Napster is back!... KINDA!

Author

Lon Harris
March 25, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Top News

  • Napster acquired for $207M: It’s over 25 years since the pioneering peer-to-peer file-sharing service changed the way we listen to (and sometimes even pay for) music online, and 24 years since it shut down and filed for bankruptcy after being sued into oblivion. But a not-quite-defunct Napster has now been acquired by the 3D technology company Infinite Reality. CEO John Acunto says he plans to use the iconic brand, not so much the technology, for marketing purposes in the metaverse.

  • OpenAI gets image generation upgrade: OpenAI added built-in image generation to their main ChatGPT offering. The newly-introduced “Images in ChatGPT” feature relies on the GPT-4o model, allowing users to order up original pictures, right from the main ChatGPT prompt. The feature is available across all subscription tiers, including Free, with the same built-in limits as OpenAI’s DALL-E image generator: three fresh looks per day.

  • Amazon’s culture shift continues: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy already brought everyone back to the office full time earlier this year, but he’s not stopping there. At an internal all-hands on Tuesday, Jassy reiterated a commitment to cutting bureaucracy at the company via “de-layering,” and mused openly about plans to reward the most productive managers leading small staffs. Jassy says he wants Amazon to return to a scrappier, startup mindset, which might be easier said that done for a company with a total employee count in the millions.

TWiST500

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for Swedish fintech startup and TWiST 500 members Klarna. So before we even get to today’s news, a quick recap is in order.

On March 17, Klarna announced a high-profile new partnership with Walmart, snatching away the role of the mega-retailer’s exclusive “Buy Now Pay Later” partner from US rivals Affirm. Klarna also disclosed that it’s getting ready to announce a US IPO deal.

As if that weren’t enough heat, just days later, the company announced another, somewhat more controversial partnership, with food delivery service DoorDash. Though the announcement largely revolved around an interest-free plan, in which diners pay for their orders over the course of 4 installments, the plan was heavily mocked and criticized on social media, with frequently voiced concerns about Americans going into debt for Chipotle. (In a follow-up blog post, Klarna specified that the loans are only available for orders over $35, and the deal is specifically aimed at people buying large amounts of groceries who might otherwise use a credit card.)

The drama continued on Tuesday, with rivals Affirm announcing another new deal of their own, this time with JPMorgan. Affirm’s Buy Now, Pay Later products will be offered across the bank’s massive network of merchants, for transactions valued between $35 and $30,000. With each side signing large-scale deals and getting their loans in front of more customers every day, this showdown doesn’t seem likely to settle down any time soon. - Lon


A message from LinkedIn LTS

A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

This Week in Startups

E2102: On a shockingly Jason-free episode of This Week in Startups (he was traveling!), Lon and Alex talk about 23andMe’s dramatic collapse and MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin mega-strategy. PLUS we’re featuring THREE fresh interviews with the teams behind some of our favorite startups: chipmakers Etched, security and privacy stack Skyflow, and smart medical cabinet makers MedServe.

E2101: On an all-new This Week in Startups, Jason, Lon and Alex answer burning questions from founders and entrepreneurs about running their companies, from tips for smoothing out collaborations to building products in public. THEN, more creators are jumping in with their own Tesla self-driving experiments, TechCrunch quietly sold itself to Regent, and more from the world of tech news.

E2100: It’s a contentious, divisive, no-holds-barred episode of TWiST! First, Jason, Lon, and Alex survey the aftermath of Mark Rober’s viral Tesla Experiment gone wrong. Was this just a fun YouTube goof that people are taking too seriously? Serious journalistic malpractice? Something WORSE? PLUS Google’s Wiz acquisition, the SEC drops its case against XRP, and much much more.

TWiST Partner Offers

  • Northwest Registered Agent: Starting your business should be simple. With Northwest Registered Agent, you can form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. From LLCs to trademarks, domains to custom websites, they’ve got you covered. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!

  • Squarespace: Turn your idea into a beautiful website! Go to http://www.squarespace.com/twist for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

  • Fidelity Private SharesSM: Manage your cap table and data room, get faster, more accurate 409A valuation and fully automate your next financing round. Visit ⁠https://fidelityprivateshares.com⁠! Mention This Week in Startups and receive 20% off your first-year paid subscription.

Angel University

Angel University is back! Jason and Mike, President at LAUNCH, are hosting our next live Angel.University workshop in person on Wednesday, April 23rd, in NYC. Jason will be teaching the strategies he’s used to invest $100M+ in 300+ startups over the past decade. Register at: angel.university.

Founder University

Applications are open for Founder University Cohort 10, a 12-week remote pre-accelerator program tailored towards navigating early-startup practices, building an MVP, and growing traction. Submit your application at Founder University— Cohort 10 will kick off Spring 2025!

LAUNCH Accelerator

Applications are open for the 34th cohort of the LAUNCH Accelerator; a 14-week program focused on fundraising and growth. We invest $125K in our accepted companies and help them raise their pre-seed or seed round. Submit your application at LAUNCH Accelerator.

The TWiST500 newsletter is the new, updated, and improved TWiST Ticker.