Rising tensions between Wordpress and WP Engine

Top News

• WordPress ousts WP Engine: WordPress, the popular open-source web hosting platform, has recently blocked WP Engine, a managed hosting service specifically designed for WordPress sites, from accessing its resources. Tensions flared last week when WordPress co-creator and Automattic CEO, Matt Mullenweg, publicly accused WP Engine of profiteering, even going as far as to call it a “cancer to WordPress.” This sparked a series of cease-and-desist exchanges, ultimately leading to the ban we're seeing now. It goes to show how far founder politics can impact users.

• Fusion startup raises $130 million: Zap Energy recently secured $130 million in funding led by Soros Fund Management with participation from Chevron Technology Ventures, Shell Ventures, and many more. The startup’s vision, much like its competitors, is to “use safe, widely available fuel sources and fuse their nuclei, harnessing the resulting power to generate electricity or heat (or both)”. While climate tech investors continue to navigate the uncertainties of the terrain, Zap Energy has proven there is still room for ample investment.

• Paypal enables crypto: Cryptocurrency is no longer just for consumers. PayPal has announced that business owners will now be able to buy, hold, and sell crypto from their business accounts. This comes a year after the SEC approved the listing and trading of select bitcoin exchange-traded products. Around this time last year, Paypal also made waves by launching its own dollar-backed stablecoin. This latest development signals yet another step in PayPal’s efforts to spearhead the adoption of digital currencies.

Changes at OpenAI

In TWiST E2014, Jason and Alex discussed the departure of OpenAI’s CTO, Mira Murati, right in the middle of the company’s multi-billion-dollar fundraising. In a memo shared on X, Mira explained, “I'm stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration.” Interpret that however you like.

But the story didn’t end there. Just hours after Mira's announcement, OpenAI’s Chief Research Officer, Bob McGrew, and Research VP, Barret Zoph, also revealed their departures. The timing of these exits raised eyebrows and sparked plenty of speculation. However, it seems to be pure coincidence. In a lengthy post on X, Sam Altman clarified, “Mira, Bob, and Barret made these decisions independently of each other and amicably, but the timing of Mira’s decision was such that it made sense to now do this all at once, so that we can work together for a smooth handover to the next generation of leadership.”

In the same post, he also announced several executive changes, including the promotion of Mark Chen to SVP of Research and Josh Achiam to Head of Mission Alignment. From the outside, you might assume that things at OpenAI are becoming unstable, but aren’t leadership changes a normal part of the business? Maybe when you’re the fastest-growing AI startup, every move is under scrutiny. And that’s why we’ll be keeping a close eye on OpenAI. Stay tuned for more updates.

— Erika

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This Week in Startups

E2014: Jason and Alex discuss OpenAI’s CTO departure, DOJ AI compliance guidelines, and trends in tech mergers and acquisitions, alongside the growing shift toward a cashless society. They also touch on startup funding, Instacart's valuation challenges, the AI-driven business super cycle, and the future of labor. The conversation ends with insights into vocational training opportunities, Google's career certificates, job expectations for young professionals, and the Tenet Media controversy.

E2013: Jason and Alex begin the show discussing a viral tweet from Harry Stebbings about venture capital and the balance between luxury and grit in entrepreneurship. They cover Amazon’s return to office policy, its use of generative AI, and the impact on innovation and stock price. They dig into antitrust enforcement in tech, Apple's AI advancements, and end with audience questions about return to office trends and app store rules.

E2012: Jason and Ryan Hudson of Pie.org discuss his experience with Honey, focusing on consumer trust, merchant reactions, and conversion rates. Ryan also covers Pie's vision for consumer ad control, demonstrating their browser extension and exploring the economic and legal implications of ad blocking. The conversation also touches on Apple's privacy stance, funding advice for founders, and the importance of company values.

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