This Week in Startups

"Sequoia Capital is the greatest venture capital firm of all time. It's indisputable." - Jason

Jason chats with Sequoia's Doug Leone, a leader who shepherded the firm for four decades. They discuss great founders, governance, Sequoia's global expansion, mentoring the next generation of investors and more.

(00:00) Jason intros today's legendary interview w/ Doug Leone of Sequoia Capital (01:14) When Doug Leone got his start (11:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:23) The impact selling secondary shares has on founders (15:43) "The founder's job is to make the receptionist rich" (21:14) First Republic Bank - Discover what a long-term financial relationship can do for you. Visit https://firstrepublic.com/startup today to learn more. (22:15) Mentoring the next generation of investors (30:51) Linode - Apply to their Rise program for founder-led, early-stage startups and get 3 years of discounts at https://linode.com/twist. (31:58) Sometimes incredible companies make the founder (34:07) The greatest founders Doug has worked with (46:30) Providing companies with a running start, but not doing too much (53:10) Investing in China (57:15) Entrepreneurship in Europe (01:11:06) "Hope is not a plan. Let's make a plan.

Check out Sequoia: https://www.sequoiacap.com

FOLLOW Doug Leone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-leone-a2714/ FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First, Jason and Molly cover the news of Alumni Ventures Group getting charged by the SEC for misleading investors about their management fees (1:56). AVG had to repay $4.7M to investors and paid $800,000 in a settlement. Next, we briefly touch on Index Ventures stopping their investments in Russia (24:56).

Then, Radiant Energy Fund Managing Director Mark Nelson joins to make the case for nuclear power and explain why many countries have chosen to decrease their nuclear capacity (40:03).

(00:00) Jason and Molly intro the show: AVG pays 800K in penalties, Index halts Russian startup investments, interview w/ Mark Nelson on nuclear energy (01:56) Alumni Venture Group pays 800K in penalties to SEC (10:42) Ourcrowd - Check out the deal of the week at https://ourcrowd.com/twist (11:49) Jason's prediction for what happened at Alumni Venture Group (23:33) Mercury - Banking built for startups. See more at https://mercury.com/twist (24:56) VC Firm Index Ventures halts startup investments in Russia (38:35) Assure - To get 20% off your first Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) visit https://Assure.co/twist (40:03) Nuclear activist Mark Nelson on the future of nuclear energy (@energybants) (56:41) How Germany abandoned nuclear (1:03:31) Are Nuclear reactors aged beyond repair? (1:10:49) What France got right (1:29:41) Ways you can get involved with This Week in Startups & Launch

FOLLOW Mark: https://twitter.com/energybants FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Another Sunday double-header edition! First Jason leads a VC Sunday School session on how to react when companies try and skip steps and raise larger rounds (2:51). Plus, how Pegasus (or Alicorn) companies can end up being much better investments than traditional Unicorns. Then, for This Week in Climate Startups, Molly chats with Andrew Beebe of Obvious Ventures (18:47). You will learn:

1. Andrew's focus within climate tech (electric mobility, carbon and carbon markets)

2. How Andrew's first startup exit set him up to join the solar industry

3. How contrarian bets make careers

4. The key criteria for climate investments to be good venture bets

5. How Obvious Ventures puts its "world positive" mission into practice

6. The way carbon disclosure requirements will reshape industry

7. Why Andrew recommends reading Kim Stanley Robinson's "The Ministry for the Future"

(00:00) Jason and Molly intro today's show: VC Sunday School, TWiCS with Andrew Beebe (02:51) VCSS: companies raising big rounds before they're ready (11:20) Coda - The All-in-one doc for teams, get a $1,000 credit at https://coda.io/twist (12:38) Pegasus (alicorn) companies: flying over rounds of funding (18:47) This Week in Climate Startups w/ Andrew Beebe of Obvious Ventures (23:02) Wealthfront - Get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life at https://wealthfront.com/TWIST (24:32) The first clean tech boom in the solar industry (33:21) Embroker - Get an extra 10% off insurance for your business at https://Embroker.com/twist (34:44) Obvious and Andrew Beebe's investment thesis: "World Positive" (56:54) SaaS Syndicate, Open Scouting, Remote Demo Day, angel.university

Check out Obvious Ventures: https://obvious.com FOLLOW Andrew: https://twitter.com/andrewbeebe

FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First Jason and Molly cover Google is bringing employees back to the office three times per week starting in early April (1:41), Snowflake dropping 15% after reporting strong earnings, Slack's slowing growth within Salesforce. After the news, Molly sits down with Alyse Killeen of Stillmark to continue Season 6 of Angel: First-time funds (38:10). We wrap with Producer Rachel's interview with Kai Han of Pallet, which is building a platform for creators to curate job boards (1:11:50).

00:00 Jason and Molly intro today's show, Google back in the office, the Jason and WeWork saga, Angel w/ Alyse Killeen, OKB w/ Kai Han 01:40 Google sends employees back to the office 14:43 Ourcrowd - Check out the deal of the week at https://ourcrowd.com/angel 15:53 Snowflake stock repricing, Slack's product velocity, managing a remote company 29:43 LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free. 31:16 Jason and WeWork, donate medical supplies to Ukraine at https://flexport.org/donate 36:44 Embroker - Get an extra 10% off insurance for your business at https://Embroker.com/twist 38:10 Angel S6: Alyse Killeen of Stillmark, a $30M Bitcoin Infrastructure fund 01:11:50 OK Boomer: Pallet CEO Kai Han

Donate to Ukraine: https://www.flexport.org/donate

Check out Stillmark: https://www.stillmark.com

FOLLOW Alyse: https://twitter.com/alysekilleen FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First Jason and Molly cover Google is bringing employees back to the office three times per week starting in early April (1:41), Snowflake dropping 15% after reporting strong earnings, Slack’s slowing growth within Salesforce. After the news, Molly sits down with Alyse Killeen of Stillmark to continue Season 6 of Angel: First-time funds (38:10). We wrap with Producer Rachel's interview with Kai Han of Pallet, which is building a platform for creators to curate job boards (1:11:50).

Cana is back on the podcast, previously David Friedberg teased the "molecular beverage printer" on E1365. This time, we speak and to CEO Matt Mahar about pricing, their go-to-market plans, their cartridge subscription process, Cana's potential climate impact, current flavors and more! Molly was the first outsider to tour their facility and she tried a whole bunch of beverages from the Cana One.

(0:00) Jason and Molly tee up today's topics: a deep dive on the just-launched Cana product! (1:30) Molly and Jason break down Molly's site visit to the Cana facility and the taste tests (8:36) Bubble (9:57) Cana's starting price point, cartridges, cost per drink, and more (19:34) Masterworks (21:06) Molly's intros Cana CEO Matt Mahar, and they talk about the origins of the product, impact of the bottling industry, how the product works mechanically (31:39) Superside (32:53) Understanding non-obvious climate solutions, Cana product breakdown and pricing (40:03) Cana as a creator platform, big picture vision of what is possible (54:09) Cana's economic impact on the bottling industry, Matt's background, working with TPB

Check out Cana: https://www.cana.com

FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Cana is back on the podcast, previously David Friedberg teased the "molecular beverage printer" on E1365. This time, we speak and to CEO Matt Mahar about pricing, their go-to-market plans, their cartridge subscription process, Cana's potential climate impact, current flavors and more! Molly was the first outsider to tour their facility and she tried a whole bunch of beverages from the Cana One. To see the video search "This Week in Startups - Video" in your podcast player or go to https://youtube.com/thisweekin.

First, we talk about Apple pausing all sales in Russia and other actions they're taking (1:47). Then, we cover Ford splitting its EV business off from its ICE business (15:57). Then, Joe Speiser from Hampton VC joins to talk about how being too reliant on Facebook killed his media company Little Things with an algorithm change (25:42). We wrap with a quick WLITF segment on humanoid robots (42:05).

(00:00) Molly intros today's topics: Tim Cook's response to Russia, WeWork can't read the room, Interview with Joe Speiser of LittleThings, We Live in the Future with Molly (01:47) Tim Cook and Apple's response to Russia (05:40) WeWork's new CEO says WeWork will not leave the Russia (14:41) Vanta - Get $1,000 off automating your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (15:57) Ford separating EV business from main ICE business (24:34) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (25:42) How facebook's algorithm change ruined Joe Speiser's company (34:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (35:22) The dangers of having your business rely on a platform (42:05) We Live in the Future: Sanctuary

FOLLOW Joe: https://twitter.com/jspeiser Check out Hampton VC: https://www.hamptonvc.com/

FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First, we talk about Apple pausing all sales in Russia and other actions they’re taking (1:47). Then, we cover Ford splitting its EV business off from its ICE business (15:57). Then, Joe Speiser from Hampton VC joins to talk about how being too reliant on Facebook killed his media company Little Things with an algorithm change (25:42). We wrap with a quick WLITF segment on humanoid robots (42:05).

First Jason and Molly break down the reactions from big tech companies to the Russia / Ukraine conflict (2:22), then we showcase our Startup of the Day, Backbone which is innovating in mobile gaming (51:41). Then Jason does an amazing interview with investor Joel Greenblatt, where we discuss increasing public market participation, strategies for finding value, taxes and more (1:05:50).

(00:00) Jason and Molly intro today's DOUBLE episode, Ukraine, Tech companies and Russia sanctions, Startup of the day Backbone, Interview with investor Joel Greenblatt (02:22) What tech companies should do in response to Russia invading Ukraine (12:28) Gun.io - Get $250 off your first developer hire at https://Gun.io/twist! (13:50) Tech companies and Russia sanctions continued (21:27) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (22:51) Sanctions aren't the perfect response because there isn't one (30:17) Boast - Get your R&D tax credits without the hassle at https://boast.ai/twist (31:35) Apple needs to decide what to do in Russia (51:41) Startup of the day: Backbone (01:05:50) Jason interviews investor Joel Greenblatt (01:25:10) Joel talks about the long term effects of having so many young, new market participants (01:59:12) Joel's thoughts on minimum taxes and tax loopholes

More on Joel: https://www.gothamfunds.com/principals.aspx FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood