Why You’ll Choose an AI Doctor (feat. Fred Almeida and Max Weiss) | E2239

Why You’ll Choose an AI Doctor (feat. Fred Almeida and Max Weiss) | E2239

Author: Jason Calacanis January 24, 2026 Duration: 1:03:23

This Week In Startups is made possible by:

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Today’s show:

One day soon, you might consult an AI general practitioner about your health, and then the computer will recommend human specialists to take up your case.

On TWiST Tokyo, Jason chats with Fred Almeida — founder and CEO of American Medical Intelligence Inc. — and Maxwell Weiss, a partner at Pacific Bays Capital.

Together, they discuss the future of medicine, and the opportunities for individuals to take greater control over their health and preventative care strategies.

PLUS a look at how Japan has stayed at the forefront of technology despite NOT being a manufacturing hub, why so many Americans are willing to take a pay cut to move to Japan for work, and the concept of “genten shugi,” and how it prevents some Japanese people from communicating with English speakers, despite understanding the language.

THEN we hear pitches from some of our favorite Founder University x Japan companies, and Fred, Jason, and Max pick their favorites!

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing today’s big guests: founder Fred Almeida and investor Max Weiss!

(5:43) Why Fred thinks one day soon, an AI will be your general practitioner

(8:26) The power of getting self-directed medical diagnostics

(13:27) Max says Japan has moved into Decade 2 in its venture capital journey

(14:37) Sentry - New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST

(16:05) Max and Jason had wagyu barbecue the other night

(17:10) Japan doesn’t OFFICIALLY have a standing army…

(21:37) Why the line between talking startups and politics is blurring

(23:05) Hubspot - Check out the guide “Advanced ChatGPT Prompt Engineering: From Basic to Expert in 7 Days.” Download it for free at clickhubspot.com/twist2.

(24:59) Japan doesn’t make a lot of things, but it produces the underlying tech behind a lot of things

(25:52) Understanding Genten Shugi: Why some in Japan still have an “English allergy”

(29:42) Why some Americans will take a pay cut to come work in Japan

(33:28) 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 www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

(34:10) PITCH #1: Cascade(36:10) PITCH #2: Altsource Global(38:10) PITCH #3: GoalMochi(40:25) Jason, Max, and Fred give feedback on our first three pitches(42:45) Would GoalMochi ever consider adding personas for added expertise, like say a nutritionist?(44:30) How does Cascade plan to compete against the massive ad networks of companies like Google and Meta?(46:05) PITCH #4: RandomChat(48:10) PITCH #5: Eir(50:05) More feedback for our final two pitches of the day(52:44) Fred wants to know how Eir’s product will integrate with other systems(54:19) Why Gigi made herself available to chat in her app(57:50) Why Jason thinks RandomChat should add anonymous personas


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Thank you to our partners:

(14:37) Sentry - New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST

(23:05) Hubspot - Check out the guide “Advanced ChatGPT Prompt Engineering: From Basic to Expert in 7 Days.” Download it for free at clickhubspot.com/twist2.

(33:28) 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 www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist


Every week, Jason Calacanis dives headfirst into the swirling vortex of Silicon Valley and global tech with This Week in Startups. It’s a direct line to the conversations shaping our digital future, moving far beyond surface-level news. You’ll hear Jason’s unfiltered analysis on everything from market shifts and media trends to the underlying mechanics of building a business, all delivered with a blend of enthusiasm and seasoned skepticism. The core of this podcast, however, lies in the guests. Jason sits down with the very people driving change-founders who have scaled impossible heights, operators managing daily chaos, and investors who spot trends before they become obvious. These conversations are less like formal interviews and more like insider debriefs, pulling back the curtain on real strategies, painful failures, and unexpected successes. For anyone curious about how technology is built, funded, and ultimately changes the world, this series offers a front-row seat. It’s the context behind the headlines, providing a deeper understanding of the forces at play in startups and technology. Tune in for a consistently engaging and insightful look at the ecosystem, straight from someone who lives and breathes it.
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