Insiders React: Musk Launches “America Party” + YouTube Declares War on AI Slop, Sequoia's Mamdani Scandal

Is Silicon Valley building the future or just trying to rule it? From Elon Musk’s new political party to retail investors buying fake OpenAI stock, the startup world is getting weirder, faster. In this episode, Chris Saad and Shira Lazar break down a massive week in tech, politics, and startup culture. They unpack Elon Musk’s launch of the “America Party,” the legality of Robinhood and SoFi offering access to OpenAI and SpaceX shares, YouTube’s crackdown on mass AI content, Sequoia Capital’s culture war PR disaster, and the impressive metrics behind Figma’s upcoming IPO. In this episode, you will: Learn why Elon Musk is launching a political party—and how it could shake up US politics Understand how Robinhood and SoFi are fractionalizing access to top private companies like SpaceX Discover the legal and ethical questions behind tokenized startup shares Explore YouTube’s new policy to demonetize “AI slop” and what it means for creators Hear why a Sequoia partner’s tweet has triggered backlash in tech VC circles Reflect on the growing disconnect between Silicon Valley values and social responsibility Whether you're a startup founder, tech enthusiast, or just trying to make sense of where innovation is heading, this episode is your insider’s guide to the stories shaping the future of business. The Pact Honor the Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please: Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List to gain access to exclusive newsletter-only content and early access to information on upcoming episodes: https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/ Follow us here on YouTube for full-video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNjm1MTdjysRRV07fSf0yGg Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following Key links Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A The Startup Podcast website: https://www.tsp.show/episodes/ Learn more about Chris and Yaniv Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/ Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/ Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/ Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthur Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/