Jason Calacanis covers startups, tech, markets, media, and all the hottest topics in business and technology. He also interviews the world’s greatest founders, operators, investors, and innovators.
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This Week in Startups - Audio podcast is a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts looking to gain insights, advice, and inspiration. As someone from the UK, I am thrilled to have found this podcast as it offers a unique perspective and stories that are not readily available in my local market. The podcast covers a wide range of topics, from raising funds to scaling a business, and even includes episodes on niche subjects like taking a gravity powered truck public. The host, Jason, is widely regarded as the best in the industry and his interviews with guests are packed with empowering insights, actionable takeaways, and engaging explanations of core strategies. Overall, This Week in Startups is the blueprint for many entrepreneurial podcasts and an invaluable resource for anyone interested in startups.
One of the best aspects of This Week in Startups is the caliber of guests that Jason brings onto the show. He has some of the smartest people in the private market share their advice, knowledge, and expertise in a casual yet intellectually stimulating manner. Each episode provides a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders and gain practical insights that can be applied to your own startup journey. Additionally, Jason creates an environment where his guests feel comfortable being candid and informal, which makes for interesting conversations.
While This Week in Startups offers great content overall, there are some aspects that could be improved upon. Some listeners may find Jason's assertiveness and occasional arrogance off-putting. However, it is important to remember that he has been through his fair share of struggles and successes and brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Additionally, there have been comments about repetitive recurring bits on the show. While these might become tiresome for some listeners, they do not detract from the overall quality of the podcast.
In conclusion, This Week in Startups - Audio podcast is an informative and interesting resource for entrepreneurs looking to educate themselves on startups and entrepreneurship. Jason's expertise and genuine passion for the industry shine through each episode, making it a must-listen for anyone in the startup world. The podcast offers valuable insights, practical advice, and entertaining conversations that keep listeners engaged and motivated. Despite some minor flaws, This Week in Startups remains one of the best podcasts available in the entrepreneurial space.
Today's show:On a special edition of TWiST, Alex presents a trio of TWiST 500 interviews.First up, Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine on the company's new Really Simple Licensing (or RSL) initiative, and how it's helping to compensate writers for their content.THEN, Human Native CEO Dr. James Smith joins for an even deeper dive on AI licensing, why a writer's content isn't just DATA to them, and why the company is pivoting away from its old marketplace model.FINALLY, Jason Marks of TELO Trucks stops by to show off his EV mini-truck, walk us through why people need a powerful but tiny truck, and explain why they're building trucks right here in the US of A.Timestamps:(0:00) Intro: It's a trio of TWiST 500 interviews today!(02:57) Alex chats with Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine(04:54) Why Medium's more worried about HIDING from AI than anything else(10:24) Nexos.ai. Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at nexos.ai/twist.(11:27) Show Continues…(15:02) What is RSL and why aren't AI companies offering publishers a good value?(19:58) Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist.(20:59) Show Continues…(22:03) How Medium calculates its revenue split with writers(26:57) Alex welcomes Human Native CEO/founder Dr. James Smith.(27:34) Writers see their content as their life's work, but tech co's just see DATA(30:01) DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to DevStats.com/twist(31:06) Show Continues…(33:01) Why H.N. is pivoting away from licensing and the marketplace model(47:23) TELO Trucks CEO Jason Marks joins the show(48:25) What is a “mini-truck” and why they're TELO's focus(52:28) Why TELO is building their EV trucks right here in the US(54:42) Why towing capacity still matters, even on a mini-truckSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:Nexos.ai. Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at nexos.ai/twist.Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist.DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to DevStats.com/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:There are new LAUNCH Accelerator and Founder U cohorts this week, and Jason's running down some of his favorite new startups.PLUS Alphabet is the latest member of the $3T club, why Eric Schmidt was SO RIGHT about remote work, Robinhood is opening up private companies to more investors, Polymarket adds earnings reports, how Jason wagered on The Emmys this year, and MORE!Timestamps:(0:00) It's kickoff day for LAUNCH Accelerator 35 AND Founder University!(02:32) Let's talk about some new companies. Jason runs down the LA35 line-up and why he's excited about these awesome startups.(10:33) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(11:57) Show Continues…(19:50) Squarespace - Turn your idea into a beautiful website! Go to http://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you're ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.(21:05) Show Continues…(27:43) Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers and get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(28:58) Looking back at Jason's solar energy rematch vs. Energy Sec. Chris Wright.(31:23) Why Jason thinks solar power (+nuclear) is the future.(41:03) Why Alphabet is the latest member of the $3 trillion market cap club.(46:40) Jason says Eric Schmidt was right about work from home culture(48:51) How Robinhood is giving everyday investors access to private companies(51:44) Polymarket introduces prediction markets for corporate earnings.(53:58) Why Jason loves prediction markets… and how he gambled on the Emmys this year.Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twistSquarespace - Turn your idea into a beautiful website! Go to http://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you're ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers and get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:On Friday's TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon look back at some highlights from this week's big All-In Summit in Los Angeles, including a fiery, no holds barred presentation from Palantir CEO Alex Karp, Elon Musk delving into the key challenges facing Optimus, and Tucker Carlson debating Mark Cuban on Ukraine. PLUS… why schools may start blocking social media apps, the FTC's new investigation into social chatbots, AND omnidirectional Zoox robotaxis are headed to Las Vegas.Timestamps:Welcome back to TWiST!(1:52) Jason's thoughts on the killing of Charlie Kirk(10:34) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(10:52) Show Continues …(12:15) Reacting to All-In Summit highlights (Elon Musk, Alex Karp, Tucker Carlson, Mark Cuban)(21:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(22:18) Show Continues …(26:09) Palantir, Alex Karp, and debate dynamics(31:03) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist(32:13) Show Continues …(45:03) How the internet used AI tools to make sense of Charlie Kirk's death(56:22) Why Jason thinks it's smart to block social media during school hours(1:03:43) The FTC chatbot investigation leaves out Anthropic's Claude… here's why(1:13:27) Zoox robotaxis make their Vegas debut… Here's how they're different from Waymo(1:19:38) Are Tesla robotaxis headed for CA soon? Polymarket says… maybe(1:27:21) Closing remarks and banterSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWISTAWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/creditsPublic - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Jason sits down with Wilson Sonsini partner Chris Paniewski for a special Startup Legal Basics on one of the thorniest questions in tech right now: how copyright law applies to AI training data.Chris has worked on some of the biggest AI deals ever — including Scale AI's $14B+ partnership with Meta and OpenAI's $6.5B acquisition of Jony Ive's design studio — and brings practical, on-the-ground insights from advising leading AI companies.In this episode, Jason and Chris cover:Why AI copyright law is unsettled and will take years to shake outThe difference between training data and output in legal termsHow “fair use” really works (and why it's a defense, not a permission slip)The risks of scraping vs. licensing, and why open source ≠ free useHow investors are diligencing AI startups around training dataWhy startups must think differently once they're funded vs. hacking in a dorm roomWhether you're building an AI product, investing in one, or just trying to understand where the law is headed, this conversation breaks down the real legal risks every founder should know.Timestamps:(0:00) Jason introduces the Startup Legal Basics series & Chris Paniewski(1:25) Why AI copyright law is unsettled(3:40) Training data: scraping vs. licensing(6:05) Open web ≠ open license; pitfalls around terms of service(8:15) Investor diligence & risks around training data(11:00) Open source & Creative Commons: common founder mistakes(13:25) “Fair use” explained: the four-part test(15:45) Why most disputes never make it to case lawCheck Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.comCheck out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basicsFollow Chris:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-paniewski-09331a59/Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Today's show:In this founder-focused episode of This Week in Startups, we sit down with Republic's Kendrick Nguyen to learn more about the company's efforts to make the private markets accessible to the common investor. Best known for its work in equity crowdfunding, the Valor-backed startup now offers access to secondary shares, tokenized assets, and much more. Following, TWiST spoke with Positron CEO Mitesh Agrawal to learn more about his company's inference-focused AI compute hardware. Related to fellow TWiST500 company Etched, Positron is building custom chips to take on the computing work required to deliver your AI query results faster and with less power draw than what GPUs can offer. With AI inference compute demand rising, the fellow Valor-backed startup has even more powerful systems coming to market in 2026 that have our hopes up that the AI cost curve can continue to point downward.Timestamps:0:00 - A future with more efficient and accessible intelligence0:41, the following sponsors are mentioned: AlphaSense, Vanta, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure1:26 - Introduction to the episode and the two featured companies, Republic and Positron2:43 - The history and purpose of Republic, a financial crowdfunding platform5:39 - Discussion of the current state and growth of equity crowdfunding9:19 - Kendrick Nguyen explains Republic's role as a financial infrastructure company, not a competitor to venture capital firms11:17 - Sponsor: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure12:25 - Republic's different products, Republic Capital and Republic Venture, are explained14:00 - The challenges and progress of secondary trading for non-accredited investors20:14 - Sponsor: Vanta21:21 - The concept of a unified "e-finance" infrastructure is introduced25:45 - Positron CEO Mitesh Agarwal discusses the future of AI chips and the limitations of current GPUs for inference workloads31:12 - Sponsor: AlphaSense32:22 - Discussion on the inefficiency of GPUs for inference and how Positron's Atlas system addresses it38:30 - Positron's strategy of using their Atlas system to prove their technology and generate revenue42:51 - The market shift from AI training to inference and the future of Positron's chips51:14 - The confidence in Positron's capital efficiency and their ability to compete with NVIDIA52:47 - Positron's focus on linear algebra acceleration rather than just transformersSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:04) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(21:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(31:43) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:In this TWiST founder triple-shot, Alex digs into the real-world rollout of AI agents: Paid.ai's Manny Medina explains agent economics and value-based pricing, iTruckr's Camilo Ramirez shows agents booking loads and coordinating drivers, and Tenax's Elise Myrans demos computer vision + drones that score a single home's wildfire/flood risk for smarter underwriting—plus live office-hours on winning enterprise pilots without getting stuck in PoC purgatory.Timestamps:(00:00) Brainstorming hacks for sales cycles in regulated industries — castles, moats & alligators!(03:50) Meet Paid.ai: tracking costs & monetization for AI agents(04:35) Paid.ai's Manny Medina on the “year of agents” & early enterprise traction(09:04) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(11:06) The tough economics of AI agents vs SaaS — margins squeezed by tokens(18:20) How Paid.ai gets granular: tracking signals & agent activity with OpenTelemetry(21:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(29:16) Enter iTruckr: Camilo Ramirez brings AI dispatch to the freight industry(31:43) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(39:02) Scaling from small fleets to mid-sized trucking companies — lessons from AI Trucker(55:59) Tenax ai helps homeowners & insurers manage wildfire, flood & climate riskSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:04) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(21:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(31:43) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Jason heard Lina Khan on The Bulwark and got a little fired up.Plus Google doesn't have to invest in Chrome… or basically do much of anything… Atlassian picked up not just any browser company but THE Browser Company… Follow-up thoughts on that MIT “companies aren't using AI” study… AND Jason's “two stock markets” theory. It's a can't-miss Friday TWiST.Timestamps:(00:00) Sony responds to Kpop Demon Hunters success… but Jason's not buying it!(10:44) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(11:10) Jason heard Lina Khan on The Bulwark and he has THOUGHTS(12:40) Google doesn't have to divest Chrome! So what ARE the remedies?(18:31) Atlassian's buying a browser company? Which one? THE Browser Company.(20:57) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(21:22) When early DPI is better than NO DPI.(26:58) AI that helps you GET a job?! What a twist!(29:46) Jason and Alex have questions about that MIT AI study…(30:57) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(32:07) More Browser News! Why Jason's bullish on Brave.(35:10) Perplexed by “Perplexity”: Jason's rules for domain names(39:54) The path is cleared for Polymarket's return to the US(47:06) Jason's “Two Stock Markets” theory(53:02) Mistral looking to raise 2 billion… euro!(56:08) Jason's political philosophy: More joy and happiness(59:18) Stripe's new stablecoin blockchain has no native token! So what's it for?(01:04:12) Jason's tips for lowering your churn rate(01:11:56) How to use Reddit to uncover pain pointsSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:44) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(20:57) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(30:57) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw returns to Startup Legal Basics with Jason. This time, they dive into the “have” companies — the breakout startups with multiple term sheets, competitive valuations, and unusual deal terms.From founder voting proxies to mandatory follow-on investment clauses, Becki breaks down the creative “off-menu” structures showing up in today's financings, and what founders and investors need to watch for.Whether you're a founder navigating investor FOMO or a VC competing to get on the best cap tables, this conversation will give you insight into the new rules of the game.*Timestamps:(0:00) Jason welcomes Becki back to Startup Legal Basics(0:32) The “haves” vs. “have-nots” in today's startup market(1:28) Creative legal structures: the “off-menu” items(4:19) Travis' Uber favor & modern founder asks(7:05) Rise of secondaries & unusual board structures(11:22) Mandatory follow-on investment clauses in seed rounds?(14:13) Crypto's resurgence and legal implications(15:55) The decline of proper diligence in hot deals*Check Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.comCheck out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics*Follow Becki:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Today's show:Jason and Alex are joined by Nuro's Dave Ferguson to unpack the Lucid–Uber–Nuro deal aiming to launch fully driverless Gravity SUVs on Uber by 2026. They dig into why off-the-shelf sensors and Nvidia's Thor chip drive costs down, how mapping 150 cities improves safety, and why lidar still matters for night and edge cases. Plus: lessons from Cruise's collapse, how regulators think about safety multiples, and why autonomy could finally make rides cheaper than owning a car.Timestamps:(00:00) Show intro…(06:23) Uber x Lucid x Nuro: why this 2026 robotaxi deal matters(09:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(11:13) What the self-driving “cost stack” really looks like in 2025(14:08) Road-mapping at scale: Nuro's 150-city data collection push(15:38) Can AVs handle snow & rain? Weather rollout and Uber Black positioning(20:05) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:07) Show Continues…(24:24) Probabilistic vs. deterministic driving models — and the DARPA roots(30:08) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups.(31:08) Show Continues…(35:38) Post-Cruise reality check: transparency, regulators & trustSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(20:05) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:08) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Find out why it's important to “get curious,” and more deep founder insights on a new TWiST.Jason and Alex are back with a look at Robot vs. Human violence spilling out into the streets, Elon Musk's vision for humanoid robots, and a reconsideration of Apple's open-source AI models. Is the hardware giant not getting enough credit for its smaller-scale innovations?Plus Grok has another hit model, AND a chat with Scale Social founder Runbin Dong about the importance of knowing your worth.Timestamps:(0:00) Robot vs. Human violence in the streets! Is anti-clanker behavior inevitable?(05:13) Producer Claude's company Anthropic is growing FAST, raising BIG money(09:21) More on why Jason is convinced Tesla's Optimus robots are the future(10:35) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST(11:50) Show Continues…(20:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(21:19) Show Continues…(23:31) Ask Jason: Should you get a ticket for messing with an autonomous vehicle?(27:04) Is Apple not getting enough credit for its open-source AI models?(30:30) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(31:55) Show Continues…(38:08) Grok has another hit AI model… how can anyone even keep track of this?!(40:27) Runbin Dong of Scale Social stops by from ICELAND(42:54) How Runbin's job delivering homemade dumplings inspired his startup(47:05) Why founders need to know their WORTH when pricing their products(59:21) Jason's advice for companies that are creating their own categorySubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:35) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST(20:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(30:30) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/creditsGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:*“KPop Demon Hunters” is one of the year's biggest smashes… AFTER Sony sold it off to Netflix for cheap! Hear about what went wrong with one of the year's worst deals…PLUS Grok is counting on SPEED to help it outpace rivals… How Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) ran into trouble on the podcast circuit… Nvidia's big earnings report, and why everyone is watching that company in particular SO closely… PLUS a new Polymarket predicting the future of OpenAI!Timestamps:(0:00) How Sony missed out on “Kpop Demon Hunters”(10:15) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(11:20) Show continues…(13:59) Why some politicians struggle so much on podcasts(19:30) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(20:53) Show continues…(30:24) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist(31:37) Grok is relying on SPEED to outpace rivals… and it's working(41:23) Are AI companies playing a mega-budget game of chicken?(42:31) Why everyone's watching Nvidia's earnings so closely(47:50) Jason says he'll NEVER go back to a non-AI browser(53:32) Polymarket: Is OpenAI going to release their own browser?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:15) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(19:30) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(30:24) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twistReady to level up your AI collaborations?Head to www.claude.ai/twistYou can't do everything we're doing without a paid plan…But TWiST listeners get 50% off their first three months of Claude Pro.Just go to Claude dot AI Slash TWiST to get started.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw returns to Startup Legal Basics with Jason to break down what's happening in today's startup market. From excess dry powder on the VC side to companies struggling to “grow into” their valuations, Becki shares what founders need to know about deal terms, pay-to-play provisions, and the shift from the 2021 heyday to today's more structured environment.Why down rounds and structured deals are becoming more commonHow “pay-to-play” works (and why it's showing up so often now)The psychology of VCs vs. founders during tough fundraisesWhat the M&A landscape really looks like in 2025Legal provisions investors are using to protect themselves in today's talent warsWhether you're a founder preparing for your next round or an investor navigating tougher terms, this conversation will help you understand the new realities of startup fundraising.*Timestamps:(0:00) Becki DeGraw joins Jason for Startup Legal Basics(1:12) The “perfect storm” shaping today's startup market(4:30) Companies struggling to grow into 2021 valuations(6:31) Why down rounds and structured deals are rising(8:59) Pay-to-play explained: what happens if investors don't participate(15:43) The mid-market M&A wave vs. big tech acquisitions(20:37) Talent wars, acqui-hires, and protective legal provisions*Check Out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.comCheck out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics*Follow Becki:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Today's show:On a brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex are asking why there are SO MANY note-taking AI apps?Plus another death has been linked to ChatGPT… is it too easy to get past chatbot guardrails? Why Donald Trump Jr. is joining Polymarket…. How the US Navy could catch up with its international rivals… AND should Apple just buy a big AI company to help them catch up?All that PLUS a visit from Colin Russ, whose viral H1B Visa thread might just inspire Jason to reach out to his good friend, Vice President JD Vance. Check out the full episode!Timestamps:(0:00) Intro, Jason's checking out Notion's new AI note taking app… is it time to cancel Granola?(06:57) How Google Gemini's new 2.5 Flash Image tool (formerly known as “nano-banana”) could change advertising(10:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(11:40) Show Continues…(17:50) Another death linked to ChatGPT… is it too easy to get around AI chatbot guardrails?(19:26) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(20:34) Show Continues…(28:10) Donald Trump Jr. invests in Polymarket and joins the board…(29:45) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:49) Show Continues…(33:30) How Jason thinks the US Navy could catch up with China and other rivals, with help from startups(40:01) Do Jason and Alex think Apple might REALLY buy a big, expensive AI company? Would that be admitting defeat?(45:57) Colin Russ (@ThaaatColin) tells us about his viral X thread and why he's worried about H1B visa fraud(55:32) Jason's solution for the H1B system, and a message for VP Vance.(01:08:25) Jason responds to Kara Swisher, who accused him sucking up to power(01:19:07) Jason responds to his old pal Sam Harris, who thinks he's loyal to the wrong peopleSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(19:26) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(29:45) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:On an upbeat and optimistic new TWiST, Jason and Alex are debating why any new innovation or technology gets hit with a wave of bitter cynicism.PLUS Jason defends the government taking shares of Intel, explains the importance of interoperability, and predicts how AirBnB's Joe Gebbia will upgrade the US government's website design.All that PLUS thoughts on the Netskope IPO, Perplexity offering publishers actual revenue share, a deep dive on the new AI-based PAC, thoughts on open-source LLMs, and much much much more.Timestamps:(0:00) Cynicism vs. Optimism and why Jason thinks cynics go after any interesting new technology(10:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(11:04) Show Continues…(14:37) Why Jason supports the Intel deal but worries it will become a trend(20:46) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(22:00) Show Continues…(27:02) Is it hypocritical to oppose socialist grocery stores but support the Intel deal? Jason says NO.(29:41) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(30:58) What does xAI hope to get out of this OpenAI/Apple lawsuit? Jason and Alex theorize…(39:12) Why Jason thinks interoperability is so important and how App Stores OUGHT to work(41:12) How AirBnB's Joe Gebbia could potentially upgrade the US government's websites(49:27) What does Netskope do exactly? SASE?! Producer Claude explains…(58:32) Alex and Jason celebrate Perplexity rev sharing with publishers(01:10:02) Jason's thoughts on the Leading the Future PAC, and US AI policySubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(20:46) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(29:41) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWISTGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Terra's collapse, Powell's pivot, and OpenAI's explosive growth all collide in this TWiST deep dive.Do Kwon has pled guilty after Terra/Luna's $60B implosion, Fed Chair Powell hints at a September rate cut, and OpenAI has officially crossed $1B in monthly revenue (on a $12B run rate). Jason and Alex unpack what this means for founders, LPs, and the next wave of AI + crypto.They also cover Canva's $42B comeback, Anthropic's doubled $10B fundraise, and the brewing battle between Figma & Canva.Plus: Uber, Nuro & Lucid's $6B robotaxi push — and why drivers are already protesting in Wuhan & Boston.#Startups #Crypto #AI #VentureCapital #OpenAI #Anthropic #Canva #Figma #ThisWeekInStartupsTimestamps:(0:00) INTRO(01:15) Fed rate cut signals & market reaction(05:36) Jason's $400K in new fund bets(10:25) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how!(11:30) Show Continues…(16:22) Do Kwon & the Terra/Luna collapse(20:22) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.(21:23) Show Continues…(29:43) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist(30:55) Show Continues…(36:14) OpenAI's $1B/month revenue run rate(42:13) Anthropic's $10B round & AI market sizing(51:31) Canva's $42B valuation & Figma comparisonSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:25) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how!(20:22) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.(29:43) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:In this TWiST 500 double feature, Alex sits down with two breakout founders: Chalk's Marc Freed-Finnegan & Tollbit's Toshit Panigrahi!First, Chalk's CEO Marc Freed-Finnegan is tackling one of AI's biggest bottlenecks—data freshness. Instead of relying on stale batch jobs, Chalk delivers real-time pipelines for inference compute, automatically transpiling Python into C++/Rust so it can run blazing fast in production. Investors are calling it the ‘next Databricks'—and after hearing this convo, you'll see why.Then, Tollbit's CEO Toshit Panigrahi returns after raising a $24M Series A and signing up 1,400+ publishers. With RAG traffic exploding and robots.txt losing its teeth, their ‘bot paywall' could reshape how AI agents pay for the content they consume. Are we heading for a Spotify moment for data licensing?A must-watch if you care about the economics of AI, from data pipelines to publisher monetization.Timestamps:(0:00) Intro + sponsors(1:03) Alex tees up two Twist 500 interviews: Chalk & Tolbert(2:47) Why AI is shifting from training compute to inference compute(4:41) Data freshness & real-time inference explained(10:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:00) How Chalk transpiles Python into C++/Rust for speed(18:52) Chalk's business model, margins & $500M valuation(20:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(21:24) Show Continues…(28:02) Tollbit returns: $24M Series A & the rise of RAG bot traffic(30:37) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(31:41) Show Continues…(36:53) Robots.txt losing relevance & the case for bot paywalls(39:19)Publishers, AI agents & the future economics of the webSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(30:37) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
In this AI Basics episode, Jason sits down with Matt Rouif, Co-founder & CEO of Photoroom — the AI photo editing app with 300M+ downloads and 5B images processed annually.They break down:Why Photoroom built its own specialized AI modelsHow they grew from a scrappy startup to $50M+ in revenueLessons in product-led growth (from eBay sellers to DoorDash & Amazon)Red-teaming, brand safety, and building trust in AI imageryThe future of personalized ads, content, and designThis one is a masterclass for founders, operators, and builders.Timestamps:(0:00) Matt Rouif joins Jason to discuss AI Basics.(0:45) Meet Matt Rouif: Photoroom's $50M+ AI photo startup(3:15) Live demo: background removal + virtual try-on(7:40) From indie sellers to DoorDash & Amazon(12:20) The “Barbie Movie” API moment(17:05) Red-teaming AI: trust, safety & brand protection(22:10) Running a 100-person AI startup(26:30) The future of personalized ads (put you in the ad?)Explore Further:Google Cloud's Report: The Future of AIGet insights from 23 leading experts on how startups can leverage AI for real business impact.
Today's show:We're back with two insightful new TWiST founder interviews.First up: Dean Leitersdorf of Decart tells us about squeezing maximum productivity out of your GPUs. But it's not all talk: he also shows us the incredible open world model that can magically transform live footage.THEN! Jason and Alex chat with Syncere AI founder Aaron Tan about Lume, his robotic lamp device that went viral for folding laundry. Hear why Aaron thinks the future of robotics is not necessarily humanoid, and all about his future plans for the Lume arms.Timestamps:(0:00) Alex introduces our TwiST 500 interviews(02:27) TWiST 500 Interview #1: Dean Leitersdorf, CEO and Founder of Decart(04:37) Setting out to build a “kilo-corn,” a trillion dollar company(06:27) How making AI much faster opens up a world of new opportunities(09:48) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(11:00) Why Dean thinks chatbots are the interface of the future(17:24) How Decart builds and trains its models more efficiently (and for less money)(20:01) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(21:14) Show Continues…(24:36) Interview #2: Aaron Tan of Syncere AI(25:13) Behind-the-scenes of that viral Lume “robot lamp folding laundry” video(30:23) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups.(31:25) Moving beyond laundry: what else these Lume robots do?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:48) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(20:01) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(30:23) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
It's a Friday TWiST and Jason and Alex are FIRED UP about this internal Meta doc laying out appropriate vs. inappropriate AI behavior… You won't BELIEVE with what Zuck approves for 8-year-old users.PLUS… AI job displacement is HERE, at least in the Big Apple… Jason's getting kind of paranoid about the surveillance state… AI remains frothier than ever through new Cohere and Cognition rounds… and why we're dubious that Sam Altman REALLY plans to spend $1 trillion on OpenAI data centers.It's all happening on a brand-new This Week in Startups. Give it a click!Timestamps:(0:00) Intro - How Opendoor became a meme stock(06:58) When companies have less value than cash on hand… what gives?(10:23) - (11:24) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist(19:13) New York's not adding jobs… Jason and Alex dig in and offer some theories.(20:25) - (21:30) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(26:56) AI job displacement is HERE and it's happening, folks…(30:05) Why Jason predicts unemployment will be 20% higher 1 year from today… add it to the TWiST Calendar(30:24) - (31:37) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist(33:02) Wait, Meta AI is having “sensual” chats with children? WHY?(40:00) Will there be fallout to the Meta exposé? Legal? Staffing? Otherwise?(47:47) AI remains frothier than ever with new Cohere and Cognition rounds.(52:33) Sam Altman says he's going to spend $1 trillion on data centers… Jason's dubious.Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:23) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist(20:25) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:24) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:We're back with another all-star VC roundtable discussion.Joining Jason are Dave McClure of Practical VC, NVNG's Grady Buchanan, and Tomasz Tunguz of Theory VC. Together, they're having a deep insider discussion of the state of venture, secondary markets, running funds of funds, the legacy of Lina Khan, the difficulty of recruiting, and why the pendulum has potentially swung in founders' favor.Timestamps(0:00) INTRO, The origins of Practical VC and how secondary funds work.(05:44) So… how does Dave decide what to BUY?(09:27) Melanie - Companies are staying private longer… Is this good for fund managers?(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:18) Show Continues…(14:17) We've all heard about unicorns but… what about centaurs?!(16:19) Jacob - Are VC marks… bullsh*t?! How long until your LPs should see DPI? The panel debates.(17:22) Jacob - Is Jason too hard on Lina Khan? Dave says VCs created the problem!(20:07) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(21:30) Show Continues…(30:01) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(31:16) Show Continues…(31:34) When it's time to embed an expert into a struggling startup(34:15) How investing in SO MANY COMPANIES gave Dave a trove of data(40:33) Sometimes VCs have to be the “voice of reality”…(45:53) Are stock buybacks the best use of capital?(49:29) Jacob - The End of the ZIRP Era meets the Dawn of the AI Era(51:04) Why running your business on debt, not equity, requires tough choices(58:23) When you need to “take the medicine” on returns and live to fight another day.(01:11:17) Is Grady actively seeking managers that have shown a demonstrated ability to produce liquidity?(01:13:24) Dave says the pendulum has swung into founders' favor.(01:20:25) Dave teases his new secondary podcast, “Trading Places”!Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:07) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(30:01) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:On an all-new Monday TWiST, Lon joins Jason and Alex to talk about a whole bunch of stories at the intersection of tech, business, and pop culture.First up, is GPT Psychosis real? And if so, what are the warning signs that your loved ones have been ONESHOTTED.Then, why did Jason get so upset at the NY Times piece about Mark Zuckerberg's Palo Alto compound?PLUS we're discussing Trump's export fees on AMD and Nvidia, Jason's pitch for why the president should work more closely with Congress, a new tool in the search for rare-earth minerals, just how many self-driving trucks are on Chinese roads today, and much much more!Timestamps:(0:00) INTRO, Why Jason hated the NYT story about Mark Zuckerberg's compound.(09:54) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(11:14) Show continues…(19:54) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(21:01) Show continues…(27:25) GPT Psychosis: Is it real and how widespread is it?(29:13) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(30:16) Show continues…(45:45) What it means to get “One-Shotted”: is Sam Altman doing this on purpose?(53:56) Jason says working multiple jobs at once is STEALING… is that fair?(01:04:53) Are Trump's Chinese export fees for AMD and Nvidia a justified licensing process? Or a shakedown?(01:09:22) Jason's pitch for working closer with Congress, and why Alex has concerns about clarity(01:12:02) PolyMarket: Will tariffs generate >$250b in 2025?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:54) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(19:54) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(29:13) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Jason and Lon recorded a Thursday night special edition, so no Alex this time, but still lots to talk about.First up, Jason thinks it's time for Tim Apple to exit the stage in lieu of a product obsessive innovator. Speaking of new products, GPT-5 is here and the hosts are… not exactly blown away. Are we in the midst of the AI trough of despair?PLUS we're talking Ripple's acquisition of Rail, Donald Trump's new AI chatbot, Bumble's new direction, Airbnb's potential paths forward and MUCH MUCH MORE.Timestamps:(0:00) Why Jason thinks Apple lacks innovation (plus a look back at his 2019 thoughts)(08:54) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(09:54) Show continues…(20:10) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:18) Is GPT-5 coming for Lovable and Bolt?(29:42) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at AlphaSense.com/Twist.(30:55) Show continues…(35:05) Ripple buying Rail, and why sometimes regulations are GOOD for companies(43:28) Is Ripple about to become the MicroStrategy of XRP?(47:48) Truth Social AI is perplexing, powered by Perplexity(53:27) Should people be using ChatGPT for therapy? What do you think? How does that make you feel?(01:04:42) Anthropic's Dario Amodei recalls his greatest haters(01:11:04) Bumble but… for friendship?(01:12:20) DoorDash's crazy growth, and the guys discuss who should buy AirbnbSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(08:54) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(20:10) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(29:42) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at AlphaSense.com/Twist.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:It's a brand-new PACKED episode of TWiST. Jason and Alex welcome guest Zach Dive of Adam.new, to tell us why he made a deepfake AI ad starring Jason and the All-In besties.PLUS a rundown of the biggest tech and startup news of the day, including Disney's decision to sunset Hulu, OpenAI's new open-weight models, the Cloudflare vs. Perplexity feud, Uber's newly-announced stock buyback, China's Luckin Coffee coming to Manhattan, and much much more!Timestamps:(0:00) Luckin Coffee hits NYC… along with COMMUNISM?!(09:15) Is China taking on major American brands on PURPOSE?(10:16) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(11:29) Show Continues…(20:17) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(21:30) Show Continues…(26:02) RIP HULU: Why Disney is sunsetting the iconic app.(28:37) Nostracanis Returns: Jason's 2017 Disney vs. Netflix predictions came true(30:24) .TECH - Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(31:28) Show Continues…(35:39) Zach Dive of Adam.new joins to tell us about making a viral deepfake ad starring JCal and the Besties(44:10) Zach shares thoughts on AI and copyright, and why it's a problem for the “big dogs,” not him… yet(48:12) Jason wants to wet his beak… but is there room in the Adam.new seed round?(53:07)OpenAI's new models are open-WEIGHT; how that's different from open-source.(58:36) Do Nvidia and Apple devices NEED kill switches and backdoors? Why it's such a tough question.(01:02:10) GPT-5 arrives TOMORROW?!(01:03:31) Cloudflare vs. Perplexity… let them fight?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:16) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(20:17) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(30:24) .TECH - Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Jason and Alex are running down the biggest tech, startup, and business stories of the day on a brand-new Monday TWIST.Which countries are leading the AI race, based on academic papers? Why Jason thinks covert agencies are spying on Meta's superintelligence team. Lina Khan's taking a victory lap on the Figma IPO but what did she REALLY accomplish during her Biden administration tenure? PLUS, why we're bringing Founder University to the MENA region.All that and MORE on a packed episode! Find out why we're the #1 podcast for startups and founders.Timestamps:(0:00) Why Jason is attending more TV poker tournaments(4:02) Did you know Founder University is headed to MENA? Calling all Riyadh founders.(10:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:27) Show Continues…(19:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(21:01) Why Jason doesn't think Lina Khan deserves her Figma IPO victory lap.(23:17) Jason thinks Figma is overpriced: how quickly could a rival build a competitor?(27:53) For an investor, there's a huge difference between a home run and a GRAND SLAM.(30:42) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST(31:55) Show Continues…(40:59) Why Jason thinks covert agencies are spying on Meta's global Superintelligence Team…(50:43) Which countries are leading the AI race in terms of research? Producer Claude helps with the answer.(57:12) Fact-checking the viral BYD TikTok: can their self-driving cars really drive themselves off the ship?(59:52) Jason and Alex check out some of their dream carsSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:10:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:52) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(30:42) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWISTGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Alex is back with three more awesome interviews with founders on the bleeding edge of innovative tech.Dr. Hon Weng Chong walks us through the basics of biological computing and Cortical Labs' first-ever commercial computer running on living human cells.Turing founder Jonathan Siddarth unpacks the secrets of LLM benchmarking, and explains why even our most advanced tests need to get much much harder right away.Finally, Mercor founder Brendan Foody on how AI is about to reinvent the hiring process, and marrying the effectiveness of recruiters with the ease of online job boards.It's three — count 'em, three — can't miss TWiST interviews guaranteed to make you smarterTimestamps:(0:00) OpenAI's GPT-5: When is it coming out? Is it going to be TOO smart?(08:06) Cortical Labs' Hon Weng Chong on the electric connection between neuroscience and machine learning(10:20) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(11:27) Show Continues…(15:17) The extreme difficulty of going from the lab to a shippable product(20:00) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(21:05) Show Continues…(28:15) Why data is a factor of time(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(31:16) Show Continues…(42:44) Turing CEO Jonathan Siddarth explains why it's so important to keep benchmarking our LLMs(47:24) What it means when a model “saturates” a test, and why benchmarks need to get HARDER(50:22) What happens with the LLMs can answer all of our smartest questions?(53:44) AI Agents train in gyms? Wait, really?(01:01:33) Coding teaches models how to think, and more training mysteries don't understand(01:03:11) Brendan Foody from Mercor explains the “matching problem” that makes hiring such a pain(01:07:02) How Mercor combines a job board's distribution with the value of a recruitment agency(01:10:49) Brendan recalls building his first AI interviewer in his college dorm(01:20:16) Mercor has the opposite of a retention problem and crazy growthSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:20) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(20:00) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/creditsGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:It's another All Star Investor Panel! Jason and Alex welcome TrustFund VC founder Sophia Amoruso AND WeekendFund investor/Product Hunt founder Ryan Hoover.Together they're going DEEP on the current environment for startups, founders, and investors. How do tell durable from brittle revenue… Everyone's different approaches to follow-on investments and recycling… Strategies on when to trim a position… The benefits of hosting co-working events and jam sessions… And LOTS LOTS more!It's an essential watch for anyone building or investing in companies in 2025!Timestamps:(0:00) Introducing our amazing investor panel!(03:15) The panel shares their First Fund experiences(10:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:27) Show cont…(12:46) Where we're at on the investor Greed-Fear Index(13:54) The delicate art of investor discipline(20:47) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(21:59) Sophia's criteria for a follow-on investment(24:17) Founders are going direct on social media(29:35) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(30:49) Show cont…(32:33) Why we're seeing so many more Series Bs(33:30) So when do you trim a position?(39:35) There are SO MANY COMPANIES! Why surface area matters.(43:25) Durable vs. brittle revenue and how to tell them apart(46:15) When it's time to angel invest outside your fund(49:04) The panel's approaches to capital recycling(57:15) The benefits of co-working “jam sessions”Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:47) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(29:35) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.DISCLAIMER*All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use.Rate as of 7/18/25. APY is variable and subject to change.Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
Today's show:SYDNEY SWEENEY'S AMERICAN EAGLE AD DIVIDES OUR PANEL!PLUS WHAT STARTUPS CAN LEARN FROM THE VIRAL ASTRONOMER RESPONSEJason, Alex, and Lon are looking at some of the biggest media stories of the day before returning to their favorite topic, tech. Tune in for deep dives on IMAX's new AI film festival, Figma's big IPO and much more!*Timestamps:(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show!(3:45) Lon's joining Alex and Lon to discuss the controversial Sydney Sweeney genes/jeans ad(7:20) A look at the polarizing takes on this jeans ad.(10:10) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(11:46) Hear the verdict from Jason, self—proclaimed Chairman of the Interwebs(16:42) Alex points out the economic impact of the controversy(20:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(21:25) Back to the show!(26:35) Paltrow's Astronomer ad, meme-processing and the ideal way to change the conversation(30:04) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(31:28) Back to the show!(36:48) Netflix and the growing controversy around AI's role in filmmaking(42:53) IMAX/Runway collaboration and Hollywood's shifting attitude toward AI(47:34) Everything that went wrong with the Tea App(54:27) Why Jason thinks app stores should ban “anonymous” forms and message boards(1:04:19) Figma upped its IPO price… what does it mean for the return of liquidity? And is this too high or fairly priced?(1:07:53) Paul Graham says you shouldn't drop out of college to work on a startup… Why Thiel Fellows disagree*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Thank you to our partners:(10:10) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(20:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(30:04) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist*Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland*Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Jason's back and filling us in on his experiences in Washington DC, at the All-In AI Summit, including getting a Trump shoutout from stage, debating immigration with VP Vance, and calling out Sec. Wright for dismissing solar power.THEN Jason and Alex talk about the immense promise of open-source robotics and check out Hugging Face's Reachy…PLUS picking apart the White House's new AI-related executive orders, why Jason is afraid of China repeating its Huawei success, a free exchange about tariffs vs. free trade, AND a pressing query from a founder on Reddit: how bad is it to add AI to your product too early?Timestamps:(0:00) INTRO, Alex updates Jason about all this week's TWiST 500 interviews(03:33) Inside Jason's experiences at this week's All In AI Summit with POTUS!(05:33) Jason's back and forth on solar power with US Energy Sec. Chris Wright(09:56) Inbound - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at [https://www.inbound.com/register](https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31)(11:02) Promo end(16:54) Jason asks AMD CEO Lisa Su about reaching “superintelligence” and whether it could trigger an unemployment crisis(19:51) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.(20:44) Promo end(23:42) Jason says… any time you have to wait days or weeks for a service or product, there's a MASSIVE opportunity.(26:16) What do Trump's new AI executive orders actually say?(27:27) Which EO's are red meat for Trump's base, and which ones are likely to become laws and have real impact?(29:50) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at https://public.com/twist.(31:05) Promo end(35:17) How Huawei went worldwide and why Jason doesn't want that to happen again with AI.(38:32) Jason and Alex have a little tariff vs. free trade debate.(47:03) VP Vance complained about US tech companies laying off Americans, then hiring immigrants; Jason gives his take(53:35) Jason answers a Reddit question: Is adding AI to your product too early a TRAP?Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpThank you to our partners:(09:56) Inbound - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at [https://www.inbound.com/register](https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31)(19:51) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.(29:50) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at https://public.com/twist.*Disclaimer:All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use.Rate as of 7/18/25. APY is variable and subject to change.
Today's show:TWiST is back with a three more hugely insightful (and also fun!) founder interviews.First up, Trey Holterman from Tennr tells us why getting in to see a specialist is so time consuming, and how AI is making the entire health care industry more streamlined.THEN Gill Verdon from Extropic AI unpacks deterministic vs. probabilistic computing, and how thermodynamics can make everything from robots to VR more effective.FINALLY, Tyler Denk from our fav newsletter platform Beehiiv walks us through their future roadmap, and explains why they're adding new features SO OFTEN.It's a packed episode full of fresh insights for founders. Check it out!Timestamps:(0:00) Alex opens the show with the venture/investor POV on TWiST 500 med tech company Tennr(03:38) Tennr CEO/co-founder Trey Holterman on the inefficiencies facing medical specialists and why patients are actually “leads”(10:20) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:44) Paid Promo END(14:05) How Tennr trained an AI model to comb through clinical histories, medical files, and doctor's notes(18:19) Why automation matters for Tennr but it's not the WHOLE story(20:03) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:10) Paid Promo END(22:57) The incredible cultural influence of the Dominos Pizza Tracker(29:57) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(31:20) Gill Verdon from Extropic on the difficulty of keeping up with the demand for compute and the “scaling law”(35:37) Thermodynamic regimes, the differences between deterministic vs. probabilistic computing, and why this matters(41:31) Gill on expanding Extropic's research team while keeping a close eye on burn(52:17) Will robots ever be FULLY autonomous, with no ties or connections back to the fleet? Gill says… maybe!(58:52) Beehiiv's Tyler Denk on hitting $20M ARR while ALSO scaling up their ad network(01:00:35) The practical and psychological importance of product velocity and shipping as many features as possible(01:01:57) Why Tyler says “Substack vs. Beehiiv” is analogous to “Amazon vs. Shopify”(01:08:08) How much larger can the newsletter market still GROW? (And the promise of moving beyond content and into marketing emails.)(01:09:00) Why Tyler thinks the strongest publishers own their audience and distributionSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:20) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:03) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(29:57) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/creditsGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
Today's show:TWiST is back with a trio of can't miss interviews with some of our favorite TWiST 500 founders.First up, John Jeremy Harris of Harbinger Motors tells us about making his EV batteries right here in the USA, and why the loss of EV tax credits might not hurt the business as much as you'd think…THEN, we're talking to James Hawkins of PostHog about how keeping his burn rate low opened up a wealth of new opportunities for his company…THEN Yoshi Yokokawa from Alpaca HQ stops by to talk about working in a category that's no longer the hottest thing in the Valley (like fintech) and the importance of stable coins to his business model.You won't want to miss this one! Tons of fresh and important insights for founders.Timestamps:(0:00) INTRO, The market's hit an ALL TIME HIGH… what does it mean for founders and smaller companies?(2:19) Figma's going IPO… how its success could impact other the entire landscape for the rest of the year.(10:12) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(11:29) Harbinger co-founder/CEO John Jeremy Harris tells us about building EVs for commercial fleet, live FROM the factory(19:58) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(21:15) Harbinger co-founder/CEO John Jeremy Harris tells us about building EVs for commercial fleet, live FROM the factory (cont…)(30:07) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.(31:07) How much of Harbinger's product is actually manufactured in the US (and why that's a more complex question than it sounds) (31:39) Why the rollback of EV tax credits might NOT have a huge impact on Harbinger's business.(36:53) James Hawkins of PostHog explains how and why Stripe funded their most recent round.(40:23) Will it soon be easier to build a virtual product manager than hire the right human person? MAYBE!(42:11) Why building PostHog as open source was so vital for boosting adoption among developers(47:45) Why James credits a low burn rate and being “multi-product” with PostHog's success and traction(01:00:02) Alpaca CEO and co-founder Yoshi Yokokawa explains to us how the API brokerage infrastructure co. actually makes money(01:00:41) Why it matters that Alpaca is a “self-clearing market maker”: Yoshi unpacks how trades actually get executed(01:07:46) The massive impact of Robinhood on the entire fintech business and how this benefits Alpaca(01:18:06) Yoshi's tips for founders working in categories that aren't THE HOTTEST IN THE WORLD right nowSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:12) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(19:58) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(30:07) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:WHY DOES @SUBSTACKINC NEED $100M IN NEW FUNDING?HOW DO THEY PLAN TO STAY AHEAD OF @BEEHIIV?Jason and Alex are debating the future of indie publishing on an all-new TWiST, considering the future of these rival platforms, plus Patreon and more.PLUS they're digging into Lovable's latest raise and what it says about the current economics of vibecoding, surveying the automated driving landscape in light of Uber's new agreement Lucid and Euro, explaining Jason's “meme processing” theory of internet humor, AND looking ahead to Christopher Nolan's IMAX epic “The Odyssey.”Join us for the longest-running and most in-depth podcast on Earth for startup founders.Timestamps:(0:00) Intro - Everyone is getting hyped for Nolan's “The Odyssey”(03:49) “Meme Processing,” the Astronomer saga, and giving people a little grace(10:07) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)(18:49) Substack vs. Patreon vs. Beehive: Who ya got?!(19:43) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(29:39) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(37:58) Lovable, vibecoding, and how much AGI might one day be worth(01:00:36) Uber's Lucid/Nuro deal: Alex did the math(01:08:03) Is autonomous driving about to change EVERYTHING? Jason says… YES.Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:07) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)(19:43) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(29:39) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use.*Rate as of 7/18/25. APY is variable and subject to change.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Today's show:Jason and Alex tackle a full tech and business news docket on today's show, including Jason's big SF trip with Launch Accelerator's 34th cohort, some peculiar social media posts from VC Geoff Lewis, a look inside the HUGE seed rounds being commanded by early-stage AI startups, crunching the numbers on how much compute data centers need to sell before they're profitable, Polymarket asks who will be the next CEO of X and MUCH MUCH MORE.Join us for the longest-running and most in-depth podcast on Earth for startup founders.Timestamps:(00:00) INTRO(01:31) Jason's in SF with LAUNCH Accelerator cohort 34… His take on the mood in Silicon Valley.(07:52) Odd X posts from Bedrock Capital's Geoff Lewis… what does it all mean?(10:09) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(14:44) Ask JCal: What founders can do to guard their own mental health and well-being(20:17) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(22:04) Thinking Machines Lab set a new record for a seed round: what's going on with these MEGA deals?(28:51) Alex (and Kabir from LAUNCH's research team) investigated the economics of data centers… just HOW MUCH can you make from selling compute? And how long does it TAKE to turn a profit?(30:52) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.(37:09) Superintelligence vs. AGI: Jason thinks we're still more than 2-3 years away…(39:52) GPx is not a traditional VC fund: here's what industry vet Brian Singerman is up to(49:37) The importance of setting your own corporate culture… before it gets set for you!(58:15) Polymarket has ideas for the next X CEO… see where Jason ranks on the list!(01:03:18) Reddit wants to know… Do investors judge founders negatively who rely on lots of AI tools?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:09) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(20:17) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:52) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:On today's show… Jason and Alex are considering the fallout of Windsurf's OpenAI deal, the company's latest agreements with both Google and Cognition AI, and how “blitzhiring” is actually playing out in real-world startups.Plus Jason's short- and medium-term predictions for AI's impact on the job market, Tesla's latest expansion of its Austin robotaxi service, Mistral giving the EU a real stake in the AI model race, a look back at the SnapStream live TV archiving service, AND an update on how much more time we have until all our servers are obsolete.All that and more on a brand new Monday edition of This Week in Startups.Timestamps:(02:20) Influencers caught an arsonist in LA's Runyon Canyon? (Don't worry, there's always a startup angle)(10:38) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(12:56) Windsurf's OpenAI deal fell through… but there are breaking updates!(20:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(23:46) The gap from prototype to production in AI remains HUGE(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(34:56) Things are going well for Tesla's Austin rollout, but will regulators demand LIDAR systems anyway?(45:47) Maybe NOTHING that's happening right now in AI is as important as what's to come?(54:31) Follow-Up: So how much more time until all of our servers are obsolete? What happens to them when they're removed?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:38) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(20:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/creditsGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show: Grok 4 just leapfrogged OpenAI to become the top AI model—and it's not just hype. In this episode, @Jason and @alex break down Grok's AGI-level performance, the massive drop in LLM pricing, and why some companies are raising prices anyway. They also dive into the Missouri AG's investigation into AI “bias,” the future of First Amendment protections for LLMs, and how autonomous vehicles are creating a new category: “autonomous commerce.” If you're building with AI or betting on the future of tech, don't miss this one.Timestamps:(1:55) AI models: Grok 4 and performance benchmarks(3:51) Detailed analysis of AI model performance and price trends(10:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(11:25) AI models' problem-solving capabilities and timeline for solving math problems(16:53) Legal and regulatory challenges for AI(19:56) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(21:12) Bias in AI models and political implications(30:41) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(32:07) Infinite energy potential and AI impact; Bitcoin's new high(37:11) Crypto regulation and fintech under new administration(45:50) Future of storage, computing power, and GPU lifespan in data centers(53:40) Claude segment by Anthropic(55:09) Guest Ben Seidl of Autolane introduction(57:19) Autolane's impact on autonomous vehicles and commerce(59:05) Rise of autonomous commerce and logistics(1:06:37) Retailer issues with autonomous vehicle integration and orchestrationSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(19:56) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(30:41) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with Yoav Shoham — Stanford professor emeritus and co-founder of AI21 Labs, creators of Jurassic-2, Wordtune, and the new orchestration system Maestro.They unpack:Why enterprise AI struggles with reliabilityWhat orchestration really means (and why LLMs alone aren't enough)The pitfalls of “agent-washing”Small vs large models, agent-to-agent protocols, and where real opportunities lieThis one is for founders building with AI — if you're navigating hallucinations, chasing automation, or exploring multi-agent workflows, this episode is a must.*Timestamps:(0:00) Yoav Shoham joins Jason to discuss AI Basics.(1:05) What AI21 Labs is building — from Jurassic-2 to Maestro(5:49) The overuse and confusion of the seductive term “agent”(8:22) Small models vs large models: what's best for enterprise?(10:53) The verticalization of AI: legal, accounting, and beyond(12:17) The challenge of agent-to-agent communication and shared semantics(17:08) What's overhyped vs underhyped in AI — Yoav's advice for founders*Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. https://goo.gle/futureofai*Explore FurtherGoogle Cloud's Report: The Future of AIGet insights from 23 leading experts on how startups can leverage AI for real business impact.
On a brand new TWiST, Jason and Alex ponder… What if every Tesla doubled as a Starlink-powered Wi-Fi hotspot? Plus, Nvidia's historic $4T valuation, Perplexity's fancy new AI browser that literally books flights, Linda Yaccarino steps down as X CEO, Waymo launches teen accounts, and maybe recording everything all the time has some disadvantages? Later, Tim Ranzetta joins to explain how his nonprofit is making personal finance mandatory in high schools. A must-watch for founders, investors, and anyone navigating the future of tech.Timestamps:(03:04) Linda Y is out at X but it's NOT because of Grok's Hitler moment(09:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(13:23) Nvidia is worth more than any other company EVER?(17:40) Granola's charging individuals MORE than business accounts? But why?(20:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register. (Valid thru 7/31)(23:39) Jason thinks the AI recording and transcript lawsuits will begin by next year…(24:05) Perplexity launches the Comet browser: we're checking how it compares with Dia and other rivals!(30:07) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https//www.Bolt.new/twist.(34:09) Waymo is expanding… Why there's no shame in the robotaxi game…(41:28) Robinhood is tokenizing US equities for EU investors… we unpack what it all means and how it works.(49:18) Tim Ranzetta of Next Gen Personal Finance tells us what we don't teach kids about finance and what they most need to know(01:29:25) Why finance and investing is all about psychology, and how to “think in bets”Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% off your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register. (Valid thru 7/31)(30:07) Bolt - Don't be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at Bolt.new/twist.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Cloud seeding startup Rainmaker faced a viral backlash after deadly floods in Texas—so @Jason hosted an emergency X Spaces with founder Augustus Doricko to unpack what really happened. Did Rainmaker cause the floods? How much water can cloud seeding actually produce? Is it safe, and should we even be doing it? They dive into the science, conspiracy theories, regulation, and how cloud seeding compares to desalination as a tool to fight drought and preserve ecosystems. A fascinating, good-faith convo on the future of climate tech.Timestamps:(0:00) Cloud seeding controversy and its impact on Texas floods(2:24) Background and impact of the Texas flooding event(8:05) Comparing cloud seeding to other environmental solutions(10:20) Discussing population, water distribution, and environmental restoration(14:22) Cloud seeding timeline, feasibility, and solar panels on water canals(17:17) Ethics, concerns, and regulatory framework for cloud seeding(24:07) Public safety, ethical considerations, and social media interactions regarding cloud seeding(26:00) Closing remarks and future collaborationSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Startup exits are heating up with $67.7B in Q2 activity, QSBS just got a major expansion, and Robinhood is pushing boundaries with tokenized SPVs. In this episode, @Jason and @alex break down what it all means for founders and investors, plus the rise of Elon's “America Party,” TikTok's potential reboot, and why SaaS startups must rebrand around AI to stay competitive. A must-watch for anyone building, investing, or navigating tech in 2025.Timestamps:(04:29) Jason's thoughts on Elon Musk's America Party(10:05) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(15:02) M&A keeps heating up and why a big fintech IPO could be on the way!(20:00) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(26:32) Unpacking liquidation preferences for non-experts(29:11) AI companies are soaking up the majority of investment dollars but what does that really MEAN?(30:02) MonarchMoney - Get 50% off your first year by going to MonarchMoney.com and using the offer code TWiST(36:26) Why Jason's group chat will love the QSBS expansion but it's not really that big of a deal…(46:27) TikTok seems poised to make a deal… Why Jason thinks they do pose a national security threat.(59:22) Why is CoreWeave picking up Core Scientific, and is now a good time to sell your shares?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:05) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(20:00) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist(30:02) MonarchMoney - Get 50% off your first year by going to MonarchMoney.com and using the offer code TWiST.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:It's another blockbuster panel of insiders, as Alex sits down with Astasia Myers from Felicis, Matt Turck from First Mark Capital, and D.A. Wallach of Time BioVentures. AI is reshaping early-stage investing, with startups raising record-setting rounds adn chasing $100B+ markets. Meanwhile, biotech faces a “Great Depression” as public markets stay shut, putting added pressure on private capital. In healthcare, AI-powered virtual doctors promise to bring world-class medical advice to everyone, while fertility tech could revolutionize IVF by automating embryo handling and slashing costs. Hear our VC experts exclusive thoughts on these trends and much more!Timestamps:(2:21) The post-Q2 landscape and everyone's immediate reactions(05:00) Why biotech is in a “Great Depression,” even for AI companies!(9:36) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(12:14) Overpriced vs. high-performing: Do high prices ALWAYS mean low expected returns and vice versa?(14:50) Mega markets: how AI is different from past software shifts(18:58) Everyone's companies are CRUSHING IT: why genAI has crazy tailwinds right now(20:33) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(21:46) Product-market fit and revenue durability in AI(24:29) Marketing and community development for early stage founders(25:14) AI advancements in humor, avatars, and healthcare(29:30) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twist.(30:45) Healthcare innovation and AI foundation models(35:37) AI differentiation, OpenAI valuation, and infrastructure companies(43:08) User experience in LLMs and AI inference costs(51:21) AI healthcare applications and founding team trends(56:28) Hiring trends, burn rates, and outsourcing in biotech(1:01:51) Government investment in biotech and the European AI ecosystem(1:06:43) Academic founders and the Felicis Fellows program(1:09:10) Recent exits and the outlook for the upcoming quarters(1:12:27) Innovations in fertility treatments and prenatal testing(1:15:51) Summary of bullish trends and future outlook(1:16:14) Closing remarks and future check-in plansSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(9:36) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(20:33) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(29:30) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cash—with no fees or minimums. Start now at public.com/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Grammarly is acquiring the beloved email app Superhuman! In today's extremely timely episode, @alex sits down with Grammarly CEO Shishir Mehrotra and Superhuman founder Rahul Vohra to unpack why they're merging, how they plan to combine apps and AI agents, and what it means for the future of email and work. PLUS they reveal how Grammarly's 40M+ daily users already rely on email—and why this deal is the key to building the ultimate communication assistant. Don't miss this deep dive into one of the most exciting AI acquisitions yet!#AI #Startups #Productivity #Grammarly #Superhuman #VentureCapital #MergersAndAcquisitionsTimestamps:(0:00) Introduction to the future of robotics and AI regulation(1:11) Introduction of hosts and overview of today's topics(4:19) Cloudflare's new pay per crawl product(09:37) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(10:41) Polymarket segment on Apple's acquisition prospects(14:29) Grammarly and Superhuman CEOs interviews(19:42) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(24:09) AI in productivity tools and email agents discussion(29:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits(30:46) Grammarly's AI platform and the acquisition of Superhuman(41:16) Introduction of Manu Sharma from Labelbox(41:47) The role of data labeling in AI and Labelbox's data factory(53:44) Labelbox's market position and capital efficiency post-ChatGPT(1:03:00) Advances in humanoid robotics with Jeff Cardenas from Apptronik(1:07:09) Market readiness and capabilities of Apollo 2 robots(1:13:27) Humanoid robotics: Google DeepMind partnership and international competition(1:20:54) US federal support for R&D in robotics(1:22:10) The evolution of humanoid robotics and Apptronik's growth in AustinSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:37) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(19:42) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(29:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/creditsGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show: Jason sits down with Balaji Srinivasan in Singapore to explore how he's turning years of theory into reality with Network School—the first node of a broader vision for internet-native, decentralized societies. Balaji explains how these “sharp societies” combine education, co-living, and startup culture to create physical communities aligned by values, not geography. From digital nomads to aspiring founders, people are opting into these new systems as an alternative to broken traditional governance. They discuss everything from Starbase and sovereignty to the future of democracy, Bitcoin, and America's place in a multipolar world.Timestamps:(0:00) Introduction of Balaji Srinivasan and the impact of Bitcoin(1:39) The concept of Network School and Network State, including startup societies(4:05) Benefits and historical context of network effects in communities(7:08) Economic and social benefits of Network School(9:35) Global appeal and diverse motivations of Network School participants(10:22) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:30) Media perspectives on new societies and the challenge of self-determination(19:35) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(24:00) Personal experiences with US state migration and critique of California politics(27:11) The right to exit, thousand city system, and the two-party system(29:44) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(31:09) Choosing a country like choosing a college and impressions of new cities(34:03) America's global reputation, politics, and the decline of empires(39:25) Dollar devaluation, Bitcoin's future, and global currency dynamics(41:26) Global power struggles: China versus the Internet and US demographics(44:01) Trump's tariffs, MAGA, and international trade realities(48:12) China's manufacturing dominance and US diplomatic legacy(54:39) The Internet's counterbalance to China and Bitcoin's future risks(1:00:31) Role of cryptocurrencies, quantum computing, and Bitcoin security(1:02:12) Cryptocurrency challenges and the resilience of Bitcoin(1:03:27) Network school state community and opportunities for investors(1:04:01) Closing remarks and final pitch for Network SchoolSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:22) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:35) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(29:44) Vouched - Trust for agents that's built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist(0:00)Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:EVs are igniting a global tariff war, and Xiaomi's shockingly cheap, high-quality electric cars threaten to obliterate Western automakers, sparking fears of a manufacturing wipeout. In today's brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex dive into the EV price war, Uber's rumored plan to team up with Travis Kalanick on a self-driving takeover, and DoorDash's mega-drones giving us a glimpse of the future of food delivery. Plus, Tesla's cautious safety driver rollout shows we're only in the early innings of the autonomous revolution, a consideration of Meta's talent shopping spree, AND a new edition of Reddit Rapid Response. Don't miss this deep dive into the future of cars, delivery, and AI.Timestamps:(02:24) Guess who's BACK at Uber? On the Travis Kalahnik-Pony AI deal.(10:43) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.(17:24) All the huge opportunities for Kalshi, PolyMarket and prediction markets(19:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(25:37) TODAY'S POLYMARKET: How well will Apple's “F1” do at the box office?(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(31:58)What actually IS AGI? And why does it matter for the Microsoft-OpenAI negotiation?(45:57) Inside Meta's massive Superintelligence shopping spree: maybe it's not so crazy to pay AI experts $100M?(01:05:15) Reddit Rapid Response: Can you be a great founder if you hate doing cold sales?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:43) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.(19:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
In this episode, Jason dives deep into the future of multi-agent systems with Saurabh Tiwary, VP & GM of Cloud AI at Google. They explore how teams of AI agents—not just single models—can collaborate to solve complex problems, helping startups scale faster with fewer resources.Saurabh introduces Google Cloud's open frameworks:Agent Development Kit (ADK) for building flexible, debuggable agentsAgent-to-Agent (A2A) Protocol, now part of the Linux FoundationThe emerging Multi-Agent Collaboration Protocol, enabling AI systems to work across platforms and organizationsThey also discuss:Why AI agents are evolving from task-doers to decision-makersHow multimodal inputs (text, image, video, voice) will supercharge agent capabilitiesWhy openness and interoperability will define the next era of AI infrastructure*Timestamps:(0:00) Jason introduces Saurabh Tiwary, VP & GM of Cloud AI at Google, and sets the stage for a deep dive on autonomous agents.(1:09) What is an AI Agent Today?(2:54) When Will Agents Actually Work?l(6:30) Inside Google's ADK (Agent Development Kit)(8:35l) Agent-to-Agent Protocol & Open AI Standards(11:35 ) Why Human-in-the-Loop Still Matters(13:41) What's Next: Multimodal Agents & Real Startup Use Cases*Google Cloud Report: “The Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups”Free download → https://goo.gle/futureofaiGoogle Cloud Homepagehttps://cloud.google.com/Google Cloud: Agent Development Kit (ADK)https://developers.googleblog.com/en/agent-development-kit-easy-to-build-multi-agent-applications/https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/agent-development-kit/quickstartAgent-to-Agent (A2A) Protocol by Googlehttps://developers.googleblog.com/en/a2a-a-new-era-of-agent-interoperability/Linux Foundation: A2A Protocol Overviewhttps://www.linuxfoundation.org/press/linux-foundation-launches-the-agent2agent-protocol-project-to-enable-secure-intelligent-communication-between-ai-agentsGoogle Research: AI Agents & Multi-Agent Systemshttps://research.google/blog/accelerating-scientific-breakthroughs-with-an-ai-co-scientist/https://cloud.google.com/transform/ai-agents-evolving-with-google-agentspaceGoogle's Agentspace https://cloud.google.com/products/agentspace?hl=enGoogle's Vertex AI Agent Builderhttps://cloud.google.com/products/agent-builder?hl=enWatch more AI Basics episodeshttps://thisweekinstartups.com/basics*Follow Saurabh:X: https://x.com/saurktLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurabh-tiwary/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Today's show:In this powerhouse VC roundtable, @Jason sits down with Sequoia's Doug Leone and Cyberstarts' Gili Raanan to share brutally honest insights on startup recruiting, evaluating second-time founders, and how to truly find product-market fit. They break down why big-tech résumés can be misleading, how to structure early teams, and what separates “missionary” talent from mercenaries. Plus, the myth of early ARR, the art of founder-board trust, and how AI is (and isn't) reshaping startup velocity. Must-watch for founders, VCs, and anyone building from 0 to 1.Timestamps:(03:25) The origins of Wiz and how VCs know when to invest(05:17) What qualities are investors looking for in founders and entrepreneurs?(09:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(18:40) How to know when you've reached true Product Market Fit: the experts sound off(19:20) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(25:39) The secrets of recruiting top talent(29:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(39:38) Judging a startup's revenue quality and “founder vs. salesman” deals(53:38) Is venture capital kind of a SCAM?(55:00) Seed Investing: “Pick them right and early”Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(19:20) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(29:54) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/techGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Tesla's robotaxi launch, AI producers, job destruction, and smart toilets? In this episode of This Week in Startups, @Jason and @alex break down Tesla's cautious rollout strategy, how AI is quietly replacing producers and employees, why second-movers like Tesla and Ramp often win, and how Throne Science is turning gut health into a billion-dollar market—with cameras in your toilet. Buckle up.Timestamps:(02:11) Introducing… PRODUCER CLAUDE!(04:21) Tesla's Robotaxis are out and about! But are they SAFE?!(09:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:35) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(24:07) Grabbing market share, and why there's “no reason to rush”(29:59) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at [https://www.inbound.com/register](https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31)(39:53) AI, Job Destruction, and what leaders aren't saying out loud…(48:43) Which startups are doing the most with the smallest teams?(57:49) Mark Zuckerberg has entered FOUNDER MODE(01:05:48) How Throne Science is improving everyone's gut healthSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:35) Netsuite - Download the ebook Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(29:59) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at [https://www.inbound.com/register](https://www.inbound.com/register.) (Valid thru 7/31)Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:AI has been feasting on the open web—but is the free lunch over? In this explosive episode, @Jason and @alex call out OpenAI and others for “strip mining” the internet's content without paying creators. As lawsuits pile up and new defenses like AI-robots.txt emerge, a reckoning looms. Will AI be forced to pay for its training data? Dive into the legal, ethical, and business implications—including Substack's stance, Cloudflare's firewall, and Perplexity's lawsuits—in what may be a turning point for the future of the web.Timestamps:(0:00) Concerns about AI data sourcing and sustainability(1:43) Recent travels and airline industry insights(5:28) Meta's AI strategy and market competition(10:20) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(11:50) Meta's financial moves and AI focus(17:08) Midjourney's advancements in video AI(20:30) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:33) Twist 500 companies and Cloudflare's anti-AI scraping tool(27:09) AI scraping: creator impact and regulation debate(30:18) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(31:23) BBC lawsuit and Perplexity's AI challenges(35:44) Office hours with Giram Taitana of Doctours(42:55) Medical tourism: Psilocybin, IVF, and consumer trust(49:33) Design's role in trust and safety for medical platforms(55:57) Doctours' fundraising and insurance strategies(1:00:08) SEO and domain name tips for startups(1:02:50) Tesla's robo taxi launch and implications(1:08:13) Andy Jassy on AI's impact on employment(1:10:09) Discussing global job displacement and China's youth unemployment(1:14:53) The gig economy in the age of advanced AISubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:20) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(20:30) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:18) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:In this episode, @Jason and @alex explore how AI is reshaping the economy—from Pano AI's $44M raise to fight wildfires with drones, to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy's memo foreshadowing white-collar job cuts, to Meta's stealth move poaching Scale AI talent. They dig into the collapse of early-career roles, the slow disappearance of the gig economy safety net, and why founders may want to think twice before building in public.Timestamps:(1:52) Travel chaos, laundry issues, and the Airbnb event(3:05) CO2 conference highlights and Zipline drone delivery innovation(5:24) AI's effect on job disruption and white-collar retraining(09:46) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:01) Jassy on AI's workforce impact and boosting teacher roles(13:23) Media evolution: market resilience and direct communication strategies(20:08) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)(21:14) OpenAI's podcast, corporate media shifts, and Twist 500 highlights(30:02) NWRA - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(31:20) Insurance, AI, and OpenAI's enterprise focus(41:11) Meta and Traversal's AI bets; startup transparency(48:57) TikTok, US-China tension, and data privacy debate(56:43) Actuality.ai's platform for AI-driven RFPs and enterprise pricing insights(1:11:00) Wrap-up and final thoughts with Rishab GuptaSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(09:46) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:08) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)(30:02) NWRA - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:Meta just took a 49% stake in Scale AI, and the shockwaves are hitting the entire AI ecosystem. In this episode, @Jason and @alex unpack the deal's implications: Google ($150M customer!) and others are fleeing Scale, worried Meta will hoard its RLHF infrastructure and cut off competitors. Startups like Labelbox, Turing, and Handshake are already seeing a demand surge. Is this smart vertical integration or anti-competitive overreach? Jason shares tactical advice for founders on how to capitalize when incumbents stumble—hire ex-Scale talent, build “Scale AI alternative” SEO pages, and hit the podcast circuit. Don't miss this deep dive into AI's shifting power dynamics.Timestamps:(04:01) Is Jason becoming an AI doomer?!(9:52) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist(13:47) PostHog, and when is it okay for founders to break the rules?(20:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(25:50) Why the Navy is recruiting startups(30:12) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(39:09) Did Zuck buy Scale in order to keep it from competitors?(56:08) When does incentivizing customers turn into burning capital?(1:04) How raising too much money could KILL your startup!Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(9:52) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist(20:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(30:52) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show:In this episode of This Week in Startups, @Jason and @Alex break down Stripe's big bet on crypto wallets with its latest acquisition of Privy, the return of major M&A activity from Meta, DoorDash, and Stripe, and the rapid rise of robotics replacing soul-crushing warehouse jobs. They dive into why today's toy-like robot arms will become tomorrow's billion-dollar tools, how stablecoins are quietly transforming fintech, and why Disney is going to war with AI platforms over IP theft. A must-watch if you're building, investing, or just trying to understand where tech is headed next.Timestamps:(1:48) Startup Tip: "Find a service you hate and make it better"(9:23) Why Stripe wants crypto wallet company Privy(10:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(15:46) Klarna: The New Rent-a-Center?(20:00) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.(26:28) Why M&A is good and Lena Khan was wrong(30:00) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(33:20) Robots are going to make your life better(42:11) When toys become tools(46:25) Tesla's on-the-road FSD tests... do they need safety drivers?(54:13) Jason has the answer for all these AI copyright suitsSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(20:00) Superpower - Visit superpower.com/twist to get $50 off your membership. This offer is only for the first 100 twist listeners who sign up.(30:00) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show: Alex moderates a TWIST VC Roundtable with Jason, Paige Doherty (Behind Genius), and Altimeter's Megan Reynolds about the state of early-stage venture capital. They break down the rise of secondary markets as a key liquidity path for VCs, analyze the resurgence in M&A activity from major players like Meta, Databricks, and OpenAI, and question whether inflated ARR figures from YC startups are distorting valuations. Jason shares his year-zero investment thesis and offers tactical advice on secondary structuring and identifying high-quality revenue. Whether you're raising, investing, or building, this episode delivers essential insights into the evolving early-stage landscape.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:28) Meet our panelists!(2:37) Will secondaries replace traditional M&A?(10:10) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(14:28) Has M&A actually bounced back?(20:06) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(25:35) Secondary market advice, just for founders(30:10) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.(32:49) Why is it so hard for emerging managers to raise funds?(38:28) Seed funds: the math is not mathing(52:07) Why early investors become “collateral damage”(56:31) The importance of revenue quality in early-stage startups(1:06:43) Quick Fire Question Round!Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Altimeter: https://www.altimeter.com/homeBehind Genius: https://www.behindgeniusventures.com/Follow Meghan:X: https://x.com/MeghanKReynoldsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghankreynolds/Follow Paige:X: https://x.com/paigefinnnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigedoherty/Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:10) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(20:06) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(30:10) Retool - Visit https://www.retool.com/twist and try it out today.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today's show: Jason and Alex dive into why Y Combinator startups are raising at sky-high valuations with relatively low ARR—what does that mean for investors and founders? VC funds are slowing down and returning to pre-ZIRP pacing, signaling a reset in the market. Plus, in this week's Office Hours, Sean Steigerwald, founder of CustomerIQ, demos his AI sales agent that lives in your inbox, drafting follow-ups using CRM context. It's a deep look at early-stage investing, startup efficiency, and where AI is headed in enterprise.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:09) Jason's Singapore trip recap and SoCal update(9:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:40) New rumblings from Mistral; is the French AI startup catching a tail wind?(19:40) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(26:23) VC investing pace is slowing... what does this mean for founders(29:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)(33:33) Founders' guide to raising capital(36:31) Gen AI companies are growing FAST but are there concerns about churn?(42:46) Is YC still worth it? Debating paper gains vs. DPI as metrics.(52:18) Office Hours with Sean Steigerald from Customer IQ: managing active users and more.Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Customer IQ: https://www.getcustomeriq.com/Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(9:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:40) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(29:42) INBOUND - Use code TWIST10 for 10% o your General Admission ticket at https://www.inbound.com/register (Valid thru 7/31)Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
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