This Week in Startups - podcast cover

This Week in Startups

Jason Calacanisthisweekinstartups.com
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.

Episodes

The Incredible Double Interview: Superhuman and Robinhood | E2090

Today’s show: Jason interviews Rahul Vohra, CEO and founder of Superhuman, and Vlad Tenev, CEO and co-founder of Robinhood. This is a packed episode featuring founder tips, fun stories about how Superhuman and Robinhood got their start and much more! Timestamps: (0:00) Episode teaser(2:13) Product market fit and founder journeys(3:25) Jason's investment in Superhuman and market positioning(5:14) AI's role and features in Superhuman(10:25) Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of deve...

Feb 27, 20251 hr 39 minEp. 2090

Apple Drops $500B on AI while Google Gemini Eyes Your iOS Devices! | E2089

Today’s show: Jason and Lon break down the latest trends shaping AI training, the evolving job market, and the shifting landscape of social media. A tribute to Steve Jobs on what would have been his 70th birthday explores his lasting impact, Apple’s massive $500 billion AI investment, and the future of US manufacturing. The conversation dives into Outlier’s role in AI training data, its effects on journalism, and broader job market implications. Jason also shares insights on autonomous vehicles,...

Feb 25, 20251 hr 8 min

Castelion Hypersonic Missiles and Crunchbase’s AI Powered Predictions | E2088

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign. Today’s show: Jason interviews Bryon Hargis, CEO of Castelion, about the United State’s hypersonic technology gap with China, how we’re catching up and...

Feb 22, 202556 minEp. 2088

EV Truck Startup Nikola Runs Out of Juice | E2087

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. Today’s show: Jason and Lon Harris cover Nikola’s Chapter 11 and how founders can avoid the same m...

Feb 20, 20251 hr 7 minEp. 2087

Is $LIBRA the End of Memecoins? with Coffeezilla | E2086

In today's episode: Jason and Alex break down one of the craziest crypto stories yet—a $100M meme coin meltdown, insider trading, and Argentina’s president caught in the middle. Coffeezilla joins the show to explain how meme coins are rigged, why Dave Portnoy got a $5M refund while everyone else got wrecked, and what really went down with the Libra token. Plus, we debate if crypto can be fixed or if the grift is too far gone. Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.(2:17) Libra f...

Feb 19, 20251 hr 10 min

IPO Shakeups, NVIDIA’s Big Bets & Must-Know Founder Hacks | E2085

Today’s show: IPO shakeups, big AI moves, and essential founder hacks—this episode covers it all. Jason breaks down Robinhood’s 6X stock surge and his strategy for $HOOD, plus the latest on tech IPOs as Turo pulls out and SailPoint surges. We dive into AI’s open-source battle, with X.ai chasing a $10B raise and DeepSeek challenging Hugging Face. And for founders, Jason shares the startup golden rule you should break for success—plus, a brand-new startup idea he’s willing to fund right now. * Tim...

Feb 15, 20251 hr 20 min

Slow Ventures' Creators Fund and Helion Energy's Fusion Reactors | 2084

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist 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! LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover…TBD Timestamps: (0:00) Episode Teaser(1:16) Welcome Alex Wilhelm & Sam Le...

Feb 12, 20251 hr 5 minEp. 2084

Tech's Super Bowl, Huge Earnings Week, Lon Returns and more! | E2083

Today on This Week in Startups: Lon Harris is back, and we’re diving into all things Super Bowl—especially the tech takeover in this year’s commercials. We break down the biggest ad moments, from Squarespace to Uber Eats, Instacart, and even Harrison Ford’s Jeep spot. Plus, we dig into Google Trends after the ChatGPT ad, the unexpected appeal of The Banshees of Inisherin , and Matthew McConaughey’s latest move with Salesforce. That’s not all—France is making bold AI moves, OpenAI is getting into...

Feb 11, 20251 hr 5 min

Gas Stations in Space and Carried Interest on the Chopping Block | E2082

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign. Today’s show: Jason and Alex discuss the carried interest tax loophole being in Trump’s crosshairs, a great int...

Feb 08, 20251 hr 3 minEp. 2082

Is Palantir's Surge Just Hype | E2081

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠ https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up. Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Palantir’s surge (is it all hype?), Temo and Shein and the de ...

Feb 06, 202558 minEp. 2081

Lovable's Anton Osika on Revolutionizing Software Development and OpenAI Drops Deep Research | E2080

OpenAI dropped Deep Research —hilariously, the exact same name as Google’s existing tool. Jason and Alex dive into the AI arms race, break down Lovable.dev’s insane growth to $10M ARR in weeks, and test whether AI can really replace software engineers. Plus, they analyze Trump’s latest tariff chaos and what it means for startups, global trade, and the economy. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (1:09) Jason’s talk and case study at Stanford (2:38) Managing the chaotic news cy...

Feb 04, 20251 hr 7 min

Is OpenAI Really Worth $300B? ElevenLabs’ Series C & YC’s Funding Focus | E2079

Today’s show: The AI revolution is about to hit your household—Jason and Alex break down how general-purpose robots, AI-powered chicken coops, and voice clones are redefining daily life and work. They dig into OpenAI’s sky-high valuation, the surprising rise of DeepSeek’s R1 model, and why the AI cost curve is dropping at an insane pace. Plus, the latest on AI hardware, antitrust battles, and why the “No Buy 2025” trend could change how we think about consumer tech. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason an...

Feb 01, 20251 hr 13 min

Boom Supersonic's Milestones, OpenAI Ethics, and Startup Tools | E2078

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist ⁠ today. Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Jason’s unique sauna experience, leading them to discuss the value of niche communities and supporting sm...

Jan 29, 20251 hr 3 min

DeepSeek Rattles Markets + SailPoint's Going Public… again? | E2077

Today’s show: A $6M open-source AI model from China, DeepSeek, sends shockwaves through Wall Street, wiping billions off NVIDIA’s market cap and forcing a rethink on AI infrastructure spending. We explore the 25% surge in startup shutdowns, the lessons from leaner teams, and why some companies just couldn’t make the runway. Plus, SailPoint returns to the public markets saddled with $1.6B in debt—what does this say about private equity’s “buy, fix, and flip” strategy? Don’t miss this deep dive in...

Jan 27, 20251 hr

Twilio Bets Small, DeepSeek Scares & the GameOn Fraud | E2076

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up. Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Twilio’s team size compression, DeepSeek’s scary good AI for only $6M and the GameOn f...

Jan 24, 202558 min

Created By Humans | Sila’s Battery Evolution | E2075

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist Atlassian. Head to Atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. Today’s show: Alex covers The Stargate Project, other hot news items, and two great interv...

Jan 23, 202559 min

Trump, Memecoins, and What to Expect from the New Administration | E2074

Today’s show: Jason and Alex explore America's fascination with billionaires and self-made figures, touching on recent events in Washington, DC, and the tech industry's political influence. They discuss Gen X's rising political power, tech CEOs' prominence at inaugurations, and critique Democrats' tech policies. The conversation covers economic factors in elections, like inflation and abortion rights, COVID's origins, immigration policy, and foreign policy. AI regulation ...

Jan 21, 20251 hr 12 min

TikTok Ban, Data Centers in Space… and What's a Vector? | E2073

Today’s show: Alex sits down with two CEOs from companies freshly added to the TWIST500. We get a masterclass from Bob van Luijt of Weaviate, on vector databases helping AI and LLMs do what they do. An then Philip Johnston from Lumen Orbit explains his vision of building data centers in space! * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show. (0:58) Supreme Court ruling on TikTok and key market numbers (3:49) Interview introduction with Weaviate and Lumen Orbit CEOs (4:06) Deep dive into vector data...

Jan 17, 20251 hr 3 min

What’s Going On With Google Gemini Deep Research? | E2072

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. Coda. TWiST listeners get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST Today’s show: Jason and Alex interview Aarush Selvan, lead PM at Google Gemini D...

Jan 16, 20251 hr 8 minEp. 2072

Profound, Resistant AI & OpenAI’s Economic Pitch | E2071

Today’s show: Alex covers Mark Zuckerberg’s Joe Rogan interview, OpenAI’s economic pitch and the pending IPO of India’s Groww. Our guests include two companies freshly added to the TWIST500: James Cadwallader from Profound and Martin Rehak from Resistant AI. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show! (2:51) A look at key moments from this week’s Mark Zuckerberg interview on Rogan. (8:08) James Cadwallader, Co-Founder and CEO of Profound join Alex. (10:05) Northwest Registered Agent. For just ...

Jan 14, 20251 hr 7 min

The LA Fire's Cost and the U.S. Jobs Report | E2070

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠ https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist t today. Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/Startups/TWiST to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Today’s show: Jason and Alex cove...

Jan 10, 202556 min

Meta's Moderation and Nvidia's Domination | E2069

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist *Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025 Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST Today’s show: Jason and Alex discuss Meta’s modera...

Jan 08, 20251 hr 8 minEp. 2069

Twist News: Fusion, Rural Investment, and Applied AI | E2068

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST PrizePicks - Run your game. Lemon.io . TWiST listeners get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Vanta. TWiST listeners automate your SOC2 and get $1,000 off at http://www.vanta.com/twist Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Sam Altman’s fusion pro...

Jan 06, 20251 hr 9 min

Venture Concentration, High-Skill Immigration, And Who Should Buy Lyft? | E2067

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Paddle. Wherever you want to take your business, go there with Paddle. Go to paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod. me/TWIST . LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit: http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Todays show: Jason and Alex discuss the over saturation of venture capital, how to fix the high-s...

Jan 04, 20251 hr 8 min

2024 TWISTY Awards | E2066

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain: https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST OpenPhone. TWiST listeners can get 20% off your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist Notion: TWiST listeners can try it for free at https://notion.com/twist Todays show: The 2024 TWISTY Awards are here! Jason and Alex look back at the year and dole out awards for Best CEO, Bag Securer of the Year, and more;...

Dec 31, 202453 min

Palantir’s Valuation, VC’s Go To Washington and Much More | E2065

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠ DevSquad. TWIST listeners can get 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist Ramp. TWiST listeners, get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist Todays show: Jason & Alex discuss Palantir’s valuation, possible opt-in empire building for the United States and the incoming presidents appointments pulling from tech and VC. (0...

Dec 24, 20241 hr 16 minEp. 2065

Codeium’s Vision for AI-Driven Development with Varun Mohan | E2064

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups PrizePicks - Run your game. THE BEST place to get real money action while watching your favorite sports! Down...

Dec 20, 202459 minEp. 2064

Databricks' Record Raise, TikTok goes to the Supreme Court, and all about the Grammarly-Coda Deal | E2063

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Coda. Coda empowers your startup by bringing words, tables, and teams together. Strategize, plan, and track goals effectively with all your valuable data in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get started for FREE and get 6 free months of the Team plan. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Gusto. Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern ...

Dec 19, 20241 hr 10 minEp. 2063

Sora Disappoints, ChatGPT Pro Tested, Inference Time Reasoning & More with Sunny Madra | E2062

Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Sunny kick off the show (1:26) Discussing Groq's recent developments and Middle East tech inspiration (3:51) Global business challenges and Jason's 2025 announcements (7:53) Gemini app demo and ChatGPT 4 comparison (9:57) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:24) Evaluating ChatGPT 4.0 Pro limitations and robo-taxi fleet costs (12:46) Differences between ChatGPT models and future improvements (19:57) OpenPhone - Get...

Dec 18, 20241 hr 2 min

Silicon Valley Clones and Jersey Drones: Decoding the Signals with Nicole Wischoff | E2061

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Ramp. The corporate card and spend management software designed to help you save time and money. Get $250 when you join Ramp today at https://www.ramp.com/twist . 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 Digital Ocean. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or seeing your project take off, Digita...

Dec 17, 20241 hr 2 min
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