This Week in Startups
This Week in Startups

Naval's $500 VC fund, the Maduro Polymarket scandal, and NYT defends theft and murder | E2280

April 25, 2026 · 50 min

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This Week In Startups is made possible by:

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Today's show:

It's a News and Off-Duty weekend roundup!

AngelList's USVC fund is open to anyone with $500, but it's getting pushback on social media. Do the critics have a point?

A Special Forces soldier made $409K betting on the military's capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Is the world just a big casino now?

And a NYT podcast defends shoplifting and explores "social murder." Find out why Jason says they crossed the line.

Plus: Why you should teach your kids about investment and more, Off-Duty streaming and book recommendations.

Related Links

USVC: https://usvc.com/

AngelList: https://www.angellist.com/

Naval Ravikant on X: https://x.com/naval

"Don't Listen to the Peanut Gallery; USVC is a Watershed Moment" by Hari Raghavan: https://x.com/haridigresses/status/2047503944839016681

@Covered_Call USVC tweet: https://x.com/covered_call/status/2047020060900733306

Forge Global: https://forgeglobal.com/

Calm: https://www.calm.com/

Full DOJ indictment of Gannon Ken Van Dyke: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-soldier-charged-using-classified-information-profit-prediction-market-bets

NYT "The Opinions" podcast: "The Rich Don't Play by the Rules. So Why Should I?" https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000010849055/the-rich-dont-play-by-the-rules-so-why-should-i.html

Hasn Piker on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/hasanabi

New Yorker: Jia Tolentino: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/jia-tolentino

NYT: Nadja Spiegelman: https://www.nytimes.com/by/nadja-spiegelman

Jia Tolentino on X: https://x.com/jiatolentino

Garry Kasparov on X: https://x.com/kasparov63

Prof G Media: https://www.profgmedia.com/

Kids Investment Club: https://www.kidsinvestmentclub.com/

Time stamps:0:00 Intro

Naval's $500 VC Fund Explained

Should You Trust Critics With 2K Followers?

Learn By Betting — Jason's Philosophy

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 https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

The Maduro Polymarket Scandal

Should the Military Bet on Missions?

LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at https://LinkedIn.com/twist

NYT Defends Theft & "Social Murder"

There Is No Moral Equivalence

The Nepo Baby Behind the Article

Prof G's "Resist & Unsubscribe" Movement

Walk The Walk — Hasan, Bernie & Performative Outrage

Teaching Kids About Money

The Rich Get Ri

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