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329 episodes with Aaron Levie
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6 episodes with Aaron Levie
8 episodes with Aaron Levie
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4 episodes with Aaron Levie
5 episodes with Aaron Levie
4 episodes with Aaron Levie
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
Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Jim Weisser, a serial entrepreneur and founder of SignTime, for an in-depth exploration of Japan's software market and startup ecosystem. They discuss the unique challenges of building software in a culture that prizes stability over rapid iteration, the dominance of systems integrators, and how Japan's economic stagnation shaped its relationship with technology. The conversation covers everything from Excel-driven development processes to the recent transformation of Japan's VC landscape, offering insights for anyone considering doing business in the world's third-largest economy.–Full transcript: https://www.complexsystemspodcast.com/building-software-in-japan-with-jim-weisser/–Sponsor: BoxWorks 2025Discover hands-on AI data extraction techniques, network with industry experts, and hear featured speakers Vinod Khosla, Jared Kaplan, and Aaron Levie at BoxWorks 2025 in San Francisco (Sept 11-12). Use code BW25-ComplexSystems for 50% off at this link: https://bit.ly/452036h–Links:Signtime:: https://www.signtime.com/en/–Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(00:24) Exploring the Japanese software market(01:25) Challenges in the Japanese startup ecosystem(02:37) Jim Weisser's background and journey(05:14) The evolution of Japan's economy and business practices(10:15) Understanding Japan Inc. and its impact on software(10:28) The role of systems integrators in Japan(19:01) Sponsor: BoxWorks Conference 2025 (*discounted tickets for Complex Systems listeners)(20:29) Cultural differences in software development(26:06) Digital transformation and efficiency in Japan(32:44) Labor market dynamics and employment practices(35:50) Startup ecosystem and equity culture in Japan(42:53) Success stories and market potential in Japan(43:42) Corporate relationships in Japanese companies(44:10) Salesforce's success in Japan(45:44) E-commerce boom in Japan(46:33) Rakuten's evolution and strategy(48:27) Amazon's journey in Japan(49:13) Cloud services and security concerns(51:18) Sansan: Business card management(55:14) Venture capital landscape in Japan(01:05:02) Personal reflections on living in Japan(01:16:21) Wrap
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: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: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 episode features Box CEO Aaron Levie, who discusses how AI is transforming enterprise software and whether it's a threat or an opportunity. We also analyze Figma's highly anticipated IPO valuation with our financial columnist Anita Ramaswamy, discussing its impressive growth and the impact of AI. Finally, cybersecurity and enterprise tech reporter Aaron Holmes unpacks the recent Microsoft SharePoint hack, its implications for government and businesses, and the ongoing cybersecurity challenges for Microsoft, including how CEO Satya Nadella's pay is now linked to security improvements.Articles discussed on this episode: Figma's IPO May Be Hot, but Its Outlook Is MurkyFigma Sets Tentative IPO Pricing RangeHackers Exploit Microsoft Flaw in File-Sharing Software
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
In this episode, a16z General Partner Martin Casado sits down with Box cofounder and CEO Aaron Levie to talk about how AI is changing not just software, but the structure and speed of work itself.They unpack how enterprise adoption of AI is different from the consumer wave, why incumbents may be better positioned than people think, and how the role of the individual contributor is already shifting from executor to orchestrator. From vibe coding and agent UX to why startups should still go vertical, this is a candid, strategic conversation about what it actually looks like to build and operate in an AI-native enterprise.Aaron also shares how Box is using AI internally today, and what might happen when agents outnumber employees. Resources: Find Aaron on X: https://x.com/levieFind Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casado Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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
Box CEO Aaron Levie is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover: 1) OpenAi's Windsurf deal falls through 2) Is OpenAI okay? 3) What percentage of all AI spend goes to coding? 4) Google's AI code play 5) Grok 4 is out 6) Does Grok show the scaling laws are still in effect? 7) Would Box work with Grok? 8) NVIDIA hits $4 trillion 9) Are we in an AI bubble? 10) Should Tim Cook step down? 11) Could Apple merge with OpenAI? --- Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice. Want a discount for Big Technology on Substack + Discord? Here's 25% off for the first year: https://www.bigtechnology.com/subscribe?coupon=0843016b Questions? Feedback? Write to: bigtechnologypodcast@gmail.com
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
SaaStr 809: Why Enterprise AI Adoption Is Moving 5-10X Faster Than Cloud with Box's CEO and Co-Founder, IBM's VP for AI and SaaStr's CEO and Founder This conversation between Aaron Levie, CEO & Co-Founder of Box, Raj Datta, Global Vice President for Software and A.I. Partnerships at IBM and Jason Lemkin, CEO and Founder of SaaStr, covers the evolution from chat interfaces to digital labor models, the integration of AI to automate complex tasks, and the emergence of new paradigms for businesses deploying AI agents. Key topics include the distinction between AI agents and assistants, the development of proprietary data models, and the rapid pace of AI adoption. With real-world examples from companies like IBM and Box, this session offers insights into how AI is reshaping software ecosystems, enhancing enterprise capabilities, and potentially redefining market moats. ------------------ This episode of the SaaStr podcast is sponsored by: Attention.com Tired of listening to hours of sales calls? Recording is yesterday's game. Attention.com unleashes an army of AI sales agents that auto-update your CRM, build custom sales decks, spot cross-sell signals, and score calls before your coffee's cold. Teams like BambooHR and Scale AI already automate their Sales and RevOps using customer conversations. Step into the future at attention.com/saastr ------------------ Hey everyone, we just hosted 10,000 of you at the SaaStr Annual in the SF Bay Area, and now get ready, because SaaStr AI is heading to London! On December 2nd and 3rd, we're bringing SaaStr AI to the heart of Europe. This is your chance to connect with 2,500+ SaaS and AI executives, founders, and investors, all sharing the secrets to scaling in the age of AI. Whether you're a founder, a revenue leader, or an investor, SaaStr AI in London is where the future of SaaS meets the power of AI. And we just announced tickets and sponsorships, so don't wait! Head to SaaStrLondon.com to grab yours and join us this December in London. SaaStr AI in London —where SaaS meets AI, and the next wave of innovation begins. See you there!
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
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
Today's show: Jason and Alex dicuss stories shaping the tech and startup world: Circle's explosive IPO and what it signals about crypto regulation and public market sentiment, the potential for tokenized venture capital funds to bring liquidity and transparency to startup investing, and Cursor's extraordinary growth—scaling to over $500M in ARR in just six months.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:25) Circle's IPO is Soaring and What This Means for Tech(10:21) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(12:00) Is Tokenization the Future of Venture Capital?(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(22:40) Oh, THAT'S Why Anthropic Cutoff Windsurf(27:06) Can the Rippling - Deel Saga Get Anymore Bizarre?(30:22) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Team plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(34:08) Cursor Just Keeps on Winning(43:10) Polymarket: What Will Jerome Powell Do?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.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:(10:21) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist(30:22) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Team plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code 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 and Lon discuss Windsurf getting abruptly cut off from Anthropic just before a rumored $3B acquisition by OpenAI, sparking questions around platform risk and foundation-model politics; Deel defends itself by arguing the information it allegedly took was public or obvious, complicating its ongoing legal saga; and Flock Safety's neighborhood-focused surveillance tech—combining LPR cameras and drones—positions itself as a privacy-conscious tool that gives elected officials control over community data governance.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:48) ADP's Employment Numbers Might Make Your Eyes Water(5:54) Is the Circle IPO Over Subscribed?(9:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(13:00) Anthropic Shows Sharp Elbows With Windsurf(19:55) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(20:57) Is It Really Stealing If It's Public or Obvious? Deel Says No(29:23) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:50) The Space Future Alex Has Dreamed About(35:10) Anthropic Can't Stop Scraping Reddit's Data(42:44) Flock Safety is Bringing Surveillance To a Neighborhood Near YouSubscribe 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:Impulse Space: https://www.impulsespace.com/Flock Safety: https://www.flocksafety.com/Follow Garrett:X: https://x.com/glangleyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glangley/Follow 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:(9:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(19:55) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(29:23) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy 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 discuss the hottest tech and startup news: Grammarly secures a massive $1B investment from General Catalyst to fuel its AI ambitions and expand into deeper enterprise offerings; a DARPA-backed brain-computer interface startup emerges as a serious Neuralink rival, signaling renewed momentum in the neurotech space; and The New York Times signs a licensing deal with Amazon, suggesting that traditional media may be starting to find common ground with large language models.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:26) Jason's take on Singapore's regional cuisine(5:50) Why founders should get permission first and more lessons from Udio, Suno, and Spotify(10:07) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(15:54) The New York Times and Amazon signed a landmark AI deal: what's in it?(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(25:36) Why is Grammarly worth so much money?(30:14) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(39:15) How does Autopilot make money?(43:03) So how long until we all have a computer in our brain?(54:43) How much does revenue predictability really matter?(59:26) Laurene Powell Jobs and Jony Ive go FULL DOOMER(1:03:35) Perplexity, Samsung, and the rest...Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Udio: https://www.udio.com/Jason's Stolen Voice: https://x.com/Jason/status/1928995534276088151Autopilot: https://www.joinautopilot.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:(10:07) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(30:14) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/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 interviews two cutting-edge startups shaping the future of AI: AthenaHQ, pioneering “GEO” (Generative Engine Optimization) to help brands rank in AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Gemini, and Browser Use, building infrastructure that lets AI agents take real actions on the web—from form-filling to workflow automation. Both teams dive deep into how fast AI is evolving, how brands and developers can stay competitive, and why adaptability and technical precision are key in the era of intelligent search and autonomous agents.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:54) Athena HQ's Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategy(10:05) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(14:51) Will GEO Market Adoption Forever CHange Marketing?(19:50) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(22:58) How Being AI Model Agnostic Gives You An Edge(29:54) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.(35:13) Browser Use and Making Smarter AI Agents(45:03) Will AI Agents Do Your Grocery Shopping For You?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:AthenHQ: https://www.athenahq.ai/Browser Use: https://browser-use.com/Follow Andrew:X: https://x.com/andrewyan200Follow Magnus:X: https://x.com/mamagnus00Follow 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) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:50) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(29:54) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy 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, we cover three major stories shaping the startup and tech landscape. First, Google unveils Stitch, an AI-powered web design tool with one-click export to Figma—signaling a major disruption for freelance design marketplaces. Then, Salesforce returns to M&A with its $8B acquisition of Informatica, aiming to broaden its AI data stack beyond CRM. Finally, we break down the surge in startup M&A activity, with billion-dollar deals from OpenAI, DoorDash, and others—hinting at a major Q2 rebound. Don't miss Jason's insights on what these trends mean for founders and investors.(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:36) Jason's in SINGAPORE(3:14) The Power of Shame and why we need “Ozempic for screentime”(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist(12:38) Google's latest AI breakthrough: Stitch(20:13) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(21:20) The NBA on Polymarket and what founders can learn from the Knicks(27:08) Why did Salesforce buy Informatica?(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(32:42) M&A activity continues, and Jason's spicy Q2 predictions(40:57) Did tech go woke or was it just performative the whole time?(45:22) Circle, stablecoins, and the perks of being pro-business(51:27) What Trump's “golden share” of US Steel might look like(54:15) Why Jason is bullish on Joby(57:28) Episode wrap-up and upcoming eventsSubscribe 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:ClearSpace App: https://www.getclearspace.com/Google Stitch: https://stitch.withgoogle.com/Joby: https://www.jobyaviation.com/Follow 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) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist(20:13) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech(30:03) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy 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: Trump takes aim at Apple with a potential 25% iPhone tariff, Anthropic releases two powerful new Claude models claiming top performance in coding tasks, and two founders go head-to-head in the final round of Founder Fridays. In this packed episode, Jason, Alex, and Lon unpack what Trump's latest trade threat really means, why Anthropic's AI progress could reshape the dev landscape, and which startup—an AI ad network or industrial automation platform—comes out on top. A fast-paced look at the volatility, breakthroughs, and ambition defining today's startup ecosystem.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(3:41) MORE tariffs, this time on Apple… is this just a message to Tim Cook?(7:08) Potential impact of tariffs on Apple(10:09) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(14:14) Anthropic's new models are topping the LLM charts but are they REALLY self-aware(20:07) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(24:35) Who should buy OnlyFans? Jason, Alex, and Lon each have ideas(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(35:10) Gut health is important but do we need SMART toilets?(40:34) Which TWiST 500 companies are blowing up on secondary markets?(47:27) The Founder Friday city competition FINAL ROUND: see which startup wins!Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Throne One: https://www.thronescience.com/product?Arcana: https://arcana.ad/TACTUN: https://tactun.com/Follow 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) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(20:07) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/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 Alex dicsuss Jony Ive's $6.5B deal with OpenAI and what it means for the future of AI hardware, Tesla's push into robotaxis vs. Waymo's 10M paid rides, and Microsoft's latest move partnering with xAI. We dive into the GENIUS Act and what it means for stablecoin regulation, explore practical, gritty tactics for launching and scaling a marketplace from scratch, and debate the ethics of AI-powered smart glasses and always-on recording. Plus, Jason reflects on the legacy of Scott Adams and the power of systems thinking.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:00) A broadcaster-to-broadcaster moment for Scott Adams(5:18) OpenAI teams with Jony Ive, and why wearables are banned from the J-Ranch(10:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(16:11) From Partnership to Purchase: The M&A Story(20:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(25:42) Robotaxis EVERYWHERE, and thoughts on the continuing self-driving car rollout(30:12) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions(34:41) Should we trust stablecoins now? And who is actually monitoring this?(42:54) Polymarkets: Checking in with some of our favorite market(49:58) REDDIT QUESTION: How do I build a marketplace?(58:53) Customer feedback's role in product iteration(58:55) Every piece of SaaS advice EVERSubscribe 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:Polymarket: https://polymarket.com/Polymarket for AI Leaderes: https://polymarket.com/event/which-company-has-best-ai-model-on-june-30LMArena: https://www.lmarena.aiReal Coffee with Scott Adams: https://www.youtube.com/RealCoffeeWithScottAdams Follow 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) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(20:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(30:12) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/banking-solutionsGreat 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
Aaron Levie, CEO & co-founder of Box, joins Azeem Azhar to explore how an “AI-first” mindset is reshaping every layer of Box – from product road-maps to pricing – and what that teaches the rest of us about building faster, smarter organisations.Timestamps:(00:00) Episode trailer(02:04) The "lump of labor fallacy" in sci-fi books(07:37) When individual productivity gains don't translate to teams(12:32) Box's Friday AI demos(21:23) How agents might redefine 100 years of management science(26:37) A lesson on AI innovation from the early days of Ford(29:52) Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, and Sergey Brin are coding again?(35:16) Pricing in a post-AI agent world(38:43) Cheaper tokens, heavier usage: AI's margin math(43:02) Solving AI's verifiability problem(48:24) How Aaron uses AI in his personal lifeAaron's links:Box: https://www.box.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boxaaron/X/Twitter: https://x.com/levieAzeem's links:Substack: https://www.exponentialview.co/Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azharX/Twitter: https://x.com/azeemThis conversation was recorded for “Friday with Azeem Azhar”, live every Friday at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET. Catch it via Exponential View on Substack.Produced by supermix.io and EPIIPLUS1 Ltd
The buzz in Silicon Valley around AI agents has many asking: What's real and what's hype? Box's co-founder and CEO, Aaron Levie, joins Rapid Response to help decipher between fact and fiction, taking listeners inside the fast-paced evolution of agents and its impact on the future of enterprise AI. Plus, Levie unpacks how AI is really being adopted in the workplace, what it takes to legitimately build an AI-first organization, and what political leaders across both parties misunderstand about creating the best environment for technology to thrive. Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today's show: Jason and Lon explore the wild edges of tech innovation and regulation — from a student-built acoustic weapon that takes down drones (without harming humans) to the legal gray areas of drone defense over private property. They also unpack the escalating espionage drama between Rippling and Deel, and dive into FireCrawl's viral move to hire AI agents as employees. Plus, a deep look at how world-class design and systems thinking can set startups apart. Packed with insights, laughs, and cutting-edge ideas across defense tech, AI, and startup strategy.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:39) Intro and Jason and Lon share their love of Andor(6:52) How to spot "World Class Design" and why it matters(10:27) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(15:50) Athena, Hillstone, and creating the right system(20:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(23:21) So... corporate espionage is BAD? is what you're saying?(30:14) Gemini Canvas - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.(32:11) Why Firecrawl is hiring AI agents for staff positions(38:28) Bluesky might not be falling after all?(44:39) How Prandtl Dynamics is shooting drones out of the skySubscribe 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:Prandtl: https://prandtldynamics.com/Follow 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:(10:27) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(20:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:14) Gemini Canvas - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy 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: Microsoft lays off 6,000 employees despite record profits, signaling a ruthless new phase in big tech. Jason, Lon, and Alex discuss what it means for the talent market, why tightening U.S. immigration could cripple startup innovation, and whether AI startup Windsurf is selling too early as OpenAI circles. Plus, Klarna's AI customer service backfires, IPO momentum returns, and Office Hours with airfive founder Jeremy Redman pitches a bold new prepaid SaaS model.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(2:40) Why ex-Microsoft staffers are talking smack on Blind(10:08) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(15:58) Checking out ElevenLabs' wild new AI soundboard(20:28) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(24:02) What is Bottom Up TAM and why it isn't dirty like it sounds(30:10) Google Gemini - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.(33:52) Cohere missed revenue estimates but things aren't THAT bleak!(37:01) Why America NEEDS highly skilled immigrants(43:12) Working the “I Have a Secret” strategy with Jeremy from AirfiveSubscribe 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:EleveLabs Sound Board: https://elevenlabs.io/sound-effects/soundboardLikable: https://likeable.co/airfive: https://airfive.com/Follow Jeremy:X: https://x.com/thejeremyredmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejeremyredman/Follow Lon: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:(10:08) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(20:28) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(30:10) Google Gemini - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy 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: Chime is finally going public with strong financials and a shot at matching its $25B 2021 valuation, signaling real momentum in the IPO market. Databricks just made a $1B bet on agentic AI by acquiring Neon, a Postgres-as-a-service startup riding the new database wave. Then, Dave Rubin joins to share how he built and sold Locals, his uncancellable creator platform, all while navigating the intense media landscape.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:14) Jason and Alex open the show(1:42) Why Chime's IPO is such a promising sign(7:22) Chime's financials and valuation(10:12) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:17) So why did Databricks buy Neon?(13:22) Where is the AI Integration Desktop App?(17:29) Jason's plan to bring Americans back to the movies(20:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(21:58) Make movies All-you-can-eat!(26:26) Special Guest: Dave Rubin(30:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(31:41) Why Dave Rubin goes phone free for weeks at a time(45:24) Why Identity politics is killing business and sports(49:23) Can Locals reinvent subscription models?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Rubin Report on Locals: https://rubinreport.locals.com/Follow Dave:X: https://x.com/RubinReportYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdKr0Bgd_5saZYqLCa9mngFollow 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) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/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, Lon & Alex are back with a spicy Monday episode of This Week in Startups. Jason goes off on unions vs capitalism, we dig into why fewer seed startups are making it to Series A, and look at OpenAI's quiet copyright land grab. Plus: YC says Google should be broken up (then kind of walks it back), Perplexity's wild $14B valuation, and Saudi Arabia wants its own national AI. We wrap with an Office Hours chat with Kevin Bondzio from Streamfog on the future of AR ads in livestreaming.*Timestamps:(2:38) Why Jason's obsessed with Reddit's anti-work community(10:30) Coda - Get started for free at https://coda.io/twist(12:21) Seed Stage Graduation rates(20:43) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(26:11) What's going on with Tech M&A?(30:04) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist(33:50) What's going on with the Copyright Office?(37:24) Licensing and competitive advantage in the AI era(48:28) AI and the future of subscription-based content(56:42) StreamFog wants to change the way creators advertise(1:14:13) Perplexity's mega-valuation gets even mega-er(1:19:13) How Saudi Arabia just became an AI startup(1:22:05) Y Combinator pokes it's nose in the Google antitrust case*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Links from episode:Check out Streamfog: https://streamfog.com/Check out Peter Walkers post on “Graduating from Seed to Series A” https://x.com/PeterJ_Walker/status/1921288778192200087Learn about the HUMAIN here: https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2316474*Follow Kev:X: https://x.com/kevbondzioLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-bondzio/*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:(10:30) Coda - Get started for free at https://coda.io/twist(20:43) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(30:04) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist*Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland*Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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: Alex interviews founders from two frontier technologies reshaping our world. First, ZioSec is tackling the cybersecurity risks of AI agents with continuous adversarial testing before real attacks happen. Then, Terabase shows how mobile robotic factories are transforming solar energy deployment, assembling massive solar farms directly in the desert. With AI scaling across enterprises and clean energy demand surging, these startups are building critical infrastructure for our future.Timestamps:(0:00) Introduction to the episode(0:53) Show Kickoff with Alex(1:15) ZioSec is Putting Agentic AI in Charge of Cybersecurity(9:41) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(11:07)How Complex is ZioZec's Testing?(19:48) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.(21:01) ZioSec's Vision for the Future(26:55) Terabase Wants to Transform How Solar is Built(30:00) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.(31:30) Is Solar Our AI Power Problem Savior?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Check out ZioSec: https://ziosec.com/Check out Terabase: http://www.terabase.energyFollow Aaron:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-walls/X: https://x.com/aaron0wallsFollow Andruis:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/auseckas/Follow Terabase:X: https://x.com/terabaseenergy?lang=enFollow 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:(9:41) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(19:48) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist.(30:00) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy 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, Alex, and Lon break down OpenAI's latest power move: hiring Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to lead its consumer apps. They also dive into the ethical storm brewing around an AI-generated victim statement used in court — is this the future of legal testimony? Plus, they explore how late-stage funding rounds like a “Series G” don't automatically spell trouble anymore, and what The Checklist Manifesto can teach startup founders. Stick around for another Office Hours, where WhereToWheel gets a shot at the spotlight.*Timestamps:(0:00) We kick off the show!(2:28) Intro: It's all about having a system...(8:52) Wait, OpenAI STOLE Instacart's CEO?(10:00) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions(18:03) Why Adam Curry is the Podfather(20:08) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(22:53) Would you want to be represented in court by an AI Avatar?(30:44) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(35:38) What the heck is "Minor M&A"?(48:10) When are we all getting humanoid robots?(53:30) Where2Wheel wants to help you off-roadSubscribe 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*Links from episode:Check out Wheel2Wheel: https://dev.where2wheel.com/*Follow Where2Wheel:X: https://x.com/Where2WheelLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/where2wheel-llc/*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:(10:00) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions(20:08) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(30:44) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist*Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland*Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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, Lon & Alex discuss the day's hottest tech and startup news. Zoox's robotaxi crash and voluntary recall, COATUE's innovative open-ended venture fund that could democratize private tech investing, the NSO Group's massive $167M fine for spyware abuse, Uber's record-setting earnings and in-person work push, and a candid AI wake-up call from Fiverr's CEO urging employees to embrace automation or fall behind. From regulatory shakeups to funding innovation and the rise of AI productivity, this episode captures the chaos and opportunity of tech in 2025.Timestamps:(1:09) Show Intro(2:43) Will Coatue's new low buy-in fund replace or supplement traditional VC investments?(9:55) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist(13:38) Zoox issues recall: why this might be the best case scenario for self-driving cars.(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(22:39) Meta wins settlement against NSO: do spyware companies even need to exist?(25:45) Uber bests expectations in Q1! Why their future is looking bright.(29:48) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(33:10) How scared should we be of AI replacing us? Fiverr's CEO says VERY.(40:57) In Office Hours, Evan from FusionAds wants to know: how to make clients feel more confident in with AI-generated marketing?(50:03) The Founder Friday Tournament's Final Four is now... a FINAL FIVE?!Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Do Things That Don't Scale: https://paulgraham.com/ds.htmlFusionAds: https://www.fusionos.ai/ai-generative-advertisingFollow Evan:X: https://x.com/EG_FusionLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evangraj/Follow 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:(9:55) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.co(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(29:48) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/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: Cursor's explosive growth, hitting $200M in ARR and a massive $9B valuation. They also explore the buzz around Magical Toys' new AI-powered dinosaur, where LLMs meet playtime. The conversation turns to “vibe coding” and how AI dev tools are changing the way product teams build. Plus, Jason shares stories from his Formula 1 poker table, Uber's latest autonomous vehicle partnerships get analyzed, and we bring you highlights from our Founder Fridays pitch showdown, featuring Kippy from Sydney and MomSub from Chicago. Stick around to hear how Cloud Neuro is tackling SaaS sprawl.*Timestamps:(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!(3:52) Rise in popularity of F1 and Netflix's impact(10:23) Uber stock, partnerships, and self-driving technology(10:47) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twisttoday!(13:50) Aurora Innovation's SPAC and Cursor's valuation discussion(19:07) Revenue quality concerns for startups(20:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(21:37) User engagement versus churn in startups(23:06) AnySphere's ARR and impact of faster development on tech(30:29) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(32:11) Anker's portable solar solutions and off-grid living innovations(37:41) Jason's investment insights on Warner Brothers and Disney(38:27) Skype's decline and the rise of Zoom and Microsoft Teams(42:04) Founder Friday bracket final matchup and pitches(51:08) Interview with Fateen Anam Raffid from Magical Toys(59:24) Dino AI toy demonstration and future plans(1:04:20) Interview on CloudNuro's SaaS spend management(1:10:01) SaaS compliance, vendor-customer relationships, and AI spend management(1:16:09) CloudNuro's data-driven foundation and AI governance(1:18:46) Company growth, competitive landscape, and Chicago's entrepreneurial ecosystem*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Links from episode:Magical Toys: https://www.magicaltoys.comCloudNuro: https://www.cloudnuro.ai/*Follow Fateen:X: https://x.com/Fateen_Anam*Follow Shyam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyam-kumar-7b18524/:*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/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:(10:47) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twisttoday!(20:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(30:29) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com/ Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.*Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland*Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/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
(0:00) The Besties welcome Box's Aaron Levie and Flexport's Ryan Petersen! (4:05) Is Sacks back? (8:19) Reflecting on Trump's first 100 days (28:16) Global trade disruption, how businesses are dealing with tariffs (49:14) Amazon flip-flops on its tariff pricing feature, national security issues (1:04:13) AI agents, 1,000,000X'ing AI, and more Follow Aaron Levie: https://x.com/levie Follow Ryan Petersen: https://x.com/typesfast Follow the besties: https://x.com/chamath https://x.com/Jason https://x.com/DavidSacks https://x.com/friedberg Follow on X: https://x.com/theallinpod Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallinpod Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theallinpod Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allinpod Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://x.com/yung_spielburg Intro Video Credit: https://x.com/TheZachEffect Referenced in the show: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-warns-risk-nuclear-armageddon-highest-cuban-missile-crisis-rcna51146 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/30/world/europe/us-ukraine-military-war-takeaways.html https://x.com/Molson_Hart/status/1915248938753392642 https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/1917697018551754802 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/us/politics/trump-amazon-tariffs-prices.html https://x.com/chamath/status/1908239828283777393 https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-plots-charging-20-000-a-month-for-phd-level-agents?rc=pxkrxo https://manus.im https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/benchmark-invests-chinese-startup-behind-manus-ai-agent?rc=pxkrxo https://polymarket.com/event/which-company-has-best-ai-model-end-of-2025?tid=1746130417369
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