This Week in Startups

Sequoia & Union Square Returns, the Post-AI Labor Market, and the Return of SF? | E1907

Mar 1, 2024

Erik Torenberg, co-founder of On Deck, and Guy Perelmuter, founder of Grids Capital, join the discussion. They dive into the latest venture capital returns from Sequoia and Union Square, analyzing how these shifts impact the startup landscape. The duo also addresses the effects of AI on employment and the emergence of lean, one-person unicorns. Lastly, they highlight the return of founders to San Francisco, emphasizing community and innovation as driving forces in the evolving tech hub.

56:16

Creator website

Episode guests

Guy Perelmuter

Erik Torenberg

AI Summary

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

VC returns revealed from Sequoia & Union Square Ventures

Challenges for startup employment market due to AI impact

Emergence of first one-person unicorn in the startup ecosystem

Deep dives

1. Innovative Engineering Communication Tool: JAM

JAM revolutionizes engineering communication similar to Figma in design, enabling non-engineers to effectively communicate with engineering teams, enhancing bug resolutions and product development processes. Its sticky growth and series funding showcase promising prospects for simplifying engineering collaboration.

Maintaining Discipline and Accountability in Investment Strategies

03:20

Advantages of the US Ecosystem for Ventures

03:33

The Market Creates Demand for Inexpensive Resources

01:48

Adapting to Changing Labor Markets and Opportunities

01:27

Intro

3min

The Evolution and Strategies of Venture Capital

9min

Simplifying Business Communication and Investment Strategies

3min

Evolving Strategies in Fund and Workforce Management

11min

The AI Revolution in Business and Future Job Markets

3min

Navigating Small Business Potential in a Changing Landscape

7min

Evolving Startup Dynamics: Crypto Efficiency and New Opportunities

3min

The Return to San Francisco: Reviving the Tech Hub

18min

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Todays show:

David Weisburd hosts Erik, Guy, and Jason Calacanis to discuss Sequoia & Union Square Ventures' returns (1:15), AI's impact on startups and labor (17:35), US startups' risk tolerance (38:10), and much more!

Timestamps:

(0:00) David Weisburd intros Erik Torenberg, Guy Perelmuter, and Jason Calacanis

(1:15) VC returns have been leaked, including returns from Sequoia Capital and Union Square Ventures

(11:33) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist

(17:35) Bearish signs for the startup employment market

(25:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist

(26:12) The emergence of the first one-person unicorn

(36:46) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist

(38:10) Founders & investors are now returning to San Francisco

(47:35) Rapid-fire segment on recent investments

Mentioned on the show:

https://www.wsj.com/tech/san-francisco-ai-boom-silicon-valley-307816b2