This Week in Startups

Alex Shieh, founder of The Anti-Fraud Company, shares insights on using AI and investigative techniques to recover government fraud under the False Claims Act. He discusses the potential to recover up to 30% of fraud dollars and the massive scale of the fraud opportunity in the U.S. Meanwhile, Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, reflects on reviving commercial supersonic travel, comparing modern technology to the Concorde's shortcomings. Both guests emphasize innovative approaches and the pressing importance of their respective missions.

In a vibrant discussion, Sho Takei, co-founder of Hyre and former recruiting head at Uber, reveals the intricacies of hiring in Japan. He shares firsthand insights on the cultural differences in recruitment, the importance of cash over stock options, and challenges faced by US startups in Japan. Sho also dives into how AI is transforming hiring workflows while emphasizing the irreplaceable human touch. Lastly, he offers practical tips for founders on hiring their first employees and attracting top talent, especially in a competitive market.

Tech giants Discord and Strava are setting the stage for billion-dollar IPOs, focusing on community engagement and data monetization as key strategies. CES highlights include innovative self-driving cars, multi-fold phones, and intelligent home robots, sparking curiosity about future tech possibilities. The team discusses the implications of high valuations in AI startups like Anthropic and meta-trends in public markets. From health tech to flexible interfaces, the future of consumer tech is looking exciting and full of potential!

Steven Johnson, an editorial director at NotebookLM and bestselling author, joins Grant Lee, CEO of Gamma, to explore how AI enhances creativity rather than stifles it. They discuss using AI to streamline workflows, allowing more focus on insightful work. Johnson shares how AI aids in uncovering customer insights through large language models, while Lee emphasizes modernizing presentations and eliminating tedious formatting. Together, they argue that AI amplifies brainstorming and can unlock new ideas in product development and storytelling.

The podcast delves into Nvidia's stunning $20 billion acquisition of Groq and its ripple effects in the tech landscape. Tensions at META arise as AI pioneer Yann LeCun departs, criticizing the inexperience of his successor. A new social media app, Tangle, aims to reshape online interactions, championed by Twitter and Pinterest co-founders. Jason also explores the impact of GLP-1 drugs on restaurant economics and the rise of peptide-based biohacking businesses. Predictions for 2026 IPOs and insights into the evolution of investigative journalism add more intrigue.

The hosts celebrate the year's highlights with the TWISTY Awards. Jason shares memorable tales, including his doxxing saga and tips for flying privately. Discussions include the rise of AI, M&A trends, and humanoid robots. Notable guests like Doug Leone and Coffeezilla are featured, alongside Jason's trademark rants on contemporary issues. Lighter moments include Alex's dad jokes and a hilarious Trump impression. The year wraps up with iconic clips and sharp critiques, ensuring laughter and reflection as they bid farewell to 2025.

Zach Kidd, founder of Ask Humans, introduces an innovative AI platform designed to capture and analyze open-ended feedback for organizations. He discusses the impressive use cases at private clubs and city agencies. The conversation delves into the importance of user preferences for feedback modalities, including audio and AI follow-ups. Jason also shares his thoughts on avoiding private jet purchases in favor of investing in startups. They explore the future of vertical SaaS amid evolving AI technologies, emphasizing product-market fit.

A power outage in San Francisco caused Waymo robotaxis to gridlock the streets, prompting a lively discussion on their future coordination potential. Exciting predictions emerged about a day when self-driving cars could surpass ballet dancers in elegance. With self-driving tech expanding to London and Coinbase's ambitious acquisitions, the hosts speculated on a potential Google-Uber merger. The conversation also touched on decreasing ride costs and a competitive landscape in the robo-taxi market, as well as insights into Tesla's innovative approach to autonomous vehicles.

Sam Parr, founder of The Hustle and co-host of My First Million, shares his insights on mastering copywriting. He emphasizes timeless techniques from advertising greats and explains why long-form content captivates readers. Sam reveals how to effectively use AIDA for compelling marketing and discusses the balance between AI assistance and human creativity in writing. He advocates for narrative-driven content that resonates emotionally. Finally, Parr highlights the importance of practicing copywork and engaging storytelling for founders.

Wade Foster, Co-founder of Zapier, discusses how to leverage workflow data and remote hiring for an AI era. Ali Ansari, founder of MicroOne, highlights the importance of proprietary data for training models and how to streamline the hiring process. Mikey Schulman from Suno shares insights on using AI in music creation, fostering industry partnerships, and discovering new talent. All three emphasize a proactive job-seeking mentality: show you can do the work instead of waiting to be hired!