Founder University Cohort 7 Pitches Jason Calacanis

Founder University

• Founder University is a 12-week pre-accelerator program for early-stage founders to build their ideas into companies.
• The program focuses on the basics of building a company, such as product-market fit, accounting, cap tables, and hiring.
• Founders attend weekly sessions and submit progress updates.
• Launch, the venture capital firm that runs Founder University, invests $25k or $125k in early-stage startups.

Venture Capital (VC) Business

• The video provides an overview of the VC business and how startups are assessed by VC firms.
• The VC firm discussed focuses on qualitative assessments in the early stages and quantitative assessments as companies progress.
• They aim to invest in companies with capital efficiency and business models that don't require significant inventory-based capital.
• The firm invests in a diverse set of companies, monitors their progress, and trains founders to pitch and build companies attractive to VC investment.
• The firm prefers "builder founders" who can do more with less money and cautions against raising too much money without producing enough revenue.
• The firm acts as a pre-seed and accelerator fund, helping companies reach the point where they can attract investment from larger VC firms.

Companies Pitched

ChatWith

• Helps micro-businesses sell with WhatsApp by sharing links on various platforms and connecting with their CRM.

Clean Hands

• Digitizes handwashing for fast-food and casual brand chains using a wearable device that tracks and validates handwashing events.
• Targets 1,500 chain fast-food brands with over 100 locations and aims for 4% market penetration.
• Won a $250,000 National Industry-judged Food Innovation Award.

AI Synapse

• Customer, Silicon Valley Bank, has been using their product for three months.
• Started with one user at Silicon Valley Bank and now has six users.
• Plans to charge $2,000 per user per month for their service.

Better Built

• Provides hyper-localized weather data for job sites, enabling contractors to make informed decisions about safety.
• Considering charging $24,000 per year for their product, targeting the enterprise market.
• Current solution is 95% software and 5% human management.
• Pre-product market fit but seeing traction in all three market segments: $99, $500, and the enterprise level.

LIFSTAK

• Calendar app that helps users schedule their days according to their energy levels.
• Utilizes sleep data and resting rhythm to determine energy levels, with plans to incorporate more detailed metrics.
• Business model is currently B2C subscription, open to expanding to B2B or team plans.
• Over 200 people have signed up for the app, with 65 joining this month following the launch of the closed beta test.
• Aims to get out of beta by June 2023.

MRA

• AI-powered business phone system that helps business owners manage phone calls and bookings.
• Provides a dedicated business phone line, integrates with the user's calendar, and can even cold call leads.

AI Sales Styler

• Business phone system that records and analyzes calls to provide insights into customer behavior, allowing businesses to optimize their sales strategies.

The Public Board

• Platform that allows anyone to display content on digital billboards, making it easy and accessible for businesses and individuals to advertise.

One Review

• E-commerce app that finds and summarizes reviews of products from across the internet, helping merchants improve their product pages and increase conversions.

Pouncer AI

• AI-powered tool that helps freelancers find and apply for jobs on Upwork faster.
• Generates custom proposals that align freelancers' skills with clients' needs.

Riskind AI

• AI platform that helps insurers and brokers access and analyze data, automate workflows, and expand operating capabilities.
• Extracts and organizes unstructured data from documents and makes it accessible through a chat GPT-like interface.

ShareThat

• Platform where fans, micro-influencers, and entrepreneurs get paid to post short-form clips for their favorite creators and brands.
• Automates payouts from brands to clippers and tracks social media engagement metrics.

SharedSweeps

• Platform that allows e-commerce brands to run large giveaways without any financial risk.
• Brands can choose their version of a $100,000 giveaway and launch in days, not months.
• SharedSweeps charges a fee based on attributable revenue, so it's all performance-based.

Spatial Studio

• Generates instant and personalized designs and quotes for home improvement projects using AI.
• Offers 24/7 online AI consulting to answer homeowners' questions.
• Charges $1,000 per month, with an additional $50 for each generated lead.
• Targets home improvement businesses with annual revenue over $5 million, focusing on exterior renovations and kitchen and bathroom remodeling.
• Team includes professionals with backgrounds in Apple Vision Pro, image deep learning, and real estate listing management.

Speed AI

• Provides adaptive training plans, AI-based coaching assistance, and nutrition products for runners preparing for marathons.
• Creates personalized training plans based on users' fitness data and goals.
• Offers three tiers of service: training plan, AI coaching assistant, and nutrition box.
• Launching on April 22nd, with an Instagram page that has gained significant engagement.
• Co-founded by siblings who are both engineers and passionate about endurance sports.

StockNews.AI

• Analyzes financial news and provides insights for investors.
• Categorizes and summarizes news articles, allowing investors to focus on relevant information.
• Sends news alerts when important events occur in a user's portfolio.
• Offers a premium model with a 7-day trial, charging $40 for premium and $100 for professional investors with API access.
• Has seen positive user response and customer acquisition since launching four months ago.
• Team consists of experienced product managers, engineers, and a finance degree holder.