Founder University Cohort 7 Pitches Jason Calacanis

18 Apr 2024 (6 months ago)
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.

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