HuggingFace Buys Pollen Robotics, DHH & Bezos Founder Advice & A JCal Origin Story

1:14:46

Today’s show: Jason, Lon, and Alex break down a loaded week in tech: Apple’s 27% App Store “link-out” fee gets shut down by a judge—unlocking margin for startups and slashing CAC; AI bots on Reddit’s r/ChangeMyView are now 6x more effective than humans at changing minds, signaling a seismic shift in online discourse; and Beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk joins to discuss building in public, rapid product iteration, and the irony of being critiqued like a market leader for innovating too fast. The big takeaway? AI is evolving fast, gatekeepers are falling, and founders who build through chaos are best positioned to win. Timestamps: (0:00) Episode Teaser(1:20) Introduction and venture capital power law(4:14) Economic data and labor market trends(8:19) Mimicking trades and Dub's Series A funding (10:05) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.(14:48) Apple App Store ruling and startup implications (19:44) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(21:44) App store fees and antitrust concerns(27:34) Fivetran's acquisition and Lena Khan's impact on VC(29:58) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (32:02) Venture capital scenarios and M&A future(37:23) Jason’s Starbucks tweet and union perspectives(45:02) Reddit's AI experiment and online discourse(48:16) Interview with Tyler Denk from Beehiiv(49:52) Beehiiv overview and customer base(51:02) Beehiiv's revenue strategy and Boost feature(57:06) Balancing revenue streams and feature quality(1:04:30) MRR growth and founder transparency(1:08:05) Brand marketing impact and staying focused(1:11:44) Hiring challenges and platform comparisons(1:14:01) Twist 500 initiative update 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 Links from episode: Beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/ Follow Tyler:X: https://x.com/denk_tweets Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (10:05) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental. (19:44) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. (29:58) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups 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

1
What's Next for AI Infrastructure with Amin Vahdat | AI Basics with Google Cloud 27:34

3 days ago27:34

27:34

In this episode of AI Basics , Jason sits down with Amin Vahdat, VP of ML at Google Cloud, to unpack the mind-blowing infrastructure behind modern AI. They dive into how Google’s TPUs power massive queries, why 2025 is the “Year of Inference,” and how startups can now build what once felt impossible. From real-time agents to exponential speed gains, this is a look inside the AI engine that’s rewriting the future. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason introduces today’s guest Amin Vahdat (3:18) Data movement implications for founders and historical bandwidth perspective (5:29) The shift to inference and AI infrastructure trends in startups and enterprises (8:40) Evolution of productivity and potential of low-code/no-code development (11:20) AI infrastructure pricing, cost efficiency, and historical innovation (17:53) Google's TPU technology and infrastructure scale (23:21) Building AI agents for startup evaluation and supervised associate agents (26:08) Documenting decisions for AI learning and early AI agent development * Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. Discover what 23 AI industry leaders think about the future of AI—and how it impacts your business. Read their perspectives here: https://goo.gle/futureofai * Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/ * Follow Amin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vahdat/?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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…

This Week in Startups

1
Bittensor’s Rise, Meta’s Llama Goes Cloud, & AI Now Writes Your Code | E2119 1:04:49

4 days ago1:04:49

1:04:49

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, Lon and Special Guest Mark Jeffrey of Hash Rate, cover the explosive rise of Bittensor, a decentralized AI compute network some are calling the “third great coin” after Bitcoin and Ethereum, explore Meta’s bold move to host its open-source LLaMA models via partnerships with Groq and Cerebras—potentially setting the stage for a future AWS competitor—and unpack shocking revelations from the Wall Street Journal about Meta AI chatbots engaging in inappropriate conversations with underage users. Plus, we explore how AI is now writing up to 30% of code at major tech firms like Google and Microsoft, signaling a radical shift in how software gets built. Timestamps: (0:00) Episode Teaser(1:28) Introduction to the episode and guests(2:31) Mark Jeffrey's involvement in crypto and Bittensor project(5:06) Bitcoin vs. Bittensor: Stability and efficiency(10:20) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.(15:16) Governance, staking, and starting a subnet in Bittensor(17:52) Exploring Ready.AI and its impact on the future of AI(20:08) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (27:17) Trump's influence on crypto regulations and the stablecoin act(30:03) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist (38:42) AI-driven VC outreach and Alexis Ohanian's advice on cold emailing(45:03) Introducing LayerNext with CEO Buddhika Madduma and customer onboarding challenges(49:04) Ikigai for startups and balancing bespoke work with scalable product development(55:38) Strategies for securing lighthouse customers and the 'bear hug' approach(56:43) Reddit rapid response: Debating the return to office for young professionals(1:04:05) Closing remarks and guest plugs 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 Links from episode: Hash Rate Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@markjeffrey LayerNext: https://www.layernext.ai/ r/antiwork: https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/ Follow Mark: X: https://x.com/markjeffrey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjeffrey/ Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (10:20) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities. (20:08) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (30:03) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe , Steve Huffman , Brian Chesky , Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie , Sophia Amoruso , Reid Hoffman , Frank Slootman , Billy McFarland Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916…

This Week in Startups

1
Meta’s Dangerous Chat, Protect AI & Founder Fridays Pitch Comp | E2118 1:26:49

6 days ago1:26:49

1:26:49

Today’s show: we break down the wild story behind Meta’s AI chatbots going completely off the rails — including a bombshell WSJ exposé about bots flirting with minors. Then they cover Palo Alto Networks’ huge $500M+ acquisition of Protect AI, and sit down with the founder of Formulate, who’s building a robotic kitchen for chemicals and cosmetics. Plus, we get into some spicy takes on the secret group chats shaping tech behind the scenes, whether AI can clean up bad code faster than humans, and a Founder Fridays Texas showdown between Osprey and Wispr. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off the show. (1:45) Jason’s recent trip to Detroit. (7:47) The influence of group chats on tech, politics, and Trumpism (10:54) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (19:48) The importance of proactive communication in media (20:04) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠ https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (21:44) Palo Alto Networks acquires Protect AI (28:57) ARX Robotics and the future of autonomous military platforms (29:31) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (35:27) Sentra's $50M Series B in data security posture management (42:16) Lightrun's $70M Series B and venture capital trends (51:28) Meta's AI chatbots, ethical concerns, and Founder Friday competition (1:05:19) Formulate interview with Osmaan Shah (1:11:52) Scaling microfactories and the benefits of Formulate's platform (1:21:10) Business model and future of robotics in manufacturing (1:24:38) Potential applications in food and agriculture for Formulate Robotics * 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 * Links from episode: Check out Formulate Robotics: https://www.linkedin.com/company/formulaterobotics/posts/?feedView=all Check out Protect AI: https://protectai.com/ Check out Lightrun: https://lightrun.com/ Check out Sentra: https://www.sentra.io/ Check out the WSK article on Meta’s “Digital Companions”: https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-ai-chatbots-sex-a25311bf?st=6jzH4S&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink Check out ARX Robotics: https://www.arx-robotics.com/ * Follow Osmaan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osmaanshah/ X: https://x.com/osmaanshah * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:54) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (20:04) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (29:31) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. * 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

1
Discord’s Power Move, Slate’s Modular EVs & the “Act for Private Gain” | E2117 1:25:51

9 days ago1:25:51

1:25:51

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon break down today’s top tech and startup stories — from Slate Auto’s customizable $25K EV truck to Discord’s major leadership shakeup ahead of a potential IPO. They also cover Uber’s self-driving push with Volkswagen, Perplexity AI’s aggressive growth moves, and why value-driven products are winning in a tough economy. Plus, Alex sits down with Tailscale CEO Avery Pennarun to unpack how they grew from 5K to 10K customers — and why fixing internet networking could spark the next huge wave of innovation. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason, Lon and Alex kick off the show! (3:26) Introduction and features of Bezos-backed EV truck company, Slate (7:55) Market impact and value proposition of Slate's EV trucks (9:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (14:04) EV features and market potential discussion (17:42) Discord CEO steps down and IPO prospects (20:19) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (24:00) Uber and Volkswagen's self-driving car partnership (28:39) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist. (30:00) Pace of self-driving car adoption and regulation (37:20) Butterfly Effect secures Benchmark investment (38:37) Perplexity and Motorola Razr partnership (43:12) Jason's experience with Light Phone (45:39) New York Times and Ziff Davis lawsuits against OpenAI (50:09) Nonprofit structures and OpenAI's mission issues (54:01) Founder Friday: Pitchfire and TACTUN's two-year plans (1:02:28) Introduction to Tailscale and Avery Pennarun (1:10:17) Tailscale's enterprise adoption (1:21:13) Current Internet networking issues* 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 * Links from episode: Check out Tailscale: https://tailscale.com/ Check out Slate vehicles: https://www.slate.auto/en Check out Not For Private Gain: https://notforprivategain.org/ Check out the Light Phone: https://www.thelightphone.com/ Check out Oregon lawmakers article: **** https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/04/oregon-lawmakers-to-decide-whether-big-tech-should-pay-to-support-local-journalism.html Check out Manus: https://manus.im/ * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:48) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (20:19) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (28:39) Superpower - The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit http://superpower.com/twist to skip the waitlist. * 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

1
Cursor’s $300M ARR, Uber’s FTC Battle, and Office Hours with GoShare | E2116 1:02:26

11 days ago1:02:26

1:02:26

Today’s show: Jason, Alex and Lon unpack the FTC’s lawsuit against Uber and what it could mean for subscription UX, break down how AI startup Cursor is growing faster than almost any SaaS company in history, and discuss how dark patterns, consumer trust, and regulatory scrutiny are reshaping product design. They also touch on the future of big tech breakups, share insights from founder Office Hours with GoShare CEO Shaun Savage, highlighting the power of focus, capital, and customer obsession for startups navigating turbulent markets. Timestamps: (0:00) Episode Tease(1:21) Jason talks about personal interests, frugality, and TWIST live tour(7:29) Nick Huber's tweet on tariffs and business impact(9:58) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (11:22) Market uncertainty and paused deals(13:57) Trump's market feedback and tariffs(16:29) Cursor's rapid revenue growth(19:44) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist (21:16) Valuation discussion continuation and FTC sues Uber(29:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (31:26) FTC dark patterns and consumer protection(33:23) Founder Friday bracket competition: LifeStack vs MedSimple(43:50) Introduction to GoShare and founder Shaun Savage(45:57) Regulatory challenges in the gig economy and supply chain resilience(57:37) Diversification strategies for GoShare's delivery professionals(1:00:23) Benefits of office hours and brainstorming with portfolio companies(1:01:26) Founder University and Launch Accelerator updates 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 Links from episode: GoShare: https://goshare.co/ Founder University: https://www.founder.university/ Follow Shaun: X: https://x.com/ShaunSavage19 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunsavage/ Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (9:58) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist (19:44) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist (29:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe , Steve Huffman , Brian Chesky , Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie , Sophia Amoruso , Reid Hoffman , Frank Slootman , Billy McFarland Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916…

This Week in Startups

1
Robot Lifeguards, TapCheck’s Payday Play & Thalamus’s Wild Market Share | E2115 1:16:58

13 days ago1:16:58

1:16:58

Today’s show: Jason and Lon break down the biggest stories in tech and startups this week: OpenAI’s new models are powerful but glitchy, Meta’s internal docs hint that Zuck knows the Facebook friends graph is toast, and fintech startup TapCheck might actually be doing some good. Plus, robot lifeguards and humanoid races — the wildest videos of the week and what they mean. Then, Alex sits down with Jason Reminick, founder of Thalamus, the platform that helps match medical residents to hospitals (with 85% market share!). They talk about becoming a Public Benefit Corp and how Thalamus is tackling the doctor shortage in the U.S. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off the show(1:43) OpenAI's new models and issues with Wikipedia as AI knowledge bases (8:27) FTC antitrust case around Meta; breaking up big tech (11:13) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (13:04) Tapcheck's impact on employee retention and minimum wage variations (19:56) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www . northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(24:31) New company Revel's safety software (27:14) Humanoid robot marathon in Beijing (30:15) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠ https://brex.com/banking-solutions (35:46) New color discovery “Olo” (40:30) Blue Sky is Falling: Robots, delivery, surveillance, and privacy concerns(55:20) Alex sits down with Jason Reminick of Thalamus (56:01) Thalamus and the medical residency application process (59:42) AI in residency applications and standardizing medical school grades (1:03:30) Thalamus' market share and collaboration with medical associations (1:10:08) Impact of budget cuts on rural hospitals and business model expansion * 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 * Links from episode: Check out Thalamus: https://www.thalamusgme.com/ Check out the Robot Lifeguard: https://oceanalpha.com/product-item/dolphin1/ Check out TapCheck: https://www.tapcheck.com/ * Follow: Jason Reminick LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-reminick-md-mba-ms-bb251645/ Thalamus on X: https://x.com/ThalamusGME/status/1757812695787581485 * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:13) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (19:56) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www . northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (30:15) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠ https://brex.com/banking-solutions * 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

1
LMArena Goes Startup, AI App Wars Begin, Scott Bair’s Design Playbook | E2114 1:01:22

16 days ago1:01:22

1:01:22

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon discuss the rise of LMArena as it spins out into a full-fledged startup, what that means for AI benchmarking, and how it could monetize its growing community. They also dive into the emerging value of application-layer AI startups and why OpenAI’s acquisition spree is just beginning. Plus, branding expert Scott Bair drops tactical design tips for founders—from logos to product UX—that can give your startup the edge. Timestamps: (0:00) AI companies and value accrual in the AI rush(1:29) Productivity in remote work(5:12) Overview of LM Arena as a startup(7:22) Business models for AI and benchmarking(10:05) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.(14:16) Milestone-based investing and early-stage funding(16:34) OpenAI's acquisition moves and AI market dynamics(20:12) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (21:15) Intangible value and strategic acquisitions in AI(24:30) High valuations and consumer AI pricing models(26:00) The rise of drone startups and autonomous weapon systems(29:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(32:00) Venture interest in drones and geopolitical considerations(32:30) Branding, design, and founder questions(43:51) Brand mission and work environment culture(47:10) Savage my startup and live clinic(49:30) Logo design and color theory(56:29) Designing great websites and apps(59:29) Founder University website review(1:00:49) Closing remarks and social media plugs Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Check out: Lunour: https://www.lunour.com/ Founder Fridays: https://www.founderfridays.tech/ Founder University: https://www.founder.university/ Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (10:05) Fidelity Private Shares℠ - Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention our podcast and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription. (20:12) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openpjhone.com/twist (29:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe , Steve Huffman , Brian Chesky , Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie , Sophia Amoruso , Reid Hoffman , Frank Slootman , Billy McFarland Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916…

This Week in Startups

1
AI Progress and Impact on Ecosystem Players with CapitalG’s Jill Chase | AI Basics with Google Cloud 25:28

17 days ago25:28

25:28

In this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with CapitalG partner Jill Chase to break down how AI is reshaping the startup ecosystem — from founders to investors to incumbents. They cover how CapitalG (Alphabet’s independent growth fund) thinks about the AI stack, why speed alone isn’t enough for startups today, and how to build durable advantages in a world where anyone can copy your product. Jill shares insights from portfolio companies like Motif (next-gen CAD for architecture) and Abridge (AI-powered doctor’s scribe), plus how startups can use AI “in the business” (product) and “on the business” (ops, GTM, etc). They also explore the transition from copilots to agents — and what that means for the next wave of software. If you’re building or investing in AI, this is a must-watch. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off the show (1:10) CapitalG's investment strategy in AI (3:04) Understanding value in AI investments (5:16) Durability in AI startups and market challenges (10:18) Practical applications of AI in business (17:52) Case studies of successful AI startups (21:35) Building massive businesses with small teams (23:55) Evolution from AI copilots to autonomous agents * Uncover more valuable insights from AI leaders in Google Cloud's 'Future of AI: Perspectives for Startups' report. Discover what 23 AI industry leaders think about the future of AI—and how it impacts your business. Read their perspectives here: https://goo.gle/futureofai * Check out all of the Startup Basics episodes here: https://thisweekinstartups.com/basics Check out Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/ Check out CapitalG: https://www.capitalg.com/ * Follow Jill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-greenberg-chase-53747538/ X: https://x.com/jillchase124 * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * 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…

This Week in Startups

1
Cuts CEO Talks Tariffs, Figma's IPO Buzz, and a Nerd Crawler Update | E2113 1:06:53

18 days ago1:06:53

1:06:53

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon discuss Figma’s surprise IPO filing following its $1B breakup from Adobe, OpenAI’s quiet push into social networking through a Sora image-sharing feed, and how sweeping new China tariffs are wreaking havoc on ecommerce companies—impacting jobs, supply chains, and pricing. Plus: the Substack vs. Patreon battle heats up, Lyft expands internationally, and we talk to the founders of Nerd Crawler and Cuts Clothing about how policy decisions ripple through startup land. A packed show with insights founders can’t afford to miss. Timestamps: (0:00) Tariffs impact on ecommerce and CPG(2:22) Figma files to go public and Adobe's billion-dollar breakup fee(6:48) IPO market, competition, and Hammerspace's $100 million raise (9:34) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.(11:32) Patreon's new streaming feature and Substack's growth(19:08) Jason's experience with Patreon and Substack apps(19:33) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (25:58) OpenAI's new social network and Temu’s Google Shopping ads shutdown(29:24) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist (37:11) Nerdcrawler's business model and comic book industry economics(42:33) Marketplaces, scaling challenges, and tariff policy impact on startups(47:29) Steven Borrelli's viral tweet on tariffs and administration response(50:26) Effects of tariffs on costs, supply chain, and American manufacturing(57:56) Infrastructure, investment for US production, and potential layoffs(1:02:34) Closing remarks, endorsements, and quality of Cuts clothing(1:04:25) Addressing misconceptions about Asian manufacturing(1:05:00) OpenAI acquisition of Codium and market impact of tariff fears(1:05:52) Critique of tariff policy communication and domestic job creation discussion Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Check out: Nerd Crawler: https://nerdcrawler.com Cuts: https://www.cutsclothing.com/ Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (9:34) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (19:33) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (29:24) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe , Steve Huffman , Brian Chesky , Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie , Sophia Amoruso , Reid Hoffman , Frank Slootman , Billy McFarland Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916…

This Week in Startups

1
Vertical AI Innovations: Abacus LLM in Finance & Synthesia's Video Avatars | E2112 1:07:35

19 days ago1:07:35

1:07:35

Today’s show: Alex interviews founders from Abacus and Synthesia—two companies leading the charge in vertical AI. Abacus is deploying on-prem LLMs to banks and insurers with a focus on data control, accuracy, and integration with legacy infrastructure. Synthesia just hit $100M ARR by helping 70% of the Fortune 100 turn internal documents into scalable AI video. If you're interested in how generative AI is moving from hype to real enterprise utility, this one's for you. Timestamps: (0:00) Introduction to vertical AI with Abacus and Synthesia(1:57) Real-world applications of AI in regulated industries & Interview with Abacus founder David Moscatelli(5:02) Unique challenges for banks and credit unions using AI & Abacus OS private LLM(9:56) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(11:57) Abacus features, benefits, and customer acquisition strategies(12:27) Decentralized indexer, data integration, and voice AI technology with VAPI(19:58) Vapi - Go to vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.(24:47) On-premise setup, combating AI hallucinations, and trust in AI responses(30:08) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities.(33:40) Abacus company growth, fundraising, and sales hiring(38:25) Introduction to Synthesia CEO Victor Riparbelli, AI avatars, and building a startup in Europe(41:34) Synthesia’s market positioning, target use cases, and personalized avatars(46:33) Synthesia's training data, partnerships, and improvements in AI avatar technology(55:57) Synthesia’s growth, Fortune 100 companies usage, and financial aspects(1:00:21) AI model competition, market appetite, and enterprise focus(1:02:09) Future of AI in video creation, ethicalconsiderations, and Synthesia's plans Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Check out: Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/ Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/ Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (9:56) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. (19:58) Vapi - Go to vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life. (30:08) Hubspot for Startups - Visit hubspot.com/startups and join the founders who are turning growth challenges into opportunities. 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

1
HuggingFace Buys Pollen Robotics, DHH & Bezos Founder Advice & a JCal Origin Story | E2111 1:03:11

20 days ago1:03:11

1:03:11

Today’s show: In this episode, Jason, Alex, and Lon dive into Blue Origin’s all-female celeb spaceflight (yes, Katy Perry sang on reentry), Hugging Face’s unexpected move into robotics, and Jack Dorsey’s wild take that we should “delete all IP law.” Plus, they break down Figure AI’s eye-popping $39B valuation, the risks of SPVs, and what founders and investors can learn from the SPAC boom. As Jason puts it: “You just have to assume an 80% failure rate.” * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off the show! (1:34) Blue Origin all-female crew launch and space tourism (7:17) Emerging technologies and tech adoption trends (10:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www . northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (12:38) Hugging Face acquires Pollen Robotics; Open AI and robotics debate (19:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:42) Significance of Hugging Face in generative AI; Jack Dorsey's IP law stance (25:01) U.S. high-tech job market; revisiting IP law discussions (30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (31:03) IP law and American innovation(32:22) Challenges in startup exits and secondary trading platforms (37:09) Figure AI's valuation controversy (46:37) Startup insights and investing perspectives (50:39) Jeff Bezos on risk assessment (57:03) Jason’s personal journey and reflections (1:02:06) Developing a samurai mindset; societal systems abstraction * 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 Lon: X: https://x.com/lons * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (10:07) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www . northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! (19:42) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (30:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://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

1
Palantir's Fellowship, Coco Robots & Startup Office Hours | E2110 1:08:53

23 days ago1:08:53

1:08:53

Today’s show: We dive into the latest tech and startup news — including Palantir’s bold new fellowship program that challenges the traditional college path, and DoorDash’s rollout of burrito-delivering Coco robots in LA and Chicago. We debut our new segment “Tips from the Trenches,” focused on how to land your first customers, and wrap up with two great Office Hours: BRX.ai (self-healing AI agents) and InviteJet (calendar-based marketing). Plus, one founder’s wild story about a fake investor using an AI deepfake on Zoom. Don’t miss Jason’s tactical GTM advice and a reminder that if no one complains about your pricing, you’re probably too cheap. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off the show! (2:01) Palantir's new fellowship program and alternative education paths (9:12) Digg's Groundbreakers program and paid community model (10:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (13:21) DoorDash's partnership with Coco robotics for deliveries and the future of robotic deliveries (20:26) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (21:56) Tips from the Trenches “Your First Customers” (22:31) Strategies for acquiring first customers from Y Combinator founders (30:35) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist (32:00) Office Hours with Jake and Daniel from BRX about their product and growth strategy (41:05) Feedback on BRX's website clarity and branding strategies (46:45) Office Hours with Brian Watson from InviteJet (49:00) Challenges faced by InviteJet and dealing with fraudulent investors (56:43) InviteJet's churn rates, ideal customer profiles, and future plans (1:01:43) Discussing Invitejet's pricing strategies, customer loyalty, and marketing tactics * 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 * Links from the show: BRX AI: https://brx.ai/ InviteJet: https://www.invitejet.com/ * Follow BRX: X: https://x.com/BRXinc * Follow InviteJet:X: https://x.com/InviteJet * Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons * Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (20:26) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist (30:35) AdQuick - For TWiST listeners - AdQuick is waiving their fee on your first campaign. Visit https://www.adquick.com/twist * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe , Steve Huffman , Brian Chesky , Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie , Sophia Amoruso , Reid Hoffman , Frank Slootman , Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916…

This Week in Startups

1
70mph Drone Deliveries, 125% Tariffs & What $10M Exits Really Mean | E2109 1:07:14

25 days ago1:07:14

1:07:14

Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon talk about stories reshaping the startup world: 70mph drone deliveries are officially live in Dallas, with Zipline and Walmart promising groceries “as the crow flies” in under 5 minutes. Meanwhile, Trump slaps a 125% tariff on China and hints at a global economic shakeup — Jason warns founders to brace for layoffs and bankruptcies unless they’ve got a Plan B and C. Finally, a UK startup sells for $450M and VCs barely break even… but the founders walk with $20M. Jason explains how small exits create the most dangerous kind of founder: the one who never needs another check. Plus Office Hours with Orchestra CEO Sergie Poe. Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off the show!(1:37) Tariffs, market volatility, and startup implications(5:33) Startup resilience: Layoffs and bankruptcies(10:35) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions(12:10) Globalization and startup ecosystems(13:52) Recent startup deals and Zipline's expansion(19:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (21:16) Zipline drones and Marquese Brownlee’s review(24:31) 70MPH Drones and the future of ddeliveries(30:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(31:51) Founder FridaysPitch Madness matchups(33:35) LifeStack and Burble pitches and discussion(43:26) Arcana and Tactun pitches and discussion(50:12) Summer West Whiskey and MomSub pitches and evaluation(56:36) Orchestra's office hours: Challenges and strategies 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 Links from the show: Orchestra: https://orch.so/ Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Thank you to our partners: (10:35) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://www.brex.com/banking-solutions (19:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (30:05) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today! Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe , Steve Huffman , Brian Chesky , Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie , Sophia Amoruso , Reid Hoffman , Frank Slootman , Billy McFarland Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916…

This Week in Startups

1
Economic Chaos, More Pitch Madness & the Shopify AI Manifesto | E2108 1:27:07

27 days ago1:27:07