iPhone Air is “inspiring,” and a first step toward Apple Glasses (w/ Zach Handshoe of SpatialGen) | E2200
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
This episode of This Week in Startups features three fascinating company showcases. First, Jason and Alex chat with Zach Handshoe from SpatialGen, a Launch Accelerator 35 company building spatial video infrastructure for the future of AR/VR. The conversation includes insights from Zach's recent Apple keynote appearance and discussion of the (15:36) iPhone Air's spatial video capabilities. Next, they interview Raiza Martin, co-founder of Hux and former NotebookLM team member at Google, who's created a personalized audio AI experience that operates like radio meets podcast. Finally, chess grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli presents ChessEver for the Gamma Pitch Competition, targeting serious chess players with professional broadcasting tools and analysis features.
- Main themes: Cutting-edge technology companies skating to where the puck is going, focusing on underserved but influential niche markets, and the importance of building for passionate communities first
Speakers
Jason Calacanis
Host and founder of Launch, an early-stage venture capital firm and accelerator program. Jason is also co-host of the All In podcast and has been investing in startups for over two decades, with notable investments including Uber, Robinhood, and Thumbtack.
Alex Wilhelm
Co-host and editorial director at This Week in Startups, formerly of TechCrunch. Alex brings extensive startup and technology journalism experience to the show and helps run Launch's editorial operations.
Zach Handshoe
Co-founder of SpatialGen and Launch Accelerator 35 alumni. Recently presented at Apple's Create Immersive Media Experiences event, showcasing expertise in spatial video technology and infrastructure.
Raiza Martin
Co-founder of Hux and former Google team member who helped build NotebookLM. She has experience in AI product development and consumer applications, bringing deep technical expertise to personalized audio AI experiences.
Vasif Durarbayli
Chess grandmaster and founder of ChessEver, currently participating in Launch's Founder University program. As a grandmaster, he represents the highest level of chess achievement and understands the needs of serious chess players firsthand.
Key Takeaways
Niche Markets Can Be Goldmines When They're Influential
All three companies featured demonstrate the power of targeting small but highly influential markets first. (27:48) SpatialGen focuses on the technical needs of AR/VR developers, Hux targets early adopters who want personalized AI audio, and ChessEver serves the 70,000 serious chess players worldwide. Jason emphasizes that when you win the elite 10% of a market, casual users often follow where the experts go. This strategy works because influential users drive adoption, provide better feedback, and are willing to pay premium prices for solutions that meet their specific needs.
Product-Market Fit Requires Triangulation and Iteration
Jason describes the "triangulation" phase that ChessEver is experiencing (65:33), where founders haven't yet identified their killer app but are exploring multiple approaches. This process is essential for finding true product-market fit. Raiza from Hux demonstrates this by focusing primarily on retention metrics rather than vanity metrics, understanding that sustainable growth comes from users who genuinely love and repeatedly use the product. The key is to try different features and see which ones actually resonate with users.
Audio-First Experiences Offer Unique Advantages Over Text
Raiza explains that while reading feels more productive due to higher information throughput, audio is a passive medium that allows multitasking (37:57). Users can consume Hux content while driving, cooking, or exercising, making it additive to their daily routines rather than requiring dedicated time. This insight applies broadly - founders should consider how their product fits into existing user behaviors rather than requiring users to change their habits.
Hire for Passion and Skills, Not Just Skills
Jason emphasizes the importance of hiring team members who are both highly skilled and passionate about the domain (74:34). Using examples from FitBod and ToneBase, he explains that when you find a "10 out of 10" developer who's also obsessed with chess (or fitness, or music), you don't need to motivate them - you need to keep up with them. This approach ensures team members are intrinsically motivated and will go above and beyond because they genuinely care about the problem being solved.
Build Systems to Track and Demonstrate Value to Stakeholders
Jason reveals Launch's "Whisper Network" system that tracks every interaction and introduction they make for founders (25:27). This allows them to demonstrate concrete value when founders become successful and seek additional investment. The lesson for founders is to build systems that track the value you provide to customers, partners, and stakeholders, creating evidence of your impact that can be leveraged for growth, partnerships, or fundraising.
Statistics & Facts
- The global chess market was $3.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $7.6 billion by 2032, representing an 11% annual growth rate. (52:54) This statistic was provided by chess grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli to demonstrate the massive growth opportunity in the chess market, though he noted that serious players (about 70,000 worldwide) remain underserved.
- Apple immersive video requires 30+ gigabits per second of data transfer, equivalent to about four 4K televisions worth of data. (08:57) Zach from SpatialGen explained this to illustrate the technical complexity and infrastructure requirements needed for high-quality spatial video streaming.
- Hux users average 15 minutes of daily listening time, with most sessions combining a morning daily brief and later topic exploration. (39:34) Co-founder Raiza Martin shared this early usage data to demonstrate user engagement and the product's fit into daily routines.
