Spycraft in SaaS, Rabbit’s Comeback, and Startup Pitch Madness | E2106

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Apr 3, 2025

Jesse Lyu, CEO of Rabbit and expert in AI app development, shares insights on their groundbreaking AI agent that creates complete applications from just a single prompt. The conversation dives into the corporate espionage scandal between Rippling and Deel, unveiling the ethical dilemmas within Silicon Valley. Lyu also discusses the challenges of estate management technology for luxury properties, highlighting how they blend tech with human expertise. Plus, the fierce pitch battles of Founder Friday add a competitive twist to the startup landscape!

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ANECDOTE

Rippling vs. Deel Espionage

A Rippling employee spied for Deel, leaking product roadmaps and sales leads for €5,000/month.
The spy confessed in an Irish court, revealing the espionage scheme.

ADVICE

Job Opportunity

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INSIGHT

Corporate Espionage Consequences

Corporate espionage is a serious crime with severe consequences, including job loss and jail time.
This incident highlights a rule-breaking culture in Silicon Valley, especially at Y Combinator.

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Today’s show: Jason and Alex go deep into the shocking new details about the Rippling vs. Deel corporate espionage scandal—where a self-admitted spy fed confidential product roadmaps and sales data to a rival CEO for €5K/month. Plus, they interview Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu about their bold comeback with their new “Intern” AI agent that builds entire apps from a single prompt - Jason calls it a breakthrough. And we kick off Pitch Madness with fierce Founder Friday pitch battles featuring AI podcast tools and women’s sports communities. Spy drama, next-gen tech, and raw founder energy—don’t miss it.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Teaser: Rippling vs. Deel Espionage Case(1:46) Podcast updates and listener engagement(2:31) Job openings at Launch and This Week in Startups(4:19) Rippling and Deel lawsuit details and espionage activities(9:58) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.(11:31) Stolen information and the aftermath of the espionage case(16:21) Corporate espionage vs. corporate intelligence debate(19:38) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(23:07) Board independence, whistleblower protections, and CEO behavior(25:10) Y Combinator's culture of rule bending(28:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(30:02) Jesse Lu's YC experience and launch of Rabbit(34:48) Navigating the hype cycle as a founder and RabbitOS demo(45:02) Estate management and technology with Rabbit(48:39) Conclusion of interview with Jesse Lu(48:51) Launching Founder Friday pitch offs(50:43) Pitch: Snipd - AI-powered podcast app(53:29) Pitch: MedSimple - Medical education platform(57:10) Pitch: Trova - Workplace connection platform(58:45) Pitch: Osprey - Community for women in sports and entertainment(1:05:30) Analysis and decision: MedSimple vs Snipped and Osprey vs Trova(1:09:23) Discussion on Osprey's business model(1:10:33) Tips for improving pitch presentations(1:11:02) Announcement of Twist 500 competition(1:11:46) Closing remarks and social media call to action

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Links from the show:

Rabbit website: https://www.rabbit.tech/?srsltid=AfmBOorumixyS_kXbNPL2tDqLBsI08B4Hs3xUSZkOLS2nlKsatop5VG2

Follow Jesse:X: https://x.com/jessechenglyu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesselyu/

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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) Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.

(19:38) Atlassian - Head to https://www.atlassian.com/startups/twist to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.

(28:41) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

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