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VIDEOS|Term Sheet

In this series, Fortune senior reporter Allie Garfinkle adapts her newsletter in audio and video format, diving deeper into the latest news and insights on private equity, venture capital, and startups. This weekly show expands on the elements that have made the newsletter an essential subscription for investors, with industry leaders guests and a roundup of the biggest funding news.

The $11.5B Startup 100 Investors Turned Down | Term Sheet
Finance

The $11.5B Startup 100 Investors Turned Down | Term Sheet

Live shopping in China is a massive, multi-billion-dollar market, but for years, American platforms have struggled to crack the format. But in 2019, Grant LaFontaine and Logan Head started a live shopping marketplace for Funko Pops that not many investors believed in. Fast forward to today, Whatnot has transformed into a $11.5B valuation company, hitting 1 billion orders this year, overseeing transactions for everything from Pokémon cards to live seafood. It is now among the nation’s biggest shippers. Fortune’s Allie Garfinkle sits down with CEO Grant LaFontaine to talk about this unforeseen growth and the next steps for the company.

The $11.5B Startup 100 Investors Turned Down | Term Sheet
Finance

The $11.5B Startup 100 Investors Turned Down | Term Sheet

Live shopping in China is a massive, multi-billion-dollar market, but for years, American platforms have struggled to crack the format. But in 2019, Grant LaFontaine and Logan Head started a live shopping marketplace for Funko Pops that not many investors believed in. Fast forward to today, Whatnot has transformed into a $11.5B valuation company, hitting 1 billion orders this year, overseeing transactions for everything from Pokémon cards to live seafood. It is now among the nation’s biggest shippers. Fortune’s Allie Garfinkle sits down with CEO Grant LaFontaine to talk about this unforeseen growth and the next steps for the company.

All Term Sheet Videos
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The $11.5B Startup 100 Investors Turned Down | Term SheetJuly 28, 2026
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How this multi-millionaire investor spots billion-dollar ideas | Term SheetJune 23, 2026
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The Investor Who Bet on SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic Before You Could | Term SheetJune 10, 2026
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The $2B AI tool automating Wall Street | Term SheetMay 27, 2026
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This creator investor on the truth about the AI gold rush | Term SheetMay 13, 2026
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From a Palo Alto closet to $1 billion revenue: how Gusto cracked small business software | Term SheetMay 7, 2026
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How to raise a CEO: The "Godmother of Silicon Valley" Esther Wojcicki | Term SheetApril 21, 2026
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The Startup Fighting to Save the American Farm with Modern Finance | Term SheetApril 7, 2026
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How Winston Weinberg built his $11 billion AI Company | Term SheetMarch 17, 2026
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Why revenue is an outdated metric | Term SheetFebruary 18, 2026
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Chemistry cofounder: “more talented founders than ever” are moving into health care | Term SheetFebruary 3, 2026
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Exelon CEO on if our utilities can handle the AI boom | Term SheetJanuary 21, 2026
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OpenAI Researcher turned VC on what we’re missing on the AI Bubble January 13, 2026
Video ThumbnailPlay33:36
“Healthcare isn't working for anybody,” says Cityblock Health’s Dr. Toyin Ajayi | Term SheetNovember 4, 2025
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Vet care for the 21st century with Modern Animal’s Steven EidelmanOctober 29, 2025
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“Success disasters,” data privacy, and unlocking growth with Oura CEO Tom HaleOctober 21, 2025
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