This Week in Startups

Tosin Anya-Larunda, CEO and co-founder of Moniepoint, discusses the impressive $110 million Series C funding that propelled his fintech unicorn in Africa. He shares insights about Moniepoint's transformation from software provider to a leading financial services competitor. The conversation highlights the balance between rapid growth and profitability, digitalization's role in scaling, and the unique challenges faced by African fintech startups in attracting investment. Tosin’s passion for empowering small businesses through innovative solutions shines throughout.

Linda Gray, founder of Mastertech.ai, shares her journey from tech leadership at Microsoft to transforming auto repair with AI. She discusses how innovative technologies simplify vital repair processes and boost technician efficiency. Lior Gavish, CTO of Monte Carlo, highlights the critical nature of data observability, tackling the challenges of data downtime. Together, they explore the interplay between AI advancements and reliable data systems, revealing how these developments can revolutionize both the auto industry and data management.

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Digital Ocean. Whether you’re just getting started with AI, or seeing your project take off, DigitalOcean is the cloud platform that lets you focus on what matters: building killer apps. Right now get up to $100k in free credits at https://do.co/twist Terms and conditions apply. Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. Kalshi. Kalshi the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100. * Todays show: Sonos director Mattias Scheek joins Jason & Alex to discuss his journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition. Then, Jason and Alex dive into election security (34:57), influencer marketing, Google’s upcoming AI release (1:10:42), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show (3:18) Earnings week predictions & discussion on national debt (9:17) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (10:24) Mattias Scheek from Sonos joins the show (11:23) Mattias Scheek's journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition (17:49) Challenges for hardware startups in venture capital (20:25) Getting acquired: The process, strategy, and life after (22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (23:11) Sonos' hi-fi strategy and industry issues in audio clarity (33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. (34:57) Voting irregularities, election security, and influencer marketing (45:14) Trump Rogan YouTube search issues and search engine comparison (53:06) Monetization experiments on YouTube and Launch Cloud Kitchens Incubator (1:10:42) Google's upcoming AI model for PC browsers and cybersecurity risks (1:15:52) Apple's app permissions approach and AI * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Check out the Launch CloudKitchens Incubator: https://ck.launch.co * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Mentioned on the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnUry6mCxs * Follow Mattias: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattias-scheek-539a0349/ * Follow Alex: 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: (9:17) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions. (22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today. (33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. * Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

In an engaging discussion with Shensi Ding, the Co-founder of Merge, listeners discover her intriguing leap from finance to tech. She emphasizes the vital role of integrations in modern business and shares the challenges of building and maintaining them. Shensi highlights the need for standardized data models and strategic partnerships, along with ways to enhance integration observability. The conversation wraps up with insights into Merge's expansion into AI applications and the importance of financial efficiency in fostering growth.

Ramsey Shaffer, CEO of Uptrends AI, discusses how AI helps financial advisors monitor market news effectively. Ana Malhotra introduces Roam, a unique yard-sharing service for dog owners, addressing supply challenges. Tyce Herrman shares insights on Ullama, a software that ensures architects' 3D models meet code compliance. Ulan Abdurazakov reveals CorePod, an AI-driven sleep aid designed to improve sleep quality through personalized interactions. Each guest shares their innovative solutions and the entrepreneurial hurdles they face in their respective fields.

Andrew Lissimore, founder of Headphones.com, shares his journey from tech to high-end audio, emphasizing the power of a premium domain and YouTube for customer acquisition. The Prandtl Dynamics team from the University of Toronto reveals their innovative anti-drone technology that uses sound waves to tackle aerial threats. They discuss the evolution of their project and funding challenges. The conversation also highlights TollBit's Series A funding and their strategies for growth in a competitive marketplace.

Join Hans von Spakovsky, an election integrity expert from the Heritage Foundation, as he discusses the pressing issues surrounding election security and fraud in the U.S., especially leading up to the 2024 elections. He explores the implications of documented fraud cases and calls for better technological solutions for secure voting. Meanwhile, Rafat Ali, CEO of Skift, dives into the travel industry's developments and discusses potential shifts like Uber’s interest in integrating with major travel services, revealing the dynamics of this competitive market.

John LePore, Co-founder of Black Box Infinite and VFX veteran from Marvel films, joins the conversation on cutting-edge tech. He discusses the immersive F1 app development for Apple Vision Pro, exploring how it can redefine the viewing experience. The talk also dives into the future of self-driving tech, analyzing Tesla's advancements and safety features. Additionally, they explore how fiction influences real-world tech and Stripe's acquisition of Bridge, which could revolutionize stablecoin adoption in e-commerce.

Sarika Garg, CEO of Cacheflow, dives into her journey in B2B software, tackling the complexities of SaaS sales. She discusses the critical need for product-market fit and shares insights on Cacheflow's acquisition by HubSpot. Sarika explains the importance of strategic partnerships and shares lessons learned from navigating startup growth. The conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of remote work and its impact on startups, alongside valuable advice for founders preparing for acquisitions.

Scott Orn, COO of Kruze Consulting, offers invaluable financial wisdom tailored for startups. He discusses the essential strategies for managing cash flow, warning against the perils of over-fundraising. Orn digs into the importance of accrual accounting for transparency with investors and highlights the need for effective financial planning. He also shares insights on maintaining credibility with VCs through consistent communication and the development of robust financial models. A treasure trove for any founder looking to navigate the startup financial landscape!