AI on the blockchain, Waymo's rise, and the truth about tech layoffs | E1996
This Week in Startups
Controversies in Fintech and E-commerce
This chapter explores the tumultuous landscape of fintech and e-commerce, centering on Bolt's questionable valuation and funding amidst its troubled history. The discussion also highlights the sustainability concerns of emerging online shopping solutions and the implications of startup financing practices on long-term viability.
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Todays show:
Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss AI on the blockchain (41:04), Waymo’s growth (29:27), tech layoffs (58:47), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show
(2:24) Bolt's fundraising controversy and business model
(8:24) CEO loans and board conflicts at Bolt
(11:25) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist
(12:46) Public vs. private equity borrowing and media integrity
(21:18) Technology media industry reflections
(28:32) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech
(29:27) Waymo's growth and autonomous vehicle market
(39:49) CommandBar - Visit https://commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.
(41:04) Story raises $80M for blockchain-based IP network
(46:23) Stablecoins and SEC investigations
(58:47) The truth behind tech layoffs
(1:07:26) Audience questions
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Mentioned on the show:
https://x.com/pitdesi/status/1826262321045610846
https://www.pymnts.com/personnel/2023/one-click-checkout-startup-bolt-laying-off-10-of-workforce
https://waymo.com/blog/2024/06/waymo-one-is-now-open-to-everyone-in-san-francisco
https://x.com/TechTekedra/status/1825910695311114384
https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/23/alphabet-to-invest-another-5b-into-waymo
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/18/cars/china-baidu-apollo-go-robotaxi-anxiety-intl-hnk
https://openai.com/index/gpt-4o-fine-tuning
https://openai.com/index/conde-nast
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/858877/000119312524200636/d878533d8k.htm
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Follow Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
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Follow Jason:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(11:25) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist
(28:32) .Tech Domains - Apply for the Jam Session with JCal contest today at https://jamwithjcal.tech
(39:49) CommandBar - Visit https://commandbar.com/twist to get a custom live demo.
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
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