This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWISTLinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twistAdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.Today’s show: Jason interviews Bryon Hargis, CEO of Castelion, about the United State’s hypersonic technology gap with China, how we’re catching up and what it will take to win the hypersonic missile race. Alex interviews Jager McConnell, CEO of Crunchbase, about their newly released, scary accurate, AI powered predictive models.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode teaser(1:14) Introduction of Byron Hargis and Castellion's mission(2:20) Significance of hypersonic munitions(5:55) Impact and challenges of hypersonic systems in defense(7:16) Castellion's development and cost of hypersonic weapons(9:39) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:28) Shift in defense contracting and venture backing(18:25) Sales strategies and founder insights in defense startups(19:38) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(21:10) China's manufacturing capabilities and defense paradigm shifts(24:37) Role of automation and robots in manufacturing(28:58) AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.(31:37) Crunchbase's transition to predictive insights(38:01) Crunchbase's technology stack and AI models(41:36) Financial implications of AI-first model for Crunchbase(48:43) AI integration challenges and financial performance(52:50) AI-driven predictions and their accuracy(54:24) Future prospects for Crunchbase: Acquisition vs. IPO(55:22) Upcoming guests: Vlad from Robinhood and Raul from SuperhumanSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpCheckout Castelion:X: https://x.com/CastelionCorpWebsite: castelion.comCheckout Crunchbase:X: https://x.com/crunchbaseWebsite: https://www.crunchbase.com/Follow Bryon:X: https://x.com/hargsbLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbh/Follow Jager:X: https://x.com/jagermcconnellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jager/Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(9:39) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:38) LinkedIn Jobs. Post your first job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/twist(28:58) AdQuick. Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…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 2025Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twistAtlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.Today’s show: Jason and Lon Harris cover Nikola’s Chapter 11 and how founders can avoid the same mistake, Superhuman AI’s new features, Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines and where Sam Altman went wrong holding onto top talent, plus much more!Timestamps:(0:00) Episode teaser(1:26) Introduction to startup news and trends(2:47) Bill Ackman's J trade and Herbalife controversy(5:24) Comparing trading strategies: Jason vs. Pelosi(9:49) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(11:29) HP's acquisition of Humane and its significance(13:52) Challenges facing the AI industry(20:30) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(21:47) OpenAI veterans launch a new venture(28:09) Chamath's venture into high stakes poker(29:35) Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(36:37) Nikola's Chapter 11 filing and securities fraud(48:10) The upside of failing as a founder in the U.S.(50:24) Superhuman introduces AI-powered email features(51:58) Preview of upcoming guests on the podcast(53:03) Key characteristics of successful founders(56:21) Play-along: Guess the fake startup(1:04:12) Movie trilogy rankings: Superman, Star Wars, TerminatorSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpCheck out these past Guess The Fake Startups segments:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKP2iiF1oYIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhnOXuGnh14https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueazpyGOgccFollow Lon:X: https://x.com/alexFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(9:49) 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(20:30) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(29:35) Atlassian. Head to https://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

In today's episode: Jason and Alex break down one of the craziest crypto stories yet—a $100M meme coin meltdown, insider trading, and Argentina’s president caught in the middle. Coffeezilla joins the show to explain how meme coins are rigged, why Dave Portnoy got a $5M refund while everyone else got wrecked, and what really went down with the Libra token. Plus, we debate if crypto can be fixed or if the grift is too far gone.Timestamps:(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.(2:17) Libra fiasco, crypto scams, and influencer involvement(4:42) The impact of meme coins on politics and ethical considerations(8:02) Trump's involvement in meme coins(10:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(11:30) The Libra coin scandal and its broader implications(18:39) Coffeezilla interview clip with Hayden Davis(20:20) Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(21:46) Introduction to Pump.fun and discussion on token launching risks(23:21) Coffeezilla joins Alex and Jason!(24:10) Discussion on Argentinian president and Tech Forum Argentina(27:29) Examination of Hayden Davis and token manipulation(29:29) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial setup.(31:02) Analysis of the broken crypto system and regulatory issues(35:40) Intentional fraud, regulation, and meme coins in politics(41:21) Potential solutions and regulatory controls under new administration(50:23) Concerns and proposed framework for crypto regulation(54:52) Importance of regulation and combating crypto fraud(58:18) Coffeezilla's perspective on meme coins and future regulations(1:01:22) Advice to potential crypto investors and FTC news implications(1:02:08) Impact of regulation on American innovation and tech giants' growth(1:05:03) Current administration's stance on business combinations(1:06:10) Arguments against large companies acquiring competitors(1:07:23) Risks and potential benefits of hypothetical acquisitions(1:08:29) Debate on market competition dynamics*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Coffeezilla:Patreon: patreon.com/coffeezillaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQMnBA3CS502aghlcr0_awX: https://x.com/coffeebreak_YT*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Thank you to our partners:(10:10) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(20:20) Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(29:29) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial setup.*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/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Today’s show: IPO shakeups, big AI moves, and essential founder hacks—this episode covers it all. Jason breaks down Robinhood’s 6X stock surge and his strategy for $HOOD, plus the latest on tech IPOs as Turo pulls out and SailPoint surges. We dive into AI’s open-source battle, with X.ai chasing a $10B raise and DeepSeek challenging Hugging Face. And for founders, Jason shares the startup golden rule you should break for success—plus, a brand-new startup idea he’s willing to fund right now.*Timestamps:(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show.(1:51) The ‘new’ news cycle(2:17) Calming down during chaotic times(4:29) IPO updates: Turo and SailPoint, private equity, public markets, and M&A(9:37) Rental car business & sharing economy job creation(9:53) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(12:21) Robinhood's financial performance & fintech resurgence(18:08) NVIDIA's investment in WeRide & self-driving technology(20:02) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.(21:28) Cooking, convenience, DoorDash, Uber, CloudKitchens & startup opportunities(25:45) Smart IoT devices & revisiting the mobile convenience stores idea(29:59) Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist(33:12) XAI's potential funding & AI's impact on consumer behavior(40:49) Revisiting failed startup ideas & founder hacks(47:18) Customer advisory councils: size, incentives, and roles(52:09) Humanoid robots & market competition in the next decade(58:51) OpenAI model selection & user experience(1:00:56) Founder University pitches compilation(1:13:56) Audience question: Addressing criticism on Trump and Elon Musk(1:17:26) Discussion on Palantir, bias, state of journalism, and investigative reporting*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm*Follow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Thank you to our partners:(9:53) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(20:02) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.(29:59) Lemon.io . Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist*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/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.com*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 athttps://www.vanta.com/twistNorthwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visitnorthwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit athttp://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsToday’s show: Jason and Alex cover…TBDTimestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:16) Welcome Alex Wilhelm & Sam Lessin; Slow Ventures Creator Fund(3:49) Significance of the $60M creator-focused fund(5:47) Community-building and product development strategy(7:02) Mr. Beast's success as a case study(9:41) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 athttps://www.vanta.com/twist(11:17) Financial structures and strategies in creator investments(14:14) Addressing challenges in creator-focused investing(19:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visitnorthwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(22:24) Startups optimizing operations in challenging climates(24:50) Transition to fusion energy and Helion's technology(27:46) Helion's fusion technology and CEO David Kirtley(29:16) Commercial fusion power timeline(29:43) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit athttp://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(32:12) Fusion energy's market potential and agreements(33:39) Comparing fusion to other energy sources(36:10) Safety and environmental considerations for fusion(43:00) Helion's upcoming milestones and team expansion(44:00) Lon Harris on AI, copyright, and fair use(47:00) Exploring fair use and IP infringement in AI(53:00) Market impact and licensing for AI technologies(56:00) Financial implications for AI and copyright(58:00) Distinguishing personal vs. commercial use of copyrighted materialSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter:https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500:https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple:https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Sam Lessin:X:https://x.com/lessinLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/wlessin/Follow Helion:X:https://x.com/Helion_EnergyLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/helion-energy/Follow David Kirtley:X:https://x.com/dekirtleyLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kirtley-490b8230/Follow Alex:X:https://x.com/alexLinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Lon:X:https://x.com/LonsLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris/Follow Jason:X:https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(9:41) Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 athttps://www.vanta.com/twist(19:46) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visitnorthwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(29:43) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit athttp://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsGreat TWIST interviews:Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe,Steve Huffman,Brian Chesky,Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie,Sophia Amoruso,Reid Hoffman,Frank Slootman,Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason’s suite of newsletters:https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter:https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack:https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

Today on This Week in Startups: Lon Harris is back, and we’re diving into all things Super Bowl—especially the tech takeover in this year’s commercials. We break down the biggest ad moments, from Squarespace to Uber Eats, Instacart, and even Harrison Ford’s Jeep spot. Plus, we dig into Google Trends after the ChatGPT ad, the unexpected appeal ofThe Banshees of Inisherin, and Matthew McConaughey’s latest move with Salesforce. That’s not all—France is making bold AI moves, OpenAI is getting into chip development, and we’ve got aFounder Fridays competition coming up!*Timestamps:(0:00) Jason, Alex and Lon “kick off” the show!(5:09) Breakout Super Bowl commercials(9:23) Rocket's Super Bowl ad and its impact(10:21)Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time athttps://Lemon.io/twist(13:00) High-risk hobbies of the rich and famous(15:23) We all loved the new Squarespace ad and its effectiveness(19:07) The appeal of "The Banshees of Inisherin" and ChatGPT Super Bowl ad(20:17) OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first six months athttps://www.openphone.com/twist(21:34) Google Trends analysis of ChatGPT ad impact(22:19) A look at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowll half-time show and his popularity(24:15) Rating the ChatGPT Super Bowl ad(31:01) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months athttps://www.Coda.io/twist(32:42) Uber Eats and Instacart Super Bowl ads & Harrison Ford's Jeep commercial(39:49) Matthew McConaughey's role with Salesforce and A-list actors in 2025(44:14) France's AI investment and strategy(47:10) AI in customer service and SaaS pricing(52:34) IT unemployment and AI's impact on tech support(56:45) Upcoming earnings reports from key tech companies(1:02:12) OpenAI's custom chip development with TSMC(1:02:35) Founder Fridays: A new initiative for founders and competition format*Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter:https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500:https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple:https://rb.gy/v19fcpJoin Founder Fridays here:https://www.founderfridays.tech/*Follow Alex:X:https://x.com/alexLinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm*Follow Lon:X:https://x.com/LonsLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonharris/*Follow Jason:X:https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Thank you to our partners:(10:21)Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time athttps://Lemon.io/twist(20:17) OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first six months athttps://www.openphone.com/twist(30:31)Coda. Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months athttps://www.Coda.io/twist*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/TWiStartupsYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack:https://twistartups.substack.com*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain athttps://www.Squarespace.com/TWISTAtlassian. Head tohttps://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.AdQuick. Visithttps://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.Today’s show: Jason and Alex discuss the carried interest tax loophole being in Trump’s crosshairs, a great interview with Orbit Fab and their plans for the industrialization of space, Deel’s $300M secondary and much more!Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:30) Introduction and welcome(2:40) AI startups reaching revenue milestones(9:00) Impact of carried interest tax changes(10:01) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain athttps://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(11:25) Would ending the carried interest tax loophole hurt startup investing?(19:17) Atlassian. Head tohttps://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(21:18) Introduction of OrbitFab's CEO, Daniel Faber(22:24) OrbitFab's market position, fuel standards, and customer adoption(27:14) Financial and logistical aspects of satellite refueling(29:27) AdQuick. Visithttps://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.(31:03) Technical challenges in space operations and future applications(34:16) Raising capital and company growth in space startups(38:58) Community updates and secondary transactions in the market(49:32) CapBase acquisition by Deal(50:37) UAE-France data center collaboration and energy strategy(54:34) European AI and nuclear advancements(57:14) US tech employment trends and Meta's layoffs(1:00:51) Opportunities for founders and startup support resourcesSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter:https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500:https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple:https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Orbit Fab:X:https://x.com/OrbitFabLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbitfab/Follow Daniel:X:https://x.com/_DanielFaber_LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielfaber/Follow Alex:X:https://x.com/alexLinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X:https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:01) Squarespace. Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain athttps://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(19:17) Atlassian. Head tohttps://www.atlassian.com/software/startups to see if you qualify for 50 free seats for 12 months.(29:27) AdQuick. Visithttps://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign.Great TWIST interviews:Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe,Steve Huffman,Brian Chesky,Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie,Sophia Amoruso,Reid Hoffman,Frank Slootman,Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason’s suite of newsletters:https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter:https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack:https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…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 2025Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.Today’s show: Jason and Alex cover Palantir’s surge (is it all hype?), Temo and Shein and the de minimise loop hole, Uber’s earnings and the future of self-driving technology and much more!Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:38) New studio space and remote work productivity challenges(4:02) "Severance" vs. "Landman" - TV shows comparison(7:07) Palantir's valuation, financial performance, and stock analysis(9:49) Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist(11:27) Alex Karp talks up Palantir to investors(14:36) Price-sales ratio: Palantir vs. Nvidia and founder advice(19:33) Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠(21:46) Temu, Shein, and the de minimis loophole in trade(30:06) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.(31:34) Uber's earnings, market performance, and self-driving technology future(38:33) Waymo's growth and the commodification of self-driving tech(44:11) Market dominance, platform switching, and competition mental models(47:18) Kalshi, Robinhood, prediction markets, and regulatory challenges(52:17) BYD's self-parking technology and the future of self-driving cars(56:43) Final thoughts and request for startup growth dataSubscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpFollow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(9:49) 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(19:33) Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at ⁠⁠https://w⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.oracle.com/twist⁠⁠⁠(30:06) Horatio. Visit https://www.hirehoratio.com/twist and get $2,000 off your initial set up.Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara,Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta,Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916

OpenAI dropped Deep Research—hilariously, the exact same name as Google’s existing tool. Jason and Alex dive into the AI arms race, break down Lovable.dev’s insane growth to $10M ARR in weeks, and test whether AI can really replace software engineers. Plus, they analyze Trump’s latest tariff chaos and what it means for startups, global trade, and the economy. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (1:09) Jason’s talk and case study at Stanford (2:38) Managing the chaotic news cycle (5:22) NBA trade insights: Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis (7:15) Lovable startup's rapid growth (9:44) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:02) Lovable's AI demo and European startup landscape (15:20) Lovable's target market and pricing strategy (19:48) PrizePicks. Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST (21:39) Custom software development's future with AI (23:17) Launching and designing AI-powered apps (27:07) US sovereign wealth funds and crypto regulation (28:56) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (33:42) Creative tax and debt reduction strategies (41:34) Defense spending and OpenAI's new product (46:51) OpenAI's market impact and ethical considerations (53:02) AI's role in content creation and job market (58:13) Venture capital trends and startup ecosystem (1:01:19) DeepSeek's popularity and security concerns (1:03:28) Tariffs, economic impact, and supply chain importance * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Check out: Standford Case Study on Jason: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/jason-calacanis-case-study-creating-resources OpenAI’s Deep Research: https://openai.com/index/introducing-deep-research/ * Follow Anton X: https://x.com/antonosika LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonosika/ * Follow Lovable: X: https://x.com/lovable_dev Website: www.lovable.dev * 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: (0:00) Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (0:00) PrizePicks. Run your game. Download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TWIST (0:00) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups * 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

Today’s show: The AI revolution is about to hit your household—Jason and Alex break down how general-purpose robots, AI-powered chicken coops, and voice clones are redefining daily life and work. They dig into OpenAI’s sky-high valuation, the surprising rise of DeepSeek’s R1 model, and why the AI cost curve is dropping at an insane pace. Plus, the latest on AI hardware, antitrust battles, and why the “No Buy 2025” trend could change how we think about consumer tech. * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show. (3:10) Episode topics overview and fan participation (5:48) Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses discussion (9:27) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. (11:05) 11 Labs' Series C funding and voice cloning technology (18:09) Automation's impact on jobs and ethical considerations (20:05) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (21:22) Market trends towards sustainability and AI in smart chicken coops (27:04) Y Combinator's AI startup focus and investment considerations (29:47) Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist (31:42) AI in compliance, auditing, and personal staff replacement (35:06) AI development tools, hardware investments, and data trust issues (39:29) AI company valuations, OpenAI's revenue, and AI commoditization (51:04) AI ethics, SoftBank's strategy, and audience questions on AI hardware (59:27) Government AI funding, DOJ suit, and tech industry commoditization (1:09:21) AI advancements, consumer electronics costs, and computing hardware trends (1:12:08) Closing thoughts on technology's impact on life and teaser for next week * Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * 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: (9:27) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period. (20:05) Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (29:47) Scalable Path. Get 20% off your first month at https://www.scalablepath.com/twist * 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