{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"How to Raise a Seed Round in 2026: Ask Jason | E2294","description":"This Week In Startups is made possible by:  Grasshopper Bank https:\/\/grasshopper.bank\/twistLinkedIn Jobs https:\/\/LinkedIn.com\/twistNorthwest Registered Agent https:\/\/northwestregisteredagent.com\/twist  Today\u2019s show: Jason breaks down the real math behind raising a seed round. Here\u2019s the funnel: contact 150 firms, get 50 first meetings, convert 2o into second meetings, and close 2 term sheets. PLUS Jason responds to viewer questions about why hardware is no longer a dirty word for investors, how to differentiate your startup from frontier-model companies like OpenAI, even when they\u2019re in your niche. Plus a pitch for \u201cFounder Community College,\u201d and anecdotes from Lon\u2019s European odyssey.  Thanks for the Questions:  Richard Corral: CEO of Quanto: https:\/\/quanto.co\/ \u00d8nProtons on X: https:\/\/x.com\/0nProtons SergeDawg on X: https:\/\/x.com\/sergedawg Mahika Golani Peridot: https:\/\/www.tryperidot.com\/ Shawn Sully on X: https:\/\/x.com\/aroogle Programs and Accelerators Mentioned: Y Combinator: https:\/\/www.ycombinator.com\/ Techstars: https:\/\/www.techstars.com\/ Antler: https:\/\/www.antler.co\/ PearX: https:\/\/pear.vc\/pearx\/ Sequoia ARC: https:\/\/www.sequoiacap.com\/arc\/ Kauffman Fellows: https:\/\/www.kauffmanfellows.org\/ Companies and Startups Referenced: Whoop: https:\/\/www.whoop.com\/ Knightscope: https:\/\/knightscope.com\/ Eight Sleep: https:\/\/www.eightsleep.com\/ Cafe X: https:\/\/www.cafexapp.com\/  Media Referenced:  New Yorker Sam Altman profile: https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/magazine\/2026\/04\/13\/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted Off-Duty Recommendations Terra Kaffe Demi compact automatic espresso machine: https:\/\/www.terrakaffe.com\/products\/tk-demi Osteria Pastella (Florence, Italy): https:\/\/www.osteriapastella.it\/  Timestamps:  0:00 Inside the TWiST private group chat 3:25 How to react when an investor says your &quot;too early.&quot; 6:50 The ultimate seed round funnel 8:48 Jason's new Associate in Training program 10:09 Grasshopper Bank - Time is money. Don't waste either. Go to https:\/\/grasshopper.bank\/twist and get an exclusive $500 cash bonus just for opening an account. 18:28 How have the metrics for early-stage companies changed? 20:20 LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at https:\/\/LinkedIn.com\/twist 22:34 TWiST Bounties update 23:43 Competing against frontier labs 30:03 What signals real investor-founder alignment? 30:14 Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity \u2014 Learn more at https:\/\/northwestregisteredagent.com\/twist 36:07 A crash course in Bay Area startup culture 40:15 Automatons-as-a-Service (AaaS) 42:29 Who in Silicon Valley does Jason really not like? 49:59 Museum Etiquette with Lon Harris  Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https:\/\/ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https:\/\/www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https:\/\/rb.gy\/v19fcp  Follow Lon: X: https:\/\/x.com\/lons Follow Alex: X: https:\/\/x.com\/alex LinkedIn: \u2060https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/alexwilhelm Follow Jason: X: https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jason LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jasoncalacanis Check out all our partner offers: https:\/\/partners.launch.co\/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Check out Jason\u2019s suite of newsletters: https:\/\/substack.com\/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https:\/\/twitter.com\/TWiStartups YouTube: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/thisweekin Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https:\/\/twistartups.substack.com  ","author_name":"This Week in Startups","author_url":"https:\/\/thisweekinstartups.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/41997920\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/203884280"}