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 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: 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

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.” * 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 * 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 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: 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

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. * 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 * 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 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: 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 * 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: 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

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 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 the show: Orchestra: https://orch.so/ 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 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: 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

Apr 8, 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! * 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 * 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 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 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

Apr 5, 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! 👇 * 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 * 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 the show: Check out PodEngine: https://www.podengine.ai/ Check out Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/ * Follow Luke: X: https://x.com/lukebelbina LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukebelbina/ * Follow David: X: https://x.com/DaveMoscatelli * 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 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: 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

Apr 3, 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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com 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: 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 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: 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

Apr 1, 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. * 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 * 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 the show: Hookhub: https://www.hookhub.co/ * Follow Caylee: X: https://x.com/Mariano_APO LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a/ v 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 * 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. * 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

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. * 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 * 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 the show: Prosperous AI: https://prosperousprocess.ai/ * Follow Mariano: X: https://x.com/Mariano_APO LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a/ * 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 * 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 * 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

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 * 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: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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. * 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 * 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 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/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons * 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 * 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

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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp 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 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 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

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 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 the show: Mark Rober’s Philip Defranco interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1htfqXyX6M 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 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: 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

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 TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp 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. * 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

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. * 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 * 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: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

Mar 14, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://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 CLA. Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech 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 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 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/HarryStebbings LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrystebbings 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 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 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

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? * 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 * 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: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

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/ * Follow Jia Li: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lijiali/ X: https://x.com/lijiali_vision * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

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* 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 Roy: X: https://x.com/im_roy_lee LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roy-lee-goat/ * 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 * 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 * 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

Mar 7, 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* 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 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: X: https://x.com/nikola_mrksic LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikola-mrksic * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * 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 * 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

Mar 5, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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! Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up. 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 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: 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 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 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

Mar 4, 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. * 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 * 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 LangChain: https://www.langchain.com/ * Follow Harrison: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrison-chase-961287118/ X: https://x.com/hwchase17 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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

Mar 4, 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? * 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 * 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-resources Check out Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/ Check out Ramp: https://ramp.com/ Check out Coreweave: https://www.coreweave.com/ * 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: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm* Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

Mar 1, 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 * 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 * 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 * Follow Brandon X: https://x.com/Brandon_Brown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-brown-0898731/ * 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 * 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 * 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

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 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 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: X: https://twitter.com/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

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. * 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 * 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 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

Feb 22, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign. 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 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 Checkout Castelion: X: https://x.com/CastelionCorp 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: 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 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: 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

Feb 20, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist 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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Check out these past Guess The Fake Startups segments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKP2iiF1oYI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhnOXuGnh14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueazpyGOgcc Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/alex Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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 * 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 Coffeezilla: Patreon: patreon.com/coffeezilla YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQMnBA3CS502aghlcr0_aw X: https://x.com/coffeebreak_YT * 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 * 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! (20:20) Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (29:29) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial setup.* 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

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 * 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: 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 * 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 (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 * 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

Feb 12, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist 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! LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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 at https://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—visit northwestregisteredagent.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 at http://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 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 Sam Lessin: X: https://x.com/lessin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wlessin/ Follow Helion: X: https://x.com/Helion_Energy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/helion-energy/ Follow David Kirtley: X: https://x.com/dekirtley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kirtley-490b8230/ Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris/ Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (9:41) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (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 northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(29:43) 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: 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

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 of The 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 a Founder 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 at https://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 at https://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 at https://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* 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 Join Founder Fridays here: https://www.founderfridays.tech/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:21) Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (20:17) OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (30:31)Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://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 * 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

Feb 8, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign. 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 at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:25) Would ending the carried interest tax loophole hurt startup investing? (19:17) Atlassian. Head to https://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. Visit https://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 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 Orbit Fab: X: https://x.com/OrbitFab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbitfab/ Follow Daniel: X: https://x.com/_DanielFaber_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielfaber/ 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 Thank you to our partners: (10:01) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (19:17) Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(29:27) 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: 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

Feb 6, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠ https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up. 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 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: 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 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(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 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

Feb 4, 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 * 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 * 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/ * Follow Anton X: https://x.com/antonosika LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonosika/ * Follow Lovable: X: https://x.com/lovable_dev Website: www.lovable.dev * 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 * 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 * 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

Feb 1, 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 * 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: 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 * 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 * 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

Jan 29, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist ⁠ today. Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist 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 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 Check out: Boom Supersonic: https://boomsupersonic.com/ GoPolar App: https://www.gopolar.app/ 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 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 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

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! * 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 * 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: 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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 * 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

Jan 24, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up. 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 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: 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 Thank you to our partners: (9:40) Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST (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 (30:12) 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 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

Jan 23, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist Atlassian. Head to Atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. 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 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 Check out: Created by Humans: Website: https://www.createdbyhumans.ai/ X: https://x.com/createdbyhumans Follow Trip: X: https://x.com/tripadler LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tripadler/ 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 Thank you to our partners: (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 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

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. * 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 * 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: 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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 * 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

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! * 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 * 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 Check out Weaviate: https://weaviate.io/ Check out Lumen Orbit: https://www.lumenorbit.com/ * Follow Bob: X: https://x.com/bobvanluijt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobvanluijt * Follow Philip: X: https://x.com/johnstonphil LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnstonphilip/ * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (8:23) Lemon. TWiST listeners get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (18:03) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (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 * 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

Jan 16, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. Coda. TWiST listeners get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST 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 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 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 Check out Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/ Follow Aarush: X: https://x.com/AarushSelvan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarush-selvan-3a376a8b/ 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 Thank you to our partners: (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 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

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. * 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 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 * Check out Profound: https://www.tryprofound.com/ Check out Resistant AI: https://resistant.ai/ * Follow James: X: https://x.com/thejamescad LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jsca * Follow Martin: X: https://x.com/rehakmar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinrehak/ * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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 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

Jan 10, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠ https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist t today. Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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 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: 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 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 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

Jan 8, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST 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 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: 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 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 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

Jan 6, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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 * 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: 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 * Check out the following articles and companies mentioned in the episode: U.S. State-by-State AI Regulation 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 * 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

Jan 4, 2025

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Paddle. Wherever you want to take your business, go there with Paddle. Go to paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod. me/TWIST . LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit: http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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 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 Lisa Wehden: X: https://x.com/lisawehden LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-wehden 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 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: 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

Dec 31, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST OpenPhone. TWiST listeners can get 20% off your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist Notion: TWiST listeners can try it for free at https://notion.com/twist 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 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: 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 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: 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

Dec 24, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ DevSquad. TWIST listeners can get 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist Ramp. TWiST listeners, get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist 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 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: 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 Thank you to our partners: (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 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

Dec 20, 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 http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups PrizePicks - Run your game. THE BEST place to get real money action while watching your favorite sports! Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! 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 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 Varun: X: https://x.com/_mohansolo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/varunkmohan Check out: https://codeium.com 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 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 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

Dec 19, 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. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Gusto. Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at ⁠ https://www.gusto.com/twist *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/twist 22:07 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 * 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 Shishir: X: https://x.com/shishirmehrotra LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shishirmehrotra * 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 * 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 * 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

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 * 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: 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 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: 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

Dec 17, 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 . 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 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. * 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 * 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: 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: 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 * 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: 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

Dec 13, 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. Washington Post. Stay informed with trusted journalism from The Washington Post. Right now, TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * 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. * 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 * 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.cyera.io https://www.cakeequity.com * Follow Yotam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yotam-segev * Follow Kim: X: https://x.com/KimHansenYeah LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimhansencake * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:05) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (28:00) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist (37:34) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.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: 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

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. * 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? * Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com Check out more Finance Basics here: THISWEEKINSTARTUPS.COM/ basics * 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 Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * 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

Dec 12, 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 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 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 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. * 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 * 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: 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 * Follow Suvir: X: https://x.com/suvirwadhwa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvirwadhwa/ * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (20:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (29:32) 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: 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

Dec 11, 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. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist 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 * 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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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/ * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris * Follow Aleks: X: https://x.com/agampel1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamaleksandrgampel * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 (20:04) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (31:04) 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 v 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

Dec 10, 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 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. 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. * 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! * 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 * 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 Anthony: X: https://x.com/APompliano LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypompliano * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (9:55) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist (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. * 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

Dec 7, 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. * 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 * Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Apply for the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator here: https://ck.launch.co Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check on Menlo Ventures: https://menlovc.com/ Check out Coffeezilla: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQMnBA3CS502aghlcr0_aw * Follow Coffeezilla: X: https://x.com/coffeebreak_YT * Follow Deedy: X: https://x.com/deedydas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debarghyadas/ * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (19:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (29:37) Ramp - 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 * 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

Dec 5, 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! * 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 * Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com Check out more Finance Basics here: THISWEEKINSTARTUPS.COM/ basics * 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 Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * 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

Dec 5, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at ⁠https://www.gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 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 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: 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! * 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 * Apply for the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator here: https://ck.launch.co 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 Mike: X: https://x.com/mikesherbakov LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesherbakov * Follow Herbert: X: https://x.com/herbertdwyer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbdwyer * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (12:18) 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 (24:31) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST (36:33) 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: 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

Dec 4, 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. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist 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 * 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 * 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=1l45B4mYl-o https://x.com/saylor/status/1863323760511627565 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (7:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (29:46) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (39:40) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free 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: 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

Dec 3, 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 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. Notion. Notion combines your notes, docs, and projects into one beautifully designed space with AI built right in. Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist * 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 * 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: 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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 (26:51) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (37:31) 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: 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

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! * 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 * 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: 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 * Follow Alex Kendall: X: https://x.com/alexgkendall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgkendall/ * 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 * 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 * 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

Nov 26, 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 https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ 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://devsquad.com/twist * 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 * 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.microstrategy.com/press/microstrategy-announces-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-and-announces-42-billion-capital-plan_10-30-2024 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 * Follow Fredrik: X: https://x.com/hagaetc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrikhaga Check out Dune: https://dune.com * 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 * 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: 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

Nov 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 Zendesk. A service-first CRM company with support, sales, and customer engagement products designed to improve customer relationships. Qualifying startups can join the Zendesk for Startups Program and get six free months of Zendesk products. Visit https://zendesk.com/startups today to get started. Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * 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 * Want to host or join the next Founder Fridays? Check out https://www.founderfridays.tech 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 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/ * Follow Derek: X: https://x.com/derekgxiao LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekgxiao/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:14) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (20:56) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/startups (30:43) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.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: 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

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 . 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 . 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. * 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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-backed-startup-d-matrix-launches-first-ai-chip-2024-11-19 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 * Follow Kitty: X: https://x.com/endorakitty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittyboglesherman * Follow Coco: X: https://x.com/endoracoco LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cocoharmon * 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 * 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: 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

Nov 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 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 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 * 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: 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 * Follow Rami: X: https://x.com/ramiabih LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/datarami * 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 * 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: 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

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 * 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: Check out Amplitude: https://amplitude.com Check out CommandAI: https://www.command.ai * Follow Spenser: X: https://x.com/spenserskates LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spenserskates * Follow James: X: https://x.com/dazzeloid LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-evans-7086b3126/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * 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 (20:22) 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 (30:01) 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: 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

Nov 19, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you 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://www.coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit! Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Kyte. Looking to get out of the city? Rent a car with Kyte. Kyte delivers rental cars to your door. No counter, no lines, no hassle. Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. * 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 * 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.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2024/11/15/mike-tyson-jake-paul-netflix-issues-buffering-reactions/76343456007 https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/18/media/brendan-carr-trump-fcc-nominee-project-2025/index.html * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (11:55) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (23:10) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (32:21) 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 * 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

Nov 15, 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. Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.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 https://www . CLAconnect.com/tech * 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. * 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 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 Jamin: X: https://x.com/jaminball LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamin-ball-49366137 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:25) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (21:54) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (31:33) 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: 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

Nov 15, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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 Linear. Linear helps product teams focus on what they do best: Planning and building great products. Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist * 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. * 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 * Mentioned on the show: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2024/oct/01/amid-australias-chaotic-climate-politics-the-rooftop-solar-boom-is-an-unlikely-triumph 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 Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Phil: X: https://x.com/pdeutch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-deutch-21a76a6 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (6:28) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST (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 * 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

Nov 14, 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. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/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. * 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 * 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://x.com/DeepRobotics_CN/status/1856601226357387396 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 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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 (21:04) ⁠Lemon.io⁠ - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at ⁠https://Lemon.io/twist⁠ (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: 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

Nov 11, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.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 Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. * 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. * 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 * 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://investors.serverobotics.com/static-files/96eeebc1-712f-46fe-9aee-c1242bddea38 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: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (20:42) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (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 * 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

Nov 8, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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://www.runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://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 https://www.vanta.com/twist * 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 * 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://security.apple.com/blog/private-cloud-compute/ * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:32) Runway - Sign up at https://www.runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. (24:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups⁠⁠ (36:25) 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: 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

Nov 7, 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 Notion. Notion combines your notes, docs, and projects into one beautifully designed space with AI built right in. Try it for free today at https://notion.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) 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 * 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: 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: 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 * 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 (25:15) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist (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: 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

Nov 5, 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. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist Gusto. Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://www.gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 Washington Post. Stay informed with trusted journalism from The Washington Post. Right now, TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist * 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* 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 * Check out Exowatt: https://www.exowatt.com/ * Follow Hannan: X: https://x.com/hapi31415 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannanparvizian/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (9:24) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (21:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 (30:47) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.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: 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

Nov 5, 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 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 * 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). * 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 (29:32) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (44:16) Amazon's nuclear power deal and regulatory challenges * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Check out the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator: https://ck.launch.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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 (20:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (29:32) 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: 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

Nov 2, 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. 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. 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 * 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 (23:24) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Check out the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator: https://ck.launch.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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 * Follow Dr Chang Liu: X: https://x.com/enjoychang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechangliu/ 8 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:44) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (23:24) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (33:02) Oracle - 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: 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

Oct 31, 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 Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist Linear - Linear helps product teams focus on what they do best: Planning and building great products. Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.Linear.app/twist * 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 * 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 * Check out Moniepoint: https://moniepoint.com * Follow Tosin: X: https://x.com/eniolorunda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tosin-eniolorunda-46833618 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:30) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (25:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (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 * 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

Oct 29, 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 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. Kalshi. 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 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 * 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 * Monte Carlo: https://www.montecarlodata.com Mastertech.AI : https://www.mastertech.ai * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Lior: X: https://x.com/lgavish LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lgavish * Follow Linda: X: https://x.com/lindach167 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-gray-6433b251 * Thank you to our partners: (8:06) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (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 (34:34) Kalshi - Sign up to win $100K at https://www.kalshi.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: 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

Oct 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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://do.co/twist Terms and conditions apply. Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. Kalshi. 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: 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Check out the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator: https://ck.launch.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnUry6mCxs * Follow Mattias: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattias-scheek-539a0349/ * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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. (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. * 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

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. * 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 Merge here: https://www.merge.dev/ * Follow Shansi: X: https://x.com/shensi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shensiding/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (11:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (20:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (30:01) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free 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: 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

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. * 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 * 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 * Follow Ramsey: X: https://x.com/RamseyShaffer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyshaffer/ * Follow Ana: X: https://x.com/TheAnaMalhotra LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-malhotra/ * Follow Ulan: X: https://x.com/defoemark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulanbek-abdurazakov/ * Follow Tyce: X: https://x.com/tycecycle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyceherrman/ Follow Elliot: X: https://x.com/e_easterling LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotteasterling * 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

Oct 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 https://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 https://www.vanta.com/twist Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * 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 * 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 * Check out Prandtl Dynamics: https://prandtl.ca * Follow Andrew: X: https://x.com/andrewlissimore LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlissimore Website: https://www.headphones.com * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (21:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.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: 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

Oct 23, 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 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 Kalshi. The largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100. * 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 * 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: 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: X: https://x.com/HvonSpakovsky LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-von-spakovsky-0a544913/ Follow Rafat: X: https://x.com/rafat LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafatali/ * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (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 (22:29) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (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: 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

Oct 22, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… DigitalOcean’s GPU Droplet - simple flexible, affordable, and scalable machines for your AI/ML workloads. Spin up powerful GPU virtual machines and start training models, building agents, or digging deep into huge data sets in seconds—and spin them back down just as quickly. With options ranging from single-GPU configurations to setups with 8 GPUs, you can scale computing power based on your specific needs without having to make upfront hardware investments. Get up to 100k in free Credits at https://www.do.co/twist⁠ ! 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 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 * 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 John: X: https://www.x.com/JohnnyMotion LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnymotion * 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 * 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 * 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

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 * 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 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 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * 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: 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

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 * 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 Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * 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

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 * 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 * 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 * TWiST AV Models: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1txb73-0MvKq_FAcGWMsUcctwgEVHYkgQ38kgEnOuHMs/edit?gid=1464971737#gid=1464971737 * 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: 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 * 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: 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

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 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://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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: 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.founder.university/podcast

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. Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. * 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 * 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 * 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: 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 * 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 * 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

Oct 11, 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. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.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: 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 * 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 * Companies mentioned on the show: https://www.qodo.ai https://www.poolside.ai https://www.coreweave.com 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 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * 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 * 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

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 * 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 Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * 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

Oct 9, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://www.gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 Oracle - Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist 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 * 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 * 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.cnbc.com/2024/10/08/doj-indicates-its-considering-google-breakup-following-monopoly-ruling.html 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 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 (21:42) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill atat https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (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 * 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

Oct 8, 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 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 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: 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 * 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 * Check out Radian: https://www.radianaerospace.com * Follow Richard: X: https://x.com/RadianSpace LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardhumphrey ⁠ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

Oct 7, 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 * 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 AnhPhu: X: https://x.com/AnhPhuNguyen1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anhphu5/ * Follow Caine: X: https://x.com/CaineArdayfio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caine-ardayfio/ * 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 * 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 (19:41) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (29:37) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.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: 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

Oct 4, 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 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 Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠ https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * 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 * 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 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 * Follow Naveen: X: https://x.com/naveengrao LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naveen-rao-bba5b01/ * Follow Elliot: X: https://x.com/e_easterling LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotteasterling * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:02) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (19:46) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (30:20) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.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: 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

Oct 3, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Notion. Notion combines your notes, docs, and projects into one beautifully designed space with AI built right in. Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist 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://www.fidelityprivateshares.com Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. Kyte. Looking to get out of the city? Rent a car with Kyte. Kyte delivers rental cars to your door. No counter, no lines, no hassle. Download the Kyte app or book online at https://www.kyte.com and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. * 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 * 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://ilaunion.org/ila-responds-to-usmxs-statement-that-distorts-the-facts-and-misleads-the-public/ 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 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:10) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist (27:07) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠ ! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (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: 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

Oct 2, 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. Gusto. 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 . *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 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 ⁠runway.com/twist⁠ to get your first 3 months free. * 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* 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 * 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/ * Follow Monique: X: https://x.com/moniquewoodard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquewoodard/ * Follow Seyonne: X: https://x.com/stepstonegroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seyonne-kang-b283021/ * Follow Ben: X: https://x.com/benjichoi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bchoi/ * Follow Michael: X: https://x.com/michaeldowning LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldowning/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * 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 (20:25) 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 (32:12) 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: 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

Oct 1, 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 CloudDevs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite LATAM talent today. 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: 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 * 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://x.com/martin_casado/status/1840490481777770850 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 * 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 * 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 * 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

Sep 27, 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. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Brave. If you’re building AI and search-based applications, train your models with the Brave Search API. Get started for free at https://brave.com/jason * 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Udio: https://www.udio.com * Follow David: X: https://x.com/daviddingai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fengning-ding-053b1282 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (7:52) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (21:52) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (31:28) Brave Search API - Get started for free at ⁠https://www.brave.com/jason * 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

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 * Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out NGP Energy Capital: https://ngpenergy.com/ * Follow Phil: X: https://x.com/pdeutch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-deutch-21a76a6/ * 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 * 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 * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Sep 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Linear. Linear helps product teams focus on what they do best: Planning and building great products. Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist 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 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 * 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 * 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.cnbc.com/2024/09/16/the-toolbelt-generation-why-teens-are-losing-faith-in-college.html 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 * 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 * 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: 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

Sep 24, 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 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. 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 * 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 * 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: 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 * 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 * 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

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 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.a Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * 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 * 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 Ryan: X: https://x.com/ketau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanhudson ⁠ Check out: https://www.pie.org * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:17) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (27:23) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (36:22) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠⁠https://www.beehiiv.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: 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

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 * 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 Becki: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62 * 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

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 * 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 Harald: X: https://x.com/___harald___ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harald-schäfer-567830132 Check out: https://www.comma.ai * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (6:38) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (24:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (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 * 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

Sep 18, 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. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist 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. * 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 * 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 Founders! Apply to LAUNCH: https://www.launch.co/apply * Check out Recall: https://www.getrecall.ai/ * Follow Sankari and Recall: X: X: https://x.com/getRecallAI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sankari-nair-13a549a7 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (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 (19:15) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist (31:00) CommandAI - Visit https://www.command.ai/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: 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

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 * 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: 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 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (10:23) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist (20:39) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (30:26) 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: 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

Sep 13, 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 https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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://www.Runway.com/TWIST to get your first 3 months free. Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.Beehiiv.com/TWIST * 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Altimeter: https://www.altimeter.com * Follow Meghan X: https://x.com/MeghanKReynolds LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghankreynolds * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:43) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (19:19) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. (29:34) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Sep 11, 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 jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains. 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://www.fidelityprivateshares.com/ Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. 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 * 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”: Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Pear: https://pear.vc/ Check out Primary: https://www.primary.vc/ * Follow Pejman Nozad: X: https://x.com/pejmannozad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pejman/ * Follow Jason Shuman: X: https://x.com/JasonrShuman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonshuman/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (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. (36:33) Oracle. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Sep 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 https://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. 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: 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! * 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 * 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 Blake: X: https://x.com/bscholl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakescholl Check out: https://boomsupersonic.com / https://x.com/boomaero * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (8:34) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (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 (36:15) 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: 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

Sep 9, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Brave Search API. Get started for free at ⁠https://www.brave.com/jason CLA. Get started now at ⁠https://www.claconnect.com Sprig**.** Visit https://sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card. * 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 * 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: Winnie: https://winnie.com/ 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 * Follow Sara: X: https://x.com/sm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smausk/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (9:55) Brave Search API. Get started for free at ⁠https://www.brave.com/jason (19:20) CLA. Get started now at ⁠https://www.claconnect.com/ (29:43) Sprig. Visit https://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: 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

Sep 6, 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. 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 Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * 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 * 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 Jeremy: X: https://x.com/jerallaire LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyallaire Check out: https://www.circle.com * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (12:10) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. (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 (34:12) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.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: 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

Sep 5, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Notion. Notion Projects combines project management with your docs, knowledge base, and AI. Try notion projects for free at notion.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 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 * 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 * 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 * Check out Medium: https://medium.com/ Check out CorePod: https://www.corepod.tech/ Enter the Jam with JCal contest: https://www.jamwithjcal.tech * Follow Tony: X: https://x.com/tonystubblebine LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonystubblebine/ * Follow Ulan X: https://x.com/defoemark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulanbek-abdurazakov/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (11:18) Notion - Try notion projects for free at notion.com/twist (20:02) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24 (29:32) OpenPhone - TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 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: 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

Sep 5, 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 * 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 Becki: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62 * 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

Sep 4, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

Sep 4, 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: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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.founder.university/podcast

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=yZX4fUYo6C0&list=PL24nOpPUQlbZcij2Jo-KNUpWFDSrrQKtH 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: 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 * 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: 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

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: X: https://x.com/joetannorella LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joetannorella Check out: https://podengine.ai * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-michel-bernigaud-426a181a8/recent-activity/all 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: 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 * 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: 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

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: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Tyce: X: https://x.com/tycecycle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyceherrman/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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.founder.university/podcast

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: 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

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://x.com/pitdesi/status/1826262321045610846 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 * 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 * Thank you to our partners: (11:25) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (28:32) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (39:49) 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: 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

Aug 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. 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 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://fundrise.com/TWIST * 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 * 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://x.com/daveclark85/status/1825448801672327229 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: 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 * 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 * 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

Aug 16, 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. 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 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: 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/futures-slide-amazon-intel-forecasts-disappoint-jobs-data-awaited-2024-08-02 https://www.boringbusinessnerd.com/post/top-startup-accelerators * Follow Elad: X: https://x.com/eladgil LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eladgil Check out: https://eladgil.com * Follow David York: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-york-2407295 Check out: https://ttcp.com/ * Follow David Weisburd: X: ⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd ⁠⁠ Check out: ⁠⁠ https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

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) . * 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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/ * Follow James: X: https://x.com/jamesghicks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hicks-43957512/ * Follow Rae: X: https://x.com/raechellambert LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raechel-lambert/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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

Aug 14, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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 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: 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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: 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 * 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 * 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

Aug 9, 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 .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. 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: 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 * 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://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Pablo: X: https://x.com/directedbypablo 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: X: https://twitter.com/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 * 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

Aug 8, 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 * 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 Becki: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62 * 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

Aug 7, 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. 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. 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: 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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: 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Aug 5, 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 * 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). * 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 at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (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 * 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 * Check out Huntress: https://www.huntress.com/ Check out TollBit: https://tollbit.com/ Check out Cyera: https://www.cyera.io/ * Follow Olivia from TollBit: X: https://x.com/oliviajoslin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-joslin-13a9a4a2/ * Follow Toshit from TollBit: X: https://x.com/tollbitofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toshit-panigrahi-a6496076/ * Follow Kyle from Huntress: X: https://x.com/KyleHanslovan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylehanslovan/ * Follow Tamar from Cyera: X: https://x.com/cyera_io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamar-bar-ilan-67bb481a7 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * 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 * 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

Aug 2, 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! * 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 * 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 Josh: X: https://x.com/joshuareeves LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuareeves * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * 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: 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

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 * 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! * 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 * 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://pitchbook.com/news/articles/aging-vc-funds-secondary-stakes-market-limited-partner-exits https://www.secondariesinvestor.com/blackstone-plans-to-launch-biggest-secondaries-fund-yet https://news.crunchbase.com/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-funding-venture-wiz-ai-cyera * Follow Dana: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danasjohns * Follow Tom: X: https://x.com/tomloverro LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomloverro Check out: https://www.ivp.com/ * Follow David: X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠ Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: 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

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 * 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). * 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 (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 * 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 Liran: X: https://x.com/liranzvibel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liranzvibel/ * Follow Ramsey: X: https://x.com/RamseyShaffer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyshaffer/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: 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

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. * 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! * 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 * 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 Josh: X: https://x.com/jgsilverman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuasilverman * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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. * 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! * 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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ 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/2024/07/22/wiz-walks-away-from-googles-23b-acquisition-offer-read-the-ceos-note-to-employees 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: 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 * 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: 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

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: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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 * 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 Even: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanst-aafl Check out: https://www.trueanomaly.space * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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 * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.axios.com/2024/07/15/sequoia-capital-stripe 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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: https://polymarket.com/event/will-biden-drop-out-of-presidential-race?tid=1721076355768 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: 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 * 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: 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

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.wsj.com/finance/stocks/stubhub-delays-ipo-launch-due-to-choppy-market-conditions-42b37bf0 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: 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 * 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: 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

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: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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://www.theinformation.com/articles/andreessen-horowitz-is-building-a-stash-of-more-than-20-000-gpus-to-win-ai-deals?rc=g3wfdp 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: 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 * 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: 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

Jul 3, 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: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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.founder.university/podcast

Jul 2, 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

Jul 2, 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 * 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://techcrunch.com/2024/06/28/dei-more-like-common-decency-and-silicon-valley-is-saying-no-thanks 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: 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 * 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: 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

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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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: X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠ Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: 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

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: 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 * 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: 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

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: 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * 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: X: https://twitter.com/msuster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksuster/ * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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: 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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://companiesmarketcap.com 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: 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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.ft.com/content/357f3c68-b866-4c2e-b678-0d075051a260 https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openais-japanese-rival-gets-1-billion-valuation-from-silicon-valley-investors * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 . 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://www.devsquad.com/twist . LinkedIn Ads - To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups * 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 http://www.zendesk.com/twist (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: 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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: 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/fizz-is-the-latest-campus-gossip-app-it-took-two-days-to-shake-up-one-high-school-1d59ffd4 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: 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Jun 8, 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Jun 7, 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: X: https://x.com/kirstenagreen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstengreen/ * Follow Mark: X: https://twitter.com/msuster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksuster/ * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Jun 6, 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out The Metals Company: https://metals.co * Follow Gerard: X: https://x.com/gtbgtb LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardbarron * Follow Steve: X: https://x.com/FutureJurvetson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevejurvetson Check out: https://future.ventures * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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. * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 29, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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, mail service, phone, email, website, and domain. Everything You Need to Launch Your Business in Minutes! For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Wistia - 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 https://www.wistia.com/startups1 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. * 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. * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Scale Venture Partners: https://www.scalevp.com/ * Follow Rory: X: https://x.com/rodriscoll LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roryodriscoll/ * Follow Mark: X: https://twitter.com/msuster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksuster/ * Thank you to our partners: (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 * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 29, 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 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: 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://x.ai/blog/series-b 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 27, 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 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: 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 * Follow Jaime: X: https://x.com/JaimeMatusVC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-matus Check out: https://www.invariantes.com * Follow Michael: X: https://x.com/mikeeisenberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieisenberg Check out: https://aleph.vc * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow David: X: https://x.com/DavidSacks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidoliversacks/ * Follow Evan: X: https://x.com/kainosnoema LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanaowen/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 23, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-announces-financial-results-for-first-quarter-fiscal-2025 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 * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 18, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… .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. 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: 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). * 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Archetype AI: https://www.archetypeai.io * Follow Ivan: X: https://x.com/ipoupyrev LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-poupyrev * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 17, 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. 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. 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. (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” * 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/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Sunny: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 16, 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. 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 ⁠northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist * 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! * 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 * Check out The OC: https://www.theoc.net * Follow Dr. Justin Terry: X: https://twitter.com/justinwterry LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-terry-133761aa * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: (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 (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. (37:42) 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 15, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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 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: 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! * 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. * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Saga VC website: https://www.sagavc.com/ Check out Saga VC on X: https://twitter.com/Saga_Ventures * Follow Max: X: https://twitter.com/maxaltman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhaltman/ * Follow Ben: X: https://twitter.com/braveben LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-braverman-a1120314/ * Follow Thomson: X: https://twitter.com/itsthomson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randomforest/ * Follow Mark: X: https://twitter.com/msuster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksuster/ * 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 * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 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 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 * 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! * 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”. * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Gecko Robotics: https://www.geckorobotics.com/ * Follow Jake: X: https://twitter.com/loosararian_j LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-loosararian-23981350/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason 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 (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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 9, 2024

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 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 * 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! * 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. * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Apex: https://www.apexspace.co m * Follow Ian: X: https://twitter.com/IanCinnamon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iancinnamon/ * Follow Mark: X: https://twitter.com/msuster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksuster/ * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 9, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… ⁠ 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://deploy.equinix.com/startups to apply today. 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 * 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). * 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 * Mentioned on the show: https://www.hotjar.com/net-promoter-score * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Matt: X: https://twitter.com/mwilker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwilkerson/ Check out: https://www.extern.com/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 6, 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: https://www.axios.com/2024/05/03/svb-venture-capital-arm * 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 * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 3, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Hubspot for Podcast Networks - Looking to up your marketing game? Check out the podcast: Marketing Against the Grain: https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW . Hosted by Hubspot CMO Kipp Bodnar and Zapier CMO Kieran Flannigan. They bring you the latest in marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. “The Best AI Tools For Marketers In 2024” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeeVKUuEv6Y . Available on all your favorite podcast apps. 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. 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: 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! * 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? * Check out The Re-Wired Group: https://www.anomalo.com/ Check out Bob’s website and publications: https://www.bobmoesta.com/ * Check out Founder Fridays: https://www.founderfridays.tech/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Bob: X: https://twitter.com/bmoesta?lang=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

May 2, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Eppo. Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://www.geteppo.com/twist 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! 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 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! * 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 * Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th! Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠ * We are doing Founder Fridays! Go check out ⁠https://founderfridays.tech * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Peter: X: https://twitter.com/k11kirky LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-kirkham Props AI: www.getprops.ai * Follow Alan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/f3zorroblake 2ndHandGeek: https://exchange.2ndhandgeek.com * Follow Alex: X: http://x.com/_alexhanna LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hanna-founder Zweelie: http://zweelie.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 30, 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 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 * 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 * 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Sunny: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 (21:43) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (29:22) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 29, 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 https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity 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 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. * 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). * 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 * Follow Jeff: X: https://twitter.com/jrichlive LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrichards Check out: https://notablecap.com/ * Follow Ryan: X: https://twitter.com/denehyxxl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandenehy Check out: https://www.electric.ai/ * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (13:06) 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 26, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you 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://www.coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit! 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 * 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 * Check out Podcast AI: https://podcastai.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Edward: X: https://twitter.com/edwardbrawer ⁠ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardbrawer/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 26, 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. Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators. Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/twist 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 * 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). * 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 * Check out Supercommunicators: https://www.charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators * Follow Charles: X: https://twitter.com/cduhigg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesduhigg/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: (8:06) 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.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

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! * 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 * Send us your questions for the next episode of Ask Jason LIVE! http://www.thisweekinstartups.com/askjason * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: (9:50) 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 * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.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

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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Sunny: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:14) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (19:09) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off (27:35) 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * Follow Sunny: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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: X: https://twitter.com/loganbartlett 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * Follow Sohail: X: https://twitter.com/sohailprasad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohailprasad/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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: X: https://twitter.com/_playumbrella 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.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

Apr 14, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators. Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST 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: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 https://newcomergames.com * 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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=qtzuL3WSiGY 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: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 9, 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 LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://geteppo.com/twist Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year. * 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.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-5 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 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: (7:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (20:07) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://geteppo.com/twist (34:15) Attio - Head to https://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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 6, 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 . Hubspot for Podcast Networks. 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. 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://www.foundationhealth.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/ * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: (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 * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 5, 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. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.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. 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 https://www.hubspot.com/startups Check out their report “ How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy ” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report * 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/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Elliott: X: https://twitter.com/eshmu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshmu/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 4, 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 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 . *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 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: 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 * Follow Brannin: X: https://twitter.com/branninmcbee LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/branninmcbee * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Apr 3, 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 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://www.perplexity.ai https://you.com https://infinity.ai https://www.hume.ai https://groq.com https://huggingface.co/spaces/lmsys/chatbot-arena-leaderboard * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Sunny: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 Hubspot for Podcast Networks. 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. 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://recargapay.com.br 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 29, 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 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 http://www.vanta.com/twist 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: X: https://twitter.com/alancowen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-cowen * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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/ * Follow Sunny: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:01) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (20:42) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (31:27) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at wistia.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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 22, 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 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 . 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 joingelt.com/twist now. * 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.ambiencehealthcare.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/ * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (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. * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 21, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Eight Sleep . Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to http://www.eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $200 off the pod plus free shipping! 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. 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 http://www.joingelt.com/twist now. * 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/ * Follow Sunny: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 21, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. Hubspot YouTube Network. Whether you're a marketer, a sales rep, or an entrepreneur HubSpot has you covered with its tutorials and AI-powered tools. It’s all guaranteed to make your workday easier. Check out HubSpot’s AI Content Writer and start using HubSpot’s tools for FREE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmJwJF6ppCo https://clickhubspot.com/zu8 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 http://joingelt.com/twist now * 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 * Check out Screendoor: https://www.screendoor.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Jamie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrcfa/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 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 Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist 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 joingelt.com/twist now. * 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: https://cybernews.com/security/chatgpt-samsung-leak-explained-lessons/#google_vignette * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Arvind: X: https://twitter.com/jainarvind LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvind-jain-5935161 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist (24:20) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (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 * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 19, 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 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 . *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year. * 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 * LINKS: Cognition’s Devin: https://www.cognition-labs.com/introducing-devin Figure AI Robot: https://www.figure.ai/ * Follow Sunny: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 14, 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://linkedin.com/angelpod Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators. Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST 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: 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Raja X: https://twitter.com/rdoddala LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajadoddala * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 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 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 Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit geteppo.com/twist * 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 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 12, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io . Need to speed up your product development without draining your budget? Hire vetted engineers from Europe at lemon.io . Go to Lemon.io/twist to get 15% off for the first 4 weeks! 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 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/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Sunny: Twitter: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 8, 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 LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. 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://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 * Check out: https://waveapp.ai * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Josh: X: https://twitter.com/joshmohrer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmohrer * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (12:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (26:15) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist (40:45) 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 7, 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 http://www.wistia.com/startups 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 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 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 * Follow Jonathan: X: https://twitter.com/JonnyNemo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-neman-9a28aa8/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 5, 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 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 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 ! * 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 * Follow Lon: X: https://twitter.com/Lons * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 4, 2024

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 http://www.NetSuite.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 - ⁠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/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Shyam: X: https://twitter.com/ssankar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyamsankar/ * 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Mar 1, 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 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. 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! * 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://www.wsj.com/tech/san-francisco-ai-boom-silicon-valley-307816b2 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 28, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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. 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 http://www.uizard.io/twist * 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: X: https://twitter.com/daveclark85 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clark-6678b6b/?originalSubdomain=uk * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 27, 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 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 * 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 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 http://www.openphone.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 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 ⁠https://x.com/twistartups⁠ 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

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. 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 . 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. * 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! * 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 * 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 22, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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. Northwest Registered Agent. Visit - http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ to get a 60% discount on your next LLC. * 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 https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinckwong/ 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 & Fanfare https://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 * 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 21, 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://linkedin.com/angelpod 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. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist * 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 * Check out Cresset Partners: https://cressetpartners.com/ * Follow Jordan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-stein17 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: (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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * 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! * 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 * Check out Aerodome: https://www.aerodome.com * Follow Rahul X: https://twitter.com/rahoolsidoo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulsidhu * 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: (13:17) 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 * 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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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. 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 ! 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! * 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 * Mentioned on the show: 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/ 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 15, 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://linkedin.com/angelpod 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 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 * 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! * 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? * Follow Alex X: https://twitter.com/asedelson Check out Slipstream Investors: https://www.slipstreaminvestors.com/ * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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! * 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 https://x.com/twistartups * 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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: X: https://twitter.com/briansin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-singerman-9333b52/ * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 9, 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.corraltech.com⁠ ⁠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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 8, 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. 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 . *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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th3vzKTE0O8 * Follow Sunny: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm Check out: 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 7, 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: X: https://twitter.com/alexisohanian 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 5, 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://www.theverge.com/2023/12/9/23995150/beeper-imessage-android-apple-statement 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Feb 3, 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/18430e05-33c0-4f48-8c87-fae74ff29bbf 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 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, 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: X: https://twitter.com/MKRocks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-kim-cendana-capital/ * 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: (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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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://www.respondent.io 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 * 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 X: https://twitter.com/aileenlee LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aileenwlee * Follow Jason: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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. 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. 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. * 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.wsj.com/articles/pro-take-why-venture-fund-sizes-rose-despite-the-slow-market-fd4c4677 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 (28:56) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (43:51) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist * 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: ⁠https://rb.gy/v19fcp⁠

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 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://scalablepath.com/twist to get 20% off your first month. 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. * 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 * LINKS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22wlLy7hKP4 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 * 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: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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 X: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠ Check out: ⁠https://www.definitive.io/ * Follow Jason: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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 * 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 * 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/JasonrShuman https://twitter.com/rdoddala https://twitter.com/DWeisburd https://twitter.com/Jason * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis 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: 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

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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out: https://www.berkocorp.ca/ * 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 * Follow at: X: https://twitter.com/berkowitz_josh https://twitter.com/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: 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

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://www.freightwaves.com/news/flexport-acquires-shopifys-fulfillment-business 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 https://twitter.com/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: 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

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 * 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: https://twitter.com/sundeep https://twitter.com/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: 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

Jan 12, 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 http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC. 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://www.devsquad.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 http://www.openphone.com/twist * Today’s show: 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out: Cendana Capital: https://www.cendanacapital.com/ 10X Capital: https://www.10xcapital.com/ * Thanks to our partners: (12:49) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (24:37) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://www.devsquad.com/twist (33:39) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist * X: https://twitter.com/MKRocks https://twitter.com/DWeisburd https://twitter.com/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: 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

Jan 12, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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. 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. * 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Uber: https://www.uber.com * LINKS: Silicon Valley clip referenced: https://twitter.com/StephNass/status/1745132141652877788 * Thanks to our partners: (09:38) 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 (21:43) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes (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 * X: https://twitter.com/Jason https://twitter.com/dkhos https://twitter.com/altcap https://twitter.com/bgurley 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: 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

Jan 9, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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. 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 * 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 * Thanks to our partners: (10:10) Scalable Path - Get 20% off your first month at http://www.scalablepath.com/twist (19:57) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (31:27) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist * Follow Jon: X: https://twitter.com/HalcyonAi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmillerhalcyon * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Jan 9, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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 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://melengo.com/showroom 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 X: https://twitter.com/sundeep Check out: https://www.definitive.io/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Jan 6, 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 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 . 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: 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/ * Follow David X: https://twitter.com/DWeisburd David's Podcast: https://limitedpartnerpodcast.com/ * Follow Brad X: https://twitter.com/altcap * Follow Bill X: https://twitter.com/bgurley * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Jan 4, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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. 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 * Thanks to our partners: (11:57) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://www.mev.com/twist (22:22) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC athttp://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (32:40) Paintbrush - Visit http://www.getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes * Follow Cecilia X: https://twitter.com/CeciliaZin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliaziniti/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Jan 3, 2024

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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 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: 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: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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! * 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: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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 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 https://www.openphone.com/twist * 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! * 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: https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/15/founders-hacker-hype-homes-remote-work/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFUxPOXc4AHnjptN6dxkwFgpZ0kvPL_gTJ1uMicNRJwwtbQbuS1P0AI0MbDZzGawLNTArPSTT6VrWbByv-AyGXGWF_mkTdLG6eBSgiTrJPpqyBvY1y-GZoAE4xzQdq9v8ciP0VfQpKcSr-acjKYZEdwlc0XZV2lP6CeOb9I_QqXl https://www.samara.com/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/05/21/adu-granny-flat-california-housing-crisis/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/everettpotter/2021/06/27/pacaso-disrupting-vacation-home-ownership/?sh=25feeca8693a https://www.businessinsider.com/tony-hsieh-las-vegas-trailer-park-2017-5 * 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: X: https://twitter.com/glennkelman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennkelman • Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative 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: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Dec 20, 2023

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 LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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: 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 * 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/ * 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: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Dec 20, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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 https://youtu.be/RxaKWmPEcrk 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: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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 . * 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: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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 X: https://twitter.com/jerrycolonna LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-colonna-reboot * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Dec 13, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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://www.miro.com/startups to sign up for a FREE account with unlimited team members. 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. * Check out tldraw: https://www.tldraw.com Thank you to our partners: (12:01) Miro - Sign up for a free account at https://www.miro.com/startups (21:25) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://www.deploy.equinix.com/startups (31:21) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.netsuite.com/twist * Follow Steve X: https://twitter.com/steveruizok LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-ruiz-61a150239?originalSubdomain=uk * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

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/ * Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Dec 8, 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://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 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://www.devsquad.com/twist * 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. * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out ScOp Venture Capital: https://www.scopvc.com * Follow Kevin: X: https://twitter.com/kjpoconnor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinoconnorsb Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thanks to our partners: (10:03) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (18:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (29:53) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://www.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: 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

Dec 7, 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 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Dec 7, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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. LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http:/www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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 * Follow Michael: X: https://twitter.com/blacksharkai LinkedIn: https://at.linkedin.com/in/michaelputz Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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 * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * 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

Dec 5, 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 House of Macadamias - Get a free month's supply of Macadamia Milk with any order at https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20! .Tech Domains - Apply to get your startup featured on This Week in Startups at https://www.startups.tech/jason 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. * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out 23andMe: https://www.23andme.com * Follow Anne: X: https://twitter.com/annewoj23 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annewojcicki Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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! * 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: 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

Dec 5, 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. 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 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 * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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 * Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Dec 1, 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 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. 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! * 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 * Check out Once: https://once.com * Follow David: https://twitter.com/dhh https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-heinemeier-hansson-374b18221/ * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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: 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

Nov 29, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 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://www.arisingventures.com/TWIST LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to http://www.LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. 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 * Check out Adept AI: https://www.adept.ai Check out Adept AI Experiments: https://www.adept.ai/blog/experiments * Follow David: https://twitter.com/jluan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jluan * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thanks to our partners: (11:21) Brave - Try the Brave Search API at http://brave.com/jason (20:46) Arising Ventures - head to http://www.arisingventures.com/TWIST to learn more and connect with the team (31:13) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at http://www.LinkedIn.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: 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

Nov 28, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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: https://proceedings.mlr.press/v70/shi17a/shi17a.pdf https://www.sap.com/products/technology-platform/process-automation/what-is-rpa.html * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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: 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 * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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

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 https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamvictorperez 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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://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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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://twitter.com/adrianaoun 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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.reuters.com/business/softbanks-wework-once-most-valuable-us-startup-succumbs-bankruptcy-2023-11-07 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 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Nov 8, 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 * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Nov 8, 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. House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get a free month's supply of Macadamia Milk with any order at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20! 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/twis t (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://s23.q4cdn.com/407969754/files/doc_earnings/2023/q3/earnings-result/Uber-Q3-23-Earnings-Press-Release.pdf 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 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Nov 7, 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 LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. 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 http://coda.io/twist 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://intouchcx.com/twist * 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 * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Nov 3, 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://twitter.com/gaganbiyani 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Nov 2, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… The Equinix Startup program offers provides 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. 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. LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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://twitter.com/purn3ndu https://www.linkedin.com/in/purn3ndu * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Nov 1, 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! IntouchCX. Give your startup a boost and simplify your processes with next-level automated customer support solutions from IntouchCX. Discover your custom strategy at Intouchcx.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: 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 * 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: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 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 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 * 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 , PrayingForExits , Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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/ 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 Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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

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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 24, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you 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. Catalog. Stop wasting time and money with expensive design firms and unreliable freelancers! Get fast, 3-day turnarounds for a flat monthly fee with Catalog! Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.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 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 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 21, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 Fount. Do you want access to the performance protocols that pro athletes and special ops use? With Fount, an elite military operator supercharges your focus, sleep, recovery, and longevity, all powered by your unique data. Want a true edge in work and life? Go to fount.bio/TWIST for $500 off. .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: 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! * 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 * Check out Sanctuary AI: https://sanctuary.ai/ Follow Geordie: https://twitter.com/realgeordierose * Check out Bill Gurley’s 2,851 Miles: https://youtu.be/F9cO3-MLHOM?feature=shared * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 19, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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 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. * 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! * 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 * Follow Lon: https://twitter.com/Lons * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 17, 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 LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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 . * 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! * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 17, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 &amp; Trust; Members FDIC. 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. 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: 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! * 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 * Check out Trove: https://gettrove.co/app/dashboard Check out SuperManage: https://supermanage.ai/ * Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 12, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 .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! * 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 * Follow Dan: https://twitter.com/dsiroker * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 12, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Catalog. Stop wasting time and money with expensive design firms and unreliable freelancers! Get fast, 3-day turnarounds for a flat monthly fee with Catalog! Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist 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: 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! * 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 * LINKS: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/29/bill-ackmans-spac-gets-green-light-from-the-sec-and-hes-looking-for-something-to-buy.html 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

Oct 11, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Fount. Do you want access to the performance protocols that pro athletes and special ops use? With Fount, an elite military operator supercharges your focus, sleep, recovery, and longevity, all powered by your unique data. Want a true edge in work and life? Go to fount.bio/TWIST for $500 off. 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. * 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! * 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 * Follow Zach: https://twitter.com/zachcoelius * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 10, 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 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: 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! * 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 * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 7, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get a free month's supply of Macadamia Milk with any order at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20! Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at https://investwithroots.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. * 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)! * 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! * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 6, 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. 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 &amp; 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 . * 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). * 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 * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 3, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at https://investwithroots.com/TWIST 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. 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Oct 3, 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 https://vanta.com/twist 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. 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.](http://fitbod.me/TWIST.) * 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/ * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 29, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. Catalog. Stop wasting time and money with expensive design firms and unreliable freelancers! Get fast, 3-day turnarounds for a flat monthly fee with Catalog! Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist 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 https://codecademy.com/TWiST * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 29, 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 .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! 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 &amp; 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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. Fount. Do you want access to the performance protocols that pro athletes and special ops use? With Fount, an elite military operator supercharges your focus, sleep, recovery, and longevity, all powered by your unique data. Want a true edge in work and life? Go to fount.bio/twist for $500 off. * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 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 https://Codecademy.com/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 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 25, 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 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. 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 23, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you 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 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. 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?” * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 20, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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. 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 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 &amp; 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 19, 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. 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: 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/ * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 15, 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 http://linkedin.com/unicorn to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Fount. Do you want access to the performance protocols that pro athletes and special ops use? With Fount, an elite military operator supercharges your focus, sleep, recovery, and longevity, all powered by your unique data. Want a true edge in work and life? Go to fount.bio/TWIST for $500 off. Catalog. Stop wasting time and money with expensive design firms and unreliable freelancers! Get fast, 3-day turnarounds for a flat monthly fee with Catalog! Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 14, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you 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. Plunge. Go to https://plunge.com and use code twist150 for $150 off your cold plunge tub. NetSuite, by Oracle. The business management software that handles every aspect of your business in an easy-to-use cloud platform. Schedule a FREE product tour and receive your FREE guide: “Seven Actions Businesses Need to Take Now” at NetSuite.com/TWIST. * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 14, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at https://investwithroots.com/TWIST Supergut is the easiest and tastiest way clinically-proven to regulate digestion, curb cravings, and boost energy. Get 30% off their delicious shakes, bars, and fiber mix at https://Supergut.com with code TWIST. LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 12, 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 https://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 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 htttps://CLAconnect.com/tech * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 11, 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. 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: 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 9, 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. * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 7, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Supergut is the easiest and tastiest way clinically-proven to regulate digestion, curb cravings, and boost energy. Get 30% off their delicious shakes, bars, and fiber mix at Supergut.com with code 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! Mercury. 90 percent of startups fail — 90 percent. 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 &amp; Trust; Members FDIC. * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 6, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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! 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 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: 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 5, 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 4, 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 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 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. * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Sep 1, 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. 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 Supergut.com with code 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. * 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Aug 30, 2023

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Fount. Do you want access to the performance protocols that pro athletes and special ops use? With Fount, an elite military operator supercharges your focus, sleep, recovery, and longevity, all powered by your unique data. Want a true edge in work and life? Go to fount.bio/TWIST for $500 off. 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. Catalog. Stop wasting time and money with expensive design firms and unreliable freelancers! Get fast, 3-day turnarounds for a flat monthly fee with Catalog! Get $1200 off right now at https://trycatalog.com/twist * 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/ * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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? * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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” * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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/ * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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/ * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Aug 9, 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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

Aug 8, 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 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: 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 * 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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason 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