This Week in Startups

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Northwest Registered Agent - www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistCrusoe Cloud - https://crusoe.ai/savingsLinkedIn Jobs - http://linkedIn.com/twistToday’s show: On today’s TWIST episode, Alex interviews two of the top startup co-founders: Keller Cliffton of Zipline and Anastasis Germanidis of Runway. Zipline announced its $600 million raise at a $7.6 BILLION valuation. Kellers breaks down the origins, economics, and future of Zipline’s contrarian bet in drone delivery. What was science fiction a decade ago is now a regular part of life for many. In fact, Zipline operates more flights than United!Zipline is set to leapfrog the car delivery apps AND self driving cars with the superior economics of drone delivery. It is much cheaper to transport your burrito in a lightweight drone than a 6,000 pound self driving car!Then, Alex is joined by Anastasis Germanidis, the CTO and co-founder of Runway, to explain why the next frontier of generative AI is world models! Runway  is looking to build a universal simulation, which will unlock massive gains in robotics, autonomy, and simulations. The world model would be able to simulate rare edge cases that could take years to find naturally! Check out how this cutting edge AI startup’s NYU Tisch School of Art’s originsThen, See Jason’s answer to the question: “When should founders pivot or give up?”Timestamps: (00:00) The Drone revolution is here!(02:46) Inside Zipline’s factory to build 20K drones a year(04:40) American dynamism Vs. Chinese manufacturing dominance(09:00) How Zipline is growing 75% month on month(9:50) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity —  Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist(11:15) Zipline teleports food and goods to your house(21:54) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/savings to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(23:02) Is it affordable to use a drone to deliver a burrito?(29:18) Zipline DOUBLES United’s flight numbers(31:11) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs new AI assistant.(32:21) Anastasis break’s down Runway’s AI modeling(35:24) Runway’s Gen 4.5 and the world model(40:57) Why do robotics companies need a world model?(43:04) Using AI to simulate robot laundry folding(52:37) Runway’s origins at NYU’s art school(55:46) Founder Q/A: When to pivot or give up on your startup*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com)Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(9:50) Northwest Registered Agent. Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity —  Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist(21:54) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/savings to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(31:11) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs new AI assistant.Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Circle.so - http://Circle.so/twistDeel - http://deel.com/twistUber AI Solutions - http://uber.com/twistToday’s show:Not long ago, promising young Japanese graduates wanted to go work for the largest, most established, and even oldest corporations: Sony, Mitsubishi, and the like. But now, just over the last few years, more and more Japanese people are becoming entrepreneurs and founders. TWiST Japan continues with a fascinating look inside the country’s growing startup ecosystem with special guest, venture capitalist Shinichi “Shin” Takamiya. He’ll walk Jason through how Japan stayed ahead of the rest of the world in technology, but started falling behind when it came to founding companies, and how the Japanese are now starting to level the playing field.PLUS why his fund, Globis, sees other VC firms as collaborators rather than the competition… How AI is helping Japanese and American founders build their companies more quickly… Why Jason prefers training younger people to become VCs rather than hiring more experienced players… Shin’s guide to eating out in Tokyo… and much more!Timestamps: (00:00) We’re so excited to bring Founder University in Japan!(04:15) Jason and our guest first met 15-25 years ago…(06:06) How is Japan always so far ahead of the rest of the world?(08:29) Globis is one of Japan’s largest and oldest venture capital firms!(10:48) Circle.so -  the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle’s Professional Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist(12:38) Why founders need to play the long game when it comes to networking(15:03) “The founder is the most precious resource in the startup community”(16:50) Shin takes us inside his Mercari (a massive Japanese marketplace site) investment(18:20) How startups became “cool” in Japan, just recently(19:43) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more.(21:09) You don’t have to tell an investor your whole story… just get them interested(25:28) Why Jason likes to train young folks to be VCs, rather than hiring for experience(28:44) The differences between being candid and rude(29:44) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist(35:40) Why Globis sees other VC firms as collaborators(39:08) The world’s OLDEST company is 1500 years old… and it’s from Japan…(39:54) Why a lot of great businesses aren’t right for VC investment(43:34) Why picking the right market is so crucial(48:37) When you know the direction of change but can’t predict the timing(50:34) How founders are using AI to build better companies faster(54:39) Shin’s guide to eating out in Tokyo*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(10:48) Circle.so -  the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off Circle’s Professional Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist(19:43) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more.(29:44) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twistCheck out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Lemon.io - https://lemon.io/twistDeel - http://deel.com/twistLinkedIn Jobs - http://linkedIn.com/twistToday’s show: Some pitches sound just like ads… and it’s a huge red flag for investors.On our latest edition of TWiST Tokyo, Jason welcomes legendary angel investor (and long-time friend of the pod) Thomas McInerney. His list of investments reads like a Who’s Who of the tech elite, including Notion, SpaceX, Uber, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity….At Founder University x Tokyo, they discuss how the angel investing landscape has shifted, why it’s so important for founders to stay humble, the reasons that investors need to stay not just optimistic but aggressively so, and what angels can add to companies beyond just writing checks.Plus we revisit some classic TWiST clips featuring Thomas from over 10 years ago AND take a look at three of our favorite pitches from our Japanese founders.Timestamps:(00:00) FLASHBACK: Clips from Tom’s classic TWiST appearances(02:54) Why Jason and Tom love hanging and building in Tokyo.(05:30) How has the angel investing landscape changed over the last decade plus?(09:38) “Being an investor is a commodity… You have to provide more than just money.”(12:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(13:34) How Thomas evaluates very early stage startups(14:56) Why Thomas invested in nuclear tech when it was hugely unpopular(17:31) Why it’s so important for new founders to be both humble and smart(18:50) The relevance and accuracy of Marc Andreessen’s “Idea Maze” metaphor(20:40) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more.(21:41) How Elon Musk brings oversized, visionary ideas to life(26:11) Why founders using buzzwords is a huge red flag(27:13) The little “poker tells” Thomas and Jason look for in a founder(28:26) “If there’s any doubt, there’s no doubt.”(30:47) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant.(32:04) PRO TIP: Don’t run out of money!(38:10) The importance of being an aggressive optimist for investors(43:27) The human brain cannot comprehend 1000x growth(45:33) PITCH #1: Sakenomist is the cross-border commerce platform, starting with sake exporters (Hiroshi Takeuchi)(51:47) PITCH #2: HomiiWorld, the IRL social app which helps you meet new people anywhere in the world*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(12:17) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist(20:40) Deel - Founders ship faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes and get back to building. Visit http://deel.com/twist to learn more.(30:47) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidarahttps://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQEoghan McCabehttps://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4Steve Huffmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424Brian Cheskyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112Bob Moestahttps://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94Q

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Every.io - http://every.io/LinkedIn Jobs - https://www.linkedin.com/twistZite - http://zite.com/twistToday’s show: Why do 40% of Japanese students want to build a company rather than join the corporate workforce?On TWiST, Jason considers this question along with special guest Kathy Matsui, general partner of the global VC fund MPower Partners.Their wide-ranging discussion also features a look inside one of Jason’s favorite international companies, Japan’s own fashion retailer Uniqlo, where Kathy is a board member. (While in town, he took the opportunity to check out their flagship store in Ginza.)They also take a look back at Japan’s economic crisis in the ‘90s, and why recovery took such a very long time… MPower’s philosophy while raising their second fund, and why they’re so focused on what they call “Japan Dynamism”… the key question of whether Japanese startups should focus on the domestic market first BEFORE chasing global customers… why an ESG (environment, social, governance) focus in Japan is so different from DEI in the US… and much more.Timestamps:(00:00) Kathy Matsui is on the board of one of Jason’s favorite companies, Uniqlo (and its parent, Fast Retailing)(10:52) Why deflation in the ‘90s was “poison” for Japanese businesses and workers(13:41) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/(15:05) Why do American entrepreneurs keep falling in love with Japan?(18:17) How the Japanese government is encouraging more founders to start tech companies(20:05) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant.(21:15) Why more Japanese grads are becoming entrepreneurs(23:46) What MPower means by “Japan Dynamism” and why they’re focused on it for Fund 2(24:26) The various reasons so few female founders are getting funded in Japan(27:38) The differences between MPower’s approach and corporate DEI in the US(30:03) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to https:/zite.com/twist to get started.(31:48) Is the “first Japan, then the WORLD” approach a waste?(35:34) In Japan, you don’t build trust in just one meeting…(39:19) Kathy’s take on the complex relationship between Japan and the MENA region(42:13) Why the UAE and Saudi Arabia aren’t “dumb money,” as some in Silicon Valley assume(43:49) Can Japan still rely on the United States as a strong geopolitical partner? There are question marks…(48:16) Regarding China: “When you move up the stack… be careful what you wish for!”(49:06) Q: Aladdin is developing smart trash cans… Kathy and Jason’s tips on founder Yuki Kanai’s pitch(54:31) Q: Maya Hojnacki from AltSource Capital asks about how MPower helps startups facing regulatory or policy obstacles(57:17) Q: Hiroki from Goi wants Jason and Kathy’s take on Japan’s point-based immigration policies(1:06:38) Why Japan desperately needs AI to start taking more jobs*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpThank you to our partners:(13:41) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/(20:05) LinkedIn Jobs - post your job for free at http://linkedIn.com/twist then promote it to get access to LinkedIn Jobs’ new AI assistant.(30:03) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to https://zite.com/twist to get started.Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Netsuite - https://www.netsuite.com/twistLumaAi - https://lumalabs.ai/twistSquarespace - https://squarespace.com/twistToday’s show: Government fraud and waste has become a prominent issue in the last month.That’s what we are looking at.On Today’s episode of TWiST, Jason interviews Alex Shieh of the The Antifraud Company.Under the False Claims Act, enterprising Americans, like Alex, can receive up to 30% of fraud dollars they uncover! Jason digs into the business of fraud with Alex Shieh and how a generational company could be built around it!PLUS Alex Wilhelm and Marcus Brotman take a look at the history of BOOM, $1.5 Billion dollar startup bringing back supersonic commercial travel!Jason first interviewed Blake Scholl almost 10 years ago in 2016. Back then, BOOM was a dream to bringing back supersonic travel. The Concorde’s failure, and why BOOM is different, is central to Blake’s thinking. What is fascinating is Blake’s mindset and vision for the early stages of this future unicorn startup.THEN, Jason answers live Q/A at Founder University Tokyo! In partnership with JETRO, Jason and the LAUNCH team are bringing Founder University to 35 Japanese startups over the next 9 weeks!Timestamps:(00:00) Why the Concorde failed and how BOOM Supersonic is bringing back faster than light travel(08:34) The 30% efficiency rule for Mach 2 flights(11:46) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(17:12) Building million dollar planes on a startup budget(20:22) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist(24:11) The Checklist Manifesto: Lessons for pilots and founders!(26:02) How to build a team that can go supersonic(32:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist(33:55) Private Sector Doge: The Anti Fraud Company(38:48) The $500B in Fraud uncovered(48:34) How Alex Shieh’s team uses AI to hunt down fraud(52:48) How you can win 30% of exposed fraud with the false claims Act(56:27) Founder University Tokyo Q&ASubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(11:46) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(20:22) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist(32:49) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twistCheck out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Northwest Registered Agent - www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistCaldera Lab - http://calderalab.com/TWISTPipedrive - http://pipedrive.com/twistToday’s show: TWiST is coming to you all from TOKYO as we launch Japan’s first-ever Founder University! That’s right, a full week of key insights from Japan’s top founders, investors, and tech visionaries… when we can pull ourselves away from our favorite izakaya spots, that is.First up, Jason welcomes HyreSearch.com co-founder Sho Takei, a veteran of Uber and CloudKitchens who now helps startups recruit top talent from around the world.Together they discuss the massive changes AI is bringing to every facet of the hiring process, Sho’s experiences working for infamously “super-pumped” Travis Kalanick, his tips for for establishing a corporate culture when hiring your first few employees, why being a co-founder is just a bit like getting married, and LOTS MORE.Timestamps:(00:00) We’re in TOKYO JAPAN for Founder University with Hyre co-founder (and Uber vet) Sho Takei.(03:13) The challenges of early Uber recruiting in Asia(05:22) Are Japanese workers motivated by stock-based compensation? Or is cash still king?(08:24) Why tax rates give Singapore and Dubai a competitive advantage.(09:17) Do in-person startups have an edge against entirely remote companies?(11:50) How Jason thinks Hyre could grab their ultimate domain name…(13:26) Northwest Registered Agent: Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity —  Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist(15:32) Just because a startup tactic works in the US… doesn’t mean it will work in Japan(17:39) Travis Kalanick and Uber’s unique “super pumped” approach to recruiting(20:01) It’s hard to fire someone in Japan! The high stakes for hiring mistakes.(23:35) Sho’s tips for establishing a culture and hiring your first few employees (“hiring is guessing, and firing is knowing”)(25:33) Why being a co-founder is kind of like getting married(27:46) Caldera Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to  http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order.(28:59) How AI is revolutionizing the hiring process, and why you still need a human in the loop(34:02) How do you win over amazing talent that’s already happy at another company(39:47) Pipedrive: Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at http://pipedrive.com/twist(43:19) How Hyre operates as an agency and also an in-house recruiter(44:57) The surprising importance of “candidate experience” when hiring in Japan*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(13:26) Northwest Registered Agent: Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity —  Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist(27:46) Caldera Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order.(39:47) Pipedrive: Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at http://pipedrive.com/twist

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Hubspot - http://clickhubspot.com/twist1Circle.so - http://circle.so/twistSentry - http://sentry.io/twistToday’s show: On the last TWiST episode before Jason goes to Japan and Alex begins on paternity leave, the hosts break down the blockbuster tech news that is kicking off 2026.Discord AND Strava both eyeing billion dollar IPOs, two massive social media apps with millions of daily active users. Jason unpacks Discord’s the growth story, from a gaming-first product launch in 2015, to a community/work platform and social media for all. Jason explains why Strava proves that data is the MOAT for consumer apps.PLUS Jason and Alex are joined by Producer Oliver to rank the top CES products. Jason gave his thoughts on the different robots, self driving cars, and multi-fold phones on display.Would you buy a triple-fold phone?Timestamps:(00:00) Discord looks to go public at $7 Billion!(10:05) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1(13:37) Strava going public and why data IS the moat for consumer software(19:28) Circle.so: the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand.(22:25) Anthropic’s $350B valuation and why it makes sense(31:59) Sentry: New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(33:05) Why is China upset about META’s Manus acquisition — and why Jason is hopeful for the US-China relationship(37:24) Jason’s favorite part of CES: The rise of open source AI!(40:59) Why Jason LOVES his self driving Tesla — why public companies need to be safe and not push too quickly(44:24) Producer Oliver’s Top CES Tech products(54:46) Jason’s Major Takeway from CES(59:43) How many times can you fold a phone?(1:04:04) New interfaces for smartphones*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(10:05) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1(19:28) Circle.so: the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand.(31:59) Sentry: New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWISTGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidarahttps://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQEoghan McCabehttps://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4Steve Huffmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424Brian Cheskyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112Bob Moestahttps://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94QAaron Leviehttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/box-ceo-aaron-levie-breaks-down-box-ai-and-generative/id315114957?i=1000612384545Sophia Amorusohttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sophia-amoruso-on-branding-raising-a-fund-portfolio/id315114957?i=1000601352978Reid Hoffmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/reid-hoffman-on-ais-crescendo-moment-regulation-and/id315114957?i=1000612548498Frank Slootmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/snowflake-ceo-frank-slootman-on-moving-the-needle-win/id315114957?i=1000602560622

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Gusto - https://www.gusto.com/twistLemon IO -  https://lemon.io/twistQuo - http://quo.com/TWiSTToday’s show: We keep hearing about how AI is killing our ability to think, filling our media with slop, and ruining our kids’ ability to learn. It seems the internet is filled with negative sentiment about the future AI is bringing.Jason is joined by Grant Lee, CEO and co-founder of Gamma, as well as Steven Johnson, editorial director of NotebookLM to tackle these questions on today’s AI roundtable!Grant and Steven break down how they are using AI to push forward their own productivity as well as their teams. Both say that AI makes you more creative! Steven points out that it helped him write his books by having AI do the “chore work” while he got to focus on the valuable insights and higher level thinking.One valuable tip was that AI can be used to uncover customer insights in a new medium. Steven and Grant both put customer feedback into an LLM, allowed them to have high level conversations with their whole user base about what features and products they each enjoy. If that isn’t creative, then what is?Learn about all this and more in today’s roundtable!Timestamps:(00:00) Introducing Steven Johnson and Grant Lee!(10:12) 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 https://www.gusto.com/twist(11:28) How Jason and the TWiST team uses NotebookLM(12:37) Will AI replace lawyers in startups and VC? Should they?(16:08) How the Gamma team uses AI understand their consumers(19:43) Lemon.io: Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist(22:38) How the Google team uses AI to “talk” to their whole user base.(24:45) Is AI replicating our brains and consciousness?(28:18) The ways that AI is changing how companies process information.(30:39) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST(31:43) Jason thinks groupchats are the modern coffee shop for interesting ideas!(32:48) Why Steven thinks AI makes creatives MORE ORIGINAL(40:02) HALF of US adults think AI makes you less creative(43:20) Grant defends using AI for doing research + making business decisions(45:28) Superforecasting — How to think about your thinking(53:00) Is education going back to blue books and oral exams?(56:30) Jevons Paradox and How AI will increase jobs for all!(59:50) Edison put whale hunters out of business but brought in electricians and movie industry(1:02:36) Jason coaches his employees to 10x themselves with AI tools to push value(1:05:54) Jason’s call to join the AI revolution*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(10:12) 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 https://www.gusto.com/twist(19:43) Lemon.io: Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist(30:39) Quo (formerly OpenPhone) gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at http://quo.com/TWiST

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Crusoe Cloud - https://crusoe.ai/buildUber - http://uber.com/twistEvery.io - http://every.io/Today’s show: Jason and Alex are BACK on TWiST for 2026! This holiday season was anything but calm, with deca-corn acquisitions, massive Polymarket bets, and major new startups breaking from stealth!Jason talks the recent Nvidia-Groq $20B acquisition, a major exit for Chamath as the lead investor back in 2017! Jason delves into how the VC fund math shapes out for pre-seed VC funds vs. Series A VC funds.Jason and Alex delve into drama swirling META’s AI team. Yann LeCun, META’s former Chief AI Scientist, announced that he would be leaving META to become Executive Chairman at AMI Labs. LeCun left the META team in the new year, calling the new Chief AI Scientist, Alexandr Wang, inexperienced. LeCun now looks to move AI beyond the era of LLM at AMI Labs.PLUS Jason and Alex talk about the new social media app Tangle, from Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, and Evan Sharp, co-founder of Pinterest. Their Startup, West Co, launched tangle, which seeks to become an “intentional living” app. The two look to improve how humans interact with modern tech. Jason points out that very few news products have worked, but is eager to see how two industry veterans build in the space. Timestamps:(00:00) Why Restaurants are OVER — Peptides and other self medications(06:41) Nvidia Acqui-Hires Groq for $20 BILLION(9:48) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(11:00) The VC fund math between seed vs. Series A funds(15:00) META buys TWiST 500 Company, Manus! Why it matters.(20:20) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist(21:24) Why Yann LeCun left META, and what could be behind it(25:27) Producer Claude on the Gondola Crash in Zurich(29:13) Jason’s Request for Augmented human intelligence(30:11) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/(32:04) How one Trader made $436.8k on one bet on polymarket!(36:05) Jason’s Predictions for 2026 IPOs(40:01) Is news broken? How Tangle is tackling it.(45:53) How much should startup incur in legal expenses? Should founders try to use AI to avoid costs?(50:59) Why Google should let NotebookLM cook, make it a standalone brand! *Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(9:48) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(20:20) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist(30:11) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit http://every.io/

This Week In Startups is made possible by:LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsSquarespace -https://squarespace.com/twistHubspot - http://clickhubspot.com/twist1Today’s show: We’re saying goodbye to 2025 with our annual TWISTY Awards, looking back on our favorite pod moments from throughout the year.Featured clips include Jason’s message to the members of Reddit’s r/AntiWork community…Why JCal would NEVER work with Sam Altman or OpenAI…The time that Jason got doxxed and then found the guy responsible on LinkedIn…Why LA Mayor Karen Bass earned a *disgraziad*…Alex saying “Yessir!” in a weird way…And much more classic TWiST content.See y’all next year!Timestamps:(00:00) It’s the final episode of the year: The TWiSTY Awards for our favorite moments and guests of the year(2:06) The nominees for Best Name Drop(7:02)2025 in Trends(9:52) 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.(14:28) The best Jason anecdotes and personal stories(19:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist(22:28) Our favorite 2025 guests, including Doug Leone, Coffeezilla, Anton Osika, and more(29:03) The year in Jason Rants(30:18) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1(36:11) Controversial moments and the year’s hottest takes(44:11) DISGRAZIAD! Here are the most shameful people and companies of 2025(50:50)Alex’s best/worst Dad Jokes(54:32) It’s a simple word… groceries*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(9:52) 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.(19:43) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist(30:18) Hubspot: Check out the guide “How to Get Your First 100 Customers.” Download it for free at http://clickhubspot.com/twist1

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Northwest Registered Agent- https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistVanta - http://www.vanta.com/twistLemon IO - https://lemon.io/twistToday’s show: Jason’s already a millionaire many times over… but what are the huge, blockbuster, dream purchases that he’s still holding off on? BESIDES the private jet we all know he wants? The Noti Gang has asked, and JCal finally answers, on a holiday TWiST where we’re taking questions from viewers and fans.Check out the episode for lots more intriguing queries, like how to push forward and glean useful information when your first customers aren’t using your product the way you’d envisioned. Plus, is there room for both AI agents and great SaaS startups in the coming years? Hear why Jason thinks there IS.AND we’ve got the very last Gamma Pitch Deck Competition entry before we announce our winner in the new year. Check out AskHumans, an innovative approach to improving market research.Timestamps: (00:00) On a special holiday TWiST, we’re answering YOUR pressing Founder Questions!(8:35) 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!(09:35) What should a founder do when a VC reaches out cold?(13:37) The importance of maintaining “ball control”(15:35) A European founder asks: Should I take European investments if they’re targeting American customers?(19:47) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(20:51) A member of the Noti gang asks for JCal’s dream mega-purchases(24:12) Why Jason thinks there’s room for BOTH AI agents and great SaaS companies(27:18) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist(28:23) It’s our final Gamma pitch with Zak from AskHumans!(29:24) How AskHumans uses AI to improve on marketing surveys and research(34:33) Management and measurement were designed before computers could understand language… why this matters.(35:48) Why no one ever wants to give feedback in a video(39:01) Why Zak’s pitch is “two chapters of the same story”… and was this a pivot?(44:14) Why founders need to assume LLMs are going to get exponentially better*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(8:35) 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!(19:47) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(27:18) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidarahttps://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQEoghan McCabehttps://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4Steve Huffmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424Brian Cheskyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112Bob Moestahttps://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94QAaron Leviehttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/box-ceo-aaron-levie-breaks-down-box-ai-and-generative/id315114957?i=1000612384545Sophia Amorusohttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sophia-amoruso-on-branding-raising-a-fund-portfolio/id315114957?i=1000601352978

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Caldera + Lab - http://calderalab.com/TWISTCrusoe Cloud - https://crusoe.ai/buildUber - http://uber.com/twistToday’s show: Why did a power outage in the Bay Area cause Waymos to pile up on city streets?Jason was actually in San Francisco to take in the spectacle of Waymos blocking traffic. But why did this happen? And can we look forward to a day when automated cars are more graceful and coordinated than ballet dancers performing “Swan Lake”? We’re asking the tough (and also culturally erudite) questions!PLUS self-driving cars are coming to London, Coinbase’s buying spree continues, another entrant in our nearly-complete Gamma Pitch Deck Competition, AND why Jason predicts that Google is going to buy UBER!You won’t want to miss this holiday TWiST!Timestamps:(00:00) It’s a holiday TWiST! Jason’s calling in from vacay in Lake Tahoe.(03:11) Jason was in SF for the great Waymo power outage!(06:06) Why Jason says one day Waymos will be better coordinated than dancers in “Swan Lake”(07:33) We predicted Starlink coming to every Tesla nearly 3 years ago!(09:05) Caldera + Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order.(11:29) Jason calls what Tesla’s Optimus team is planning “otherworldly”(14:39) Why Jason thinks we’re all going to live in an “Opt-In Truman Show” someday soon(18:52) Baidu, Lyft, and Uber bring self-driving cars to London… they don’t have them already?!(20:49) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(24:02) When do we get to 50% of all rides being done by autonomous vehicles… and how many robotaxis will that take?(27:50) Why Jason thinks Google is going to buy… UBER?!(31:12) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist(32:30) Will it eventually come down to which car can drive a mile for the cheapest?(35:08) Coinbase picks up The Clearing Company, which makes frameworks for prediction markets(39:50) How much did the biggest AI models improve this year?(44:09) Who’s going to actually buy Warner Bros? We’re checking the Polymarket.(47:06) GAMMA PITCH w/ Jonathan Sherman of Lumix Ads(51:00) Why Jason says Jonathan’s pitch is a 9.5 out of 10(52:50) What Jason looks for in a founder: “a big audacious vision”(54:18) How Lumix (safely) collects users’ “mobile ad ID” on the go to identify themSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(09:05) Caldera + Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order.(20:49) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(31:12) Uber AI Solutions: Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/twist

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Luma AI - https://lumalabs.ai/twistNorthwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Lemon IO - https://lemon.io/twistToday’s show: DID YOU KNOW… most of the tried and true techniques devised by marketing gurus in the ‘40s and ‘50s still apply today?On TWiST, we’re joined by online marketing expert Sam Parr, host of “My First Million” and founder of Hampton. He’s sharing all of his top tips and tricks for making your writing more compelling, and converting your readers into new customers.In this essential pod for any and all founders, hear Jason and Sam run down their list of the best-ever marketing books, why there’s no such this as “too long” only “too uninteresting,” when to use AI and when to rely on your own brain, why you’re the average of your five best friends, and lots more deep insights.Timestamps:(00:00) Sam Parr of The Hustle, Hampton, and My First Million is here to teach us how to become better copywriters(03:59) How Sam got interested in the (then-shady) world of internet marketing(06:26) Why Sam recommended THESE advertising books to Jason(08:15) All the principles that ad execs developed in the ‘50s still work!(09:43) Glengarry had it right; the magic of A.I.D.A.(11:19) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist(14:30) There’s no such thing as “too long,” just “too uninteresting”(16:15) The goal is to write at a 4th grade reading level(18:12) Why Sam only uses AI for “The Big Idea,” not the actual writing(19:37) Why you’re the average of your five best friends(21:14) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(22:15) Using AI to dig in and research, to make your writing more interesting(23:42) CopyWork: The technique that helped Sam fine tune his writing(28:41) Avoiding “The Feature Death March”(30:56) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist(32:00) Words are better than images, but videos are better than anything(34:43) Why stories make such a huge impact(37:36) Sam and Jason are both obsessed with the book “How to Be Rich”(43:02) First World Problems are still problems!!(44:31) Why Sam launched Hampton and what it takes to get in(47:10) Why scaling a community is so much harder than launching(51:04) The lessons founders can take from Ted Turner(58:36) What Jason likes best about My First Million(1:00:28) It’s never too early to get your first $10 million(1:04:07) How accurately did Producer Claude guess what Sam was going to teach us?*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(11:19) Luma AI - Stop guessing and start directing with Ray3 Modify from Luma AI, the AI-powered post production tool. Explore it at: https://lumalabs.ai/twist(21:14) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(30:56) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist

This Week In Startups is made possible by:LinkedIn Ads- http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsSquarespace - https://squarespace.com/twistEnterpret - http://Enterpret.com/twistToday’s show: How do top tech CEOs hire? AI has thrown out the playbook for getting hired — so what are the most innovative firms looking for? Anyone can learn any skill and automate much of it, what is to be valued in the modern labor market?On our first AI Roundtable episode of TWiST, Jason is joined by three top tech CEOs: Wade Foster (Zapier), Mikey Schulman (Suno), and Ali Ansari (Micro1). They each give their perspective on the tech talent wars and how to get hired in 2026.The resounding answer on how to get a job? JUST START DOING THE JOB! If you want to be a designer, start sending designs to companies you want to be hired by — don’t just sit around waiting to be hired. The biggest value you can bring is a “high agency” mindset to your company and the role. Show you get after it!They are also hitting on:- How AI is getting used to make music today- The tech industry’s communication problem- How to raise kids in the age of AITimestamps:(00:00) It’s our first ever “This Week in AI” Roundtable, and we’ve got an amazing panel(05:50) How Meta and OpenAI skew how everyone thinks about compensation(09:37) The importance of looking beyond SF for talent(10:24) 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.(14:39) Is AI making more people seek out developer jobs?(18:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist(19:36) When design becomes its own bottleneck… and some workarounds.(22:37) It’s not how much you know, it’s how adaptable you are(24:10) The best way to get hired: just start doing the job(30:09) Why Ali says we’re entering the "Post-Training"(31:34) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.(33:32) Understanding the value of your company’s data and using it to get better outputs(41:14) Mikey calls Suno the “GLP-1s of the music industry”: everyone uses it but no one admits it(46:39) Mikey Talks break out AI artists like Xania Monet(49:32) Questions raised about how AI will effect job markets(54:43) How AI and robotics will unlock new jobs and opportunities(58:48) Possible solutions to the AI and automation question.(01:04:03) Technology's communication problem and how to fix it.(01:05:24) Are people replacing their friends with AI?(01:08:11) How CEOs are thinking about raising young kids in the world of AI.(01:12:21) Lightning round on AI agents, workflows vs. agents(01:16:49) Trapped value in sales calls, questions, company meetings that are unlocked by AI(01:22:10) How Ali pitched the LAUNCH team outside of a Jeni's Ice Cream storeSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonThank you to our partners:(10:24) 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.(18:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist(31:34) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Vanta - https://www.vanta.com/twistNetSuite - https://www.netsuite.com/twistLemon.io - https://lemon.io/twist*Today’s show: Domestic robots have never been hotter… so why is iRobot in so much trouble?!On TWiST, we’re investigating the recent troubles facing the automated vacuum robot, Roomba. We’ve all seen these little discs sweeping up our friends’ floors… but now the company behind them is running out of cash.What happened to iRobot, and would things have turned out differently if they had been sold to Amazon back in 2022?PLUS why Jason thinks you should spend your disposable income on investing… Is Alex still a journalist, and what does that actually mean for his portfolio?… Are founders and investors too cautious when it comes to signaling risk?… Why did all those internal Pipe documents leak online?… And MUCH MORE!Timestamps:(00:00) Why Jason loves Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation!(09:48) Jason warns “no one is coming to help you with your job loss”; you’re on your own!(10:21) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(13:05) Why Jason thinks laid-off HR folks should be starting their own “micro-funds"(14:13) Does Alex consider himself a journalist? Is it unethical for him to invest in companies? (Let’s get INTO IT.)(16:02) You can’t become complacent when you’re in the lead!(20:03) Why you should use disposable “entertainment” income on investing(22:32) Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(23:36) $9B in new funds?! What is Lightspeed up to?(26:10) Is everyone too cautious about “signaling risk”?(28:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(31:21) How does Jason think those Pipe documents leaked? And WHY?(38:15) The critical importance of diversification(39:35) iRobot went BANKRUPT! Who killed the Roomba?(44:47) Are there ANY potential deals that would bother Jason? It’s all about market share.(48:18) HuggingFace is moving major Reachy Minis! How open source turns everything upside down.(53:22) How Polymarket will decide when/if the AI bubble “bursts.”*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(10:21) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(22:32)  Netsuite - Get the free business guide Demystifying AI at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(28:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidarahttps://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQEoghan McCabehttps://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4Steve Huffmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424Brian Cheskyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112Bob Moestahttps://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94QAaron Leviehttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/box-ceo-aaron-levie-breaks-down-box-ai-and-generative/id315114957?i=1000612384545Sophia Amorusohttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sophia-amoruso-on-branding-raising-a-fund-portfolio/id315114957?i=1000601352978Reid Hoffmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/reid-hoffman-on-ais-crescendo-moment-regulation-and/id315114957?i=1000612548498Frank Slootmanhttps://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/snowflake-ceo-frank-slootman-on-moving-the-needle-win/id315114957?i=1000602560622

This Week In Startups is made possible by:LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsDevStats - https://www.devstats.com/twistCrusoe - https://crusoe.ai/buildToday’s show: FINALLY, you can hang out with Kylo Ren and Olaf the Snowman… thanks to the magic of AI.On TWiST, we’re digging into the mega OpenAI-Disney deal. Mickey is giving Sam Altman a $1 billion investment AND will allow is copyrighted characters to appear in Sora and ChatGPT images.Of course, Jason predicted this would happen WAY BACK during the summer months and even showed off his “Darth Calacanis” creation on the “All-In Podcast.”PLUS Amazon has been launching and pulling AI features from Prime Video… what gives? Jason’s predictions on the coming AI blowback and who’s on what side. Why he’s so focused on Education, Health Care, and Housing as issues. AND why founders should always take calls from Big Companies, even if it might just be a fishing expedition.It’s a new Friday TWiST! Check it out!Timestamps:(00:00) Lon joins Alex and Jason to talk about the big Disney-OpenAI deal bringing Disney characters to Sora(03:10) Jason totally called the Disney-OpenAI stuff on All-In(9:42) 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.(18:59) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.devstats.com/twist.(20:15) Why Amazon Prime Video pulled its AI recaps and anime dubs(24:44) Who gets to set the rules around AI: The Debate Continues(26:13) Jason’s predictions on the AI blowback coming in 2026… with clips!(30:11) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.(31:21) Is AI here to help people or replace them?(35:55) It’s all about EHH: Education, Health Care, Housing(40:47) How all of this and MORE will be impacted directly by AI automation(45:35) Why Alex wants to lower the temperature around AI Doomerism(51:19) JUST FOR FOUNDERS: When should you take a call from a BigCo?(53:45) Why Jason thinks just about everyone in media will lose to TikTok and YouTubeSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(9:42) 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.(18:59) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.devstats.com/twist.(30:11) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Uber -  http://uber.com/twistPilot - https://pilot.com/twistNorthwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistToday’s show: Boom is still making supersonic jets but ALSO plans to start selling their turbines as power sources for AI data centers. It’s a perfect example of problem-solving on the go and how “the best founders… MAKE IT HAPPEN.”Join us for another insightful VC roundtable episode, featuring special guests Bryan Kim (a16z) and David Clark (Ven Cap).They’re discussing why Boom’s turbine announcement is about necessity AND opportunity PLUS…- Why we might NOT be in an AI bubble after all- Promoting your startup without spending your entire runway on marketing- Why founders need to be RELENTLESS- Bill Gurley’s classic response about Uber’s Total Addressable Market- AND LOTS MOREBill Gurley’s iconic “Miss By a Mile” post: https://abovethecrowd.com/2014/07/11/how-to-miss-by-a-mile-an-alternative-look-at-ubers-potential-market-size/Link to David’s LinkedIn (including the AI Bubble chart): https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7404139606398443520/Timestamps:(02:11) It’s a VC Roundtable with special guests Bryan Kim (a16z) and David Clark (Ven Cap)(03:07) Why Bryan is leading a Series A into learning app Oboe(06:20) Calculating a startup’s value to make everyone “somewhat unhappy”(09:19) How Oboe hits a lot of the same metrics that LAUNCH looks for in startups(11:58) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/ai-solutions(12:57) How funds decide when to cash out and lock in some DPI(18:12) When some LPs want to sell and others want to buy…(19:57) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (24:07) Is the threat of AI job displacement boosting self-improvement apps?(27:37) Why Jason says we’re all standing on the shoulders of Bill Gurley(29:46) 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!(31:28) Boom’s turbine pivot, and why it’s about necessity AND opportunity (in that order)(34:14) THE BEST FOUNDERS find a way to make it happen!(39:10) So… are we in an AI bubble? David says NOT NECESSARILY! Checking out the actual metrics.(44:36) We’re still SO EARLY in AI… We’re still seeing mostly skeuomorphic uses! (It’s a real word!)(48:06) William Gibson was right: “The Street finds its own uses for things”(51:11) How AI startups should think about margins(55:58) Why LAUNCH tells founders to “start at the high end”(57:33) Should founders spend a lot of $$$ on marketing in 2025? The panel disagrees!(1:00:05) Momentum vs. Product Release Velocity(1:03:26) It all comes back to the “relentlessness of the founder”(1:05:17) Our panel’s hopes and dreams for the coming year*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(11:58) Uber AI Solutions - Your trusted partner to get AI to work in the real world. Book a demo with them TODAY at http://uber.com/ai-solutions(19:57) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (29:46) 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!

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Goldbelly - Goldbelly.comEvery.io - http://every.io/Zite - zite.com/twistToday’s show:Today, Zapier’s a multi-billion company helping enterprises integrate AI agents and other time-saving shortcuts into their workflows… but we had the founder on TWiST when they were just getting started!In a 2016 chat, founder Wade Foster walked JCal through their 2012 seed round, running a small entirely remote team with no HQ, the complexities of building a tool that relies on third-party APIs, and why Microsoft Office was the “Holy Grail” for his integration software.PLUS we’ve got a new entrant in your Gamma Pitch Deck competition! Tour CEO/CTO Amulya Parmer tells us how his app is saving property managers time and grief, while eliminating “looky-loos” and increasing their “hit rate.”FINALLY, Alex chats with Tomas Puig of TWiST 500 marketing analysis startup Alembic. It turns out, LLMs aren’t ideal for scrutinizing marketing campaigns because they lack the requisite historical data. Find out how they’re using Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) to dig deeper than GPT and Claude can go.Timestamps:(02:40) Amulya from Tour opens the show with praise for Jason(03:34) Tour’s 2-minute Gamma pitch: automated property tours for managers(06:47) Why Jason thinks Tour is an ideal tool for Gen Z(10:01) Goldbelly - 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.(13:32) How Tour can eliminate “looky-loos” and increase the “hit rate”(14:38) Why Tour prices based on individual properties and apartments(19:13) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io.(20:23) Jason wants to sprinkle some AI into Tour(24:29) Welcoming Tomas Puig from Alembic(25:12) Does epic-scale brand marketing actually pay off for these brands?(27:27) The hardest thing about being a marketer…(28:31) Alembic’s origins: organizing huge unstructured data sets(30:18) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to zite.com/twist to get started.(31:27) Case Study: making sense of Delta’s Olympics data(33:37) Applying simulation models and supercomputers to marketing data(35:48) How Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) help Alembic spot trends and link causal relationships(41:13) The key advantage of training models on private data(43:16) Building their own clusters vs. renting(44:41) “You don’t ask if you have Product Market Fit… You hold on for dear life.”(46:28) Flashback with Alex and Lon to Jason’s 2016 chat with Wade Foster of Zapier(54:48) The dangers of building atop other platform’s APIs(01:03:00) What Zapier learned pre-pandemic about leading remote teams(01:13:12) Why MS Office was the “Holy Grail” for early ZapierSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:01) Goldbelly - 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.(19:13) Every.io - For all of your incorporation, banking, payroll, benefits, accounting, taxes or other back-office administration needs, visit every.io.(30:18) Zite - Zite is the fastest way to build business software with AI. Go to zite.com/twist to get started.Follow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Superhuman - https://superhuman.com/podcastSquarespace - https://squarespace.com/twistEnterpret - https://www.enterpret.com/dlp/this-week-in-startupsToday’s show: A screenshot showing a “Target Ad” in ChatGPT results went viral… over the weekend, but the OpenAI chatbot has NOT actually opened the advertising floodgates just yet.As ChatGPT staffers were quick to explain on social media, this was actually an invitation for a user to integrate their Target account into ChatGPT, for an easier agentic browsing and shopping experience.But it does prompt Jason and Alex to ask some intriguing questions… Is OpenAI just waiting for Google or someone else to launch AI ads first, and face the inevitable flood of backlash they’ll presumably receive? Is there someone at OpenAI already thinking DEEPLY about how these in-feed ads should work? And what does this mean for their wager on when ChatGPT is going to actually get ads? Is that already decided?These answers and more are coming your way on today’s action-packed TWiST… PLUS the latest on the Warner Bros Discovery-Netflix deal, PR guru Lulu Cheng Meservey’s new venture fund, and why Jason and Lon are obsessing about Apple TV’s “Pluribius.”Timestamps:(01:59) They put Target ads in ChatGPT? Or was it just an integration? Is there a difference?(5:24) Is someone at OpenAI really thinking deeply about how in-feed ads should work?(07:36) Is OpenAI just waiting for Google to start running ads to post their own? Jason has suspicions…(10:01) Why Jason thinks startup people have so much trouble communicating with normies(10:32) Superhuman - Get AI that works where you work. Unlock your Superhuman potential at http://superhuman.com/podcast(13:22) The insane competition now facing down OpenAI and Sam Altman(18:40) Why Jason will no longer use data from SaaS companies looking for a marketing win(19:52) Does this mean ChatGPT TECHNICALLY has ads? Does Alex win the bet?! What does Polymarket think?(20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist(25:17) Why Jason is already tired of the Netflix-Paramount-WBD story(30:06) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.(34:03) President Jason’s new proposal: A 60-day “pre-approval” antitrust window(47:29) Why Jason’s not interested in news commentary… just the facts.(51:40) Jason and Lon take a few moments to praise “Pluribus”(54:45) PR guru Lulu Cheng Meservey is starting a venture firm… here’s why she wants to start a “movement”(58:05) Why PR people hate but also respect JasonSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/*Thank you to our partners:(10:32) Superhuman - Get AI that works where you work. Unlock your Superhuman potential at http://superhuman.com/podcast(20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist(30:06) Enterpret - Enterpret turns feedback noise into Customer Intelligence, so your team knows exactly what to fix and build next. Head to http://Enterpret.com/twist to book a demo and see it in action.

This Week In Startups is made possible by:Sentry - http://sentry.io/twistLinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsPipedrive - pipedrive.com/twistToday’s show:Netflix wants to gobble up Warner Bros. Do they just want to own Batman and Harry Potter, or is this secretly about destroying movie theaters?Sure, this is usually a startup show, but news THIS BIG warrants attention! So Lon stops by to tell Jason and Alex about the big Netflix acquisition news, why so many theatrical movie fans are terrified for the future, and why this might face particular regulatory scrutiny both at home and abroad.PLUS… are Googlers gaming Polymarket? This is one scenario in which prediction markets are NOT exactly like stocks.THEN we’re looking at some of our favorite startups from the Fall ‘25 Y Combinator cohort (and asking Producer Claude for his picks)… Considering why Perplexity keeps getting sued and how they can stop it… and doing a victory lap for Jason’s early investment in breakout AI training project Micro1.Timestamps:(02:05) Netflix buying Warner Bros! Jason, Lon and Alex react.(05:04) Jaytrade Update: J kind of missed the boat on this one(05:36) What does this mean for theatrical cinema?(08:42) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(09:52) Jason’s pitch to Disney CEO Bob Iger (please send this to him!)(19:36) 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.(23:29) Is this deal going to get approval, at home and abroad?(25:52) Are Googlers gaming Polymarket?(28:02) Can you do “insider trading” on a prediction market?(29:23) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist(37:00) How accelerators like Y Combinator serve as “finishing schools” for startups(37:52) A Quick Look at some of our fav companies from YC’s Fall ’25 cohort(39:01) Why startups need to “skate to where the puck is going”(40:08) Why sometimes old ideas (like solar-powered aircraft) are often worth revisiting(45:29) Jason’s advice for founders (and investors) in the “feel good” or activist space(50:48) Why Lon, Alex, and Claude ALL thought Hyperspell sounds like a hot startup(52:58) Perplexity getting sued again! Why can’t they make friends!(57:51) Meanwhile, Meta’s signing AI deals with news publications.(59:21) Micro1, which Jason helped to fund, has hit $100M ARR! Why do AI companies need so many experts?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/lonsFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(8:42) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST(19:36) 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.(29:23) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist