This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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

.Tech Domains - Don't miss our "Jam with JCal" contest! To apply and get more details go to https://jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

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

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Todays show:

Jason and Kelly kick off the Founder University startup pitch competition (00:00). We hear from Pablo on Big Rentals (4:18), Brittany on Where2Wheel (12:28), Ardalan on MyLens (21:31), and Mariano on Prosperous AI (29:07). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (38:34), and details how to apply!

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Timestamps:

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

(4:18) Pablo Fernandez pitches Big Rentals

(11:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠

(12:28) Brittany Peregoff pitches Where2Wheel

(20:10) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(21:31) Ardalan Mirshani pitches MyLens

(29:07) Mariano Apodaca pitches Prosperous AI

(35:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(36:33) Review of the four startups

(40:44) Q&A

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Founder University: Apply here: ⁠https://www.founder.university⁠

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We are doing Founder Fridays meetups! Visit ⁠https://founderfridays.tech to learn more

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

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

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

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Follow Pablo:

X: https://x.com/directedbypablo

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

Check out: https://BigRentals.com

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Follow Brittany:

X: https://x.com/bperegoff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-peregoff-2134092b

Check out: https://where2wheel.com

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Follow Ardalan:

X: https://x.com/ardalanmirshani

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

Check out: https://mylens.ai

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Follow Mariano:

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

Check out: https://prosperousprocess.ai

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Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

*

Thank you to our partners:

(11:37) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠

(20:10) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech

(35:07) 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

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

Todays show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they break down the current state of startup funding (0:37), anti-dilution provisions (7:11), re-incentivizing management teams (16:23), and much more!

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason

(0:37) Market update: Current state of startups and funding

(1:21) Consolidated investment trends and the venture capital slowdown

(4:23) The importance of due diligence, runway, and down round impacts

(7:11) Anti-dilution provisions and strategies for investor communication

(16:23) Re-incentivizing management teams and insider-led funding scenarios

(23:46) Importance of investor relations and board management

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Check Out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠⁠https://www.wsgr.com⁠

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

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

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

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Follow Becki:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-degraw-639bbb62

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Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

*

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…

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.

CommandBar. Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

Brex. the financial stack founders can bank on. Brex knows cash is king for startups, so they built a banking experience that takes every dollar further. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/twist24

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Todays show:

Alex leads us into two great talks from Liquidity Summit 2024.

First Jason sits down for a one-on-one with Valor's Antonio Gracias (1:38), followed by a great talk with Gavin Baker of Atreides (39:01)

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser of today's Liquidity Summit talks from Alex.

(1:13) Alex kicks off the show.

(1:38) Valor's Antonio Gracias joins Jason

(4:26) Unbiased data and business models in AI

(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:14) Achieving AGI and robots in real-world applications

(14:26) Venture capital dynamics and innovation

(18:09) Athena case study: Investor operational support

(22:05) CommandBar - Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

(23:04) Traditional venture playbook and crossover hedge funds

(28:33) US balance sheet implications and emerging entrepreneurship regions

(33:39) Immigration policy's role in recruitment

(36:19) Investing in socially impactful companies

(38:09) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

(39:01) Atreides Management's Gavin Baker joins Jason

(47:38) The importance of investing in relationships

(54:32) Resilience in public equity investing and learning from failure

(1:00:29) AI adoption differences between startups and enterprises

(1:02:32) America's innovation through resilience and immigration

(1:03:43) Google and Apple's AI strategies and infrastructure

(1:11:32) Meta's strategic moves in search and the metaverse

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Subscribe to the TWiST newsletter: https://www.ticker.thisweekinstartups.com

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

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Check out Valor: https://www.valorep.com/

Check out Atreides: https://atreidesmgmt.com/

Follow Antonio:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-p-gracias

Follow Gavin:

X: https://x.com/GavinSBake

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinbaker-portfoliomanager/

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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:

(10:02) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(22:05) CommandBar - Visit ⁠https://www.commandbar.com/twist⁠ to get a custom live demo.

(38:08) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

*

Follow TWiST:

Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin

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

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

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠

Intercom - Intercom's AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom's platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

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

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Todays show:

We are kicking off our coverage of the TWiST500 with three fantastic founders: Kyle Hanslovan of Huntress (11:44), Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi of TollBit (36:40), and Tamar Bar-Ilan of Cyera (56:44).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Introducing three founder interviews from our TWiST500!

(1:23) Huntress CEO, Kyle Hanslovan joins Alex.

(2:04) Celebrating a milestone in ARR and discussing growth strategies

(4:19) Impact of cybersecurity incidents on Huntress

(10:30) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at

at ⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠

(11:44) Huntress's services for SMBs and endpoint detection and response

(20:09) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom's platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(21:46) Selling to SMBs: Challenges, strategies, and early lessons

(29:05) Addressing internal IT departments and IPO considerations

(35:12) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(36:40) TollBit's Olivia Joslin and Toshit Panigrahi join Alex.

(37:38) Tollbit's early development and fundraising journey

(41:03) Media readiness and increasing publisher onboarding

(50:31) Flexible pricing models and expanding data types for AI partners

(56:44) Tamar Bar-Ilan of Cyera joins Alex.

(57:23) Cyera and its data security mission

(1:04:07) Overview of Cyera's data platform and recent funding

(1:08:53) Company growth, AI adoption, and demand drivers

(1:17:52) Encryption's role in data security and future IPO plans

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

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

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

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Check out Huntress: https://www.huntress.com/

Check out TollBit: https://tollbit.com/

Check out Cyera: https://www.cyera.io/

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Follow Olivia from TollBit:

X: https://x.com/oliviajoslin

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-joslin-13a9a4a2/

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Follow Toshit from TollBit:

X: https://x.com/tollbitofficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toshit-panigrahi-a6496076/

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Follow Kyle from Huntress:

X: https://x.com/KyleHanslovan

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

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Follow Tamar from Cyera:

X: https://x.com/cyera_io

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamar-bar-ilan-67bb481a7

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Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

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

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:30) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠

(20:09) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom's platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(35:12) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.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

*

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

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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

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

DevSquad. DevSquad helps startups design better products. If you need UI and UX expertise and don't want to hire an entire design team, head to http://devsquad.com/startups and book a call. Mention that you are coming from TWiST to get 10% off.

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Todays show:

Josh Reeves joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss building a product people love (21:11), SMB challenges (23:56), growth strategies (36:47), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Josh Reeves joins Alex Wilhelm

(2:16) Josh's previous startups and the early days of web development

(6:26) Transition to digital solutions and security for small businesses

(10:31) Gusto's growth, success metrics, and market penetration

(13:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(14:30) Gusto's North Star, marketing strategies, and channel growth

(21:11) Building a product people love with good unit economics

(22:29) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(23:56) Challenges of selling to SMBs and Gusto's product expansion

(28:50) Maintaining simplicity in product development

(35:18) DevSquad - Visit https://www⁠.devsquad.com/startups, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

(36:47) Ensuring product quality and the role of organic growth in marketing

(44:39) Competitive landscape in payroll and HR space

(48:54) Gusto's potential fintech ventures and communication styles among founders

(56:07) IT spending growth among SMBs and international expansion

(1:00:16) Navigating competition and partnerships

(1:01:41) Diversification of go-to-market strategies

(1:03:31) Financial strategies and thoughts on going public

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

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

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

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Follow Josh:

X: https://x.com/joshuareeves

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

*

Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

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

*

Thank you to our partners:

(13:38) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(22:29) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(35:18) DevSquad - Visit https://www⁠.devsquad.com/startups⁠, book a call, and mention TWIST for 10% off!

*

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

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.

Google Cloud. Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Get up to $200K in Google Cloud credits – or up to $350K for AI startups – plus training and guidance. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

Brex. the financial stack founders can bank on. Brex knows cash is king for startups, so they built a banking experience that takes every dollar further. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Dana Johns, Tom Loverro, and Jason Calacanis to discuss secondaries (2:37), VC leverage against startups (23:44), venture capital strategies (29:34), cybersecurity investments (38:03), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Dana Johns, Tom Loverro, and Jason Calacanis

(2:37) Secondary pricing signaling a potential VC recovery

(9:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.squarespace.com/twist

(11:02) Timeframes, returns for secondary funds, and founders' secondary sales

(15:32) Increasing liquidity in private markets

(22:42) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(23:44) VC leverage against startups is near an all time high

(29:34) Venture capital strategies, succession planning, and valuation in the Goldilocks zone

(37:11) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

(38:03) Cybersecurity investments, IPO window, and M&A market dynamics

(51:28) Lightning round on latest investments

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

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

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

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Mentioned on the show:

https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/aging-vc-funds-secondary-stakes-market-limited-partner-exits

https://www.secondariesinvestor.com/blackstone-plans-to-launch-biggest-secondaries-fund-yet

https://news.crunchbase.com/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-funding-venture-wiz-ai-cyera

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Follow Dana:

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

*

Follow Tom:

X: https://x.com/tomloverro

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

Check out: https://www.ivp.com/

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Follow David:

X: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠⁠

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

Check out: ⁠⁠https://10xcapital.com

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Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

*

Thank you to our partners:

(9:53) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.squarespace.com/twist

(22:42) Google Cloud - Accelerate your startup journey with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply at https://startups.google.com/twist

(37:11) Brex - Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at https://www.brex.com/twist24

*

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

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

CommandBar - Seamlessly integrate an AI-powered guide into your software, making navigation intuitive and interactive. Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.

.Tech Domains - Don't miss our "Jam with JCal" contest! To apply and get more details go to https://www.jamwithjcal.tech brought to you by .tech domains.

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

*

Todays show:

Antonio Gracias of Valor and Liran Zvibel of WEKA join Jason to discuss WEKA's product market fit and real-world applications (13:49), energy solutions for future data centers and capital allocation strategy (30:07), and a Jam with JCal session with Uptrend AI's Ramsey Shaffer (37:00).

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Antonio Gracias of Valor and Liran Zvibel of WEKA join Jason.

(2:52) Investment thesis for WEKA and discussion on investment strategies

(5:30) Investing in winners and the future of compute and AI technology

(10:14) CommandBar - Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.

(13:49) WEKA's product market fit and real-world applications

(21:49) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(23:08) Innovative customers and technology behind the Las Vegas Sphere

(23:08) Innovative customers and technology behind the Las Vegas Sphere

(25:12) Impact of Weka's technology on rendering and data management

(30:07) Energy solutions for future data centers and capital allocation strategy

(34:22) Weka's hiring and job opportunities

(35:34) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist

(37:00) Jam with JCal winner Ramsey Schaffer, CEO of Uptrends AI.

(38:09) Ramsey's pitch and Jason's feedback

(45:22) Importance of founder-led sales, pricing strategy, and UX improvements

(51:02) Engaging with customers and final thoughts on Uptrends ai *

Links from show:

Check out Valor Equity Partners: https://www.valorep.com

Check out WEKA: https://www.weka.io

Check out Stability AI: https://stability.ai

Check out the Sphere: https://www.thesphere.com

Enter the Jam with JCal contest: https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

Check out Uptrends AI:https://www.uptrends-ai.tech

*

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 Liran:

X: https://x.com/liranzvibel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liranzvibel/ *

Follow Ramsey:

X: https://x.com/RamseyShaffer

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

*

Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

*

Thank you to our partners: Timestamps:

(10:14) CommandBar - Visit https://www.commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.

(21:49) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://www.jamwithjcal.tech

(35:34) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.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

*

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

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Coda. Coda empowers your startup by bringing words, tables, and teams together. Strategize, plan, and track goals effectively with all your valuable data in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get started for FREE and get 6 free months of the Team plan.

Intercom. Intercom's AI-first service is the best thing to happen to your customers since you. TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom's platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

Micro1. Micro1 is an AI recruitment engine to hire world class engineers fast. Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

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Todays show:

Etsy's Josh Silverman joins Jason to discuss the marketplace business model (2:54), UX challenges (4:58), company operations during the pandemic (36:57), AI's impact on team size (50:56), and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Etsy's Josh Silverman joins Jason

(2:54) The marketplace business model and Etsy's growth

(4:58) Maintaining Etsy's unique marketplace and UX challenges

(10:34) Defining handmade and GenAI art on Etsy

(11:53) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(13:18) Preventing inauthentic sellers and the seller approval process

(20:14) Etsy's star seller program and the importance of artisanal items

(26:26) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom's platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(27:55) Durable products, warranties, and customer loyalty

(35:47) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

(36:57) Company operations during the pandemic and efficiency era

(44:11) Global talent, remote work, and productivity at Etsy

(50:56) AI's impact on team size, productivity, and customer support

(55:10) SEO strategies, organic traffic, and handling IP issues

*

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Follow Josh:

X: https://x.com/jgsilverman

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

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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:

(11:53) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

(26:26) Intercom - TWIST listeners can get 90% off Intercom's platform at https://www.intercom.com/twist

(35:47) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to open a talent search and get a 2 week free trial per hire.

*

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:

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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

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This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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

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

Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. The newest generation of the pod, the Pod 4 ultra has arrived. Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

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Todays show:

Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the end of the Wiz-Google deal (5:37), Spotify's performance (13:36), Universal Basic Income (UBI) (27:49), Meta's AI strategy (53:05), and more!

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Timestamps:

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

(5:37) The end of the Wiz-Google deal

(12:24) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(13:36) Spotify's successful quarter

(21:41) Daniel Ek's strategy and Spotify's future risks

(26:57) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at ⁠https://www.vanta.com/twist⁠

(27:49) Universal basic income (UBI)

(38:05) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

(39:34) Findings and implications from a recent UBI study backed by Sam Altman

(48:22) The efficiency and impact of welfare programs

(53:05) Meta's AI developments

(59:58) Mark Zuckerberg's thoughts on Apple and open source AI

(1:06:50) Predictions for Meta's competitive moves

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Mentioned on the show:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/22/wiz-walks-away-from-googles-23b-acquisition-offer-read-the-ceos-note-to-employees

https://news.crunchbase.com/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-funding-venture-wiz-ai-cyera/#:~:text=In%20the%20second%20quarter%2C%20cyber,to%20startups%20in%20173%20deals

https://ai.meta.com/blog/meta-llama-3-1

https://x.com/rowancheung/status/1815763595197616155?t=1204

https://x.com/eldsjal/status/1815691024473166268?s=12

https://www.axios.com/2024/07/23/spotify-profit-q2-2024-earnings

https://x.com/smilleralert/status/1815372032621879628/photo/1

https://www.openresearchlab.org/findings/entrepreneurship

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SPOT

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-22/ubi-study-backed-by-openai-s-sam-altman-bolsters-support-for-basic-income

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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:

(12:24) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist

(26:57) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(38:05) Eight Sleep - Head to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist and use code TWIST to get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra.

*

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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This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://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.

LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

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

*

Todays show:

Benchmark's Sarah Tavel joins Jason to discuss strategies for competing in a changing venture landscape (9:12), the critical role of governance and accountability in startups (19:39), the relationship between hype, investment decisions, and startup promotion (55:20). and more!

*

Timestamps:

(0:00) Sarah Tavel joins Jason.

(1:38) Sarah Tavel, Benchmark Partner, on disciplined fund size and efficiency (5:06) Benchmark's commitment to founders and investment strategy (9:12) Strategies for competing in a changing venture landscape

(10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (15:50) Valuations, ownership, and building deep relationships with founders

(18:30) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (19:39) The critical role of governance and accountability in startups (28:36) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist

(30:16) The power of incremental improvements and executive limitations (34:32) Vanity metrics vs. building enduring value in startups (43:12) The consequences of choosing status over results in startup success (46:22) Building trust in leadership and the pressures of maintaining success (49:03) The importance of non-consensus bets and independent thinking (55:20) The relationship between hype, investment decisions, and startup promotion (58:19) In-person work vs. remote work: Impact on startup productivity (1:02:58) SaaS market challenges: Pricing, AI impact, and future models (1:07:33) Exciting AI investments and the transformative potential of new technologies (1:13:01) AI advancements, new use cases, and the competitive landscape (1:17:16) How incumbents and consumers are benefiting from AI advancements (1:19:15) Embracing AI in daily tasks and business operations *

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Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com

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Check out Benchmark: https://www.benchmark.com/ *

Follow Sarah:

X: https://x.com/sarahtavel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtavel/ Sarah's Substack: https://www.sarahtavel.com/

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Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

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Thank you to our partners:

(10:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (18:30) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (28:36) 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

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