👉 Register here to join the Founder University Japan kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mk
Today’s show:
*Starcloud has started sending AI chips into orbit. So is this where the datacenters the power AI will one day live? And does wifi work in the vacuum of space? We’re asking the TOUGH questions.
PLUS Jason and Alex are doing a deep dive on all this week’s OpenAI news. Will they ever be able to pay back all these GPU purchases? What happens to the wider economy on the off chance they don’t thrive? And what’s with these rumors that ChatGPT has stopped giving medical or legal advice?
All that and a look at TrustMRR (and why Jason advises you not to publicly share your Stripe), why Jason thinks Netflix should buy CNN, our hosts favorite Nazi hunter movies, and MORE.
Timestamps:
(0:00) Would you trust an LLM with your health?
(2:08) Jason is bringing Founder U to The Kingdom AND Japan, so he’s streaming in today live from Riyadh
(4:20) Jason’s guide to mastering international travel. (Shoutout to Whoop)
(5:05) Are the big AI companies going TOO HARD on GPUs? And does this matter?
(11:30) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(14:53) What happens to the wider economy if ChatGPT FAILS? Who gets hit by the “contagion”?
(18:22) Jason’s more likely scenario: What if ChatGPT becomes just one player in a larger market?
(21:22) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.
(23:57) ChatGPT can still give you general health and legal advice… just not a full diagnosis
(31:57) Nexos.ai Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist.
(33:09) TrustMRR and startups sharing their Stripe data… Why Jason says total transparency might be too much
(38:35) We’re really sending datacenters to space! Starcloud made it happen.
(41:02) Does wifi work in space? A TWiST investigation…
(47:01) Checking in with Polymarkets on the NYC mayoral election and the government shutdown
(53:09) Legal AI startup Legora (from Sweden) is now a unicorn… why this niche is growing so fast
(58:14) Netflix wants to buy WBD… Here’s why our hosts think they should keep CNN.
(1:07:58) BUT WE DIGRESS: Lon and Jason’s favorite Nazi hunter movies
(1:10:25) Founder Q’s! The best way to track runway and burn rate for early stage companies.
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Nexos.ai Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist.
What will be OpenAI’s IPO price? Place ya bets! | EXXX
*Polymarket’s sharps are already placing bets on when ChatGPT maker OpenAI will go public… and Jason and Alex want in on this action. They’re placing side wagers on how the House that Sam Altman built will be valued once it finally goes public.
PLUS find out why Amazon is Jason’s stock pick for the next five years… Why startups are starting to release their own foundation models, and what this means for major players like OpenAI and Anthropic… AND Producer Oliver stops by with an in-depth look at the music-generating Suno app.
Friday shows don’t get any bigger than this.
Register for Founder University's Japan Kickoff!
Today’s show:
*Timestamps:
(0:00): Jason doesn't trust Sam Altman... Stay tuned!
(2:24) Jason’s been using Tesla FSD’s “Mad Max” Mode and it’s a SPICY ride!
(8:54) Jason and Alex checked out Higgsfield’s new Face Swap tool… Jason thinks this will revolutionize the movie casting process
(10:39) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.
(14:03) Here’s what Jason thinks: there are acceptable uses of Higgsfield’s tech but some are OVER THE LINE
(17:23) Here’s why Jason says the music industry deals with startups like the Mafia
(19:59) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!
(21:02) Producer Oliver has been playing around with AI music app Suno… here’s a live demo
(22:47) We’re using Suno to make a Dire Straits song about JCal!
(30:11) PaperOS - Whether you’re raising a round, launching a fund, or managing a venture portfolio, PaperOS can unlock simplicity and scale across your empire of capital, contracts, and companies. Claim your $10,000 credit at https://paperos.com/twist
(39:42) IT’S EARNINGS WEEK! What Jason and Alex make of the fresh numbers from Amazon, MSFT, and Alphabet
(40:58) Jason’s checking out his Grokipedia page… could this be the internet’s new go-to resource?
(45:15) Why Amazon is Jason’s pick of THE stock for the next 5 years
(46:42) Three startups made their own AI models! Is the era of paying big co’s for their LLMs coming to an end?
(50:09) Jason’s warning for anyone “dumb enough” to use OpenAI’s API… they are studying you!
(57:16) It’s a new Jason-Alex bet… What will OpenAI’s IPO price be?
(59:35) What happened with Navan’s IPO? Jason and Alex dig into the numbers.
(1:07:37) Why Jason compares some later investors to Wormtongue from “Lord of the Rings”
Today’s show:
*Why rebrand an app with 40 million daily active users?
On TWiST, Grammarly CEO Shishir Mehrotra swings by to explain why he’s renaming his company after the mail app he just purchased, Superhuman.
Plus he’s giving us a first look at the startup’s new AI assistant, Superhuman Go, digging into their new agent-centered strategy, looking ahead at the potential for AI job displacement, and more.
Jason and Alex also talk about our new nuclear deal with Westinghouse and Japan, OpenAI’s conversion and what it means for Microsoft, 1x’s tele-operated Neo-bot for chores, and much more!
Timestamps:
(00:07:56) Jason is headed to Tokyo, and NOT just for skiing this time!
(10:00) Uber AI Solutions**:** Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at Uber.com/twist
(00:12:21) Untangling this US government-Japan-Westinghouse deal for nuclear power… and why nuclear power is SO important
(20:00)DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to https://www.DevStats.com/twist
(00:20:04) Why Jason says sabbaticals and 4 day work weeks are for established brands, not startups
(30:00) Perspective AI: Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist.
(00:33:01) Will income inequality become a concern, even for the wealthy? Jason says YES.
(00:37:29) Shishir Mehrotra from Gram— NO WAIT, Superhuman! joins us to talk name changes
(00:38:16) Using Grammarly as a model for the new AI assistant, Superhuman Go.
(01:08:39) Nvidia shot past $5 TRILLION in value… How is no one freaked out about this?!
(01:14:52) OpenAI executed their conversion… but Jason says “public benefit corporation” status is pretty meaningless
(01:25:02) Checking out the Neo robot from 1x… he wants to help you with chores and he’s for sale!
(01:32:09) Uber’s speeding up its self-driving plans
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Thank you to our partners:
Perspective AI - Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist.
DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to https://www.DevStats.com/twist
Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at Uber.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
Today’s show:
Jason’s been skeptical on Apple lately, but he’s BLOWN AWAY by his new iPhone Air.Hear why JCal thinks Cupertino’s latest release is “completely inspiring,” and why he’s sure it’s the next step on the road to Apple Glasses.
We’re chatting with LAUNCH founder Zach Handshoe of spacial video startup SpatialGen about designing products for Cupertino AND the intense pressure of performing a Steve Jobs-level keynote.
PLUS Raiza Martin of Huxe stops by to tell us why they’re using audio to make AI assistants more personalized AND proactive, and how they’re already getting noticed in an increasingly crowded App Store.
AND we’ve got another Gamma Pitch Competition entrant! Chess Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli presents his expert-focused app, ChessEver.
Timestamps:
(2:05) Friend of the pod @ZacharyHandshoe stops by to talk about supporting Apple Immersive Video (and staying up during the AWS outage)
(9:37) Enterpret - Turn feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.
(15:55) The iPhone Air can already shoot spatial video! Just part of why Jason calls it a “completely inspiring” product.
(21:25) Crusoe Cloud - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.
(24:30) Jason offers viewers a peek inside LAUNCH’s Whisper Network
(32:09) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist
(33:10) Huxe co-founder (and NotebookLM vet) Raiza Martin wants to make your AI assistant more personalized and proactive.
(37:14) Why Raiza and her team went with an audio-forward interface instead of a chatbot.
(43:25) How Huxe is getting noticed in the App Store as a brand new arrival.
(50:25) The big LLMs still aren’t great at writing engaging content for humans, so Huxe is doing it themselves.
(52:41) Chess Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli from ChessEver joins us for his Gamma pitch!
(54:26) Why Vasif is focusing on very serious players FIRST before appealing to more casual chess fans
(1:05:28) Jason thinks ChessEver is at the moment of “triangulation” in their journey to finding Product Market Fit… what do Grandmasters really want?
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
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Follow Lon:
Follow Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
Follow Jason:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
Enterpret - Turn feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.
Crusoe Cloud - Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit crusoe.ai/startup to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.
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
Today’s show:
Australia has accused Microsoft of employing a dark pattern… Hear why Jason says these kinds of sneaky tactics aren’t usually worth it.
It’s a brand-new Monday TWiST and it’s PACKED with news. In addition to Australia’s allegations against MSFT, we’re looking at Chinese drone fails and wondering how live experiences will change in the age of AI.
PLUS has Tesla finally “solved” FSD after years of promises? Does it matter that so much of Mercor’s revenue goes back out to contractors? Do Chinese LLMs have a major advantage when it comes to the stock market over Western counterparts? Why Jason avoids overseas deals when he doesn’t speak the language or know the culture. And much more!
Timestamps:
(00:03:44) Fall is here! And Jason is already looking ahead to “BFCM” and the holiday season.
(00:07:13) We’re bringing back the TWiSTies and a Prediction 2026 show
(00:07:33) People are using AI to create fake receipts for fraudulent invoices!
(10:00) Pipedrive - Bring clarity and control to your sales process with Pipedrive, the #1 CRM for small and medium sized businesses. Supercharge your sales today. Start with a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist.
(00:14:23) It’s earnings week for Meta AND Alphabet AND Microsoft AND AMAZON!
(00:19:55) What happened with the disastrous Chinese drone and fireworks show?
(20:00) Monarch - Thanks to our partner, Monarch! Try the app and get 50% off your first year by visiting monarchmoney.com/twist.
(00:27:37) Why Jason thinks live experiences are going to get much bigger and more impressive in the age of AI
(00:29:34) Why Tesla is training FSD on synthetic data now… Has FSD finally been “solved”?
(30:00) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits
(00:45:10) What’s going on with these new Sequoia funds? Jason unpacks the strategy…
(00:50:50) Jason doesn’t like to invest overseas unless he speaks the language and knows the culture
(00:51:11) Jason’s thoughts on the controversy surrounding Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire’s comments
(00:58:34) Mercor pays out 60-70% of its toppling revenue to contractors… does this MATTER?
(01:06:14) Do Chinese LLMs have a major advantage when it comes to investing? (Humans are now betting on all this on PolyMarket)
(01:09:45) Australia alleges that Microsoft is employing a dark pattern… why Jason says that’s a problem.
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
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Follow Lon:
Follow Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
Follow Jason:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits
Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST
Pipedrive - Bring clarity and control to your sales process with Pipedrive, the #1 CRM for small and medium sized businesses. Supercharge your sales today. Start with a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.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
Today’s show:
*Working from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week, might seem like TOO INTENSE a commitment for some, but Jason argues that elite performance — and the mega-compensation that goes along with it — sometimes requires personal sacrifice. While 72-hour weeks might lead to burnout for some, it really comes down to individual choice.
PLUS Jason and Alex deep dive the NBA gambling scandal and the sketchy reality behind high-stakes home games of poker. PLUS Presh Kumar takes us behind the scenes, to see how AI apps helped him develop and workshop the video for his new wellness startup, Tempo, and what’s with Anthropic buying chips from their AI rivals, Google? It’s a can’t miss This Week in Startups.
Timestamps:
(00:06:49) Jason and Alex are poker fans… what do they think about this insane NBA gambling scandal?
(10:00) LinkedIn Ads - Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit.
(20:00) Nexos.ai - Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist.
(00:25:09) Is working “9-9-6” a reasonable goal? A guarantee of success? Why Jason compares it to being an Olympian.
(30:00) Every.io - Running a startup is hard enough. Every takes care of incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes and more so that you focus on building, not back-office admin. Visit every.io.
(00:38:00) Our old buddy Presh walks us through the process of making his Tempo launch video
(00:42:28) Jason and Alex check out some of Ridley Scott’s famous storyboards
(00:48:03) Anthropic is buying TPUs from Google… Are these companies in LIKE with each other?
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
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Follow Lon:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
Follow Jason:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
LinkedIn Ads - Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit.
Nexos.ai - Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at https://nexos.ai/twist.
**Every.io -** Running a startup is hard enough. Every takes care of incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes and more so that you focus on building, not back-office admin. Visit every.io.
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
Today’s show:
*Amazon’s dropping a LOT of employees for AI and robots… are Jason’s darkest predictions coming true?
Legendary investor Elad Gil joins Jason and Alex for the full show today! Together, they’re digging into the Amazon news, looking back at Jason’s predictions from just last month, and theorizing about just how many people will lose their jobs to computers, and what we’re going to do about it. (Is it possible the US hasn’t been massively hit by job displacement so far because those gigs already moved overseas?)
PLUS… Anthropic’s Dario Amodei responds to criticisms from JCal’s bestie David Sacks, Sesame emerges from stealth to work on AI wearables, and where will people in the future interact with their favorite apps? A headset? Phones? Somewhere else? The great debate continues.
Timestamps:
(00:04:04) Our guest is iconic angel investor Elad Gil! What’s he working on…
(00:04:54) Alexandria AI translates public domain books into all commonly spoken languages… Do people actually prefer AI translations?
(00:09:16) Why compute tends to centralize over time… (It’s because of economies of scale!)
(00:09:29) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(00:12:49) So are we building TOO MANY datacenters? Will AI apps eventually run on your phone anyway?
(00:16:39) Jason says “The Age of Efficiency is upon us.”
(00:19:24) When companies trade inference for market share
(00:19:27) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST
(00:21:57) Why one of the main challenges of adopting AI is buy-in and convincing teams to use it.
(00:25:47) Elad’s robotics questions: (1) What % of winners will be incumbents?
(00:27:50) Jason called the Amazon news last month and we have the receipts!
(00:29:36) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first yea
(00:45:33) Jason says Adobe and Figma should abandon the UK entirely.
(00:45:55) Time for a Polymarket: The sharps say 80% chance Tesla beats their quarterly earnings
(00:51:02) What is Sesame? They just emerged from stealth, they raised $250M, and they’re working on AI wearables.
(00:53:21) Jason has concerns about AI wearables that are always recording… Does Elad share these concerns?
(01:03:17) The crypto industry is now one of the largest purchasers of US government debt… what does that mean? Who owns who?
(01:08:53) Anthropic responded to JCal’s Bestie David Sacks… Is Dario Amodei a doomer? Fearmongering?
(01:19:12) Why Jason thinks AI companies need to self-regulate
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
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Follow Lon:
Follow Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
Follow Jason:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST
Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first yea
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
Are AI tools in the classroom just time-savers, or can they have genuine educational value?In a must-watch TWiST 500 interview, Alex chats with Magic School founder (and former principal) Adeel Khan about how AI tools can make teachers more effective, and keep students inspired, without just doing all the work for them. He talks about turning an AI chatbot into a true assistant teacher, that keeps the lessons balanced yet challenging, and particularly empowers classroom novices and non-professionals.THEN… is 6 years too long for employees to wait to vest? Is this just another founder trying to reinvent EVERYTHING, just because they can’t resist? Ramp CEO Eric Glyman joins Jason and Alex to answer pressing founder questions from viewersPLUS there’s a new entrant in our Gamma Pitch Deck competition, and it’s so compelling, Jason can’t wait to invest! Kris Canete of On the Fly Energy tells us about America’s fragile power grid and his elegant solution: flywheel energy storage!Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome to TWiST!02:59 - Former principal Adeel Khan of TWiST 500's Magic School AI tells us why “teachers are magic”09:41 - Goldbelly ships America’s most delicious, iconic foods nationwide! Get 20% off your first order by going to Goldbelly.com and using the promo code TWiST at checkout.10:50 - How AI tools can particularly help out classroom novices and non-pros who are just getting started20:57 - Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist.26:58 - How Magic School stays ahead of shifting standards across different states and regions32:57 - Zite is the fastest way to build *business software* with AI. Build apps, forms, websites and portals that connect to the tools you already use. Go to *zite.com/twist* to get started.33:30 - Why the best feedback Adeel ever got came from a teenager36:30 - Making AI a true assistant teacher, that keeps lessons balanced yet challenging38:38 - Is a 6-year vesting schedule too aggressive? Eric Glyman responds.41:00 - When even ambitious founders should sometimes just accept a standard deal.57:33 - What IS flywheel energy storage?01:00:00 - Why Jason loves the Fly Energy Gamma pitch and wants to invest right now.01:34:13 - Gamma Outro*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: [https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com](https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/)Check out the TWIST500: [https://www.twist500.com](https://twist500.com)Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: [ / alexwilhelm ]( / alexwilhelm )*Follow Jason:X: / jason LinkedIn: [ / jasoncalacanis ]( / jasoncalacanis )Great TWIST interviews: [Will Guidara,]( • Lessons in Unreasonable Hospitality with W... ) [Eoghan McCabe]( • Great Builders & Success First with Interc... ), [Steve Huffman](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..., [Brian Chesky](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast..., [Bob Moesta,]( • Decoding Customer Insights, Trust, and the... ) [Aaron Levie](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast..., [Sophia Amoruso](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast..., [Reid Hoffman](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast..., [Frank Slootman](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast..., [Billy McFarland](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...)*Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: / twistartups YouTube: / thisweekin Instagram: [ / thisweekinstartups ]( / thisweekinstartups )TikTok: / thisweekinstartups Substack: [https://twistartups.substack.com](Show more...
Today’s show: *Is the AI bubble going to POP? And if so, how much of our economy is it going to take down with it?On a new TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon debate the size and scale of the AI bubble, whether poppage is imminent, and just who we can blame for the last few economic crises. (HINT: Not the tech industry!)PLUS why Jason STILL thinks the current AI cycle will be the biggest in tech history, how this morning’s AWS mega-failure might impact the company’s earnings, the spread of AI fakes in the wake of this weekend’s No Kings march, why LLMs may soon put your broker out of business, and much much more.**Timestamps:** (00:02:26) Is AI a BUBBLE? And if so, how BIG?(00:05:12) Are all the major bubbles and corrections always Wall Street’s fault?(00:08:39) Why Jason thinks this AI will be the biggest cycle in the history of technology(10:00) LinkedIn Ads: Thanks to our partner @LinkedInMktg. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to [http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups](https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups) to claim your credit.(20:00) Thank you to our partner @trustvanta! TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist(00:23:01) Will this morning’s AWS failure impact Amazon’s earnings?(30:00) Thanks to our partner @Openphone! Streamline and scale your customer communications with Quo. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at [http://quo.com/TWiST](http://quo.com/TWiSThttp://quo.com/perks/twist)(00:32:49) People couldn’t spot AI fakes from this weekend’s protests… are we cooked?(00:49:54) Jeremy Strong shows off his Mark Zuckerberg impression… and Jason is impressed
*Thank you to our partners:LinkedIn Ads: Thanks to our partner @LinkedInMktg. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to [http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups](https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups) to claim your credit.
@trustvanta! TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist
@Openphone! Streamline and scale your customer communications with Quo. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at [http://quo.com/TWiST](http://quo.com/TWiSThttp://quo.com/perks/twist)*Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: [https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups](https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups/)TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: [https://twistartups.substack.com](https://twistartups.substack.com/)*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916All rights for the video shared and linked below belong to the original copyright holder, and we are using the footage under the principle of fair use.Listen here:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-startups-audio/id315114957Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ULQ0ewYf5zmsDgBchlkr9Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes315114957/this-week-in-startups-audioMore from us:Twitter: https://twitter.com/twistartupsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsOfficial site: https://thisweekinstartups.comSubscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1Subscribe to TWiST Clips for all the best moments:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7tJlcUA6PzVHEMo-X7ddg?sub_confirmation=1#startups #entrepreneurship #investing #angelinvesting #tech #news #business
Deel’s growth overshadows SpyGate, Claude learned new skills, and the great “momentum is moat” debate | EXXX
Today’s show:
*Deel’s growing fast enough that investors are overlooking the espionage allegations and jumping on board anyway. (LAUNCH now owns a lil taste of Deel, so Jason is on board!)
PLUS is the Mag 7 about to become the Mag 70… Why legendary investor Roelof Botha thinks VC is not an asset class… How startups can use capital as a weapon… AND Anthropic gave Claude more skills, which they hope will help pay their bills.
Timestamps:
(00:01:34) Jason’s excited for ski season and checking his favorite powder app, OpenSnow
(00:04:02) Why Jason’s done with meetings; he’s pulling a Doug Leone!
(00:06:27) Jason can tell the market’s heating up because people are starting to lose their minds.
(00:09:31) How much will global AI tools one day be worth? Alex is crunching the numbers.
(10:00) Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how!
(00:15:22) PREDICTION: The Mag7 is about to become the Mag70
(20:00) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist
(00:25:36) Deel’s big raise… Why major growth overshadows spying allegations
(30:00) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit.
(00:33:31) Why Roelof Botha says VC is a “return-free risk,” and not an “asset class.”
(00:40:49) The two reasons why VC firms end
(00:44:18) How startups can use capital as a weapon
(00:57:52) Anthropic gave Claude Skills to pay the bills
(01:00:51) Jason’s vision for what Grammarly could become
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Miro - Help your teams get great done with Miro. Check out miro.com to find out how!
Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today.
Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit.
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Today’s show:
*On a very special TWiST, Jason’s joined by “one of the greatest investors in in the history of VC,” Steve Jurvetson of Future Ventures.
Together, they look back at some of Steve’s earliest investments and learnings, the promise and ultimate failure of nanotech, breaking down the AI hype cycle, the primacy of neural networks, the return of nuclear power, why “AI safety” might be illusory, and much more.
It’s a packed show full of deep insights from one of the greatest minds in technology today. Do not miss this ep!
Timestamps:
(00:00)Jason’s 1-on-1 today with “one of the greatest investors in the history of VC,” Steve Jurvetson
(00:03:04) The early origins of Steve’s fascination with “deep tech”
(00:08:03) Jason and Steve recall playing around with the TRS-80 (“The Trash-80”)
(10:00) Perspective AI: Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist.
(00:15:13) Keeping your portfolio diverse when so many companies look the same
(20:00) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.
(00:20:49) The promise of nanotech and why it fell apart
(00:25:46) Breaking down the “hype” cycle and how trends get co-opted
(00:26:27) Why Moore’s Law and the Power Law are so important for investors
(30:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!
(00:33:36) Understanding the rise of GPUs and how they resemble tiny brains
(00:51:32) Revisiting a classic clip of Steve talking about robots
(00:54:04) How Jason and Steve got their hands on some of the earliest Tesla Roadsters
(01:00:09) Flashback Clip: Elon predicts 2025 in 2015… how’d he do?
(01:02:46) Why did the world turn SO strongly against nuclear energy?
(01:16:06) Can we make AI “safe” in the age of GPT Psychosis? Is it too inscrutable?
(01:21:54) Why Steve thinks technology will ultimately doom autocratic regimes.
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
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
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today’s show:
*Eric Glyman of Ramp joins us to share the fintech unicorn’s growth secrets AND their Lab full of research data.
On TWiST, Jason and Alex chat with Eric about Ramp’s counter-intuitive mission — helping startups spend LESS money — PLUS they take a deep dive into the company’s treasure trove of startup trend data. Why is there a huge spike in unemployed recent college trends? Is “static team size” as a big a story as Jason and Alex think? What does it actually take to get companies to adopt AI Agents? The answers all might be in these Ramp numbers.
PLUS Eric joins us for some hot Founder Q’s, and what’s going on with all this Y Combinator drama? We’re sifting through the angriest tweets for the inside scoop.
FINALLY, Jason recommends some of his favorite startup accelerators of the moment (aside from his own) including…
Timestamps:
(00:02:18) The 72-hour rule strikes again: Trump’s China’s tariff reversal
(00:03:10) Why crypto got hit even HARDER than the stock market post-Trump announcement
(00:07:32) Market manipulation “at a scale we’ve never seen before…”; what does this mean for everyday investors?
(10:05) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(00:12:55) Ramp CEO Eric Glyman swings by to update us on his fintech unicorn’s growth and their “Lab” for research data
(20:09) Netsuite - Download the ebook CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist
(00:21:40) Is “static team size” a real trend? What the Ramp data shows…
(00:26:25) Ramp’s “counter-intuitive” mission: to help companies spend LESS money, not more.
(30:24) Paper OS offers the largest library of AI-driven Workflows for both founders & fund managers. Claim your $10K credit at paperos.com/twist
(00:38:07) WHY the huge spike in unemployed recent college grads? Especially among the guys?
(00:49:16) What it actually takes to get companies to adopt AI agents into their processes
(00:52:25) Why Jason thinks Eric is a top-tier TWiST guest. We’re going through the metrics…
(00:54:05) There’s YC drama on social media now… we’re spilling the tea.
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
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Follow Lon:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
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:
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Figure’s 03 Chore-bot, Jake Paul Sora takeover, ChatGPT app integrations, and more | E2191
Today’s show:
Figure’s butler-bot could be cleaning up after you soon than you think!
On a Friday TWiST, Jason and Lon are checking out the Figure 03 demo reel, checking out the humanoid robot that could soon be hanging out in your house, doing your chores.
Lon’s a bit skeptical that full-sized Westworld drones will soon be on everyone’s home but the technology is obviously moving forward at a rapid clip and cutting-edge AI models are making the bots smarter than ever.
PLUS… what will be the impact of Presidents Trump and Xi’s new fight over rare earth minerals? Why are Jake Paul and Mark Cuban starring in SO MANY Sora clips? How well do these ChatGPT app integrations work, and why are they going to free users first? And much much more, on a can’t-miss new TWiST
Timestamps:
(0:00) Figure’s humanoid and its new capabilities
(2:15) Show start: Jason welcomes co-host Lon Harris
(6:24) The global dependency on China for rare earth minerals
(9:48) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.
(10:54) Sora, AI likeness & deepfakes
(17:05) DEMO: Producer Oliver showcases ChatGPT's new integrations!
(19:45) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!
(27:54) The future of AI: Will there be thousands of app integrations?
(30:41) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist
(33:44) Discussing Reflection AI: A new American open-source model
(40:35) Reddit Rapid Response: Why young professionals should work in the office
(47:50) How AI is eliminating entry-level jobs & the need for executive training
(54:15) Jason's pitch to shut down the USPS and turn post offices into nursery schools
(58:25) Jason shares his personal journey with GLP-1s & Ro.co
(1:01:05) The Figure One robot: New video and future potential
(1:04:20) How LLMs are the key to unlocking humanoid robot capabilities
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Follow Lon:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
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
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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Today’s show:
*Zach Dell of Base Power joins us at the top of today’s show to talk about building batteries in Austin, that $1 billion investment, and why an “all of the above” energy strategy is the only way forward.
PLUS Jason and Alex’s thoughts on that Tesla non-upside down car announcement, growing resentments toward AI datacenters, Chinese robots actually going on sale, Tim Cook’s potential Apple exit, xAI’s Nvidia agreement and MUCH MORE.
Timestamps:
(00:02:10) A MAJOR GUEST! Zach Dell of Base Power joins us from the top of the show.
(00:03:31) The basics of Base Power’s business model: the best electron is the cheapest electron
(00:08:38) Zach teases Base’s new, time-saving approach to battery installation
(00:10:32) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(00:18:12) How Base’s grid can help drive down overall energy prices
(00:21:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(00:30:12) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST
(00:36:20) Tesla did not announce an upside fan car… Oh well…
(00:44:27) Buy your Chinese robot TODAY on Walmart dot com? Or not!
(00:48:12) Is Tim Apple EXITING Apple? Who’s next?
(00:59:22) ANOTHER mega-deal? Now xAI is circling a Nvidia investment…
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Follow Lon:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
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:
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Everything’s going great here at This Week in Startups — and we’re expanding! As we launch a brand new podcast next year, we’re looking to bring on two new creative roles:
Video Editor — Full-time or part-time, remote or in-person (Austin). If you love startups and tech and you’re skilled at editing, this is your shot. Send your portfolio to editor@launch.co.
Short-Form Video Editor (CapCut) — Help us create top-tier TikToks, Reels, and YouTube Shorts from our podcast content. If you’re great with CapCut and have a feel for viral startup content, email capcut@launch.co.
We don’t care about degrees or titles — just talent, creativity, and passion for startups. Competitive pay, flexible hours, and the chance to work with one of the top startup shows in the world.
Apply now:
Video Editor → editor@launch.co
Shorts Editor → capcut@launch.co
#startups #hiring #videoediting #podcast #ThisWeekInStartups #tech
Today’s show:
*How many weirdly circular mega-deals is OpenAI going to sign this year?
On a new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider OpenAI’s latest agreement with AMD, how the biggest American companies keep trading cash and chips back and forth, and whether or not the entire AI economy might be a house of cards.
PLUS what kind of fan/leafblower tech is Tesla working on… what can Jevons Paradox tell us about the AI landscape… how easy is it to master games in the YC Arena… and WHY has NASA never built a base on the moon? We’re asking the TOUGH QUESTIONS so you don’t have to, only on the #1 tech podcast, “This Week in Startups.”
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex open the show discussing hunting and traditional Texas meat exchanges
(2:16) ANOTHER weirdly circular OpenAI mega-deal? How many mega-deals can one company MAKE?
(3:50) Are all these “bizarre” OpenAI deals creating a house of cards?
(10:00) Stripe Startups - Stripe Startups offers early-stage, venture-backed startups access to Stripe fee credits and more. Apply today on stripe.com/startups.
(20:00) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://oracle.com/twist
(21:14) Is the Tesla Roadster 2 coming soon? Or maybe a leaf blower?!
(22:00) Datacenters in space! Is it getting crowded up there?
(26:22) Why no moon base yet? Jason demands a moon base.
(27:00) We’re playing games in the YC Arena… Can Jason guess which pitches got accepted?
(30:00) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist
(32:00) How Jason picks companies to invest in, based on a few signals and metrics
(04500) We found out what Figure’s bots are actually doing for BMW
(53:00) Sharpies figured out how to make their pens here in the US… who’s next?!
(57:00) Could ChatGPT really replace Deloitte consultants? Considering the latest controversy…
(01:03:29) It’s another Gamma Pitch: Welcome Ryan Yannelli of NextVisit AI, which helps therapists take notes
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
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Follow Lon:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
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
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today’s show:
Is Sora not just a copyright-killer but a TikTok-killer? Hear our review!
The “This Week in Startups” team has been playing around inside OpenAI’s viral app, which just hit #1 in the iOS Store. See all of Lon’s creations, explore the land beyond the Uncanny Valley, and find out why the hottest new social app could stand to be a bit more social.
PLUS Brave surpasses 100M MAUs… why Jason would sell ALL his OpenAI shares right away, Apple pulls the ICEBlock app from the App Store, AND how one founder hacked his local coffee shop to network and even get face time with a few VCs! It’s all happening of a fast-paced Friday TWiST.
Timestamps:
(0:00) Why Jason started an Executive Training program at LAUNCH
(05:17) Perplexity’s Comet browser is now FREE to use; Jason unpacks their strategy
(10:02) Monarch Money - Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TWIST
(13:42) PLUS browser/search engine Brave passed 100M MAUs!
(17:44) How a founder “hacked” his local coffee shop
(20:06) Alphasense - Get deeper insights into your business with the power of AI search and market intelligence. Start with a free trial at https://www.alpha-sense.com/twist
(21:35) You need to make it EASY for people to give you feedback!
(25:41) A look at the leanest startups around and how companies are doing more with less
(30:11) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. We’ll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Go to http://LinkedIn.com/ThisWeekinStartups to claim your credit.
(30:38) Why Jason would sell ALL his OpenAI shares right away!
(38:56) Lon stops by to review the Sora app; the good, the bad, and the remixes!
(48:45) Apple pulled the ICEBlock app… is this a free speech issue?
(56:11) A new startup wants to fight gov’t corruption… and keep a share of the proceeds
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Today’s show:
Sora 2 will generate a video of whatever you like and respects no IP (unless they opt out)
On a brand new TWiST, Jason and Alex check out Sora 2, the latest text-to-video app from TWiST 500 mainstays OpenAI, and look at some of the video videos that have already emerged from the TikTok-style scrolling video app. (TikSlop?)
THEN we’re considering the case of “AI actress” Tilly Norwood, and whether her big debut is a legit shift in the world of entertainment or just a marketing gimmick-slash-sales pitch.PLUS Jason’s thoughts on the Wealthfront IPO, how Spotify shifted the entire music economy, Jason’s pitch for making bets with stock purchases, why Americans need more financial literacy, AND another check-in with the sharps over at Polymarket.
Timestamps:
(0:00) What does the government shutdown mean for startups? Not much?
(04:21) Jason’s an investor in Wealthfront… hear his thoughts on their potential IPO
(08:14) Why Jason thinks the death of Boomers will boost crypto
(10:21) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!
(17:26) Why is everyone so excited for Sora… but not Meta’s app?
(19:49) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech
(28:38) Is Tilly Norwood just a gimmick or Hollywood’s next hot ingenue?
(29:15) Perspective.ai - Real insights, straight from your customers, and your first two months are on us. Just go to getperspective.ai/twist.
(35:58) POLYMARKET: When is OpenAI’s browser coming out?!
(40:17) How Spotify changed the entire economy of music… and when a Founder/CEO should hang it up.
(47:24) Why Jason thinks Americans need better financial education and literacy
(49:39) Audience Q: What’s the best place to buy secondaries?
(52:49) Why you should bet small while you’re learning
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Thank you to our partners:
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
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Today’s show:
How do you get investors excited about jets when they’re hyper-focused on new AI tools?
In a fresh TWiST 500 interview, Alex sits down with Blake Scholl of Boom Supersonic to talk about the Overture, the world’s fastest plane that recently broke the sound barrier over the Mojave Desert. (That’s a first for a private company, rather than a military or government.)
Hear about the secrets to avoiding a noisy and disruptive sonic boom, using satellites to set the most efficient routes, designing the Overture’s complex engine, dispelling the common myth that hardware startups are money pits and much much more.
PLUS we’ve got two brand new companies entering our Gamma Pitch Deck Competition. Time to see how they stack up to our first impressive entrant, Where2Wheel.
Timestamps:
(02:22) Introducing Blake Scholl from Boom Supersonic
(04:03) How Boom is improving on the classic Concorde experience
(08:29) How hyper-fast Overture flights could change passenger behavior
(10:02) Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at Gusto.com/twist.
(11:10) The long road to breaking the speed barrier
(14:34) How satellites could help guide Boom’s planes
(16:37) The next milestones to check off Blake’s list
(19:13) Breaking up the jet engine duopoly
(20:57) Nexos.ai Stop Shadow AI in its tracks with the unified platform for secure AI adoption and productivity. Try it with a free 14-day trial at nexos.ai/twist.
(24:28) How 3D printing speeds up the R&D process
(30:26) DevStats translates complex engineering metrics into a shared language everyone at your company can understand. Get 20% off by going to https://www.DevStats.com/twist(34:10) Gamma Pitch Deck Competition: Confy vs. The Drive AI
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Follow Lon:
Follow Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
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
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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
Today’s show:
Friend’s new AI pendant just wants to be your new pal. So why do New Yorkers hate them?
On a brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider the Friend AI pendant, which listens to everything you say all day and then sends you snarky texts about it.
WIRED says it’s unhelpful and will make your friends hate you. New Yorkers are so sick of their aggressive subway ads, they’re tagging them with graffiti. But what do Jason and Alex think of the wearable companion?
PLUS the value of bringing your last team with you to your new project… why partnerships often lead to purchases… Producer Claude got an upgrade… two fresh TWiST 500 companies… the rise and fall and further fall of Tai Lopez… AND Jason explains the rules of private jets.
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason congratulations the Eagles while wondering what’s going on with Philly fans
(03:23) New Yorkers are not in love with these Friend AI pendants and their subway ads
(10:08) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(11:28) Show Continues…
(13:49) Are people actually using AI agents? Is it still too early?
(17:01) Startup Lesson: The value of bringing your last team with you
(19:27) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist
(20:43) Anthropic released the new Claude… can they catch back up with Grok?
(27:13) Why Circle’s community app is blowing up all of the sudden
(29:23) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit https://www.aws.amazon.com/startups/credits
(30:48) How startups SHOULD measure growth and profitability. And why you need to show your work.
(36:42) Why human writers are about to be MORE valuable in the age of AI Slop.
(42:20) TWO new startups are joining the TWiST 500… Jason’s thoughts on Phia and Huxe
(46:23) Influencer and bookshelf haver Tai Lopez is under investigation by the SEC! A look back at a viral superstar…
(54:11) Jason explains the rules of flying in private jets
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
Follow Lon:
Follow Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
Follow Jason:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
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
