This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Runway. Looking to up-level your financial planning Runway is the modern and intuitive way to model, plan, and align your business for everyone on your team. Sign up at https://www.runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Apple’s on-device AI and its privacy implications, Reddit’s earnings, and Amazon’s multi-billion dollar investment interest in Anthropic with strategic chip conditions. They also discuss economic indicators like inflation’s impact on voter sentiment and what metrics will define success for the next administration. Finally, they explore how product velocity has been key to Toast’s SaaS success and share valuable lessons for startup growth. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:29) Discussion Apple Intelligence and privacy concerns (10:32) Runway - Sign up at https://www.runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. (12:12) Trust in tech companies and privacy (17:20) Trends on AI topics and ChatGPT (17:20) Trends and tech product comparisons (20:59) OpenAI's Chat.com acquisition (22:45) Mac mini unboxing experience wrap-up (24:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (26:12) Analysis of Toast's business and growth (36:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (37:30) Reddit's growth, user engagement, and moderation challenges (47:36) Social media incentives and reputation systems (52:07) Reddit's AI translations and community management strategies (57:25) Reddit's potential for creating a search engine (1:00:38) OpenAI's citation challenges (1:05:30) Amazon's interest in Anthropic and AI regulation (1:07:37) US immigration and AI regulation under Trump administration (1:11:43) TikTok's role in US-China relations (1:15:42) Major IPOs and market potential (1:17:19) Economic topics and inflation's impact on consumer spending * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://security.apple.com/blog/private-cloud-compute/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:32) Runway - Sign up at https://www.runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free. (24:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (36:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Oracle. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist Notion. Notion combines your notes, docs, and projects into one beautifully designed space with AI built right in. Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry’s leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:55) Skydio’s Adam Bry joins the show (4:22) Overview of Skydio's autonomous drones and public safety applications (9:31) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (11:07) Skydio as the largest US drone producer and Chinese sanctions impact (17:36) Risks of Chinese-made drones and Skydio's cybersecurity measures (21:28) Drones in defense and combat applications (25:15) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist (27:24) Drone light shows and military implications, Skydio's mission and hiring (31:44) Future applications of drone technology and hardware startup challenges (39:31) Geopolitical tensions and impact on American companies (39:43) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (41:36) Presidential election results and implications for entrepreneurship (48:49) Tariffs, immigration policies, and economic impact (57:41) Prediction markets (1:00:07) High-skilled immigration and antitrust policies (1:04:35) Political influence on business dynamics and media (1:07:02) Mergers, acquisitions, and startup liquidity post-Lena Khan (1:11:26) Secondary markets, Lyft and DoorDash valuation trends (1:15:15) The future of search engines * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Skydio: https://www.skydio.com/ Check out Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/ Article on Amazon’s purchase of MGM: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a36543339/james-bond-amazon-mgm-deal-explained/ Article on election ad spending in 2024: https://www.afaqs.com/news/advertising/harris-and-trump-spent-nearly-10-billion-on-ads-in-2024-us-elections-7452195 Trailer for 1982 Doc “Buried”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4NpOlJ_O-I * Follow Adam: X: https://x.com/adampbry Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adambry/ Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:31) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (25:15) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist (39:43) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by: NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into one platform. Giving you one source of truth. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist Gusto. Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://www.gusto.com/twist Washington Post. Stay informed with trusted journalism from The Washington Post. Right now, TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist * Todays show: In this episode, host Alex sits down with Exowatt’s Hannan Parvizian to explore how the company is addressing the massive energy demands of AI and datacenters. They discuss Exowatt's mission to deliver affordable, sustainable power solutions that meet the needs of a rapidly expanding tech landscape. Together, they dive into the challenges and innovations shaping the future of clean energy for data-heavy applications. * Timestamps: (0:00) AI search energy consumption and corporate willingness to pay for AI (1:30) Introduction to power, electricity, and Hannan Parvizian of ExoWatt (4:21) Renewable energy, fossil fuels, and data center energy consumption (7:15) AI race, energy demands, and founding of ExoWatt (8:25) Key challenges in the renewable energy sector (9:24) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (12:23) Cost of electricity, energy bills, and Texas energy market (13:40) Exowatt’s unique technology and competitive edge (17:46) Introduction to ExoWatt's P3 product (21:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist (22:39) Energy storage technologies and comparison (30:47) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist (31:58) P3 modules' energy capacity and storage (34:55) Heat-to-electricity conversion mechanism (37:56) ExoWatt's company background, funding, and scaling challenges (43:14) Variable pricing, customer demand, and AI's energy consumption outlook (50:10) American manufacturing dynamism and AI's impact on the job market * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Exowatt: https://www.exowatt.com/ * Follow Hannan: X: https://x.com/hapi31415 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannanparvizian/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (9:24) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (21:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist (30:47) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist Lemon.io. Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss AI's role in gaming with Decart’s AI-generated video game and its potential impact.(10:31) Viral growth strategies for startups and Runway AI's video creation innovations. Financial topics include NVIDIA's market value and Amazon's nuclear power ambitions.(21:39). * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:34) Election security in America and challenges of swinging state votes (8:41) AI-generated video game by Decart and its potential in gaming and entertainment (9:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (17:07) Viral growth strategy for startups and collaboration between Decart and Etched (A20:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (21:37) NVIDIA's value, financial speculation, and customer concentration (29:32) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (44:16) Amazon's nuclear power deal and regulatory challenges * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Check out the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator: https://ck.launch.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (29:32) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by: Fidelity Private Shares℠. Manage your cap table and data room, get faster, more accurate 409A valuation and fully automate your next financing round. Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (4:49) Extend Robotics’ Dr. Chang Liu joins the show (6:23) The challenges of real-world automation, robotic grape picking, and human in the loop AI (10:44) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (12:14) Teleoperation, network latency, and future of robotic harvesting (21:05) Building a tech company in the UK and second-order effects of AI (23:24) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (24:35) AI models learning from best human practitioners (26:56) Global remote work impact and virtual assistants (30:38) Impact of global salary standards on US developers (33:02) Oracle - Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist (34:28) Accredited investor rules and potential changes (42:26) Sophisticated investor tests and angel investing (47:32) Investing in local businesses and AI news (48:36) OpenAI announcements and Google’s blowout quarter (52:22) Democratizing education with AI tutors and OpenAI's new search product (1:03:39) OpenAI’s advanced voice feature and earnings highlights (1:06:26) Tech giants' AI initiatives and implications (1:08:03) Amazon’s AWS growth and AI business expansion (1:14:39) Audience question: Interesting AI sectors for startups (1:21:05) The Chinese EV market * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Check out the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator: https://ck.launch.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Extend Robotics: https://www.extendrobotics.com/ Here is the “Empowering Main Street in America Act”: https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/emsaa_section-by-section.pdf Check out SearchGPT: https://openai.com/index/searchgpt-prototype/ Check out the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra: https://www.mi.com/global/discover/article?id=3768 Check out Nio: https://www.nio.com * Follow Dr Chang Liu: X: https://x.com/enjoychang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechangliu/ 8 Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:44) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (23:24) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (33:02) Oracle - Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by: OpenPhone - Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist Linear - Linear helps product teams focus on what they do best: Planning and building great products. Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.Linear.app/twist * Todays show: Moniepoint made waves this week by raising a massive $110 million Series C. For a startup in a category (fintech) that has seen its venture fortunes falter and a company building for the African market (which has seen its venture inflows slow), Moniepoint is an outlier – twice. Three times if you consider how quickly the company has grown in recent years. How did its round come together? How was it priced? And why aren’t more investors putting capital to work in Africa? Tune in, we have answers. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show (1:21) Moniepoint's origin story and pivot to the current model (10:30) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (10:13) Balancing profitability and venture capital (16:48) Digitalization's impact on Moniepoint's growth (25:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (26:43) Moniepoint's office and IPO strategies (28:18) Launch of consumer banking services (31:07) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist (32:07) The recent fundraising round and valuation insights (38:32) Moniepoint's expansion plans in Africa (42:17) Fostering the early-stage startup ecosystem (44:18) Tosin's journey in angel investing (46:38) Spotlight on African startups in the global market (49:37) Angel University - Apply now at https://www.angel.univeristy * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Moniepoint: https://moniepoint.com * Follow Tosin: X: https://x.com/eniolorunda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tosin-eniolorunda-46833618 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:30) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (25:11) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (31:07) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by: Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Kalshi. Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100. * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm interviews leaders from Monte Carlo and Mastertech.ai, exploring their roles in data observability and AI applications. Linda Gray shares her journey founding Mastertech.ai and highlighting AI's transformative role in auto shops.(2:05) Monte Carlo's Lior Gavish discusses the importance of data downtime and AI's influence on data monitoring. (35:51) * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show (2:05) Linda Gray's career and Mastertech.ai origin (5:17) Mastertech.ai and the auto repair industry (8:06) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (9:11) Technological adoption and Mastertech.ai's benefits (16:18) Mastertech.ai's OEM approval process and community data (20:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (22:20) Mastertech.ai's AI-driven diagnostics demo (34:34) Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100. (35:51) Lior Gavish from Monte Carlo joins Alex (45:15) AI's accelerant effect on Monte Carlo's growth and strategy * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Monte Carlo: https://www.montecarlodata.com Mastertech.AI: https://www.mastertech.ai * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Lior: X: https://x.com/lgavish LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lgavish * Follow Linda: X: https://x.com/lindach167 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-gray-6433b251 * Thank you to our partners: (8:06) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (20:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (34:34) Kalshi - Sign up to win $100K at https://www.kalshi.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Digital Ocean. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or seeing your project take off, DigitalOcean is the cloud platform that lets you focus on what matters: building killer apps. Right now get up to $100k in free credits at https://do.co/twist Terms and conditions apply. Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. Kalshi. Kalshi the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100. * Todays show: Sonos director Mattias Scheek joins Jason & Alex to discuss his journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition. Then, Jason and Alex dive into election security (34:57), influencer marketing, Google’s upcoming AI release (1:10:42), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:18) Earnings week predictions & discussion on national debt (9:17) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (10:24) Mattias Scheek from Sonos joins the show (11:23) Mattias Scheek's journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition (17:49) Challenges for hardware startups in venture capital (20:25) Getting acquired: The process, strategy, and life after (22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (23:11) Sonos' hi-fi strategy and industry issues in audio clarity (33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. (34:57) Voting irregularities, election security, and influencer marketing (45:14) Trump Rogan YouTube search issues and search engine comparison (53:06) Monetization experiments on YouTube and Launch Cloud Kitchens Incubator (1:10:42) Google's upcoming AI model for PC browsers and cybersecurity risks (1:15:52) Apple's app permissions approach and AI * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Check out the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator: https://ck.launch.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnUry6mCxs * Follow Mattias: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattias-scheek-539a0349/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:17) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

In this episode: Alex talks with Shensi Ding from Merge, who shares her transition from finance to tech and highlights the critical role of integrations in modern businesses. They explore the challenges of building and maintaining these integrations, emphasizing the importance of standardized data models. Shensi discusses partnerships and the strategies to overcome resistance. The conversation delves into trust-building, enhancing integration observability, and expanding Merge's offerings to include AI applications. They also touch on financial efficiency, growth strategies, and Merge's evolution beyond APIs, concluding with insights into future plans and potential acquisition interest. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show with guest Shensi Ding of Merge. (5:18) Shensi's journey from finance to tech and the importance of integrations (10:20) The challenges of building and maintaining integrations (11:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (13:17) Identifying the market gap for Merge and the benefits of standardized data models (17:39) Partnership building, Salesforce integration, and overcoming resistance (20:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (21:16) Further discussion on trust-building and integration challenges (26:04) Enhancing integration observability and customer support (30:01) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire (31:21) Expanding Merge's integration list and its AI applications (35:27) Discussing financial efficiency, runway management, and team dynamics (43:16) Growth strategies, customer base expansion, and go-to-market experiments (47:10) Pricing strategies, customer value, and market trends (50:05) Future plans for Merge, acquisition interest, and long-term vision (52:26) Evolution of Merge beyond API focus. * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Merge here: https://www.merge.dev/ * Follow Shansi: X: https://x.com/shensi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shensiding/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (11:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist (20:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (30:01) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

In this episode we look back at all the Jam with JCal sessions from 2024. This is where startups pitch their groundbreaking ideas to Jason, covering everything from AI-driven investor tools and gamified publisher rewards to sleep tech and architecture compliance software. Watch as these innovative founders get unfiltered feedback and game-changing advice! Don’t miss these exciting pitches that could be the next big thing. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show, setting the stage for our "Jam with JCal" season recap, focusing on startups using .TECH domains. (0:53) Jason discusses the origins of the Jam with JCal sessions and how Travis from Uber inspired the format. (1:39) Ramsey Shaffer presents Uptrends AI, explaining how it helps financial advisors manage and stay ahead of market news. (17:24) Ana Malhotra introduces Rome, a yard-sharing service for dogs. (32:24) Tyce Herrman talks about Ullama, software for architects that analyzes 3D building models for code compliance, highlighting their journey and challenges. (44:56) Ulan Abdurazakov presents CorePod, an AI-powered device designed to help users get better sleep with personalized voice interaction (57:25) Elliot Easterling presents Bonbon, a rewards platform for publishers to boost engagement through gamification, and discusses their go-to-market strategy. * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Get your .TECH domain here: https://get.tech/ Check out Uptrends AI:https://www.uptrends-ai.tech/ Check out the Rome app: https://theromeapp.tech/ Check out Ulama: https://www.ulama.tech/ Check out CorePod: https://www.corepod.tech/ Check out Bonbon: https://bonbon.tech * Follow Ramsey: X: https://x.com/RamseyShaffer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyshaffer/ * Follow Ana: X: https://x.com/TheAnaMalhotra LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-malhotra/ * Follow Ulan: X: https://x.com/defoemark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulanbek-abdurazakov/ * Follow Tyce: X: https://x.com/tycecycle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyceherrman/ Follow Elliot: X: https://x.com/e_easterling LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotteasterling * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * Todays show: Jason and Alex dive into the latest updates from Claude AI, exploring the new “Use Computer” feature and its implications. Next, Andrew Lissimore of headphones.com shares the journey of turning a side hustle into a thriving business, highlighting the advantages of owning a premium domain and leveraging YouTube for customer acquisition. The team from Prandtl Dynamics then joins to showcase their handcrafted, anti-drone technology. Finally, the episode concludes with an in-depth discussion on TollBit’s Series A funding and their strategies for scaling in the competitive marketplace space. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:52) Anthropic's latest launch, Claude 3.5 Sonnet capable of "Computer use". (8:33) Future of AI assistants and employment effects (10:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (11:36) AI's impact on white-collar jobs and economic implications (21:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (22:13) Andrew Lissimore from headphones.com joins the show (30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (32:06) Deep dive into high-end audio and audiophile community (38:03) The role of reviews and content at headphones.com (47:00) Leveraging Organic search and YouTube for brand growth (50:11) Prandtl Dynamics team on anti-drone technology (55:21) Building cost-effective anti-drone solutions (1:03:42) Prandtl Dynamics business potential and funding (1:09:04) TollBit's Series A funding news and AI data marketplace * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Prandtl Dynamics: https://prandtl.ca * Follow Andrew: X: https://x.com/andrewlissimore LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlissimore Website: https://www.headphones.com * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (21:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply Kalshi. The largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (4:10) Heritage Foundation's stance on election integrity and fraud (11:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:48) Technological improvements for secure elections (21:07) Hans von Spakovsky's perspective on the 2020 election (22:29) LinkedIn Ads -  Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (24:01) Election security and legal consequences of fraud (30:06) Closing remarks on election security (32:11) Reflecting on the election fraud discussion and transfer of power (31:00) (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. (36:06) Introduction of Rafat Ali and discussion on Uber-Expedia rumors (42:16) Evaluating the potential Uber-Expedia acquisition (45:04) Challenges and consumer behavior in online travel industry (48:33) Future of loyalty programs and travel industry partnerships (52:17) Uber's strategic moves in the travel sector (57:00) AI advancements in travel and media (1:00:19) Media strategies and data monetization (1:05:21) Skift's business model, LinkedIn's role, and remote work strategies (1:11:24) Skift's growth and potential IPO discussion (1:13:18) Uber's expansion into the airline industry (1:15:41) Latest developments in AI with Anthropic's Claude 3.5 model (1:20:07) Announcement of Angel University workshop * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out The Heritage Foundation: https://www.heritage.org/ Check out The Heritage Foundation’s database: https://www.heritage.org/voterfraud Check out Skift: https://skift.com/ * Follow Hans: X: https://x.com/HvonSpakovsky LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-von-spakovsky-0a544913/ Follow Rafat: X: https://x.com/rafat LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafatali/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (22:29) LinkedIn Ads -  Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (31:00) (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… DigitalOcean’s GPU Droplet - simple flexible, affordable, and scalable machines for your AI/ML workloads. Spin up powerful GPU virtual machines and start training models, building agents, or digging deep into huge data sets in seconds—and spin them back down just as quickly. With options ranging from single-GPU configurations to setups with 8 GPUs, you can scale computing power based on your specific needs without having to make upfront hardware investments. Get up to 100k in free Credits at https://www.do.co/twist⁠! Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100. * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the GPU market insights and the discovery of a new prime number. John LePore from BlackBox Infinite joins to discuss bridging science fiction with real-world tech, focusing on VisionPRO and Hollywood VFX. The discussion shifts to autonomous driving, Tesla's safety improvements, and Stripe's acquisition of Bridge. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (5:15) Discovery of a new prime number and GPU market insights (7:15) BlackBox Infinite's John LePore joins the show (10:06) DigitalOcean - Approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist to get started. Terms and conditions apply (11:54) VisionPRO app development and Hollywood VFX integration (16:51) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (18:35) Bridging the gap between science fiction and real-world technology (20:36) Deep dive into the F1 experience prototype (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. (29:35) Inspirational media and its impact on technology (32:10) The influence of science fiction interfaces on real-world tech (38:59) How safe is self-driving technology today? (1:03:11) Stripe buying Stablecoin provider Bridge * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow John: X: https://www.x.com/JohnnyMotion LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnymotion * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:06) DigitalOcean - Approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist to get started. Terms and conditions apply (16:51) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Cacheflow’s Sarika Garg joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss the challenges of B2B software sales (4:26), finding product-market fit (14:08), HubSpot's acquisition of Cacheflow (17:32), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Cacheflow’s Sarika Garg joins Alex (2:25) Sarika Garg's startup journey and founding of Cacheflow (4:26) Challenges in B2B software sales, managing billing complexities, and SaaS explosion (10:09) Initial funding, product development, and growth (10:34) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (14:08) Finding product-market fit and scaling strategies (17:32) HubSpot's acquisition of Cacheflow (21:20) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (22:24) Preparing for Series A and positioning as an AI company (24:57) Deal with HubSpot and integration plans (29:41) Runway - Sign up at ⁠https://runway.com/twist⁠ to get your first 3 months free (30:58) Diverse cap table, early exit, and founder lessons (33:45) Importance of a part-time CFO and organizational efficiency (37:26) Integration with HubSpot's Commerce Hub (39:02) Shifts in SaaS buying behavior and future plans at HubSpot (47:01) Remote work’s impact * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out Cacheflow: https://www.getcacheflow.com Check out Alex’s articles on Cacheflow: https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/06/cacheflow-doubles-valuation-while-raising-10m-proving-that-the-venture-market-is-far-from-dead/https://techcrunch.com/2021/11/10/cacheflow-drops-stealth-tag-raises-6m-to-simplify-the-saas-buying-experience/ * Follow Sarika: X: https://x.com/sarikagarg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarikagarg * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:34) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist (21:20) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (29:41) Runway - Sign up at ⁠https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Kruze’s Scott Orn joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics! In this episode, they break down the best financial advice that VCs give founders including, managing cash flow (0:21), accounting methods (5:19), building an effective financial plan (15:22), and more! * Timestamps: (00:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason (0:21) The best financial advice VCs give startups, managing cash flow, and the risks of over-fundraising (5:19) Growth strategies for early-stage startups and accounting methods (8:28) Legal aspects of financial representation and maintaining credibility with VCs (15:00) Building an effective financial plan for your startup (17:47) Historical perspectives on funding and the importance of regulatory considerations * Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Fundrise. Fundrise provides access to diversified portfolios of private real estate to all investors with their industry leading, easy to use platform. Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist Brave. Brave is an internet privacy company on a mission to protect your personal info online. Download Brave today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more. All in a single click. OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:06) FTC's new subscription rules and impact (6:58) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist (8:16) Density's mission and "Waffle" product announcement (16:02) Real-time wayfinding and utilization tracking (22:45) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more (23:59) Data's impact on city planning and operations (27:12) Sensor costs and impact on adoption (32:24) Unit economics and adoption curves (39:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (40:22) Robotaxi fleet modeling project (48:33) Google and Kairos nuclear power deal (50:00) Amazon's nuclear energy agreements (55:09) Solar and fracking trends * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * TWiST AV Models: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1txb73-0MvKq_FAcGWMsUcctwgEVHYkgQ38kgEnOuHMs/edit?gid=1464971737#gid=1464971737 * Mentioned on the show: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1txb73-0MvKq_FAcGWMsUcctwgEVHYkgQ38kgEnOuHMs/edit?gid=1464971737#gid=1464971737 https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/sustainability/google-kairos-power-nuclear-energy-agreement https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-nuclear-small-modular-reactor-net-carbon-zero https://ourworldindata.org/energy-gdp-decoupling https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czkkgnp1d2xo https://archive.is/ZOO42#selection-1051.130-1059.17 https://www.semafor.com/article/10/03/2024/solar-boom-in-china-turns-electricity-prices-negative * Check out these startups: https://www.trlyr.com https://www.terra.one https://www.tozero.solutions https://www.altris.se https://bedrock.inc https://www.unbound-potential.com https://www.3dc.co.jp/en https://www.flowaluminum.com https://www.hydrostor.ca https://www.thaleron.com https://sizableenergy.com https://www.kitekraft.de https://www.byterat.io https://www.ionworks.com * Follow Andrew: X: https://x.com/andrewfarah LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewfarah⁠ Check out: https://density.io * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (6:58) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist (22:45) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more (39:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Fidelity Private Shares℠. Manage your cap table and data room, get faster, more accurate 409A valuation and fully automate your next financing round. Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://claconnect.com/tech * Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Tesla’s Robotaxis (2:17), demo ChatGPT-4o new Canvas interface (25:23), break down Meta’s Movie Gen model (41:11), Notebook LM (54:41), and much more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Sunny Madra and Jason kick off the show (2:17) Tesla's Robotaxi reveal and challenges with regulatory approval (10:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:22) Self-driving architectures and potential applications for Tesla's Cybervan (18:15) Update on Tesla's Optimus robot and the future of autonomous vehicles (22:04) Interest rates and startup funding challenges (22:13) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (23:14) Traffic congestion, urban planning, and future players in autonomous vehicles (25:23) ChatGPT-4o with Canvas demo (31:28) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech (41:11) Meta vision models and Groq demo (42:35) Apple AirPods updates and AR glasses privacy concerns (47:46) Meta's new vision models, open-source impact, and OpenAI's business model (54:41) Notebook LM's tools (1:00:13) Capturing family history with AI and Meta Movie Gen's potential * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * LINKS: Check out OpenAI’s Canvas: https://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/ Check out Notebook LM: https://notebooklm.google.com/ Check out Meta Movie Gen: https://ai.meta.com/research/movie-gen/ Check out Meta Llama 3.2: https://ai.meta.com/blog/llama-3-2-connect-2024-vision-edge-mobile-devices/ * Follow Sunny: X: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (22:04) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (31:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/ Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to dive into Tesla’s Robotaxi event, highlighting Tesla's bold plans for a self-driving, bus-style vehicle (4:33). Then, Lightship RV co-founders Toby Kraus and Ben Parker talk about the future of electric RVs (25:04). Finally, Voatz CEO Nimit Sawhney shares how blockchain is being used to secure elections (51:35). * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (4:33) The Tesla Robotaxi event (6:46) The potential impact of Tesla's bus platform (11:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (13:29) ChatGPT 4 with Canvas demonstration (18:23) Predictions on the future of self-driving cars (23:36) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (25:04) Lightship RV co-founders Toby Kraus and Ben Parker join the show (27:55) Description and features of Lightship RV (33:58) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (35:05) Financing strategy and market potential for Lightship (39:00) Impact of market trends on Lightship (41:19) Lightship's unique selling points, competition, and market strategy (51:35) Voatz CEO Nimit Sawhney joins the show (54:48) Voatz's progress, voting process, and blockchain integration (1:02:25) Election fraud concerns and attack vectors (1:06:02) Voatz's business model and sales cycle (1:08:11) Discussion on Dominion Voting Systems and election security (1:10:15) The debate over voter ID requirements and voting transparency (1:13:38) Upcoming topics: Solar energy advancements (1:14:28) Twist 500 nominations and submission guidelines * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out: https://lightshiprv.com https://voatz.com * Follow Toby: X: https://x.com/kraus_toby LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobykraus * Follow Ben: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminparker1203/ * Follow Nimit: X: https://x.com/yenhwas * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (23:36) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (33:58) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into one platform. Giving you one source of truth. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist Sprig. The Product Experience platform that generates AI-powered opportunities to continuously improve your product at scale. Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card. * Todays show: We reviewed the first 100 companies on the TWiST500 list, covering sectors from fintech to AI, robotics, and space. Dozens of must-know startups emerged. Today, Alex breaks down the categories seeing the most entrants and highlight some of our favorite picks. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show (3:08) AI for Devs: Qodo & Poolside (6:25) AI Infrastructure: CoreWeave (8:43) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (10:15) Data for AI: Tollbit & Scale (14:05) Robotics: Figure & Dusty Robotics (17:51) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (19:08) Fintech: Circle & Altruist (22:37) Cybersecurity: Huntress & Wiz (26:30) Crypto: Farcaster (28:17) Other Standouts: Harvey AI, Kojo & Albedo Space (30:04) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card. (31:17) Angel University kicks off November 6th * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Companies mentioned on the show: https://www.qodo.ai https://www.poolside.ai https://www.coreweave.com https://www.tollb.it https://www.scale.com https://www.figure.ai https://www.dustyrobotics.com https://www.circle.com https://www.huntress.com https://www.wiz.io https://www.farcaster.xyz * Check out these TWiST episodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGtV_V54m30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZPO5oYUuQU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEwo0VXlZQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdkWFoFD50Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEwo0VXlZQ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (8:43) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (17:51) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (30:04) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Kruze’s Scott Orn joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics! In this episode, they break down the unique aspects and dynamics of the current AI boom, contrasting AI startup revenue, costs, and growth rates with traditional SaaS models (4:11). They also dive into AI tools' impact on productivity and labor efficiency (8:12), the accounting challenges and operational issues AI startups face (14:27), and more! * Timestamps: (00:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason (1:06) Unique aspects and dynamics of the current AI boom (4:11) AI startup revenue, costs, and growth rates vs traditional SaaS (8:12) AI tools and their impact on productivity and labor efficiency (14:27) Accounting challenges and operational issues in AI startups * Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916