11x in Trouble and China's AI Acceleration | E2103
This Week in Startups
Navigating Legal Troubles and Regulatory Uncertainty
This chapter delves into the financial strain of legal proceedings and the impact of regulatory pressures on startups. Through humorous anecdotes, it highlights the frustrations with legal fees and the call for greater transparency from the SEC during investigations.
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Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon dig into the controversy around 11x, the Andreessen-backed startup accused of misrepresenting revenue and using fake logos, and what that says about early-stage accountability. Then we break down China’s dual-front blitz in AI and EVs: DeepSeek’s open-source model rivals GPT-4, and Xiaomi’s $30K SU7 is a straight-up Porsche clone shaking the EV market. Finally, we unpack the “4-persona framework” that helped Wiz rocket to $100M+ ARR faster than anyone — a must-know concept for any founder looking to build, sell, and scale like a beast.
Timestamps:
(0:00) Episode Teaser
(1:27) Introduction of co-hosts Lon Harris and Alex Wilhelm
(3:23) New set design and color analysis(5:43) Announcement of "Twist OT" and potential Patreon model(
8:09) Gamestop's Bitcoin strategy and Michael Saylor's influence
(10:15) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twist
(14:26) MSTR and their shift to Bitcoin
(17:01) Michael Saylor’s conflict of interest
(20:40) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
(23:09) Investment strategies for company treasuries(25:10) Allegations against Eleven x startup
(30:35) Brex - the financial stack founders can bank on. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at brex.com/banking-solutions.
(32:56) The importance of transparency and accountability in startups
(42:31) Chinese advancements in AI technology and ChatGPT features
(55:09) Insight from Israeli VC Gili Raanan on successful startups
(1:04:26) Founder Friday March Pitch Madness bracket competition
(1:10:26) How to start a Founder Friday chapter and community
(1:11:21) Bracket competition and Launch Accelerator's 34th cohort
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