Sprig

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at www.vanta.com/twist The Embroker Startup Program helps startups secure the most important lines of insurance, at a lower cost, and with less hassle. For guaranteed 10% off on premiums (& up to 20% depending on quote) go to www.embroker.com/twist. Brave is an internet privacy company on a mission to protect your personal info online. Try the Brave Search API at http://www.brave.com/jason Today’s show: Maven Co-Founder and CEO Gagan Biyani joins Jason to break down his startup's live, cohort-based education model (2:28). Then, Gagan dives into his past journeys at Udemy, where he was eventually fired but wound up revolutionizing online learning and going public (35:08), and Sprig, a food-delivery startup that went on to raise $60M and scale to $20M in revenue, but ultimately failed (47:36). * Time stamps: (0:00) Gagan Biyani, CEO of Maven, joins Jason to discuss the future of online learning. (2:24) Maven: the evolution of online learning. (3:23) Exploring Maven's elite courses offered by a diverse pool of passionate professionals. (6:57) Analyzing who is leveraging Maven for education and the cost dynamics of online learning. (10:30) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist (11:36) How Maven's live cohort-based learning emphasizes accountability and interactivity for higher success rates. (13:15) Comparing the outdated cost structures of traditional education with modern alternatives. (23:10) Embroker - Use code TWIST to get an extra 10% off insurance at https://www.Embroker.com/twist (26:31) Unveiling the potential earnings for educators in the online learning marketplace. 28:27) The online educational landscape featuring insights on Coursera, Udemy, and others. (30:56) Brave - Try the Brave Search API at http://www.brave.com/jason (33:40) Jason built the “pit” at TechCrunch50, where he and Gagan first met. (35:08) How Udemy's early days were shaped by the Founder Institute and Adeo Ressi. (41:28) Gagan shares his personal story of being fired from Udemy and his lessons learned. (47:33) The trials, tribulations, and ultimate closure of the food delivery startup, Sprig. (53:39) Discussing the most effective methods for scaling and growing a product. (55:02) The world of fundraising and understanding the power law in venture capital. Check out Maven: https://www.maven.com Follow Gagan: https://twitter.com/gaganbiyani https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaganbiyani * Read LAUNCH Fund 4 Deal Memo: https://www.launch.co/fourApply for Funding: https://www.launch.co/applyBuy ANGEL: https://www.angelthebook.com Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow Jason: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Gagan Biyani

CEO & Co-founder

MavenSprig

For more than a decade, across numerous startups Gagan Biyani has helped lead the online education revolution. Now as the CEO of Maven, he's helping the world figure out how to reskill for the coming era of artificial intelligence. In this conversation, we talk about the growth in Maven's AI courses as well as how AI is transforming the platform and how they run the company.  The AI Breakdown helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI.  Subscribe to The AI Breakdown newsletter: https://theaibreakdown.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to The AI Breakdown on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAIBreakdown Join the community: bit.ly/aibreakdown Learn more: http://breakdown.network/

Gagan Biyani

CEO & Co-founder

MavenSprig

Gagan Biyani is the CEO and Co-Founder @ Sprig, on a mission to build the world's largest restaurant providing healthy and sustainable food. Sprig has attained funding from the likes of Greylock Partners, Accel and Battery Partners. Prior to Sprig, Gagan was the Interim Head of Marketing @ Lyft, where he wrote the first Lyft new market launch playbook and launched Lyft LA. Before that Gagan, was the Co-Founder and CEO of the world's largest online teaching and learning marketplace with the founding of Udemy. In Today's Episode You Will Learn: 1.) What was the origin story for Sprig? What was the aha moment? 2.) Question from Josh Elman: What lessons have Sprig and Gagan learnt from Chipotle, both in terms of their growth and their food? 3.) What are the coolest things that Gagan has learnt about foods that have learnt and not worked from user and product testing? 4.) On TWIST Gagan stated that the food delivery market is a winner take all market , so what makes Gagan believe that and what will ensure that Sprig is the startup that will be victorious? 5.) How do Sprig address expansion theory? Are they the Uber or the Lyft in terms of aggressive market expansion? How do Sprig choose which new market to enter? Is there a scientific approach? 6.) From having raised 9 rounds of VC and angel funding, what are Gagan's biggest tips and takeaways to anyone entering the VC or funding process? Items Mentioned In Today's Episode: Gagan's's Fave Book: The Tragedy of Great Power Politics As always you can follow The Twenty Minute VC, Harry and Gagan on Twitter here! If you would like to see a more colourful side to Harry with many a mojito session, you can follow him on Instagram here! The Twenty Minute VC is brought to you by Leesa, the Warby Parker or TOMS shoes of the mattress industry. Lees have done away with the terrible mattress showroom buying experience by creating a luxury premium foam mattress that is order completely online and ships for free to your doorstep. The 10 inch mattress comes in all sizes and is engineered with 3 unique foam layers for a universal, adaptive feel, including 2 inches of memory foam and 2 inches of a really cool latex foam called Avena, design to keep you cool. All Leesa mattresses are 100% US or UK made and for every 10 mattresses they sell, they donate one to a shelter. Go to Leesa.com/VC and enter the promo code VC75 to get $75 off!

Gagan Biyani

CEO & Co-founder

MavenSprig