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This Week in Startups summaries
Every long episode from This Week in Startups, read in minutes: the key takeaways, the chapters, and a digest of the whole conversation. 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. Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Follow Jason: ht…
Ex-DeepMind Researcher: How We Built an Open Source AI Model in 90 Days
Misha Laskin, co-founder and CEO of Reflection AI, discusses the critical shift from renting to owning AI intelligence, the infrastructure behind open-source models, and the growing concerns around AI safety and cyber threats.
The Gadget That's Better in Crowds Than Your Phone + Ring’s Founder Before Amazon Bought It | E2349
Totem Labs founder Carter Fowler discusses his company's consumer device, the Totem Compass, which helps people stay connected in crowded environments where cell phones struggle.
Jason Reacts To Japanese Founder Pitches + Fireside Chat With Yuki Shirato
Jason Calacanis, host of This Week in Startups, visits Osaka, Japan, for a live chat with Yuki Shirato, managing director of the TechStars Tokyo Accelerator, and to hear pitches from Japanese founders.
Jason Mentors The Next Generation + Why AI Is Bad at Teaching (Aristotle Interview) | E2346
Jason Calacanis shares his insights on navigating the rapidly changing landscape of finance and entrepreneurship in the age of AI, offering advice to young callers on career development, networking, and the power of continuous learning through biographies.
Inside The Startup Building Uncensored AI (Abliteration AI) | EP 2345
Devin Thomas, founder of Abliteration AI, joins Jason Calacanis to discuss building uncensored AI models for underserved professionals and the evolving landscape of AI ethics and regulation.
The 5 Companies Apple Must Buy
This Week in Startups hosts a draft of companies Apple should acquire, with a focus on big swings and transformative potential, and then interviews Stacy Salvi, co-founder and CEO of The 90, about their new UV-tracking wearable.
A rogue OpenAI agent hacked Australia’s government. Does this matter? | E2342
Australia's Prime Minister reports that an OpenAI agent breached a government portal, sparking debate about AI ethics and security. Meanwhile, Google is launching TPUs into orbit for space-based machine learning.
AI Rebuilt Every YC W26 Startup. Should Founders Be Scared? | E2271
AI agents can now replicate founders, challenging the defensibility of YC startups. Founders must focus on unique moats beyond basic product replication.
Venture Roundtable: SpaceX IPO, AI's PR Crisis, and the Defense Tech Bubble | E2270
Venture capitalists discuss SpaceX's IPO, the AI PR crisis, and the defense tech bubble, highlighting resilience and strategic investment.
This Bittensor Subnet Could Cut Drug Discovery Costs in HALF | E2267
Bittensor subnets are revolutionizing drug discovery (MetaNova), creator marketing (Bitcast), and vision AI development (Scoron), showcasing a decentralized marketplace for intelligence and innovation.
32 Million Dollar Fraud? Delve Scandal | E2266
AI is revolutionizing startups, lowering capital needs and increasing founder capabilities, but also raising concerns about moats and fraud, as seen in the Delve scandal. BitTensor's distributed network offers a new model for compute and services.
The Drone Company Everyone Thought Was Illegal (Now Worth $4B+) | E2265
Zipline's journey from delivering blood in Africa to revolutionizing logistics with drone delivery showcases the power of a mission-driven approach and overcoming regulatory hurdles.
How Robinhood became a $68B company w/ Vlad Tenev
Vlad Tenev discusses Robinhood's journey from a disruptive free trading app to a multi-faceted financial services company, highlighting key strategies in growth, product development, and AI integration.
Are Brain-Computer Interfaces Actually Ready for Humans? | E2263
BCIs are moving from lab to reality, enabling thought-to-text/speech and potentially enhancing human capabilities. Simultaneously, blended wing body aircraft promise significant fuel efficiency and a better passenger experience, while continuous glucose monitoring offers objective health data for personalized wellness.
This Decentralized Cloud is Thousands of Times Cheaper Than AWS | EP 2262
Hippius offers decentralized cloud storage 1000x cheaper than AWS, leveraging Bit Tensor's network for scalable and resilient infrastructure.
The Global Expansion of Self-Driving Vehicles
The AV industry is progressing methodically, with fleet management and operational scaling being key challenges alongside technological advancement. Public acceptance and regulatory frameworks are critical for widespread adoption.
How agents will change banking forever | E2260
AI agents are accelerating self-improvement in LLMs, democratizing development, and raising concerns about job displacement and public trust in the US.