This Week in Startups

J+M start the show with some BREAKING NEWS: Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield is leaving Salesforce! (5:09) Then, they cover Circle canceling its SPAC (26:06), SBF's interactions with regulators and the media (40:29), and a Startup of the Day! (57:50)

(0:00) Molly tees up today's news topics!

(1:48) J+M catch up from the weekend

(5:09) BREAKING: Slack Founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield is leaving Salesforce two years after the Slack acquisition was announced

(12:49) Mixpanel - Apply for $50K in credits at https://mixpanel.com/startups

(14:14) Is this a Salesforce issue or a Slack issue? Is Salesforce's Co-CEO leaving last week just a coincidence?

(24:43) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(26:06) Circle cancels its SPAC over missed regulatory deadlines

(39:11) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(40:29) SBF and Maxine Waters, Semafor's potential illicit funds from SBF

(57:50) Startup of the Day! Loft Dynamics is building a VR helicopter flight simulator for ~95% cheaper than traditional simulators

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J+M are back for another edition of VC Sunday School. This week, they discuss momentum investing in venture capital! (1:35) Then, Molly interviews Convective Capital's Bill Clerico on investing in firetech startups. (27:58)

(0:00) Molly tees up Sunday's segments!

(1:35) VC Sunday School: Momentum investing: fair strategy, or sign of a bubble?

(12:56) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist

(14:30) Contrarian investing in VC

(26:28) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes, no funding required, sign up at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(27:58) Molly is joined by Convective Capital's Bill Clerico and talks about investing solely in firetech startups

(35:30) Bill breaks down the different types of firetech startups that he's investing in

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J+M kick off the show by discussing and testing out OpenAI's ChatGPT. (1:59) Then, they wrap up the news with a16z's announcement that they are shutting down future.com (37:40). Producer Rachel ends the show with another edition of OK Boomer featuring Litquidity's Jack Raines. (50:03)

(0:00) J+M Kick off the show

(1:59) Molly gets party theme suggestions from OpenAI's new Chat GPT

(9:58) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(11:23) Compounding improvement of AI technology + David Friedberg's ChatGPT poem and script

(18:33) Odoo - Get access to all of Odoo's apps, services, and maintenance for under $25 at https://odoo.com/twist

(19:40) Molly and Jason discuss how ChatGPT works using RLHF

(26:57) Advice for founders + Molly & Jason test out ChatGPT

(36:13) MicroAcquire - Sell your business with no fees at https://try.microacquire.com/twist

(37:40) a16z sunsets future.com + media layoffs

(50:03) OK Boomer with Litquidity's Jack Raines

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First up, J+M go through a tale of two interviews: SBF at DealBook (3:14) and on Good Morning America (31:58). Then, Lon Harris joins to discuss Disney's new in-house automatic de-aging tool and more! (47:00)

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

(3:14) Covering Sam Bankman-Fried's two recent interviews, reacting to clips from SBF at the NYT DealBook conference

(12:14) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist

(13:43) SBF chimes in on VC responsibility and drug usage at FTX

(27:31) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(28:46) Finish up with clips from DealBook: FTX US and a final round of applause

(31:58) SBF's Good Morning America interview with George Stephanopoulos

(37:54) Nutrisense - Use code TWIST and get $30 off at nutrisense.io/twist

(39:24) Finishing on SBF's GMA interview and comparing the two interview styles

(47:00) Lon Harris joins to discuss Disney's new in-house automated de-aging tool

(1:07:48) $WBD in talks to license animated content to Amazon, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's new artist-led venture, Lon's recommendations, Jason's nineties stories, and more!

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First up, Jason answers two great questions from the most recent cohort of Founder University! (1:34) Then, Molly and Producer Rachel discuss Spotify Wrapped's marketing genius and a potential new contemporary. (22:33) Finally, AMP Robotics Founder Matanya Horowitz joins Molly for another edition of The Next Unicorns! (40:02)

(0:00) Molly tees up today's segments!

(1:34) Ask Jason! Is the Generative AI boom for real?

(11:42) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist

(13:12) Ask Jason! How to survive text-to-image tools as a designer

(15:00) Ask Jason! How to build relationships with investors before you start fundraising

(21:07) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://LinkedIn.com/unicorn

(22:33) Molly and Producer Rachel break down this year's Spotify Wrapped (and a new contemporary!)

(38:38) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist

(40:02) Molly is joined by AMP Robotics founder Matanya Horowitz to talk about building recycling-focused robots!

(52:04) AMP's customers, target market, company mission, and how they train AI

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First up, J+M cover Twitter vs. Apple and the app store duopoly (2:10) before breaking down Google's employees per department. (32:48) They wrap up talking about Snap announcing a return to the office for all employees (37:09) and more crypto chaos. (58:18)

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

(2:10) Twitter vs Apple

(9:23) Mayfair - Get 4% APY on your idle cash automatically at https://getmayfair.com/twist

(10:53) Apple/Google app store duopoly, Steve Jobs's original App Store pitch

(21:43) Blueground - Get up to $1000 off your booking at https://promos.theblueground.com/twist

(23:15) App Store as a blocker for startups, Apple's interesting priorities

(32:48) Google's employees per department breakdown, YouTube's insane efficiency

(35:40) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes, no funding required, sign up at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups

(37:09) Google's dramatic headcount increase since 2019, Snap asks employees to return to the office 80% of the time starting in February, end of entitlement in tech

(58:18) BlockFi goes bankrupt and sues SBF, Miami nightclubs see ~99% decline in crypto payments

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Jason welcomes back Kruze COO Scott Orn for another edition of Startup Finance Basics! Jason and Scott break down the state of the market (0:00), 2023 budget planning (9:21), and how to nail investor comms! (14:58)

(0:00) Jason welcomes Kruze COO Scott Orn and they discuss the state of startups and VC

(9:21) What a 2023 budget plan should look like at a Seed stage startup

(14:58) Bias for action, investor comms

TechCrunch's Alex Wilhelm joins to break down the news! First up, the trio covers Pipe's Co-Founders abruptly stepping down (7:06) and the lessons learned. (26:29) Then, they discuss Apple's China-based iOS update impacting AirDrop (40:31) before Alex leaves. J+M finish the show with more thoughts on China and react to Black Friday's ATH sales volume and the BNPL boom. (1:11:01)

(0:00) J+M tee up today's topics and special news guest!

(2:21) J+M catch up on their Thanksgiving breaks with TechCrunch's Alex Wilhelm!

(7:06) Intense velocity of notable tech stories, teeing up the Pipe situation

(12:05) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(13:34) Breaking down the Pipe Co-Founders abruptly stepping down

(25:02) Supergut - Get 30% off with code TWIST at https://supergut.com

(26:29) Pipe's expansion into media and crypto, lessons learned from the "speculative asset bubble"

(37:21) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(38:39) Alex on running a subscription-based media business within an ad-based media business

(40:31) Protests in China, Apple's recent China-specific iOS update, which impacting AirDrop

(59:59) J+M wrap with thoughts on China after Alex departs

(1:11:01) Black Friday spending hits an all-time high, BNPL sees huge bump y/y

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On VC Sunday School, Jason and Molly discuss how VCs size their investments (1:40). Then, Molly is joined by Ben Birnbaum of Keyframe and TeraWatt! (13:17)

(0:00) Molly tees up today's topics!

(1:40) Jason breaks down how VCs think about bet sizing!

(11:43) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist

(13:17) Molly welcomes Ben Birnbaum of TeraWatt and Keyframe to discuss his background and why he started TeraWatt!

(27:07) Odoo - Get access to all of Odoo's apps, services, and maintenance for under $25 at https://odoo.com/twist

(28:15) Ben explains the current state of commercial EVs and TeraWatt's progress

(34:05) How TeraWatt spawned Keyframe, where Ben is an investment partner

(38:20) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20

(39:47) Ben explains how and why he started an investment firm to fund his own startup (and startups like it!)

Check out TeraWatt: https://terawattinfrastructure.com

Check out Keyframe: https://www.keyframecapital.com

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First up, Jason and Molly discuss Zoom's Q3 earnings and SaaS burnout throughout the industry (1:37). Then, they break down Amazon's $10B loss tied to its Alexa smart speakers (22:13) and an Airbnb Co-Founder's new housing startup! (34:54) Sunny Madra joins in the final segment to help explain the crypto contagion caused by the FTX collapse. (45:12)

(0:00) Jason tees up today's segments!

(1:37) J+M wind-down earnings season with Zoom's Q3 results and discuss SaaS burnout in tech

(14:40) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist

(15:55) How Zoom survives and thrives with insane competition

(22:13) Amazon's hardware/Prime Video division is on pace to lose ~$10B this year, mostly due to Alexa losses

(30:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST

(32:01) Solving Amazon's Alexa problem

(34:54) Startup of the Day: Airbnb Co-Founder Joe Gebbia has started a housing startup!

(43:46) Mixpanel - Apply for $50K in credits at https://mixpanel.com/startups

(45:12) Sunny Madra joins to break down the contagion throughout crypto caused by the FTX collapse

(1:08:51) More FTX craziness: SBF's hundreds of millions of secondary, FTX's real estate purchases, and more!

(1:14:14) Is Coinbase in danger as one of the last major exchanges standing? Could Bitcoin fall further? How hard will it be to raise VC in crypto going forward?

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