EU-Startups Podcast

In this episode, Kurt Farrugia, the CEO of Malta Enterprise, talks about the role of Malta Enterprise in driving economic development and supporting startups. He discusses the unique advantages and opportunities that Malta offers for entrepreneurs, as well as the efforts of Malta Enterprise to foster a culture of innovation. Kurt shares his vision for Malta's economic landscape in the next decade, emphasizing the transition to a more sustainable and knowledge-based economy. He also highlights some of Malta's hidden gems and offers insider tips for making the most of a visit to the country. Takeaways 1.Malta offers unique advantages for entrepreneurs, including its strategic location, Mediterranean lifestyle, and expertise in sciences and engineering. 2.Malta Enterprise is fostering a culture of innovation by focusing on sectors such as math tech, biotech, clean technologies, and the blue economy. 3.Malta is positioning itself as a startup destination by creating legislation that makes it easier for startups to start their business, obtain funding, and reach investors.

In this episode, Holger Seim, Co-founder and CEO of Blinkist, discusses the origin story of Blinkist and the fulfillment he finds in meeting customers who have benefited from the app. He explains the power of short-form content in a world of information overload and how it caters to the needs of modern readers and listeners. Holger shares a transformative lesson from the book 'Mindset' and discusses how his own reading habits have evolved over time. He also talks about the turning point in Blinkist's journey and the impact of Blinkist on creators and the audience. Holger teases exciting projects and features in the pipeline and shares his ideal Blinkist and chill scenario. He concludes by discussing his next big goals and personal challenges. Takeaways 1.Meeting customers and hearing their stories is one of the most fulfilling parts of being a founder. 2.Short-form content is a powerful tool in a world of information overload and can deliver great learning experience and results. 3.Entrepreneurs should have a bias for action, seek mentors and peers for guidance, and focus on simplifying and delivering core value to customers.

In this episode, Nicolas Benady, co-founder and CEO of Swan, shares the origin story of the company and its mission. He discusses the lessons he learned from his previous ventures and how Swan is reshaping the traditional boundaries of banking by enabling businesses to embed banking features into their products. Nicolas also talks about the challenges of expanding across Europe and navigating diverse financial landscapes and regulations. He emphasizes the importance of building a different company culture and shares insights on fundraising. Additionally, he discusses Swan's commitment to sustainability and his personal passion for cycling. Nicolas concludes by sharing his vision for Swan as a generational company that inspires others to tackle difficult challenges. Takeaways 1.Building a company culture focused on long-term goals, excellence, simplicity, and being human is crucial for your company's success. 2.Fundraising should not be the number one priority for startups; instead, the focus should be on building a great product and building a strong team. 3.Commit to sustainability and aim to reduce your carbon footprint. Because if you're not doing anything about climate change, then what are you doing?

In this episode, Gesa Miczaika, co-founder and general partner at Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund, discusses the challenges and initiatives for achieving gender equality in the venture capital industry. She shares the story of creating the fund and the gradual realization of the need for change. Gesa emphasizes the importance of addressing the similarity bias and increasing diversity in investment teams and decision-makers. She also highlights the initiatives for fostering inclusivity in the startup ecosystem in Germany, such as promoting diverse cap tables and hiring practices. Gesa discusses the impact of the Evangelistas network and shares her personal strategies for finding equilibrium and avoiding burnout. She envisions a future where gender doesn't play a role in entrepreneurship and investment, and collaboration and abundance mindset are key. Takeaways 1.Addressing the similarity bias is crucial for achieving gender equality in the VC industry. 2.Increasing diversity in investment teams and decision-makers is essential. 3.Fostering inclusivity in the startup ecosystem includes promoting diverse cap tables and changing hiring practices.

In this episode, Thomas Ohr, the founder and CEO of EU-Startups, talks about the upcoming 10th anniversary of the EU-Startups Summit. He discusses the early days of the summit, its evolution and challenges, memorable moments, and the unique selling points that set it apart from other startup events. Thomas shares his vision for the future of EU-Startups and the impact he hopes to make on the European startup ecosystem. He also talks about his passion for supporting startups and how it's connected with his family life. Thomas brings exciting news about this year's event edition in Malta and picks his dream speaker lineup for the summit. Takeaways 1.EU-Startups Summit started as a passion project in 2010 with a hundred attendees and has grown over the years to become one of Europe's coolest startup events. 2.The event focuses on bringing together tech and startup enthusiasts, young entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders to connect, learn, and create opportunities. 3.EU-Startups aims to showcase European success stories and highlight the potential of startups in Europe.

In this episode, Cris Grossmann, the co-founder and CEO of Beekeeper, talks about the challenges faced by frontline workers and how Beekeeper aims to empower them. Cris shares his story from chemical engineering and experience in the pharmaceutical industry to starting Beekeeper. He also talks about the lessons he learned and the challenges he faced while building Beekeeper. Cris emphasizes the importance of technology in enhancing frontline work experiences while maintaining a human-centric approach. Outside of work, Cris is passionate about sports and spending time with his baby daughter. Takeaways 1.Entrepreneurs should be prepared to pivot and let go of ideas that are not working, while staying focused on solving the problem. 2.Artificial Intelligence will transform the workplace experiences of frontline employees by providing data and insights to improve communication. 3.Maintaining a human-centric approach is crucial in integrating technology solutions for frontline workers.

Lena Hackeloer, founder and CEO of Brite Payments, discusses the journey of building a fintech startup and raising $60 million in funding. She shares insights on the importance of strong investor-founder relationships and building a great team. Lena also highlights the need for adaptability and resilience in the startup world. She discusses the future of fintech, emphasizing the shift towards instant processing and the impact of emerging technologies. Lena's advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs includes gathering relevant experience and surrounding oneself with the right people. She also shares what helps her unplug, her guilty pleasures and the ritual of starting her day early. Takeaways 1.Building strong relationships with investors is crucial for startup success. 2.Adaptability and resilience are key traits for entrepreneurs. 3.Surrounding yourself with the right people is crucial for both life & business. 4.The future of fintech lies in instant processing and the ability to cater to diverse market needs.

In this episode, Jacqueline van den Ende, co-founder & CEO of Carbon Equity, shares her journey as an entrepreneur and investor in the climate tech space. She emphasizes the importance of finding inspiration and taking action, driven by a deep concern for climate change. Jacqueline envisions a world where democratizing climate investments helps solve global challenges, and she uses storytelling as a superpower to inspire others. She discusses the intersection of investing and entrepreneurship, highlighting the need for attracting top talent. Jacqueline also emphasizes the challenge and opportunity of climate change, and the importance of persistence in entrepreneurship. Takeaways 1.Find inspiration and take action to make a positive impact now. 2.Storytelling is a superpower that can inspire people to drive change. 3.Diverse and contrarian investments bring the best results. 4.Identifying and attracting top talent is the X factor for your company's success. 5.Persistence is key in entrepreneurship, keep moving forward.

Dionna Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of the Creative Ladder, shares her journey and mission to make creative careers more accessible to marginalized communities. She discusses her childhood influences on creativity and how her love for design led to entrepreneurship. Dionna explains the inspiration behind the Creative Ladder and its programs to address the opportunity deficit. She emphasizes the importance of meaningful networking opportunities and shares memorable experiences from Creative Ladder events. Dionna also talks about the impact of mentorship and about having Ryan Reynolds as co-founder. She offers advice for navigating the creative landscape and defines success in terms of the lives touched and opportunities created. Lastly, Dionna shares her personal interests outside of the business world. Takeaways 1.Meaningful networking opportunities are crucial for young creatives to foster connections and support. 2.Mentorship and role models are pivotal in shaping young people's journey. 3.Successful future is a future where underrepresented communities are fully represented and there's no longer a need for the Creative Ladder.

In this episode, Vasco Pedro, co-founder and CEO of Unbabel, discusses the transformative power of combining technology and language to bridge communication gaps. He shares his passion for AI and language processing and how Unbabel is eliminating language barriers. The challenges of building a product that brands love and the delicate balance between machine translation and human touch are explored. Vasco also introduces Project Halo, a game-changing technology that allows communication without speaking or typing. He envisions a future where technology fosters global communication and breaks down language barriers, leading to more diverse voices and access to information. Takeaways 1.Combining technology and language can bridge communication gaps and eliminate language barriers. 2.Building a product that brands love requires reducing friction and providing a seamless experience. 3.Balancing machine translation and human touch is essential for providing culturally rich language experiences. 4.Project Halo is a transformative technology that enables communication without speaking or typing. 5.The future of communication lies in the widespread deployment of AI to enable worldwide access to multilingual information.

In this episode, Heikki Haldre, founder of Miros, shares his entrepreneurial journey and the inspiration behind creating a Deep Tech company. Miros aims to revolutionize human-computer interaction by focusing on wordless search and improving product findability in e-commerce. The company differentiates itself by using AI to predict images that users are thinking of, enabling a more intuitive search experience. Miros also contributes to sustainability in the fashion industry by promoting conscious consumerism. Heikki discusses the future of the retail industry and highlights Estonia as a thriving startup hub. He concludes by sharing recent achievements and goals for Miros.

In this episode with Cristina Fonseca, a tech entrepreneur, investor, and general partner at Indico Capital Partners, we discuss her journey into entrepreneurship, including co-founding TalkDesk and Cleverly AI. Cristina shares her experiences in building companies, balancing different roles, and the challenges she faced. She also talks about her transition to venture capital and her focus on ocean-related investments. Finally, Cristina discusses the evolution of the Portuguese startup ecosystem and her personal impact and interests. **Takeaways** 1.Entrepreneurship is often inspired by the stories of great founders. But if your motivation is to be the next Steve Jobs, the best you're ever gonna be is 2nd place, because Steve Jobs will always be a better Steve Jobs than you. Focus on solving a real problem and on being the cause as opposed to jumping to the effect. 2.When building a company from the scratch you've got to be wearing different hats and constantly adapting to changes and new challenges. 3.As a board member and investor, you've got to provide guidance and support to founders while respecting their autonomy.

From Kolkata, the City of Joy to Driving Force for Diversity & Inclusion in European VC Ecosystyem

We are thrilled to air another 25 startup pitches today. Thank you again to everyone who sent piches this summer, and sorry for the delay!

We are thrilled to once again air some great startup pitches today. During summer we received about 140 pitches and 50 of those we'll now publish, devided into two episodes with 25 pitches each. Thank you again to everyone who sent piches this summer, and sorry for the delay!

You are listening to episode 44 of the EU-Startups Podcast. Today's guest is Jeff Kelisky, the CEO of Seedrs, which is Europes leading private investment platform.

You are listening to episode 43 of the EU-Startups Podcast. Today's guest is Casper Wilstrup, the founder and CEO of the fast-growing Danish AI startup Abzu

You are listening to episode 42 of the EU-Startups Podcast. Today’s guest is Rachel Delacour, the founder and CEO of Sweep, a leading platform which helps businesses to track and act on their carbon.

You are listening to episode 41 of the EU-Startups Podcast. Today’s guest is Alex Pavlov, Partner at RTP Global, which is a leading VC firm focused on early-stage tech companies.

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, we catch up with Angel Maldonado, Founder and CEO of Empathy. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in London and Asturias, Empathy.co specializes in the field of commerce search and discovery.