Thinking Machines’ RECORD seed round, VC Geoff Lewis, and MORE | E2152

This Week in Startups

Jason Calacanis

Technology

4.4 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 17 July 2025

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today’s show:

Jason and Alex tackle a full tech and business news docket on today’s show, including Jason’s big SF trip with Launch Accelerator’s 34th cohort, some peculiar social media posts from VC Geoff Lewis, a look inside the HUGE seed rounds being commanded by early-stage AI startups, crunching the numbers on how much compute data centers need to sell before they’re profitable, Polymarket asks who will be the next CEO of X and MUCH MUCH MORE.

Join us for the longest-running and most in-depth podcast on Earth for startup founders.

Timestamps:

(00:00) INTRO

(01:31) Jason’s in SF with LAUNCH Accelerator cohort 34… His take on the mood in Silicon Valley.

(07:52) Odd X posts from Bedrock Capital’s Geoff Lewis… what does it all mean?

(10:09) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist

(14:44) Ask JCal: What founders can do to guard their own mental health and well-being

(20:17) Northwest Registered Agent. Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

(22:04) Thinking Machines Lab set a new record for a seed round: what’s going on with these MEGA deals?

(28:51) Alex (and Kabir from LAUNCH’s research team) investigated the economics of data centers… just HOW MUCH can you make from selling compute? And how long does it TAKE to turn a profit?

(30:52) Bolt - Don’t be left behind. Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with Bolt.new. Try it free at https://www.bolt.new/twist.

(37:09) Superintelligence vs. AGI: Jason thinks we’re still more than 2-3 years away…

(39:52) GPx is not a traditional VC fund: here’s what industry vet Brian Singerman is up to

(49:37) The importance of setting your own corporate culture… before it gets set for you!

(58:15) Polymarket has ideas for the next X CEO… see where Jason ranks on the list!

(01:03:18) Reddit wants to know… Do investors judge founders negatively who rely on lots of AI tools?

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Can you think of a more challenging job than being the CEO of Twitter of X? I mean, oh my God,
0:07.7	it's like people are so full contact on there. It's, you know, if you have a freedom of speech
0:15.3	platform that is going to be that freedom of speech where people can really go for it.
0:20.7	You know,
0:21.0	Kanye West can go on an episode and say all kinds of crazy stuff. Like, I'm glad it's there,
0:25.9	but that means you have to come to work and deal with that. You know, and every day there's a
0:32.9	different Kanye West. This weekend startups is brought to you by Vanta.
0:39.1	Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal breaker for startups to win new business.
0:43.7	Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC2 report fast.
0:47.5	Get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com slash twist.
0:54.1	Northwest Registered Agent. Starting your business should be simple.
0:58.5	With Northwest Registered Agent, you can form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks
1:03.7	and 10 minutes. From LLCs to trademarks, domains to custom websites, they've got you covered.
1:10.8	Get more privacy, more options,
1:13.0	and more done. Visit northwest registeredagent.com slash twist today. And Bolt. Don't be left behind.
1:22.9	Build apps quickly without knowing how to code with bolt.new. Try it free at bolt.new slash twist.
1:30.9	Hey, everybody. Welcome back to this week in startups. I'm yours Jason Galicanas and with me,
1:34.9	Alex Wilhelm, my co-host. We've got a lot on the docket today. So I say we just jump right in.
1:41.1	How you doing there, Alex? I'm doing great. The biggest question on my mind,
1:44.9	Jason, is how goes the Silicon Valley trip? I know you're out there with the launch class of 34,
1:49.3	I believe. Yes, our 34th accelerator class, 10 companies, and we've done a couple of different
1:56.5	stops. And they've done wonderful. It's great to see so many founders with a couple of customers in that first year,
	...

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