This Week in Startups Weekly Recap Feb 28-Mar 6

Hey everybody - 7 awesome guests this week!

Cana CEO?Matt Mahar,?Andrew Beebe?of Obvious Ventures, Alyse Killeen of?Stillmark,?Molly White?from Web 3 is going great, Public markets value investor?Joel Greenblatt?from Gotham Capital, serial founder & investor?Joe Speiser?and Pallet CEO?Kai Han.

Producers Pick:

It's too hard to pick just one this week, we really had something for everyone, so I encourage you to read on. I found?Joe Speiser's startup story?of living and dying by the Facebook algorithm to be a powerful example of why you need to diversify marketing channels and own your own distribution. That sounds easy on paper, but Joe explains the challenges he had putting it into practice (it cost him $100M)!

OK Boomer

Producer Rachel chatted with?Pallet CEO Kai Han. Pallet is a platform for creators to curate job boards. It's an amazing concept that has already helped dozens of communities!

How much money is too much? (VC Sunday School) + Climate: Andrew Beebe of Obvious Ventures | E1401

Jason explains how he reacts when startups are eager to raise massive rounds on limited traction. Plus, how Pegasus (or Alicorn) companies can end up being much better investments than traditional Unicorns.

In Molly's chat with Andrew Beebe of Obvious Ventures you will learn

1. Why Andrew is focused on electric mobility, carbon and carbon markets

2. How Andrew's first startup exit set him up to join the solar industry

3. How contrarian bets make careers

4. His key criteria for climate investments to be good venture bets

5. How Obvious Ventures puts its "world positive" mission into practice

6. The way carbon disclosure requirements will reshape industry

7. Why Andrew recommends reading Kim Stanley Robinson's "The Ministry for the Future"'

Stillmark’s Alyse Killeen Angel S6 E7 | E1400

Alyse raised a $30M venture fund that is just focused on startups building Bitcoin Infrastructure.

She explains why she narrowed her focus, the steps she took to raise from LPs, how she staffs her team and showcases how some of her existing portfolio companies fit into her thesis.

This was our first pure Bitcoin-focused fund on the podcast and it was fascinating to learn why she does not invest in crypto-tokens!

Cana CEO Matt Mahar | E1399

David Friedberg teased the "molecular beverage printer" on E1365. This time, we speak to Cana CEO Matt Mahar about pricing, their go-to-market plans, cartridge subscription process, potential climate impact, current flavors and more! Molly was the first outsider to tour their facility and she tried a whole bunch of beverages from the soon-to-be-released Cana One.

How Facebook killed Joe Speiser’s $100M business | E1398

Joe Speiser from Hampton VC joins to talk about how being too reliant on a Facebook algorithm change killed his previous media company. His startup "Little Things" was a feel-good media company that was hitting 900 million video views per month and $75 million in annual revenue at its peak. The change wiped away 90% of their organic traffic basically overnight. A useful lesson for any entrepreneur.?

Joel Greenblatt from Gotham Capital | E1397

Value investor Joel Greenblatt discusses increasing public market participation, strategies for finding value, taxes and more.

Web 3 is Going Great with Molly White | E1396

Molly White is the creator of the website "Web 3 is Going Great," which critiques the movement. We discuss the problems she identified with Web 3, speculation vs. building, DAOs, decentralization and more.

News we covered this week

• Google ends work from home, requires a return to the office
• $SNOW earnings breakdown
• Apple pauses RU sales
• Ford splits-off EVs
• Tech takes action against Russia
• Backbone’s new mobile gaming device?

Best,?

Producer Justin

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Made it all the way to the bottom? Leave a comment - I'd love to learn what startups you want to see more of on the show.