This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Hubspot for Podcast Network. Looking to up your marketing game? Check out HubSpot's Chatbot Builder:  https://clickhubspot.com/s0u Chatbot Tutorial here: https://clickhubspot.com/mfx DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://www.devsquad.com/twist Mercury is the fintech startups use for banking* and all their financial workflows. Paying bills, staying in control of company spend, and closing the books doesn't need to be so complex — that's why Mercury powers it all from the one thing every business needs: the bank account. Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC. * Todays show: David Weisburd hosts Logan Bartlett, Hunter Somerville, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the fundraising market (3:07), M&A (26:45), Google’s huge investment in generative AI (58:15), and much more! * Timestamps: (0:00) David Weisburd intros Logan Bartlett, Hunter Somerville, and Jason Calacanis (3:07) Tiger's recent fund and fundraising indicators (11:55) HubSpot’s Chatbot Builder - https://clickhubspot.com/s0u https://clickhubspot.com/mfx (13:26) The challenges and realities of venture capital (25:14) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://www.devsquad.com/twist (26:45) Startup acquisitions, due diligence, and unethical behaviors in the industry (31:27) Selling partial positions in startups and structuring the selling of shares (37:18) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com ⁠ (38:20) Cendana and Kline Hill’s $105M fund to buy stakes in seed VC funds (46:59) The correlation between capital consumption and equity value, and the dangers of excess capital (54:28) The role of private equity in tech M&A and the future of tech IPOs (58:15) Google's $100 billion investment in AI and competition in the AI ecosystem (1:06:30) The challenge of capacity in seed stage investing and the value of a strong community in portfolio management * Follow Logan: X: https://twitter.com/loganbartlett LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganbartlett Check out: https://www.redpoint.com * Follow Hunter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-somerville-2a24117 Check out: https://www.stepstonegroup.com/ * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (11:55) HubSpot’s Chatbot Builder - https://clickhubspot.com/s0u https://clickhubspot.com/mfx (25:14) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at https://www.devsquad.com/twist (37:18) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://mercury.com * Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co * Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. 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 http://www.vanta.com/twist The Equinix Startup program offers a hybrid infrastructure solution for startups, including up to $100K in credits and personalized consultations and guidance from the Equinix team. Go to https://deploy.equinix.com/startups to apply today. * Todays show: Sohail Prasad joins Jason to discuss Destiny Tech 100 and why it was created (3:46), comparing the market cap to the actual holdings and the pent-up demand (11:35), how Destiny acquires the shares and how they manage both positive and negative reactions (26:49), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Sohail Prasad of Destiny (D/XYZ) joins Jason. (3:46) Breaking down Destiny Tech 100 and why it was created. (5:20) What is a closed-end fund and how does it fit into the ecosystem? (8:37) The DIY approach used to bring this to the market. (9:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (10:54) How Destiny Tech 100 works as a direct listing. (11:35) Comparing the market cap to the actual holdings and the pent-up demand. (14:46) Looking at how Sohail and the company make their profits and why he does this instead of gathering higher carry. (18:52) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (22:05) The concerns of the swinging nature of the stock price and the long-term view. (26:49) How Destiny acquires the shares and how they manage both positive and negative reactions. (30:26) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups (34:10) Destiny’s access to financials for companies in their portfolio. (35:51) Strategy behind exits for the fund and companies that then go public. (43:13) The size of the team needed to run Dest * Check out Destiny (D/XYZ): https://destiny.xyz/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Sohail: X: https://twitter.com/sohailprasad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohailprasad/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:33) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (18:52) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (30:26) Equinix - Join the Equinix Startup Program for up to $100K in credits and much more at https://deploy.equinix.com/startups * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Wistia. All-in-one video platform for business, with tools that help you create, manage, and measure the impact of your videos. Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Cover to any mattress! Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $200 off the pod plus free shipping! Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today * Todays show: Jason and Presh kick off the Founder University pitch competition (00:00), then we hear from Jared on Umbrella Sports (6:40), Linda on Mastertech (14:47), and Aleksandr on Ellis (24:20). Finally, Jason awards a $25K investment (44:17), and Presh details how to apply! * Timestamps: (00:00) Jason kicks off the show! (2:49) Jason brings on Presh to explain the fundamentals of Founder University and introduces today's pitches! (6:40) Jared Lewandowski pitches Umbrella Sports (13:20) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups (14:47) Linda Gray pitches Mastertech (22:51) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping (24:20) Aleksandr Diamond pitches Ellis (29:39) Jason and Presh assess the startups and their pitches (39:43) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today (44:12) Jason picks the startup he will invest in! (44:51) Feedback on the Founder University experience * Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th! Apply here: https://www.founder.university * We are doing Founder Fridays! Go check out https://founderfridays.tech * Follow Jared: X: https://twitter.com/_playumbrella LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredlewandowski Check out Umbrella Sports: https://www.playumbrella.com * Follow Linda: X: https://twitter.com/mastertechai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-gray-6433b251/ Check out Mastertech: https://www.mastertech.ai/ * Follow Aleksandr: X: https://twitter.com/heyaleksandr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asdiamond Check out Ellis: https://ellis.so * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Thank you to our partners: (13:20) Wistia - Try Wistia for free at https://wistia.com/startups (22:51) Eight Sleep - Go to https://www.eightsleep.com/twist for $200 off the Pod plus free shipping (39:43) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast * Founder University: Cohort 8 begins May 9th. Apply here: https://www.founder.university

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses.Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.Gusto.com/twist*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators.Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWISTHubspot. Join thousands of companies that are growing better with HubSpot for Startups.Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at http://www.hubspot.com/startups/twist*Todays show:Sunny joins Jason to dive into AI news and demos including, Adam Schiff and the new bill to force AI companies to reveal use of copyrighted art (9:03), Udio the recent AI music creator catching a lot of hype (17:48), the AI dictation power of Aqua (39:10), and more!*Timestamps:(0:00) Sunny joins Jason to dive into this weeks AI news and demos.(4:02) AI News: Meta, Google and Intel all launched chips this week.(9:03) Adam Schiff and the new bill to force AI companies to reveal use of copyrighted art(9:51) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist(17:48) Sunny demos Udio - the recent AI music creator catching a lot of hype.(19:36) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST(20:56) Sunny and Jason further explore Udio and discuss the copyright issues around AI models.(31:45) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at  https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report(36:31) Sunny creates a song with Udio about Jason’s passion for copyright laws.(39:10) Sunny demos Aqua.(45:36) Sunny demos SWE-Agent*Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*LINKS:Check out Udio: https://www.udio.com/Rolling Stone article on Udio: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/udio-ai-music-chatgpt-suno-1235001675/Check out Aqua: https://withaqua.com/Check out SWE-Agent: https://swe-agent.com/demoMeta’s new chip news: https://twitter.com/Techmeme/status/1778078194345955765Google’s new chip news: https://twitter.com/WSJ/status/1777654095601348775Intel’s new chip news: https://twitter.com/Techmeme/status/1777725152102699026Article on Adam Schiff introducing new bill: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/apr/09/artificial-intelligence-bill-copyright-artCheck out statmuse: https://www.statmuse.com/*Follow Sunny:X: https://twitter.com/sundeepLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Thank you to our partners:(9:51) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025(19:36) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://www.withmantle.com/TWIST(31:45) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at  https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report*Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland*Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Substack: https://twistartups.substack.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. 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 http://www.openphone.com/twist CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at CLAconnect.com/tech Todays show: David Weisburd hosts David Clark, Tomasz Tunguz, and Jason Calacanis to discuss the new YC class (1:59), startup valuations (19:34), the investment landscape (30:17), and more! * Timestamps: (00:00) David Weisburd intros David Clark, Tomasz Tunguz, and Jason Calacanis (1:59) The latest YC class and rise of AI startups (9:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (10:55) Role of the founding team in AI startups (19:34) Startup valuations and the changing landscape of seed deals and Series A rounds (29:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist (30:17) Tomasz Tunguz’s journey to raising his fund and the challenges of the VC industry (37:32) Personality types in venture capital and handling company wind downs (39:20) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (40:52) VC’s moving out and the challenge of picking the right company to invest in (59:27) Active reserves management (1:09:00) Lightning round: Top 3 investments * Mentioned on show: https://motherduck.com https://arbitrum.io https://www.omni.co https://www.podengine.ai https://www.getrecall.ai https://newcomergames.com * Follow David Clark: X: https://twitter.com/daveclark85 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clark-6678b6b/ Check out VenCap: https://www.vencap.com/ * Follow Tomasz Tunguz: X: https://twitter.com/ttunguz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomasztunguz Check out Theory Ventures: https://theory.ventures * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Thank you to our partners: (9:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (29:01) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist (39:20) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… 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 http://www.vanta.com/twist LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups Zendesk. The best customer experiences are built with Zendesk. Qualifying startups can join their Startup program and get Zendesk products free, for six months! Visit http://www.zendesk.com/twist today to get started. * Todays show: Alef’s Jim Dukhovny joins Jason to discuss different approaches to flying car tech (1:16), Alef’s vehicle design (9:17), commercial aspects (22:39), and more! * Timestamps: (00:00) Alef’s Jim Dukhovny joins Jason (1:16) Alef’s mission and the different approaches to VTOL and flying car technologies (8:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (9:17) Alef’s approach to vehicle design and use of existing technologies in a new format (12:10) Technical details of Alef’s vehicle design, including propulsion systems and structural innovations (14:27) Challenges of designing flying vehicles that function both as cars and aircraft (21:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (22:39) Commercial aspects, including pricing, customer pre-orders, and manufacturing plans (26:13) Regulatory and certification challenges and the potential timeline for bringing the product to market (32:46) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist (34:16) Ballistic parachute systems in drones, planes, and Alef’s vehicles (38:53) The long-term vision for autonomous flying cars * Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtzuL3WSiGY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gzdo107SmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBCUQlF3MMU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxaFFuN1vpc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT4buS7avd4 * Follow Jim: X: https://twitter.com/AlefAeronautics LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdukhovny Check out Alef: https://alef.aero * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Thank you to our partners: (8:25) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (21:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (32:46) Zendesk - Get six months free at http://www.zendesk.com/twist * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://geteppo.com/twist Attio - A radically new CRM for the next era of companies. Head to attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year. * Todays show: Liquid AI’s Ramin Hasani joins Jason to discuss the mission and the concept of Liquid AI's liquid neural networks (1:09). They dive into liquid neural networks’ applications (16:07), transition from theory to execution (21:37), their efficiency on small devices (27:30), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Liquid AI CEO and co-founder Ramin Hasani joins Jason (1:09) Liquid AI's mission and concept of liquid neural networks (7:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (8:34) Demo of Liquid AI: traditional vs. Liquid neural networks in autonomous driving (16:07) Practical applications of Liquid AI (20:07) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit  https://geteppo.com/twist (21:37) Commercializing worm-inspired AI systems, building a team, and solving problems across various sectors (27:30) Efficiency of liquid neural networks in compact devices like the Raspberry Pi and the transformative potential of AI modeled after worms. (34:15) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year. (35:24) Data ownership in AI and incentivizing data providers (41:18) Role of AI in real-world applications (43:57) Societal impact of AI, job displacement, and the optimistic view on AI's potential (50:25) Explanation of physical models vs statistical models in AI and the challenge of understanding black box AI systems (57:01) Speculations about AGI's market cap, who might achieve AGI first, and the potential of using AI systems to build various applications (1:00:12) Comparison between open-source and closed-source models in AI and the trend of open-source moves in the AI industry * Mentioned on the show: https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-5 https://www.capgemini.com/us-en https://www.ctc-g.co.jp/en https://www.accenture.com https://www.ey.com/en_gl https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2024/04/02/the-daily-show-jon-stewart-ai-work-force-jobs-orig.cnn * Source of C. elegans worm footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjqLwPgLnV0&t=1s * Follow Ramin: X: https://twitter.com/ramin_m_h LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raminhasani Check out Liquid AI: https://www.liquid.ai * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Thank you to our partners: (7:06) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (20:07) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit https://geteppo.com/twist (34:15) Attio - Head to https://attio.com/twist to get 15% off for your first year. * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist. Hubspot for Podcast Networks. Looking to up your marketing game? Check out the podcast: Marketing Against the Grain Hosted by: Hubspot CMO Kipp Bodnar and Zapier CMO Kieran Flannigan They bring you the latest in marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. Available on all your favorite podcast apps. Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Discover how Gelt can help you to manage and optimize both your personal and business taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now. * Todays show: David Weisburd hosts Apurva Mehta, Jack Altman, and Jason Calacanis to discuss Sam Altman’s huge investment wins (2:34), the role of SPVs (13:19), CalPERS increasing their exposure to venture (26:19), and liquidation preferences (45:56). * Timestamps: (0:00) David Weisburd intros Apurva Mehta, Jack Altman, and Jason Calacanis (2:34) Reddit's IPO and Sam Altman's investment success (5:48) Apurva's investment strategy and thoughts on fund size and portfolio strategy (11:50) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (13:19) The role of SPVs and the importance of trust in the investment ecosystem (24:53) Marketing Against the Grain ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrjktuM1Dc https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW (26:19) CalPERS and pension funds increasing their exposure to venture capital and private equity (28:11) Is it a good time to invest in venture? (41:48) Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now (43:02) Fundraising and decision-making processes (45:56) Higher liquidation preferences at the later stage (55:49) Rapid fire segment on recent investments * Mentioned on the show: https://www.retellai.com https://www.heygen.com https://www.owner.com https://www.foundationhealth.com https://peregrine.io https://www.marvl.io https://getprops.ai https://www.arkitask.ai * Follow Apurva: X: https://twitter.com/mehtaaapurva LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apurvaamehta/ * Follow Jack: X: https://twitter.com/jaltma LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackealtman/ * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Thank you to our partners: (11:50) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (24:53) Marketing Against the Grain ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrjktuM1Dc https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW (41:48) Gelt. It’s time to take control over your taxes. Visit https://joingelt.com/twist now * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… NetSuite. The number one cloud financial system, bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, into ONE platform. Giving you ONE source of truth. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Hubspot. Join thousands of companies that are growing better with HubSpot for Startups. Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at  https://www.hubspot.com/startups Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report * Timestamps: (0:00) Elliot Shmukler of Anomalo joins Jason to discuss growth tactics for businesses and startups. (2:33) A primer on modern-day growth for startups from expert Elliot. (6:20) Why referral programs are so powerful (9:59) NetSuite. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist (11:39) The 2nd best thing you can do for the growth of your startup! (15:55) Exploring "Give to Get" programs with examples from Elliot’s success. (20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (22:13) A critical growth action once you have your virality base is “conversion rate optimization”. (25:45) The most effective sign-up practived today. (30:31) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at  https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report (31:52) The balance of adding friction in the user sign-up process. (33:57) Elliot dives deeper into his best growth hacks and the most frustrating moments while at InstaCart, Wealthfront, and LinkedIn. (39:51) Elliot discusses his new company, Anomalo, and its mission to solve data quality issues. * Check out Anomalo: https://www.anomalo.com/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Elliott: X: https://twitter.com/eshmu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshmu/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:59) NetSuite. Now through April 15th, NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. Head to http://www.NetSuite.com/twist (20:36) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at http://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST (30:31) Hubspot for Startups - Learn more and get extra benefits for being a TWiST listener now at  https://www.hubspot.com/startups. Check out their report “How AI is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy” here: https://bit.ly/hubspot-ai-report * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 http://www.openphone.com/twistGusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at Gusto.com/twist.*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today.*Todays show:Brannin McBee joins Jason to discuss CoreWeave’s transition from cryptocurrency to AI (3:36), the energy dynamics of GPUs (14:04), innovations in data center cooling (19:28), and the future challenges and impacts of AI infrastructure on industries like search, advertising, and e-commerce (45:36).*Timestamps:(00:00) CoreWeave’s Brannin McBee joins Jason(3:36) The founding story of CoreWeave and the transition from the cryptocurrency market to AI(12:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist(14:04) Energy reliance of GPUs, the future of data centers, and the cost and efficiency of GPU cloud infrastructure(19:28) Direct-to-chip liquid cooling and other cooling solutions for GPUs(24:52) Demand trends for GPU capacity and the growth of inference linked to user growth(29:06) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(30:28) LPUs Vs. GPUs(34:13) Dominance of Nvidia in training models, implications of open source chips and chip architecture(39:01) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ today.(40:00) Challenges in training large language models and the use of infrastructure as a weapon by big tech(45:36) The potential impact of AI on search engines, advertising sector, and ecommerce(52:46) Timeline for supply-demand balance in AI infrastructure and the operational feat of running multiple data centers*Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Brannin:X: https://twitter.com/branninmcbeeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/branninmcbee*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Thank you to our partners:(12:49) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist(29:06) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025(39:01) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠⁠ today.|*Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland*Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Substack: https://twistartups.substack.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast