This Week in Startups

Today's show: Alex interviews founders from Abacus and Synthesia—two companies leading the charge in vertical AI. Abacus is deploying on-prem LLMs to banks and insurers with a focus on data control, accuracy, and integration with legacy infrastructure. Synthesia just hit $100M ARR by helping 70% of the Fortune 100 turn internal documents into scalable AI video. If you're interested in how generative AI is moving from hype to real enterprise utility, this one's for you.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction to vertical AI with Abacus and Synthesia(1:57) Real-world applications of AI in regulated industries & Interview with Abacus founder David Moscatelli(5:02) Unique challenges for banks and credit unions using AI & Abacus OS private LLM(9:56) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(11:57) Abacus features, benefits, and customer acquisition strategies(12:27) Decentralized indexer, data integration, and voice AI technology with VAPI(19:58) Vapi - Go to vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.(24:47) On-premise setup, combating AI hallucinations, and trust in AI responses(30:08) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.(33:40) Abacus company growth, fundraising, and sales hiring(38:25) Introduction to Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli, AI avatars, and building a startup in Europe(41:34) Synthesia's market positioning, target use cases, and personalized avatars(46:33) Synthesia's training data, partnerships, and improvements in AI avatar technology(55:57) Synthesia's growth, Fortune 100 companies usage, and financial aspects(1:00:21) AI model competition, market appetite, and enterprise focus(1:02:09) Future of AI in video creation, ethicalconsiderations, and Synthesia's plans

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Check out:

Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/

Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/

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:

(9:56) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(19:58) Vapi - Go to vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

(30:08) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

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

Today's show: In this episode, Jason, Alex, and Lon dive into Blue Origin's all-female celeb spaceflight (yes, Katy Perry sang on reentry), Hugging Face's unexpected move into robotics, and Jack Dorsey's wild take that we should "delete all IP law." Plus, they break down Figure AI's eye-popping $39B valuation, the risks of SPVs, and what founders and investors can learn from the SPAC boom. As Jason puts it: "You just have to assume an 80% failure rate."

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(1:34) Blue Origin all-female crew launch and space tourism

(7:17) Emerging technologies and tech adoption trends

(10:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(12:38) Hugging Face acquires Pollen Robotics; Open AI and robotics debate

(19:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:42) Significance of Hugging Face in generative AI; Jack Dorsey's IP law stance

(25:01) U.S. high-tech job market; revisiting IP law discussions

(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(31:03) IP law and American innovation(32:22) Challenges in startup exits and secondary trading platforms

(37:09) Figure AI's valuation controversy

(46:37) Startup insights and investing perspectives

(50:39) Jeff Bezos on risk assessment

(57:03) Jason's personal journey and reflections

(1:02:06) Developing a samurai mindset; societal systems abstraction

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Follow Lon:

X: https://x.com/lons

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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:

(10:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(19:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/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

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Today's show: We dive into the latest tech and startup news — including Palantir's bold new fellowship program that challenges the traditional college path, and DoorDash's rollout of burrito-delivering Coco robots in LA and Chicago. We debut our new segment "Tips from the Trenches," focused on how to land your first customers, and wrap up with two great Office Hours: BRX.ai (self-healing AI agents) and InviteJet (calendar-based marketing). Plus, one founder's wild story about a fake investor using an AI deepfake on Zoom. Don't miss Jason's tactical GTM advice and a reminder that if no one complains about your pricing, you're probably too cheap.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(2:01) Palantir's new fellowship program and alternative education paths

(9:12) Digg's Groundbreakers program and paid community model

(10:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:21) DoorDash's partnership with Coco robotics for deliveries and the future of robotic deliveries

(20:26) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(21:56) Tips from the Trenches "Your First Customers"

(22:31) Strategies for acquiring first customers from Y Combinator founders

(30:35) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist

(32:00) Office Hours with Jake and Daniel from BRX about their product and growth strategy

(41:05) Feedback on BRX's website clarity and branding strategies

(46:45) Office Hours with Brian Watson from InviteJet

(49:00) Challenges faced by InviteJet and dealing with fraudulent investors

(56:43) InviteJet's churn rates, ideal customer profiles, and future plans

(1:01:43) Discussing Invitejet's pricing strategies, customer loyalty, and marketing tactics

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Links from the show:

BRX AI: https://brx.ai/

InviteJet: https://www.invitejet.com/

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Follow BRX:

X: https://x.com/BRXinc

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Follow InviteJet:X: https://x.com/InviteJet

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Follow Lon:

X: https://x.com/lons

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Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

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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:

(10:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(20:26) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist

(30:35) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, 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:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups

Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Today's show: Jason, Alex, and Lon talk about stories reshaping the startup world: 70mph drone deliveries are officially live in Dallas, with Zipline and Walmart promising groceries "as the crow flies" in under 5 minutes. Meanwhile, Trump slaps a 125% tariff on China and hints at a global economic shakeup — Jason warns founders to brace for layoffs and bankruptcies unless they've got a Plan B and C. Finally, a UK startup sells for $450M and VCs barely break even… but the founders walk with $20M. Jason explains how small exits create the most dangerous kind of founder: the one who never needs another check. Plus Office Hours with Orchestra CEO Sergie Poe.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!(1:37) Tariffs, market volatility, and startup implications(5:33) Startup resilience: Layoffs and bankruptcies(10:35) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions(12:10) Globalization and startup ecosystems(13:52) Recent startup deals and Zipline's expansion(19:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(21:16) Zipline drones and Marquese Brownlee's review(24:31) 70MPH Drones and the future of ddeliveries(30:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(31:51) Founder FridaysPitch Madness matchups(33:35) LifeStack and Burble pitches and discussion(43:26) Arcana and Tactun pitches and discussion(50:12) Summer West Whiskey and MomSub pitches and evaluation(56:36) Orchestra's office hours: Challenges and strategies

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:

Orchestra: https://orch.so/

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:

(10:35) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions

(19:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

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

Today's show: Jason and Alex unpack a wild week in tech and the markets — including a fake tweet that moved $4 trillion and Trump's latest tariff talk. Lon jumps in for another round of Founder Fridays Pitch Madness, where four early-stage startups compete for a spot in the Elite Eight. Plus, Alex chats with Sunny Khamkar, CEO of MenuData, about how AI is revolutionizing the food industry. They also dive into how founders should rethink their runway, what Shopify's bold AI memo means for the future, and whether VCs are placing earlier bets to chase that $1M ARR milestone. Don't miss the founder pitches and a fresh take on AI-powered food trend tracking!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(2:11) Market chaos, tariffs, and their effects

(5:59) Economic uncertainty: Advice for founders

(8:00) Tariffs' potential impact on tech sectors

(9:58) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(13:27) SignalFire's billion-dollar fund

(17:32) Achieving significant startup revenue and its importance

(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team Plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(21:54) Krea's $87 million raise and subscription model analysis

(27:33) Big tech's influence on niche subscription services

(30:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

(31:09) AI advancements: Midjourney v7 and voice activation

(36:43) Shopify's AI Manifesto

(41:00) Founder Friday bracket updates

(57:16) Founder Q&A: Lessons for first-time founders

(1:05:00) MenuData's CEO Sunny Khamkar interview

(1:16:10) MenuData's pricing, customer base, and growth plans

(1:23:38) AI's vertical impact and Menu Data's strategy

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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

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Links from the show:

Check out MenuData: https://www.menudata.ai/

Check out Krea: https://www.krea.ai/

Check out Tobi Lutke's "AI Manifesto" https://x.com/tobi/status/1909251946235437514

Check out Pitchfire: https://www.pitchfire.com/

Check out CREATANT: https://www.creatant.com/

Check out Vidala Labs: https://vidalalabs.com/

Check out Kippy: https://kippy.ai/

Follow Sunny Khamkar:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunny-khamkar-84b905a

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Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

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Follow Lon:

X: https://x.com/Lons

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris

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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:

(9:58) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com ⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(20:20) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team Plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(30:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, 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:

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

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Today's show: Jason and Alex dive into the startup world's latest chaos — from Nasdaq's slide and Trump's tariffs to Klarna's IPO pause and Rippling's $16B target. They break down what founders really need to know: tightening CIO budgets, longer sales cycles, but easier hiring. Plus, TikTok's ban gets another delay (with Bezos possibly lurking?). In Office Hours, they chat with two sharp founders: Luke Belbina from PodEngine, who's building AI for podcasters and doubling revenue, and David Moscatelli from Abacus, who's bringing secure, on-prem AI to banks and just hit $1M ARR. Don't miss it! 👇

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

[3:37] Cloud stocks dip: What it means for startups

[5:31] Trump's tariffs: A new startup recession?

[7:01] Retail's reaction to tariff pressure

[10:16] LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

[12:35] Supply chains & startup struggles

[14:53] What's still getting funded in VC

[17:21] Layoffs looming? What founders should prep for

[19:10] AI, macro takes & market signals

[21:32] Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

[23:21] European tech cooling off?

[24:36] Hiring freezes vs. easier recruiting

[27:39] Startup strategies in tough markets

[29:34] Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

[31:38] How to communicate tough changes

[33:33] TikTok ban delayed… again

[39:38] Trump's China playbook: Startup impact

[42:12] Office Hours: Luke from PodEngine

[47:31] Automating with AI & driving sales

[55:53] Pricing, lead gen & scaling tips

[1:06:30] Office Hours: David from Abacus

[1:08:32] On-prem AI for banks + hitting $1M ARR

[1:14:42] Team building & founder strategy

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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

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Links from the show:

Check out PodEngine: https://www.podengine.ai/

Check out Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/

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Follow Luke:

X: https://x.com/lukebelbina

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukebelbina/

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Follow David:

X: https://x.com/DaveMoscatelli

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Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

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Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

[10:16] LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

[21:32] Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

[29:34] Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

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

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Today's show: Jason and Alex go deep into the shocking new details about the Rippling vs. Deel corporate espionage scandal—where a self-admitted spy fed confidential product roadmaps and sales data to a rival CEO for €5K/month. Plus, they interview Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu about their bold comeback with their new "Intern" AI agent that builds entire apps from a single prompt - Jason calls it a breakthrough. And we kick off Pitch Madness with fierce Founder Friday pitch battles featuring AI podcast tools and women's sports communities. Spy drama, next-gen tech, and raw founder energy—don't miss it.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser: Rippling vs. Deel Espionage Case(1:46) Podcast updates and listener engagement(2:31) Job openings at Launch and This Week in Startups(4:19) Rippling and Deel lawsuit details and espionage activities(9:58) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.(11:31) Stolen information and the aftermath of the espionage case(16:21) Corporate espionage vs. corporate intelligence debate(19:38) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(23:07) Board independence, whistleblower protections, and CEO behavior(25:10) Y Combinator's culture of rule bending(28:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(30:02) Jesse Lu's YC experience and launch of Rabbit(34:48) Navigating the hype cycle as a founder and RabbitOS demo(45:02) Estate management and technology with Rabbit(48:39) Conclusion of interview with Jesse Lu(48:51) Launching Founder Friday pitch offs(50:43) Pitch: Snipd - AI-powered podcast app(53:29) Pitch: MedSimple - Medical education platform(57:10) Pitch: Trova - Workplace connection platform(58:45) Pitch: Osprey - Community for women in sports and entertainment(1:05:30) Analysis and decision: MedSimple vs Snipped and Osprey vs Trova(1:09:23) Discussion on Osprey's business model(1:10:33) Tips for improving pitch presentations(1:11:02) Announcement of Twist 500 competition(1:11:46) Closing remarks and social media call to action

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:

Rabbit website: https://www.rabbit.tech/?srsltid=AfmBOorumixyS_kXbNPL2tDqLBsI08B4Hs3xUSZkOLS2nlKsatop5VG2

Follow Jesse:X: https://x.com/jessechenglyu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesselyu/

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:

(9:58) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

(19:38) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(28:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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

Today's show: Circle gears up for its IPO and the stablecoin wars heat up, Palantir's meme stock status gets a reality check, and they riff on a possible Uber + DoorDash merger and whether AI should train on Substack content. They react to Sequoia partner Andrew Reed's inside take on fund dynamics, laugh at a brutal VC meme, and wrap with "Office Hours" featuring Caylee Harrington, founder of Hookhub — the Airbnb for RV parking — to talk vanlife, growth, and building in an unsexy market.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Alex and Jason kicks off the show!

(1:29) Palantir's stock and market dynamics

(5:43) Meme stocks and reversion to the mean

(6:57) X and XAI merger

(10:01) Squarespace - TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:05) M&A trends in tech and AI content acquisitions

(17:22) Valuation strategies for acquisitions

(22:05) Oracle - TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.oracle.com/twist⁠

(23:31) Circle's IPO and stablecoin regulations

(30:46) Fidelity Private Shares - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

(32:26) Crypto community and anti-money laundering in stablecoins

(37:43) IPO and SPAC updates in tech

(41:20) Deep tech investment risks and lessons from SPACs

(44:03) Hookhub's journey and RV market insights

(49:27) Growth and challenges in RV market

(52:01) Hookhub's social media and content strategy

(58:48) Hookhub's investor pitch and growth strategy

(1:04:11) Van life business model potential

(1:06:16) Sequoia's internal culture and investment strategy

(1:13:03) Sequoia vs. Andreessen Horowitz and VC indexing

(1:15:32) Venture capital humor and closing remarks

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from the show:

Hookhub: https://www.hookhub.co/

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Follow Caylee:

X: https://x.com/Mariano_APO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a/

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Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

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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:

(10:01) Squarespace - TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:05) Oracle - TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://www.oracle.com/twist⁠

(30:46) Fidelity Private Shares - Visit ⁠⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

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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

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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

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Today's show: Jason, Alex, and Lon cover everything from wild political headlines to big moves in AI and venture. They kick things off with the surprising Trump pardon of Trevor Milton, the disgraced Nikola founder, and break down CoreWeave's rocky IPO debut. Then, Jason and Alex sit down with Mariano Apodaca, founder of Prosperous AI, to talk about AI tools for negotiating construction and aerospace material costs. Later, in a brand new segment called "Office Hours with JCal," Jason reacts to real founder feedback clips, pulls key startup lessons, and explains why building for a market that doesn't yet exist might actually be your biggest edge. Along the way, the team explores the power of taking just 10% of the value you create — a pricing philosophy that could unlock your next big win.

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

(4:05) Breaking news on CoreWeave and Founder University insights

(9:21) Hubspot for Startups - Visit https://www.hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

(10:57) Trevor Milton's pardon and AnySphere's Cursor success

(19:21) Pricing strategies for startups

(20:19) Vanta - TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(21:38) AI sentiment and startup growth strategies

(25:14) Guest interview: Mariano from Prosperous AI

(30:21) Notion - TWiST listeners can try it for free at https://notion.com/twist

(31:52) Prosperous AI's market data integration and growth

(35:03) Founder University's impact on Prosperous AI

(40:54) Product line expansions and fundraising growth strategies

(44:20) Startup decision-making and investor feedback

(47:02) Founder University and customer feedback importance

(51:12) Canva CEO's insights and handling investor rejection

(58:17) Products creating new markets and finding outlier founders

(1:06:15) Venture success with Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham

(1:09:18) Market selection, execution, and partner-product fit in startups

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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com

Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp

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Links from the show:

Prosperous AI: https://prosperousprocess.ai/

*

Follow Mariano:

X: https://x.com/Mariano_APO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-apodaca-45b07a16a/

*

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) Hubspot for Startups - Visit https://www.hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.

(20:19) Vanta - TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist

(30:21) Notion - TWiST listeners can try it for free 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

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist

LinkedIn Ads - To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Brex - the financial stack founders can bank on. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at brex.com/banking-solutions.

Today's show: Jason, Alex, and Lon dig into the controversy around 11x, the Andreessen-backed startup accused of misrepresenting revenue and using fake logos, and what that says about early-stage accountability. Then we break down China's dual-front blitz in AI and EVs: DeepSeek's open-source model rivals GPT-4, and Xiaomi's $30K SU7 is a straight-up Porsche clone shaking the EV market. Finally, we unpack the "4-persona framework" that helped Wiz rocket to $100M+ ARR faster than anyone — a must-know concept for any founder looking to build, sell, and scale like a beast.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Episode Teaser

(1:27) Introduction of co-hosts Lon Harris and Alex Wilhelm

(3:23) New set design and color analysis(5:43) Announcement of "Twist OT" and potential Patreon model(

8:09) Gamestop's Bitcoin strategy and Michael Saylor's influence

(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist

(14:26) MSTR and their shift to Bitcoin

(17:01) Michael Saylor's conflict of interest

(20:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(23:09) Investment strategies for company treasuries(25:10) Allegations against Eleven x startup

(30:35) Brex - the financial stack founders can bank on. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at brex.com/banking-solutions.

(32:56) The importance of transparency and accountability in startups

(42:31) Chinese advancements in AI technology and ChatGPT features

(55:09) Insight from Israeli VC Gili Raanan on successful startups

(1:04:26) Founder Friday March Pitch Madness bracket competition

(1:10:26) How to start a Founder Friday chapter and community

(1:11:21) Bracket competition and Launch Accelerator's 34th cohort

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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 Lon:

X: https://x.com/Lons

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris

Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist

(20:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(30:35) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions

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