Who sells to the Salesforce?

Top News

• Informatica SOLD to Salesforce: Informatica helps customers manage and organize their cloud data, making it an obvious pick-up for the software giant. They’ve actually been circling a deal for over a year now, and just took a while to come together on terms. $8 billion — funded by a combo of cash and new debt — appears to be the magic number, with the deal set to close in early 2027.

• Civitai dropping models based on real people: We wrote last week about the all-in-one AI model archive — which includes a library of text-to-image models based on real people — running into issues with its payment processors over its utility in creating nonconsensual “deepfake” porn and other morally questionable output. The site has now announced that it will ban AI models designed to generate images of celebrities, influencers, politicians, and any actual living humans, in a huge win for opponents of nonconsensual AI imagery.

• Mistral introduces API for AI agents: The French OpenAI rival’s new product allows developers to easily add generative AI tools to their applications, with their “Medium 3” model powering agents. VentureBeat describes the combination as an infinitely customizable “plug and play” platform for enterprises looking to integrate AI into their workflows.

TWiST500

The Browser Company has a new browser!

The startup and TWiST 500 entrant launched in 2023 with the freeware Arc browser, a so-called “operating system for the web” that featured standard browser capabilities alongside bells and whistles like the “Command Bar,” tab folders known as “Spaces,” and a built-in ad blocker. (Arc also supported most Google Chrome plug-ins.)

As of this week, Arc is old news, and the company is putting its focus behind a new, more AI-focused product called Dia. In an increasingly “AI First” world, this seems like a logical move, but there are other reasons beyond just the trend of the moment to leave the Arc project behind in favor of the new Dia hotness.

As Browser Company CEO Josh Miller explains in a blog post, a security researcher had also discovered a vulnerability in Arc that allowed hackers to insert arbitrary code into anyone’s session, just by knowing their user ID. The company quickly patched this specific issue, and expanded their engineering team as a result, but the incident also seems to have woken them up to security issues inherent in the Arc project, and the overall importance of maintaining focus and constant diligence when it comes to user safety and security.

Arc isn’t going away entirely. It will still get security updates and bug fixes, and even a few improvements and tweaks over time. But it’s clear that Browser Company has learned the lesson that so many founders have struggled with over the years… It’s better to do one thing really well than to spread your team too thin. – Lon

A message from Superpower

The best founders know: better health = better business. Visit superpower.com/twist to join and skip the waitlist!

This Week in Startups

E2130: On Friday’s pre-holiday TWiST, Jason, Alex and Lon talk about President Trump’s latest tariff announcement and its potential impact on Apple and iPhones. Plus, Claude gets a fresh upgrade, OnlyFans may be for sale, and the crew debates whether or not we really need “smart” toilets. PLUS the final round of the Founder Friday city competition! See who wins!

E2129: On a new TWiST, Jason and Alex are talking OpenAI’s collaboration with Jony Ive and predicting what this will mean for the future of AI hardware. PLUS Tesla and Waymo are battling it out for robotaxi market share, Microsoft partners with xAI, and Congress debates the stablecoin GENIUS Act. All that and Jason’s shoutout to influential online broadcaster (and “Dilbert” creator) Scott Adams.

E2128: On a rare Alex-free episode of TWiST, Lon and Jason update viewers on the latest in the Rippling vs. Deel corporate espionage saga, which now has more chapters than the Jason Bourne franchise. Plus are Firecrawl’s AI agent job postings just a marketing stunt(?), Jason’s thoughts on spotting “world class design,” and a chat with Prandtl Dynamics CEO Parth Mahendru about his innovative sonic anti-drone systems.

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!

• LinkedIn Ads: To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

• Lemon.io: Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist

Want to Work for This Week in Startups?

We’re looking to fill two in-person sales positions at our Austin, Texas HQ! First, a high-performing Sales Executive to help us seek out and promote clients, sponsorships, branded content, and more. Plus an experienced Sales Manager to lead, coach, and scale our sales executive team, while setting performance goals. Love the podcast and have B2B sales experience? We want to hear from you!

SF Live-Work Space Now Available

Need a flexible living and working environment in San Francisco? This thoughtfully designed loft-style residence at 787 Bryant St., the heart of the vibrant SOMA district and the city’s creative hub, is now available for rent or purchase. Check the listing for more details.

Founder University

Applications are open for Founder University Cohort 11, 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 Summer 2025!

LAUNCH Accelerator

Are you a pre-Series A founder with a product in the market? Applications are now open for LAUNCH Accelerator's 35th cohort—starting Summer 2025—where you'll perfect your pitch, grow your business, and connect with top Silicon Valley investors. Apply here and take your startup to the next level!

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