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This Week in Startups

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Aug 23, 2023 • 49min

Next Unicorns: Empowering robots to think for themselves via AI with Covariant’s Peter Chen | E1796

AI expert and co-founder of Covariant, Peter Chen, discusses the future of AI in robotics, key concepts of reinforcement learning, approaches to accessing data for AI in robotics, adaptability, and the potential of human-like robots for industrial applications.
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Aug 22, 2023 • 59min

Is Nvidia overpriced? Plus, price targets, GodMode demo, and more! | E1795

Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Nvidia's value and upcoming earnings. They demo an AI dubbing product, reconstruct a Pink Floyd song from brain recordings, and showcase an AI-powered finance app. They also explore topics like automated data science, real estate investing, book piracy, and AI models.
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Aug 18, 2023 • 1h 15min

Inflection AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman on building modern AI, DeepMind origins, and much more | E1794

Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Inflection AI, discusses DeepMind's influence on AI, the hardware revolution, and the foundation of Inflection AI. They explore DeepMind's origins, their first project, and major achievements at Google. The podcast also covers the evolution of Google's search, understanding consumer intent, and the trade-offs in AI model performance.
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Aug 16, 2023 • 1h 31min

Next Unicorns: Manufacturing pharma drugs in space with Varda’s Delian Asparouhov | E1793

Delian Asparouhov, president and co-founder of Varda, joins Jason to discuss different aspects of venture capital, the shift in Silicon Valley culture, and the inception of Varda. They also explore the potential of manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs in space, the advantages of augmented reality in commercial fields, and the use of virtual reality in the construction industry.
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Aug 15, 2023 • 1h 7min

The “AI wrapper” debate, AI-powered lead gen, auto-clips, resumes, and more with Sunny Madra | E1792

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST. Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist. Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout! * Today’s show: First up, Sunny Madra is back to discuss the “AI wrapper” stigma, the first official demo-to-investment, and demo more useful AI products! (2:41) Then, Tonebase CEO Igor Lichtmann joins to demo his product, break down how he achieved product-market fit while maintaining capital efficiency, and more! (42:47) * Time stamps: (0:00) Sunny Madra is back for more AI demos! (2:41) The “AI wrapper" debate; VenturusAI is joining the LAUNCH Accelerator as the first full-circle demo-to-investment (10:09) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (11:23) Klap.app turns YouTube links into multiple TikTok-style videos with captions and ranks them on "Virality Score" (19:08) Kickresume uses generative AI tools to help users build a fully-fleshed out resumes and prepare for job interviews (25:15) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (26:34) Browse AI helps users build AI-powered web scraping/data extraction bots with no code (34:16) Oppwiser is an AI-powered lead gen platform for sales teams (41:16) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout! (42:47) Tonebase CEO Igor Lichtmann joins to demo his music education startup, break down how he achieved product-market fit while maintaining capital efficiency, and more! * Check out Tonebase: https://tonebase.co Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep Check out Klap: https://klap.app Check out Kickresume: https://www.kickresume.com Check out: Browse AI: https://www.browse.ai Check out Oppwiser: https://oppwiser.com * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast
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Aug 11, 2023 • 1h 21min

Zillow CEO Rich Barton on branding, building in provocative industries, and more! | E1791

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist Fitbod. Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST. * Today’s show: Rich Barton joins Jason to give a masterclass on his thought process behind creating evocative top-tier brands like Zillow, Expedia, and Glassdoor. (22:02) Rich also discusses the lessons he learned from Bill Gates during his time at Microsoft (49:22), how tech management has evolved (57:04), and more! Rich's blog on branding: https://www.hopperanddropper.com/syllables-scrabble-letters-and-picking-brand-names * Time stamps: (0:00) Zillow CEO Rich Barton joins Jason (1:58) The creation of Zillow’s Zestimate (7:03) “Tension and Importance” and empowering people in the workplace (13:24) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist (14:53) Branding and creating iconic company names (16:53) Navigating major layoffs (22:02) Back to building top-tier brands, “What got us here, won’t get us there” (27:54) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist (29:25) Steering the complex dynamics of startup-attorney interactions (33:22) Defying convention to create stellar products and the effects digital currency (37:54) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist (39:23) Innovating in the real estate industry (49:22) Lessons Rich learned from Bill Gates during his time at Microsoft (57:04) How tech management has evolved (1:01:27) How Covid-19 and remote work changed the landscape (1:07:02) The concept of “iBuying” (1:10:31) Continuous high-interest rates, “zoom towns”, and the “great reshuffling” * Follow Rich: https://twitter.com/Rich_Barton * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast
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Aug 9, 2023 • 54min

Next Unicorns: Making surgeons bionic via computer vision & AI with Proprio’s Gabriel Jones | E1790

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Superside. Design and creative are crucial for growth. Tech companies like Shopify, Amazon, and Meta have found the perfect solution: Superside. Get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package superside.com/TWIST Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/nextunicorn. * Today’s show: Proprio CEO Gabriel Jones joins Jason to discuss the struggles surgeons face in the operating room today (23:05), the solutions Proprio’s Paradigm system provides (27:14), the future of surgery (37:03), and much more! * Time stamps: (0:00) Proprio CEO Gabriel Jones joins Jason (2:09) Proprio’s Light Field-Enabled Surgical technology (7:03) Gabriel demos the Proprio Paradigm robotic computer vision system (10:26) Superside - Go to https://superside.com/twist to get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package (11:58) Generational shifts in medicine (18:03) The ultimate impact of this technology (21:58) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (23:05) The data Proprio operates on and the struggles surgeons face today (27:14) Bench-top simulation (32:05) Use of AI and robotics in surgery today (35:36) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/nextunicorn (37:03) The choice to utilize Proprio’s technology for spine surgery first (39:03) Reducing the time needed to perform surgeries (44:17) Academia vs. Venture, and the importance of “proof points” for investors (46:44) The FDA approval process * Check out Proprio: https://www.propriovision.com/ Follow Gabriel: https://twitter.com/aGabrielJones * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast
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Aug 8, 2023 • 1h 17min

AI demos + Jason invests $25K live! | E1789

AI demos including auto-generated articles, social clips, and ChatGPT's newest feature. Jason invests $25K in one of three Founder University graduates' startups. The pace of progress in the industry and influx of AI startups. AI-generated content implications for search engines and challenges for the open web. The future of AI-generated content that is indistinguishable from professional writers. Analyzing data and the need for AI in companies. Custom Instructions feature in Chat GPT. Investing in startups through Founder University, a pre-accelerator program. Creo, a self-service data analytics tool for small businesses. Symantec, an AI co-pilot for product design.
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Aug 4, 2023 • 50min

LK-99 breakthrough with Varda’s Delian Asparouhov & Andrew McCalip | E1788

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist Superside. Design and creative are crucial for growth. Tech companies like Shopify, Amazon, and Meta have found the perfect solution: Superside. Get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package superside.com/TWIST * Today’s show: Varda CEO Delian Asparouhov and R&D head Andrew McCalip join Jason to break down their recent experiment in replicating the LK-99 room-temp superconductor (4:19), the current state of material science (18;52), what the world would look like if this works (26:34), and more. Then, Krepling’s Liam Gerada joins Jason for an update on his business! (40:46) * Time stamps: (00:00) Varda CEO Delian Asparouhov and R&D head Andrew McCalip join Jason (1:21) The LK-99 superconductor and how Varda is involved (4:19) Varda’s latest achievements in replicating the LK-99 superconductor (8:05) Is this the real deal or just a strong diamagnetic effect (11:00) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist (12:30) Securing the material needed to run these experiments (14:06) The increased interest in Varda and feedback from the community (18:52) The culture shift in the tech industry (25:06) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist (26:34) Brute force science: How innovation emerges and receives funding (30:17) How the venture model has continued to evolve (34:28) Superside - Go to https://superside.com/twist to get $2000 off with Superside's Startup Accelerator package (36:00) Questions from the live audience (40:46) Krepling’s Liam Gerada joins Jason for an update on his business! * Check out Varda: https://varda.com Follow Delian: https://twitter.com/zebulgar Follow Andrew: https://twitter.com/andrewmccalip * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast
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Aug 3, 2023 • 30min

How AI startups can navigate the legal landscape with Adam Shevell | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics

Today’s show: Wilson Sonsini partner Adam Shevell joins Jason to discuss gaining access to datasets (1:10), fair use in copyright cases (6:29), and more! * Time stamps: (00:00) Wilson Sonsini partner Adam Shevell joins Jason (1:10) Gaining access to datasets, avoiding copyright infringement, and why IP is protected (6:29) The concept of fair use and when it applies (11:26) What new founders should pay attention to (14:59) The Github case (17:42) Proper strategy for getting permission (22:56) How startups get crushed with legal bills (23:32) The Andy Warhol supreme court case * Check out Wilson Sonsini: ⁠https://www.wsgr.com * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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