Adam Foroughi, AppLovin Co-Founder & CEO, shares insights on the mobile gaming boom, early bootstrapping to profitability, massive opportunities in 5G, handling fraud, privacy, parenting, commitment to culture & other lessons from building his app-discovery unicorn

E928: Adam Foroughi, AppLovin Co-Founder & CEO, shares insights on the mobile gaming boom, early bootstrapping to profitability, massive opportunities in 5G, handling fraud, privacy, parenting, commit

Jason Calacanis covers startups, tech, markets, media, and all the hottest topics in business and technology. He also interviews the world’s greatest founders, operators, investors, and innovators.

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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. By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity
Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.
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Todays show:
David Weisburd hosts Joshua Berkowitz, Donald Stalter and Jason Calacanis to discuss xAI closed on $6B (5:02), PitchBook's report on Emerging Managers (17:32), SVB’s venture portfolio situation (44:18), and much more!
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Liquidity Timestamps:
(0:00) David Weisburd intros Joshua Berkowitz, Donald Stalter and Jason Calacanis
(5:02) xAI raises $6B in funding
(9:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠
(13:16) Sequoia leading a $6B round for AI
(17:32) PitchBook's report on Emerging Managers
(20:38) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity
(28:18) The impact of the surge of venture capital in 2021 and its implications for the ecosystem
(30:41) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.
(34:42) The impact of a positive investor attitude on founders
(44:18) The Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) venture portfolio situation
(49:33) Lightning round of last 3 investments
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Thank you to our partners:
(9:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠
(20:38) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity
(30:41) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist⁠ to get 15% off for your first year.
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Mentioned on show:
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/03/svb-venture-capital-arm
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Follow Donald:
X: https://twitter.com/donnystalter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldstalter
Check out:
https://www.fieldguide.io
https://www.permitflow.com
https://slopepay.com
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Follow Joshua:
X: https://twitter.com/berkowitz_josh
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-berkowitz-86005b23/
Check out:
https://dexa.ai
https://powerset.co
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Follow David:
X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠
Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com
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Follow Jason:
X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co
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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university
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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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Follow TWiST:
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

LIQUIDITY: Major challenger to OpenAI, xAI, closing on $6B in funding | E1944

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
Hubspot for Podcast Networks - Looking to up your marketing game? Check out the podcast: Marketing Against the Grain: https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW. Hosted by Hubspot CMO Kipp Bodnar and Zapier CMO Kieran Flannigan. They bring you the latest in marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. “The Best AI Tools For Marketers In 2024” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeeVKUuEv6Y. Available on all your favorite podcast apps.
LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.
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.
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Todays show:
Bob Moesta joins Jason to discuss important customer interview methods, such as the concept and importance of deep listening (7:21), quantitative vs. qualitative and hypothesis-building research (13:08), “The jeweller effect” and building trust (37:47), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Bob Moesta of the Re-Wired Group joins Jason.
(2:33) Jumping into Bob's origin stories and the early lessons that shaped his career.
(4:59) Unpacking the concepts of “the customer is not always right” and that they don’t actually know what they want.
(7:21) The concept and importance of deep listening.
(8:52) Bob’s use of “the death day” and learning the value of time.
(10:57) Hubspot for Podcast Networks - Marketing Against the Grain: https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW. “The Best AI Tools For Marketers In 2024” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeeVKUuEv6Y
(13:08) Quantitative vs qualitative and hypothesis-building research.
(16:51) Bob’s four amazing mentors and how they turned him from an illiterate eighteen-year-old into an innovation machine.
(20:16) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist
(21:40) The dangers of identifying personas and “the secret sauce”.
(26:08) Drawing importance from the “irrational decision”, as context drives the rationale.
(28:28) Bob explains his approach to interviews.
(31:00) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist
(32:32) Applying these concepts to a customer buying a diamond or health care.
(37:47) “The jeweller effect” and how do you cause trust?
(40:48) Making people problem aware.
(47:45) Applying the fact that people learn out of routine to the electric car customer.
(54:18) The concept of nostalgia.
(1:03:08) Bob’s current book he is writing about what causes someone to leave one company and go to another.
(1:15:57) At what stage is a company that hires the Re-Wired Group?
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Check out The Re-Wired Group: https://www.anomalo.com/
Check out Bob’s website and publications: https://www.bobmoesta.com/
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Check out Founder Fridays: https://www.founderfridays.tech/
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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
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Follow Bob:
X: https://twitter.com/bmoesta?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta/
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Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(10:57) Hubspot for Podcast Networks - Marketing Against the Grain: https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW. “The Best AI Tools For Marketers In 2024” episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeeVKUuEv6Y
(20:16) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist
(31:00) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist
*
Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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Follow TWiST:
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Decoding Customer Insights, Trust, and the Jobs-to-be-Done Framework with Bob Moesta | E1943

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
Eppo. Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit  https://www.geteppo.com/twist
Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $200 off the pod plus free shipping!
Mercury. 90% of startups fail. Just 10 out of every 100 make it. Mercury exists to close that gap — helping companies succeed with banking and credit cards engineered for the startup journey. Join over 100,000 companies banking with Mercury at http://www.mercury.com⁠
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Todays show:
Jason and Presh kick off the Founder University pitch competition (00:00), then we hear from Peter on Props AI (10:17), Alan on 2ndHandGeek (21:15), and Alex on Zweelie (37:18). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (), and details how to apply!
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Jason kicks off the show!
(1:16) Jason brings on Presh to introduce today's pitches!
(9:17) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit  https://www.geteppo.com/twist
(10:17) Peter Kirkham pitches Props AI
(19:45) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping
(21:15) Alan Blakeborough Pitches 2ndHandGeek
(36:16) Mercury - Join 100K+ startups banking with Mercury at http://www.mercury.com⁠
(37:18) Alex Hanna pitches Zweelie
(41:44) Jason picks the startup he will invest in!
(43:26) Advice for founders and Q&A;
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Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th! Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠
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We are doing Founder Fridays! Go check out ⁠https://founderfridays.tech
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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
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Follow Peter:
X: https://twitter.com/k11kirky
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-kirkham
Props AI: www.getprops.ai
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Follow Alan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/f3zorroblake
2ndHandGeek: https://exchange.2ndhandgeek.com
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Follow Alex:
X: http://x.com/_alexhanna
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hanna-founder
Zweelie: http://zweelie.com
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Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(9:17) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit  https://www.geteppo.com/twist
(19:45) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping
(36:16) Mercury - Join 100K+ startups banking with Mercury at http://www.mercury.com⁠
*
Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
*
Follow TWiST:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Startup pitch competition! Jason invests $25K into one of three founders | E1942

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Wistia. All-in-one video platform for business, with tools that help you create, manage, and measure the impact of your videos. Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this week’s AI news and demos.
(1:52) Various user-driven enhancements to Llama 3
(8:28) Abacus runs Llama-3 locally on your iPhone.
(10:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(11:54) ChatGPT's new memory feature
(18:43) Deep dive into the advancements in self-driving car technology and Tesla’s FSD
(21:43) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist
(24:30) Sunny breaks down how far we are away to different degrees of self-driving cars.
(29:22) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups
(33:48) Sunny weighs the possibility of a Robotaxi death in the next couple of years.
(37:11) Sunny’s theory that the leader in autonomous cars will be the one to use the Uber model.
(46:02) Jason has producer Cort jump on the pod to try out an “AI Death Calculator”.
(51:10) Sunny demos Vibecheck.
(59:49) Sunny demos Wisdolia.
(1:02:25) Sunny demos Globe Engineer
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Check out Groq: https://groq.com/
Check out the tweet about Llama-3: https://twitter.com/minchoi/status/1784907752659161432?s=42&t;=79J_alIF_jrz1wn1s5pboQ
Check out vibecheck: https://vibecheck.market/
Check out Globe Engineer: https://explorer.globe.engineer/
Check out qobuz: https://www.qobuz.com/ca-en/discover
Check out Waymo: https://waymo.com/
Check out Wisdolia: https://app.wisdolia.com/
Check out Monic.AI: https://monic.ai/
Check out the Ai Death Calculator: https://life2vec.io/
Check out Founder Fridays: http://www.thisweekinstartups.com/meetups
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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
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Follow Sunny:
X: ⁠https://twitter.com/sundeep⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm
*
Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(10:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(21:43) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist
(29:22) Wistia -  Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups
*
Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
*
Follow TWiST:
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

AI Demos: Llama 3 Innovations, vibecheck, Globe Engineer, Wisdolia and Tesla’s FSD | E1941

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into ONE platform. Giving you ONE source of truth. By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity
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
HiddenLayer. Generative AI is revolutionizing industries. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Helping you generate more – by enabling seamless & secure Generative AI. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more.
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Todays show:
David Weisburd hosts Jeff Richards, Ryan Denehy, and Jason Calacanis to discuss down rounds in startups (5:26), changing operations in response to market shifts (23:07), and impact of AI & remote work on job availability (1:02:17).
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Timestamps:
(0:00) David Weisburd intros Jeff Richards, Ryan Denehy, and Jason Calacanis
(5:26) Down rounds and cram down rounds in VC deals
(13:06) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity
(14:22) The terms of investment and the importance of good business fundamentals
(21:67) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠
(23:24) Changing operations in response to market shifts
(30:20) Increasing deal flow and setting ambitious goals
(35:32) HiddenLayer. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more
(37:26) AI adoption in startups and businesses
(1:02:33) The role of remote work in shaping the global economy and the potential of offshore hiring
(1:09:34) Comparing the fundraising process pre and post COVID
(1:14:30) Wrap up: Jeff's latest 3 investments and Ryan's company, https://www.Electric.ai
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Follow Jeff:
X: https://twitter.com/jrichlive
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrichards
Check out: https://notablecap.com/
*
Follow Ryan:
X: https://twitter.com/denehyxxl
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandenehy
Check out: https://www.electric.ai/
*
Follow David:
X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠
Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com
*
Follow Jason:
X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
*
Thank you to our partners:
(13:06) NetSuite - By popular demand, NetSuite has extended its one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks! Head to https://www.netsuite.com/liquidity
(21:67) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠
(35:32) HiddenLayer. HiddenLayer’s AI Detection & Response Solution secures your Generative AI & LLMs from malicious attack. Visit https://www.HiddenLayer.com/TWiST to learn more
*
Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co
*
Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university
*
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
*
Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
*
Follow TWiST:
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
*
Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

E928: Adam Foroughi, AppLovin Co-Founder & CEO, shares insights on the mobile gaming boom, early bootstrapping to profitability, massive opportunities in 5G, handling fraud, privacy, parenting, commit

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