This Week in Startups

Jason is joined by Mark Suster of Upfront Ventures to cover raising capital in the early 2000s (1:22), aligning board members (21:19), the three variables VCs need to bet on (40:51), and so much more! (0:00) Molly kicks off the show (1:22) A recap of the previous 3 market cycles (5:23) The hurdles founders will face starting a company in 2023 (6:55) Raising capital in the early 2000s (9:15) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free. (10:37) Upfront’s strategy and changes to the market (15:35) Misalignment of investors (19:48) Prenuvo - Get $300 off a full-body MRI scan at https://prenuvo.com/twist (21:19) Aligning of board members (29:13) Setting reality as an investor/board member (33:40) Cutting Burn & Mark’s decision framework (39:23) Orgspace - Get $2000 of credits on pro plans with a 30-day free trial at https://orgspace.io/twist (40:51) The 3 variables VCs need to bet on (48:28) The power law and mission-aligned founders (52:13) Feed the family money (58:33) Company killers + Investing in lines not dots FOLLOW Mark: https://twitter.com/msuster FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Precision Neuroscience’s Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer joins Molly to discuss how the brain communicates with the body (7:08) and the breakthroughs that allowed companies like Precision to exist. (12:52) Then, they discuss Precision’s founding principles, the process of getting FDA approval for its neural interface, and much more. (28:55) (0:00) Molly kicks off the show (1:27) Dr. Rapoport’s origin story (7:08) How the brain communicates with the body (11:22) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:52) Breakthroughs in neuroscience (22:37) Contra - a commission-free marketplace for freelancers and independent creators. Get $500 off your first hire at https://contra.com/twist  (24:06) The tension between public and private institutions (28:55) The founding principles of Precision Neuroscience (33:21) The Layer 7 interface and preparing for FDA approval (40:39) LMNT - Get a free sample pack with any purchase at https://DrinkLMNT.com/TWIST (42:07) Minimizing risk (45:25) Interfacing with different areas of the brain (47:06) Medical infrastructure and the business model of med-tech CHECK OUT Precision Neuroscience: https://precisionneuro.io FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First up, J+M break down Meta taking a note from Twitter with a $12 paid tier and how it can have a material impact on revenue. (12:05) Then, they cover the problems with Bing's new chatbot (32:13) before wrapping on Stripe potentially missing its window (46:14) and Meta copying a Telegram feature! (1:00:30) (0:00) J+M tee up today's topics! (2:22) Proper PTO operating standards, what's in store for the next few weeks on TWiST! (10:31) MasterClass - Get 15% off an annual membership at https://masterclass.com/startups (12:05) Zuck announces Meta Verified, a $12/month paid service for Facebook/Instagram and WhatsApp (18:56) How Meta's new product can have a material impact on revenue (21:49) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist  (22:47) What enticing features major social platforms can add to get more paid users (30:42) Contra - Get $500 off your first hire at https://contra.com/twist (32:13) Bing's new chatbot has already been toned down by Microsoft for responding with a style the company did not intend (46:14) Stripe's $4B tax bill and further valuation cuts: did the highest-flying startup fumble the bag? (1:00:30) Meta also copied Telegram's broadcast channels feature, which Zuck used to announce Meta's new paid tier! 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

Vinny and Sunny join Jason and Molly for another crypto roundtable discussing the federal government’s crackdown on crypto. (1:39) They define what staking is (10:13), and Jason addresses his Twitter Exchange with Coinbase founder and CEO Brian Armstrong. (32:20) Then Producer Rachel is joined by Prince Ghosh of Factored Quality for another edition of Ok Boomer. (1:06:45) (0:00) Molly kicks off the show (1:39) Crypto crackdown + the roles of the SEC and CFTC (8:46) Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub - Apply in 5 minutes for six figures in discounts at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups (10:13) Definitions of “staking” (21:30) Merge - Integrate up to 5 customers for free today at https://merge.dev/twist (23:00) Using Web 3.0 for crowdsource capital (32:20) Brian Armstrong and Jason’s exchange + Challenges of crypto exchanges (40:25) Pilot.com. - Go to https://pilot.com/twist for 20% off your first 6 months of Pilot Core. (41:54) Regulating stablecoins (57:41)$100M New Jersey Deli + Jason’s grand plan for TikTok (1:06:45) Ok Boomer with Prince Ghosh of Factored Quality FOLLOW Vinny: https://twitter.com/vinnylingham FOLLOW Sunny: https://twitter.com/sundeep FOLLOW Prince: https://twitter.com/princeghosh97 FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Deven Parekh of Insight Partners joins Jason to discuss navigating markets during the dot com era and the pandemic. (1:50) Then they discuss "venture tourists" and cleaning up cap tables before wrapping up with a look back at some of Deven's winning investments. (20:04) (0:00) Jason kicks off the show (1:50) Experiencing the dot com burst (10:14) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free. (11:36) Comparing Web 3.0 and the dot com era + navigating the markets during the pandemic (18:40) Cast.ai - Get a free cloud cost audit with a personal consultation at https://cast.ai/twist (20:04) Venture Tourists (29:30) Unfavorable preference stacks (37:07) Acquire.com - Sign up for FREE at https://try.acquire.com/twist (38:32) Cleaning a cap table (47:57) Looking back at Deven’s investments FOLLOW Deven: https://twitter.com/djparekh FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Molly is joined by Rachel as they discuss the news that some companies are selling data about their mental health patients. (1:33) Then they discuss how Bing’s AI chatbot was presenting false information during its reveal last week. (11:57) To wrap, Tom Loverro joins Jason to talk about his viral tweet thread about a “mass extinction event coming for early & mid-stage companies”. (24:36) (0:00) Molly and Rachel kick off the show (1:33) America’s mental health data is being sold (10:28) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST (11:57) Bing dodges $100B bullet (20:23) House of Macadamias - Get 20% off at https://houseofmacadamias.com/twist by using code TWIST20 (21:51) Molly and Rachel’s AI predictions (24:36) IVP’s Tom Loverro joins Jason (39:32) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist (40:42) Tom’s prescriptions for founders FOLLOW Tom: https://twitter.com/tomloverro FOLLOW Rachel: https://twitter.com/_rachelbraun FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Molly and Jason kick off the show catching up after the weekend, discussing the Super Bowl and the spy balloons that the US airforce has shot down. (1:30) Then they have a very interesting conversation about bypassing ChatGPT’s guardrails and content moderation. (23:29) (0:00) M+J kick off the show (1:30) Super Bowl 57 (8:33) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (9:58) UFOs in American airspace (22:26) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://Embroker.com/twist (23:29) ChatGPT’s alter ego DAN + content filter transparency (37:17) Revelo - Get 20% off the first 3 months by mentioning TWIST at https://revelo.com/twist (38:44) Programming LLMs and neural networks FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Four-cycle investor and Redpoint Ventures Co-Founder Geoff Yang joins to discuss his early years in VC (1:45), what it takes for a founder to survive in a down market (11:47), what makes CEOs like Frank Slootman and David Zaslav stand out, and more! (43:35) (0:00) Jason kicks off the show (1:45) Geoff Yang’s experience cracking into VC (10:26) LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free. (11:47) Surviving and thriving in a down market (22:35) First Republic Bank - Discover what a long-term financial relationship can do for you. Visit https://firstrepublic.com today to learn more. (23:29) Being flexible and understanding risk as an entrepreneur (30:00) Accomplishing the most with the least (34:05) ProsperStack - Take 10% off your subscription by mentioning TWIST at https://prosperstack.com/twist (35:17) Geoff’s favorite investments (43:35) Working with David Zaslav (50:57) What’s next for Geoff + Generative AI FOLLOW Geoff: https://twitter.com/geoff_yang FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Joe Gebbia joins Jason to discuss the early days of Airbnb, gaining traction, persevering through the “no’s,” and functional design. (2:09) They also discuss gaining customer trust and Airbnb’s incredible COVID turnaround. (21:17) Joe wraps the show by breaking down his new venture, Samara. (45:05) (0:00) Jason kicks off the show (2:09) Airbnb’s first sign of traction (9:05) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (10:04) Persevering through the “no’s,” and functional design (19:48) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST (21:17) Gaining customer trust (30:46) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (32:17) Airbnb’s incredible COVID turnaround (45:05) Joe’s new startup Samara Check out: https://www.samara.com/backyard FOLLOW Joe: https://twitter.com/jgebbia FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Molly and Jason discuss Google’s announcing plans to roll out its ChatGPT competitor, called Bard, in the coming weeks. (1:10) Then, they discuss Adam Neumann’s explanation of Flow’s business before wrapping up with a SOTD, Jobber. (18:59) (0:00) M+J kick off the show (1:10) Breaking down Google’s announcement of Bard (9:29) Coda - Startups can get $1000 credit by visiting https://coda.io/twist (11:00) Neeva’s approach to search (17:33) Linode - Apply to Linode's Rise program for up to six figures in discounts at https://linode.com/twist (18:59) An update on Adam Neumann’s Flow (36:31) Meowtel - Save $25 on your first booking with code TWIST25 at https://meowtel.com/ (37:53) SOTD: Jobber raises $100M (46:17) Microsoft officially announces the integration of ChatGPT into Bing FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood