This Week in Startups

First Jason and Molly recap the Apple event, including the new Mac Studio release (1:53). Then they discuss Pony AI's $8.5B Series D (34:41). Next, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt joins to discuss launching their driverless service in SF (46:40), their custom-built zero-emission shared vehicle the "Origin" (1:01:06), and self-driving maturity.   Show Notes: (00:00) Jason and Molly intro today’s topics: thoughts on new Apple products, interview with Kyle Vogt of Cruise (01:53) Jason and Molly talk about the Mac Studio (10:52) Indochino - Get $50 off any purchase of $399 or more by using code TWIST at checkout https://indochino.com (12:05) Big presentations aren’t needed for incremental changes (22:23) Vanta - Get $1,000 off automating your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (23:41) Guessing the next computer in the Mac lineage (25:40) More Apple products announced, and Apple TV for Friday MLB (33:33) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (34:41) Startup of the day: Pony.ai (46:40) Jason interviews Kyle Vogt, CEO of Cruise (01:01:06) Carpooling with the Cruise Origin (01:07:45) Smoother rides and self-driving cars in different weather (01:19:05) Self-driving robo-taxis and sharing map data (01:27:00) What percent are we at for self-driving general accessibility? Check out Cruise: https://www.getcruise.com FOLLOW Kyle: https://twitter.com/kvogt FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

"Sequoia Capital is the greatest venture capital firm of all time. It's indisputable." - Jason  Jason chats with Sequoia's Doug Leone, a leader who shepherded the firm for four decades. They discuss great founders, governance, Sequoia's global expansion, mentoring the next generation of investors and more. (00:00) Jason intros today’s legendary interview w/ Doug Leone of Sequoia Capital (01:14) When Doug Leone got his start (11:00) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST (12:23) The impact selling secondary shares has on founders (15:43) “The founder’s job is to make the receptionist rich” (21:14) First Republic Bank - Discover what a long-term financial relationship can do for you. Visit https://firstrepublic.com/startup today to learn more. (22:15) Mentoring the next generation of investors (30:51) Linode - Apply to their Rise program for founder-led, early-stage startups and get 3 years of discounts at https://linode.com/twist. (31:58) Sometimes incredible companies make the founder (34:07) The greatest founders Doug has worked with (46:30) Providing companies with a running start, but not doing too much (53:10) Investing in China (57:15) Entrepreneurship in Europe (01:11:06) “Hope is not a plan. Let’s make a plan. Check out Sequoia: https://www.sequoiacap.com FOLLOW Doug Leone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-leone-a2714/ FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First, Jason and Molly cover the news of Alumni Ventures Group getting charged by the SEC for misleading investors about their management fees (1:56). AVG had to repay $4.7M to investors and paid $800,000 in a settlement. Next, we briefly touch on Index Ventures stopping their investments in Russia (24:56). Then, Radiant Energy Fund Managing Director Mark Nelson joins to make the case for nuclear power and explain why many countries have chosen to decrease their nuclear capacity (40:03). (00:00) Jason and Molly intro the show: AVG pays 800K in penalties, Index halts Russian startup investments, interview w/ Mark Nelson on nuclear energy (01:56) Alumni Venture Group pays 800K in penalties to SEC (10:42) Ourcrowd - Check out the deal of the week at https://ourcrowd.com/twist (11:49) Jason's prediction for what happened at Alumni Venture Group (23:33) Mercury - Banking built for startups. See more at https://mercury.com/twist (24:56) VC Firm Index Ventures halts startup investments in Russia (38:35) Assure - To get 20% off your first Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) visit https://Assure.co/twist (40:03) Nuclear activist Mark Nelson on the future of nuclear energy (@energybants) (56:41) How Germany abandoned nuclear (1:03:31) Are Nuclear reactors aged beyond repair? (1:10:49) What France got right (1:29:41) Ways you can get involved with This Week in Startups & Launch FOLLOW Mark: https://twitter.com/energybants FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Another Sunday double-header edition! First Jason leads a VC Sunday School session on how to react when companies try and skip steps and raise larger rounds (2:51). Plus, how Pegasus (or Alicorn) companies can end up being much better investments than traditional Unicorns. Then, for This Week in Climate Startups, Molly chats with Andrew Beebe of Obvious Ventures (18:47). You will learn: 1. Andrew's focus within climate tech (electric mobility, carbon and carbon markets) 2. How Andrew's first startup exit set him up to join the solar industry 3. How contrarian bets make careers 4. The key criteria for climate investments to be good venture bets 5. How Obvious Ventures puts its "world positive" mission into practice 6. The way carbon disclosure requirements will reshape industry 7. Why Andrew recommends reading Kim Stanley Robinson's "The Ministry for the Future" (00:00) Jason and Molly intro today’s show: VC Sunday School, TWiCS with Andrew Beebe (02:51) VCSS: companies raising big rounds before they’re ready (11:20) Coda - The All-in-one doc for teams, get a $1,000 credit at https://coda.io/twist (12:38) Pegasus (alicorn) companies: flying over rounds of funding (18:47) This Week in Climate Startups w/ Andrew Beebe of Obvious Ventures (23:02) Wealthfront - Get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life at https://wealthfront.com/TWIST (24:32) The first clean tech boom in the solar industry (33:21) Embroker - Get an extra 10% off insurance for your business at https://Embroker.com/twist (34:44) Obvious and Andrew Beebe’s investment thesis: “World Positive” (56:54) SaaS Syndicate, Open Scouting, Remote Demo Day, angel.university Check out Obvious Ventures: https://obvious.com FOLLOW Andrew: https://twitter.com/andrewbeebe FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First Jason and Molly cover Google is bringing employees back to the office three times per week starting in early April (1:41), Snowflake dropping 15% after reporting strong earnings, Slack’s slowing growth within Salesforce. After the news, Molly sits down with Alyse Killeen of Stillmark to continue Season 6 of Angel: First-time funds (38:10). We wrap with Producer Rachel's interview with Kai Han of Pallet, which is building a platform for creators to curate job boards (1:11:50). 00:00 Jason and Molly intro today’s show, Google back in the office, the Jason and WeWork saga, Angel w/ Alyse Killeen, OKB w/ Kai Han 01:40 Google sends employees back to the office 14:43 Ourcrowd - Check out the deal of the week at https://ourcrowd.com/angel 15:53 Snowflake stock repricing, Slack's product velocity, managing a remote company 29:43 LinkedIn Jobs - Go to https://linkedIn.com/angel and post your first job for free. 31:16 Jason and WeWork, donate medical supplies to Ukraine at https://flexport.org/donate 36:44 Embroker - Get an extra 10% off insurance for your business at https://Embroker.com/twist 38:10 Angel S6: Alyse Killeen of Stillmark, a $30M Bitcoin Infrastructure fund 01:11:50 OK Boomer: Pallet CEO Kai Han Donate to Ukraine: https://www.flexport.org/donate Check out Stillmark: https://www.stillmark.com FOLLOW Alyse: https://twitter.com/alysekilleen FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Cana is back on the podcast, previously David Friedberg teased the "molecular beverage printer" on E1365.  This time, we speak and to CEO Matt Mahar about pricing, their go-to-market plans, their cartridge subscription process, Cana's potential climate impact, current flavors and more!  Molly was the first outsider to tour their facility and she tried a whole bunch of beverages from the Cana One. (0:00) Jason and Molly tee up today’s topics: a deep dive on the just-launched Cana product! (1:30) Molly and Jason break down Molly’s site visit to the Cana facility and the taste tests (8:36) Bubble (9:57) Cana’s starting price point, cartridges, cost per drink, and more (19:34) Masterworks (21:06) Molly’s intros Cana CEO Matt Mahar, and they talk about the origins of the product, impact of the bottling industry, how the product works mechanically (31:39) Superside (32:53) Understanding non-obvious climate solutions, Cana product breakdown and pricing (40:03) Cana as a creator platform, big picture vision of what is possible (54:09) Cana’s economic impact on the bottling industry, Matt’s background, working with TPB Check out Cana: https://www.cana.com FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First, we talk about Apple pausing all sales in Russia and other actions they’re taking (1:47). Then, we cover Ford splitting its EV business off from its ICE business (15:57). Then, Joe Speiser from Hampton VC joins to talk about how being too reliant on Facebook killed his media company Little Things with an algorithm change (25:42). We wrap with a quick WLITF segment on humanoid robots (42:05). (00:00) Molly intros today’s topics: Tim Cook’s response to Russia, WeWork can’t read the room, Interview with Joe Speiser of LittleThings, We Live in the Future with Molly (01:47) Tim Cook and Apple’s response to Russia (05:40) WeWork’s new CEO says WeWork will not leave the Russia (14:41) Vanta - Get $1,000 off automating your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (15:57) Ford separating EV business from main ICE business (24:34) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (25:42) How facebook’s algorithm change ruined Joe Speiser’s company (34:03) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (35:22) The dangers of having your business rely on a platform (42:05) We Live in the Future: Sanctuary FOLLOW Joe: https://twitter.com/jspeiser Check out Hampton VC: https://www.hamptonvc.com/ FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First Jason and Molly break down the reactions from big tech companies to the Russia / Ukraine conflict (2:22), then we showcase our Startup of the Day, Backbone which is innovating in mobile gaming (51:41). Then Jason does an amazing interview with investor Joel Greenblatt, where we discuss increasing public market participation, strategies for finding value, taxes and more (1:05:50). (00:00) Jason and Molly intro today’s DOUBLE episode, Ukraine, Tech companies and Russia sanctions, Startup of the day Backbone, Interview with investor Joel Greenblatt (02:22) What tech companies should do in response to Russia invading Ukraine (12:28) Gun.io - Get $250 off your first developer hire at https://Gun.io/twist! (13:50) Tech companies and Russia sanctions continued (21:27) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (22:51) Sanctions aren’t the perfect response because there isn’t one (30:17) Boast - Get your R&D tax credits without the hassle at https://boast.ai/twist (31:35) Apple needs to decide what to do in Russia (51:41) Startup of the day: Backbone (01:05:50) Jason interviews investor Joel Greenblatt (01:25:10) Joel talks about the long term effects of having so many young, new market participants (01:59:12) Joel’s thoughts on minimum taxes and tax loopholes More on Joel: https://www.gothamfunds.com/principals.aspx FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First, Molly Wood quickly sums up crypto donations flowing to Ukraine (2:03). Then, Jason and Molly chat with Molly White, the creator of the website "Web 3 is Going Great." We discuss the problems she identified with Web 3, speculation vs. building, DAOs, decentralization and more (7:01). (00:00) Molly intros today’s episode, crypto in Ukraine, Jason and Molly interview guest Molly White (02:07) The ways crypto has been used to help Ukraine (07:01) Molly and Jason interview guest Molly White (10:32) Mercury - Banking built for startups. See more at https://mercury.com/twist (12:02) Molly White talks about her website, web3isgoinggreat.com (14:07) Molly White talks about newer technologies in web3 and their future (17:06) Grifting in web3 (18:35) What it takes to truly understand web3 (20:38) RealGoodFoods - Go to https://realgoodfoods.com and use code TWIST for $15 off! (22:06) Bitcoin toxicity, brigading, and wash trading (25:34) Melania chimes in (25:43) Categories of grift in NFT’s (30:47) Ourcrowd - Check out the deal of the week at https://ourcrowd.com/twist (32:03) Jason predicts NFT lawsuits in 2023 (33:06) Toxicity in the bitcoin cult (35:00) What are good uses for blockchains and the web3 shift (35:55) Jason’s defense of bitcoin (36:42) Molly White’s counter to Jason’s defense of bitcoin (38:17) Problems with energy consumption in bitcoin (40:22) Can bitcoin help store monetary value in authoritarian countries? (42:39) Are DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations) a good idea? (48:27) Questions companies need to be able to answer in the life of their product (49:39) The downfall of Enron: “How does this company make money?” (52:16) The caveats of being ok with true decentralization (55:10) Doxxing in crypto (01:04:03) Brigading in crypto and social media Check out Web 3 is Going Great: https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/molly0xFFF FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

First up is a VC Sunday school where Jason discusses what investors mean when they say "we are interested in investing, but come back when you found a lead" (1:51). Then, we tease Molly's EV review of the Audi e-tron Sportback (20:42). To wrap, Molly does a This Week in Climate Startups segment with Seth Bannon, a founding Partner of Fifty Years, a Venture capital firm investing in climate solutions (34:12). You will learn: 1. The convictions that unpin Fifty Years' investment thesis 2. Why Seth thinks VC has lost his way 3. Why increasing longevity could be a net-positive for climate 4. How Fifty Years measures impact of their investments 5. How Seth evaluates the potential negative externalities of his investments 6. How his PhD to VC program works (recorded on 2/9/22) Show Notes: (00:00) Jason and Molly tee up today’s topics: VC Sunday School, Molly’s EV reviews, and This Week in Climate Startups! (01:51) VC Sunday School: Why some investors wait for founders to “find a lead” (09:59) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (11:04) Getting to the root of why VCs wait for leads: nobody likes to turn down founders, LAUNCH role playing (19:36) Revelo - Get 20% off the first 3 months by mentioning TWIST at https://revelo.io/twist (20:42) Molly’s EV Review (check out at https://youtube.com/thisweekin), breaking down the next wave of EVs (32:42) Bubble. Get one month free of a no-code plan at https://bubble.io/twist (34:12) Seth Bannon of Fifty Years, raising their first fund, investment break down (47:11) Seth’s thoughts on the startup ecosystem “losing its way” over the past few years (55:03) Helping climate entrepreneurs Check out Fifty Years: https://fiftyyears.com FOLLOW Seth: https://twitter.com/sethbannon FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood