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This Week in Startups

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Nov 15, 2022 • 1h 11min

Amazon to lay off 10K employees, FTX saga update, Shopify's reverse AR platform & more | E1612

First up, J+M break down Amazon's reported ~10K employee RIF (4:27) and try to wrap their heads around the current recession. (15:54) Then, they give an FTX update (26:25), break down the mobile gaming industry (38:12), discuss Shopify's reverse AR platform (47:43), and more! (0:00) J+M tee up today's topics (1:58) Weekend catch-up! (4:27) Amazon will reportedly cut 10K corporate employees this week (14:41) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (15:54) Why this recession is so unique, advice for founders (25:16) Policygenius - Go to https://policygenius.com to get a free life insurance quote (26:25) FTX update: SBF's confusing tweets, FTX's interesting corporate culture (36:54) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist  (38:12) Current state of the mobile gaming industry (47:43) WLITF: Shopify's reverse AR shopping tool (55:18) SOTD: UpKeep lets users find, book, and pay for MedSpa treatments FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 13, 2022 • 56min

Understanding Corporate VC + turning methane into bitcoin w/ Nodal's Daniel Sechrest | E1611

J+M kick off the show by discussing the ins and outs of corporate VC in this edition of VC Sunday School. (2:21) Then, Nodal Power CFO Daniel Sechrest talks with Molly about their independent power plants that convert methane from landfills into bitcoin. (26:38) (0:00) J+M intro today's segments! (2:21) What is Corporate VC + the motivations of CVC and founders who accept it (10:33) Smash Digital - Visit https://SmashDigital.com/TWIST to get a free SEO video audit for your business (11:54) The different types of CVC firms & Climate focused CVC (25:09) Blueground - Get up to $1000 off your booking at https://promos.theblueground.com/twist (26:38) Nodal Power CFO Daniel Sechrest joins Molly to break down how they turn landfill-based methane into bitcoin (36:07) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (39:09) Daniel breaks down the history of Nodal Power + how it makes money FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood FOLLOW Daniel: https://twitter.com/danielsechrest Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 12, 2022 • 1h 22min

FTX bankruptcy, spiciest takes, future of crypto VC, new Amazon Prime drones + OK Boomer | E1610

J+M put a bow on an insane week by putting a bow on the FTX saga: a bankruptcy filing (2:25), the future of crypto VC (13:13), and the spiciest takes on the matter! (24:47) Then, Producer Rachel is joined by Owen Roe to break down the gaming economy on another edition of OK Boomer! (46:38) (0:00) J+M tee up today's segments (2:25) FTX files for bankruptcy (11:38) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (13:13) Crypto red flags, crypto VC going forward, financialization (23:28) Assure - To get 20% off your first Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) visit https://Assure.co/twist (24:47) Other crypto dominos to fall, spiciest takes (38:20) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes, no funding required, sign up at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups (39:50) We Live in the Future: Revamped Amazon Prime Drones! (46:38) Owen Roe joins Producer Rachel to break down the gaming economy on another edition of OK Boomer!  FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood FOLLOW Rachel: https://twitter.com/_rachelbraun FOLLOW Owen: https://twitter.com/Owen_Roe Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1 https://twitter.com/iamDCinvestor/status/1590844690089508864 https://twitter.com/gabrielhaines/status/1591090014942732289
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Nov 11, 2022 • 58min

FTX fallout: Sequoia's LP letter, SBF's crisis comms + Lon Harris on Andor, $DIS earnings | E1609

J+M kick off the show by breaking down even MORE fallout from the FTX saga: SBF's Twitter thread (2:26), Sequoia's letter to LPs re: marking its FTX investment to $0 (12:02), and more! Then, Lon Harris joins to discuss Andor's brilliance (20:49), Disney's earnings (32:42), and Netflix considering live sports! (48:45) (0:00) Jason tees up today's segments! (2:26) More FTX fallout: SBF's notorious Twitter thread (10:32) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist  (12:02) SEC and CFTC probe FTX, Sequoia's letter to LPs (19:19) Mayfair - Get 4% APY on your idle cash automatically at https://getmayfair.com/twist (20:49) Lon Harris joins to break down Andor's brilliance (31:15) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20 (32:42) Disney earnings: Disney+ subscriber growth, how to integrate Disney+ to its parks and merch segments, and more (48:45) Netflix considers live sports and recommendations from Lon! FOLLOW Lon: https://twitter.com/lons FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 10, 2022 • 1h 5min

Meta cuts 11K employees, Binance/FTX fallout + Homeward CEO Dr. Jenny Schneider | E1608

J+M start the show by breaking down the two biggest stories in tech: Meta's 13% RIF, impacting 11K employees (1:23) and the Binance/FTX fallout (19:21). Then, Homeward CEO Jenny Schneider joins Molly Wood for another edition of The Next Unicorns! (40:35) (0:00) J+M tee up today's topics! (1:23) Meta lays off 11K employees (13% of the company) (14:20) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedIn.com/unicorn (15:45) Alternative strategies for Meta (19:21) Binance/FTX fallout (28:14) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist  (29:40) Impact on crypto VC (39:13) Coda - The all-in-one doc for teams, sign up for free at https://coda.io/twist (40:35) Homeward CEO Jenny Schneider joins Molly Wood to break down why she started a company that provides healthcare services to rural areas in America (49:15) Challenges for Homeward (57:42) Breaking down Homeward's business model FOLLOW Jenny: https://twitter.com/dr_jschneider FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 8, 2022 • 51min

EMERGENCY POD: FTX sells to Binance with Vinny Lingham and Sunny Madra | E1607

Vinny and Sunny join the show to cover all the angles of Sam Bankman-Fried selling FTX to Binance after a liquidity crunch! (0:54) (0:00) Intro! (0:54) Vinny Lingham and Sunny Madra join to break down SBF selling FTX to Binance after a liquidity crunch! (13:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST (15:04) Comparing FTX's bank run to traditional finance, understanding leverage, culture of: make money first, clean up later, Vinny's theory on Alameda's locked Solana (23:24) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (24:35) Three areas of crypto, understanding where FTX and FTT fall in this, risks of centralized exchanges (32:01) How this might impact broader crypto regulation, Bitcoin decoupling from the greater crypto market (37:33) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (38:57) Understanding what happened to Binance's FTT: Who is the bag holder? How might this unravel going forward? (42:55) FTX fundraising breakdown: could this situation break the crypto VC model? FOLLOW Vinny: https://twitter.com/VinnyLingham FOLLOW Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 8, 2022 • 1h 7min

Meta's looming layoffs & path forward, Airbnb answers concerns & more | E1606

Monday! First, J+M dive deep on Meta reportedly cutting "many thousands" of jobs this week (1:56), the company's best path forward (12:14), and more. Then, J+M discuss some new Airbnb features (40:52) and Peloton's former CEO coming back with a new DTC startup! (55:39) (0:00) J+M tee up today's topics! (1:46) Meta will reportedly continue the trend of tech layoffs, to cut "many thousands" of jobs this week (10:34) Notion - Sign up for FREE at https://notion.com (12:04) Breaking down Meta's path forward, Jason's newest Jay Trade, plan for Meta to juice its stock price over the next 5-10 years (31:56) LinkedIn Marketing -  Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (33:22) More context on Meta layoffs, severance and finding jobs post layoffs, Meta's insane pace of hiring since 2019 (40:42) Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky announced new features: full pricing transparency, value prioritization, restrictions on checkout requests, and more! (55:29) Former Peloton CEO John Foley is back with a new DTC startup FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 6, 2022 • 45min

Understanding capital calls, one-off SAFEs + Transaera CTO Ross Bonner | E1605

J+M kick off the show with TWO VC Sunday School topics: understanding capital calls (2:11), and one-off SAFEs. (10:29) Then, Transaera CTO Ross Bonner joins the show to break down why he is building energy-efficient and sustainable cooling systems! (19:54)(0:00) J+M tee up today’s topics! (2:11) VC Sunday School: Understanding capital calls (9:04) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (10:29) Bonus VC Sunday School: One-off SAFEs (18:32) Smash Digital - Visit https://SmashDigital.com/TWIST to get a free SEO video audit for your business (19:54) Transaera CTO Ross Bonner joins Molly Wood to break down their sustainable cooling systems. (33:21) Dell for Startups - Apply for Dell for Startups and get an additional 10% off at http://dell.com/twist (34:34) Ross explains the role of heat pump technology at Transaera Check out Transaera: https://www.transaera.com/ FOLLOW Transaera: https://twitter.com/transaera FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 4, 2022 • 1h 4min

Airbnb earnings breakdown + Gen Z becoming adults on the internet | E1604

First up J+M deep dive on Airbnb's Q3 earnings (1:27), before Producer Rachel joins for another edition of OK Boomer! (26:57) (0:00) J+M tee up today's segments! (1:27) Airbnb earnings: surviving the pandemic + most profitable quarter to date (6:49) Comparing Airbnb/Uber market caps and the narrative around profitable companies (12:36) Odoo - Get access to all of Odoo's apps, services, and maintenance for under $25 at https://odoo.com/twist (13:38) Airbnb’s value prop + hidden fees, service industry issues (25:42) Masterworks - Skip the waitlist to invest in fine art using at https://Masterworks.com/twist (26:57) Producer Rachel joins J+M to tee up this week's OK Boomer segment (30:34) Summer Rachel Wood joins Producer Rachel to discuss having a baby and raising a child as a Gen Z influencer (41:19) Summer talks about creating content as a new mom, how she approaches posting her child, and the lack of education around pregnancy FOLLOW Rachel: https://twitter.com/_rachelbraun FOLLOW Summer Rachel Warren: https://www.instagram.com/summerrachelwarren FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
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Nov 4, 2022 • 1h 4min

Wave of tech layoffs, Robinhood earnings, what makes a great CEO & more | E1603

First, J+M discuss the recent wave of layoffs at Stripe, Opendoor, Lyft, and others. (1:54) Then, they dive deep into Robinhood's impressive Q3 (21:51), and what other companies can learn from RH's shrinking losses. Then, Producer Rachel joins to break down monetizable mood boards! (52:36) (0:00) J+M tee up today's segments! (1:54) Significant layoffs all over tech in the last few days: Stripe, Opendoor, Lyft, Dapper Labs, Chime, and more; Meta and Google's massive opportunity for profitability and share buybacks (9:42) MicroAcquire - Sell your business with no fees at https://try.microacquire.com/twist (11:11) Macro outlook, spending discipline in private and public sectors, Stripe vs Adyen (20:40) Babbel - Save up to 55% off your language learning subscription at https://babbel.com/twist  (21:51) Robinhood Q3 earnings: diversifying revenue, subscription vs advertising (36:14) Revelo - Get 20% off the first 3 months by mentioning TWIST at https://revelo.io/twist (37:42) Key takeaway: Diversifying revenue at scale makes businesses anti-fragile; investing in battle-hardened CEOs (41:58) Robinhood earnings: MAUs down significantly from peak, net loss shrinks 87% y/y (52:36) Producer Rachel joins to discuss monetizable mood boards FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood FOLLOW Rachel: https://twitter.com/_rachelbraun Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1

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