Videos
Figma IPO, IMAX AI Festival, the Tea app spill, that one Sydney Sweeney jeans ad, and more! | E2157
Todayâs show:
SYDNEY SWEENEYâS AMERICAN EAGLE AD DIVIDES OUR PANEL!
PLUS WHAT STARTUPS CAN LEARN FROM THE VIRAL ASTRONOMER RESPONSE
Jason, Alex, and Lon are looking at some of the biggest media stories of the day before returning to their favorite topic, tech. Tune in for deep dives on IMAXâs new AI film festival, Figmaâs big IPO and much more!
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show!
(3:45) Lonâs joining Alex and Lon to discuss the controversial Sydney Sweeney genes/jeans ad
(7:20) A look at the polarizing takes on this jeans ad.
(10:10) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twistâ
(11:46) Hear the verdict from Jason, selfâproclaimed Chairman of the Interwebs
(16:42) Alex points out the economic impact of the controversy
(20:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(21:25) Back to the show!
(26:35) Paltrowâs Astronomer ad, meme-processing and the ideal way to change the conversation
(30:04) Vouched - Trust for agents thatâs built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist
(31:28) Back to the show!
(36:48) Netflix and the growing controversy around AIâs role in filmmaking
(42:53) IMAX/Runway collaboration and Hollywoodâs shifting attitude toward AI
(47:34) Everything that went wrong with the Tea App
(54:27) Why Jason thinks app stores should ban âanonymousâ forms and message boards
(1:04:19) Figma upped its IPO price⌠what does it mean for the return of liquidity? And is this too high or fairly priced?
(1:07:53) Paul Graham says you shouldnât drop out of college to work on a startup⌠Why Thiel Fellows disagree
*
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
Check out the TWIST500: [https://www.twist500.com](https://twist500.com)
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
*
Follow Lon:
X: https://x.com/lons
*
Follow Alex:
X: https://x.com/alex
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
*
Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
*
Thank you to our partners:
(10:10) OpenPhone - Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twistâ
(20:26) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(30:04) Vouched - Trust for agents thatâs built for builders like you. Check it out at http://vouched.id/twist
All rights for the video shared and linked below belong to the original copyright holder, and we are using the footage under the principle of fair use.
Listen here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-startups-audio/id315114957
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ULQ0ewYf5zmsDgBchlkr9
Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes315114957/this-week-in-startups-audio
More from us:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/twistartups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
Official site: https://thisweekinstartups.com
Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
Subscribe to TWiST Clips for all the best moments:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7tJlcUA6PzVHEMo-X7ddg?sub_confirmation=1
#startups #entrepreneurship #investing #angelinvesting #tech #news #business
Is She Cheating or Just Dancing??! | UDY Loyalty Test
Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. You can start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan at https://ForThePeople.com/UDY without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win.
Will Junior's girlfriend stay loyal?! Or will she FAIL this UDY loyalty test! This was one of our most epic loyalty tests yet! Watch till the end to see if Junior's girlfriend gets confronted cheating or caught cheating on camera!! The results were SHOCKING!!
LOYALTY TEST SUBMISSION:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11JdFZKFROLxHfqFhF9wm7lwzEuVy3moQB1hw44Doj68/edit
DECOY SUBMISSION:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16dlAOr8zvLg7I1N_SNBcLBoRPQfh_k5QzHpOUvzuPT0/edit
***LISTEN TO ANDY'S CALL HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/@udytestmypartner
Follow Me On Instagram:
Sergio: https://instagram.com/sergiofromudy/
==== CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS TOP 10 GOLD DIGGERS / CHEATERS VIDEOS ====
DELON & SIERRA
https://youtu.be/c0JaE2vyxHE
DEREK & AALIYAH
https://youtu.be/9XTamoF8QSc
KAI CENAT AS DECOY:
https://youtu.be/V0y5LDSFZZY?si=BLMPLwGwfMW3XIBx
====MEMO====
New 2025 reality tv episodes will drop soon! We will bring you the most intense cheating stories. Subscribe to see funny , epic, intense cheaters / gold diggers videos on YouTube and tiktok full of mystery and suspense! We will continue to test the loyalty of a person with material wealth in public (cheaters) as well as do other stuff!!! We will bring you the best, epic, and intense episodes and elaborate test!
She's Unstoppable Summit Pre-Summit Session: Wholehearted. Aligned. Unstoppable.
Ready to kickstart your She's Unstoppable Summit journey?
In this powerful session, you'll discover:
- Key insights to help you show up powerfully at the summit
- Strategies to maximize your summit experience
- How to build unstoppable momentum from day one
Don't miss this chance to get ahead of the curve and prime yourself for breakthrough results.
The people who show up prepared are the ones who experience the most profound shifts!
Sheâs Unstoppable Summit 2025 is comingâdonât miss your chance to rise. Save your free seat now: https://tonyr.co/4kNd748
Want more out of the summit? Join the Premier Access Experience and get live sessions with Sage and surprise guests, lifetime access to the summit replays, private daily Q&A with Sage, and special bonuses to support your journey!
đ Join Premier Access now: SAGESVIP.COM
Will His Friendliness Lead To CHEATING?! | UDY Loyalty Test
Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. You can start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan at https://ForThePeople.com/UDY without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win.
Will Britney's boyfriend pass or fail this UDY loyalty test?! And does does her boyfriend's friendliness mean he is cheating?! Britney watches her boyfriend live to see if he remains loyal! The results were SHOCKING!!
LOYALTY TEST SUBMISSION:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11JdFZKFROLxHfqFhF9wm7lwzEuVy3moQB1hw44Doj68/edit
DECOY SUBMISSION:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16dlAOr8zvLg7I1N_SNBcLBoRPQfh_k5QzHpOUvzuPT0/edit
FOLLOW US ON SNAPCHAT!!!!:
Sergio: https://t.snapchat.com/YGnXsikY
Madeline: https://t.snapchat.com/XO4qfUVH
Kyle: https://t.snapchat.com/k8L1OXyT
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK!!!
Mishka: https://www.tiktok.com/@mishkasworlddd
Delon: http://www.tiktok.com/@kinglonnn7
FOLLOW AKIRYA ON INSTAGRAM!!:
Akirya: https://www.instagram.com/moreakirya
==== CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS TOP 10 GOLD DIGGERS / CHEATERS VIDEOS ====
DELON & SIERRA
https://youtu.be/c0JaE2vyxHE
DEREK & AALIYAH
https://youtu.be/9XTamoF8QSc
KAI CENAT AS DECOY:
https://youtu.be/V0y5LDSFZZY?si=BLMPLwGwfMW3XIBx
====MEMO====
New 2025 reality tv episodes will drop soon! We will bring you the most intense cheating stories. Subscribe to see funny , epic, intense cheaters / gold diggers videos on YouTube and tiktok full of mystery and suspense! We will continue to test the loyalty of a person with material wealth in public (cheaters) as well as do other stuff!!! We will bring you the best, epic, and intense episodes and elaborate test!
All Star Investor Panel! Sophia Amoruso and Ryan Hoover | E2158
Todayâs show:
Itâs another All Star Investor Panel! Jason and Alex welcome TrustFund VC founder Sophia Amoruso AND WeekendFund investor/Product Hunt founder Ryan Hoover.
Together theyâre going DEEP on the current environment for startups, founders, and investors. How do tell durable from brittle revenue⌠Everyoneâs different approaches to follow-on investments and recycling⌠Strategies on when to trim a position⌠The benefits of hosting co-working events and jam sessions⌠And LOTS LOTS more!
Itâs an essential watch for anyone building or investing in companies in 2025!
Timestamps:
(0:00) Introducing our amazing investor panel!
(03:15) The panel shares their First Fund experiences
(10:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist
(11:27) Show contâŚ
(12:46) Where weâre at on the investor Greed-Fear Index
(13:54) The delicate art of investor discipline
(20:47) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist
(21:59) Sophiaâs criteria for a follow-on investment
(24:17) Founders are going direct on social media
(29:35) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cashâwith no fees or minimums. Start now at http://public.com/twist
(30:49) Show contâŚ
(32:33) Why weâre seeing so many more Series Bs
(33:30) So when do you trim a position?
(39:35) There are SO MANY COMPANIES! Why surface area matters.
(43:25) Durable vs. brittle revenue and how to tell them apart
(46:15) When itâs time to angel invest outside your fund
(49:04) The panelâs approaches to capital recycling
(57:15) The benefits of co-working âjam sessionsâ
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
Follow Lon:
X: https://x.com/lons
Follow Alex:
X: https://x.com/alex
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/
Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/
Thank you to our partners:
(10:03) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://squarespace.com/twist
(20:47) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://lemon.io/twist
(29:35) Public - Take your investing to the next level with Public. Build a multi-asset portfolio and earn 4.1% APY on your cashâwith no fees or minimums. Start now at http://public.com/twist
*DISCLAIMER*
*All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC.Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliabilityâverify independently before use.*Rate as of 7/18/25. APY is variable and subject to change.*
Check out Jasonâs suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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/
Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
All rights for the video shared and linked below belong to the original copyright holder, and we are using the footage under the principle of fair use.
Listen here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-startups-audio/id315114957
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ULQ0ewYf5zmsDgBchlkr9
Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes315114957/this-week-in-startups-audio
More from us:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/twistartups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
Official site: https://thisweekinstartups.com
Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
Subscribe to TWiST Clips for all the best moments:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7tJlcUA6PzVHEMo-X7ddg?sub_confirmation=1
#startups #entrepreneurship #investing #angelinvesting #tech #news #business
TWiST 500 interviews with Cortical Labs, Turing, AND Mercor | E2159
Todayâs show:
Alex is back with three more awesome interviews with founders on the bleeding edge of innovative tech.
- Dr. Hon Weng Chong walks us through the basics of biological computing and Cortical Labsâ first-ever commercial computer running on living human cells.
- Turing founder Jonathan Siddarth unpacks the secrets of LLM benchmarking, and explains why even our most advanced tests need to get much much harder right away.
- Finally, Mercor founder Brendan Foody on how AI is about to reinvent the hiring process, and marrying the effectiveness of recruiters with the ease of online job boards.
Itâs three â count âem, three â canât miss TWiST interviews guaranteed to make you smarter
Timestamps:
(0:00) OpenAIâs GPT-5: When is it coming out? Is it going to be TOO smart?
(08:06) Cortical Labsâ Hon Weng Chong on the electric connection between neuroscience and machine learning
(10:20) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more doneâvisit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!
(11:27) Show ContinuesâŚ
(15:17) The extreme difficulty of going from the lab to a shippable product
(20:00) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to http://www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.
(21:05) Show ContinuesâŚ
(28:15) Why data is a factor of time
(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits
(31:16) Show ContinuesâŚ
(42:44) Turing CEO Jonathan Siddarth explains why itâs so important to keep benchmarking our LLMs
(47:24) What it means when a model âsaturatesâ a test, and why benchmarks need to get HARDER
(50:22) What happens with the LLMs can answer all of our smartest questions?
(53:44) AI Agents train in gyms? Wait, really?
(01:01:33) Coding teaches models how to think, and more training mysteries donât understand
(01:03:11) Brendan Foody from Mercor explains the âmatching problemâ that makes hiring such a pain
(01:07:02) How Mercor combines a job boardâs distribution with the value of a recruitment agency
(01:10:49) Brendan recalls building his first AI interviewer in his college dorm
(01:20:16) Mercor has the opposite of a retention problem and crazy growth
*
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/
Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
Follow Lon:
X: https://x.com/lons
Follow Alex:
X: https://x.com/alex
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/
Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/
Thank you to our partners:
(10:20) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more doneâvisit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!
(20:00) .TECH: Say it without saying it. Head to http://www.get.tech/twist or your favorite registrar to get a clean, sharp .tech domain today.
(29:52) AWS Activate - AWS Activate helps startups bring their ideas to life. Apply to AWS Activate today to learn more. Visit aws.amazon.com/startups/credits
All rights for the video shared and linked below belong to the original copyright holder, and we are using the footage under the principle of fair use.
Listen here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-startups-audio/id315114957
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ULQ0ewYf5zmsDgBchlkr9
Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes315114957/this-week-in-startups-audio
More from us:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/twistartups
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
Official site: https://thisweekinstartups.com
Subscribe to our YouTube to watch all full episodes:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkhmBWfS7pILYIk0izkc3A?sub_confirmation=1
Subscribe to TWiST Clips for all the best moments:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7tJlcUA6PzVHEMo-X7ddg?sub_confirmation=1
#startups #entrepreneurship #investing #angelinvesting #tech #news #business
Will She CHEAT While He's Out Of Town?! | UDY Loyalty Test
Go to https://expressvpn.com/UDY and find out how you can get 4 months of ExpressVPN free!
Will Kai's girlfriend cheat during this UDY loyalty test?! Kai put his relationship to the test!! And the results were SHOCKING!! Will this couple's relationship survive this loyalty test?! Watch till the end to see if his girlfriend gets caught cheating!!!
LOYALTY TEST SUBMISSION:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11JdFZKFROLxHfqFhF9wm7lwzEuVy3moQB1hw44Doj68/edit
DECOY SUBMISSION:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16dlAOr8zvLg7I1N_SNBcLBoRPQfh_k5QzHpOUvzuPT0/edit
FOLLOW US ON SNAPCHAT!!!!:
Sergio: https://t.snapchat.com/YGnXsikY
Madeline: https://t.snapchat.com/XO4qfUVH
Kyle: https://t.snapchat.com/k8L1OXyT
FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK!!!
Mishka: https://www.tiktok.com/@mishkasworlddd
Delon: http://www.tiktok.com/@kinglonnn7
Follow Us On Instagram!!!
Sergio: https://instagram.com/sergiofromudy/
==== CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS TOP 10 GOLD DIGGERS / CHEATERS VIDEOS ====
DELON & SIERRA
https://youtu.be/c0JaE2vyxHE
DEREK & AALIYAH
https://youtu.be/9XTamoF8QSc
KAI CENAT AS DECOY:
https://youtu.be/V0y5LDSFZZY?si=BLMPLwGwfMW3XIBx
====MEMO====
New 2025 reality tv episodes will drop soon! We will bring you the most intense cheating stories. Subscribe to see funny , epic, intense cheaters / gold diggers videos on YouTube and tiktok full of mystery and suspense! We will continue to test the loyalty of a person with material wealth in public (cheaters) as well as do other stuff!!! We will bring you the best, epic, and intense episodes and elaborate test!
Control This ONE THING, Control Your Life
3 Things You Didnât Know You Could Air Fry #tfal #ad
MSG vs. No MSG Fried Rice ââ @mrnigelng