This Week in Startups

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Vanta: https://www.vanta.com/twist DigitalOcean: https://do.co/twist Sentry: http://sentry.io/twist Plaud: http://Plaud.ai/twist Today’s show: The smarter AI gets, the more it just does the work for you, and the less helpful it becomes as a tutor. Shan Reddy of Aristotle joins Jason to demo a voice-first tutor built to run a session the way a $200-an-hour human tutor would. We also dive into why frontier models are trained to hand you answers rather than build real understanding. PLUS, in Ask Jason, an incoming Fordham student (Jason’s alma mater!) wants to prepare for a career in finance. Plus, David from NYU calls back and wants to discuss what everyone would do with $500K in free money. Then, why does Jason think the Doomerism is coming from inside the AI labs? Guests: Shan Reddy on X: https://x.com/rshanreddy Aristotle: https://www.heyaristotle.com/ Relevant Links: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Dog Something Like an Autobiography by Akira Kurosawa → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_Like_an_Autobiography Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson, which Dovid is reading now → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein:_His_Life_and_Universe Gartner, Jason's example of firms doing research on behalf of corporations → https://www.gartner.com/ "Religious Scholars Met With Anthropic. What They Heard Stunned Them." by Elizabeth Dias, The New York Times, Sept. 29, 2026; the story Lon brings up → https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/religious-leaders-met-with-anthropic-20260930.html David Sacks accuses Anthropic of a "regulatory capture strategy based on fear-mongering"; the line Lon references (Bloomberg Law) → https://news.bloomberglaw.com/artificial-intelligence/anthropic-is-running-a-strategy-based-on-fear-mongering-sacks Aristotle's $5M seed round (PR Newswire) → https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aristotle-secures-5m-to-replace-the-chatbot-with-high-dosage-ai-tutoring-for-students-302880500.html "The 2 Sigma Problem" by Benjamin Bloom (1984), original paper → https://web.mit.edu/5.95/readings/bloom-two-sigma.pdf Journal record (Educational Researcher / SAGE) → https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0013189X013006004 NYC's AI moratorium through 8th grade (ABC News) → https://abcnews.com/Technology/new-york-city-public-schools-banning-ai-middle/story?id=136134872 Alpha School → https://www.alpha.school Brilliant's origin story at the LAUNCH Festival (NPR) → https://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/07/23/203677692/giving-brightest-kids-the-cram-school-experience-online Timestamps: 0:00 Live Ask Jason kicks off 0:14 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 0:56 Fordham-bound caller asks how to break into finance in the AI era 5:15 Jason's gift: read one biography a month 9:22 Vanta: Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist 11:22 Returning caller David: what would you do with $500K? 19:09 DigitalOcean: Want to see what building on a true AI-native platform looks like? Head to https://do.co/twist to start building on DigitalOcean's AI-Native Cloud today - and cut your AI workload costs by up to 50%. 23:56 Bringing an AI protein folding tool into drug discovery 26:35 How to do customer discovery with big companies 29:00 The "dark arts" of market research and corporate intelligence 29:29 Sentry: Your team should be focused on shipping features - not chasing down bugs. New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to https://sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST26 32:59 Is AI fear a dark PR campaign? 34:17 Anthropic meets with religious scholars 40:01 Are AI labs living through an Oppenheimer moment? 42:06 Why we need to talk about AI's upside in education 43:47 Sean Ready, co-founder and CEO of Aristotle, joins 44:58 Why AI models are getting worse at teaching 47:09 Aristotle demo: a voice AI tutor for AP Calculus 50:29 Predicting the next best teaching action 53:32 Bloom's two sigma problem and one-on-one tutoring 54:38 Aristotle's business model and pricing 57:09 Building a tutoring harness vs. relying on frontier labs 1:00:21 Why dyslexic students love Aristotle 1:01:56 Hand-grading thousands of hours of tutoring sessions 1:04:22 Socialization, classrooms and the future of public education 1:08:32 Where to try Aristotle and open roles Subscribe to our newsletters on Substack: TWiST: https://twistartups.substack.com/ TWiAI: https://www.thisweekinai.ai/ TWiVC: https://thisweekinvc.substack.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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Every.io: http://every.io/ Northwest Registered Agent: https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain Odoo: http://Odoo.com/twist Plaud: http://Plaud.ai/twist Today’s show: What can AI do with the guardrails OFF? Devon Thomas of Abliteration.ai thinks defenders should have access to the same kinds of tools, rather than having one hand tied behind their backs. Then, on Ask Jason, learn what AI means for the billable hour from a legal-tech founder. PLUS, are AI microdramas a real ecosystem or a fad, and does AI finally make solo founders fundable? Guests: Devon Thomas on X: https://x.com/founderengineer Abliteration: https://abliteration.ai/ Relevant Links: Abliteration.ai on a16z speedrun — the accelerator Jason congratulated Devon on → https://speedrun.a16z.com/companies/abliteration TechCrunch: "Abliteration.ai is making a business out of removing AI guardrails" — the coverage behind the recent attention → https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/03/abliteration-ai-is-making-a-business-out-of-removing-ai-guardrails/ Abliteration.ai press page → https://abliteration.ai/press Anthropic Frontier Red Team: "GLM-5.3 and the spread of advanced cyber capabilities" — the blog Devon cited on how capable abliterated GLM-5.3 is → https://www.anthropic.com/research/glm-5-3-and-the-spread-of-advanced-cyber-capabilities CNBC: Trump's executive order renaming AI "super intelligence," signed the same day → https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/29/trump-ai-super-intelligence.html Nextgov/FCW: OpenAI agents accessed Census and SEC data — detail on the dozens of organizations OpenAI notified → https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2026/09/openai-says-its-advanced-models-may-have-gone-after-government-websites/416250/ Financial Times: "AI wrecking ball fractures billable-hour fee model" Seedance 2.5 — ByteDance's video model Bruno asked about → https://technode.com/2026/07/31/bytedance-launches-seedance-2-5-video-generation-model/ Pixar / Toy Story — the CGI "Toy Story moment" Jason expects for AI video → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy_Story Practi — Mathew's platform for helping law firms move from hourly billing to subscriptions → https://practi.ai/hello Timestamps: 0:00 What http://Abliteration.ai does, and who the frontier labs are shutting out 2:44 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations - interviews, meetings, calls - you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 2:56 Why defenders don't get the attackers' tools 4:16 "Inversion of control": letting customers set their own guardrails 6:47 Who's liable? The hammer analogy and the White House self-regulation pact 10:11 Every: For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit https://every.io. 13:10 Why AI labs publicize their scariest hacks 18:52 Customers: from cyber startups to Fortune 500 CISOs 19:56 Northwest Registered Agent: Got a new business idea? Northwest Registered Agent helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more - with no purchase required! - Learn more at http://northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain 24:41 Chinese image and video models 27:20 Why most businesses still barely use AI 29:02 Ask Jason begins 29:24 Mathew Kerbis (Practi): What does AI do to the billable hour? 30:16 Odoo: The all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started today at https://Odoo.com/twist 32:45 Will subscriptions replace hourly billing? 37:27 Bruno Vilela: Are AI microdramas an ecosystem or a fad? 39:35 Lon's microdrama pitch to Snapchat and TikTok's PineDrama 48:09 Josh Ezell: Does AI change the bias against solo founders? 49:26 Jason's three-two-one framework and the risks founders must eliminate Subscribe to our newsletters on Substack: TWiST: https://twistartups.substack.com/ TWiAI: https://www.thisweekinai.ai/ TWiVC: https://thisweekinvc.substack.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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Plaud: http://Plaud.ai/twist CLA: https://claconnect.com/tech Sentry: http://sentry.io/twist Lightfield: http://sentry.io/twist Today’s show: Google once interviewed the entire Justin.tv (now Twitch) team and then walked away from an acquisition deal, saying they weren’t good enough. Seven investors passed on buying 10% of Airbnb for $150,000, a stake pegged at roughly $9.25 billion today. Lon Harris and Alex Wilhelm revisit classic TWiST interviews with Justin Kan of Twitch and Brian Chesky of Airbnb to find out what those founders understood that the market didn't. PLUS, how did a box of cereal win over Paul Graham and get Airbnb into Y Combinator? Flashback Guests: Justin Kan on X: https://x.com/justinkan Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ Justin Kan (@justinkan) on X Brian Chesky on X: https://x.com/bchesky AirBnB: https://www.airbnb.com/ Relevant Links: TWiST E900: Justin Kan, co-founder of Justin.tv, Twitch & Atrium (Feb 5, 2019) → https://thisweekinstartups.com/episodes/L3DP8VCE12s TWiST E1735: Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky on early rejection, customer focus & AI (May 4, 2023) → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ-BjJZxNoA Halo 3: the game that flooded Mahalo with traffic → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_3 Weblogs, Inc.: Jason's blog network, home of Engadget → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weblogs,_Inc. Instinct: the invite-only personal AI agent from founder Noah Shinn → https://www.instinct.co/ AMD to acquire World Labs for $8.2B in stock; Li becomes AMD chief scientist (Bloomberg) → https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-28/amd-to-buy-fei-fei-li-s-world-labs-ai-startup-for-8-2-billion Lovable: where Lon says he'd rebuild a bad app in two hours → https://lovable.dev/ Y Combinator → https://www.ycombinator.com/ Paul Graham on X → https://x.com/paulg Obama O's and Cap'n McCain's: the cereal that funded Airbnb → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbnb#History Stripe: what Paul Graham suggested they build instead → https://stripe.com/ Timestamps: 0:00 Justin Kan on episode 900 (Feb 2019) 3:44 When Jason and Justin realized people watch gaming 5:52 Mahalo, Halo 3, and betting a company on 3% of its traffic 10:21 CLA: Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/withyou 11:42 The "zombie startup" years and Google's rejection 17:06 Instinct: the AI agent built for venture capitalists 19:43 Sentry: New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to https://sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST26 28:08 Kozmo.com and the era of "make number go up" 30:06 Lightfield: Name one person who's ever enjoyed updating a CRM. Exactly. Lightfield's AI agent does it for you - it even prospects and books your meetings. Used by thousands of startups. Free at https://lightfield.app/ 32:57 Why AI companies have to monetize faster 34:00 Clip: Justin Kan on knowing yourself as a founder 37:24 An early rejection of "founder mode"? 38:33 Brian Chesky on episode 1735 (May 2023) 39:27 "I hope that's not the only idea you're working on" 43:27 What 10% of Airbnb for $150K is worth today 46:05 Obama O's and the Y Combinator interview 48:15 Why investors fund unkillable, attention-hacking founders 54:37 Clip: Chesky on AI, deepfakes, and authenticity 58:13 Is AI costing jobs or just making them busier? 1:05:04 Did AI create "millions of startups"? Subscribe to our newsletters on Substack: TWiST: https://twistartups.substack.com/ TWiAI: https://www.thisweekinai.ai/ TWiVC: https://thisweekinvc.substack.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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Every.io: http://every.io/ Northwest Registered Agent: www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain Sentry: http://sentry.io/twist Today’s show: A product that would have cost $500,000 to build in 2006 now costs less than a used car. Jason put up $5,000 on an idea he'd been sitting on for 20 years, and so far, we’ve received dozens of amazing submissions from vibecode experts. See how well the Top 3 demos fare, and which app was so good, Jason’s already thinking about spinning it off into a startup. PLUS, an unhoused founder calls in asking how to raise money for not one but two pre-revenue startups? Hear Jason and Lon’s advice. Submissions: Submission 1 — https://annotated.wtf By Robert Submission 2 — https://annotated.bytetalk.ai/feed By Alan Shiflett Alan on X: https://x.com/alanshiflett Submission 3 — https://anotated.com/ By Chirag Asarpota Chirag on X: https://x.com/ChiragAsarpota Relevant Links: annotated.com bounty brief — https://annotated.lovable.app/ All active TWiST bounties — https://www.thisweekinstartups.com/bo... The other open $5,000 bounty: a sidebar companion app for podcasts — https://www.notion.so/launch1/5K-Boun... Timestamps: 0:00 Why Jason bought annotated.com 0:33 The original idea: highlight any sentence on the web and dispute it 1:25 The rules: the code is open source, and Jason can cancel any time 2:06 Submission 1: Robert's annotated.wtf 9:31 Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit https://every.io11:36 Submission 1 Scoring 11:51 Submission 2: Allan Shifflet's take 13:19 What it got right: profiles, follower counts, trending topics 16:03 Submission 3: annotaed.com, and buying the typo domain on purpose 19:43 Northwest Registered Agent - Got a new business idea? Northwest Registered Agent helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more - with no purchase required! Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent....22:49 Final scores, and how to enter round two 24:11 Incubating annotated inside a venture firm 29:09 Sentry - New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to https://sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST 29:41 Ask Jason: a homeless founder with two 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 Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Jason: X:   / jason   LinkedIn:   / jasoncalacanis  

This Week In Startups is made possible by: PayPal - https://paypal.com/business Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain Odoo - https://Odoo.com/twist Today’s show: Timestamps: 0:00 Will Ternus take "massively big swings"? 3:43 Round 1: ElevenLabs 4:46 Round 1: Disney 6:18 Round 2: Sony 8:22 Round 2: Boston Dynamics 9:23 Round 3: Perplexity 10:02 AD: PayPal is built for all business. Get started at https://paypal.com/business 11:52 Round 3: DigitalOcean 13:02 More picks: Etched 14:30 More picks: Lucid 15:58 More picks: Superhuman 16:48 More picks: Higgsfield and more 18:09 Fans make their selections 19:47 AD: Got a new business idea? @northwestagent helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more, with no purchase required! Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain 25:37 Stacy Salvi of The90 joins 29:28 AD: Thanks to our partner, Odoo, the all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started today at https://Odoo.com/twist 34:38 How the app calculates your Sunscore 42:12 Building a UV research dataset 45:09 Should The90 make a version for men? Names & Links Stacy Salvi - https://www.instagram.com/stacysalvi/ The90 - https://the90.com/ Description Wall Street suspects new Apple CEO John Ternus may do something predecessor Tim Cook almost never did: writing a huge check. So Jason and Lon are playing “fantasy draft” with Apple’s balance sheet, choosing five real companies to acquire over five “rounds.” Disney buys them a ton of IP and unlocks theme park synergies. Sony gets them a gaming console and massive anime distribution. Boston Dynamics buys them lots of robots, while Etched nets them cheaper inference. So many options! Then, we chat with Stacy Salvi of The90. Her wearable pendant tells you exactly how much sun damage you’re accumulating, long before you start to burn. Guest The90: https://the90.com/ Stacy Salvi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacysalvi/ Relevant Links John Ternus becomes Apple CEO: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/04/tim-cook-to-become-apple-executive-chairman-john-ternus-to-become-apple-ceo/ Analyst: Ternus could bring bigger acquisitions: https://9to5mac.com/?p=1065466 “Grok Has Money” meme origin: https://x.com/gmfarcaster/status/2026318035103965414 Sunlight linked with lower COVID-19 deaths: https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2021/sunlight-linked-with-lower-covid-19-deaths Reid Hoffman: “If there aren’t any typos in this essay, we launched too late”: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/arent-any-typos-essay-we-launched-too-late-reid-hoffman/ Draft Picks ElevenLabs: https://elevenlabs.io/ Disney: https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/ Sony Group: https://www.sony.com/en/ Crunchyroll: https://www.crunchyroll.com/ Boston Dynamics: https://bostondynamics.com/ Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/ DigitalOcean: https://www.digitalocean.com/ Etched: https://www.etched.com/ Rivian: https://rivian.com/ Lucid Motors: https://lucidmotors.com/ Superhuman: https://superhuman.com/ World Labs: https://www.worldlabs.ai/ PrismML: https://prismml.com/ Liquid AI: https://www.liquid.ai/ Kagi: https://kagi.com/ Sonos: https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop Whoop: https://www.whoop.com/ Oura: https://ouraring.com/ Peloton: https://www.onepeloton.com/ Subscribe to our newsletters on Substack: TWiST: https://twistartups.substack.com/ TWiAI: https://www.thisweekinai.ai/ TWiVC: https://thisweekinvc.substack.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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: https://lightfield.app/ http://getpaper.ai/twist https://conservationfund.org/ http://Plaud.ai/twist https://www.athena.com/jcal Today’s show: An OpenAI agent breached Australia's Medicare statistics portal in June, and it took 84 days for the Frontier Lab to publicly acknowledge it. Jason and Lon dig into whether this is an important cautionary tale about alignment, or if PM Anthony Albanese looking to join the AI conversation. Then Bryant Chou of Ploy joins to explain skipping pre-seed and seed entirely to raise $27M, and why he’s taking his time to build his all-in-one agentic solution for running businesses. Learn why Google is launching four TPUs into orbit for Project Suncatcher. PLUS, how many robots a week is Tesla now shipping with Optimus, and Jensen Huang told Ezra Klein basic math no longer matters. Is he right? Can we forget long division, at last? Guests: Bryant Chou on X: https://x.com/bryantchou PloyAI: https://ploy.ai/ Relevant Links: Ploy raises $27M seed led by First Round Capital and Y Combinator (Founderland) → https://www.founderland.ai/articles/webflow-co-founder-launches-ai-marketing-platform-with-27m-s-mqj8o952 OpenAI's $2M-in-tokens offer to every YC startup(TechCrunch via Yahoo) → https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/sam-altman-makes-mic-drop-212302858.html Original Bloomberg report on the a16z probe → https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-17/andreessen-horowitz-focus-of-doj-probe-over-board-directors Google: Project Suncatcher's first test launch on SpaceX's Transporter-18 → https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/google-research/google-project-suncatcher-facts/ ABC News (Australia): full timeline, from the June 18 breach to OpenAI's Sept. 10 email → https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-24/ai-agent-accessed-australian-government-site-pm-says/107189078 Ando emerges from stealth with $20M to take on Slack (TechCrunch) → https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/24/ando-eyes-slack-as-it-builds-team-messaging-platform-for-humans-and-agents-to-work-together/ Google's $900M investment in SpaceX's $1B round, January 2015 (VentureBeat) → https://venturebeat.com/technology/google-confirms-it-put-900m-into-spacexs-1b-round Tesla ramps Optimus to several hundred robots a week; hands are the bottleneck (Electrek, summarizing The Information) → https://electrek.co/2026/09/25/tesla-optimus-production-ramp-hands-ai-generalization-problems/ Jensen Huang tells Ezra Klein forgetting basic math may not matter, and that he doesn't know his own address (Kotaku) → https://kotaku.com/nvidia-ceo-doesnt-care-that-kids-are-forgetting-basic-math-because-of-ai-i-actually-dont-know-my-address-2000737092 Sydney Sweeney's Novig "Just Sports" ad and the athlete backlash, including Amy Hunt's comment (Yahoo) → https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/sydney-sweeney-novig-ad-controversy-172900515.html Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years (Fortune) → https://fortune.com/2026/09/08/nike-stock-plummets-sp500-market-cap-index/ The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth trailer: David Fincher directs Tarantino's script; IMAX Nov. 25, Netflix Dec. 23 (Variety) → https://variety.com/2026/film/news/the-further-mis-adventures-cliff-booth-trailer-brad-pitt-1236701901/ Timestamps: 0:00 Whoop fire alarm: Jason's dry-aged steak incident 1:30 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 4:45 News: an OpenAI agent breached Australia's Medicare statistics portal 12:48 Scraper or hack? Australia's PM jumps into the AI safety debate 13:31 News: Google launches four TPUs into orbit for Project Suncatcher 18:27 Guest: Bryant Chou of PloyAI 20:07 AD: Paper is the legal backbone for thousands of startup founders and fund managers - including Launch. Use getpaper.ai/twist to get your cap table free for a year - or two years if you're leaving Carta. 21:11 Ploy's thesis: your website as your hardest working employee 27:05 Why a repeat unicorn founder went back to Y Combinator 38:55 The DOJ probe into a16z's Databricks and Fivetran board seats 44:57 "Nobody's thinking about you": Jason's stair story 45:17 Frontier models vs. your own model, and OpenAI's $2M YC token deal 54:04 News: Ando wants to replace Slack with agent-native chat 1:01:08 News: Tesla ramps Optimus to several hundred robots a week 1:04:48 Off-Duty: Jensen Huang tells Ezra Klein basic math may not matter 1:08:31 The MIT "Your Brain on ChatGPT" EEG study 1:09:57 Jason's five-part reset: sleep, diet, exercise, socializing, meditation 1:11:45 Off-Duty: Sydney Sweeney's Novig ad backlash 1:21:07 The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth trailer 1:23:41 Jason's first car: a 1970 Mustang GrandeSubscribe 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Subscribe to our Substack Newsletters! TWiST: https://twistartups.substack.com/ TWiAI: https://www.thisweekinai.ai/ TWiVC: https://thisweekinvc.substack.com/ 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Northwest Registered Agent: https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain Odoo: http://Odoo.com/twist Rippling: http://Rippling.ai/twist Plaud: http://Plaud.ai/twist Harmonic: http://harmonic.ai/ Today’s show: Anthropic and OpenAI released cheaper models on the same day with Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6, and these VCs would still bet on open source. Jason brings on Dave McClure of Practical Venture Capital, Jeff Clavier of Uncork Capital, and Jenny Fielding of Everywhere Ventures to discuss the argument for open-weight models over the frontier labs. Learn why median seed valuations have more than tripled since 2017. Why does Dave say it's a buyer's market for secondaries right now? PLUS, does Meta's Muse leave any room for Instinct, and why are fintech and healthcare suddenly out of favor? Guests: Dave McClure on X: https://x.com/davemcclure?lang=en Practical Venture Capital: https://practicalvc.com/ Jeff Clavier on X: https://x.com/jeff Uncorked Capital: https://uncorkcapital.com/ Jenny Fiedling on X: https://x.com/jefielding Everywhere Ventures: https://www.everywhere.vc/ Relevant Links: Instinct reportedly seeking $1B at a $10B valuation (report via The Information) → https://cryptobriefing.com/ai-assistant-startup-instinct-targets-10b-valuation-in-new-funding-talks-report/ Meta's Muse, the agent the panel sees as Instinct's biggest threat, now on Mac → https://aiweekly.co/alerts/meta-ships-muse-for-mac-agent-now-acts-in-native-macos-apps Trump calls Jensen Huang onstage at the All-In Summit → https://thenextweb.com/news/trump-phoned-jensen-huang-onstage-at-the-all-in-summit-to-call-ai-fear-a-hoax AI-assisted intel error nearly triggered a US intercept of a Chinese ship (CNN via gCaptain) → https://gcaptain.com/ai-error-nearly-triggered-u-s-intercept-of-chinese-ship-cnn-reports/ Bernie Sanders' 50% AI sovereign wealth fund bill + Altman meeting (Fortune) → https://fortune.com/2026/06/18/bernie-sanders-ai-fund-bill-sam-altman-1000-payments/ Stanley Druckenmiller's AI-written WSJ op-ed (Axios) → https://axios.com/2026/08/26/stanley-druckenmiller-ai-writing-wsj-op-ed Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Sol/Luna launch the same day with price cuts (SiliconANGLE) → https://siliconangle.com/2026/09/22/anthropic-releases-claude-opus-5-5-and-openai-counters-with-two-cheaper-gpt-6-models/ Zipline: LAUNCH's "miss," later backed through the syndicate → https://www.flyzipline.com/ Micro1 → https://www.micro1.ai/ Founder University → **https://www.founder.university/** [VERIFY] The Syndicate: angel invest alongside LAUNCH (apply, waitlist) → **https://thesyndicate.com/** Timestamps: 0:00 What seed rounds looked like then: Fitbit's $2M seed 2:38 Jenny's Techstars NYC years and the two-unicorn mug 6:10 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 7:51 All-In Summit: Trump calls Jensen Huang onstage. Staged or not? 8:56 P(doom) roundtable + Dave's AI sovereign wealth fund prediction 10:08 Northwest Registered Agent - Got a new business idea? Northwest Registered Agent helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more - with no purchase required! Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain 13:35 The AI intel error that nearly triggered a US-China incident 17:44 "McClure's Law": a human with AI is the real risk 19:59 Odoo - The all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started today at https://Odoo.com/twist 21:37 Stripe + OpenRouter: an anti-fraud play, not a routing play? 23:07 Seed valuations: median $8M (2017) to $28M today 23:58 Instinct: $2.5B to a reported $10B in weeks 29:49 Rippling - Thanks to our partners at Rippling! Head to https://Rippling.ai/twist and get the only AI built to give you full visibility across your startup and take complex actions across your entire business. 44:01 Opus 5.5 vs. GPT-6 Sol: the same-day price war 46:51 Gun to your head: open-weight models or frontier labs? 51:00 Secondaries: the top 30 names vs. everyone else 52:30 Why fintech and healthcare are unloved (and Jason's Robinhood bet) 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: (0:00) PARTNER - AD BLURB (0:00) PARTNER - AD BLURB (0:00) PARTNER - AD BLURB Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Subscribe to our Substack Newsletters! TWiST: https://twistartups.substack.com/ TWiAI: https://www.thisweekinai.ai/ TWiVC: https://thisweekinvc.substack.com/ 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Vanta: https://www.vanta.com/twist DigitalOcean: http://do.co/twist Lightfield: https://lightfield.app/ Plaud: http://Plaud.ai/twist Today’s show: Elon revives the Hyperloop, promising a 30-minute commute between Austin and San Antonio. It's the kind of project that could reshape how Texans think about getting between two major cities entirely. Then, Jason and Lon explain why this pitch is different from the other Boring Company tunnels. Learn why President Trump wants to rename artificial intelligence itself and launch an "AI Force." It's a move that could reshape how the government talks about AI policy going forward. PLUS, a new startup's model refuses to write a single word of text, and it is 5 to 18 times faster with better accuracy. It's a completely different approach to how AI agents make decisions, and it might be a preview of where the industry heads next. Relevant Links: "Elon Musk's latest Boring Company pitch involves a Hyperloop between Austin and San Antonio" → https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/20/elon-musks-latest-boring-company-pitch-involves-a-hyperloop-between-austin-and-san-antonio/ The Boring Company → https://www.boringcompany.com/ Elon Musk's original 2013 Hyperloop white paper → https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/blog_images/hyperloop-alpha.pdf Trump's Truth Social post proposing "Superior/Extreme/Supreme Intelligence" and announcing an AI Force and AI czar → https://www.unite.ai/trump-proposes-renaming-artificial-intelligence-announces-ai-force/ TechCrunch: "Trump says it's time to rebrand AI with a new name — and he's also creating an AI Force" → https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/19/trump-suggests-rebranding-ai-with-a-new-name-says-hes-also-creating-an-ai-force/ Vercel AI Open vs Closed Source Volume Chart → https://vercel.com/ai-gateway/leaderboards/models TypeSafe AI — makers of Jev, the "System One Model" → https://typesafe.ai/ TypeSafe AI blog: "Introducing System One Models & Jev" → https://typesafe.ai/blog/introducing-system-one-models-and-jev GeekWire: "Amazon blocks Meta's Muse AI assistant in new standoff over agentic shopping" → https://www.geekwire.com/2026/amazon-blocks-metas-muse-ai-assistant-in-new-standoff-over-agentic-shopping/ Meta's Muse — the AI agent Amazon blocked from shopping on its site → https://www.meta.ai/ "Meta's Dina Powell McCormick: The Case for Data Centers, Backlash, AI Job Boom & Meta's Future" (All-In Podcast, YouTube) — the clip discussed on the show → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp2IbgJ5Z-8 Robocurve's RoboHarm report — the robot-safety benchmark discussed on air → https://robocurve.org/roboharm/ RoboHarm on GitHub (tasks, protocol, and tooling) → https://github.com/robocurve/roboharm Timestamps: 0:00 Elon Musk revives the Hyperloop: a 30-minute Austin–San Antonio tunnel 1:03 A brief history of Hyperloop and the white paper 8:56 Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist 16:46 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 20:32 DigitalOcean - Head to https://do.co/twist to start building on DigitalOcean's AI-Native Cloud today — and cut your AI workload costs by up to 50%. 21:40 News: Trump proposes an "AI Force," an AI czar, and renaming AI itself 22:49 "Get back to work, nerds" 30:22 Lightfield - Name one person who's ever enjoyed updating a CRM. Exactly. Lightfield's AI agent does it for you — it even prospects and books your meetings. Used by thousands of startups. Free at https://lightfield.app 31:56 TypeSafe's Jev, a "System One" model built to decide, not chat 39:49 Amazon blocks Meta's Muse AI agent 49:57 Dina Powell McCormick's tense All-In Summit exchange with Jason 1:02:38 Off-Duty: Robocurve's RoboHarm benchmark 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Superhuman:⁠ http://superhuman.com/⁠ Paypal:⁠ http://paypal.launch.co⁠ Odoo:⁠ http://Odoo.com/twist⁠ Plaud:⁠ http://Plaud.ai/twist⁠ Harmonic:⁠ http://harmonic.ai/⁠ Today’s show: Hugging Face built a $399 open-source robot duck as a side quest, and sold 16,000 units off a single tweet. Co-founder Thomas Wolf joins Jason and Lon to explain Microduck happened, why storage is the company's real business, and what it felt like to get hacked by OpenAI's agents. Jason takes apart Gavin Newsom's new AI "kill switch" executive order: if these models are so dangerous, why not start with the same KYC every bank already requires? PLUS, Snap’s new AI-integrated glasses could be a game-changer. Guests: Thomas Wolf on X:⁠ https://x.com/Thom_Wolf⁠ Hugging Face:⁠ https://huggingface.co/⁠ Relevant Links: Hugging Face —⁠ https://huggingface.co/⁠ Microduck —⁠ https://pollen-robotics.com/microduck/⁠ Pollen Robotics —⁠ https://pollen-robotics.com/⁠ OpenAI: the Hugging Face incident and the road ahead —⁠ https://openai.com/index/hugging-face-incident-and-the-road-ahead/⁠ Governor Newsom's executive order —⁠ https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/californias-newsom-issues-executive-order-to-weigh-ai-oversight-including-kill-switch-3a98040f⁠ Anthropic Wet Lab —⁠ https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/18/anthropic-quietly-sets-up-biology-lab-as-it-ramps-ai-drug-program-report.html⁠ Lucid and Bolt to deploy 25,000 autonomous EVs across Europe —⁠ https://electrek.co/2026/09/17/lucid-bolt-25000-autonomous-evs-europe/⁠ Snap opens pre-orders for Specs at $2,195 —⁠ https://www.specs.com/⁠ Ray-Ban Meta Display — the $799 comparison⁠ https://www.meta.com/ai-glasses/⁠ Clavicular at All-In Summit —⁠ https://x.com/clavicular/status/2099994778616348811?s=20⁠ Physical: 100 (the Korean original) →⁠ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical:_100⁠ Bad Therapy —⁠ https://www.abigailshrier.com/⁠ Full Show Notes and Transcript from Pluad:⁠ https://web.plaud.ai/s/pub_194de893-8c55-4d77-81db-a6b278159a44::o9QfImqCq5VS0F_dqm4J93eTeyb-GsIeXCLwqASnvYAmt5f59OLQz5-VN1epnq6DBLoZWFales_7IbgC⁠ Timestamps: 0:00 Guest: Thomas Wolf, co-founder & chief science officer, Hugging Face 1:58 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 4:17 Two years to build Microduck 8:43 How Hugging Face actually makes money: storage, not tokens 10:16 Superhuman - Superhuman Go is an AI chat that's always there when you need it, already aware of what you're doing, and doesn't ask you to start from zero. Sign up to get the best in AI at https://superhuman.com 17:18 Vibe-coding robotics: "train this new behavior for me" 20:00 PayPal - Pay zero processing fees on your first $100K in eligible PayPal payment volume. Learn more at https://paypal.launch.co 23:20 Thomas Wolf's P-doom and the airplane-safety analogy 25:18 The Nvidia acquisition and what changes for open models 29:57 Odoo - The all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started today at https://Odoo.com/twist 38:39 Inside the Hugging Face breach: stolen credentials and basic mistakes 43:33 News: Newsom's executive order and the frontier-model "kill switch" 45:04 Jason's counter-proposal: liability, insurance, and KYC for AI 1:00:08 News: Lucid and Bolt to put 25,000 robotaxis on European roads 1:10:01 News: Snap opens pre-orders for $2,195 Specs AR glasses 1:21:43 Off-Duty: Clavicular, the All-In Summit 1:31:01 Off-Duty: Physical 100 goes to Italy and Mexico Subscribe to TWiST on Substack:⁠ https://twistartups.substack.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 Check out all our partner offers:⁠ https://partners.launch.co/⁠ Great TWIST interviews:⁠ Will Guidara,⁠⁠ Eoghan McCabe⁠,⁠ Steve Huffman⁠,⁠ Brian Chesky⁠,⁠ Bob 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

The TWiST AI Basics series is made possible by Google for Startups! Build context-aware AI workflows using DeepMind models and orchestration tools with Google for Startups' new Startup technical guide on generative media. Get the guide here: https://goo.gle/technical_guide Today's show: The demo works, the vibes are immaculate, but then the app falls apart the second real users touch it. On today's AI Basics, Temporal co-founder and CEO Samar Abbas says the problem isn't with the model at all. You're missing a harness, the layer that keeps an AI agent's work durable, secure, and recoverable if/when something breaks. Temporal's durable execution platform is used by major companies from OpenAI to Stripe to Netflix, and helps to make their long-running software reliable and interruption-free. On AI Basics, he explains why so many AI-coded prototypes die in the imagineering stage, before ever hitting production. Plus he walks Jason through Temporal's live dashboard, to show how it gives developers full visibility into what their agents are doing at every step. Guest and Relevant Links: Samar Abbas on X: https://x.com/SamarAtTemporal Temporal: https://temporal.io/ Temporal raises $550M at a $12.55B valuation: https://temporal.io/blog/temporal-raises-usd550m-series-e-at-usd12-55b-valuation-ai GeekWire: Samar Abbas on the "massive platform shift" in AI: https://www.geekwire.com/2026/temporal-ceo-samar-abbas-on-the-massive-platform-shift-in-ai-fueling-the-startups-5b-valuation/ Temporal expands Google Cloud partnership: https://temporal.io/blog/temporal-expands-google-cloud-partnership-with-pay-as-you-go-pricing Timestamps: 0:00 Why every startup needs an AI harness 2:12 Why 90% of AI prototypes never reach production 4:16 What happens when an agent crashes mid-task 7:00 A look at Temporal's dashboard 13:02 OK but what is a "harness" exactly? 15:30 When to graduate an agent from laptop to production 17:44 Organizing agents into teams 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 partner! Build context-aware AI workflows using DeepMind models and orchestration tools with Google for Startups' new Startup technical guide on generative media. Get the guide here: https://goo.gle/technical_guide Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Check out our suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@thisweekininc 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Quo: http://quo.com/TWiST The Conservation Fund: https://conservationfund.org CLA: https://app.notion.com/p/withyou-help-eb83a84d32cf43f59af13cb11e2f56c3?source=copy_link Today's show: A 27-year-old Anthropic researcher quit last week warning that AI could cause human extinction, and by Friday, a caller's 76-year-old mother was texting her in a panic. Jason's answer: the labs are already shipping the safeguards Doomers say don't exist. On an all live calls episode of TWiST, learn about the AI implications Jason is actually scared of, and why it involves a terrorist cell and a thousand cheap drones. PLUS, who is liable when one AI prompts another AI into launching a meme coin, and can a 1.5-3 megawatt cannabis facility be converted into a data center? Relevant Links: Anthropic Resignee — https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/anthropic-safety-researcher-resigned-warning-rapid-ai-development-gamb-rcna596767 OpenAI's Navier-Stokes claim— https://www.science.org/content/article/how-ai-math-breakthrough-ignited-controversy CNBC: Tristan Buckmaster's challenge to the claim — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/09/openai-navier-stokes-math-problem-solved.html NVIDIA GB200 Grace Blackwell —https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/gb200-nvl72/ Composio's walkthrough of how Grok Bot actually works — https://composio.dev/content/guide-to-frok-bot Timestamps: 0:00 (Question) Jim, from the midterm Republican convention floor: is AI really going to kill us all — and is local AI the mitigation? 5:31 Where Terminator 2's logic breaks down 9:42 The threat Jason is actually scared of: slaughter drones and murder bots 9:54 Quo (formerly OpenPhone) - Quo gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at https://quo.com/TWiST 10:05 (Question) Michael Lee, who's responsible when one AI prompts another into launching a meme coin? 17:32 (Question) Lyda, calling from Greece: can an independent AI ecosystem still exist 19:03 The Conservation Fund - Find out more about how The Conservation Fund is protecting land, wildlife, and our shared access to the great outdoors while also providing economic opportunities. Visit https://conservationfund.org 21:08 (Question) John Wright: do you have to carve out more time now just to keep up with the tools? 25:42 Claude's caution vs. Grok's "hold my beer" 26:33 (Question) John Wright, part two: do you expect founders to get more done now 26:55 The three buckets: 10x, 5x, and the 20% crowd 29:22 CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech at https://www.claconnect.com/withyou 30:01 (Question) Ray, Vortex Console: can human-in-the-loop actually work at enterprise scale? 33:25 (Question) Kristen Dahl: how do you explain AI risk to your 76-year-old mom? 35:13 Why the chaos only happens at OpenAI and Anthropic 43:36 (Question) David Rosenberg, NYU physics: what's behind the academic backlash to AI solving Navier-Stokes? 53:35 Advice for a 20-year-old: find two smart people, build weird things 54:29 (Question) David's follow-up: any chance of an All-In Summit scholarship 56:21 (Question) Mo: can a cannabis cultivation facility be converted into a data center 1:02:30 (Question) Mo's follow-up: Mark Cuban's pickleball courts and the efficiency curve 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: DigitalOcean — Want to see what building on a true AI-native platform looks like? Head to do.co/twist to start building on DigitalOcean's AI-Native Cloud today — and cut your AI workload costs by up to 50%. Odoo: The all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started for today at Odoo.com/twist Upwork helps businesses find highly skilled freelance professionals for specialized work. Post your job for free at upwork.com Today's show: The Pentagon is reportedly in talks to lend AI cloud startup Fluidstack $5. billion, and Jason thinks the real story isn't the loan itself. It's the US government owning equity in private AI companies, and competing directly with venture capital. Plus returning friend of the pod Tibo Louis-Lucas shows us how he runs seven companies with fewer than 10 people by stacking AI agents. Can a few $200/month AI subscriptions really do the work of an entire marketing team? Tibo seems to think so. Plus it's Off-Duty Friday, so Jason and Lon are reviewing some current streaming favorites, and commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with some personal stories. Check out the full summary and transcript of today's episode from Plaud: https://web.plaud.ai/s/pub_213fdb2e-a65e-4901-b5fc-57a4f1e357a1::ZvclWNOK-PPr-9atxIDVG2tpGYUJxiklGAzVbHd9aJRBMSd6ef8l4hG7j_mUAyNTYTXS_Ha1XlEm8fYC Guests: Tibo Louis-Lucas on X: https://x.com/tibo_maker Squad: https://squad.so/ Relevant Links: Fluidstack: https://www.fluidstack.io Google-Fluidstack warrants deal details: https://cointelegraph.com/news/google-acquires-5-4-stake-in-bitcoin-mining-company-cipher-mining-in-ai-deal Center for Public Integrity: Solyndra timeline: https://publicintegrity.org/politics/missed-warning-signs-a-solyndra-timeline/ The Hill: Energy Dept. loses $139M in Fisker auto loan default: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/191258-energy-dept-loses-139-million-in-auto-loan-gone-bad/ Apple iPhone Duo: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/09/apple-unveils-iphone-duo/ Apple Mac Studio: https://www.apple.com/mac-studio/ Sonos: https://www.sonos.com/ Amazon Fire TV: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=8521791011 UniFi: https://www.ui.com/ Lanterns trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UIBOsuUwc4 Dark Matter Season 2 trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhB6_1UbR7s "Robin" biography by Dave Itzkoff: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1627794247 What Dreams May Come trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmZ-FuBThuQ Huffington Post on the Robin Williams-Disney feud: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/robin-williams-disney-feud-aladdin-picasso_uk_6a7cc304e4b079a0b2ec2233 Keith Roma: the 344th firefighter lost, remembered: https://www.firerescue1.com/9-11/articles/the-firefighter-everyone-forgot-about-on-911-142cs6WyLmn2FDib/ Timestamps: 0:00 Remembering 9/11, 25 Years Later 6:41 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 9:10 Are we about to nationalize the AI industry? 9:53 DigitalOcean - Want to see what building on a true AI-native platform looks like? Head to https://do.co/twist to start building on DigitalOcean's AI-Native Cloud today — and cut your AI workload costs by up to 50%. 20:30 Odoo - The all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started today at https://Odoo.com/twist 21:45 Apple's foldable iPhone Duo 29:43 Upwork - Upwork helps businesses find highly skilled freelance professionals for specialized work. Post your job for free at https://upwork.com 38:04 Tibo Louis-Lucas returns to TWiST 41:47 The affiliate update email that runs on autopilot 46:40 Why you should "stack" multiple AI subscriptions 52:57 Squad's ideal customer is a solo founder 54:11 Jason digs Hal Jordan on "Lanterns" 1:00:19 Lon reviews Apple's "Dark Matter" 1:03:39 Remembering Robin Williams 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com/en/ Today's show: One of YouTube's three co-founders left for grad school and walked away with a fraction of what his partners made on the Google sale. Becki DeGraw of Wilson Sonsini joins Jason for Startup Legal Basics to explain the vesting schedule behind that gap, and why you want one even if you never take a dollar of venture money. Learn how VCs actually respond when a founder says "I've already put in four years," and the exact language Jason gives founders to turn one term sheet into three. PLUS, why is an inactive advisor still vesting your equity, and who wrote those performance milestones? Guests: Becki DeGraw on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62/ Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com/en/ Relevant Links: Becki DeGraw — partner in WSGR's San Francisco office — https://www.wsgr.com/en/people/becki-degraw.html TechCrunch broke the YouTube story— https://techcrunch.com/2006/10/09/google-has-acquired-youtube/ Sequoia Capital — https://www.sequoiacap.com/ Roelof Botha — led Sequoia's YouTube investment and later ran the firm globally → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roelof_Botha ESOP / employee stock option pool — https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics Founder & advisor equity documents — https://www.wsgr.com/en/services/practice-areas/corporate/emerging-companies.html Timestamps: 0:06 Becki DeGraw on why founder equity is "near and dear" to every founder 1:53 Founder vesting explained 3:49 Why you want vesting even if you never take VC money 6:05 "Why do I have to vest again?" 7:32 Leverage is a function of how many offers you have 10:36 The exact script for landing a second term sheet 14:37 Don't let an AI write your three-page vesting schedule 18:19 Character in Silicon Valley: it's a small world after all 19:49 Take the emotion out of it 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain NetSuite - https://www.netsuite.ai/twist Vanta - http://www.vanta.com/twist Check out a full transcript and summary of today's show, created by Plaud: Today's show: An Anthropic researcher quit this week, saying both leading labs are gambling with everyone's lives. His coworker chimed in and predicts there is a greater than 10% chance that AI will end humanity IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. Jason and Lon take it to Yohei Nakajima of Untapped Capital, Ben Lerer of Lerer Hippeau, and Rebecca Lynn of Canvas Prime, who cannot decide whether it is the greatest PR strategy in history or some kind of mass psychosis. Learn why Jason says founders should never hand a frontier lab their proprietary data, whether or not they're offered free credits. PLUS, who really solved Navier-Stokes, and what does the OpenAI–Buckmaster fight mean for anyone doing real work inside ChatGPT or Claude? Guests: Yohei Nakajima on X: https://x.com/yoheinakajima Untapped Capital: https://untapped.vc/ Ben Lerer on X: https://x.com/BenjLerer Lerer Hippeau: https://www.lererhippeau.com/ Rebecca Lynn on X: https://x.com/VCRebecca Canvas Prime: https://www.canvas.vc/ Relevant Links: Jacob Coxon quits Anthropic - "gambling with our lives" https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/09/gambling-with-our-lives-anthropic-researcher-quits-warns-against-self-improving-ai/ Evan Hubinger, Anthropic's Alignment Science lead, on X: >10% odds within a decade — https://x.com/EvanHub/status/2097497037956891126 Future of Life Institute — the 2015 Puerto Rico AI safety conference Jason asks Lon to pull up → https://futureoflife.org/ Meta debuts Muse (Axios) —https://www.axios.com/2026/09/08/meta-debuts-muse-personal-ai-agent Harmonic — https://harmonic.ai/ China blocks Meta's Manus acquisition (CNBC) —https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/27/meta-manus-china-blocks-acquisition-ai-startup.html OpenAI fought dirty— https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/openai-fought-dirty-on-career-making-math-problem-says-nyu-mathematician/ Savvy Wealth — https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ria-news/savvy-wealth-raises-100m-valuation-hits-600m Augmodo — https://www.augmodo.com/ E2B — https://e2b.dev/ Daptic — https://www.daptic.com/ Timestamps: 0:00 Jacob Coxon quits Anthropic: "crunch time" and "endgame" 4:53 Evan Hubinger: >10% odds AI kills all humans in a decade 11:22 Northwest Registered Agent - Got a new business idea? Northwest Registered Agent helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more - with no purchase required! Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain 12:23 "You have succeeded in scaring the bejesus out of Americans" 14:59 Jobs, the wealth divide, and which industries get wiped out first 20:07 NetSuite - For the first time ever, you can try NetSuite Next for free. If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, go to https://NetSuite.ai/TWIST 21:09 Savvy Wealth's $100M round 26:52 The Kalanick story and why Jason built a syndicate backstop 29:04 Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist 30:16 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 32:05 Meta ships Muse 32:56 Can Meta be trusted 35:29 Threads Metrics 49:27 Robinhood's free-share referral 51:16 NYU's Tristan Buckmaster accuses OpenAI of fighting dirty on Navier-Stokes 57:43 Jason: "It's a trap" 59:03 Harvey goes open-weight, Go.AI on-prem, Covenant Labs 1:12:22 High performing portfolio 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 Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Odoo - http://Odoo.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain Rippling - http://Rippling.ai/twist Today's show: Your doctor almost certainly isn't testing your insulin. Dr. Mark Hyman sits down with Jason to explain the broken system that Function is fixing, and what 100 million biomarkers say about how sick America actually is. Learn why insulin beats blood sugar as an early warning for TKTKTK. Why might "normal" lab ranges be unreliable? PLUS, how does an expert like Dr. Hyman feel about GLP-1s and psychedelics? Guests: Dr. Mark Hyman on X: https://x.com/drmarkhyman Function: https://www.functionhealth.com/ Relevant Links: The Dr. Hyman Show — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-hyman-show/id1382804627 Function pricing — https://www.functionhealth.com/pricing Ezra — the full-body MRI company Function acquired https://ezra.com/ Galleri (GRAIL) — the multi-cancer early detection blood test — https://www.galleri.com/ Tufts / JACC study — the source of the "93% of Americans have metabolic dysfunction" — https://now.tufts.edu/2022/07/05/only-7-american-adults-have-good-cardiometabolic-health American College of Cardiology — https://www.acc.org/ Dr. Jorge Plutzky — https://www.health.harvard.edu/authors/jorge-plutzky-md OpenEvidence — https://www.openevidence.com/ Stanford Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic — https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2022/11/metabolic-psychiatry.html Stanford Medicine on the ibogaine findings → https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/01/ibogaine-ptsd.html Texas SB 2308 — the $50M state investment in ibogaine trials — https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/31/texas-ibogaine-research-clinical-trials-psychedelics/ Timestamps: 0:00 What Function actually is 6:43 Healthspan vs. sick care 10:16 Odoo - The all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started today at https://Odoo.com/twist 11:32 A $300 vitamin D test vs. a $10 one 18:08 Should a 25-year-old get a whole-body MRI? 20:42 Northwest Registered Agent - Got a new business idea? Northwest Registered Agent helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more - with no purchase required! Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain 24:23 Why medicine is still running on paper 25:41 The study where the chatbot beat the doctors 27:02 micro1, doctors in the loop, and why AI still needs guardrails 28:50 Wearables, records, and the CD-ROM problem 30:07 Rippling - Thanks to our partners at Rippling! Head to https://Rippling.ai/twist and get the only AI built to give you full visibility across your startup and take complex actions across your entire business. 32:51 The wearable that caught Jason's Covid 34:31 Alcohol, sugar, and why almost nobody tests your insulin 40:00 GLP-1s: Jason's 213-to-168 story 42:22 Microdosing GLP-1s, muscle loss, and "skinny fat" 48:48 Overdiagnosing mental illness: SSRIs, Adderall, and a lost decade 50:17 The biology underneath depression and anxiety 54:32 Psychedelics: ketamine, ibogaine, and the second revolution in psychiatry 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: Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Wilson Sonsini Today's show: Spinouts are everywhere right now, and most founders get the cap table wrong. Jason sits down with Becki DeGraw, partner at Wilson Sonsini, to break down how to do it right, starting with his 80/20 rule for splitting the new cap table and why letting the old company keep too much of it kills your ability to raise. Becki also covers the legal side: who owns the IP, non-competes between the two companies, and the trap founders fall into when they're still on the old board. PLUS, the one question every Series A investor will ask. Guests: Becki DeGraw on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62/ Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com/en/ Relevant Links: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR) — **https://www.wsgr.com/** Becki DeGraw — https://www.wsgr.com/en/people/becki-degraw.html Waymo — Jason's headline example of a big-company spinout — https://waymo.com/ Expedia's 1999 Microsoft spinout — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Expedia-com-American-company Nvidia's ~$20B deal for Groq's asset— https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/24/nvidia-buying-ai-chip-startup-groq-for-about-20-billion-biggest-deal.html Timestamps: 0:00 What a spinout actually is 0:50 Becki: the real "why" behind spinouts 2:24 IP licenses and the "acquihire" workaround 3:09 University spinouts 4:41 Google/Waymo and Microsoft/Expedia: spinouts at scale 5:03 Jason's 80/20 rule and the unicorn test 6:06 The broken cap table problem 6:36 Licensing deals as an M&A workaround 8:44 Exclusive licenses, full assignments, and license-backs 11:07 "What if Google spun out YouTube" 12:31 Groq–Nvidia, capital gains vs. income 13:23 Confidentiality, customer lists, and fiduciary duty traps 15:16 Get the paper done BEFORE you start the new thing 15:56 "It's a divorce," — and the employees are the kids 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

VC experts on why Physical AI funding is heating up | E2333 This Week In Startups is made possible by: partner 1 - link partner 2 - link partner 3 - link Today's show: Are we one step closer to data centers in space? Katelin Holloway of Seven Seven Six and Paige Doherty of Behind Genius Ventures break it down what it would take. Plus investor interest is surging in Physical AI companies. Paige explains why she backs applications of physical AI over general-purpose robotics, and how her thesis on multimodal AI led to the largest check she's ever written. We then dive into the Pentagon's rollout of ChatGPT Mil and Grok for Government. And Katelin gives us her insight into how VCs are investing in Europe and the regulations behind the scenes. Guests: Katelin Holloway on X: https://x.com/katelin_cruse Seven Seven Six: https://sevensevensix.com/ Paige Doherty on X: https://x.com/paigefinnn Behind Genius Ventures: https://www.behindgeniusventures.com/ Full Transcript and Summary, powered by Plaud https://web.plaud.ai/s/pub_772dbc9f-cd78-4de7-911e-8d3ee2883fbb::AF3ncHtIZkSyKKL-K-XUZBAUBEdoQQBEGCQSsja3gXsll8Dm6-Xbrrlhk7g8U-xwIW9kHyYwaB0dBuoC Related Links: Department of War adds ChatGPT Mil and Grok for Government: https://fortune.com/2026/09/01/pentagon-chatgpt-grok-government-military-ai-members-pete-hegseth-defense-department/ OpenAI for Government: https://openai.com/global-affairs/introducing-openai-for-government/ Starshield — SpaceX's government/defense arm: https://www.spacex.com/starshield/ UN work on LAWS (Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems): https://disarmament.unoda.org/the-convention-on-certain-conventional-weapons/background-on-laws-in-the-ccw/ European Commission designates ChatGPT a VLOSE: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-designates-chatgpt-reddit-roblox-under-digital-services-act Commission press release: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1772 Euronews on why a chatbot that searches the live web counts as a search engine: https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/08/31/eu-places-chatgpt-reddit-and-roblox-under-strictest-digital-safety-rules Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/posts/introducing-the-bridge/ Henrick Johansson, the European VC persona: https://x.com/compliantvc Starcloud — orbital data centers: https://www.starcloud.com/ Starcloud raises $250M at a $2.3B: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260821884035/en/Starcloud-Raises-$250-Million-at-$2.3-Billion-Valuation-to-Scale-AI-with-Orbital-Data-Centers "From Sputnik to Starship: Estimating the experience curve of space launch technology" https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/5/7/pgag217/8732400 Cambridge Bennett Schoo: https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/blog/is-space-trade-the-next-global-transport-revolution/ Crunchbase News: physical AI startups raised $47.4B across 521 deals in H1 2026: https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/physical-ai-funding-startups-robotics-aerospace-h1-2026/ Crunchbase News on record defense-tech funding: https://news.crunchbase.com/defense-tech/startup-venture-funding-all-time-record-ai-anduril/ Jensen Huang's prediction: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/executive-insights/ Zipline: https://www.flyzipline.com/ Nox Metals: https://www.noxmetals.com/ CNBC: Anthropic changes its data retention policy: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/01/anthropic-data-retention.html Bloomberg on the plan to let enterprises hold the 30-day window: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-20/anthropic-plans-to-change-data-retention-policy-for-advanced-ai Plaud — sponsor; the wearable AI note-taker → **https://plaud.ai/twist** (code TWIST for 10% off) Harmonic: https://harmonic.ai/ Timestamps: 0:00 Why making it to Fund IV is when it gets real 7:54 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin S. You can check it out at https://Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off! 9:24 Pentagon rolls out ChatGPT Mil and Grok for Government 10:49 Sentry - Your team should be focused on shipping features — not chasing down bugs. New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to https://sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST 11:53 Paige on defense tech and three years at Northrop Grumman 13:40 Katelin: The bottleneck used to be winning the contract, now it's surviving one 16:13 Autonomous weapons, robot dogs, and the Boston Dynamics conversation in Paris 19:07 Lightfield - Name one person who's ever enjoyed updating a CRM. Exactly. Lightfield's AI agent does it for you — it even prospects and books your meetings. Used by thousands of startups. Free at https://lightfield.app 22:03 EU designates ChatGPT a "very large online search engine" under the DSA 24:54 Katelin's contrarian take: Europe is undercapitalized 29:56 Odoo - The all-in-one business platform. Your first app is free! Get started today at https://Odoo.com/twist 31:07 Starcloud raises $250M at a $2.3B valuation 53:06 Competing with Elon: the single point of failure for the whole space economy 57:49 Physical AI raised ~$47B in the first half of 2026 1:03:42 Jason's Zipline regret and the death of "hardware is hard" 1:07:07 Is "unc" a compliment? A Gen X / millennial / Gen Z / Gen Alpha 1:09:39 Anthropic reverses its data retention policy after enterprise pushback 1:12:18 Katelin on data custody: "That's not a procurement question" 1:15:31 Back to on-prem: Go.AI, the Go1, and vertical LLMs 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Northwest Registered Agent https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain CLA https://claconnect.com/withyou Rippling https://Rippling.ai/twist Today's show: Hugging Face's $399 Microduck and the art of companies taking on side quests. Then, we get into Dwarkesh Patel's "The Rise and Fall of Agent Civilizations," which blew up online this weekend. Jason calls the "secret AI civilization" framing deliberate PR, and thinks it's inflammatory enough that someone might attack a data center over it. Then, Anders Forslund of Heart Aerospace shows off the X1, a battery-powered electric airliner designed for regional flights that can fly for 30 minutes on just $5 of juice. PLUS, we've got John Yu of Bitsec explaining how his subnet project outperformed Fable 5 in website vulnerability checks. Guests: Anders Forslund on X: https://x.com/AndersForslund1?s=2 Heart Aerospace: https://www.heartaerospace.com/ John Yu on X: https://x.com/yubrew Bitsec: https://sentios.io/ & https://sentios.io/ Relevant Links: MicroDuck: https://pollen-robotics.com/microduck/ Dwarkesh Patel, "The Rise and Fall of Agent Civilizations," https://www.dwarkesh.com/p/openai-huggingface Dwarkesh's launch thread on X: https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp/status/2093833419377815719 METR's independent investigation of the OpenAI/Hugging Face incident: https://metr.org/blog/2026-08-26-openai-hugging-face-incident-investigation/ X1 first flight announcement — https://www.heartaerospace.com/newsroom/heart-aerospace-completes-first-flight-of-world-s-largest-electric-aircraft JSX (JetSuiteX) — https://www.jsx.com/ Pilatus PC-12 —https://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/en/fly/pc-12 Surf Air — https://www.surfair.com/ Zcash → https://z.cash/ Timestamps: 0:00 Is Hugging Face's Microduck the greatest side quest ever? 5:31 Jason puts Clem Delangue and Jensen Huang in charge of AI PR 11:20 Northwest Registered Agent - Got a new business idea? Northwest Registered Agent helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more - with no purchase required! Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain 18:55 Top story: Dwarkesh Patel's "The Rise and Fall of Agent Civilizations" 19:22 Why agents act like people: they were trained on us 19:30 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/withyou 21:49 "I know good PR when I see it" 23:11 The prompt Jason says OpenAI should have written instead 26:44 The data center backlash and the politicians who will flip 30:07 Rippling - Don't settle for AI that's all talk. Head to https://Rippling.ai/twist to get the only AI built to give you full visibility across your startup and take complex actions across your entire business. 33:19 Guest: Anders Forslund, Heart Aerospace, and the X1's first flight 39:40 Turboprops vs. jets and the regional routes America lost 42:33 JSX, Santa Monica Airport, and 5,000 underused airports 44:54 Why Boeing won't build this: the innovator's dilemma 53:14 Guest: John Yu, Bitsec — Bittensor Subnet 60 55:01 How the subnet works: miners, validators, $10K a day 57:17 Bitsec vs. a frontier model: 160+ vulnerabilities to 60 59:37 Was the agent civilization story a pre-IPO PR play? 1:05:10 Sentios.io and continuous coverage 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: DigitalOcean https://do.co/twist Every.io https://every.io PayPal https://paypal.launch.co Today's show: *Nvidia agreed to buy Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, just days after quietly licensing Poolside's coding model for $6 billion+. On TWiST, Jason lays out why this is actually the biggest AI story of the year. Nvidia plans to offer enterprises unmetered, unlimited on-prem compute, pulling them away from reliance on Anthropic and OpenAI's frontier models and products. PLUS we're chatting with Halter founder & CEO Craig Piggott about how his company helps farmers optimize their land use via solar-powered AI-driven cattle collars. AND Hop Aero CEO and co-founder Matija Milenovic shows us Rook, his autonomous hypersonic cargo rocket that can launch from a shipping container and deliver cargo up to 450 miles away in about 15 minutes. Finally, Jason and Lon explain why you never post Slop on the timeline. Guests: Craig Piggott on X: https://x.com/craig_piggott Halter: https://www.halterhq.com/ Matija Milenovic on X: https://x.com/mat_milenovic Hop Aero: https://hopaero.com/ Relevant Links: OpenAI Open Letter: https://openai.com/collective-cyberdefense/ OpenAI Hugging Face report: https://openai.com/index/hugging-face-incident-and-the-road-ahead/ OpenAI Jalapeño report: https://openai.com/index/jalapeno-first-results/ Dario Amodei-Gavin Baker tweet thread: https://x.com/DarioAmodei/status/2088758816376807762 TechCrunch: Nvidia-Hugging Face deal: https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/26/nvidia-closes-in-on-hugging-face-acquisition/ TechCrunch coverage of Halter: https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/04/unpacking-peter-thiels-big-bet-on-solar-powered-cow-collars/ Dealroom: Sir Peter Back on Rocket Lab: https://app.dealroom.co/news/note/sir-peter-beck-on-rocket-lab-s-no-money-so-we-have-to-think-playbook-from-a-60k-new-zealand-start-up-to-an-end-to-end-space-company WSJ: Druckenmiller op-ed: "Let the Bond Market Speak": https://www.wsj.com/opinion/let-the-bond-market-speak-81529d74 NOTUS: Druckenmiller's WSJ op-ed was written with AI: https://www.notus.org/media/stanley-druckenmillers-wsj-op-ed-bessent-ai WaPo: Wall Street Journal defends Druckenmiller op-ed: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/08/25/wall-street-journal-says-ai-generated-op-ed-didnt-breach-its-standards/ Photon Matrix Laser Mosquito Killer: https://photonmatrixlab.com/ "The Wizard of the Kremlin" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ctYp3zQVA "King & Conqueror" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anS9xQEPTsU "Lanterns" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UIBOsuUwc4 "Rebel Ridge" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF3gZicntIw Alpaka Bravo Sling Max 2 bag: https://alpakagear.com/products/bravo-sling-max-v2 No Agenda podcast: https://www.noagendashow.net/ THR: John C. Dvorak obit: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/john-dvorak-dead-tech-journalist-no-agenda-inside-track-1236657317/ Timestamps: 0:00 The 100+ company open letter on cyberdefense 9:48 DigitalOcean - Want to see what building on a true AI-native platform looks like? Head to https://do.co/twist to start building on DigitalOcean's AI-Native Cloud today — and cut your AI workload costs by up to 50%. 16:46 Why some models are "unsafe at any latency" 19:44 Craig Piggott of Halter joins the show 21:03 Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit https://every.io 26:09 How do you add cows to Starlink? 31:26 PayPal - Pay zero processing fees on your first $100K in eligible PayPal payment volume. Learn more at https://paypal.launch.co 47:52 Founder-led hyper-local sales motion 53:15 Remember John C. Dvorak 58:27 Matija Milenovic of Hop Aero joins 59:53 Sending out autonomous swarms in the Indo-Pacific 1:11:26 Nvidia's mega-Hugging Face deal 1:16:32 Nvidia's "unmetered" play against Anthropic and OpenAI 1:29:47 How letting AI write for you is like lip syncing 1:33:44 Laser-guided mosquito defense system 1:36:32 Lon's streaming picks 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 Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Lightfield https://lightfield.app Northwest Registered Agent https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain Rippling https://Rippling.ai/twist Today's show: *Bill Gates dropped a 6,000 word warning: AI will be "the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst sort of injustice." The Microsoft icon has an AI agenda for the US: new national institutions, AI use taxes, and jobs legally reserved for humans only. Our VC roundtable guests — Sheel Mohnot (Better Tomorrow Ventures), Dave McClure (Practical Venture Capital), and Hussein Kanji — push back hard. Is taxing profits a better fix for AI taking jobs than taxing the tokens themselves? PLUS: Meta's $17B kids safety settlement… does it go far enough? Why does Stripe want OpenRouter? A peek at the VC's actual portfolio mark-ups. AND begun, the AI agent wars have. Our panel chooses between OpenClaw, Instinct, and Grok Bot. Guests Sheel Mohnot on X: https://x.com/pitdesi Better Tomorrow Ventures: https://www.btv.vc/ Dave McClure on X: https://x.com/davemcclure Practical Venture Capital: https://practicalvc.com/ Hussein Kanji on X: https://x.com/hkanji Hoxton Ventures: https://hoxtonventures.com/ Relevant Links GatesNotes: "The turbulent AI era is here": https://www.gatesnotes.com/a-turbulent-ai-era-and-critical-choices-to-make NPR: Meta settlement coverage: https://www.npr.org/2026/08/26/nx-s1-5944781/meta-settlement-child-safety-lawsuit TechCrunch: Stripe agrees to buy OpenRouter: https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/16/stripe-will-reportedly-acquire-ai-gateway-startup-openrouter-for-7b/ Skild AI S1 Demo: https://www.skild.ai/blogs/s1 Instinct AI agent (waitlist): https://instinct.co/ TechCrunch: Instinct coverage: https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/24/instincts-powerful-ai-assistant-is-raising-privacy-and-security-concerns/ CNBC: OpenAI CFO says IPO is coming in 2027: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/19/open-ai-ipo-timing-2027-friar.html Basis: https://www.getbasis.ai/ TaxGPT: https://www.taxgpt.com/ Cusp AI: https://cusp.ai/ Abacus: https://goabacus.co/ Micro1: https://www.micro1.ai/ Mottu: https://mottu.com.br/ EquityBee: https://equitybee.com/ Kiva: https://www.kiva.org/ Timestamps: 0:00 It's Hussein's first time on the VC Roundtable! 2:09 Gates says "turbulent era" for AI is here 8:56 Microloans, Kiva, and "universal basic income" 9:23 Thanks to our partner, Lightfield, the AI-native CRM that updates itself, so you never have to! Try it for free at https://lightfield.app 13:00 Why sole proprietorships may be AI's biggest beneficiary 20:29 Got a new business idea? Northwest helps you bring it to life. Get a free domain, email, phone number, and more, with no purchase required! Learn more at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistdomain 21:00 Should the gov't take a stake in AI labs? 30:24 Thanks to our partners at Rippling! Head to https://Rippling.ai/twist to get the only AI built to give you full visibility across your startup and take complex actions across your entire business. 32:44 Meta's $17.1B settlement 45:14 Is anything still fundable outside of AI? 46:29 Stripe and SpaceX deals 55:54 Skild AI's pancake flipping demo 59:49 Sheel's Hottest Takes 1:04:37 Dave's Charts 1:09:07 Who loses money when there are no IPOs? 1:16:49 The Agent Wars heat up 1:24:56 Everyone's favorite 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 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: (0:00) PARTNER - AD BLURB (0:00) PARTNER - AD BLURB (0:00) PARTNER - AD BLURB Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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