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/cm0x90mk

Today’s show:

Three of our favorite TWiST 500 startups — Ledger, 1Password, AND Mercury — are circling IPOs. Find out why the cybersecurity space remains so hot… AND why Jason says you really need to have multiple banks.

PLUS Marc Andreessen called The Pope an AI Doomer on X, then thought better of it. We’re tracking the entire viral controversy…

SPEAKING OF viral feuds, allegations are FLYING around about recently-funded AI agent makers Giga. Does the startup pose some genuine red flags, or was it just a questionable launch video?

AND why Alex and Jason remain optimistic the AI vibes could turn around, presentation maker Gamma is growing FAST, plus an update on Jason and Alex’s Polymarket IPO wager…

Timestamps:

(02:17) Jason is hosting the big show from Tokyo today (tonight for him)… Where is Founder U headed next?
(04:03) Jason’s eating his way across Japan… what are his top “bang bangs” so far?
(07:47) Is The Pope a Doomer? Why Andreessen called out His Holiness (then deleted it)
(9:22) Quo - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at http://quo.com/TWiST
(12:08)Why Jason still thinks mass AI job displacement is coming
(17:48) Will AI-related job loss lead to an explosion in startups and small businesses?
(19:24) Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist
(20:39) Have lots of Americans suddenly turned on AI? Why?
(25:30) Why Alex and Jason remain optimistic that the AI vibes could turn around
(29:44) Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at http://Gusto.com/twist.
(31:01) Alex’s new favorite definition of Product Market Fit, or “Market Pull,” as Jason clarifies
(33:31) Delving into the Giga controversy… “ugly” talk, wild X allegations, etc.
(46:11) THREE TWiST 500 are readying IPOs… Catching up with Ledger, 1Password, and Mercury
(53:42) Why Jason and Alex think you need multiple banks
(57:40) Why presentation maker Gamma is growing even faster than we thought!
(1:00:37) Checking in with Jason and Alex’s Polymarket IPO bet…
(1:03:44) Could startups become so richly valued that they become “uninvestable” without an IPO?

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Check out the TWIST500:
https://twist500.com

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Follow Lon:

X: https://x.com/lons

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Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/

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Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/

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Thank you to our partners:

Quo - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get started free, plus get 20% off your first 6 months, at http://quo.com/TWiST

Coda - Empower your startup with Coda’s Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist

Gusto. Check out the online payroll and benefits experts with software built specifically for small business and startups. Try Gusto today and get three months FREE at https://Gusto.com/twist.

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Great TWIST interviews:
Will Guidara https://youtu.be/pvJa2pzuXWQ

Eoghan McCabe
https://youtu.be/9dHN4YFkgv4

Steve Huffman
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-on-mod-revolt-building-a/id315114957?i=1000617333424

Brian Chesky
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airbnb-ceo-brian-chesky-on-early-rejection-customer/id315114957?i=1000611761112

Bob Moesta,
https://youtu.be/y2UMzSqX94Q

Aaron Levie
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/box-ceo-aaron-levie-breaks-down-box-ai-and-generative/id315114957?i=1000612384545

Sophia Amoruso
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sophia-amoruso-on-branding-raising-a-fund-portfolio/id315114957?i=1000601352978

Reid Hoffman
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/reid-hoffman-on-ais-crescendo-moment-regulation-and/id315114957?i=1000612548498

Frank Slootman
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/snowflake-ceo-frank-slootman-on-moving-the-needle-win/id315114957?i=1000602560622

Billy McFarland
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/billy-mcfarland-on-fyre-fest-fraud-failure-hacking/id315114957?i=1000610922577

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups

Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com/

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916