This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups

By Jason CalacanisTechnology
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This Week in Startups episodes

  • Startup pitch competition! Jason invests $25K into one of three founders | E1932

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

    Wistia. All-in-one video platform for business, with tools that help you create, manage, and measure the impact of your videos. Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

    Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $200 off the pod plus free shipping!

    Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today

    *

    Todays show:

    Jason and Presh kick off the Founder University pitch competition (00:00), then we hear from Jared on Umbrella Sports (6:40), Linda on Mastertech (14:47), and Aleksandr on Ellis (24:20). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (44:17), and Presh details how to apply!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) Jason kicks off the show!

    (2:49) Jason brings on Presh to explain the fundamentals of Founder University and introduces today's pitches!

    (6:40) Jared Lewandowski pitches Umbrella Sports

    (13:20) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

    (14:47) Linda Gray pitches Mastertech

    (22:51) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

    (24:20) Aleksandr Diamond pitches Ellis

    (29:39) Jason and Presh assess the startups and their pitches

    (39:43) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today

    (44:12) Jason picks the startup he will invest in!

    (44:51) Feedback on the Founder University experience

    *

    Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th! Apply here: https://www.founder.university

    *

    We are doing Founder Fridays! Go check out https://founderfridays.tech

    *

    Follow Jared:

    X: https://twitter.com/_playumbrella

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

    Check out Umbrella Sports: https://www.playumbrella.com

    *

    Follow Linda:

    X: https://twitter.com/mastertechai

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-gray-6433b251/

    Check out Mastertech: https://www.mastertech.ai/

    *

    Follow Aleksandr:

    X: https://twitter.com/heyaleksandr

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

    Check out Ellis: https://ellis.so

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

    *

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (13:20) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups

    (22:51) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

    (39:43) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today

    *

    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:

    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

    *

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

    *

    Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th. Apply here: https://www.founder.university

    55 min
  • Udio AI's Music Magic, Aqua's Unique Dictation, Copyright Laws & the 1000x Potential of AI | E1931

    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 http://www.Gusto.com/twist

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

    Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators.

    Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST

    Hubspot. Join thousands of companies that are growing better with HubSpot for Startups.

    Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at http://www.hubspot.com/startups/twist

    *

    Todays show:

    Sunny joins Jason to dive into AI news and demos including, Adam Schiff and the new bill to force AI companies to reveal use of copyrighted art (9:03), Udio the recent AI music creator catching a lot of hype (17:48), the AI dictation power of Aqua (39:10), and more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this weeks AI news and demos.

    (4:02) AI News: Meta, Google and Intel all launched chips this week.

    (9:03) Adam Schiff and the new bill to force AI companies to reveal use of copyrighted art

    (9:51) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

    (17:48) Sunny demos Udio - the recent AI music creator catching a lot of hype.

    (19:36) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST

    (20:56) Sunny and Jason further explore Udio and discuss the copyright issues around AI models.

    (31:45) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report "How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy" here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

    (36:31) Sunny creates a song with Udio about Jason's passion for copyright laws.

    (39:10) Sunny demos Aqua.

    (45:36) Sunny demos SWE-Agent

    *

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

    *

    LINKS:

    Check out Udio: https://www.udio.com/

    Rolling Stone article on Udio: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/udio-ai-music-chatgpt-suno-1235001675/

    Check out Aqua: https://withaqua.com/

    Check out SWE-Agent: https://swe-agent.com/demo

    Meta's new chip news: https://twitter.com/Techmeme/status/1778078194345955765

    Google's new chip news: https://twitter.com/WSJ/status/1777654095601348775

    Intel's new chip news: https://twitter.com/Techmeme/status/1777725152102699026

    Article on Adam Schiff introducing new bill: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/apr/09/artificial-intelligence-bill-copyright-art

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

    *

    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:

    (9:51) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist

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

    (19:36) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST

    (31:45) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report "How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy" here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

    *

    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:

    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

    *

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

    1 hr 1 min
  • Tomasz Tunguz and David Clark on how to invest in AI and Q1 2024 startup valuations | E1930

    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.

    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 http://www.openphone.com/twist

    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 CLAconnect.com/tech

    Todays show:

    David Weisburd hosts David Clark, Tomasz Tunguz, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the new YC class (1:59), startup valuations (19:34), the investment landscape (30:17), and more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) David Weisburd intros David Clark, Tomasz Tunguz, and Jason Calacanis

    (1:59) The latest YC class and rise of AI startups

    (9:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

    (10:55) Role of the founding team in AI startups

    (19:34) Startup valuations and the changing landscape of seed deals and Series A rounds

    (29:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

    (30:17) Tomasz Tunguz's journey to raising his fund and the challenges of the VC industry

    (37:32) Personality types in venture capital and handling company wind downs

    (39:20) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

    (40:52) VC's moving out and the challenge of picking the right company to invest in

    (59:27) Active reserves management

    (1:09:00) Lightning round: Top 3 investments

    *

    Mentioned on show:

    https://motherduck.com

    https://arbitrum.io

    https://www.omni.co

    https://www.podengine.ai

    https://www.getrecall.ai

    https://newcomergames.com

    *

    Follow David Clark:

    X: https://twitter.com/daveclark85

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clark-6678b6b/

    Check out VenCap: https://www.vencap.com/

    *

    Follow Tomasz Tunguz:

    X: https://twitter.com/ttunguz

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

    Check out Theory Ventures: https://theory.ventures

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

    *

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (9:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

    (29:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

    (39:20) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech

    *

    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:

    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

    *

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

    1 hr 16 min
  • The Alef Model A and the future of flying cars with Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny | E1929

    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 http://www.vanta.com/twist

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

    Zendesk. The best customer experiences are built with Zendesk. Qualifying startups can join their Startup program and get Zendesk products free, for six months! Visit http://www.zendesk.com/twist today to get started.

    *

    Todays show:

    Alef's Jim Dukhovny joins Jason to discuss different approaches to flying car tech (1:16), Alef's vehicle design (9:17), commercial aspects (22:39), and more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) Alef's Jim Dukhovny joins Jason

    (1:16) Alef's mission and the different approaches to VTOL and flying car technologies

    (8:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

    (9:17) Alef's approach to vehicle design and use of existing technologies in a new format

    (12:10) Technical details of Alef's vehicle design, including propulsion systems and structural innovations

    (14:27) Challenges of designing flying vehicles that function both as cars and aircraft

    (21:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

    (22:39) Commercial aspects, including pricing, customer pre-orders, and manufacturing plans

    (26:13) Regulatory and certification challenges and the potential timeline for bringing the product to market

    (32:46) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

    (34:16) Ballistic parachute systems in drones, planes, and Alef's vehicles

    (38:53) The long-term vision for autonomous flying cars

    *

    Sources:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtzuL3WSiGY

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gzdo107SmE

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBCUQlF3MMU

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxaFFuN1vpc

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT4buS7avd4

    *

    Follow Jim:

    X: https://twitter.com/AlefAeronautics

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

    Check out Alef: https://alef.aero

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

    *

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (8:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

    (21:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

    (32:46) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist

    *

    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:

    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

    *

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

    48 min
  • Liquid AI's Ramin Hasani on liquid neural networks, AI advancement, the race to AGI & more! | E1928

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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

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    Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

    *

    Todays show:

    Liquid AI's Ramin Hasani joins Jason to discuss the mission and the concept of Liquid AI's liquid neural networks (1:09). They dive into liquid neural networks' applications (16:07), transition from theory to execution (21:37), their efficiency on small devices (27:30), and more!

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Liquid AI CEO and co-founder Ramin Hasani joins Jason

    (1:09) Liquid AI's mission and concept of liquid neural networks

    (7:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

    (8:34) Demo of Liquid AI: traditional vs. Liquid neural networks in autonomous driving

    (16:07) Practical applications of Liquid AI

    (20:07) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://geteppo.com/twist

    (21:37) Commercializing worm-inspired AI systems, building a team, and solving problems across various sectors

    (27:30) Efficiency of liquid neural networks in compact devices like the Raspberry Pi and the transformative potential of AI modeled after worms.

    (34:15) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

    (35:24) Data ownership in AI and incentivizing data providers

    (41:18) Role of AI in real-world applications

    (43:57) Societal impact of AI, job displacement, and the optimistic view on AI's potential

    (50:25) Explanation of physical models vs statistical models in AI and the challenge of understanding black box AI systems

    (57:01) Speculations about AGI's market cap, who might achieve AGI first, and the potential of using AI systems to build various applications

    (1:00:12) Comparison between open-source and closed-source models in AI and the trend of open-source moves in the AI industry

    *

    Mentioned on the show:

    https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-5

    https://www.capgemini.com/us-en

    https://www.ctc-g.co.jp/en

    https://www.accenture.com

    https://www.ey.com/en_gl

    https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2024/04/02/the-daily-show-jon-stewart-ai-work-force-jobs-orig.cnn

    *

    Source of C. elegans worm footage:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjqLwPgLnV0&t=1s

    *

    Follow Ramin:

    X: https://twitter.com/ramin_m_h

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

    Check out Liquid AI: https://www.liquid.ai

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

    *

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (7:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist

    (20:07) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://geteppo.com/twist

    (34:15) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year.

    *

    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:

    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

    *

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

    1 hr 4 min
  • Apurva Mehta and Jack Altman on Sam Altman, CalPERS, and Liquidation Preferences | E1927

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

    DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist.

    Hubspot for Podcast Networks. Looking to up your marketing game?

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    Gelt. It's time to take control over your taxes. Discover how Gelt can help you to manage and optimize both your personal and business taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now.

    *

    Todays show:

    David Weisburd hosts Apurva Mehta, Jack Altman, and Jason Calacanis to discuss Sam Altman's huge investment wins (2:34), the role of SPVs (13:19), CalPERS increasing their exposure to venture (26:19), and liquidation preferences (45:56).

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) David Weisburd intros Apurva Mehta, Jack Altman, and Jason Calacanis

    (2:34) Reddit's IPO and Sam Altman's investment success

    (5:48) Apurva's investment strategy and thoughts on fund size and portfolio strategy

    (11:50) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

    (13:19) The role of SPVs and the importance of trust in the investment ecosystem

    (24:53) Marketing Against the Grain ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrjktuM1Dc

    https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

    (26:19) CalPERS and pension funds increasing their exposure to venture capital and private equity

    (28:11) Is it a good time to invest in venture?

    (41:48) Gelt. It's time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now

    (43:02) Fundraising and decision-making processes

    (45:56) Higher liquidation preferences at the later stage

    (55:49) Rapid fire segment on recent investments

    *

    Mentioned on the show:

    https://www.retellai.com

    https://www.heygen.com

    https://www.owner.com

    https://www.foundationhealth.com

    https://peregrine.io

    https://www.marvl.io

    https://getprops.ai

    https://www.arkitask.ai

    *

    Follow Apurva:

    X: https://twitter.com/mehtaaapurva

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

    *

    Follow Jack:

    X: https://twitter.com/jaltma

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

    *

    Follow David:

    X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠

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

    Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

    *

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (11:50) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

    (24:53) Marketing Against the Grain ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrjktuM1Dc

    https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

    (41:48) Gelt. It's time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now

    *

    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:

    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

    *

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

    1 hr 4 min
  • Growth Hacks for Startups from Elliot Shmukler of InstaCart, LinkedIn and now Anomalo | E1926

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

    NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into ONE platform. Giving you ONE source of truth. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

    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.

    Hubspot. Join thousands of companies that are growing better with HubSpot for Startups. Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups Check out their report "How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy" here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Elliot Shmukler of Anomalo joins Jason to discuss growth tactics for businesses and startups.

    (2:33) A primer on modern-day growth for startups from expert Elliot.

    (6:20) Why referral programs are so powerful

    (9:59) NetSuite. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist

    (11:39) The 2nd best thing you can do for the growth of your startup!

    (15:55) Exploring "Give to Get" programs with examples from Elliot's success.

    (20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

    (22:13) A critical growth action once you have your virality base is "conversion rate optimization".

    (25:45) The most effective sign-up practived today.

    (30:31) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report "How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy" here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report

    (31:52) The balance of adding friction in the user sign-up process.

    (33:57) Elliot dives deeper into his best growth hacks and the most frustrating moments while at InstaCart, Wealthfront, and LinkedIn.

    (39:51) Elliot discusses his new company, Anomalo, and its mission to solve data quality issues.

    *

    Check out Anomalo: https://www.anomalo.com/

    *

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    Thank you to our partners:

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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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    *

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

    51 min
  • CoreWeave's Brannin McBee on the future of AI infrastructure, GPU economics, & data centers | E1925

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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    *

    Todays show:

    Brannin McBee joins Jason to discuss CoreWeave's transition from cryptocurrency to AI (3:36), the energy dynamics of GPUs (14:04), innovations in data center cooling (19:28), and the future challenges and impacts of AI infrastructure on industries like search, advertising, and e-commerce (45:36).

    *

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) CoreWeave's Brannin McBee joins Jason

    (3:36) The founding story of CoreWeave and the transition from the cryptocurrency market to AI

    (12:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

    (14:04) Energy reliance of GPUs, the future of data centers, and the cost and efficiency of GPU cloud infrastructure

    (19:28) Direct-to-chip liquid cooling and other cooling solutions for GPUs

    (24:52) Demand trends for GPU capacity and the growth of inference linked to user growth

    (29:06) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist

    (30:28) LPUs Vs. GPUs

    (34:13) Dominance of Nvidia in training models, implications of open source chips and chip architecture

    (39:01) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today.

    (40:00) Challenges in training large language models and the use of infrastructure as a weapon by big tech

    (45:36) The potential impact of AI on search engines, advertising sector, and ecommerce

    (52:46) Timeline for supply-demand balance in AI infrastructure and the operational feat of running multiple data centers

    *

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    Follow Brannin:

    X: https://twitter.com/branninmcbee

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    *

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

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    (39:01) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠⁠ today.|

    *

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

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    *

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

    56 min
  • The state of modern answer engines, AI demos, and more! | E1924

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    *

    Todays show:

    Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss the potential of new search engines (16:44), the future of SEO(37:35), and demo innovative AI products (48:37).

    *

    Timestamps:

    (00:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason

    (2:42) Deep Dive into the cost of running queries and the decrease in the price of hardware storage

    (11:41) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

    (12:33) The LMSYS Chatbot Arena Leaderboard

    (16:44) Modern Answer Engines: You.com and Perplexity

    (28:53) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

    (30:22) Potential and challenges of new search engines

    (36:30) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

    (37:35) Future of SEO and data sources in the context of new search engines

    (48:37) Sunny demos Infinity AI

    (54:35) Sunny and Jason discuss Hume AI's Empathic Voice Interface

    *

    Check out:

    https://www.perplexity.ai

    https://you.com

    https://infinity.ai

    https://www.hume.ai

    https://groq.com

    https://huggingface.co/spaces/lmsys/chatbot-arena-leaderboard

    *

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

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    Follow Sunny:

    X: https://twitter.com/sundeep

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

    *

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    X: https://twitter.com/Jason

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (11:41) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist

    (28:53) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping

    (36:30) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups

    *

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

    *

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    *

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    1 hr 3 min
  • Dave Mcclure & Jordan Stein on YC, "Spray and Pray", and Games VCs Play | E1923

    This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

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    *

    Todays show:

    David Weisburd hosts Dave McClure, Jordan Stein, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the evolution of fund spaces. The discuss investing in the YC ecosystem (00:28), the role of secondary funds today (40:26), and the importance of betting on outliers (1:00:49).

    *

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) David Weisburd intros Dave McClure, Jordan Stein, and Jason Calacanis

    (00:28) Reddit's IPO adds to YC's track record of successful public listings

    (10:21) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST

    (11:39) Strategy of investing in YC ecosystem and the importance of entry point evaluation

    (18:40) YC's demo day and opportunities for other accelerators

    (26:12) Hubspot - Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMNgyVFsk4g https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW

    (27:18) YC's demo day and opportunities for other accelerators cont.

    (32:24) Carta's report on the rise of capital call requests

    (39:15) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

    (40:26) The role of secondary funds in the current macroeconomic conditions and the potential for more company shutdowns

    (1:00:49) Betting on outliers and the decision-making process for doubling down

    (1:14:16) Lightning round: Top 3 investments from each guest

    (1:25:20) Discussing the upcoming https://www.liquiditypod.com/summit

    *

    Check out:

    https://mercury.com

    https://www.gropyus.com

    https://recargapay.com.br

    https://www.ridemotive.com

    https://testrigor.com

    https://www.krepling.com

    *

    Follow Dave:

    X: https://twitter.com/davemcclure

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

    Check out: https://practicalvc.com

    *

    Follow Jordan:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-stein17

    Check out: https://cressetcapital.com

    *

    Follow David:

    X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠

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

    Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com

    *

    Follow Jason:

    X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠

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

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

    *

    Thank you to our partners:

    (10:21) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST (26:12) Hubspot - Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMNgyVFsk4g https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW (39:15) Curotec - Check out http://www.curotec.com/twist and get $5000 off

    *

    Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co

    *

    Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university

    *

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

    *

    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:

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    *

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

    1 hr 32 min

About This Week in Startups

From the publisher's feed

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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