EU-Startups Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Hanno Renner, co-founder and CEO of Personio, Europe’s leading all-in-one HR software platform, to reflect on a decade-long journey from near-bankruptcy to building one of Europe’s most influential SaaS companies. Hanno looks back on Personio’s earliest days, including the moment when the company had just a few hundred euros left in the bank. We explore what truly changes when a startup moves from survival mode into scale-up mode, what doesn’t scale as expected, and how founder alignment evolves as roles diverge in a company of more than 1,800 people serving over a million employees. A central and timely part of the discussion focuses on EU Inc and the proposed 28th regime. Hanno makes a strong case for deeper European integration. His pro-European stance highlights why regulatory harmonisation, capital mobility, and a truly unified market are not abstract policy debates, but goals for Europe’s next generation of scaleups. Beyond business, Hanno reflects on leadership lessons from his time as a yacht skipper, how those experiences shaped his approach to responsibility and decision-making, and how he thinks about long-term societal impact through the Personio Foundation, which has committed 1% of the company’s equity to climate action and education. Key Points - From near-zero cash to multi-billion valuation: the least visible but hardest phases of Personio’s growth - What breaks - and what surprisingly holds - when scaling from startup to European scaleup - Personio’s evolving role at the centre of Europe’s HRTech ecosystem - Why EU Inc and the 28th regime are critical for Europe’s ability to build global tech champions

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, recorded during Leonard’s 2026 Launch Day in Paris, we speak with Dag Wirdenius, CEO & Founder of SiteAssist, one of the startups supported by Leonard, the innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group. Together with Leonard, we spotlighted selected startups from its incubation and acceleration programmes, showcasing solutions tackling real-world challenges in construction, infrastructure, energy, and mobility. In this conversation, Dag explains how Site Assist improves day-to-day support on construction sites, focusing on efficiency, safety, and practical operational needs. We discuss the realities of innovating in complex on-site environments. This interview is part of a five-episode Leonard series, recorded live during Launch Day, with new episodes released weekly. Key topics discussed in this episode: - The challenge Site Assist is addressing on construction sites - How the platform supports on-site teams and operations - Why construction remains a difficult sector to innovate in - Lessons from deploying solutions in real construction environments

In this special episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, we continue our five-part interview series in partnership with Leonard, the innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group, recorded during their Launch Day in Paris Leonard supports startups and internal projects shaping the future of construction, infrastructure, energy, and mobility, and during Launch Day we sat down with five companies from its 2026 cohort for in-depth conversations. This episode features Julien Bec, CEO of Cold Pad, an engineering company delivering patented, cold-installed composite bonding and fastening solutions. Cold Pad enables structural repairs and reinforcements without drilling, welding, or hot works, even during live operations. Its technology improves safety, reduces downtime, and allows maintenance to be integrated directly into an asset’s normal operation - particularly in harsh or high-risk environments. We discuss why maintenance and repair are often overlooked compared to new builds, the hidden safety trade-offs of traditional repair methods, and how cold-installed solutions can extend asset life while minimising operational disruption. This episode is part of our Leonard Launch Day series, with one interview released each day this week (Monday to Friday). Key points in this episode: - Why “no drilling, no welding, no hot works” matters in live environments - How cold-installed composite repairs improve safety and reduce downtime - Real-world use cases where shutting down infrastructure is not an option - The role of maintenance in extending asset lifespan and sustainability - Why deep engineering solutions still matter in a software-heavy ConTech market

In this special episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, we continue our five-part interview series recorded during Leonard Launch Day in Paris, in partnership with Leonard, the innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group. Leonard supports startups and internal projects shaping the future of construction, infrastructure, energy, and mobility, and during Launch Day we sat down with five companies from its 2026 cohort for in-depth conversations. This episode features Philippe Rival, CEO of Enlaye, a ConTech company building an AI-native Risk Lifecycle Management platform. Enlaye helps builders, developers, and infrastructure owners identify, compare, and manage risks across the entire project lifecycle - from bid to delivery - reducing cost overruns, claims, and delays. We discuss how risk is often underestimated or ignored in early project stages, where AI can surface hidden liabilities humans miss, and why better risk management can change how teams collaborate when things go wrong. This episode is part of our Leonard Launch Day series, with one interview released each day this week (Monday to Friday). Key points in this episode: - What “Risk Lifecycle Management” means in practice - How AI helps surface construction risks earlier and more accurately - Why risks are often visible long before projects break down - The challenge of managing risk across multiple stakeholders - How better risk data changes accountability and decision-making

In this special episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, we kick off a five-part interview series recorded during Leonard Launch Day in Paris, in partnership with Leonard, the innovation and foresight platform of the VINCI Group. Leonard supports startups and internal projects shaping the future of construction, infrastructure, energy, and mobility, and during their Launch Day we sat down with five companies from its 2026 cohort for in-depth conversations. The first interview in the series features Ryan Luke Johns, CEO of Gravis Robotics, a Swiss ConTech company enabling autonomy in heavy machinery. Gravis retrofits existing excavators and loaders with advanced robotics and software, transforming them into remote-controlled, semi-autonomous, or fully autonomous machines. We discuss why autonomy is becoming critical in construction, the challenges of deploying robotics in unpredictable environments, and why retrofitting existing equipment is key to real-world adoption. This is episode one of five, with one interview released each day this week (Monday to Friday). Key points in this episode: - Why autonomy in heavy machinery is becoming a necessity, not a luxury - The safety benefits of removing humans from high-risk machine operations - Retrofitting existing equipment versus building autonomous machines from scratch - The realities of deploying robotics on live construction sites - How human operators’ roles are evolving alongside autonomous systems

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, host David Cendon Garcia sits down with Friedrich Schwandt - founder of Statista and CEO of ECDB - to unpack nearly two decades of building one of the world’s most trusted data platforms, and why he decided to step back as CEO to start again. Friedrich founded Statista in Hamburg in 2007 with a simple idea: make reliable data accessible. Seventeen years later, it had become a global data and business intelligence platform with over 1,400 employees, millions of users, and customers ranging from media giants to global enterprises. In 2024, he moved into a chairman role and turned his focus to ECDB, a company built to bring clarity to the fast-moving world of eCommerce data. We talk about: • The early problem Statista was really trying to solve • The hardest moments of scaling that never make it into success stories • What corporate life at Deutsche Telekom and BCG prepared him for - and what it didn’t • Letting go of control as a founder, and knowing when it’s time • What young SaaS and data founders get wrong • How AI is changing the way data companies are built • And our shared connection to Ireland (and his fondness of card games) This episode is about data, yes - but also about leadership, timing, and the long game of building something that lasts.

After 100+ episodes over two years, this is Marcin Lewandowski’s final episode as host of the EU-Startups Podcast. We flipped the script: this time Marcin is interviewed by David Cendon Garcia (News Editor at EU-Startups) — who will be taking over the podcast going forward. We recorded it live on a padel court, in one take, while playing. It’s a fun behind-the-scenes look at: → Marcin's story and how it all started → the conversations that made the biggest impact → the toughest moments → favorite guests + lessons learned → and what’s next Thank you, Marcin. David — welcome to the mic. If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/

Most people talk about AI in the cloud. Karim Saleh is putting it on the factory floor. This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Karim Saleh — Co-Founder & CEO of Cerrion, the company building agentic AI that watches factory lines 24/7 and intervenes in real time to prevent safety incidents, scrap, and costly downtime. Cerrion plugs into standard cameras, understands production flows like an expert operator, and can instantly take action — slowing conveyors, shutting down machines, or triggering alarms. Factories using Cerrion resolve issues 50% faster, cut downtime and scrap in half, and run operations with far less stress. Karim’s journey is unreal: → Grew up in a manufacturing family in Egypt → Professional athlete & captain of Egypt’s national water polo team → Electrical engineering at ETH Zurich → Founder building AI across 15 countries and 3 continents → Just raised an $18M Series A from Creandum, Hanel, YC, 10x Founders, Robin Chan, Justin Kan, Harry Stebbings and others We cover: • The moment on a factory floor that shaped the mission behind Cerrion • Why frontline teams everywhere face the same structural problems • How agentic AI can safely intervene during production • Real stories where Cerrion caught what humans couldn’t see in time • The surprising similarity between factories in 15 different countries • What elite sport teaches you about building a hypergrowth startup • What the factory of the future feels like for a shift leader in 2030 • And the “one myth about factories” Karim wants the world to forget This is one of the most grounded, mission-driven, high-clarity deep-tech conversations we’ve had. Takeaways: 1. Frontline teams are overwhelmed; AI reduces stress, not jobs. 2. Agentic AI is shifting factories from firefighting to foresight. 3. Real-time AI intervention works when humans stay in the loop, not out of it. 4. Elite sports taught Karim the founder superpower: discipline beats adrenaline. 5. The factory of the future is calm, predictable, and safe — not chaotic. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction: Karim’s story & Cerrion’s mission 02:13 – Growing up in manufacturing & seeing frontline pain 06:59 – What’s broken in factories today 10:39 – How Cerrion’s AI agents work in real time 12:34 – Human–AI partnership on the shop floor 15:40 – Success stories from 15 countries 18:22 – Athlete mindset → founder mindset 21:29 – Hypergrowth: what broke first 24:50 – The factory of the future 26:42 – Rapid Fire with Karim Saleh If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/

Is Europe really at an AI crossroads — or are we already picking a lane? This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Emmet King, Founding Partner at J12, VC with presence in Stockholm, London, and Paris, backing founders early at the frontier of AI, to unpack what the AI moment actually looks like on the ground for European founders. Emmet argues that Europe has world-class AI talent, but faces real constraints in capital deployment, energy capacity, and regulatory timing. The question isn’t “can Europe build iconic AI companies?” — it’s whether we’ll move fast enough on energy, compute, and policy to let them scale here. Together, we dig into: • What “Europe at an AI crossroads” means in practical terms for founders today • Where talent density is an advantage — and where capital, energy, and regulation still bite • Why calling AI a “bubble” is lazy, and where the froth really is (application layer) • Where the real compounding value lies: infra (DataCrunch, etc.) vs applied AI (Dropcode, Kovant, Pistachio, Dema…) • Energy reality: China’s lead, US flexibility, and how Europe can close the gap • The non-negotiables for building an AI startup in Europe in 2026 • What kind of regulation timing helps, instead of smothering, AI scaleups • Signals that the tide is turning: talent flows, new strategies, infra investment • A concrete “order of operations” for Europe: capital, energy, compute, data, visas We also run through a quick rapid-fire round: • Europe’s AI superpower — and kryptonite • One regulation to keep, one to rewrite • How to spot the copilot mirage (shiny but 0.2% impact) • What proves an infra startup can actually compound • And Emmet’s finish to: “AI isn’t a bubble if we…” Takeaways • Europe has the AI talent to build global leaders — but still underpowers them with capital, energy, and policy. • The AI “bubble” narrative is lazy; froth is in shallow apps, while infra quietly compounds. • Energy capacity and compute access are now strategic levers, not back-office concerns. • Winning AI startups in Europe will be trust-first, productivity-proven, and talent-dense. • Europe’s path is clear: align capital, energy, compute, data, and visas around its best teams. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to AI in Europe 03:10 – Europe at an AI Crossroads 08:16 – Energy Infrastructure and AI 10:41 – The AI Bubble Debate 18:01 – Non-Negotiables for AI Startups 22:55 – J12’s Investment Lens & Thesis 26:22 – If Europe Led for a Day: What to Fix First 31:16 – Contrarian Bets, Safe Bets & Myths 35:14 – Rapid Fire with Emmet King If you’re building AI in Europe — or thinking about where to found your next company — this conversation is a roadmap, not a hot take. If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #ai #technology #startup #investing #business

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Zuzanna Stamirowska, CEO & Co-Founder of Pathway — the company building the world’s first post-transformer AI model. Transformers took us far, but they’re showing real limits: they recite instead of reason, freeze instead of adapt, and break under real-time complexity. Zuzanna’s team is rewriting the foundations. Pathway introduces a new architecture with native memory, temporal awareness, and glass-box visibility, enabling models to adapt on the fly—more like humans, less like static prediction engines. Backed by the minds behind Transformers and GPT o1, and trusted by organizations like NATO, La Poste, and Formula 1 teams, Pathway might be the most important AI company you haven’t heard of yet. In this conversation, we dive into: • Why AI’s next leap requires new foundations—not bigger transformers • How Pathway updates reasoning mid-stream as new evidence arrives • Visibility as a feature: what “glass-box AI” actually looks like • How long-range context can survive without latency or cost exploding • Why post-transformer models need far less data to specialize • The operational patterns across NATO, La Poste & F1 that justify a new paradigm • What Pathway’s #1 ranking on Hugging Face opened up • The next 12 months: the capability Zuzanna is most excited to ship If you care about where AI is really going — not incremental tweaks but a genuine architectural shift — this is the episode. Takeaways: • AI’s next leap is architectural, not incremental. • Memory + time unlock adaptation transformers can’t touch. • Context beats parameter count. • Glass-box visibility will become an enterprise requirement. • Less data, more reasoning — the future is efficiency over scale. Chapters: 00:00 – Meet Zuzanna & Pathway 02:57 – Why AI Needs New Foundations 05:58 – Memory & Time: The Missing Ingredients 09:09 – Adaptive Reasoning in Real Time 11:57 – Less Training, More Understanding 15:06 – NATO, La Poste, F1: Field Proof 18:01 – Building Teams at the Frontier 21:09 – Hugging Face #1: The Ripple Effect 23:58 – What Comes Next If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #ai #technology #startup

Most healthcare only really starts when something goes wrong. Even is trying to flip that. Recorded live during Italian Tech Week in Turin, this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast features Matilde Giglio, Co-Founder of Even, India’s leading healthcare startup redesigning access to affordable, high-quality care for over 1.3 billion people. Backed by Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, Lachy Groom, Alpha Wave and others, Even has raised over $60M since launching in 2021, grown to a 400+ person team, and built a unique membership that gives Indians unlimited, cashless access to primary care, diagnostics, specialists, and hospital cover – all wrapped around a strong preventive model. We talk about: – Why Matilde chose India and what she saw in the system – Why most “prevention” models fail – and how Even makes it work at scale – How they redesigned incentives so doctors, patients and Even are aligned – What it means to build hospitals that feel like part of life, not a last resort – Where AI is genuinely useful today – and what stays deeply human – The hardest founder moments building in a complex, regulated system – And the headline Matilde wants Even to make five years from now Takeaways: – Even blends care + cover in one model, not two separate worlds. – The core bet is prevention first, not “wait for sickness then pay big.” – Incentives are redesigned so patients, doctors and Even win on better outcomes, not more procedures. – AI augments care, handling workflows and insight – but trust and empathy stay human. – Success is measured in health outcomes and satisfaction, not just ARR or procedure volume. Chapters: 00:00 Understanding Even Healthcare's Model 02:21 The Decision to Operate in India 05:05 Innovative Healthcare Solutions and Prevention 06:19 Redesigning the Hospital Experience 09:17 The Role of AI in Healthcare 12:40 Challenges Faced by Founders 16:21 Future Aspirations for Even Healthcare 19:07 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #health #healthcare

If your coffee tastes the same delicious every morning, there’s a good chance Cropster is involved. In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Andreas Idl, Co-Founder & CEO of Cropster, the quiet tech force behind the global specialty coffee boom. Founded after Andreas spent time in Colombia and saw how hard it was for small farmers and roasters to access the global market on fair terms, Cropster builds software that helps producers and roasters hit specialty-grade quality, roast after roast—while sending more value back down the supply chain. Today, Cropster works with hundreds of roasters and cafés worldwide, including every winner of the World Coffee Roasting Championship. Their tools help map the entire journey from cherry to cup, capture and analyze roasting data, and keep quality consistent from one batch—and one location—to the next. With the recent acquisition of FireScope, Cropster is also deepening its footprint in Asia, one of the fastest-growing coffee markets in the world. We talk about: – What specialty coffee actually is—and why it’s exploding globally – Where quality is won or lost along the coffee production chain – The frictions that keep smallholders and emerging roasters out of premium markets – What Cropster’s software actually shows on-screen—and how it changes tomorrow’s roast – Why World Coffee Roasting Champions trust Cropster, and what any roaster can copy – The thinking behind the FireScope acquisition and expansion in Asia – How data can help farmers and roasters get fairer pricing and longer relationships – Where Cropster is going next: product roadmap, more M&A, and opening specialty to more roasters Takeaways: – Specialty coffee is won or lost at multiple steps—from cherry to cup. – Small roasters are often blocked by outdated trading systems and lack of data. – Cropster turns roasting into a measurable, repeatable process, not guesswork. – The FireScope acquisition accelerates Cropster’s growth in Asia’s fast-growing coffee market. – Great coffee is about balance—of flavor, process, and consistent quality. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Cropster and Andreas Idl 06:30 Understanding Specialty Coffee 09:03 The Coffee Production Process 12:19 Challenges for Small Holders and Emerging Roasters 19:48 Cropster's Role in the Coffee Industry 30:02 Acquisition of FireScope and Market Expansion 37:50 Future Plans for Cropster 38:35 Rapid Fire Questions with Andreas Idl If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #coffee #business #technology

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Rebecka Löthman Rydå, General Partner at Norrsken Evolve. Rebecka calls herself a nerd at heart passionate about supporting early stage founders building transformative companies that tackle meaningful problems. She's an investor in over 30 companies like Truecaller, through Zenith (IPO $2b), Funnel (series C $66m), TrusTrace (series B $25m), Formulate (exit to Relex) and Zound Industries (now Marshall exit at $1b). Norrsken Evolve is a new €57M oversubscribed pre-seed fund backing founders building Europe’s resilient and sustainable future. It’s an evolution of Norrsken Accelerator—since 2021 they’ve backed 80 startups—now doubling down with €250k upfront + follow-on, a world-class in-person sprint, and a top-tier advisory network. We dig into: • Europe’s “defining moment” and the courage founders need now • What Evolve looks for at pre-seed (problem-obsession, resilience, honesty) • Why storytelling + direct feedback beat vanity metrics at day-zero • Hiring truths (why a Founder’s Associate / Chief of Staff early can 10x output) • How “resilience” gets real across energy, logistics, cities, food, health & society Takeaways: – Pre-seed is courage + clarity: narratives matter more than noisy metrics. – Back problem-obsession, not just credentials. – Resilience = real-world stress-tests, not buzzwords. – Hiring a Founder’s Associate early saves the CEO from context collapse. – Direct, fast feedback compounds founder learning. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Evolve & AI Bubble Discussion 03:08 How Evolve Works 06:04 Courage in European Innovation 08:58 Founder Traits: Problem-Obsession & Grit 12:02 Hiring & Early Team Dynamics 15:06 Fundraising & Metrics at Pre-Seed 17:56 Radical Candor: Feedback & Transparency 20:58 Resilience & Sustainability in Practice 23:03 Sector Impact & What’s Next 24:02 Final Thoughts & Rapid Fire If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #funding #sustainability #business #technology

Abacum is the all-in-one FP&A platform helping CFOs forecast revenue, plan headcount, and model financial scenarios—so finance can drive efficient growth in tough markets. With 100+ employees across Barcelona, New York, and London, Abacum is used by hundreds of mid-market companies in 31 countries—trusted by Strava, Trilogy, Abridge, JG Wentworth, Mastercam, and more. The company recently closed a $60M Series B led by Scale Venture Partners (total funding $105M) with investors including Y Combinator, Cathay Innovation, Atomico, Creandum, and K Fund. In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Julio Martinez, Co-Founder and CEO of Abacum. Julio shares how Abacum turns spreadsheet-heavy workflows into real-time, collaborative planning. We cover how finance teams adopt Abacum in practice, Spain’s tech rise, and why the company is doubling down on U.S. expansion. We also dive into Julio’s personal operating system—Vipassana, Stoicism (Epictetus), journaling, family-first—and yes, his near-career as a paella cook (although he didn't say his last word about it yet) and much more. Takeaways: – Excel works… until scale, collaboration, and cadence break it. – One live model for revenue, headcount, and OPEX = forecasts you can defend. – Headcount discipline (role → timing → ramp → ROI) beats top-down totals. – AI enhances productivity; decisions stay human. – EU vs U.S.: EU optimizes for control; U.S. for speed—Abacum serves both. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Abacum and Julio Martinez 03:00 Identifying Pain Points in Finance 05:55 The Spreadsheet Dilemma 08:52 Hiring and Business Growth Traps 11:56 The Role of AI in Finance 14:59 Cultural Differences: EU vs US Finance 18:12 Raising Capital and Business Foundations 20:59 Personal Habits and Leadership 23:49 Rapid Fire Questions If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #finance #business

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Vidya Peters, CEO of DataSnipper—the Dutch unicorn automating document-heavy audit and finance with enterprise-grade, traceable AI. Founded in 2017, DataSnipper is used by 600,000+ professionals across 2,000+ customers in 175 countries—including the Big Four (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) and enterprises like Volkswagen, Morgan Stanley, Paramount, Siemens, Baker Tilly. In 2024, DataSnipper raised a $100M Series B led by Index Ventures at a $1B valuation, was the #1 fastest-growing company in the Netherlands for two years, and completed its first acquisition (UpLink). With multi-language support and industry-specific automation, DataSnipper focuses on what auditors actually need: speed with a regulator-ready audit trail. In this exciting conversation, Vidya shares her background, the importance of auditors in society, and how DataSnipper is transforming the auditing landscape by automating tedious tasks and enhancing efficiency. The conversation delves into the future of auditing with AI, the significance of trust in the auditing process, and the impact of partnerships, particularly with Microsoft. Vidya also engages in a rapid-fire segment, sharing personal insights and thoughts on the evolving role of AI technology in people's lives. We go deep on: – What “traceable AI” looks like for regulators (step-by-step breadcrumbs) – The one process that makes auditors smile by Friday – Where agents should own work this quarter—and where humans stay in the loop – How partnerships (incl. Microsoft ecosystem) make Monday mornings effortless – The moment auditors say, “I’ll never go back” Takeaways: – Traceable AI = evidence, not guesses: every extraction, match, and check leaves a breadcrumb. – Automate reality, not theory: start with evidence collection & tie-outs (fastest “auditors smile by Friday” win). – Agents own the repetitive; humans own the judgment: let agents prep, reconcile, and validate; keep materiality & risk with people. – Trust beats speed when it’s close: preserve human sign-off where stakes are high. – Platform vision: industry-specific automation + partners + app ecosystem → repeatable outcomes at scale. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to DataSnipper and Its Impact 02:30 The Role of Auditors in Society 06:01 Transforming Auditing with Technology 09:33 The Future of Auditing: AI and Automation 12:33 The Importance of Human Auditors 14:25 Partnerships and Effortless Workflows 15:56 Milestones and Future Vision 17:29 Rapid Fire Questions and Personal Insights If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #ai #technology #data #audit

This is the best time to build a startup ever. To young people thinking whether to build something: Start Now. This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Laura Modiano (Startups EMEA at OpenAI) to turn her “love letter to European founders” into a build-now playbook. We break down OpenAI’s latest platform updates—Apps in ChatGPT + Apps SDK (a brand-new distribution channel), AgentKit (agents that actually do), Codex (GA) for developer speed, Sora 2 / Sora 2 Pro via API for high-ROI video, and GPT-5-pro for higher-stakes reasoning—into concrete steps founders can run today. You’ll learn: – The fastest path from idea → prototype using OpenAI’s stack (weekend-level speed) – Apps in ChatGPT: how discovery + monetization change—and what founders should prep before day one – Where AgentKit beats basic API calls (state, tools, guardrails → outcomes) – How to fold Codex (GA) into your PR flow without slowing teams – Sora 2: responsible, high-ROI uses that move real metrics – GPT-5-pro vs. cheaper models: a practical decision rubric (stakes, accuracy, latency, cost) Takeaways: – Speed is a moat: scaffold with GPT-5-pro, then optimize to cheaper models. – Don’t “add AI”—remove steps: redesign the workflow; kill clicks, not add them. – Apps in ChatGPT = new distribution: 800M weekly users; EU/UK—prep your app listing, onboarding, and pricing now. – Agents vs. endpoints: with AgentKit, combine state + tools + guardrails to deliver outcomes, not demos. – Codex (GA) ≠ novelty: pair-programming, repo refactors, doc hygiene—without slowing PR velocity. – Sora 2: use where dynamic video outperforms static—product demos, instructionals, simulations. – Europe’s edge: talent density + research depth; the bottleneck is belief + shipping cadence, not brains. Chapters: 00:00 Building in Europe: A Love Letter to Founders 05:15 Europe’s Competitive Edge 12:16 From Idea to Prototype: Leveraging OpenAI Tools 13:45 Integrating AI: Common Mistakes to Avoid 15:10 Apps in ChatGPT: Discovery, Distribution & Monetization 18:22 AgentKit: Unlocking New Possibilities 19:14 Codex (GA): Enhancing Developer Workflows 21:44 Sora 2 & GPT-5-pro: The Future of AI 25:15 AI & Jobs: A Balanced Perspective 32:01 Best Time to Build: A Call to Action 38:45 Final Thoughts: AI’s Role in Our Lives If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: / eu-startups-menlo-media Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #ai #chatgpt

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Scott van den Berg, founder of HotStart VC, to unpack how celebrity and creator-led brands actually win. HotStart VC's team has been involved in 55+ celebrity-founded brands, including investments in companies founded by Selena Gomez, DJ Khaled, Jake Paul, and more. They also co-founded two of the most successful celebrity-founded brands: Feastables w/ MrBeast ($375M revenue in Y3) and The Honest Co. w/Jessica Alba ($1.4B IPO in 2021). Most recently, HotStart VC welcomed actress Sasha Pieterse (20M followers) and creator Marina Mogliko (17M followers) as venture partners, further strengthening our access and expertise in the space. We dive into why distribution is the new moat, why product quality (not hype) drives repeat purchase, how authentic creator–product fit builds trust, and the signals & metrics that matter beyond follower counts. Scott also shares how to structure teams around a creator, what most investors miss about the category, and why ownership changes commitment. You’ll learn: – Distribution as a competitive edge (and how to build it) – Authenticity & problem-solving always beat endorsements & logos – The metrics that predict revenue: engagement, retention, LTV/CAC – Team design for creator-led companies (ops, brand, growth, supply) – Why B2B for creators is an underpriced opportunity Takeaways: – Distribution is the moat; reach + repeatable channels beat one-off virality. – Product quality drives retention; hype may launch, quality compounds. – Authenticity converts; creator–product fit builds trust and pricing power. – Engagement is more important than the number of followers; comments, saves, CTR, and repeat purchase predict revenue. – Ownership matters; real skin-in-the-game changes creator commitment. – Right team, right roles; brand + ops + growth + supply around the creator. – Zero-to-one differs; creators start with audience, still must earn product–channel fit. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to HotStart VC and Scott van den Berg 02:33 The Role of Distribution in Celebrity Brands 05:01 Understanding the Challenges of Celebrity Brands 08:08 Identifying Early Signals of Success 10:32 Key Metrics for Long-Term Revenue 12:37 Building a B2B Company as a Creator 15:56 The Importance of Team Structure in Celebrity Brands 19:25 Rapid Fire Questions and Insights If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #creator #celebrity #venturecapital

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Rocío Alcocer Magirena, Managing Director of Norrsken Barcelona — Europe’s largest hub for tech & impact startups — during Impact/Week (Oct 1–2). We dig into Norrsken’s “infrastructure for hope”, the Impact/100 2025 list (where AI tops tomorrow’s impact unicorns), and why Spain’s startup economy is surging (📈 €3.8B). Rocío breaks down the momentum in healthcare, biotech, biodiversity, and home-care — and what Barcelona needs next: more talent and more patient capital. Spanish finalists spotlighted in the episode: Deepull (2019) — 1-hour, culture-free molecular test for ~95% of sepsis pathogens + resistance genes. Sycai Medical (2020) — AI that flags abdominal lesions & predicts pancreatic cancer risk. Biorce (2024) — Streamlining clinical trials with an AI platform, Jarvis. Ocean Ecostructures (2018) — “Life Boosting Units” regenerate marine biodiversity; 300+ species & 1.5t CO₂ captured. Qida (2017) — Scalable home-care to transform healthcare delivery. What you’ll learn: – How Norrsken builds infrastructure for hope (community + capital + space) – Why AI leads in the next wave of impact unicorns – The Impact/100 methodology & what makes a company “impact-ready” – Europe’s healthcare & biodiversity challenges + where startups can win – Community design: how Barcelona is shaping a global impact hub for 2026 Takeaways: – AI is shaping the next wave of impact unicorns – solving real problems, not hyping demos. – Spain’s startup ecosystem is breaking out – €3.8B and rising, with global attention. – Impact thrives when capital meets purpose – patient, aligned money solves hard problems. – People move markets – founder stamina beat paperwork. – Community is the multiplier–the best hubs are engineered, not accidental. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Impact Week and Norrsken 03:07 The Growth of Spain's Startup Ecosystem 05:49 Impact/100: AI and the Future of Impact Unicorns 09:08 Spotlight on Spanish Startups 11:51 Challenges in Healthcare Startups 14:58 Biodiversity and Economic Impact 18:07 Home-Care Innovations 21:11 Community Design in Startup Ecosystems 24:00 Looking Ahead: Barcelona's Impact Scene in 2026 26:46 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: / eu-startups-menlo-media Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #venturecapital #impact

Most growth teams run on incentives. Most incentives run on… spreadsheets, guesswork, and disputes. In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Sergio González, CEO & Co-Founder of Remuner—the AI-powered sales compensation platform that turns commissions from confusion into a growth system. Fresh off a €5.5M Seed (led by Seaya, with Pear VC and others), Remuner is expanding globally and doubling down on AI to become Europe’s reference platform for sales compensation. We unpack: – Why incentives break (misalignment, opacity, manual ops) – How AI nudges help reps maximize earnings (and hit targets) – Why transparency kills shadow accounting and builds trust – The power of no-code plan design (business teams, not IT) – What “global by design” means for currency/compliance/culture – The future: compensation as a strategic, data-driven growth lever Takeaways: – Automation + AI turn commissions from manual to strategic – Transparency builds trust and ends shadow accounting – Fix sales/comp cycle misalignment to unlock growth – No-code design = faster changes, fewer IT bottlenecks – AI nudges guide reps to maximize earnings, in real time – “Global by design” matters: currency, compliance, culture – Compensation is becoming a data-driven growth lever Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Remuner and Sergio González 01:29 What Remuner Actually Does (in plain English) 02:34 Why Transparency is the Trust Engine 04:01 Designing Effective, Fair Compensation Plans 06:14 Predicting Paychecks with Confidence 08:51 Before & After: A Customer Turnaround Story 11:10 AI Compensation Manager: Nudges & Insights 13:49 Ending Disputes & Shadow Accounting 15:57 No-Code Plan Design (No IT Dependency) 18:36 Global Compensation: Currency & Compliance 20:28 The Strategic Future of Compensation 23:32 Rapid Fire with Sergio If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #sales

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Beth Susanne, global pitch coach trusted by over 3,950 startups and clients across 60 countries. She has helped entrepreneurs raise over $10 billion to date! Her work spans industries from medtech and biotech to fintech, AI, and cleantech, and she has collaborated with organisations such as Singularity University, Oxford Foundry, Barclays, BMW, and Disney. Known for her “dogged determination to extract the very best” from founders, Beth specializes in crafting clear, confident messages that resonate across investors, markets, and culture. She is the person European and Asian entrepreneurs call when they want to learn how to loosen up and exude confidence before meeting with a group of Silicon Valley investors. In this episode, Beth breaks down how to capture and maintain investor attention, map motivations such as risk, upside, and speed, and master delivery through voice, pace, pause, and presence. She also shares why simplicity is a superpower, how founders can remove 70% of words to double their impact, and much more! You’ll learn: – Why attention is the only currency in a pitch—and how to earn it fast – How to map investor motivations (risk, upside, speed) and speak to them directly – Delivery that lands: voice, tempo, pause, and eye contact – Simplicity as a superpower: remove 70% of words, double the impact – Visualization & rehearsal: training confidence on command Takeaways: – Attention is the currency. Open strong, cut filler. – Motivation mapping: speak to risk, upside, speed. – Delivery makes meaning: breath, pace, pause, eye contact. – Simplicity scales: fewer words, clearer claims. – Visualization works: rehearse the state you need to feel. Chapters: 00:00 The Art of Pitching: Understanding Investor Attention 02:33 Crafting the Perfect Pitch: Structure and Delivery 05:05 Transformative Coaching: Real-Life Success Stories 08:14 The Importance of Simplicity in Pitch 10:48 Mastering Delivery: Techniques for Confidence 13:33 Visualization and Mindset: Preparing for Success 16:02 Universal Pitching Rules Across Industries 19:00 Cutting Through the Fluff: Effective Communication 21:19 Body Language and Credibility in Pitching 23:56 Feedback and Growth: The Coaching Process 26:30 Rapid Fire: Insights and Advice for Founders If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #pitching #venturecapital