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.

Zoox Crash Fallout, COATUE’s $1B Open Fund, and Office Hours with FusionAds | E2122

E2122 • May 7, 2025 • 67 mins

Today’s show: Jason, Lon & Alex discuss the day’s hottest tech and startup news. Zoox’s robotaxi crash and voluntary recall, COATUE’s innovative open-ended venture fund that could democratize private tech investing, the NSO Group's massive $167M fine for spyware abuse, Uber’s record-setting earnings and in-person work push, and a candid AI wake-up call from Fiverr’s CEO urging employees to embrace automation or fall behind. From regulatory shakeups to funding innovation and the rise of AI productivity, this episode captures the chaos and opportunity of tech in 2025.

Key Points

Federal regulations should mandate that all self-driving car companies publicly release accident footage within 24 hours to ensure transparency and public trust.
The innovative fund structure by Kotu, backed by Michael Dell and Jeff Bezos, could democratize venture capital by allowing accredited investors to invest with a low minimum of $50,000.
Fiverr's CEO emphasizes the necessity for employees to embrace AI tools to enhance productivity and efficiency, reflecting a broader industry trend towards leveraging AI for competitive advantage.

Speakers

Jason Calacanis

Host • 57%

Alex Wilhelm

Host • 20%

Lon Harris

Guest • 11%

Evan Garage

Guest • 9%

Alexandra

Guest • 1%

Chapters

0:00	Jason Calacanis discusses self-driving car video transparency
1:09	Introduction of co-hosts Lon Harris and Alex Wilhelm
1:28	Discussion on top stories: Kotu's new venture fund, Fiverr's AI warning, Uber earnings, NSO group hacking fine
4:03	Details on Kotu's fund structure and democratizing venture capital
7:21	Explanation of fund fees and SEC regulations
11:13	Benefits of Kotu's fund for investors and the venture community
13:36	Zoox's voluntary recall and minor accident analysis
18:18	Executive order idea for self-driving car video transparency
22:30	NSO Group and Meta lawsuit over Pegasus spyware
25:42	Uber's Q1 financial results and market reaction
31:09	Uber's return-to-office policy and employee reactions
37:28	Impact of AI on jobs and productivity
40:39	Office hours: Fusion Ads with Evan Garage discussion
48:42	Challenges and traction for Evan's startup
52:39	Human review service integration idea
55:13	Discussion on scaling and customer engagement
57:45	Inviting Evan to Founder Tuesdays in Austin
58:01	Introduction to Founder Fridays wildcard round
1:05:34	Next steps for the five finalists
1:06:04	Planning the Summer Startup Cup
1:06:30	Closing remarks

Transcript

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