Implications for theatrical cinema

This Week In Startups is made possible by:

Sentry - http://sentry.io/twist

LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Pipedrive - pipedrive.com/twist

Today’s show:

Netflix wants to gobble up Warner Bros. Do they just want to own Batman and Harry Potter, or is this secretly about destroying movie theaters?

Sure, this is usually a startup show, but news THIS BIG warrants attention! So Lon stops by to tell Jason and Alex about the big Netflix acquisition news, why so many theatrical movie fans are terrified for the future, and why this might face particular regulatory scrutiny both at home and abroad.

PLUS… are Googlers gaming Polymarket? This is one scenario in which prediction markets are NOT exactly like stocks.

THEN we’re looking at some of our favorite startups from the Fall ‘25 Y Combinator cohort (and asking Producer Claude for his picks)… Considering why Perplexity keeps getting sued and how they can stop it… and doing a victory lap for Jason’s early investment in breakout AI training project Micro1.

Timestamps:

(02:05) Netflix buying Warner Bros! Jason, Lon and Alex react.

(05:04) Jaytrade Update: J kind of missed the boat on this one

(05:36) What does this mean for theatrical cinema?

(08:42) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST

(09:52) Jason’s pitch to Disney CEO Bob Iger (please send this to him!)

(19:36) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.

(23:29) Is this deal going to get approval, at home and abroad?

(25:52) Are Googlers gaming Polymarket?

(28:02) Can you do “insider trading” on a prediction market?

(29:23) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist

(37:00) How accelerators like Y Combinator serve as “finishing schools” for startups

(37:52) A Quick Look at some of our fav companies from YC’s Fall ’25 cohort

(39:01) Why startups need to “skate to where the puck is going”

(40:08) Why sometimes old ideas (like solar-powered aircraft) are often worth revisiting

(45:29) Jason’s advice for founders (and investors) in the “feel good” or activist space

(50:48) Why Lon, Alex, and Claude ALL thought Hyperspell sounds like a hot startup

(52:58) Perplexity getting sued again! Why can’t they make friends!

(57:51) Meanwhile, Meta’s signing AI deals with news publications.

(59:21) Micro1, which Jason helped to fund, has hit $100M ARR! Why do AI companies need so many experts?

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:

(8:42) Sentry - New users get 3 months free of the Business plan (covers 150k errors). Go to http://sentry.io/twist and use code TWIST

(19:36) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.

(29:23) Pipedrive - Bring your entire sales process into one elegant space. Get started with a 30 day free trial at pipedrive.com/twist