This Week in Startups

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.

23andMe BANKRUPT, Saylor Still Buying Bitcoin, + Founder Interviews | E2102

E2102 • Mar 24, 2025 • 96 mins

In this episode, the discussion kicks off with the bankruptcy of 23andMe and the impact of SPACs, before delving into MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy and the surge in M&A activity. The episode features an interview with Etched, exploring the economic and technical aspects of non-programmable chip efficiency and their market demand. Skyflow's Anshu Sharma shares insights on growth, customer acquisition, and integrating privacy solutions with ChatGPT. The focus then shifts to MedServ and its innovative solutions for drug dispensing and security, highlighting challenges and opportunities in smaller markets. The episode concludes with reflections on building companies outside major tech hubs.

Key Points

23andMe's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing highlights the challenges of maintaining recurring revenue in consumer-facing genetic testing services.
MicroStrategy's strategy of boosting its Bitcoin holdings to over half a million coins raises questions about the sustainability and long-term impact of such investment practices.
Skyflow's evolution from data security to enabling enterprise AI showcases the growing need for secure data management as businesses increasingly integrate AI technologies.

Speakers

Alex Wilhelm

Host • 39%

Lon Harris

Guest • 12%

Anshu Sharma

Guest • 19%

Gavin Uberti

Guest • 11%

Kristen Kraft

Guest • 1%

Alex from MedServe

Guest • 10%

Matt from MedServe

Guest • 3%

Partners

Chapters

0:00	Introduction and upcoming topics
0:34	Sponsor: Northwest Registered Agent
0:49	Sponsor: Squarespace
1:03	Sponsor: Fidelity Private Shares
1:15	23andMe bankruptcy and SPACs impact
5:23	MicroStrategy's Bitcoin strategy
8:58	Increase in M&A activity and market trends
11:04	Sponsor: Northwest Registered Agent
13:37	Browser use, agentic AI, and VC market insights
19:28	Financial responsibility in startups
21:56	Interview: Etched's Non-Programmable Chips
30:53	Sponsor: Fidelity Private Shares
32:12	Economic and technical aspects of chip efficiency
39:53	Etched's market demand, manufacturing, and AI scaling
43:05	Founder insights and hardware startup potential
45:43	Introduction to Skyflow and Anshu Sharma
50:19	Skyflow's growth and customer acquisition strategies
56:08	ChatGPT integration and privacy solutions
1:03:09	ServiceNow's new product and Skyflow's bullish outlook
1:06:33	M&A interest and AI stack value creation
1:12:06	Skyflow's funding and cybersecurity customer trust
1:13:12	Introduction to MedServ and Milwaukee's startup ecosystem
1:16:30	MedServ's solution to drug dispensing and diversion
1:23:05	Economic challenges and solutions for smaller facilities
1:26:50	MedServe cabinet features and use case demonstration
1:29:51	Cybersecurity and physical security of MedServ systems
1:31:03	MedServ's long-term goals and contact information
1:34:47	Building companies outside major tech hubs
1:35:16	Upcoming episodes and host information

Transcript

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