This Week in Startups

On today's show, Molly and Jason catch up after the long weekend (0:00) before breaking down how the new "Minions" movie broke a box office record by using TikTok, catchy hooks, and viral marketing (5:19). They also cover TikTok dropping plans to expand its ecommerce platform into the US and Europe (29:52), before covering the "Chips Act" stalemate and discussing how we should reframe semiconductor manufacturing and energy independence as national defense issues (35:50). Links referenced in the show: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.578644/full https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-07-04/chipmakers-and-us-congress-are-playing-a-stupid-game-of-chicken

For today's VC Sunday School, Molly asks Jason about what makes a venture scale business (2:20). Then, for This Week in Climate Startups, Molly sits down with Matt Duesterberg, co-founder of OhmConnect (19:38). (0:00) Jason and Molly tee up today’s show (2:20) VCSS: What is a “venture scale business”? (12:15) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist (13:31) More on being venture scale (17:35) Molly tees up This Week in Climate Startups (19:38) TWiCS Molly speaks with Matt Duesterberg, co-founder of OhmConnect (26:14) Odoo - Get your first app free and a $1000 credit at https://odoo.com/twist (27:25) How is OhmConnect paid? (32:10) Microacquire - Sell your business with no fees at https://try.microacquire.com/twist (33:27) OhmConnect energy savings, Gigawatt v. terawatt, $55M Series D (46:02) Thanks for tuning in, and have a happy 4th!

First, we cover an update from the BlockFi CEO denying that FTX is buying them for $25N (2:33), and we have a couple more crypto quick hits (5:51) before we touch on Sequoia's largest investments being down 70% (34:01). Klarna is raising way down at a $6B valuation (45:23), Zoom is looking to expand beyond video conferencing, (54:50), and the FCC approved Starlink to supply internet to moving vehicles (57:40). Finally, Rachel speaks with co-founder and CEO of Stages, Jared Downing, for this week's OK Boomer (1:08:23). (0:00) Jason and Molly tee up today’s show! (2:33) More info on BlockFi/FTX sale: CEO of BlockFi denied $25M sale to FTX (5:51) Crypto exchange CoinFlex having public feud w/investor who had a reported $47M loan from the company (12:34) Vanta - Get $1,000 off automating your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (13:44) More on contracts (17:40) CFTC charged Mirror Trading International for fraud over promise of passive income returning 10% a month (26:44) Helpware - Go to https://helpware.com/TWIST to get $1000 off your first invoice (27:54) OneCoin not on blockchain and had no real value (32:43) BairesDev - Go to https://www.baires.dev/twist and get $10k off when you sign your first contract (34:01) Two of Sequoia’s largest investments, Unity and DoorDash, have each fallen over 70% off their public peaks (45:23 Swedish BNPL startup Klarna is raising at $6.5B - 1/7th of what they were valued June 2021 (51:48) Breaking: BlockFi says it will be bought by FTX for up to $240 million (54:50) Zoom looking to expand outside of just video conferencing (57:40) SpaceX gets new FCC Starlink authorization for trucks and boats! (1:06:21) Producer Rachel tees up this week's OK Boomer segment (1:08:23) OKB: Jared Downing, co-founder, and CEO of Stages (a live-streaming platform) (1:28:43) Outro + Plugs (Bye Producer Justin! We'll miss you)

First, we talk about Meta’s new Facebook Groups overhaul that looks like Discord (2:35). Then we touch on Sequoia raising over 2 billion for its US venture and growth funds (20:31) and FTX acquiring BlockFi for $25M, 99% below their last private valuation (32:08). For our We Live in the Future, the MLB is looking to automate home plate umpires by 2024 (52:17). Finally, it appears Subtstack is making some cuts after saying it wouldn’t (1:04:48). (0:00) Jason and Molly intro the show! (2:35) Meta copying discord with new Facebook feature (12:48) Zapier - Try for free today at https://zapier.com/TWIST (14:05) Probably don’t work for Facebook or meet with them (19:20) UserTesting - Get real human insights, try for free today at https://usertesting.com/twist (20:31) Sequoia raising $2.25B across 2 new funds (30:50) Grammarly - Sign up for a free account at https://grammarly.com/TWIST to sign up for a free account! (32:08) FTX acquiring BlockFi for ~$25 million - 99% below BlockFi’s last private valuation (52:17) WLiTF: MLB will likely introduce robot umpires in 2024 (1:04:48) Substack cuts 14% of staff (1:18:13) Outro + Plugs!

Today, Jason is joined by the hosts of “What are your thoughts?” Downtown Josh Brown (CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management) and Michael Batnick (Managing Partner at Ritholtz Wealth Management). They discuss the Knicks (1:22), Podcasting (14:25), markets (26:20), Disney (37:52), and more. Finally, Jason takes some audience questions (44:50). (0:00) Cold Open (1:22) Downtown Josh Brown & Michael Batnick join Jason: catching up and talking basketball (13:10) Coda - The All-in-one doc for teams, get a $1,000 credit at https://coda.io/twist (14:25) Audio as a media business (18:50) Why can’t the Knicks get great young talent to want to come? (20:35) ActiveCampaign - Get 10% off your ActiveCampaign subscription today at https://activecampaign.com/promo/twist (21:46) What’s it like being involved with the Warriors? (26:20) Market dynamics (36:25) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (37:52) Building a Disney position (44:50) Questions from the audience: Jason’s thoughts on RobinHood (59:12) Most exciting recent investment for Jason (1:06:30) Last question (1:07:30) Outro

First, we dig into the crypto contagion where FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is stepping in to backstop crypto lenders (2:56). Then, we check in on the billions of dollars sitting in SPACs- remember those (39:27)? We do a quick hit on the venture market drying up in Q2 (54:27) before we get into our We Live in the Future: a mockup of a SkyCruise luxury airliner that uses nuclear power and never lands (1:16:36). (0:00) Jason and Molly tee up today’s show! (2:56) FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried seems to be acting as the crypto industry's personal backstop right now (11:25) Embroker - Get an extra 10% off insurance for your business at https://Embroker.com/twist (12:38) Reaction to SBF crypto bailouts/loans (17:47) Traders short Tether: According to WSJ, multiple hedge funds have shorted Tether in trades worth hundreds of millions of dollars (22:24) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (23:41) Tether’s CTO’s tweet storm (33:52) Thorne - Personalized, scientific wellness. Go to https://Thorne.com/u/TWIST (35:08) Gary Gensler clip: “tokens have key assets of securities besides bitcoin” (39:27) Well over $100B sitting in SPACs looking for companies to invest in (54:27) VC funding is down to the lowest levels since 2020 (1:16:36) WLITF: SkyCruise, a flying hotel that never lands (1:23:30) Coming up on This Week in Startups

Today, we bring on Kim Clark, an attorney at Legal Voice, who reached out to Molly after listening to our shows last week that mentioned the impacts of surveillance on healthcare privacy, notably abortion (2:13). And in related news, today’s Startup of the day is Stardust, an end-to-end encrypted Period Tracking App (39:13). Then, we cover a non-Roe v. Wade story: Zendesk will be acquired by an investor group in an all-cash transaction valuing it at around $10.2B (42:45). (0:00) Jason and Molly intro today’s show! (2:13) Roe v. Wade overturned: Kim Clark, Senior Attorney at Seattle-based Legal Voice, joins to discuss (10:51) LinkedIn - Post your first job for free at https://linkedIn.com/twist (12:06) Digital surveillance of pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant (24:07) Bubbles - Get your point across with unlimited screen and video recordings for free at https://usebubbles.com/twist (25:24) Period tracking apps and user data (27:06) Medication abortions (31:42) Wealthfront - Get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life at https://wealthfront.com/TWIST (33:00) Best thing to do if you care about this issue (39:13) Startup of the Day: Stardust, a privacy-first Period Tracker App (42:45) Zendesk has agreed to be acquired by investor group in all-cash transaction valuing it at around $10.2 billion (51:15) We’re doing our 12-week Founder University program! Head to founder.university and sign up

For today's VC Sunday School, Molly asks Jason about co-investing with other VC firms (3:11). Then for This Week in Climate Startups, Molly sits down with REGENT co-founder Billy Thalheimer to talk about the ins and outs of their electric sea gliders (29:46). (0:00) Jason and Molly tee up today’s show! (3:11) VC Sunday School: Co-investing with other VC firms, how and when to do it (12:59) Swag.com - Visit https://swag.com/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off your order! (14:16) Co-investing in a down market + the manners of sharing deal flow (21:29) BetterHelp - Get 10% off your first month at https://betterhelp.com/twist (22:49) More on sharing deal flow (26:21) Toss to This Week in Climate Startups (29:46) TWiCS: Billy Thalheimer, co-founder of REGENT, on their electric sea gliders (39:52) Microsoft for Startups Hub - Apply in 5 minutes, no funding required, sign up at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups (41:01) REGENT sea gliders’ physics + regulatory benefits (58:45) Outro

Today, Jason sits down with the anonymous account Praying For Exits — they discuss everything going on in markets, crypto, startup valuations post-crash, and even what was behind the All in podcast controversy (3:09). Then, Producer Rachel sits down with Anisha Sunkerneni of Cyphr VC to talk about NFT NYC and navigating tech events (1:13:30). (0:00) Jason and Molly intro today’s show! (3:09) Jason sits down with the anonymous account Praying For Exits (13:01) Microsoft for Startups Hub - Apply in 5 minutes, no funding required, sign up at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups (14:15) Valuations of crypto companies with no product in market: the fault of VCs or founders? (20:23) Intercom - Get advanced Intercom features and Early Stage Academy at a 95% discount https://www.intercom.com/early-stage (21:40) Mr. Exits on earlier stage valuations + remote work (35:57) Vanta - Get $1,000 off automating your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist (37:06) Mr. Exits asks Jason some questions (1:08:11) Toss to OK Boomer (1:13:30) OKB: Producer Rachel sits down with Anisha Sunkerneni of Cyphr VC to talk about NFT NYC and navigating tech events (1:41:02) Outro

Today we bring on Lon Harris to discuss the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale (2:23), then we do a quick hit on the FDA taking action against Juul (42:14). Finally, Molly chats with AJ Loiacono from Capital RX, who is laser-focused on increasing transparency in prescription drug pricing (55:26). (0:00) Jason and Molly intro today’s show (2:23) Lon Harris joins to recap the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale (10:45) BairesDev - Go to https://www.baires.dev/twist and get $10k off when you sign your first contract (11:58) Favorite scenes from the Obi-Wan finale (27:21) Thorne - Personalized, scientific wellness. Go to https://Thorne.com/u/TWIST (28:35) Thoughts on the Obi-Wan series and finale, will they make live-action clone wars? (34:50) AdQuick - Visit https://adquick.com/twist and mention TWIST to get $1000 off your first campaign. (36:07) Discussing the franchise value of Star Wars (39:56) Jason’s previous Obi-Wan prediction (42:14) FDA is banning the sale of Juuls in the US (other e-cigarettes will still be available though) (54:05) Toss to Molly’s interview with AJ Loiacono (55:26) AJ Loiacono, CEO of Capital RX, who is laser-focused on increasing transparency in prescription drug pricing (1:40:14) Outro: coming up later this week