The hosts are very excited to be back with Season 2. They dive into four exciting tech stories right now: the potential TikTok ban, Netflix going into live streaming, OpenAI’s o3 model, and the H-1B debate.

Congress has agreed to ban TikTok, citing national security concerns. TikTok is challenging the decision, and the Supreme Court is set to hear their case on January 10th. The hosts dive into the complex debate between national security vs. the First Amendment, and the economic fallout for small businesses and influencers. They examine the risks associated with TikTok, focusing on concerns over data privacy and TikTok’s potential to have political influence in the US. Follow @getthecheckpod on TikTok in case there is no ban after all.

Netflix is making bold moves into live streaming. From the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight to the record-breaking Christmas Day NFL games, Netflix is proving it can compete in the live event space. The hosts dive into the technical challenges Netflix has faced, including its pivot from on-demand streaming architecture to real-time streaming. They also explore the company’s rebound over the last couple of years as they diversify their offerings to include live streaming and an ad-supported tier. Tune in to hear if the hosts think Netflix’s technical difficulties are a thing of the past or not. 

Next, they dive into OpenAI's groundbreaking o3 model, which is the closest AI has come to AGI. They explore its impressive performance on benchmarks, while examining criticisms around its inefficiency and cost. The hosts also compare o3 to China's open-source DeepSeek v3, which delivers a competitive performance at a fraction of the price. Finally the hosts talk about if developers (aka Maya and Vidushi) are cooked or not.

The hosts dive into the heated debate surrounding H-1B visas and explore why it has resurfaced in public discourse. They discuss the recent controversy involving the MAGA base, Vivek Ramaswamy, Elon Musk, and Bernie Sanders. Beyond the political drama, they delve into the program's history and examine potential proposals for reforming the H-1B system. 

Keep up with the pod @getthecheckpod on all socials! and if you enjoyed this episode please rate the pod!

00:00 Intro

00:18 TikTok ban

15:21 Netflix dives into live streaming

29:37 Open AI's o3 model

43:09 H1-B debate

In the last episode of Season 1, the hosts reflect on four major tech stories that shaped the year: state-sponsored hacking, the DOJ’s antitrust case against Google, Databricks’ acquisition of Tabular, and OpenAI’s shift to a for-profit model.

“Most Likely to Keep You Up at Night” goes to Midnight Blizzard, a Russian hacking group using password spray techniques and evading detection. The hosts explore whether a safer digital landscape is possible in the face of increasingly strategic cyberattacks.

“Most Likely to Cause a Breakup” goes to the DOJ, with its landmark antitrust case against Google. Is Google’s dominance driving innovation—or stifling it? The hosts break down the DOJ’s argument, Google’s rebuttal, and what this case means for Big Tech.

“Most Likely to Have Buyer’s Remorse” goes to Databricks, following its $2 billion acquisition of Tabular, a company with just $1 million in ARR. The hosts dive into the tech behind Apache Iceberg, the data table format, at the heart of Databricks’ battle with Snowflake.

“Most Likely to Sell Out” goes to OpenAI, which shifted from a nonprofit mission to a for-profit model, losing key founders and researchers along the way. The team debates the implications of this move for the future of AI and AI’s role in shaping global dynamics.

See you in Season 2 premiering the first week of January. You can follow us @getthecheckpod on all socials!

00:19 State-sponsored cyberwarfare

10:42 DOJ v Google

22:22 Databricks acquires Tabular

31:09 OpenAI non-profit to PBC

44:22 Closing

In this episode of Get the Check, the hosts unpack Coinbase, the leading US-based cryptocurrency exchange. They cover Coinbase riding the wave of Bitcoin’s $100k breakthrough and a potentially crypto-friendly SEC under Trump. They take a look at Coinbase’s shift from a crypto exchange to a key part of the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

The hosts break down Coinbase’s growth initiatives. They highlight USDC, which is their stablecoin product tailored to institutional investors. They also dive into Base Layer 2’s rise as it becomes the industry standard for decentralized applications built on Ethereum. Then they discuss regulation: the biggest obstacle for adoption and innovation in crypto. The hosts dive into the policy shifts could add clarity and growth opportunities to the crypto ecosystem.

In the face of FTX’s recent collapse and Binance’s dominance over Coinbase in trading volume, the hosts discuss Coinbase’s strategy to diversify its revenue streams. Is Coinbase positioning themselves to thrive despite crypto being a cyclical market? Tune in to listen to all things crypto and don’t forget to follow @getthecheckpod on all socials!

00:00 Intro

02:02 Microstrategy’s strategy 

04:55 Coinbase founding and exchange

11:50 Tether

13:54 Coinbase wallet

21:34 Driving revenue through improving core trading platform

28:30 Driving utility in crypto

35:29 Driving regulatory clarity for the industry

43:37 Coinbase’s revenue streams

49:37 Will there be another crypto winter?

51:59 Maya’s NFT trading

In this episode of Get the Check, the hosts unpack Palantir’s rise into one of the world’s leading data analytics firms and the U.S.'s largest defense contractor. They explore how the post-9/11 demand for enhanced national security led Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, and others to found Palantir, with the goal of creating a tool to unlock insights from the vast troves of data that already existed. The ended up playing a vital role in the capture of Osama Bin Laden. 

The hosts break down Palantir's impressive 2024 Q3 earnings, including its 327% YTD stock surge. The hosts provide an overview of Palantir’s flagship products: Foundry, Gotham, and AI Platform (AIP) and discuss whether its ontological layer that transforms the data into actionable insights is truly transformative or over engineered. They dive into the forward deployed model that Palantir employees and how it is unique from traditional SaaS companies or tech consulting.

The hosts also talk about Palantir's expansion into the commercial sector and go into a case study of how a commercial client would use Palantir. Finally, they discuss the ethics behind Palantir's work with ICE and different cities on predictive policing strategies. Tune in to learn more about one of the most talked about companies this year. You can follow @getthecheckpod on all socials to hear about when our final episode of Season 1 is coming out!

00:00 Intro

01:20 Palantir’s Recent Earnings Report

05:14 Core product overview

08:25 What is ontology?

15:50 Forward-deployed engineering model

19:00 Expansion into commercial customers

27:11 Predictive Policing and Palantir’s involvement

37:19 Cancelling restaurant pick of the week

In this episode of Get the Check, the hosts discuss Scale AI's role in the AI ecosystem. With AI models requiring high-quality, labeled data to perform at their best, Scale AI has positioned itself at the forefront of creating quality data. The hosts explore Scale's journey, from using contractors to scale its data labeling operations to long-standing partnerships with the DoD and OpenAI.

The hosts break down the three pillars of AI—compute, data, and algorithms—and take a closer look at Scale’s history, its innovative products, and the controversies surrounding labor in data labeling. They dive into training data such as input-output pairs, reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), and the workflow data needed to power the shift from generative AI to agentic AI. Additionally, they touch on Scale’s new offerings, including expert data labeling, ML ops for enterprises, and the defense-focused LLAMA model, a collaboration with Meta to power U.S. military AI capabilities.

Tune in for insights on how Scale AI is leveraging human expertise to create high-quality datasets that power everything from autonomous vehicles to defense technologies. You can follow @getthecheckpod on all socials. Stay tuned for next week’s episode on Scale AI!

00:00 Pillars of AI

01:30 What is data labeling?

04:46 Can synthetic data replace real data?

07:37 Classes of data

12:04 Founding story

18:39 Scale Donovan

22:33 Using private data for agentic AI

27:19 SEAL LLM Leaderboard

30:30 Expert Match

32:34 Hiring at Scale AI

38:02 Restaurant pick of the week

In this episode of Get the Check, the hosts dive into Match Group, the largest online dating company and parent of Tinder, Hinge, and more. They explore Match Group’s rise to dominance, including its aggressive acquisition strategy and its 9-figure payout to Tinder, as well as failed acquisition of Bumble. 

The discussion also tackles the current challenges facing the online dating industry, from stagnant revenue growth to a shrinking user base, and the paradox at the heart of Match’s business model: making money by keeping users engaged, while those same users hope to find love and leave the apps behind. 

The hosts then look at how AI is changing the dating game, with Grindr launching an AI "wingman" and Bumble rolling out virtual dating concierges. They question whether these new tech features truly foster connection—or if they might be leaving people feeling lonelier than ever. 

Wrapping up, the hosts share what online dating has been like for them and their friends in their mid-20s in San Francisco. You can follow @getthecheckpod on all socials. Stay tuned for next week’s episode on Scale AI!

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:42 History of Match Group

05:18 Tinder acquisition

10:28 Failed Bumble acquisition and lawsuit

15:28 Hinge acquisition

20:56 Industry financials

22:51 Dating apps contributing to the loneliness epidemic 

25:41 Integrating AI into dating apps

30:08 Future of dating apps

36:00 Restaurant pic of the week

In this episode of Get the Check, the hosts dive into SpaceX. They explore the founding story of Elon trying to buy an old USSR rocket. They also discuss SpaceX’s rocket launch timeline and how the company goes from near-bankruptcy to redefining space travel. Also Elon’s ambition to make rockets into a profitable business through verticalization and rocket reusability. From partnerships with NASA to groundbreaking rockets like the Falcon 9 and Starship, the hosts trace the company’s journey to profitability and its aim to make humans a multi-planetary species. Beyond SpaceX, the hosts cover Elon’s private wifi company Starlink, which is a cash cow for Elon and connected to SpaceX because the rockets transport Starlink’s satelittes. Finally, they zoom out and discuss the competitive ecosystem including Rocket Lab, Bezos’ Blue Origin, and other country’s space programs. Get ready for banter, billionaires, and bold breakthroughs on this week’s episode! You can follow @getthecheckpod on all social media platforms to catch next week’s episode on dating apps!

00:00 Intro

05:05 Founding story

08:25 Falcon 1: First privatized rocket to reach space

11:00 Falcon 9: Pioneering reusability

15:48 Starship: The next frontier

17:41 SpaceX’s business model

18:43 Starlink: Internet from space

22:20 Rocket rideshare program

23:08 How SpaceX reduced costs

25:02 Privatization of space

26:51 Competitors

31:46 Who owns space?

34:47 Restaurant of the week

In this episode of Get the Check, the hosts take a closer look at Kalshi, a prediction market where people can trade on real-world events, including the 2024 presidential election. They explore the benefits of event trading and the philosophies that drive it.

The episode kicks off by defining prediction markets and tracing their history in the US, followed by a look into the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Kalshi’s lengthy regulation journey. The hosts then discuss market-making and Kalshi’s strategic partnership with an institutional investor. Then finally, they delve into how education, collective wisdom, and bias play a part in event trading.

Tune in for a deep dive into prediction markets and election betting, and don’t forget to follow @getthecheck on all social media platforms to catch next week’s episode on SpaceX!

00:00 What is a prediction market?

03:54 Founding story

05:45 Road to regulation with the CFTC

09:46 Liquidity and market making

13:25 Competitive landscape of prediction & election betting

18:07 Using Kalshi to hedge against personal risk

22:47 Collective wisdom 

30:00 Future of prediction markets

37:30 Restaurant pick of the week

In this week's episode of Get the Check, the hosts dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of autonomous vehicles (AVs). They explore how Waymo transitioned from suing Uber for $244 million in 2017 to extending their partnership in 2024 that involves the launch of Waymo rides within the Uber app in Austin and Atlanta. 

The episode kicks off with a look at Waymo’s journey, tracing its inception in 2009 to its current presence in cities like San Francisco and Phoenix. The hosts discuss the significance of Waymo’s partnership with Uber, detailing how the two companies are dividing operational responsibilities to enhance efficiency. Next, they break down the economics of the Uber-Waymo deal, examining ride-sharing revenue models and potential profit margins. They analyse what this partnership means for Waymo’s scalability and public perception. 

Finally, the hosts consider how competitors like Cruise, Zoox, and Tesla fit into the landscape. Tune in for a deep dive into the Uber-Waymo dynamic, and follow @getthecheckpod on all socials to catch next week’s episode on Kalshi!

00:00 Intro

01:35 How did Waymo start?

03:38 Deal terms explained

07:00 Uber’s history with AV

12:11 Who benefits from this deal?

22:00 Other players in the AV Space

29:22 Restaurant Pick of the Week

In this week’s episode of Get the Check, the hosts dive into Vice President Kamala Harris’s appearance on Call Her Daddy, where women’s health takes center stage. They discuss how women’s health is having a moment in both technology and culture. The episode takes a deep dive into Flo, the period-tracking app that became a billion-dollar company. The hosts explore Flo’s unique monetization strategy, which has positioned it as a leader in a competitive market with a low barrier to entry. They also address how Flo responded to user complaints, including its settlement with the FTC after allegations of selling user data to big tech without consent. Lastly, the episode examines whether having male founders impacts the product design of a period-tracking app and what that means for VC investment in the broader Femtech space. Hope you enjoy the episode, and stay connected with us on socials at @getthecheckpod!

Post publishing note: Strava’s 13x multiple is from 2020 and Flo’s 5x multiple is from 2024. It’s likely Strava is valued at a multiple closer to Flo’s in 2024.

00:00 Intro 

01:13 Kamala Harris on Call Her Daddy

03:59 How did Flo reach a $1B valuation?

10:38 How does Flo maintain a high user retention rate?

21:52 What’s the future of FemTech in the VC world?

27:30 Restaurant Pick of the Week!