This Week in Startups

Maha Ibrahim of Canaan joins Molly to discuss her early days in VC (1:38), managing distributions and exiting at the right time (20:36), the clean tech bubble, being a generalist/specialist, diversity, and more (37:42).

(0:00) Molly kicks off the show

(1:38) Maha's first years in venture

(11:18) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free.

(12:43) Investing in the early 2000s and Canaan's strategy

(19:12) Cast.ai - Get a free cloud cost audit with a personal consultation at https://cast.ai/twist

(20:36) Exiting at the right time and distributing earnings

(30:00) Learning from a downturn

(34:58) The mismatch between VCs to outlier startups

(36:11) Prenuvo - Get $300 off at http://prenuvo.com/twist

(37:42) The climate tech bubble

(40:14) Generalists vs. specialists

(42:16) Responding to cycles and signs of good timing

(48:53) Structuring a generational off-ramp

(51:39) All Raise

(55:30) What does the future hold?

FOLLOW Maha: https://twitter.com/mahaibrahim

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Neeva CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy joins Molly to talk all things search and AI chatbots, including Neeva's technology and the difficulty of building a search engine (1:41), Neeva's consumer focus and business model (20:00), and the search-to-answer revolution (41:31).

(0:00) Molly kicks off the show

(1:41) Neeva's Purpose

(5:06) The technological underpinning of Neeva

(8:00) The hurdles building Neeva

(10:26) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(11:53) The problems search aims to solve

(18:31) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(20:00) Why choose Neeva

(24:01) Neeva's business model

(29:18) Moving from search to answers + citing sources

(35:53) The ad supported publishing ecosystem

(37:58) Pilot - Get 20% off the first 6 months at https://pilot.com/twist

(39:13) Leaving Google

(41:31) The search to answers revolution

(44:34) Compensating publishers and dealing with content moderation

(48:51) Open loop vs. Closed loop

(54:29) Neeva copycats

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The Friday variety show is back! Jason kicks it off by interviewing WallStreetBets founder Jaime Rogozinski, who's currently suing Reddit (2:08). Then, Molly is joined by Hyper CEO Andrew Hart to discuss the augmented reality market and Hyper's store-mapping technology (30:16). Producer Rachel wraps the show with content creator Humphrey Yang breaking down his creative process, what he considers valuable metrics, and so much more (53:40). (0:00) Molly kicks off the show

(2:08) WSB milestones and arbitrage

(12:07) Contra - Get $500 off your first hire at https://contra.com/twist

(13:36) How Reddit works + the WSB controversy

(23:42) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(24:45) Jaime's ideal solution

(30:16) Andrew Hart of Hyper

(33:57) Creating the ultimate user experience

(39:19) Retreat - head to http://planretreat.com/twistto help you plan the offsite your team deserves!

(40:43) Mapping store and onboarding customers

(45:55) Hyper's development and future opportunities

(53:40) Ok Boomer with Humphrey Yang FOLLOW Jaime: https://twitter.com/wallstreetbets

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Sophia Amoruso, Founder and GP at Trust Fund, joins Jason to discuss her angel investments (1:23), raising a fund publicly (5:54), and the creative process (12:14). Then, they discuss portfolio construction and putting past identities to bed (27:04).

(0:00) Molly kicks off the show

(1:23) Previous angel investing experience

(5:54) Why Sophia is raising a public fund

(10:45) Linode - Apply to Linode's Rise program for up to six figures in discounts at https://linode.com/twist

(12:14) Branding and the creative process

(20:55) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

(22:25) What stage of investing is Sophia going after

(27:04) Portfolio construction

(37:16) Brilliant.org - Go to http://brilliant.org/twist to start your 30-day free trial today and get 20% off your annual premium plan

(38:44) Pro rata rights

(46:56) Putting past identities to bed

(1:01:18) Fund cycles

(1:05:17) Investing in founders or investing in ideas & more

FOLLOW Sophia: https://twitter.com/sophiaamoruso

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Jason is joined by Mark Suster of Upfront Ventures to cover raising capital in the early 2000s (1:22), aligning board members (21:19), the three variables VCs need to bet on (40:51), and so much more!

(0:00) Molly kicks off the show

(1:22) A recap of the previous 3 market cycles

(5:23) The hurdles founders will face starting a company in 2023

(6:55) Raising capital in the early 2000s

(9:15) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free.

(10:37) Upfront's strategy and changes to the market

(15:35) Misalignment of investors

(19:48) Prenuvo - Get $300 off a full-body MRI scan at https://prenuvo.com/twist

(21:19) Aligning of board members

(29:13) Setting reality as an investor/board member

(33:40) Cutting Burn & Mark's decision framework

(39:23) Orgspace - Get $2000 of credits on pro plans with a 30-day free trial at https://orgspace.io/twist

(40:51) The 3 variables VCs need to bet on

(48:28) The power law and mission-aligned founders

(52:13) Feed the family money

(58:33) Company killers + Investing in lines not dots

FOLLOW Mark: https://twitter.com/msuster

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Precision Neuroscience's Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer joins Molly to discuss how the brain communicates with the body (7:08) and the breakthroughs that allowed companies like Precision to exist. (12:52) Then, they discuss Precision's founding principles, the process of getting FDA approval for its neural interface, and much more. (28:55)

(0:00) Molly kicks off the show

(1:27) Dr. Rapoport's origin story

(7:08) How the brain communicates with the body

(11:22) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(12:52) Breakthroughs in neuroscience

(22:37) Contra - a commission-free marketplace for freelancers and independent creators. Get $500 off your first hire at https://contra.com/twist

(24:06) The tension between public and private institutions

(28:55) The founding principles of Precision Neuroscience

(33:21) The Layer 7 interface and preparing for FDA approval

(40:39) LMNT - Get a free sample pack with any purchase at https://DrinkLMNT.com/TWIST

(42:07) Minimizing risk

(45:25) Interfacing with different areas of the brain

(47:06) Medical infrastructure and the business model of med-tech

CHECK OUT Precision Neuroscience: https://precisionneuro.io

FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis

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First up, J+M break down Meta taking a note from Twitter with a $12 paid tier and how it can have a material impact on revenue. (12:05) Then, they cover the problems with Bing's new chatbot (32:13) before wrapping on Stripe potentially missing its window (46:14) and Meta copying a Telegram feature! (1:00:30)

(0:00) J+M tee up today's topics!

(2:22) Proper PTO operating standards, what's in store for the next few weeks on TWiST!

(10:31) MasterClass - Get 15% off an annual membership at https://masterclass.com/startups

(12:05) Zuck announces Meta Verified, a $12/month paid service for Facebook/Instagram and WhatsApp

(18:56) How Meta's new product can have a material impact on revenue

(21:49) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(22:47) What enticing features major social platforms can add to get more paid users

(30:42) Contra - Get $500 off your first hire at https://contra.com/twist

(32:13) Bing's new chatbot has already been toned down by Microsoft for responding with a style the company did not intend

(46:14) Stripe's $4B tax bill and further valuation cuts: did the highest-flying startup fumble the bag?

(1:00:30) Meta also copied Telegram's broadcast channels feature, which Zuck used to announce Meta's new paid tier!

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Vinny and Sunny join Jason and Molly for another crypto roundtable discussing the federal government's crackdown on crypto. (1:39) They define what staking is (10:13), and Jason addresses his Twitter Exchange with Coinbase founder and CEO Brian Armstrong. (32:20) Then Producer Rachel is joined by Prince Ghosh of Factored Quality for another edition of Ok Boomer. (1:06:45)

(0:00) Molly kicks off the show

(1:39) Crypto crackdown + the roles of the SEC and CFTC

(8:46) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(10:13) Definitions of "staking"

(21:30) Merge - Integrate up to 5 customers for free today at https://merge.dev/twist

(23:00) Using Web 3.0 for crowdsource capital

(32:20) Brian Armstrong and Jason's exchange + Challenges of crypto exchanges

(40:25) Pilot.com. - Go to https://pilot.com/twist for 20% off your first 6 months of Pilot Core.

(41:54) Regulating stablecoins

(57:41)$100M New Jersey Deli + Jason's grand plan for TikTok

(1:06:45) Ok Boomer with Prince Ghosh of Factored Quality

FOLLOW Vinny: https://twitter.com/vinnylingham

FOLLOW Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep

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Deven Parekh of Insight Partners joins Jason to discuss navigating markets during the dot com era and the pandemic. (1:50) Then they discuss "venture tourists" and cleaning up cap tables before wrapping up with a look back at some of Deven's winning investments. (20:04)

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show

(1:50) Experiencing the dot com burst

(10:14) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free.

(11:36) Comparing Web 3.0 and the dot com era + navigating the markets during the pandemic

(18:40) Cast.ai - Get a free cloud cost audit with a personal consultation at https://cast.ai/twist

(20:04) Venture Tourists

(29:30) Unfavorable preference stacks

(37:07) Acquire.com - Sign up for FREE at https://try.acquire.com/twist

(38:32) Cleaning a cap table

(47:57) Looking back at Deven's investments

FOLLOW Deven: https://twitter.com/djparekh

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Molly is joined by Rachel as they discuss the news that some companies are selling data about their mental health patients. (1:33) Then they discuss how Bing's AI chatbot was presenting false information during its reveal last week. (11:57) To wrap, Tom Loverro joins Jason to talk about his viral tweet thread about a "mass extinction event coming for early & mid-stage companies". (24:36)

(0:00) Molly and Rachel kick off the show

(1:33) America's mental health data is being sold

(10:28) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(11:57) Bing dodges $100B bullet

(20:23) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20

(21:51) Molly and Rachel's AI predictions

(24:36) IVP's Tom Loverro joins Jason

(39:32) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(40:42) Tom's prescriptions for founders

FOLLOW Tom: https://twitter.com/tomloverro

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