How to Make Billions from Exposing Fraud | E2234 - This Week in Startups Recap

Podcast: This Week in Startups

Published: 2026-01-13

Duration: 1 hr 5 min

Guests: Alex Shieh, Blake Schull

Summary

The episode delves into the business of exposing government fraud, highlighting how individuals can earn significant sums under the False Claims Act. It also explores the revival of supersonic travel through Boom Supersonic and answers questions from Founder University Tokyo.

What Happened

Jason Calacanis hosts Alex Shieh from The Anti-Fraud Company to discuss the lucrative business of exposing government fraud. Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers can receive between 33% and 50% of the recovered funds, making it a potentially billion-dollar industry. Alex explains how his company uses AI and investigative journalism to uncover fraud and how they act as the whistleblower, not a law firm.

The episode also features a segment on Boom Supersonic, a startup aiming to bring back supersonic commercial travel. Founder Blake Scholl shares his vision of creating jets that are 30% more fuel-efficient than the Concorde, with plans to sell tickets at business class prices. Boom has raised over $700 million and secured orders from Virgin Group for its Mach 2.2 aircraft.

Jason further discusses the challenges and lessons learned from the Concorde's failure, emphasizing Boom's unique approach using carbon fiber composites for better aerodynamics and quieter flights. Blake compares Boom's lean, efficient model to SpaceX, focusing on making supersonic travel economically viable.

The podcast also touches on the legislative hurdles faced by Boom, such as regulations prohibiting supersonic travel over land in the U.S., and how their technology aims to be significantly quieter than the Concorde.

Later, Jason answers live questions at Founder University Tokyo, an initiative in partnership with JETRO to support 35 Japanese startups. He addresses challenges in talent acquisition and the importance of building resilient teams, drawing from experiences at companies like Uber.

Throughout the episode, sponsors like Squarespace, Luma AI, and Netsuite are mentioned, offering tools and discounts for businesses. These sponsors are presented as key resources for entrepreneurs looking to optimize operations and enhance their digital presence.

The episode concludes with insights into the global startup ecosystem, focusing on the need for grit and resilience in entrepreneurship, likened to the Japanese concept of 'Kintsugi', which symbolizes strength through adversity.

Key Insights

• Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers can earn between 33% and 50% of recovered funds from government fraud cases, creating a lucrative industry for those exposing such fraud.
• Boom Supersonic aims to create jets that are 30% more fuel-efficient than the Concorde and plans to sell tickets at business class prices, having raised over $700 million and secured orders from Virgin Group.
• Boom's use of carbon fiber composites in aircraft design is intended to improve aerodynamics and reduce noise, addressing some of the challenges that led to the Concorde's failure.
• Supersonic travel over land in the U.S. faces regulatory hurdles due to noise restrictions, but Boom's technology is designed to be significantly quieter than previous supersonic aircraft.