This Week in Startups

Zillow CEO Rich Barton talks about creating evocative brands like Zillow and Expedia, lessons from Bill Gates, tech management evolution, and branding strategies. Discusses empowering employees, iconic company names, major layoffs, and the importance of tension in storytelling.

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

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST. House of Macadamias is the next big health trend! Get 20% off your first purchase and a free box of Namibian Sea Salted Macadamia Nuts at houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code twist20! * Today’s show: First up, Sunny Madra joins Jason to demo some new AI tools, including auto-generated articles, social clips, and ChatGPT’s newest feature. (3:50) Then, Jason sees pitches from three recent Founder University graduates and invests $25K in one of their startups! (40:33) Time stamps: (00:00) Sunny joins Jason (2:20) The pace of progress in the industry and influx of AI startups (3:50) Sunny demos byword.ai (9:58) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (11:19) Building a company today and improving LLMs (17:21) Sunny demos Submagic (23:53) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (25:09) Sunny demos ChatGPT’s new Custom Instructions feature (29:40) TWiST's "all-star" summer and brief TWiST history (39:13) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off and a free box of Namibian Sea Salted Macadamia Nuts at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20 (40:33) Jason and Kelly kick off another $25K startup pitch competition! (44:13) Rami pitches Querio.ai (49:18) Batuhan pitches BeforeSunset.ai (59:54) Allen Pitches Semanttic (1:07:03) Kelly and Jason share thoughts, then Jason picks a startup! (1:11:34) Q&A with Jason * Check out byword_: https://byword.ai/ Check out Submagic: https://www.submagic.co Check out Querio.AI: https://www.querio.ai Check out BeforeSunset.AI: https://www.beforesunset.ai Check out Semanttic: https://www.semanttic.com/ Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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

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

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Carta now lets you launch and administer SPVs for your syndicate. Share your knowledge, capital, and network to launch your syndicate SPVs through Carta. Get 10% off your first SPV at carta.com with promo code TWIST. Eight Sleep. Good sleep is the ultimate game changer. Now you can add the Pod Pro Cover to any mattress! Go to eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Pro Cover and get $150 off at checkout! LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/unicorn to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. * Today’s show: Lightmatter CEO Nick Harris joins Jason to discuss how his startup is revolutionizing the future of computing with photonic chips (1:48), the challenges of building the next-generation AI hardware (18:35), and more! * Time stamps: (00:00) Lightmatter CEO Nick Harris joins Jason (1:48) Photonic computing and the optic engines involved (5:08) Lightmatter’s background and customer base (9:24) The impact of this technology (11:38) Carta - Get 10% off your first SPV at https://carta.com with promo code TWIST (13:12) Catching up to demand and the endgame for process tech in semiconductors (15:37) Using AI tools to build AI chips and the potential of data centers in space (18:35) Fixing issues associated with advanced chips and supercomputers (21:58) Eight Sleep - Go to https://eightsleep.com/twist to check out the Pod Cover and get $150 off at checkout! (23:30) Where we are on the path to AGI (26:17) Nick’s background in quantum computing (29:15) The LK-99 superconductor (33:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://LinkedIn.com/unicorn (34:58) Scientists gaining recognition and the app diversion (40:17) LinkSquares CEO Vishal Sunak on going from $1M to $10M in ARR in 2 years * Follow Nick: https://twitter.com/theanalognick Check out Lightmatter: https://lightmatter.co * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

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 vanta.com/twist CLA. Innovation takes balance. Our 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 Notion just launched Notion Projects, which includes new, powerful ways to manage projects and leverage the power of their built-in AI features too. Try it for free today at notion.com/twist. * Today’s show: Whoop Founder and CEO Will Ahmed joins Jason to discuss Whoop’s journey (1;50), the driving paradigm behind Whoop’s innovative product designs (31:38), the future of wearable tech (41:26), and more! * Time stamps: (00:00) Whoop Founder and CEO Will Ahmed joins Jason (1:50) The “Quantified Self” movement and features that set Whoop’s product apart (4:04) How the device interprets health data and obtains consistent results (7:24) Whoop’s customer base (8:52) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (9:59) The decision to pivot to a subscription business model (14:31) Amazon turning from potential investor to failed copy-cat competitor (20:09) Incorporating new strategies into the business (24:49) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (26:21) Developments since the product’s inception (31:38) Whoop Body and the driving paradigm behind the product design (40:00) Notion - Try Notion Projects for free today at notion.com/twist (41:26) What lies ahead and the future of wearable tech (44:47) The ability to share the recorded health data (47:20) AI utilizing large health datasets and the Whoop Journal * Follow Will: https://twitter.com/willahmed Check out Whoop: https://www.whoop.com * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Embroker. The Embroker Startup Insurance Program helps startups secure the most important types of insurance at a lower cost and with less hassle. Save up to 20% off of traditional insurance today at Embroker.com/twist. While you’re there, get an extra 10% off using offer code TWIST. OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at openphone.com/twist Roots. Invest in the only real estate investment trust that creates wealth for you and its residents at investwithroots.com/twist * Today’s show: Sunny Madra joins Jason to discuss Fable Simulation's new AI showrunner (5:51), AI-powered note-takers and CRMs( 37:25), and more! * Time stamps: (00:00) Sunny Madra joins Jason (2:27) Using AI to analyze large datasets (5:51) The WGA strike and Fable Studios’ AI-generated South Park episode (12:29) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (13:45) AI-generated South Park continued (16:58) What is lost with AI and the Modern Seinfeld Twitter account (23:40) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://openphone.com/twist (25:10) The pace of innovation with RunwayML (31:06) Production studios sharing the wealth & alternative plans (36:00) Roots - Head to investwithroots.com/TWIST to sign up and start investing today! (37:25) Sunny showcases Folk app’s CRM (45:29) Sunny demos Circleback (51:32) Using Claude to break down an investor presentation and Sergey Brin back at Google * Follow Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep Check out Circleback: https://circleback.ai Check out Folk.app: https://www.folk.app Check out RunwayML: https://runwayml.com * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Today’s show: Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Legal Basics! In this episode, they discuss the contrast between late-stage and seed-stage investing (2:52), repricing stock options (5:48), the adoption of AI in the legal industry (23:29), and much more! * Time stamps: (0:00) Wilson Sonsini Partner Becki DeGraw joins Jason (1:19) The increase in tech layoffs and AI startups (2:52) Late-stage vs. early-stage investing and the seed-stage value chart (5:48) Repricing stock options when underwater (14:05) Disclosing revenue, burn rate, and growth rate (18:08) RIFs and knowing your employees (20:57) The long-term effects of remote work (23:29) The use of AI and chatbots in law * Check out Wilson Sonsini: https://www.wsgr.com * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Crowdbotics. Great ideas can change the world, and Crowdbotics is the fastest way to turn those ideas into code. Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups * Today’s show: Abridge CEO Shiv Rao joins Jason to discuss how his AI platform saves doctors time by automating consultation note-taking(8:29), the future of the medical field(37:23), and much more! * Time stamps: (00:00) Abridge CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Shiv Rao joins Jason (3:22) Abridge's journey and tailwinds in the industry (6:43) The sudden advancement in AI tech (8:29) The importance of conversation in healthcare (12:00) Crowdbotics - Get a free scoping session for your next big app idea at crowdbotics.com/twist (13:29) Dr. Shiv demos Abridge (21:49) Reinforcement training and building trustworthy models (23:10) Use of this product in the field and feedback from clinics (26:53) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (28:00) Time saved using Abridge (30:30) How patients interact with Abridge and data privacy (35:56) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (37:23) The future of the medical field (49:11) The pace of healthcare today * Check out Abridge: https://www.abridge.com/ Follow Dr. Shiv: https://twitter.com/shivdevrao * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/four Apply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/apply Buy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great recent interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland, PrayingForExits, Jenny Lefcourt Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast