Podcast
EU-Startups Podcast
Hosted by Thomas Ohr · EN
The official Podcast of EU-Startups.com - the leading online magazine about startups in Europe.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Startup Turning Swamps Into Fashion Gold
1w ago00:29:16Tap to summarizeInterview with Julian Ellis Brown, CEO & co-founder of Ponda **Key Points Ponda’s mission was sparked by a bold idea: materials should restore, not deplete, their environments, with wetlands as the ideal starting point for this vision. BioPuff is a plant-based insulation derived from bulrush, offering a regenerative, high-performance alternative to goose down and synthetic fills. Regeneration goes beyond sustainability by actively healing ecosystems - such as rewetted peatlands - while creating materials, rather than just minimising harm. BioPuff can disrupt fast fashion by demonstrating that regenerative materials can be scalable, cost-effective, and viable for mainstream adoption, not just premium brands. Partnering with farmers revealed the critical role of collaboration, traceability, and shared long-term vision in building a truly regenerative supply chain from the ground up. Rewetting and farming degraded peatlands transforms them from carbon sources into carbon sinks, while enhancing biodiversity and flood mitigation.
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The Airship Startup NATO is Backing
2w ago00:35:08Tap to summarizeInterview with Janne Hietala, CEO of Kelluu Key Points Janne’s journey into airships, autonomy, and aerial data Why Kelluu chose airships over drones and satellites, and their unique advantages Modernising the concept of airships for cutting-edge applications The operational workflow of Kelluu airships, from deployment to landing The environmental benefits of Kelluu’s near-silent, emission-free technology The future impact of persistent aerial intelligence on global understanding
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The Christmas Trip that Built BlaBlaCar
3w ago00:39:52Tap to summarizeInterview with Frédéric Mazzella, founder of BlaBlaCar Key Points The origin of BlaBlaCar stemmed from a personal travel challenge, but it quickly evolved into a vision for sustainability and resource consciousness. BlaBlaCar’s mission today balances environmental impact with the social experience of connecting strangers through shared rides. Frédéric’s experiences in the US and Japan shaped his approach to building a startup in Europe, blending global insights with local needs. Europe excels in collaborative ecosystems and sustainability focus, but faces challenges in scaling and access to capital compared to the US and Japan. Ridesharing’s appeal varies by region, with success depending on cultural attitudes toward car ownership and shared mobility.
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The Startup Freezing Humans For Tomorrow
May 2800:44:08Tap to summarizeInterview with Dr Emil Kendziorra, CEO of Tomorrow.bio Key Points The pivotal moment when Emil decided to dedicate his life to cryopreservation and biostasis, leaving behind a career in cancer research. The necessity of a European-based cryopreservation organisation and what was missing before Tomorrow.bio entered the field. A detailed explanation of the cryopreservation process, from sign-up and stabilization to long-term storage in liquid nitrogen. Addressing the gap between preservation and revival, and the importance of honest communication with members about the current limitations. The operational and emotional lessons learned from cryopreserving the first 20 human patients and 10 pets.
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From MI6 to Startups
May 2000:32:28Tap to summarizeInterview with Tyler Edwards, Founder & CEO of Overmind In this edition of the EU-Startups Podcast we had a cht with Tyler Edwards, the ex-MI6 founder who set out to secure AI Agents.
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From 0 to $100M ARR
May 1400:35:52Tap to summarizeInterview with Pieterjan Bouten, Founding and Managing Partner at Entourage 🔑 Key Points The motivations and early influences that drove Pieterjan to start building companies. Lessons from scaling Showpad from zero to $100M ARR and +500 employees globally. How his perspective on founders has shifted after sitting on both sides of the table - as a CEO and now as an investor. The rationale behind combining a venture studio and VC fund at Entourage, and how the two models complement each other. Where Entourage fits into today’s European VC ecosystem, amid sector-specific funds and cautious capital deployment. The role of communities like Wintercircus in fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and ambition among the next generation of founders.
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From Skype to Delivery Robots
Apr 2300:39:10Tap to summarizeInterview with co-founder of Starship Technologies Athi Heinla Key Points Ahti’s early start in programming and how it influenced his long-term approach to building technology Key lessons from Skype that directly shaped how he built and scaled Starship Why last-mile delivery stood out as a high-impact, unsolved problem worth tackling How autonomous delivery is reshaping (not simply replacing) jobs in the logistics ecosystem The balance between innovation and regulation when deploying robots in public spaces Ahti’s vision of future cities where autonomous delivery is seamlessly integrated into daily life
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The Travel Startup that Beat Covid
Apr 1600:55:10Tap to summarizeInterview with Patrick Andrae, co-founder & CEO of HomeToGo Key Points The original bet behind HomeToGo: aggregating fragmented vacation rental supply into a seamless, user-first marketplace How travel behavior evolved post-Covid - and what trends reverted faster than expected The rise of “soulcation” and why modern travel is shifting toward rest, wellness, and slower experiences Why nature-based and rural destinations are outperforming traditional city breaks The impact of AI across TravelTech—from discovery to booking and property management
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How Factorial Became Barcelona's HRTech Unicorn
Apr 900:33:18Tap to summarizeInterview with Founder & CEO Jordi Romero This interview features Jordi Romero, Founder and CEO of Factorial, offering an in-depth look at the evolution of one of Europe’s leading HRTech scaleups. Based in Barcelona, Romero shares his journey from engineer to entrepreneur, reflecting on his early experience at Redbooth and the founding of Factorial in 2016. The conversation explores how Factorial has grown into a global business software platform serving thousands of companies across more than 90 countries. Romero discusses the company’s mission to eliminate manual administrative work through automation, enabling organisations to focus more on people and decision-making. With increasing investment flowing into AI-driven workforce management tools, Romero provides perspective on how automation, data insights, and integrated platforms are reshaping HR, finance, and IT operations. The discussion also highlights Spain’s growing role in this space, as well as the competitive dynamics emerging across Europe. His insights provide valuable context for understanding how modern companies are rethinking workforce management in an increasingly digital and AI-enabled environment. Key Points - The role of AI in automating recruitment, onboarding, and employee lifecycle management - Challenges and opportunities in scaling a SaaS company internationally - The shift from fragmented tools to integrated, all-in-one business management platforms - How startups can identify and solve inefficiencies in traditional business processes - The competitive landscape of European HRTech and emerging innovation trends
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Why Female Founders Are Still Overlooked
Apr 200:44:23Tap to summarizeInterview with Ropa Popat, Founder & Managing Partner at Arāya Ventures In this episode, Rupa Popat, founder of Arāya Ventures, shares her vision for redefining early-stage venture capital. Rupa discusses the persistent under-allocation of capital to diverse founders, highlighting that female-led teams in the UK still receive less than 1% of VC funding - even though data shows diverse teams consistently outperform. Rupa also dives into the world of AI investing, focusing on workflow-native, human-centred AI rather than headline models. She shares her perspective on the UK’s positioning as a European AI hub, the growing opportunities in Health x AI, and how early-stage founders can prepare for fundraises that go beyond technical spectacle to execution-led, scalable businesses. Throughout the conversation, Rupa explores what it means to be a value-add VC today, the importance of domain expertise in building defensible startups, and the systemic challenges in the venture ecosystem. She highlights emerging sectors, including preventative healthcare, precision medicine, and FemTech, while providing actionable insights for founders, investors, and policymakers. Key points covered in this interview: - The persistent funding gap for female founders and why inclusivity drives performance, not just values. - What makes a founder or founding team stand out at pre-Seed stage: lived experience, resilience, and clarity of vision. - Emerging opportunities at the intersection of Health x AI, including preventative care, precision medicine, and FemTech. - How Arāya Ventures trains investors through its Investment Academy to broaden who writes cheques and build a more inclusive ecosystem.
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