How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322
2026-08-07 · 78 min · episode 2322 · 37 entities
Asserted relationships
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://twistartups.substack.com/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://substack.com/@calacanis
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573
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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Jason Calacanis
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Feed category: Technology
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://youtube.com/thisweekin
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": http://ro.co/twist
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://partners.launch.co/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://lightfield.app/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://harmonic.ai/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://bluecore.energy/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://investors.twilio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/twilio-announces-second-quarter-2026-results
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://thetimes.com/magazines/the-sunday-times-magazine/article/will-guidara-hospitality-the-bear-tkgzqz33w
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://axios.com/2026/08/06/openai-hugging-face-black-hat
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://franklloydwright.org/site/ennis-house
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://cnn.com/2026/01/25/sport/alex-honnold-taipei-101-free-solo-netflix-intl-hnk
Entities found in this episode
websites 22
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://twistartups.substack.com/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://substack.com/@calacanis
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://twistartups.substack.com/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://substack.com/@calacanis
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://youtube.com/thisweekin
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://do.co/twist
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://lightfield.app/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://harmonic.ai/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://bluecore.energy/
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://investors.twilio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/twilio-announces-second-quarter-2026-results
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0.45
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://thetimes.com/magazines/the-sunday-times-magazine/article/will-guidara-hospitality-the-bear-tkgzqz33w
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0.45
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://cnn.com/2026/01/25/sport/alex-honnold-taipei-101-free-solo-netflix-intl-hnk
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://youtube.com/thisweekin
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": http://ro.co/twist
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0.38
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://lightfield.app/
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0.38
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://harmonic.ai/
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0.38
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://bluecore.energy/
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0.38
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://investors.twilio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/twilio-announces-second-quarter-2026-results
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0.38
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://thetimes.com/magazines/the-sunday-times-magazine/article/will-guidara-hospitality-the-bear-tkgzqz33w
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://cnn.com/2026/01/25/sport/alex-honnold-taipei-101-free-solo-netflix-intl-hnk
persons 8
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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Jason Calacanis
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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Jason Calacanis
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0.45
evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://axios.com/2026/08/06/openai-hugging-face-black-hat
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://franklloydwright.org/site/ennis-house
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://axios.com/2026/08/06/openai-hugging-face-black-hat
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://franklloydwright.org/site/ennis-house
companys 4
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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Technology
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://partners.launch.co/
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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Technology
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://partners.launch.co/
books 3
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573
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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "How AI splits startups into winners and losers | E2322": https://amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573
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evidence rules-v5
"Unreasonable Hospitality" by
Episode description as stored
This Week In Startups is made possible by:
DigitalOcean https://do.co/twist
Sentry https://sentry.io/twist
Lightfield https://lightfield.app
Today's show:
A hedge fund just blew up shorting SaaS stocks. In turns out, the software companies that went all in on AI are bouncing back. Figma's CEO — still riding high on strong revenue — forfeited roughly $46 million in stock awards to ease investor nerves. Twilio posted its strongest quarter in years. Airbnb's CEO credits AI as the single biggest factor in the company's incredible turnaround.
Jason and Lon break down what's separating the winners this earnings season from the companies that are falling behind.
PLUS we're chatting with Bluecore Energy CEO and founder Kofi Asante about his plan to power ports, and one day AI data centers, with small, floating nuclear reactors.
AND we're kicking off the TWiST Weight Loss Challenge! Co-host Lon and Jason's brother, Jamie, are both starting GLP-1s. We'll track their progress and follow along as they attempt to collect $15,000 EACH in prize money.
Guest
Kofi Asante on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kofiasante1/
Bluecore Energy: https://www.bluecore.energy/
Jamie Calacanis on X: https://x.com/CalacanisJamie
Relevant Links
Bloomberg: Figma CEO forfeits $46M: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-05/figma-ceo-forfeits-46-million-in-stock-after-share-decline
Twilio announces second quarter 2026 results: https://investors.twilio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/twilio-announces-second-quarter-2026-results
TechCrunch: Twilio co-founder Jeff Lawson buys The Onion: https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/26/area-man-twilio-co-founder-jeff-lawson-buys-the-onion
Chesky: Airbnb will spend a lot more on AI: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/07/chesky-airbnb-ai-earnings.html
"Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573
The Times: Meet the unreasonable hospitality master who inspired "The Bear": https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/the-sunday-times-magazine/article/will-guidara-hospitality-the-bear-tkgzqz33w
Port of Long Beach partnership on nuclear-powered shipping: https://gcaptain.com/port-of-long-beach-marad-launch-first-u-s-partnership-on-nuclear-powered-shipping/
Reuters: ByteDance targets mega AI model: https://www.reuters.com/technology/bytedance-targets-mega-ai-model-nearing-anthropics-mythos-ft-reports-2026-08-07/
Axios: OpenAI says its AI agents breached its own systems before Hugging Face: https://www.axios.com/2026/08/06/openai-hugging-face-black-hat
Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House: https://franklloydwright.org/site/ennis-house/
Dwell: Why "The Studio" built a faux Frank Lloyd Wright HQ: https://www.dwell.com/article/the-studio-apple-tv-filming-locations-production-design-frank-lloyd-wright-john-lautner-97c68081
"Predators" documentary trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibVZkvpAJjI
A24 "Primetime" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fHXyqQOKL8
Alex Honnold free solos Taipei 101: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/25/sport/alex-honnold-taipei-101-free-solo-netflix-intl-hnk
Harmonic.ai: https://harmonic.ai/
Ro.co: http://ro.co/twist
Timestamps:
0:00 Figma, Twilio & Airbnb earnings: who's winning at AI?
9:50 DigitalOcean - Head to https://do.co/twist to start building on DigitalOcean's AI-Native Cloud today — and cut your AI workload costs by up to 50%.
11:32 The real cost of stock-based compensation
17:38 Kofi Asante of Blue Core Energy joins the show
19:47 Sentry - Your team should be focused on shipping features — not chasing down bugs. New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to https://sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST
20:51 What is a small modular reactor (SMR)?
26:00 Floating nuclear reactors for ports and data centers
29:47 Lightfield - Name one person who's ever enjoyed updating a CRM. Exactly. Lightfield's AI agent does it for you — it even prospects and books your meetings. Used by thousands of startups. Fr