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 / 4 / 18LMArena Goes Startup, AI App Wars Begin, Scott Bair’s Design Playbook | E2114Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon discuss the rise of LMArena as it spins out into a full-fledged startup, what that means for AI benchmarking, and how it could monetize its growing community. They also dive...
- 2025 / 4 / 17AI Progress and Impact on Ecosystem Players with CapitalG’s Jill Chase | AI Basics with Google CloudIn this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with CapitalG partner Jill Chase to break down how AI is reshaping the startup ecosystem — from founders to investors to incumbents. They cover how CapitalG...
- 2025 / 4 / 17Cuts CEO Talks Tariffs, Figma's IPO Buzz, and a Nerd Crawler Update | E2113Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon discuss Figma’s surprise IPO filing following its $1B breakup from Adobe, OpenAI’s quiet push into social networking through a Sora image-sharing feed, and how sweeping new...
- 2025 / 4 / 15Vertical AI Innovations: Abacus LLM in Finance & Synthesia's Video Avatars | E2112Today’s show: Alex interviews founders from Abacus and Synthesia—two companies leading the charge in vertical AI. Abacus is deploying on-prem LLMs to banks and insurers with a focus on data control, accuracy,...
- 2025 / 4 / 15HuggingFace Buys Pollen Robotics, DHH & Bezos Founder Advice & a JCal Origin Story | E2111Today’s show: In this episode, Jason, Alex, and Lon dive into Blue Origin’s all-female celeb spaceflight (yes, Katy Perry sang on reentry), Hugging Face’s unexpected move into robotics, and Jack Dorsey’s wild...
- 2025 / 4 / 12Palantir's Fellowship, Coco Robots & Startup Office Hours | E2110Today’s show: We dive into the latest tech and startup news — including Palantir’s bold new fellowship program that challenges the traditional college path, and DoorDash’s rollout of burrito-delivering Coco...
- 2025 / 4 / 1070mph Drone Deliveries, 125% Tariffs & What $10M Exits Really Mean | E2109Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon talk about stories reshaping the startup world: 70mph drone deliveries are officially live in Dallas, with Zipline and Walmart promising groceries “as the crow flies” in...
- 2025 / 4 / 8Economic Chaos, More Pitch Madness & the Shopify AI Manifesto | E2108Today’s show: Jason and Alex unpack a wild week in tech and the markets — including a fake tweet that moved $4 trillion and Trump’s latest tariff talk. Lon jumps in for another round of Founder Fridays Pitch...
- 2025 / 4 / 5Rippling Targets $16B, Market Chaos, TikTok Timeout, and Office Hours | E2107Today’s show: Jason and Alex dive into the startup world’s latest chaos — from Nasdaq’s slide and Trump’s tariffs to Klarna’s IPO pause and Rippling’s $16B target. They break down what founders really need to...
- 2025 / 4 / 3Spycraft in SaaS, Rabbit’s Comeback, and Startup Pitch Madness | E2106This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Kyte - TWIST Listeners: Go to https://kyte.com/ and download the Kyte app today. Use code JASON to save 10% on your first rental.Atlassian - Head to...
- 2025 / 4 / 1M&A Mania, Palantir Meme Crash + Office Hours with Hookhub | E2105Today’s show: Circle gears up for its IPO and the stablecoin wars heat up, Palantir’s meme stock status gets a reality check, and they riff on a possible Uber + DoorDash merger and whether AI should train on...
- 2025 / 3 / 29AI Revolution Gains, Non-Consensus Startups & Prosperous AI | E2104Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon cover everything from wild political headlines to big moves in AI and venture. They kick things off with the surprising Trump pardon of Trevor Milton, the disgraced Nikola...
- 2025 / 3 / 2711x in Trouble and China's AI Acceleration | E2103OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/twistLinkedIn Ads - To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first...
- 2025 / 3 / 2523andMe BANKRUPT, Saylor Still Buying Bitcoin, + Founder Interviews | E2102Today’s show: In this episode, Alex and Lon kick things off with the latest tech news — including 23andMe’s dramatic collapse, MicroStrategy’s half-million Bitcoin haul, and whether we’re finally seeing a...
- 2025 / 3 / 21Fact-Checking Mark Rober, and the Fall of TechCrunch | E2101Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon break down a subreddit question: A founder builds 100% of the product, is promised equity—and now he’s being pushed out. We break down exactly what he should do next. Plus,...
- 2025 / 3 / 19Tesla vs. Mark Rober, Google’s $32B M&A Bet, & XRP’s SEC Victory | E2100Today’s show: Tesla FSD drama, Google’s massive $32B cybersecurity bet, and XRP’s SEC victory. Jason, Lon, and Alex break down the internet firestorm over Mark Rober’s viral Tesla test, why Google’s Wiz...
- 2025 / 3 / 18AI-Powered Coding & Space Tugboats? Inside the Future of Software & Satellites! | E2099Today’s show: Alex interviews two incredible founders from the TWIST 500! First, Replit CEO Amjad Masad breaks down how AI-powered coding is changing software development and what the future of agents looks...
- 2025 / 3 / 17Self-Driving Car Myths, Klarna’s Big IPO & Netflix’s $300M Gamble | E2098Today’s show: Jason, Alex, and Lon break down a wild viral test on self-driving cars— will FSD see through fog, or does LiDAR win? Plus, Klarna is finally going public… but is "buy now, pay later" still the...
- 2025 / 3 / 14Europe’s Startup Future with Harry Stebbings | E2097This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twistSquarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a...
- 2025 / 3 / 13Is Project Europe a YC Riff? Nick Denton is Back! And more! | E2096Today’s show: Europe wants to keep its founders from fleeing, AI is growing at breakneck speed, and Nick Denton is back with a spicy Twitter storm—so we had to talk about it. Jason, Alex, and Lon break down...
- 2025 / 3 / 11The Future of AI Customer Support with LiveX AI’s Jia Li | AI Basics with Google CloudIn this episode of AI Basics, Jason sits down with Jia Li from LiveX AI to explore how human-like AI agents are changing the game for businesses. Instead of clunky bots, these AI agents engage customers in...
- 2025 / 3 / 11Student Roy Lee Hacks Amazon, SBF's Jailhouse Chat + more! | E2095Timestamps:(0:00) Roy Lee's hack and Amazon's reaction(3:03) MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy(4:29) Market reactions to Trump's policies(6:33) Creating value in current market conditions(8:00) South by...
- 2025 / 3 / 7AI’s Next Leap: Hyper-Realistic Agents & Unlimited Power | E2094Today’s show: AI is evolving at lightning speed—smarter assistants, faster models, and now, the massive energy demands that come with it. In this episode, Alex dives into two cutting-edge companies from the...
- 2025 / 3 / 5Coreweave IPO, AVRide & Digg is Back! | E2093This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit...
- 2025 / 3 / 4AI Agents & the Future of Work with LangChain’s Harrison Chase | AI Basics with Google CloudIn this episode: Jason sits down with Harrison Chase, CEO of LangChain, to explore how AI-powered agents are transforming the way startups operate. They discuss the shift from traditional entry-level roles to...
- 2025 / 3 / 4US Crypto Reserve Bombshell, Ramp’s $13B Climb, & more | E2092Today’s show: Trump just floated the idea of a U.S. Crypto Reserve, suggesting a 10 bips transaction tax and naming unexpected altcoins like XRP, Solana, and Cardano. Jason and Alex break down what this means...
- 2025 / 3 / 1Board Talk Empire with GRIN's Brandon Brown, Founder Hacks & SEC Memecoin Clarity? | E2091Today’s show: Jason and Alex break down the latest head-scratching SEC ruling on meme coins—did they just legalize pump-and-dumps to protect Trump’s token? Plus, they dive into why venture debt can destroy...
- 2025 / 2 / 27The Incredible Double Interview: Superhuman and Robinhood | E2090This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twistNorthwest Registered Agent. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit...
- 2025 / 2 / 27The Incredible Double Interview: Superhuman and RobinhoodThis Week in Startups is brought to you by…Lemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twistNorthwest Registered Agent. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit...
- 2025 / 2 / 25Apple Drops $500B on AI while Google Gemini Eyes Your iOS Devices! | E2089Today’s show: Jason and Lon break down the latest trends shaping AI training, the evolving job market, and the shifting landscape of social media. A tribute to Steve Jobs on what would have been his 70th...
- 2025 / 2 / 22Castelion Hypersonic Missiles and Crunchbase’s AI Powered Predictions | E2088This 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...
- 2025 / 2 / 20EV Truck Startup Nikola Runs Out of Juice | E2087This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twistLemon.io. Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at...
- 2025 / 2 / 19Is $LIBRA the End of Memecoins? with Coffeezilla | E2086In 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...
- 2025 / 2 / 15IPO Shakeups, NVIDIA’s Big Bets & Must-Know Founder Hacks | E2085Today’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...
- 2025 / 2 / 12Slow Ventures' Creators Fund and Helion Energy's Fusion Reactors | 2084This 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...
- 2025 / 2 / 11Tech's Super Bowl, Huge Earnings Week, Lon Returns and more! | E2083Today 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...
- 2025 / 2 / 8Gas Stations in Space and Carried Interest on the Chopping Block | E2082This 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...
- 2025 / 2 / 6Is Palantir's Surge Just Hype | E2081This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at...
- 2025 / 2 / 4Lovable's Anton Osika on Revolutionizing Software Development and OpenAI Drops Deep Research | E2080OpenAI 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...
- 2025 / 2 / 1Is OpenAI Really Worth $300B? ElevenLabs’ Series C & YC’s Funding Focus | E2079Today’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...
- 2025 / 1 / 29Boom Supersonic's Milestones, OpenAI Ethics, and Startup Tools | E2078This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete...
- 2025 / 1 / 27DeepSeek Rattles Markets + SailPoint's Going Public… again? | E2077Today’s show: A $6M open-source AI model from China, DeepSeek, sends shockwaves through Wall Street, wiping billions off NVIDIA’s market cap and forcing a rethink on AI infrastructure spending. We explore the...
- 2025 / 1 / 24Twilio Bets Small, DeepSeek Scares & the GameOn Fraud | E2076This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Fitbod. Get 25% off your Fitbod subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up: fitbod.me/TWIST Squarespace. TWiST listeners: use code TWIST to save 10%...
- 2025 / 1 / 23Created By Humans | Sila’s Battery Evolution | E2075This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist Netsuite. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at...
- 2025 / 1 / 21Trump, Memecoins, and What to Expect from the New Administration | E2074Today’s show: Jason and Alex explore America's fascination with billionaires and self-made figures, touching on recent events in Washington, DC, and the tech industry's political influence. They discuss Gen...
- 2025 / 1 / 17TikTok Ban, Data Centers in Space… and What's a Vector? | E2073Today’s show: Alex sits down with two CEOs from companies freshly added to the TWIST500. We get a masterclass from Bob van Luijt of Weaviate, on vector databases helping AI and LLMs do what they do. An then...
- 2025 / 1 / 16What’s Going On With Google Gemini Deep Research? | E2072This Week in Startups is brought to you by… PrizePicks. TWiST listeners, download the app today and use code TWIST to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup! Go to:...
- 2025 / 1 / 14Profound, Resistant AI & OpenAI’s Economic Pitch | E2071Today’s show: Alex covers Mark Zuckerberg’s Joe Rogan interview, OpenAI’s economic pitch and the pending IPO of India’s Groww. Our guests include two companies freshly added to the TWIST500: James Cadwallader...
- 2025 / 1 / 10The LA Fire's Cost and the U.S. Jobs Report | E2070This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Northwest Registered Agent. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit...
- 2025 / 1 / 8Meta's Moderation and Nvidia's Domination | E2069This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://gusto.com/twist Oracle. TWiST listeners can try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at...