This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups

By Jason CalacanisTechnology
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This Week in Startups episodes

  • TWiST News: Subscription Economics, Density's Waffle, and The Cost of AV Fleets | E2027

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

    Fundrise. 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

    Brave. Brave is an internet privacy company on a mission to protect your personal info online. Download Brave today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more. All in a single click.

    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

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

    (2:06) FTC's new subscription rules and impact

    (6:58) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist

    (8:16) Density's mission and "Waffle" product announcement

    (16:02) Real-time wayfinding and utilization tracking

    (22:45) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more

    (23:59) Data's impact on city planning and operations

    (27:12) Sensor costs and impact on adoption

    (32:24) Unit economics and adoption curves

    (39:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

    (40:22) Robotaxi fleet modeling project

    (48:33) Google and Kairos nuclear power deal

    (50:00) Amazon's nuclear energy agreements

    (55:09) Solar and fracking 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

    *

    TWiST AV Models:

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1txb73-0MvKq_FAcGWMsUcctwgEVHYkgQ38kgEnOuHMs/edit?gid=1464971737#gid=1464971737

    *

    Mentioned on the show:

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1txb73-0MvKq_FAcGWMsUcctwgEVHYkgQ38kgEnOuHMs/edit?gid=1464971737#gid=1464971737

    https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/sustainability/google-kairos-power-nuclear-energy-agreement

    https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-nuclear-small-modular-reactor-net-carbon-zero

    https://ourworldindata.org/energy-gdp-decoupling

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czkkgnp1d2xo

    https://archive.is/ZOO42#selection-1051.130-1059.17

    https://www.semafor.com/article/10/03/2024/solar-boom-in-china-turns-electricity-prices-negative

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    Check out these startups:

    https://www.trlyr.com

    https://www.terra.one

    https://www.tozero.solutions

    https://www.altris.se

    https://bedrock.inc

    https://www.unbound-potential.com

    https://www.3dc.co.jp/en

    https://www.flowaluminum.com

    https://www.hydrostor.ca

    https://www.thaleron.com

    https://sizableenergy.com

    https://www.kitekraft.de

    https://www.byterat.io

    https://www.ionworks.com

    *

    Follow Andrew:

    X: https://x.com/andrewfarah

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

    Check out: https://density.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:

    (6:58) Fundrise - Sign up today at https://www.fundrise.com/twist

    (22:45) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more

    (39:13) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.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

    1 hr 6 min
  • AI Demos: ChatGPT-o4 Canvas, Notebook LM & Meta's Movie Gen | E2026

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

    Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

    Fidelity Private Shares℠. Manage your cap table and data room, get faster, more accurate 409A valuation and fully automate your next financing round. Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

    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://claconnect.com/tech

    *

    Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Tesla's Robotaxis (2:17), demo ChatGPT-4o new Canvas interface (25:23), break down Meta's Movie Gen model (41:11), Notebook LM (54:41), and much more!

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    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Sunny Madra and Jason kick off the show

    (2:17) Tesla's Robotaxi reveal and challenges with regulatory approval

    (10:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

    (11:22) Self-driving architectures and potential applications for Tesla's Cybervan

    (18:15) Update on Tesla's Optimus robot and the future of autonomous vehicles

    (22:04) Interest rates and startup funding challenges

    (22:13) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

    (23:14) Traffic congestion, urban planning, and future players in autonomous vehicles

    (25:23) ChatGPT-4o with Canvas demo

    (31:28) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech (41:11) Meta vision models and Groq demo

    (42:35) Apple AirPods updates and AR glasses privacy concerns

    (47:46) Meta's new vision models, open-source impact, and OpenAI's business model

    (54:41) Notebook LM's tools

    (1:00:13) Capturing family history with AI and Meta Movie Gen's potential

    *

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

    *

    LINKS:

    Check out OpenAI's Canvas: https://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/

    Check out Notebook LM: https://notebooklm.google.com/

    Check out Meta Movie Gen: https://ai.meta.com/research/movie-gen/ Check out Meta Llama 3.2: https://ai.meta.com/blog/llama-3-2-connect-2024-vision-edge-mobile-devices/

    *

    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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (10:00) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

    (22:04) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

    (31:32) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://www.claconnect.com/tech

    *

    Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/

    Check out the TWIST500: twist500.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:

    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.founder.university/podcast

    1 hr 6 min
  • TWiST News: Tesla Robotaxis, Electric RVs, and How Startups are Helping Secure Elections | E2025

    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.

    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

    Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don't have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

    *

    Todays show:

    Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to dive into Tesla's Robotaxi event, highlighting Tesla's bold plans for a self-driving, bus-style vehicle (4:33). Then, Lightship RV co-founders Toby Kraus and Ben Parker talk about the future of electric RVs (25:04). Finally, Voatz CEO Nimit Sawhney shares how blockchain is being used to secure elections (51:35).

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

    (4:33) The Tesla Robotaxi event

    (6:46) The potential impact of Tesla's bus platform

    (11:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

    (13:29) ChatGPT 4 with Canvas demonstration

    (18:23) Predictions on the future of self-driving cars

    (23:36) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

    (25:04) Lightship RV co-founders Toby Kraus and Ben Parker join the show

    (27:55) Description and features of Lightship RV

    (33:58) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.

    (35:05) Financing strategy and market potential for Lightship

    (39:00) Impact of market trends on Lightship

    (41:19) Lightship's unique selling points, competition, and market strategy

    (51:35) Voatz CEO Nimit Sawhney joins the show

    (54:48) Voatz's progress, voting process, and blockchain integration

    (1:02:25) Election fraud concerns and attack vectors

    (1:06:02) Voatz's business model and sales cycle

    (1:08:11) Discussion on Dominion Voting Systems and election security

    (1:10:15) The debate over voter ID requirements and voting transparency

    (1:13:38) Upcoming topics: Solar energy advancements

    (1:14:28) Twist 500 nominations and submission guidelines

    *

    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

    *

    Check out:

    https://lightshiprv.com

    https://voatz.com

    *

    Follow Toby:

    X: https://x.com/kraus_toby

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

    *

    Follow Ben:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminparker1203/

    *

    Follow Nimit:

    X: https://x.com/yenhwas

    *

    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:

    (11:59) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

    (23:36) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at ⁠https://www.beehiiv.com/twist

    (33:58) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent 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

    1 hr 16 min
  • TWiST500 Spotlight: The must-know startups from AI to robotics! | E2024

    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

    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:

    We reviewed the first 100 companies on the TWiST500 list, covering sectors from fintech to AI, robotics, and space. Dozens of must-know startups emerged. Today, Alex breaks down the categories seeing the most entrants and highlight some of our favorite picks.

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show

    (3:08) AI for Devs: Qodo & Poolside

    (6:25) AI Infrastructure: CoreWeave

    (8:43) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

    (10:15) Data for AI: Tollbit & Scale

    (14:05) Robotics: Figure & Dusty Robotics

    (17:51) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

    (19:08) Fintech: Circle & Altruist

    (22:37) Cybersecurity: Huntress & Wiz

    (26:30) Crypto: Farcaster

    (28:17) Other Standouts: Harvey AI, Kojo & Albedo Space

    (30:04) Sprig - Visit https://www.sprig.com/twist to book a demo and get a $75 gift card.

    (31:17) Angel University kicks off November 6th

    *

    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

    *

    Companies mentioned on the show:

    https://www.qodo.ai

    https://www.poolside.ai

    https://www.coreweave.com

    https://www.tollb.it

    https://www.scale.com

    https://www.figure.ai

    https://www.dustyrobotics.com

    https://www.circle.com

    https://www.huntress.com

    https://www.wiz.io

    https://www.farcaster.xyz

    *

    Check out these TWiST episodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGtV_V54m30

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZPO5oYUuQU

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEwo0VXlZQ

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdkWFoFD50Q

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEwo0VXlZQ

    *

    Follow Alex:

    X: https://x.com/alex

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (8:43) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist⁠

    (17:51) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist

    (30:04) 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

    37 min
  • Navigating the AI Boom | Startup Finance Basics w/ Kruze's Scott Orn

    Todays show: Kruze's Scott Orn joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics! In this episode, they break down the unique aspects and dynamics of the current AI boom, contrasting AI startup revenue, costs, and growth rates with traditional SaaS models (4:11). They also dive into AI tools' impact on productivity and labor efficiency (8:12), the accounting challenges and operational issues AI startups face (14:27), and more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason (1:06) Unique aspects and dynamics of the current AI boom (4:11) AI startup revenue, costs, and growth rates vs traditional SaaS (8:12) AI tools and their impact on productivity and labor efficiency (14:27) Accounting challenges and operational issues in AI startups

    *

    Check out Kruze: https://kruzeconsulting.com

    *

    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

    24 min
  • TWiST News: M.G. Siegler Explains the Current Venture Crisis and Google's Antitrust Woes | E2023

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

    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

    *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

    Oracle - Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

    Linear. Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

    *

    Todays show:

    M.G. Siegler joins Jason and Alex to discuss the current venture capital crisis (14:11), and challenges in the venture industry, particularly in early-stage returns and high valuations (18:42). They also address future exits and the impact of regulatory measures on M&A (27:14), Google's antitrust case (49:08), and much more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) M.G. Siegler joins Jason and Alex

    (5:05) M.G. Siegler's journey from journalism to venture capital

    (8:33) Differences between journalism and venture capital

    (10:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist

    (11:02) Media training and transparency in companies

    (14:11) Venture capital's current state and CRV's capital return

    (16:23) Challenges and opportunities in the venture industry

    (18:42) Early stage venture returns and the impact of high valuations

    (21:42) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill atat https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

    (23:07) Future exits and liquidity evaluations in startups

    (27:14) Acquisitions, hackquisitions, and regulatory impact on M&A

    (34:09) Venture capital dynamics and fundraising during market downturn

    (35:48) Predictions for the startup market recovery

    (38:02) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist

    (38:57) AI competition among tech giants and Meta's hardware challenges

    (45:47) Venture capital dynamics and favorite AI tools

    (49:08) Google's antitrust case

    (55:25) Possible effects of opening Google's search API

    (1:03:41) Potential Google spin-offs

    (1:06:27) Audience Q&A

    *

    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.cnbc.com/2024/10/08/doj-indicates-its-considering-google-breakup-following-monopoly-ruling.html

    https://spyglass.org/vc-crisis

    *

    Follow M.G. Siegler:

    X: https://x.com/mgsiegler

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgsiegler/?originalSubdomain=uk

    Check out: https://www.spyglass.org

    *

    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:

    (10:02) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at https://gusto.com/twist

    *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025

    (21:42) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill atat https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist

    (38:02) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/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

    1 hr 15 min
  • The Next-Generation of Single-Stage-to-Orbit Spaceplanes with Radian's Richard Humphrey | E2022

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

    Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/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

    AssemblyAI. Get maximum value from voice data with AssemblyAI. Build powerful products and features for your end users on the industry's leading speech-to-text models. Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

    *

    Todays show:

    Radian's Richard Humphrey joins Alex to discuss the future of space travel, focusing on spaceplanes like the Radian One (2:05). The two dive into technological advancements (10:20), funding challenges (14:28), the potential to reduce orbital launch costs (47:56), and more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Radian's Richard Humphrey joins Alex

    (2:05) Discussion on Richard Humphrey's aviation history and spaceplane development

    (4:22) Spaceplanes versus rockets: advantages and disadvantages

    (8:51) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

    (10:20) Spaceplane projects: historical context and current technology

    (14:28) Funding challenges and venture capital interest in space industry

    (17:14) Radian 1 spaceplane's rocket sled launch mechanism and specifications

    (20:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

    (25:28) Reusability and refurbishment process of the Radian 1 spaceplane

    (29:03) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

    (30:33) Radian 1 project updates: recent tests and future timeline

    (39:00) Commercial model and government interest in horizontal launches

    (42:38) Orbital launches: future demand and space economy implications

    (44:49) Space launches: US and Chinese dominance, and potential for rapid cargo transport

    (47:56) Private orbital flights: cost, feasibility, and space tourism

    (53:19) Reducing orbital launch costs and the transformative potential of space access

    *

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    56 min
  • Hacking Meta's AR glasses, a shakeup at Initialized, and the best startups of the decade | E2021

    Timestamps:

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

    (3:26) Overview of Harvard's AR glasses tech demo and club projects

    (10:09) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

    (11:35) Discussing responsible tech use, privacy, and entrepreneurial aspirations

    (18:30) Guests' academic focus and future in technology

    (19:41) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

    (21:27) AR technology trends, practicality, and ethical considerations

    (26:10) AI advancements, deepfakes, and AR in healthcare

    (29:37) Washington Post - TWiST listeners can subscribe for just 50 cents per week for your first year at https://www.washingtonpost.com/twist

    (31:06) Insights on young founders and the podcast's live format evolution

    (31:58) Venture capital trends and Initialize Capital's restructuring

    (39:28) Founders Fund and CRV developments, returning capital to LPs

    (42:02) Analysis of scale insurgents and successful startup unicorns

    (46:39) Secondary market opportunities and fund exit strategies

    (53:00) New Twist 500 members: Snyk and Nym

    (59:56) TikTok's impact on the music industry and content creators

    (1:01:05) Investment discussions with Chef Reactions and TikTok creators *

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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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    Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

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    1 hr 6 min
  • Highlighting Data Intelligence with Databricks & Bonbon's Reward Innovation | E2020

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    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Databricks' Naveen Rao joins Alex Wilhelm

    (8:54) Regulatory challenges and open-source AI

    (10:02) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

    (13:57) Meta's Llama models and reinforcement learning

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    (20:55) Open vs. closed source AI models and advances

    (28:09) Precision in AI and enterprise applications

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    (52:08) Tech incumbents' evolution and AI competition

    (54:55) AI model sizes and synthetic data quality

    (57:29) AI inspiration from biology and future innovation

    (1:03:06) Databricks' growth trajectory and potential IPO

    (1:04:25) Elliot Easterling of bonbon joins TWIST for a Jam with JCal.

    (1:05:16) Bonbon.tech and the rewards platform overview

    (1:14:44) Gamification strategies and user engagement

    (1:22:18) Exploring growth opportunities and market expansion *

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    *

    Check out Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/

    Check out Bonbon: https://bonbon.tech

    Link to Newsom vetoes SB 1047 article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9jwyr3kgeo

    The short guide to understanding data intelligence from Databricks: https://www.databricks.com/blog/short-guide-understanding-data-intelligence

    Mosaic AI Agent Framework post: https://www.databricks.com/blog/announcing-mosaic-ai-agent-framework-and-agent-evaluation

    Data Intelligence Platform product tour: https://www.databricks.com/resources/demos/tours/horizontal/introducing-databricks-intelligence-platform?itm_data=demo_center

    Mosaic AI new features and demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acIBdCOj88E

    Unity Catalog GitHub: https://github.com/unitycatalog/unitycatalog

    "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman summary on Medium - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/89308/thinking-fast-and-slow-by-daniel-kahneman/9780385676533

    *

    Follow Naveen:

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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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    1 hr 26 min
  • The Automation Endgame, VCs Returning Cash, and the OpenAI Wager | E2019

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    *

    Todays show:

    Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the ongoing ILA strike and impact (2:34), Startup opportunities in port automation (39:49), CRV's $275M return to investors (55:33), OpenAI closing its $6.6 billion mega-round (1:12:07), and more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show

    (2:34) The ILA strike overview and impact

    (4:59) Technology and efficiency in global ports

    (10:10) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist

    (11:43) Labor, supply chain fragility, and union perspectives

    (20:12) Future of port automation and union demands

    (27:07) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

    (28:27) Societal impacts of potential future labor changes

    (38:07) Kyte - Download the Kyte app or book online at https://www.kyte.com and use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

    (39:38) Startup opportunities in port automation and technology resistance

    (45:13) Innovations in port tech

    (50:11) Broader impact of automation on employment

    (55:39) CRV's $275M return to investors

    (1:00:06) Focusing on core strengths in venture capital

    (1:02:16) Current market conditions and lack of late-stage IPOs

    (1:08:26) Essential skills for venture capital investing and variability in VC fund performance

    (1:12:07) OpenAI closing its $6.6 billion mega-round

    (1:18:27) Audience Q&A

    *

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    Mentioned on the show:

    https://ilaunion.org/ila-responds-to-usmxs-statement-that-distorts-the-facts-and-misleads-the-public/

    https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106498.pdf

    https://ilaunion.org/ila-halts-negotiations-with-usmx-amid-automation-disputes/

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-do-dock-workers-make-longshoreman-salary/

    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/02/technology/crv-vc-fund-returning-money.html

    *

    Follow Alex:

    X: https://x.com/alex

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

    *

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

    *

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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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    *

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

    1 hr 25 min

About This Week in Startups

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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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