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This Week in Startups

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Sep 7, 2022 • 1h 9min

Jason's DTC investment thesis, Jokr looking to raise $50M, liquidation preference breakdown, witness in Elizabeth Holmes trial goes rogue | E1553

First up, Jason explains his DTC investment thesis (3:00), before he and Molly give some insight into the Bay Area heat wave (13:41). Then, Jason and Molly dive deep on reporting that instant delivery startup Jokr might be raising a new round with unusual liquidation preferences (25:50), then Jason breaks down what liquidation preferences are with some spreadsheets. To wrap, J+M cover a witness in the Elizabeth Holmes trial going rogue! (53:27) (0:00) J+M tee up today's topics (3:00) Holiday weekend catch up + Jason explains his DTC investment thesis (12:15) Notion - Sign up for FREE at https://notion.com/twist  (13:41) Bay Area heat wave, Burning Man recap (24:31) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST (25:50) Jokr look to raise between $35M-$50M from existing investors, why they have closed operations in the US, how immigration and labor plays into Jokr's decision (33:43) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (35:01) Breaking down liquidation preferences and why Jokr investors are looking for an unusually large liq pref in its upcoming round (53:27) A witness in the Elizabeth Holmes case has gone rogue! 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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Sep 4, 2022 • 1h 6min

Raising a VC fund in public + Brilliant Planet's Raffael Jovine on the power of algae | E1552

On VC Sunday School, J+M discuss why Jason is planning on raising LAUNCH Fund IV in public! (2:38) Then, Raffael Jovine joins to discuss how Brilliant Planet is growing algae and using it to sequester carbon (39:25) (0:00) Teeing up today's topics (2:38) J+M discuss Jason's plain to raise LAUNCH Fund IV in public (10:44) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (12:18) LP relationships, partner capital requirements, and more fund talk! (20:16) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (21:42) Teeing up Molly's interview plus an ESG chat! (38:10) MasterClass - Get 15% off an annual membership at https://masterclass.com/startups  (39:25) Raffael Jovine joins Molly to discuss how Brilliant Planet is growing algae and using it to sequester carbon Check out Brilliant Planet: https://www.brilliantplanet.com 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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Sep 2, 2022 • 1h 2min

Ask Jason + LAUNCH founder interviews + OK Boomer with Andrew Yeung | E1551

Friday Variety Show! First up, Jason answers a bunch of listener questions. (1:16) Then, Molly interview two amazing LAUNCH portfolio founders building marketplace businesses! (21:09) To wrap the show, Producer Rachel is back with another edition of OK Boomer (42:04) (0:00) Jason tees up today's segments! (1:16) Ask Jason: How to vet startups when you're an employee looking to join one (5:55) Ask Jason: Keep building a specifically requested feature for a major customer OR focus on the core offering? (10:32) iTrust Capital - Visit https://itrust.capital/twist to create your Crypto IRA today (11:38) Ask Jason: A pro athlete asks Jason for his advice on transitioning into VC (14:42) Ask Jason: Two hypothetical questions about Uber's business (19:29) Grammarly - Sign up for a free and get 20% Grammarly Premium at https://grammarly.com/TWIST (21:09) Molly sits down with Giphting CEO Seth Brown to talk about his on-demand gift-giving marketplace (29:16) Neo.Tax - Get $500 off R&D tax credit fees at https://neo.tax/twist  (30:32) Molly interviews EnrichedHQ CEO Carleen Haylett about her business: a two-sided marketplace of life skills programs for kids! (42:04) OK Boomer: Producer Rachel interviews Andrew Yeung on tactics for throwing an amazing networking event/dinner Check out Giphting: https://www.giphting.com Check out EnrichedHQ: https://www.enrichedhq.com FOLLOW Seth: https://twitter.com/GiphtingSeth FOLLOW Carleen: https://twitter.com/carleenhaylett FOLLOW Andrew: https://twitter.com/andruyeung 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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Sep 1, 2022 • 1h 9min

The Definitive History of VC with "Power Law" author Sebastian Mallaby | E1550

Huge interview today. "Power Law" author Sebastian Mallaby joins the show to break down some of the most important moments in VC history and his lessons from writing the book, including: the youth revolt (14:18), KP vs Sequoia (27:02), what makes a legendary VC (38:40), and more! (0:00) Jason tees up today's interview with "Power Law" author Sebastian Mallaby (1:42) Sebastian explains how and why he wrote a book on the history of VC (13:13) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist  (14:18) The virtuous cycle of luck early in a VC career, youth revolt in startups, Zuckerberg spurning Sequoia (26:02) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist  (27:02) Tom Perkins and the Kleiner Perkins rise and fall vs Sequoia's sustained dominance, KP's Genentech investment (37:18) Harmonic - Get $4000 off at https://harmonic.ai/twist (38:40) What characteristics make a legendary VC? (56:29) Why are institutional LPs allocating more capital to VC, what happened with China's interest in the industry? Other investable industries other than software FOLLOW Sebastian: https://twitter.com/scmallaby FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood BUY "Power Law": https://www.amazon.com/Power-Law-Venture-Capital-Making/dp/B094PSKDZV
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Sep 1, 2022 • 59min

The Blueprint: finding & developing all-stars + Mark Gurman on Apple's AR plans | E1549

Jam packed show! First up, The Blueprint is BACK as Jason breaks down how he finds and develops emerging talent (1:36). Then, Bloomberg's Apple Guru Mark Gurman is back to discuss the latest on Apple's AR project. (31:33) (0:00) J+M tee up today's topics! (1:36) Jason explains his strategy for finding and developing all-stars (13:30) Visa - Learn more about Visa’s online Small Business Hub at Visa.com/smallbusinesshub (14:26) Jason's tips for managing emerging talent (22:51) Brave - Download today at https://brave.com/twist to browse faster, search privately and so much more (24:16) How to attract the right people to your startup (30:12) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (31:33) J+M welcome Bloomberg's Mark Gurman to break down all things Apple, including projected timelines for Apple's AR goggles and the importance of Apple's chip business (46:17) Mark gives his dream Peloton acquirer and grades Jason's Jay Trade on Apple FOLLOW Mark: https://twitter.com/markgurman FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood Subscribe to TWiST Clips for all the best moments: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7tJlcUA6PzVHEMo-X7ddg?sub_confirmation=1
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Aug 31, 2022 • 41min

Twitter's failed OnlyFans-like product, OpenSea trading volume drops 99%, major FTC lawsuit | E1548

BIG Tuesday show! First up, J+M break down the insane saga of Twitter's now-cancelled OnlyFans-like product (1:41), OpenSea NFT trading volume dropping ~99% (20:47), a MAJOR FTC lawsuit against a data broker selling sensitive info (36:26), and more! (0:00) Molly tees up today's news roundup! (1:41) Twitter's cancelled OnlyFans-like product (10:21) Dell - Apply for Dell for Startups and get an additional 10% off Dell Latitude products at https://dell.com/twist  (11:49) Practical issues around mixing adult content with brand advertising, Twitter's internal problems (19:24) Indochino - Get $50 off any purchase of $399 or more by using code TWIST at checkout https://www.indochino.com (20:47) OpenSea single day trading volume dropped ~99% from a peak of $400M+ in early May to ~$5M in late August (29:42) Vanta - Get $1,000 off automating your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (30:46) Alexis Ohanian's Seven Seven Six is raising $177M to invest in distressed crypto assets (36:26) Potentially groundbreaking FTC lawsuit brought against a data broker for selling sensitive geolocation information without user consent 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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Aug 30, 2022 • 1h 23min

YC brings on Garry Tan as President, Apple's AR plans, Bored Apes at the VMAs | E1547

First up, J+M break down YC announcing Garry Tan as its new President and CEO, and what this means for the industry. (11:44) Then, they break down Apple potentially showing its card for its AR goggles name (37:16), and they wrap with some commentary on Eminem and Snoop Dogg performing as their Bored Apes at the VMAs. (58:20) (0:00) J+M tee up today's topics (2:12) Catching up on the weekend (10:18) LinkedIn Marketing -  Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (11:44) Garry Tan is stepping back from Initialized to become YC's new CEO and President (25:05) TripActions - Go to https://tripactions.com/twist and get a $500 Amazon gift card after making your first travel booking OR paying off your first $1000 of liquid spend (26:34) Jason explains "no conflict, no interest" (35:46) WorkOS - Go to https://workos.com to learn how to make your app enterprise-ready. (37:16) Quick Jay Trading update, Apple files trademarks for potential AR goggles name (58:20) Eminem and Snoop Dogg performed as their Bored Apes over the weekend at the MTV VMAs
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Aug 28, 2022 • 50min

How VCs think about deploying reserves & follow-on funding + Quaise CEO Carlos Araque | E1546

Sunday show! On VC Sunday School, J+M discuss how VCs deploy reserves for follow-on funding. (1:58) Then, Molly interviews Quaise CEO & Co-Founder Carlos Araque about his geothermal drilling business! (24:02) (0:00) J+M tee up segments for Sunday! (1:58) Jason and Molly talk about how VCs deploy reserves for follow-on funding and bankroll management (10:31) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist  (11:47) Golden State Warriors impact on Jason's system-based VC team building philosophy (15:48) J+M tee up today's TWiCS interview! (22:46) Neo.Tax - Get $500 off R&D tax credit fees at https://neo.tax/twist  (24:02) Quaise CEO Carlos Araque joins to break down his business: drilling to unlock geothermal energy (33:03) Helpware - Go to https://helpware.com/TWIST to get $1000 off your first invoice (34:10) Carlos explains the size of Quaise's opportunity and how he raised $50M+ Series A for a deep tech project, what their business model will look like, and more! Check out Quaise: https://www.quaise.energy 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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Aug 26, 2022 • 1h 11min

Twitter adds podcasting, Chatter.dev Founder Pete Oxenham + OK Boomer with Danny Miranda | E1545

Friday Variety Show! First up J+M break down Twitter adding podcasting to the platform and what this means for the product and for the podcasting industry. (2:14) Then, LAUNCH portfolio founder Pete Oxenham joins to discuss his SaaS startup, Chatter.dev, with Molly. (26:48) Finally, Rachel wraps the show with another edition of OK Boomer, featuring Danny Miranda. (38:25) (0:00) J+M tee up today's segments! (2:14) Twitter adds podcasting to "Spaces" (15:08) Babbel - Save up to 60% off your language learning subscription at https://babbel.com/twist  (16:32) Explaining the value of adding podcasting to a consumer service (25:29) MicroAcquire - Sell your business with no fees at https://try.microacquire.com/twist (26:48) Chatter.dev Founder Pete Oxenham joins to break down his SaaS business! (34:18) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist  (35:25) Producer Rachel joins to tee up OK Boomer with J+M! (38:25) Danny Miranda joins OK Boomer to talk getting into podcasting, starting from scratch, building successful habits, AirPods' impact on podcasting and more! Check out Chatter: https://chatter.dev FOLLOW Danny: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda 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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Aug 26, 2022 • 1h 3min

$PTON & $SNOW earnings divergence + Streaming news with Lon Harris: HBO, MoviePass & more | E1544

Big show! First up J+M break down two pandemic darlings on two totally different paths: $PTON and $SNOW (2:26). Then, Lon Harris joins to talk about HBO's record breaking House of the Dragon premiere (27:12), MoviePass returning (47:16), and more! (0:00) J+M tee up today's segments! (2:26) Peloton earnings breakdown: it's getting grim, so J+M brainstormed on where the company can go from here, stock was down over 20% (16:26) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (17:53) Snowflake earnings breakdown: massive quarter, stock was up over 20% (25:37) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist  (27:12) Lon Harris joins to break down this week's streaming news! First up: HBO's House of the Dragon set a record for most-watched premiere with almost 10M viewers (39:39) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (40:58) $WBD CEO David Zaslav continues to make cuts (47:16) MoviePass is making a comeback and Lon gives some streaming picks

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