podcast image for This Week in Startups
This Week in Startups
Description

Jason Calacanis covers startups, tech, markets, media, and all the hottest topics in business and technology. He also interviews the world’s greatest founders, operators, investors, and innovators.

Episodes
  • 2025 / 12 / 6
    Netflix buys WB + why Jason should run Disney | E2219

    This Week In Startups is made possible by:Sentry - http://sentry.io/twistLinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsPipedrive - pipedrive.com/twistToday’s show:Netflix wants to gobble up Warner...

  • 2025 / 12 / 4
    Getting past the “Cardinal Sins of Delegating” with Jonathan Swanson of Athena | E2218

    This Week In Startups is made possible by:Northwest Registered Agent - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twistCrusoe - http://crusoe.ai/buildGusto - https://www.gusto.com/twistToday’s show: Delegating...

  • 2025 / 12 / 3
    Monumental Makes Construction Bots Play Nice Together | E2217

    This Week In Startups is made possible by:LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsVanta - https://www.vanta.com/twistPilot - https://pilot.com/twistToday’s show: Did you know there’s actually a...

  • 2025 / 12 / 2
    Is $MSTR over? Jason takes his victory lap. | E2216

    This Week In Startups is made possible by:Quo - http://quo.com/TWiSTSquarespace - https://www.Squarespace.com/TWISTMiro - http://miro.com/Today’s show: Michael Saylor’s Strategy play is struggling with the...

  • 2025 / 11 / 26
    SO MANY THINGS need to go right just so you can watch a TikTok! | E2215

    Register here to join Founder University Japan’s kickoff! 👉🏻 https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show: On TWiST, Alex is chatting with Neubird CEO Gou Rao about the intricate complexity of IT Ops, and the vast...

  • 2025 / 11 / 24
    Even great startups sometimes need to pivot (feat. Francisco Cornejo of Theo) | E2214

    Register here for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff 👉🏻 https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:The team from Familify had released a well-reviewed storytelling app for kids and parents… but it just wasn’t...

  • 2025 / 11 / 22
    Jason predicts a “major M&A moment” in the next six months! | E2213

    Register here to join Founder University Japan’s kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:Google and Meta had their cases dismissed (or received a slap on the wrist)… Despite all the backlash and...

  • 2025 / 11 / 20
    Why data is the biggest AI bottleneck (feat. Arthur Mensch of Mistral AI) | E2212

    Today’s show:The race for more compute gets all the headlines, but Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch tells us the REAL danger is running out of data!On TWiST, Jason and Alex are chatting with the head of France’s...

  • 2025 / 11 / 19
    AI Model Showdown: Grok 4.1 vs. Gemini 3 | E2211

    AI Model Showdown: Grok 4.1 vs. Gemini 3 | E2211Register for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:*Will the arrival of two hotly-anticipated, intensely powerful AI models...

  • 2025 / 11 / 18
    Archer buys an airport, Ramp’s huge raise, RIP KitKat, Bezos returns to the C-Suite, and more | E2210

    *Are we finally reaching Peak eVTOL? Jason and Alex on Joby’s big Abu Dhabi moves and Archer’s purchase of LA’s Hawthorne Airport.On a PACKED Monday TWiST, Jason is BACK from MENA and Tokyo. Hear tales from...

  • 2025 / 11 / 14
    Stop ghosting your friends with Nox’s RPLY, plus Alloy Automation and a Shopify flashback | E2209

    👉 Register here to join Founder University Japan’s kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:Nox’s new app RPLY reminds you to text your friends back, getting you to iMessage inbox zero.On today’s...

  • 2025 / 11 / 13
    Why We Need Ferries and Tugboats in Space w/ Orbital Operations | E2208

    👉 Register here to join the kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:Just getting our stuff into orbit isn’t enough… Orbital Operations wants to help companies take things HIGHER.In today’s TWiST 500...

  • 2025 / 11 / 11
    Inside Harvey AI’s $8 billion AI lawyer app, PLUS How OpenRouter unites the LLMs | E2207

    Register for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:Find out why AI is perfectly suited to legal tasks… despite being too fast for “billable hours”On today’s TWiST, Alex...

  • 2025 / 11 / 10
    IPO Mania hits the TWiST 500! Three companies are ready to go public | E2206

    👉 Register here for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:*Three of our favorite TWiST 500 startups — Ledger, 1Password, AND Mercury — are circling IPOs. Find out why the...

  • 2025 / 11 / 8
    It’s a boat, it’s a plane, it’s REGENT’s Seafarer | E2205

    Register for Founder University Japan’s Kickoff: https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:*The key to avoiding long airport delays? Low-altitude sea planes! Why didn’t you think of that?We’ve got an awesome...

  • 2025 / 11 / 6
    Is investing REALLY the hardest job in tech? A TWIST VC Roundtable (ft. Deedy Das and Jay Eum) | E2204

    Register for Founder University Japan’s kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:*On TWiST, Jason welcomes an all-star VC panel — Deedy Das of Menlo Partners and Jay Eum of GFT Ventures — for a deep...

  • 2025 / 11 / 3
    Sending datacenters into orbit | E2203

    👉 Register here to join the Founder University Japan kickoff! https://luma.com/cm0x90mkToday’s show:*Starcloud has started sending AI chips into orbit. So is this where the datacenters the power AI will one...

  • 2025 / 11 / 1
    What will be OpenAI’s IPO price? Place ya bets! | E2202

    What will be OpenAI’s IPO price? Place ya bets! | EXXX*Polymarket’s sharps are already placing bets on when ChatGPT maker OpenAI will go public… and Jason and Alex want in on this action. They’re placing side...

  • 2025 / 10 / 30
    Grammarly is now Superhuman! CEO Shishir Mehrotra explains the rebrand | E2201

    Today’s show:*Why rebrand an app with 40 million daily active users?On TWiST, Grammarly CEO Shishir Mehrotra swings by to explain why he’s renaming his company after the mail app he just purchased,...

  • 2025 / 10 / 29
    iPhone Air is “inspiring,” and a first step toward Apple Glasses (w/ Zach Handshoe of SpatialGen) | E2200

    Today’s show:Jason’s been skeptical on Apple lately, but he’s BLOWN AWAY by his new iPhone Air.Hear why JCal thinks Cupertino’s latest release is “completely inspiring,” and why he’s sure it’s the next step...

  • 2025 / 10 / 28
    Jason Unpacks Sequoia’s New Funds"| E2199

    Today’s show:Australia has accused Microsoft of employing a dark pattern… Hear why Jason says these kinds of sneaky tactics aren’t usually worth it.It’s a brand-new Monday TWiST and it’s PACKED with news. In...

  • 2025 / 10 / 28
    Jason Unpacks Sequoia’s New Funds | E2199

    Today’s show:Australia has accused Microsoft of employing a dark pattern… Hear why Jason says these kinds of sneaky tactics aren’t usually worth it.It’s a brand-new Monday TWiST and it’s PACKED with news. In...

  • 2025 / 10 / 25
    If you’re not working 9-9-6, are you working hard enough? | E2198

    Today’s show:*Working from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week, might seem like TOO INTENSE a commitment for some, but Jason argues that elite performance — and the mega-compensation that goes along with it —...

  • 2025 / 10 / 22
    Amazon’s “Age of Efficiency,” LLM distribution, AI wearable worries, and more with Elad Gil | E2197

    Today’s show:*Amazon’s dropping a LOT of employees for AI and robots… are Jason’s darkest predictions coming true?Legendary investor Elad Gil joins Jason and Alex for the full show today! Together, they’re...

  • 2025 / 10 / 22
    Magic School uses AI to help kids learn, not cheat | E2196

    Are AI tools in the classroom just time-savers, or can they have genuine educational value?In a must-watch TWiST 500 interview, Alex chats with Magic School founder (and former principal) Adeel Khan about how...

  • 2025 / 10 / 21
    Just how frothy is the AI Bubble anyway? | E2195

    Today’s show: *Is the AI bubble going to POP? And if so, how much of our economy is it going to take down with it?On a new TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon debate the size and scale of the AI bubble, whether...

  • 2025 / 10 / 18
    Deel’s growth overshadows SpyGate, Claude learned new skills, and the great “momentum is moat” debate | E2194

    Deel’s growth overshadows SpyGate, Claude learned new skills, and the great “momentum is moat” debate | EXXXToday’s show:*Deel’s growing fast enough that investors are overlooking the espionage allegations...

  • 2025 / 10 / 16
    Legendary VC Steve Jurvetson looks ahead at neutral networks, Tesla, nuclear power, and more | E2193

    Today’s show:*On a very special TWiST, Jason’s joined by “one of the greatest investors in in the history of VC,” Steve Jurvetson of Future Ventures.Together, they look back at some of Steve’s earliest...

  • 2025 / 10 / 13
    What Ramp’s data tells us about AI, unemployment and more with CEO Eric Glyman | E2192

    Today’s show:*Eric Glyman of Ramp joins us to share the fintech unicorn’s growth secrets AND their Lab full of research data.On TWiST, Jason and Alex chat with Eric about Ramp’s counter-intuitive mission —...

  • 2025 / 10 / 10
    Figure’s 03 Chore-bot, Jake Paul Sora takeover, ChatGPT app integrations, and more | E2191

    Figure’s 03 Chore-bot, Jake Paul Sora takeover, ChatGPT app integrations, and more | E2191Today’s show:Figure’s butler-bot could be cleaning up after you soon than you think!On a Friday TWiST, Jason and Lon...

  • 2025 / 10 / 9
    Battery Power for Texans with Zach Dell, plus Tim Apple is LEAVING?, Polymarket to the US, and a Tesla fan update | E2190

    Today’s show:*Zach Dell of Base Power joins us at the top of today’s show to talk about building batteries in Austin, that $1 billion investment, and why an “all of the above” energy strategy is the only way...

  • 2025 / 10 / 8
    We’re Hiring! Join the This Week in Startups Team

    Everything’s going great here at This Week in Startups — and we’re expanding! As we launch a brand new podcast next year, we’re looking to bring on two new creative roles:Video Editor — Full-time or...

  • 2025 / 10 / 7
    OpenAI’s latest “bizarre” mega-deal, datacenters in space, previewing Tesla’s big announcement and more | E2189

    Today’s show:*How many weirdly circular mega-deals is OpenAI going to sign this year?On a new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider OpenAI’s latest agreement with AMD, how the biggest American companies keep trading...

  • 2025 / 10 / 4
    Sora app review, Perplexity’s Comet is FREE, and which AI tools reign supreme? | E2188

    Today’s show:Is Sora not just a copyright-killer but a TikTok-killer? Hear our review!The “This Week in Startups” team has been playing around inside OpenAI’s viral app, which just hit #1 in the iOS Store....

  • 2025 / 10 / 2
    Sora 2, Tilly Norwood, and the New Slop Era | E2187

    Today’s show:Sora 2 will generate a video of whatever you like and respects no IP (unless they opt out)On a brand new TWiST, Jason and Alex check out Sora 2, the latest text-to-video app from TWiST 500...

  • 2025 / 9 / 30
    Breaking the Sound Barrier with Blake Scholl from Boom Supersonic | E2186

    Today’s show:How do you get investors excited about jets when they’re hyper-focused on new AI tools?In a fresh TWiST 500 interview, Alex sits down with Blake Scholl of Boom Supersonic to talk about the...

  • 2025 / 9 / 29
    Why New Yorkers hate AI Friends, Producer Claude gets an update, and the value of human writers in the Age of Slop | E2185

    Today’s show:Friend’s new AI pendant just wants to be your new pal. So why do New Yorkers hate them?On a brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex consider the Friend AI pendant, which listens to everything you say all...

  • 2025 / 9 / 27
    Is there an AI coding bubble? Plus Meta’s new SlopTok product, Neon’s divisive app shuts down, and more | E2184

    Today’s show:Factory, a Sequoia-backed producer of AI agents for programming, raised $50 million at a $300 million valuation. So Jason and Alex are wondering… how much capital is TOO MUCH?We’re going deep on...

  • 2025 / 9 / 25
    The rise of “workslop,” Alibaba’s insane new deepfake model, Tether’s MASSIVE valuation, and more | E2183

    Today’s show:What is “workslop”? And is it already slowing you down at the office?On a new This Week in Startups, we’ve got full co-host quorum with JCal, Alex, AND Lon tackling a meaty docket of news at the...

  • 2025 / 9 / 23
    Jason’s H-1B pitch, the latest on the TikTok deal, and Howie’s first ad | E2182

    Today’s show:New proposal on H-1B visas… and it’s pretty similar to Jason’s pitch from last month!On a new TWiST, Jason and Lon wonder if the White House is watching the pod and borrowing some of our best...

  • 2025 / 9 / 19
    Meta’s “creepy” new Ray Bans, Beehiiv teams with Discord, AND a visit from Lovable CEO Anton Osika! | E2181

    Today’s show:On an action-packed TWiST, Alex and Jason check out Meta’s latest wearables, which promise to fix the “constantly staring down at your phone” problem and prevent you from blocking that little...

  • 2025 / 9 / 18
    Who Owns the Output? AI Copyright & IP Explained w/ Chris Paniewski | Startup Legal Basics

    Today’s show:Jason sits down with Wilson Sonsini partner Chris Paniewski for part two of our Startup Legal Basics series on AI law — this time tackling the question every founder is asking: who owns the...

  • 2025 / 9 / 17
    Tesla and Uber team up! Plus Weave Robotics’ Isaac and $OPEN bull Eric Jackson | E2180

    Today’s show:Hear why Eric Jackson thinks Opendoor is the new Carvana, and how he’s planning to bring Drake on board as an investor (plus Jason’s Bestie Chamath).On a brand-new TWiST, Jason and Alex are...

  • 2025 / 9 / 16
    Why Medium is HIDING from AI | E2179

    Today’s show:On a special edition of TWiST, Alex presents a trio of TWiST 500 interviews.First up, Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine on the company’s new Really Simple Licensing (or RSL) initiative, and how it’s...

  • 2025 / 9 / 15
    Robinhood Venture Fund, Polymarket adds earnings, and LAUNCH Accelerator 35 is here! | E2178

    Today’s show:There are new LAUNCH Accelerator and Founder U cohorts this week, and Jason’s running down some of his favorite new startups.PLUS Alphabet is the latest member of the $3T club, why Eric Schmidt...

  • 2025 / 9 / 13
    All-In Summit Highlights, Schools Could Block Social Media, FTC Chatbot Investigation, and Zoox hits Vegas | E2177

    Today’s show:On Friday’s TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon look back at some highlights from this week’s big All-In Summit in Los Angeles, including a fiery, no holds barred presentation from Palantir CEO Alex...

  • 2025 / 9 / 11
    AI Copyright & Training Data w/ Chris Paniewski | Wilson Sonsini Startup Legal Basics

    Jason sits down with Wilson Sonsini partner Chris Paniewski for a special Startup Legal Basics on one of the thorniest questions in tech right now: how copyright law applies to AI training data.Chris has...

  • 2025 / 9 / 10
    Republic opens private markets as Positron takes on GPUs: A TWiST500 doubleheader! | E2176

    Today’s show:In this founder-focused episode of This Week in Startups, we sit down with Republic’s Kendrick Nguyen to learn more about the company’s efforts to make the private markets accessible to the...

  • 2025 / 9 / 9
    How Founders Are Building the Next Great Startups | Paid.ai, iTruckr & Tenax AI | E2175

    Today’s show:In this TWiST founder triple-shot, Alex digs into the real-world rollout of AI agents: Paid.ai’s Manny Medina explains agent economics and value-based pricing, iTruckr’s Camilo Ramirez shows...

  • 2025 / 9 / 5
    The Browser Wars heat up! PLUS, Khan on The Bulwark, rules for great domain names, and Polymarket returns | E2174

    Today’s show:Jason heard Lina Khan on The Bulwark and got a little fired up.Plus Google doesn’t have to invest in Chrome… or basically do much of anything… Atlassian picked up not just any browser company but...