Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The AI Tutor That Makes Kids Actually Think | E2298
This Week In Startups is made possible by:
Northwest Registered Agent northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
LinkedIn Jobs LinkedIn.com/twist
Shopify shopify.com/twist
Plaud Plaud.ai/twist
Today’s show:
*Schools teach kids to memorize formulas. AI helps them skip thinking entirely. Brilliant founder Sue Khim joins TWiST to tell us how her new AI tutor, Koji, uses the Socratic Method to help students solve complex problems on their own. Find out why she says “People aren’t anti-AI. They’re anti-being replaced and anti-slop.”
PLUS Jason’s take on the VC horror stories going around X… and his own anecdote about the tenacity and passion of legendary investor John Doerr.
Guest:
Sue Khim on X: https://x.com/suekhim
Brilliant: brilliant.org
Viral Koji launch video: https://x.com/suekhim/status/2060378988606878147
Relevant Links:
Viral Greg Isenberg post about VCs: https://x.com/gregisenberg/status/2061794787825479818
Travis Kalanick’s story: https://x.com/travisk/status/2062224472426365045
Matthew Prince’s stories: https://x.com/eastdakota/status/2062860530360959273
John Doerr on X: https://x.com/johndoerr
Roelof Botha on X: https://x.com/roelofbotha
Michael Moritz on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelmoritz
Mohr Davidow Ventures: mdv.com
Jason’s book “Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups”: amazon.com/Angel-Invest-Technology-Startups-Timeless-Investor/dp/0062560700
Timestamps:
0:00 Sue Khim's Alltuition origin story
1:03 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin. You can check it out at Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off!
3:32 Brilliant: from launch to product market pull
10:08 Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
14:30 Pricing against tutors, not apps
18:47 LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at LinkedIn.com/twist
20:44 Koji demo
23:33 Keeping Brilliant local while expanding
29:44 Shopify - Turn those What Ifs into sales with the ecommerce platform powering millions of businesses. Sign up for your $1-per-month trial today at shopify.com/twist
39:32 Every founder has a VC horror story
43:55 John Doerr went the extra mile to hear JCal's pitch
52:17 The LAUNCH investment strategy
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
Follow Lon:
X: https://x.com/lons
Follow Alex:
X: https://x.com/alex
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
Follow Jason:
X: twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Check out all our partner offers: partners.launch.co
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: substack.com/@calacanis
Follow TWiST:
Twitter: twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
Substack: twistartups.substack.com
The AI Tutor That Makes Kids Actually Think | E2298
This Week In Startups is made possible by:
Northwest Registered Agent northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
LinkedIn Jobs LinkedIn.com/twist
Shopify shopify.com/twist
Plaud Plaud.ai/twist
Today’s show:
*Schools teach kids to memorize formulas. AI helps them skip thinking entirely. Brilliant founder Sue Khim joins TWiST to tell us how her new AI tutor, Koji, uses the Socratic Method to help students solve complex problems on their own. Find out why she says “People aren’t anti-AI. They’re anti-being replaced and anti-slop.”
PLUS Jason’s take on the VC horror stories going around X… and his own anecdote about the tenacity and passion of legendary investor John Doerr.
Guest:
Sue Khim on X: https://x.com/suekhim
Brilliant: brilliant.org
Viral Koji launch video: https://x.com/suekhim/status/2060378988606878147
Relevant Links:
Viral Greg Isenberg post about VCs: https://x.com/gregisenberg/status/2061794787825479818
Travis Kalanick’s story: https://x.com/travisk/status/2062224472426365045
Matthew Prince’s stories: https://x.com/eastdakota/status/2062860530360959273
John Doerr on X: https://x.com/johndoerr
Roelof Botha on X: https://x.com/roelofbotha
Michael Moritz on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelmoritz
Mohr Davidow Ventures: mdv.com
Jason’s book “Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups”: amazon.com/Angel-Invest-Technology-Startups-Timeless-Investor/dp/0062560700
Timestamps:
0:00 Sue Khim's Alltuition origin story
1:03 Plaud: If your work depends on conversations — interviews, meetings, calls — you need a Plaud NotePin. You can check it out at Plaud.ai/twist and use code TWIST for 10% off!
3:32 Brilliant: from launch to product market pull
10:08 Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
14:30 Pricing against tutors, not apps
18:47 LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at LinkedIn.com/twist
20:44 Koji demo
23:33 Keeping Brilliant local while expanding
29:44 Shopify - Turn those What Ifs into sales with the ecommerce platform powering millions of businesses. Sign up for your $1-per-month trial today at shopify.com/twist
39:32 Every founder has a VC horror story
43:55 John Doerr went the extra mile to hear JCal's pitch
52:17 The LAUNCH investment strategy
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
Check out the TWIST500: twist500.com
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
Follow Lon:
X: https://x.com/lons
Follow Alex:
X: https://x.com/alex
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
Follow Jason:
X: twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Check out all our partner offers: partners.launch.co
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: substack.com/@calacanis
Follow TWiST:
Twitter: twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
Substack: twistartups.substack.com
