This Week in Startups

Robot Lifeguards, TapCheck’s Payday Play & Thalamus’s Wild Market Share | E2115

Apr 21, 2025

Join Jason Reminick, Co-founder and CEO of Thalamus, as he dives into a compelling discussion about his platform that expertly matches medical residents with hospitals, boasting an impressive 85% market share. Discover how Thalamus is addressing the U.S. doctor shortage while navigating the complexities of becoming a Public Benefit Corp. The conversation also touches on the challenges of OpenAI's new models, the impact of fintech innovations like TapCheck, and intriguing technology such as robot lifeguards and humanoid races. This is a must-listen for tech and healthcare enthusiasts alike!

01:16:58

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Jason Reminick

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Quick takeaways

The development of advanced flotation devices, operated remotely, enhances water rescue safety by minimizing risks to both rescuers and victims.

OpenAI's latest AI models experience high hallucination rates, raising concerns about reliability and accuracy in AI-generated information.

TapCheck's fintech innovation offering early wage access helps alleviate financial strain for employees, thus improving job satisfaction and retention rates.

Deep dives

Innovative Emergency Rescue Technology

New technology in emergency rescue aims to enhance safety for both rescuers and victims. The development of advanced flotation devices with motors allows for faster responses to individuals in distress in water. These devices are designed to eliminate the risks associated with traditional rescue techniques, where rescuers can be endangered by panicking victims. By utilizing remote control technology, these devices can autonomously detect when someone has fallen into the water and swiftly navigate to their location.

Intro

2min

The Hallucination Dilemma: OpenAI's New Models Under Scrutiny

4min

Navigating the Uncertainty of AI Progress

2min

Exploring AI Models, Facebook's Internal Strategy, and Fintech Innovations

6min

Revolutionizing Wage Access with TapCheck

6min

Navigating Compliance and Innovative Startups in Health Tech

6min

Human Runners vs. Humanoid Robots: A Race of Innovation

2min

Advancements in Humanoid Robotics and Startup Financial Strategies

4min

Innovations and Implications: Technology in Society

23min

10.

Revolutionizing Residency Applications

21min

Today’s show: Jason and Lon break down the biggest stories in tech and startups this week: OpenAI’s new models are powerful but glitchy, Meta’s internal docs hint that Zuck knows the Facebook friends graph is toast, and fintech startup TapCheck might actually be doing some good. Plus, robot lifeguards and humanoid races — the wildest videos of the week and what they mean. Then, Alex sits down with Jason Reminick, founder of Thalamus, the platform that helps match medical residents to hospitals (with 85% market share!). They talk about becoming a Public Benefit Corp and how Thalamus is tackling the doctor shortage in the U.S.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show(1:43) OpenAI's new models and issues with Wikipedia as AI knowledge bases

(8:27) FTC antitrust case around Meta; breaking up big tech

(11:13) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST

(13:04) Tapcheck's impact on employee retention and minimum wage variations

(19:56) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(24:31) New company Revel's safety software

(27:14) Humanoid robot marathon in Beijing

(30:15) Brex. Get the business account trusted by 1 in 3 US startups at ⁠https://brex.com/banking-solutions

(35:46) New color discovery “Olo”

(40:30) Blue Sky is Falling: Robots, delivery, surveillance, and privacy concerns(55:20) Alex sits down with Jason Reminick of Thalamus

(56:01) Thalamus and the medical residency application process

(59:42) AI in residency applications and standardizing medical school grades

(1:03:30) Thalamus' market share and collaboration with medical associations

(1:10:08) Impact of budget cuts on rural hospitals and business model expansion

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