This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Brex. the financial stack founders can bank on. Brex knows cash is king for startups, so they built a banking experience that takes every dollar further. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24 * Todays show: Jason and Alex kick off episode 2000! They reflect on TWiST’s origins and early episodes (1:48), highlighting notable guests and memorable moments (22:31). They also share fan messages, and insights from cohosts (46:05), and wrap up celebrating standout moments (1:04:14). * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (1:48) The origins and early days of TWiST (9:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:03) Recollections of the first TWiST episodes (20:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (22:31) Highlighting notable guests and memorable early episodes (30:33) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24 (32:02) More on standout guests and the TWiST studio evolution (38:37) David Sacks makes his first appearance on TWiST (46:05) Messages from TWiST fans and cohosts (1:05:14) Celebrating standout moments and key highlights on the show (1:28:02) A special message from the Launch team * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZX4fUYo6C0&list=PL24nOpPUQlbZcij2Jo-KNUpWFDSrrQKtH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3bmpMX2qQ4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP7B0oWTR3o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cdrCYrZIvI https://youtu.be/wM0pVE_b1KU?si=NM1pK-pz9tUQFOqr&t=1366 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=550X5OZVk7Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VOQnK7O2To https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1_z9oOdytA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1DDVq3_vs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYA_vdHSD8w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwhP7K3bFRI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3seTmyRbcHU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANGHOQ2Cqtc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL2wWE27CUI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXEO3oJKINA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43MgbwQBDik https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfJtIibCx78 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:53) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (30:33) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24 * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Fidelity Private Shares. Fidelity Private Shares. Manage your cap table and data room, get faster, more accurate 409A valuation and fully automate your next financing round. Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. Google Cloud. Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Get up to $200K in Google Cloud credits – or up to $350K for AI startups – plus training and guidance. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist Runway. Looking to up-level your financial planning Runway is the modern and intuitive way to model, plan, and align your business for everyone on your team. Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. * Todays show: Jason and Kelly kick off the Founder University startup pitch competition (00:00), then we hear from Eric Gilbert-Williams on The Public Bored (4:32), Matt Schwed on Speed AI (11:38), and Joe Tannorella on PodEngine (15:50). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment, and details how to apply! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Kelly kick off the show (4:32) Eric Gilbert-Williams pitches The Public Bored (10:24) Fidelity Private Shares - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (11:38) Matt Schwed pitches Speed AI (15:50) Joe Tannorella pitches PodEngine (23:33) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (25:03) Ranking the three companies (29:12) Founders' experiences and learning outcomes at Founder University (31:47) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. (33:18) Q&A * Founder University: Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠ * We are doing Founder Fridays meetups! Visit ⁠https://founderfridays.tech to learn more * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Eric: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-gilbert-williams Check out: https://www.publicbored.com * Follow Matt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattshwed Check out: https://getspeed.ai * Follow Joe: X: https://x.com/joetannorella LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joetannorella Check out: https://podengine.ai * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:24) Fidelity Private Shares - Visit https://fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (23:33) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (31:47) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist Lemon.io. Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the arrest of Pavel Durov (2:10), national security concerns (13:54), and encryption debates (20:02). They also dive into G Squared raising $1B for it’s latest fund, IBM's activities in China, iPhone production shifts, more (55:50)! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:10) Breaking news: Arrest of Pavel Durov, implications, and legal issues (13:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (13:54) National security concerns and French president's statement on Durov's arrest (20:02) U.S. stance on encryption and the encryption debate (30:27) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (31:53) Global perspectives on encryption, privacy, and tech platform power (38:41) Lemon.IO - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (40:02) U.S. law enforcement, encrypted services, and social media censorship (55:50) Lightning round: G Squared raising $1.1B for its latest fund and IBM in China (1:11:06) Audience questions * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-michel-bernigaud-426a181a8/recent-activity/all https://cointelegraph.com/news/telegram-issues-official-statement-on-pavel-durov-detention https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1828077245606342672 https://x.com/Jason/status/1827488958512820448 https://www.apple.com/customer-letter https://www.ft.com/content/b7bac796-c194-442a-95c8-204425435309 https://www.secondariesinvestor.com/secondaries-fundraising-more-than-doubles-to-hit-all-time-high https://www.wsj.com/business/ibm-shuts-china-r-d-operations-in-latest-retreat-by-u-s-companies-b37cd9a0?st=7d9jarhfpzsugmm&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXO3OsYCS0g&t=218s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWLjgs2CEyE * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (13:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:27) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (38:41) Lemon.IO - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Sunny joins Jason to dive into all things AI, including: utilizing ChatGPT for efficiency and quick answers (7:03, the future of AI applications and Claude demo (12:47), Flux demo (36:56). Runway Gen-3 Alpha (41:13), and new Jam with JCal with Tyce Herrman of Ulama. * Timestamps: (0:00) Sunny joins Jason to jump in to AI demos. (1:24) Sundeep Madra on AI market trends and consumer adoption (3:31) AI-native interns and AI's role in career trajectories (7:03) Utilizing ChatGPT for efficiency and quick answers (10:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:47) Future of AI applications and Claude demo (19:44) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (20:56) Operating systems and AI integration (22:20) Grok for real-time information and AI images of public figures (25:14) AI-generated content concerns and parody vs misinformation (30:12) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://linear.app/twist (31:07) AI's impact on the 2024 election and content regulation (36:56) Introduction to Flux and demo of AI-generated images (41:13) AI's potential misuse in elections and Runway ML's new model (44:00) Creativity, fan films, and real-time editing advancements in AI (51:13) AI platforms for service industries and Mastertech AI applications (57:22) Funding opportunities for startups and closing remarks (1:01:55) Jam with JCal! Ulama introduction and software overview (1:04:34) AI in code compliance and architect feedback (1:07:45) Challenges in launching a standalone product and market potential (1:12:27) Strategies for architectural firm integration and marketing strategies * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * LINKS: Check out Grok 2.0: https://x.com/i/grok Check out Flux: https://replicate.com/black-forest-labs/flux-pro @RyanMorrisonJer’s tweet about Midjourney and Flux: https://x.com/ryanmorrisonjer/status/1822637652501319684?s=42 Check out Runway Gen-3 Alpha: https://runwayml.com/research/introducing-gen-3-alpha Check out Avoca: https://www.avoca.ai/ Check out MasterTech AI: https://www.mastertech.ai/ Check out the Jam with JCal contest: https://jamwithjcal.tech/ Check out Ulama: https://www.ulama.tech/ * Follow Sunny: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Tyce: X: https://x.com/tycecycle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyceherrman/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:11) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (19:44) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (30:12) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Todays show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down common legal oversights (5:26), risks of DIY legal documents (9:15), pro forma cap tables & ESOPS (18:31), and much more! * Timestamps: (00:00) Wilson Sonsini partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason (1:13) Legal preparations for startups and the importance of early legal counsel (5:26) Common Legal Oversights: Cap table, IP assignments, and employment agreements (9:15) Risks of DIY legal documents and safes (11:53) Cap tables and equity management (15:49) Impact of mismanagement on legal and financial outcomes (18:31) Pro forma cap tables and employee stock option plans (ESOPs) (21:39) Preparing for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) scenarios * Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠⁠https://www.wsgr.com⁠ Check Out: https://www.thisweekinstartups.com/basics * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Becki: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist .Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains. CommandBar. Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠⁠ to get a custom live demo. * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss AI on the blockchain (41:04), Waymo’s growth (29:27), tech layoffs (58:47), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:24) Bolt's fundraising controversy and business model (8:24) CEO loans and board conflicts at Bolt (11:25) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (12:46) Public vs. private equity borrowing and media integrity (21:18) Technology media industry reflections (28:32) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (29:27) Waymo's growth and autonomous vehicle market (39:49) CommandBar - Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo. (41:04) Story raises $80M for blockchain-based IP network (46:23) Stablecoins and SEC investigations (58:47) The truth behind tech layoffs (1:07:26) Audience questions * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://x.com/pitdesi/status/1826262321045610846 https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/25/fintech-bolt-just-laid-off-over-100-employees-across-engineering-sales-and-marketing https://www.pymnts.com/personnel/2023/one-click-checkout-startup-bolt-laying-off-10-of-workforce https://www.reddit.com/r/SelfDrivingCars/comments/1co9loz/waymo_makes_now_50000_paid_trips_every_week_in_3 https://waymo.com/blog/2024/06/waymo-one-is-now-open-to-everyone-in-san-francisco https://x.com/TechTekedra/status/1825910695311114384 https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/23/alphabet-to-invest-another-5b-into-waymo https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/18/cars/china-baidu-apollo-go-robotaxi-anxiety-intl-hnk https://www.comma.ai https://autoware.org https://openai.com/index/gpt-4o-fine-tuning https://openai.com/index/conde-nast https://apnews.com/article/authors-sue-anthropic-claude-ai-chatbot-chatgpt-copyright-54ae787070bdfc8019ab29b70487c02 https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/858877/000119312524200636/d878533d8k.htm https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/20/cisco-employees-face-a-month-of-silence-ahead-of-second-layoff-in-2024 https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/1/24210656/intel-is-laying-off-over-10000-employees-and-will-cut-10-billion-in-costs https://layoffs.fyi * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:25) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (28:32) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (39:49) CommandBar - Visit https://commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Coda. Coda empowers your startup by bringing words, tables, and teams together. Strategize, plan, and track goals effectively with all your valuable data in one place. Go to https://www.Coda.io/twist to get started for FREE and get 6 free months of the Team plan. Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist Fundrise provides access to diversified portfolios of private real estate to all investors with their industry leading, easy to use platform. Sign up today at https://fundrise.com/TWIST * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss venture capital fund performance (15:02), potential big tech breakups (41:14), SF Standard piece analysis on Ben and Felicia Horowitz (47:04), startup shutdowns (1:11:28), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (5:31) Discussion on productivity and browsers with ChatGPT-4 (10:21) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (11:54) Debate on regulations in the U.S. (15:02) Deep dive into venture capital fund performance, IRR, and DPI (25:37) Strategy of David Clark's fund of funds (27:16) Realities of investing in venture capital (30:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:53) Venture capital performance impact on LPs and future fundraising (34:23) Consequences for new and small venture firms (39:24) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://fundrise.com/TWIST (41:14) Analysis of antitrust issues and potential big tech breakups (45:29) Search engine market competition strategies (46:19) Venture capital market stress and its effects on VC behavior (47:04) SF Standard piece analysis on Ben and Felicia Horowitz (59:12) Venture capital rivalries and media narratives (1:03:03) Discussion on US deficit, economic policies, and election outcomes (1:11:28) Startup shutdowns, failure rates, and positive venture capital data (1:17:02) Reflections on resilience during tough economic times (1:20:08) Audience questions * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://x.com/daveclark85/status/1825448801672327229 https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/16/felicia-ben-horowitz-party-switch https://archive.is/xgHUv https://carta.com/blog/vc-fund-performance-q1-2024 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:21) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (30:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (39:24) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://fundrise.com/TWIST * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://www.CLAconnect.com/tech OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist * Todays show: David Weisburd hosts Elad Gil, David York, and Jason Calacanis to discuss recession fears (2:15), new investment trends (24:44), geographic and talent concentration in the startup sector (56:48), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) David Weisburd intros Elad Gil, David York, and Jason Calacanis (2:15) Recession fears and their effects on Silicon Valley and startups (5:18) AI market segments, enterprise adoption, and SaaS spending slowdown (10:55) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:19) Private equity, tech buyouts, and excess capital management (19:35) AI-driven buyouts and efficiency improvements (23:09) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (24:44) New investment trends and key startup ecosystems (28:10) Founder inspiration and the impact of competitive ecosystems (30:06) Role of accelerators in early-stage investing and startup formation (34:16) Layoffs, FIRE movement, and FTC ruling on non-competes (37:21) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (38:48) Liquidity and challenges for LPs in incubators and accelerators (56:48) Geographic and talent concentration in the startup sector (1:02:32) Tech hub movements, office culture, and remote vs. in-office work trends * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/futures-slide-amazon-intel-forecasts-disappoint-jobs-data-awaited-2024-08-02 https://www.boringbusinessnerd.com/post/top-startup-accelerators * Follow Elad: X: https://x.com/eladgil LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eladgil Check out: https://eladgil.com * Follow David York: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-york-2407295 Check out: https://ttcp.com/ * Follow David Weisburd: X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠ Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:55) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (23:09) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (37:21) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Jason sits down with James Hicks to discuss the unique aspects of Final Boss Sour's products and marketing (3:25), the future of commerce, influencers, and retailers' adaptations (23:12), followed by a discussion with Rae Lambert about River's software platform and community management best practices (46:16), high-end memberships, landing lighthouse customers, and influencer engagement (1:04:35) . * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off today’s show with guests James Hicks and Rae Lambert. (3:25) Discussing the appeal and unique aspects of Final Boss Sour's products (7:25) Better-for-you products and social media strategies (9:40) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (10:50) Potential of TikTok for social shopping and influencer monetization (21:04) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (23:12) Future of commerce, influencers, and retailers' adaptations (30:00) Video game tie-ins and product development logistics (37:22) Experiential retail and pop-up concepts (38:36) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist (40:04) Ray Lambert and community building with River (46:16) River's software platform and community management best practices (52:16) Business models, monetization strategies, and paid events (1:00:00) Community roles, expansion and engaging with fans (1:03:19) Audience questions, community engagement insights, and hiring attempts (1:04:35) High-end memberships, landing lighthouse customers, and influencer engagement * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Final Boss Sour: https://finalbosssour.com/ Check out Final Boss Sour TikTok Shop: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/tiktok-shop-final-boss Check out Science: https://www.science-inc.com/ Check out River: https://www.getriver.io/ Check out Rae’s blog: https://www.raelambert.com/ Check our Founder Fridays: https://www.founderfridays.tech/ * Follow James: X: https://x.com/jamesghicks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hicks-43957512/ * Follow Rae: X: https://x.com/raechellambert LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raechel-lambert/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:40) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (21:04) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (38:36) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Google Cloud. Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Get up to $200K in Google Cloud credits – or up to $350K for AI startups – plus training and guidance. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the evolution of startup costs and media aggregation (3:17), media's addiction to Trump coverage (13:46), Polymarket and Perplexity partnership (40:08), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:17) Evolution of startup costs and media aggregation (7:47) Jason and Alex discuss Trump and Elon conversation (10:09) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (13:46) Media's addiction to Trump coverage (20:04) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (21:18) Trump's media strategies and speech analysis (30:04) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (31:17) Societal resistance to tech and the rise of self-driving cars (37:14) Self-driving technology's impact on Uber and Lyft (40:08) Polymarket and Perplexity partnership (47:34) Hacking capitalism and the FIRE movement (54:12) Perplexity's AI competition and the value of proprietary data (1:00:45) Reddit's traffic and monetization (1:07:35) European venture capital and the rise of unicorns (1:13:00) Work culture: Europe vs. US (1:16:11) Investing in AI startups and consulting opportunities * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Trump/X conversation transcript: https://turboscribe.ai/transcript/share/4422534834081521519/HWE18owsC2u8E5u2HpZNikyBdermlV2YSwGlTEPKJJw/donald-trump-and-elon-musk-full-transcript-august-12-2024-https-x-com-i-spaces-1nakepnklwoxl Jason’s argument concerning the Trump Bump: https://x.com/Jason/status/1823381839647756392 WeRide IPO filing: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1867729/000119312524197868/d343706df1a.htm Alex’s notes on WeRide: https://www.cautiousoptimism.news/p/inside-werides-ipo-filing-and-the Perplexity + Polymarket deal: https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/12/prediction-market-polymarket-partners-with-perplexity-to-show-news-summaries/ Polymarket Dune data: https://dune.com/rchen8/polymarket Balderton raises $1.3B: https://sifted.eu/articles/balderton-1-3bn-fundraise-news PitchBook data concerning recent European VC activity: https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/q2-2024-european-venture-report Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:09) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (20:04) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:04) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist .Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains. OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist * Todays show: Jason and Kelly kick off the Founder University startup pitch competition (00:00). We hear from Pablo on Big Rentals (4:18), Brittany on Where2Wheel (12:28), Ardalan on MyLens (21:31), and Mariano on Prosperous AI (29:07). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (38:34), and details how to apply! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Kelly kick off the show (4:18) Pablo Fernandez pitches Big Rentals (11:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠ (12:28) Brittany Peregoff pitches Where2Wheel (20:10) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (21:31) Ardalan Mirshani pitches MyLens (29:07) Mariano Apodaca pitches Prosperous AI (35:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (36:33) Review of the four startups (40:44) Q&A * Founder University: Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠ * We are doing Founder Fridays meetups! Visit ⁠https://founderfridays.tech to learn more * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Pablo: X: https://x.com/directedbypablo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablofernandezorg Check out: https://BigRentals.com * Follow Brittany: X: https://x.com/bperegoff LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-peregoff-2134092b Check out: https://where2wheel.com * Follow Ardalan: X: https://x.com/ardalanmirshani LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirshani Check out: https://mylens.ai * Follow Mariano: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a Check out: https://prosperousprocess.ai * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠ (20:10) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech (35:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down the current state of startup funding (0:37), anti-dilution provisions (7:11), re-incentivizing management teams (16:23), and much more! * Timestamps: (00:00) Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason (0:37) Market update: Current state of startups and funding (1:21) Consolidated investment trends and the venture capital slowdown (4:23) The importance of due diligence, runway, and down round impacts (7:11) Anti-dilution provisions and strategies for investor communication (16:23) Re-incentivizing management teams and insider-led funding scenarios (23:46) Importance of investor relations and board management * Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠⁠https://www.wsgr.com⁠ * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Becki: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to ⁠https://www.squarespace.com/twist⁠ for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. CommandBar. Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo. Brex. the financial stack founders can bank on. Brex knows cash is king for startups, so they built a banking experience that takes every dollar further. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24 * Todays show: Alex leads us into two great talks from Liquidity Summit 2024. First Jason sits down for a one-on-one with Valor’s Antonio Gracias (1:38), followed by a great talk with Gavin Baker of Atreides (39:01) * Timestamps: (0:00) Teaser of today’s Liquidity Summit talks from Alex. (1:13) Alex kicks off the show. (1:38) Valor’s Antonio Gracias joins Jason (4:26) Unbiased data and business models in AI (10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:14) Achieving AGI and robots in real-world applications (14:26) Venture capital dynamics and innovation (18:09) Athena case study: Investor operational support (22:05) CommandBar - Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo. (23:04) Traditional venture playbook and crossover hedge funds (28:33) US balance sheet implications and emerging entrepreneurship regions (33:39) Immigration policy's role in recruitment (36:19) Investing in socially impactful companies (38:09) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24 (39:01) Atreides Management’s Gavin Baker joins Jason (47:38) The importance of investing in relationships (54:32) Resilience in public equity investing and learning from failure (1:00:29) AI adoption differences between startups and enterprises (1:02:32) America's innovation through resilience and immigration (1:03:43) Google and Apple's AI strategies and infrastructure (1:11:32) Meta's strategic moves in search and the metaverse * Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Valor: https://www.valorep.com/ Check out Atreides: https://atreidesmgmt.com/ Follow Antonio: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-p-gracias Follow Gavin: X: https://x.com/GavinSBake LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinbaker-portfoliomanager/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (22:05) CommandBar - Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo. (38:08) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24 * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠ Intercom - Intercom’s AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist * Todays show: We are kicking off our coverage of the TWiST500 with three fantastic founders: Kyle Hanslovan of Huntress (11:44), Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi of TollBit (36:40), and Tamar Bar-Ilan of Cyera (56:44). * Timestamps: (0:00) Introducing three founder interviews from our TWiST500! (1:23) Huntress CEO, Kyle Hanslovan joins Alex. (2:04) Celebrating a milestone in ARR and discussing growth strategies (4:19) Impact of cybersecurity incidents on Huntress (10:30) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (11:44) Huntress's services for SMBs and endpoint detection and response (20:09) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist (21:46) Selling to SMBs: Challenges, strategies, and early lessons (29:05) Addressing internal IT departments and IPO considerations (35:12) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist (36:40) TollBit’s Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi join Alex. (37:38) Tollbit's early development and fundraising journey (41:03) Media readiness and increasing publisher onboarding (50:31) Flexible pricing models and expanding data types for AI partners (56:44) Tamar Bar-Ilan of Cyera joins Alex. (57:23) Cyera and its data security mission (1:04:07) Overview of Cyera’s data platform and recent funding (1:08:53) Company growth, AI adoption, and demand drivers (1:17:52) Encryption's role in data security and future IPO plans * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Huntress: https://www.huntress.com/ Check out TollBit: https://tollbit.com/ Check out Cyera: https://www.cyera.io/ * Follow Olivia from TollBit: X: https://x.com/oliviajoslin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-joslin-13a9a4a2/ * Follow Toshit from TollBit: X: https://x.com/tollbitofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toshit-panigrahi-a6496076/ * Follow Kyle from Huntress: X: https://x.com/KyleHanslovan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylehanslovan/ * Follow Tamar from Cyera: X: https://x.com/cyera_io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamar-bar-ilan-67bb481a7 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:30) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ (20:09) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist (35:12) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist DevSquad. DevSquad helps startups design better products. If you need UI and UX expertise and don’t want to hire an entire design team, head to http://devsquad.com/startups and book a call. Mention that you are coming from TWiST to get 10% off. * Todays show: Josh Reeves joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss building a product people love (21:11), SMB challenges (23:56), growth strategies (36:47), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Josh Reeves joins Alex Wilhelm (2:16) Josh's previous startups and the early days of web development (6:26) Transition to digital solutions and security for small businesses (10:31) Gusto's growth, success metrics, and market penetration (13:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (14:30) Gusto's North Star, marketing strategies, and channel growth (21:11) Building a product people love with good unit economics (22:29) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (23:56) Challenges of selling to SMBs and Gusto's product expansion (28:50) Maintaining simplicity in product development (35:18) DevSquad - Visit https://www⁠.devsquad.com/startups, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off! (36:47) Ensuring product quality and the role of organic growth in marketing (44:39) Competitive landscape in payroll and HR space (48:54) Gusto's potential fintech ventures and communication styles among founders (56:07) IT spending growth among SMBs and international expansion (1:00:16) Navigating competition and partnerships (1:01:41) Diversification of go-to-market strategies (1:03:31) Financial strategies and thoughts on going public * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Josh: X: https://x.com/joshuareeves LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuareeves * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (13:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (22:29) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (35:18) DevSquad - Visit https://www⁠.devsquad.com/startups⁠, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off! * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Google Cloud. Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Get up to $200K in Google Cloud credits – or up to $350K for AI startups – plus training and guidance. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist Brex. the financial stack founders can bank on. Brex knows cash is king for startups, so they built a banking experience that takes every dollar further. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24 * Todays show: David Weisburd hosts Dana Johns, Tom Loverro, and Jason Calacanis to discuss secondaries (2:37), VC leverage against startups (23:44), venture capital strategies (29:34), cybersecurity investments (38:03), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) David Weisburd intros Dana Johns, Tom Loverro, and Jason Calacanis (2:37) Secondary pricing signaling a potential VC recovery (9:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.squarespace.com/twist (11:02) Timeframes, returns for secondary funds, and founders' secondary sales (15:32) Increasing liquidity in private markets (22:42) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (23:44) VC leverage against startups is near an all time high (29:34) Venture capital strategies, succession planning, and valuation in the Goldilocks zone (37:11) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24 (38:03) Cybersecurity investments, IPO window, and M&A market dynamics (51:28) Lightning round on latest investments * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/aging-vc-funds-secondary-stakes-market-limited-partner-exits https://www.secondariesinvestor.com/blackstone-plans-to-launch-biggest-secondaries-fund-yet https://news.crunchbase.com/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-funding-venture-wiz-ai-cyera * Follow Dana: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danasjohns * Follow Tom: X: https://x.com/tomloverro LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomloverro Check out: https://www.ivp.com/ * Follow David: X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠⁠ Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.squarespace.com/twist (22:42) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist (37:11) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24 * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… CommandBar - Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo. .Tech Domains - Don’t miss our “Jam with JCal” contest! To apply and get more details go to https://www.jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist * Todays show: Antonio Gracias of Valor and Liran Zvibel of WEKA join Jason to discuss WEKA’s product market fit and real-world applications (13:49), energy solutions for future data centers and capital allocation strategy (30:07), and a Jam with JCal session with Uptrend AI’s Ramsey Shaffer (37:00). * Timestamps: (0:00) Antonio Gracias of Valor and Liran Zvibel of WEKA join Jason. (2:52) Investment thesis for WEKA and discussion on investment strategies (5:30) Investing in winners and the future of compute and AI technology (10:14) CommandBar - Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo. (13:49) WEKA’s product market fit and real-world applications (21:49) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech (23:08) Innovative customers and technology behind the Las Vegas Sphere (23:08) Innovative customers and technology behind the Las Vegas Sphere (25:12) Impact of Weka’s technology on rendering and data management (30:07) Energy solutions for future data centers and capital allocation strategy (34:22) Weka's hiring and job opportunities (35:34) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist (37:00) Jam with JCal winner Ramsey Schaffer, CEO of Uptrends AI. (38:09) Ramsey’s pitch and Jason's feedback (45:22) Importance of founder-led sales, pricing strategy, and UX improvements (51:02) Engaging with customers and final thoughts on Uptrends ai * Links from show: Check out Valor Equity Partners: https://www.valorep.com Check out WEKA: https://www.weka.io Check out Stability AI: https://stability.ai Check out the Sphere: https://www.thesphere.com Enter the Jam with JCal contest: https://www.jamwithjcal.tech Check out Uptrends AI:https://www.uptrends-ai.tech * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Liran: X: https://x.com/liranzvibel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liranzvibel/ * Follow Ramsey: X: https://x.com/RamseyShaffer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyshaffer/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: Timestamps: (10:14) CommandBar - Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo. (21:49) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech (35:34) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Coda. Coda empowers your startup by bringing words, tables, and teams together. Strategize, plan, and track goals effectively with all your valuable data in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get started for FREE and get 6 free months of the Team plan. Intercom. Intercom’s AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist Micro1. Micro1 is an AI recruitment engine to hire world class engineers fast. Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire. * Todays show: Etsy’s Josh Silverman joins Jason to discuss the marketplace business model (2:54), UX challenges (4:58), company operations during the pandemic (36:57), AI’s impact on team size (50:56), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Etsy’s Josh Silverman joins Jason (2:54) The marketplace business model and Etsy's growth (4:58) Maintaining Etsy's unique marketplace and UX challenges (10:34) Defining handmade and GenAI art on Etsy (11:53) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (13:18) Preventing inauthentic sellers and the seller approval process (20:14) Etsy's star seller program and the importance of artisanal items (26:26) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist (27:55) Durable products, warranties, and customer loyalty (35:47) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire. (36:57) Company operations during the pandemic and efficiency era (44:11) Global talent, remote work, and productivity at Etsy (50:56) AI's impact on team size, productivity, and customer support (55:10) SEO strategies, organic traffic, and handling IP issues * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Josh: X: https://x.com/jgsilverman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuasilverman * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:53) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (26:26) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom’s platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist (35:47) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at ⁠https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠ Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. The newest generation of the pod, the Pod 4 ultra has arrived. Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra. * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the end of the Wiz-Google deal (5:37), Spotify's performance (13:36), Universal Basic Income (UBI) (27:49), Meta's AI strategy (53:05), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (5:37) The end of the Wiz-Google deal (12:24) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (13:36) Spotify's successful quarter (21:41) Daniel Ek's strategy and Spotify's future risks (26:57) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at ⁠https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠ (27:49) Universal basic income (UBI) (38:05) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra. (39:34) Findings and implications from a recent UBI study backed by Sam Altman (48:22) The efficiency and impact of welfare programs (53:05) Meta's AI developments (59:58) Mark Zuckerberg's thoughts on Apple and open source AI (1:06:50) Predictions for Meta's competitive moves * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/22/wiz-walks-away-from-googles-23b-acquisition-offer-read-the-ceos-note-to-employees https://news.crunchbase.com/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-funding-venture-wiz-ai-cyera/#:~:text=In%20the%20second%20quarter%2C%20cyber,to%20startups%20in%20173%20deals https://ai.meta.com/blog/meta-llama-3-1 https://x.com/rowancheung/status/1815763595197616155?t=1204 https://x.com/eldsjal/status/1815691024473166268?s=12 https://www.axios.com/2024/07/23/spotify-profit-q2-2024-earnings https://x.com/smilleralert/status/1815372032621879628/photo/1 https://www.openresearchlab.org/findings/entrepreneurship https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SPOT https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-22/ubi-study-backed-by-openai-s-sam-altman-bolsters-support-for-basic-income * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (12:24) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (26:57) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (38:05) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist * Todays show: Benchmark’s Sarah Tavel joins Jason to discuss strategies for competing in a changing venture landscape (9:12), the critical role of governance and accountability in startups (19:39), the relationship between hype, investment decisions, and startup promotion (55:20). and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Sarah Tavel joins Jason. (1:38) Sarah Tavel, Benchmark Partner, on disciplined fund size and efficiency (5:06) Benchmark's commitment to founders and investment strategy (9:12) Strategies for competing in a changing venture landscape (10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (15:50) Valuations, ownership, and building deep relationships with founders (18:30) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (19:39) The critical role of governance and accountability in startups (28:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (30:16) The power of incremental improvements and executive limitations (34:32) Vanity metrics vs. building enduring value in startups (43:12) The consequences of choosing status over results in startup success (46:22) Building trust in leadership and the pressures of maintaining success (49:03) The importance of non-consensus bets and independent thinking (55:20) The relationship between hype, investment decisions, and startup promotion (58:19) In-person work vs. remote work: Impact on startup productivity (1:02:58) SaaS market challenges: Pricing, AI impact, and future models (1:07:33) Exciting AI investments and the transformative potential of new technologies (1:13:01) AI advancements, new use cases, and the competitive landscape (1:17:16) How incumbents and consumers are benefiting from AI advancements (1:19:15) Embracing AI in daily tasks and business operations * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Benchmark: https://www.benchmark.com/ * Follow Sarah: X: https://x.com/sarahtavel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtavel/ Sarah’s Substack: https://www.sarahtavel.com/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (18:30) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (28:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916