This Week in Startups

Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Sunny kick off the show (1:26) Discussing Grok's recent developments and Middle East tech inspiration (3:51) Global business challenges and Jason's 2025 announcements (7:53) Gemini app demo and ChatGPT 4 comparison (9:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:24) Evaluating ChatGPT 4.0 Pro limitations and robo-taxi fleet costs (12:46) Differences between ChatGPT models and future improvements (19:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (20:58) LLM focus shift and robo taxi cost model experimentation (23:01) Importance of prompt engineering in AI tools adoption (25:31) Workplace AI adoption challenges and generational tech differences (27:22) New productivity hacks and Gemini app's growth (30:27) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/twist (34:06) Startup support programs and Google Gemini's research capabilities (37:08) AI model performance evaluation and simplification (45:02) Meta's Llama 3.370b launch and AI industry impact (46:37) Infrastructure costs, competitive landscape, and AI-generated content evolution (55:44) Trust and bias in language models, news analysis startup ideas * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Sora here: https://sora.com/ Check out Kling here: https://klingai.com/ Check out Groq: https://groq.com/ * Follow Sunny: X: https://x.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (19:57) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (30:27) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Ramp. The corporate card and spend management software designed to help you save time and money. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist. DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist Digital Ocean. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or seeing your project take off, DigitalOcean is the cloud platform that lets you focus on what matters: building killer apps. Right now get up to $100k in free credits at https://www.do.co/twist. Terms and conditions apply. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:03) Government reactions to drone sightings (4:02) Theories and politicians' reactions to the drones (9:21) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist. (10:48) Official statements on drone sightings (13:34) Speculation on drones' radiation detection capabilities (15:20) TikTok insights and Swiss startup Arctis Radiation Detectors (20:21) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (21:52) Personal reactions and media aspects of drone sightings (26:12) Startups in drone detection and geopolitical implications (30:36) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (32:23) American Security Drone Act of 2023 and government coordination (39:01) Nicole Wischoff joins Alex and Jason. (40:28) Startup pitches and trend discussions (46:14) Investment strategies and AI's impact on startups (51:10) Market dynamics in various industries (52:09) Fundraising strategies and venture capital insights (57:56) Closing thoughts with Nicole Wischoff (58:05) Venture capital performance metrics (1:00:39) Challenges for large venture funds * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Wischoff Ventures: https://www.wischoff.com/ Robin Radar Systems: https://www.robinradar.com/ Arktis Radiation Detectors: https://www.arktis-detectors.com/ ApolloShield: https://www.apolloshield.com/ John Ferguson’s full post: https://www.instagram.com/thegardenstate/reel/DDnmN8oRw3T/ American Security Drone Act Of 2023: https://smartpay.gsa.gov/resources/american-security-drone-act/#:~:text=On December 22%2C 2023%2C the,Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA) * Follow Nicole: X: https://x.com/NWischoff LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholewischoff * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:21) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist. (20:21) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (30:36) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Washington Post. Stay informed with trusted journalism from The Washington Post. Right now, TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show with Cyera’s Yotam Segev to dive into the state of enterprise data security. They discuss Cyera’s impressive feat of raising $300 million just quarters after its previous mega-round and explore the company's recent nine-figure acquisition of Trail Security. Next, Alex unpacks ServiceTitan's successful IPO and Broadcom's milestone achievement of reaching a $1 trillion market cap. To close, Cake Equity’s Kim Hansen joins the conversation to share insights into his company’s growth strategy and how it’s thriving in a highly competitive market. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show (2:12) Cyera’s Yotam Seveg joins the show (10:05) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (11:34) Evolution from information security to cybersecurity and automated data categorization (20:44) Cyera's acquisition strategy and impact on the company (28:00) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist (29:10) AI's impact on data security and competition in the cybersecurity market (34:19) ServiceTitan IPO, market reaction, and implications for the industry (37:34) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (39:05) Tech companies reaching significant market caps and IPO performances (47:17) Texas attorney general's lawsuit against tech companies over data practices (48:21) Cake Equity’s Kim Hansen joins the show (49:02) Cake Equity's mission, platform, and cap table management software demo (54:29) Cake Equity's user interface, employee engagement, and expansion plans (58:22) Automation in onboarding and international growth challenges for Cake Equity * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.cyera.io https://www.cakeequity.com * Follow Yotam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yotam-segev * Follow Kim: X: https://x.com/KimHansenYeah LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimhansencake * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:05) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (28:00) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist (37:34) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: In the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics, Jason sits down with Scott Orn from Kruze Consulting to answer the six most important founder/startup questions around finance, accounting, and taxes. * Timestamps: (0:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason to dive into Finance Basics FAQs. (1:05) How can I avoid paying payroll tax as a startup founder? (6:54) How do you shut down a startup? (11:33) Why do I owe Delaware $50,000 in franchise taxes? (12:58) I’ve got my first customer lined up! How do I get paid? (16:26) Can I tell VCs that implementation revenue is ARR? (19:59) Should I raise venture debt when I raise my Series A? * Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com Check out more Finance Basics here: THISWEEKINSTARTUPS.COM/basics * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://www.CLAconnect.com/tech * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the reporting that Tiger Global's 2021-era fund is not only posting poor results, it's lagging peers from the same timeframe. Then, the pair also interview Suvir Wadhwa, founder and CEO of Flite, a former Launch accelerator company, and dug into the Cruise-GM news along with a peek at the next head of the FTC. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:19) Tiger Global's investment strategy and performance (5:49) Challenges of quick capital deployment and market timing (10:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (11:15) Impact of losing key investors or advisors on startups (12:24) Public market trends affecting private investments (16:09) Market downturns' effects on startups and investors (20:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (21:16) Political influences on market and technology sectors (29:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (31:10) Trump administration's business policies and immigration (38:20) Changes in the FTC leadership and impacts on startups (41:40) Finix's addition to the TWiST500 (44:53) GM's scale-back on Cruise and future implications (51:25) Self-driving technology's impact on car ownership (52:39) Flite's Suvir Wadhwa joins the show (54:18) Flite's business model, AI benefits, and market reach * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Flite: https://www.flite.city/ Check out the TWiST500: https://www.twist500.com/ Check out Tiger Global: https://www.tigerglobal.com/ Check out E1207: How Tiger Global is outpacing VC with fast, cheap capital ft. Founders Fund’s Everett Randle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koDKxjHe_Kk * Follow Suvir: X: https://x.com/suvirwadhwa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvirwadhwa/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (20:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (29:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Lon Harris kick off the show (2:06) Welcome back to Lon Harris and discussion on current events (6:04) Drones in New Jersey: Security issues and speculations on their origin (11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (13:04) Privacy concerns surrounding drone technology (15:27) The future of drone delivery services (19:32) OpenAI's launch of the video generation tool, Sora (20:04) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (21:34) The emergence of new mediums from AI tools (31:04) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (32:28) Startup of the Day: Remento (43:06) Uber's milestone and the future of ride-sharing (51:14) Alex Gumbel from Quby Technologies joins the TWIST500 (56:00) Economics of mobile micro factories and deskilling labor in home construction (1:04:09) Market demand and strategic focus in construction innovation (1:07:10) Business model, customer base, and production goals for Qubii Technologies (1:11:11) Challenges and future prospects in the construction industry Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out OpenAI’s Sora: https://sora.com/ Check out Cuby: https://www.cubytechnologies.com/ Check out Remento: https://www.remento.co/ * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/Lons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris * Follow Aleks: X: https://x.com/agampel1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamaleksandrgampel * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:01) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:04) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (31:04) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland v Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Ramp. The corporate card and spend management software designed to help you save time and money. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist Zendesk. The best customer experiences are built with Zendesk. Qualifying startups can join their Startup program and get Zendesk products free, for six months! Visit http://www.zendesk.com/twist today to get started. Digital Ocean. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or seeing your project take off, DigitalOcean is the cloud platform that lets you focus on what matters: building killer apps. Right now get up to $100k in free credits at https://www.do.co/twist. Terms and conditions apply. * Todays show: Anthony Pompliano joins Jason and Alex to discuss crypto markets, Bitcoin's future, and Michael Saylor's Bitcoin strategy. Then, they dive into Reddit's new Q&A feature, SEC shifts, and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (7:36) Anthony Pompliano joins the show (9:55) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist (11:48) Impact of new administration on Bitcoin and crypto markets (19:58) Concerns from OG Bitcoiners and Bitcoin as a marketing tool (20:38) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist (22:07) Michael Saylor's Bitcoin strategy and historical trade comparisons (27:17) Risks of MicroStrategy's Bitcoin holdings and price volatility (30:15) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (31:47) Bitcoin yield, new metrics, and investment advice (39:48) Rationality and risk in Bitcoin investment and audience engagement (47:23) SEC accreditation, private investment funds, and the Brian Thompson case (1:01:56) Reddit's new Q&A feature, “Reddit Answers” (1:12:05) Kids Online Safety Act and social media regulation * 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 Anthony: X: https://x.com/APompliano LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypompliano * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:55) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist (20:38) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist (30:15) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: In this episode, we discuss Hailey Welch and the viral Hawk coin, then discuss David Sachs' new White House role and recent job data's economic impact. We address the United Healthcare CEO's murder, debate cancel culture, and a viral tweet on software engineers' habits. Deedy Das offers insights on tech inefficiencies and the shift to in-person work. Coffeezilla joins to explore crypto scams, influencer marketing ethics, and regulation. We wrap up with David Sachs' Czar role in AI and crypto for the US government, market dynamics, and a new addition to the Twist 500. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (1:53) Economic outlook and recent job data (5:12) Reaction to United Healthcare CEO murder (9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (10:48) Cancel culture debate and public statements (16:00) Viral tweet about software engineers' work habits (19:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (20:08) DeeDee Doss interview on software engineer productivity (23:17) Management incentives and tech company inefficiencies (25:16) Shift to in-person work in tech startups (29:37) Ramp - Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist (31:20) Remote work psychology and potential abuse (37:35) Strategies to prevent remote work abuse (39:24) Hayley Welch interview on viral meme coin (41:00) Coffeezilla's investigations into scams and frauds (47:42) Cryptocurrency red flags and influencer consequences (52:50) Crypto regulation and influencer marketing ethics (59:03) Influencer credibility and responsibility (1:03:21) Coffeezilla's assignment and Rabbit AI device insights (1:04:01) David Sachs announcement and AI/crypto in government (1:07:25) Regulatory capture and Silicon Valley dynamics (1:09:15) Market perspectives and government influence * Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Apply for the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator here: https://ck.launch.co Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check on Menlo Ventures: https://menlovc.com/ Check out Coffeezilla: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQMnBA3CS502aghlcr0_aw * Follow Coffeezilla: X: https://x.com/coffeebreak_YT * Follow Deedy: X: https://x.com/deedydas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debarghyadas/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (19:02) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (29:37) Ramp - Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: In the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics, Jason sits down with Scott Orn from Kruze Consulting to tackle essential year-end planning for startups. "Year-End Planning: Setting Your Startup Up for Success," covers crucial topics like assessing next year's fundraising needs, crafting an operating plan, preparing for taxes and compliance, and more. Don't miss these practical tips to ensure your startup is ready to thrive in the new year! * Timestamps: (0:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason (2:17) Evaluate Your Fundraising Needs for Next Year (7:05) Financial Statement Review and Clean-up (8:34) Set High-Level Goals and Strategy (11:27) Cost Optimization Review (13:39) Create Next Year's Operating Plan (17:19) Tax and Compliance Planning (19:02) Team and Equity Management (20:22) Cash Management Strategy * Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com Check out more Finance Basics here: THISWEEKINSTARTUPS.COM/basics * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Scott: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottorn X: https://twitter.com/scottorn * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at ⁠https://www.gusto.com/twist Fundrise provides access to diversified portfolios of private real estate to all investors with their industry leading, easy to use platform. Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss breaking news on Paul Atkins and SEC leadership transitions into discussions on corporate security concerns. Then, Mike Sherbakov and Herbert Dwyer share insights on veteran leadership and EMPEQ's equipment management technology. The conversation highlights technology applications in military contexts and Empeq's dual-use tech. The episode also covers SaaS growth, touches on crypto's influence on elections, economic growth, and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (1:54) Paul Atkins and SEC leadership (6:36) Corporate security concerns (12:18) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist (13:24) Mike Sherbakov and Herbert Dwyer join the show (20:37) Herbert Dwyer on EMPEQ (24:21) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST (25:44) Technology applications in military and equipment management (30:15) SaaS growth, funding, and customer profiles (34:42) EMPEQ's dual-use technology and contact information (36:33) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (38:01) Launch CloudKitchens incubator and food delivery tech (44:28) Twist 500 database and Hugging Face spotlight (53:07) Live events for Twist 500 and EU startup culture (1:02:28) Crypto's impact on elections and economic growth (1:17:02) Safety nets and basic needs in capitalism * Apply for the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator here: https://ck.launch.co 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 Mike: X: https://x.com/mikesherbakov LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesherbakov * Follow Herbert: X: https://x.com/herbertdwyer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbdwyer * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (12:18) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist (24:31) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/TWIST (36:33) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into one platform. Giving you one source of truth. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist Micro1. Micro1 is an AI recruitment engine to hire world class engineers fast. Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire * Todays show: Jason and Alex discuss Michael Saylor’s pitch for Microsoft to shift shareholder returns into Bitcoin, the Delaware court's ruling on Tesla pay, and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (7:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (8:47) Michael Saylor's Bitcoin Pitch to Microsoft (24:01) The Digital Transformation through Bitcoin (29:46) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (30:47) Bitcoin as an investment compared to traditional assets (38:01) Michael Saylor’s take on Bitcoin's investment potential (39:40) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire (41:19) Asset-heavy vs. asset-light business models (57:46) Tesla compensation package and Delaware court ruling (1:03:56) Delaware Judicial System and Corporate Governance (1:19:00) Corporate incorporation trends * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l45B4mYl-o https://x.com/saylor/status/1863323760511627565 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (7:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (29:46) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (39:40) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Notion. Notion combines your notes, docs, and projects into one beautifully designed space with AI built right in. Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist * Todays show: In today’s episode, Jason and Alex explored the curious return of Enron, the latest developments in Bitcoin and MicroStrategy, and the evolving cryptocurrency landscape. They closed with an analysis of China's uneven investment climate and its effects on venture capital activity. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:30) Hunter Biden's pardon and implications for presidential power (7:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (9:31) Enron's return and potential crypto play (14:47) Crypto regulation changes under the new administration (24:43) Investment strategies in Bitcoin and the impact of hiring decisions (26:51) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (28:25) Michael Saylor and MicroStrategy's strategy on Bitcoin (37:31) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist (39:22) Diversification in investments and Michael Saylor's promotional tactics (43:28) NFTs vs. traditional investments (46:47) Sequoia's global deals search (55:11) Consumer confidence, US and China economies, and debt discussion (1:02:09) Nearshoring trend, credit card delinquencies, and potential bankruptcies (1:06:02) Bernie Sanders' stance on defense spending and populism (1:08:02) Dogecoin leaderboard (1:17:07) Bitcoin predictions and Bitcoin valuation * 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 Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (7:51) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (26:51) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (37:31) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Jason and Alex welcomed Alex Kendall to the show. He's the founder and CEO of Wayve, an AI company working on self-driving. You might recall that Wayve raised $1 billion earlier this year, but TWIST wanted to know how the company intends to commercialize -- and how soon. From there, it was back to the bitcoin mines. Figuratively, as the hosts dug into MicroStrategies' bitcoin buying bet. Precisely why it is trading at such a NAV premium remains occluded to the show, but we did chase down its debt terms. Next week: More TWiST500! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (2:32) Introduction of guest Alex Kendall Co-Founder & CEO of Wayve (3:00) Alex Kendall on Wayve's autonomous driving approach and AI technology (8:29) LiDAR vs. camera-first solutions debate (10:19) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (12:23) Economic viability and strategy of autonomous vehicles (17:49) Timeline for Wave's technology deployment and future market scenarios (19:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (22:34) Autonomy subscription models and AI driving behavior challenges (30:01) Kyte - Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. (33:00) AI driving culture and Twist 500 update (37:05) MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy and market concerns (41:33) Bitcoin convertible debt analysis (49:03) Deciphering complex business models and historical examples (51:24) Evaluating new financial terms and investor advice (52:29) Final thoughts and invitation to Michael Saylor * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Wayve: https://wayve.ai/ Check out MicroStrategy: https://www.microstrategy.com/ TWiST Episode #1251 with Do Kwon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLZL8iPKsHQ * Follow Alex Kendall: X: https://x.com/alexgkendall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgkendall/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:19) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (19:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:01) Kyte - Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://devsquad.com/twist * Todays show: Jason and Alex are joined by Dune's CEO to discuss wealth taxes and their impact on startups, highlighting the need for nations to support digital innovation. Then, they dive into MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy, OpenAI's browser plans, and the 2025 IPO class, including excitement for CoreWeave's debut! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (6:07) Impact of taxes on startup formation and Norway's economic background (10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:53) Norway's wealth tax implications and policy changes (18:09) Exodus of top taxpayers and the paradox of Norway's wealth tax (20:14) Wall of shame for tax critics (27:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (28:41) Dune Analytics' revenue growth and new index product launch (36:47) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://devsquad.com/twist (38:15) Michael Saylor and MicroStrategy's Bitcoin investment strategy (49:01) Market irrationality and risks associated with Bitcoin investments (55:01) Crypto wealth diversification and new investment structures (1:02:20) OpenAI's new browser project and its impact on search (1:05:51) Increasing reliance on browsers and Bluesky's potential (1:15:37) CoreWeave's IPO and the future of GPU clouds (1:18:22) Bitcoin market dynamics and predictions * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.microstrategy.com/press/microstrategy-announces-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-and-announces-42-billion-capital-plan_10-30-2024 https://x.com/ASvanevik/status/1857568015929455050/photo/1 https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2550877 http://launch3.squarespace.com/blog/l019-bitcoin-p2p-currency-the-most-dangerous-project-weve-ev.html;jsessionid=EE99D323A0E532A507C8E2CD1EF05BAF.v5-web008 * Follow Fredrik: X: https://x.com/hagaetc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrikhaga Check out Dune: https://dune.com * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (27:41) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (36:47) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://devsquad.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Zendesk. A service-first CRM company with support, sales, and customer engagement products designed to improve customer relationships. Qualifying startups can join the Zendesk for Startups Program and get six free months of Zendesk products. Visit https://zendesk.com/startups today to get started. Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * Todays show: Alex is joined by Joff Redfern and Derek Xiao of Menlo Ventures to discuss the significant role AI plays in modern workflows. We look behind the numbers of their recent report: “2024: The State of Generative AI in the Enterprise” while exploring AI spending trends in enterprises, with a focus on its impact on the healthcare and legal sectors. The conversation highlights popular AI use cases, the role of large language models in content creation, and workflow automation. We delve into advances in generative AI applications, enterprise spending, strategies for AI startups, training AI for market verticals, and the future of artificial general intelligence. * Timestamps: (0:00) Joff Redfern and Derek Xiao join Alex (4:08) Yahoo's evolution and Anthropic's recent funding (6:23) AI spending trends in enterprises (10:14) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (12:20) AI's impact on healthcare and legal sectors and its rapid adoption (19:25) Popular AI use cases in enterprises (20:56) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/startups (23:17) The role of LLMs in content creation and workflow automation (27:04) Advances in generative AI applications and agentic systems (30:43) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (32:14) Enterprise generative AI spend, ROI, and budget expansion (38:45) Selecting generative AI tools and AI-first startup opportunities (47:43) Competition and strategies for AI startups (50:10) Training AI for market verticals and the future of AGI (53:03) Recap of enterprise AI spend and trends * Want to host or join the next Founder Fridays? Check out https://www.founderfridays.tech Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Links from the show: Check out Menlo Ventures: https://menlovc.com/ Menlo’s report “2024: The State of Generative AI in the Enterprise”: https://menlovc.com/2024-the-state-of-generative-ai-in-the-enterprise/ * Follow Joff: X: https://x.com/mejoff LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mejoff/ * Follow Derek: X: https://x.com/derekgxiao LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekgxiao/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:14) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (20:56) Zendesk - Get six months free at https://www.zendesk.com/startups (30:43) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Ramp. The corporate card and spend management software designed to help you save time and money. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist. DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist. Digital Ocean. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or seeing your project take off, DigitalOcean is the cloud platform that lets you focus on what matters: building killer apps. Right now get up to $100k in free credits at https://www.do.co/twist. Terms and conditions apply. * Todays show: Jason and Alex kick off the show with a deep dive into Nvidia’s blowout earnings and the skyrocketing demand for its upcoming Blackwell chips. Meanwhile, Google’s search monopoly took center stage as proposed remedies, including a potential Chrome divestment, sparked heated debate. To unpack the implications, Brave’s Jean-Paul Schmetz joined the discussion, offering insights into the fight for search independence. The episode wrapped up with updates from three Founder Friday hosts, sharing what they’re hearing from the builders shaping the future. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:20) Google's antitrust case and DOJ's proposed remedies (5:22) Nvidia's market performance and AI chip competition (7:00) Nvidia's Blackwell architecture and AI advancements (9:45) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist. (11:13) Google's advertising market dominance and Chrome divestiture (21:00) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (22:50) DOJ's negotiation strategy with Google (25:50) Brave browser's business model, competition, and privacy focus (31:00) DigitalOcean - DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (32:13) Brave's search engine development and DOJ's impact (40:26) AI's role in search technology and the future of browsers (44:08) DOJ's remedies and their effect on smaller search engines (46:22) Google's growth strategies and M&A outlook (51:03) Founder culture, motivation, and Founder Fridays initiative (58:50) Founder Fridays host Georges Colbert joins the show (1:06:12) Founder Fridays experiences in Longview, Texas with Kitty and Coco (1:15:09) Endora's success and advice for Founder Fridays hosts * Want to host or join the next Founder Fridays? Check out https://www.founderfridays.tech Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Albetroz: https://albatroz.ai/ Check out Endora: https://www.endora.app/ Check out Brave: https://search.brave.com/ https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-backed-startup-d-matrix-launches-first-ai-chip-2024-11-19 https://x.com/Jason/status/1859630517894983977 https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/public-policy/doj-search-remedies-nov-2024 * Follow Jean-Paul: X: https://x.com/jpschmetz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpschmetz * Follow Kitty: X: https://x.com/endorakitty LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kittyboglesherman * Follow Coco: X: https://x.com/endoracoco LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cocoharmon * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:45) Ramp. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist. (21:00) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (31:00) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ Sprig. The Product Experience platform that generates AI-powered opportunities to continuously improve your product at scale. Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card. * Todays show: Jason and Alex dig into why Nvidia's latest earnings report is such a big deal, and how the chip giant could help keep the AI hype alive. Or, how it could poke a hole in market enthusiasm. The pair also welcome the CEO of Allen Control Systems to discuss building venture-backed defense companies. Then, the CEO of Querio joins the show to show off what his company has built. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (1:32) Nvidia’s expected $33B revenue and its transition from gaming GPUs to AI workloads. (9:01) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (10:05) Nvidia’s growth over time (15:55) When will an Nvidia lighthouse customer switch to a competitor’s product? (22:28) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (23:28) Allen Control Systems’ Steven Simoni joins the show (32:38) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card. (33:52) The rise of venture-backed defense startups and autonomous systems for military applications (50:20) Querio’s Rami Abi Habib joins the show (55:38) Demo of Querio’s platform * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Allen Control Systems: https://www.allencontrolsystems.com Check out Querio: https://querio.ai * Follow Steven: X: https://x.com/stevensimoni LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni * Follow Rami: X: https://x.com/ramiabih LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/datarami * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:01) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (22:28) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠ (32:38) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Todays show: Spenser Skates and James Evans join Alex to discuss Amplitude's acquisition of Command AI, shedding light on recent startup M&A trends and the strategic vision behind this move. The conversation delves into Command AI's user assistance technology and its integration into Amplitude, which aims to enhance user surveys and feedback. Spenser outlines Amplitude's product-led growth strategy and its approach to scaling through acquisitions while managing risks and ensuring cultural alignment. The discussion also covers the acquisition deal structure, regulatory concerns, and the decision-making process between raising funds and selling. Also, we hear Spenser’s unfiltered take on private equity and regulatory oversight! * Timestamps: (0:00) Spenser Skates of Amplitude & James Evans of CommandAI join Alex. (1:40) Startup M&A trends and Amplitude's acquisition of Command AI (4:30) Overview of Command AI's user assistance technology (7:05) Integration and benefits of Command AI within Amplitude (10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:45) Enhancements in user surveys and feedback with Command AI (16:58) Amplitude's strategic vision behind acquiring Command AI (20:22) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist (21:28) Product-led growth and enhancing user experience at Amplitude (26:08) Amplitude's approach to scaling through strategic acquisitions (30:01) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (31:30) Managing acquisition risks, integration, and cultural alignment (35:19) Acquisition discussions and deal negotiation (39:48) Acquisition deal structure and stakeholder conviction (42:08) Addressing regulatory concerns and valuation mismatches in acquisitions (44:20) Decision-making: Raising funds vs. selling a company (46:00) Post-acquisition: Integrating Command AI's technology (49:37) Amplitude's future growth strategy and leadership (54:00) Transition from founder mode to distributed leadership (56:15) Role of AI in Amplitude's product development (59:44) AI model considerations and financial sustainability in B2B software (1:01:34) Market position and growth of Command AI * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: Check out Amplitude: https://amplitude.com Check out CommandAI: https://www.command.ai * Follow Spenser: X: https://x.com/spenserskates LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spenserskates * Follow James: X: https://x.com/dazzeloid LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-evans-7086b3126/ * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Thank you to our partners: (10:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:22) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist (30:01) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit! Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Kyte. Looking to get out of the city? Rent a car with Kyte. Kyte delivers rental cars to your door. No counter, no lines, no hassle. Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. * Todays show: Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss Netflix's 'fight' night, exploring content rights, media models, and the fragmentation of sports. They then covered Brendan Carr's promotion to FCC chair, a win for satellite Internet but raising concerns about business interference. The conversation shifted to global social media regulation before examining the tech community's excitement about Emil Michael potentially leading the Department of Transportation. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (1:14) Netflix's live event issues and potential in sports streaming (6:28) The growing intersection of professional wrestling, sports betting, and viewership (10:03) Evolving business models in streaming: Advertising vs. subscription (11:55) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (13:49) The future landscape of sports streaming rights and network deals (17:17) Maintaining editorial independence in media companies (20:24) Analyzing NFL viewership trends and their influence on television (21:11) Netflix's content strategy and Amazon Prime's new ad policies (23:10) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (24:39) AI, monetization, and the move towards ad-free experiences (27:49) Exploring the viability of Netflix hosting pay-per-view events (33:52) Brendan Carr's FCC chairmanship and the future of rural broadband (38:22) The role of the free market in social media platform regulations (32:21) Kyte - Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. (45:02) Political shifts and their impact on tech and social media (49:50) TikTok's regulatory challenges and UK censorship laws (1:03:11) Emil Michael's potential cabinet position and government efficiency (1:12:26) Strategies for balancing the federal budget and reducing national debt (1:16:19) ByteDance's valuation amidst US restrictions * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2024/11/15/mike-tyson-jake-paul-netflix-issues-buffering-reactions/76343456007 https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/18/media/brendan-carr-trump-fcc-nominee-project-2025/index.html * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:55) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (23:10) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (32:21) Kyte - Download the Kyte app today and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at https://www.CLAconnect.com/tech * Todays show: Altimeter's Jamin Ball joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss VC-founder dynamics, fund returns, rapid fundraising, and its impact on M&A. They cover public vs. private valuations, startup liquidity, AI's influence, SaaS trends, and Jamin’s outlook on IPOs and exits. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jamin joins Alex to kick off the show (6:30) Alignment of incentives between VCs and founders (10:25) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (11:54) Venture capital allocation demand and its impact (15:55) Comparison of returns between small and large venture funds (21:54) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (23:23) Power laws in startups and venture capital's impact (24:19) Effects of rapid fundraising cycles on founders (31:33) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (32:59) Raising large rounds and long-term commitments (35:15) Venture capital's influence on startup M&A activity (37:38) Public vs private market valuation disparities (39:24) Future of startup liquidity and exit scenarios (46:06) Proposals for realigning venture capital funds and founder incentives (47:41) Impact of AI on startup growth and venture capital (52:20) SaaS multiples and cloud software market analysis (57:43) Software spending trends and startup optimism for 2024 (1:00:15) Procurement scrutiny in startup budgets and market differentiation (1:01:17) Promising companies and Jamin Ball's investment outlook (1:01:28) Expectations for IPOs and startup exits in the coming year * Mentioned on the show: Join Jamin’s substack here: https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/ Jamin’s article: https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/p/clouded-judgement-102524-misaligned Check out Altimeter: https://www.altimeter.com/home Follow Bill Gurlery on X: https://x.com/bgurley 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 Jamin: X: https://x.com/jaminball LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamin-ball-49366137 * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:25) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (21:54) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist (31:33) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech * 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