Shows
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNWhat Europe’s next generation of founders is building right nowWith Chris Mantolas, Elena Papadonikolaki and Eilon GrouperWhat happens when the next generation of European entrepreneurs steps up? And how do they turn personal obsession into scalable ventures?In this special season finale, we sit down with three of Europe’s emerging founders — each building in wildly different arenas, but united by clarity of vision and ambition to reshape their industries.🛥️ Christos Mantolas is the co-founder of Seago, a platform rethinking mobility across the Greek islands with private boat transfers and luxury yachting experiences.🧿 Elena Papadonikolaki is the founder of Boutique Set...
2025-07-0436 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow to lead with product intuition—not just dataWith Renia RigopoulouHow do you ‘Orphimize’ the music world? And why does a top product leader ban the phrase data-driven?In this episode we sit down with Renia Rigopoulou, Group Product Manager at Orfium—the Greek-born scale-up that helps labels and publishers detect, claim, and monetize music across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and other UGC platforms. Renia walks us through a decade of building products at eBay, Deliveroo, InstaShop, and Blueground, and discussed why she prefers data-informed to data-driven decision-making and how “be the user” became her golden rule (including engineers fixing bugs in greasy kitchens...
2025-06-2021 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow to invest in outliers, not consensusWith Alex VamvakasWhat makes a founder worth betting on? Why should deep tech be the next big focus for European VCs?In this episode, we speak with Alex Vamvacas, founding partner of Evercurious VC—a new early-stage venture capital firm focused on commercializing deep scientific research across Europe. With a background that spans CERN, medical device startups, and asset management in Zurich, Alex shares what led him back to Greece to co-launch Evercurious. We talk about how to identify conviction-led founders, why real problems require real technology, and what makes an “investor-ready” startup. Plus...
2025-06-1318 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Native Teams is rethinking global workWhat does it take to build a borderless company from the Balkans? And how do you design a startup culture that people actually want to stay in?In this episode of Europe Builds, we talk to Jack Thorogood, founder and CEO of Native Teams, a fast-growing fintech platform simplifying payments, employment, and compliance for global professionals. With roots in North Macedonia and a footprint spanning 85+ countries, Native Teams is tackling remote work infrastructure with a bold cultural ethos and an employee-first mindset.We explore how a personal problem became a scalable business idea, why building...
2025-06-0620 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Headway Inc bootstrapped its way to 150 million usersWith Oleks Yaroshenko How do you scale an edtech startup into a company with 150 million users worldwide, without taking outside funding? And what’s it like building it from wartime Ukraine? In this episode, we sit down with Oleks Yaroshenko, Chief of Staff at Headway Inc, the company behind one of the world’s most popular lifelong learning apps. Previously known as Headway, the company officially evolved into Headway Inc, marking its transformation into a full-scale consumer tech platform. Oleks shares how the team navigated competition, used A/B testing as a superpower, and built resilience through necessity...
2025-05-3021 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Evercurious VC invests based on conviction, not trendsWith George GeorgiadisHow does an engineer turn into an investor? And what does it take to back world-changing technology before it’s cool — or proven?In this episode, we talk to George Georgiadis, Founding Partner at Evercurious VC, a new deep-tech venture fund betting on scientist-founders building defensible technologies. George shares how his decade at Volkswagen’s HQ shaped his approach to investing, why Europe keeps inventing breakthrough tech but failing to commercialize it, and why Evercurious prefers conviction over hype when picking early-stage bets. We also explore how VCs can help technical founders become...
2025-05-2318 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Hellas Direct built a tech-driven insurer amidst a crisisHow can you build something disruptive and transformative amidst one of the biggest economic downturns in recent memory? And how can fixing potholes be a brilliant move for an insurance company?This week, Alexis Pantazis, co-founder and co-CEO of Hellas Direct, joins us on EUROPE BUILDS to share how he and his team built a next-generation insurance company in Greece—during the height of the Eurozone crisis. A former Goldman Sachs executive, Alexis explains why Greece was the perfect “blind spot market” for disruption, how Hellas Direct scaled to multiple countries, and why authenticity, vulnerability, and persistence are co...
2025-05-1630 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Big Pi Ventures mastered the art of timing and humility in VCWhat does it really take to back the right idea at the right time? And why might humility, not hype, be the most underrated trait in great investors?In this episode of Europe Builds, we sit down with Nick Kalliagopoulos, Partner at Big Pi Ventures—one of Greece’s most prominent VC funds. With a decade of experience spanning Prime Ventures in Amsterdam and the Randstad Innovation Fund, Nick brings a rare blend of insight from both deep tech and the future-of-work sectors. We discuss how to evaluate truly transformational technology, what traits set apart the founders wort...
2025-05-0923 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Michelle Parsons fuels Product-Led Growth, from Spotify to LexHow do you reinvent a dating app into a vibrant social network for the queer community—and grow it globally without a marketing budget? Why do even the most successful product teams still sometimes forget to listen to their users?In this episode of EUROPE BUILDS, live from the Doers Summit in Athens, we sit down with Michelle Parsons, Chief Product Officer of Lex. A former product leader at Netflix, Spotify, Kayak, and Hinge, Michelle shares hard-earned lessons from scaling some of the world’s most beloved platforms. We discuss Lex’s pivot from dating to community, how to...
2025-05-0223 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow OneMoto is transforming last-mile delivery, with Adam RidgwayHow do you build a global EV company from scratch—without outside funding—and use it as a vehicle for systemic change? And why might the most meaningful entrepreneurial journey be the one that ends in giving back?On this episode of Europe Builds, live from the Doers Summit in Athens, we are joined by Adam Ridgway, founder and CEO of OneMoto Technologies, a pioneering electric vehicle scale-up transforming last-mile delivery across 13 countries and counting. Adam shares how he’s building a capital-efficient, impact-first company by rethinking scale, outsourcing smartly, and staying obsessively mission-driven. We dig into the th...
2025-04-2535 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNWhy two angel investors returned to Greece to seek value and impactWhat brings two top investors with years of experience in global markets back to Athens? And how do they go about measuring impact and value? This episode we are joined by Ariadne Velissaropoulou and Marina Bouki, two former institutional investors who turned into angel investing and returned to Greece. We discuss investing against the current, highlight the traits that make founders stand out, like fearless optimism and a can-do attitude, and how angel investors can help guide founders through their first entrepreneurial steps. We also discuss the value of coachability for founders, which ideas have caught Ariadne a...
2025-04-1120 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Adam Bonnifield brought AI to the European aviation giant AirbusHow does an operator turn his insight into successful leadership as a CEO? And how does a tech and AI expert who worked for the US administration apply his learnings into the start-up ecosystem?On this episode we are joined by Adam Bonnifield, a tech entrepreneur behind some of the most impactful projects in global mobility. Most recently. Adam served as CEO of KONUX, the first AI scale-up in rail and was also Head of AI at Airbus, the world’s largest aerospace company, driving innovations in autonomous flight, advanced manufacturing, predictive maintenance and sustainability. Previously, Adam le...
2025-04-0432 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Skroutz become and remains Greece’s biggest online marketplaceHow Skroutz become and remains Greece’s biggest online marketplace - Bite-sized insights on failure and scaling with George HadjigeorgiouHow does a founder turn his hobby into Greece’s biggest e-commerce marketplace? And why is his key insight, after 20 years of successful entrepreneurship, that we should all embrace failure more?For our premiere of Season 2 of Europe Builds, live from the Doers Summit, we are joined by Geroge Hadjigeorgiou, co-founder and CEO of Skroutz. Skroutz is Greece’s leading online marketplace, a household name with over 8,000 outlet partners and a staff of around 1,200 people. We dis...
2025-03-2819 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Hack The Box grew from a passion project to a global leader, with Harris PylarinosWhat does it take to scale a start-up from garage mode to a global superpower, with clients ranging from the US Department of Defense to Toyota?This week we are joined by Haris Pylarinos, Founder and CEO of Hack The Box. Born initially as a passion project for Harris, Hack The Box has grown to become the world’s leading cybersecurity performance center, providing millions of users with a human-first platform to create and maintain high-performing cybersecurity individuals and organizations. The platform stands out for its innovative gamification approach, making cybersecurity learning more accessible, en...
2025-03-1137 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Hilary Klassen helps companies think differently about peopleHow can a startup help companies and corporate leaders redefine how they approach coaching and people management?This week, we are joined by Hilary Klassen, Founder and CEO of Bestselfy, a platform whose mission is to help people be their best self at work. Drawing on modern insights from coaching, psychology, and people development, the Bestselfy app helps managers coach their team via key insights, connect with their team’s personal and professional goals, and go beyond daily managing to engage on a whole new level. Hilary was previously the founder of Kowhog, the first open-source HR/re...
2025-03-0736 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Dott joined forces with TIER to become Europe’s largest micromobility operator, with Maxim RomainHow does one build the largest micromobility fleet in Europe? And how can partnerships, mergers and acquisitions help a company soar to new heights?This week we are joined by Maxim Romain, President and Co-founder of Dott, who is on a mission to change mobility for good. With over 250,000 vehicles after joining forces with TIER, the company today directly employs over 1,900 people and operates shared e-bikes and e-scooters in 400+ cities across Europe and the Middle East. We discuss navigating complex negotiations, lessons from Dott’s journey with integration, and the future of the micromobility industry in Europe....
2025-02-1836 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Bota Systems gives robots a sense of touch, with Klajd LikaHow do great ideas spin from academia into entrepreneurship? And how can a company revolutionize the robotics industry by giving robots a sense of touch?
On our latest episode of EUROPE BUILDS, we are joined by Klajd Lika, Founder and CEO of Bota Systems, a company based in Zurich with a vision for robots to work and move safely and as natural and free as humans. As a developer and manufacturer of multi-axis force-torque sensors, Bota Systems and its team of robotics, software and mechanical engineers continually develops highly-integrated and advanced sensors to support a wide range...
2025-02-0441 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow BoldVoice uses AI to empower non-native English speakers, with Anada LakraHow can AI empower non-native English speakers to communicate with confidence?
In this episode, we sit down with Anada Lakra, the Founder and CEO of BoldVoice, an innovative ed-tech app that uses AI to help non-native English speakers improve their accents, communication skills, and confidence. Anada shares how her experiences as an immigrant in the U.S. inspired BoldVoice and shaped its mission to make effective communication accessible to all.
We delve into how AI is leveraged to adapt to the nuances of human speech, explore the development of the app’s new viral feature—a too...
2025-01-2136 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow to scale up tech teams and avoid the fear of failure, with Michael PetychakisWhat does it take to build and scale successful tech teams? And how can leaders overcome the fear of failure and embrace growth in a fast-paced industry?
In this episode, we are joined by Michael Petychakis, the former CTO of ORFIUM, a global leader in providing software, data, and licensing solutions to the entertainment industry, and the current CTO of Dialectica. Michael shares the unorthodox start of his entrepreneurial journey, the lessons learned from multiple pivots, his insight on the evolution of AI, and his experience leading tech teams through successful mergers and acquisitions...
2025-01-0735 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Intelligencia AI revolutionizes drug development with AI, with Dimitris SkaltsasWhat does it take to innovate at the crossroads of technology and life sciences?
This week we are joined by Dimitris Skaltsas, Co-Founder and CEO of Intelligencia AI, an innovative company applying AI and machine learning to de-risk drug development. Intelligencia AI aims to bridge the gap between innovation and risk reduction with an interdisciplinary team of software engineers, AI practitioners, scientists, and drug developers, with the ultimate goal of bringing novel therapies to patients faster.
Dimitris shares insights into balancing innovation with regulation, releasing AI tools at the right moment, and fostering trust-based relationships t...
2024-12-1731 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow building healthy cultures can shift from art to science, with Andreas KonstantinouSelf-awareness, equanimity and adaptability are essential traits for founders - especially if they’re on a mission to redefine how companies around the world create healthy and fulfilling cultures.
On this episode, we are joined by Andreas Konstantinou, Founder of Rethink Culture, a venture that is on a mission to help businesses audit their culture and build cultures people love to work for. Previously, Andreas founded SlashData and grew it into the leading developer analyst firm, helping the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Facebook understand developers through data. He has also held various le...
2024-12-0534 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Acumino builds the world's most dexterous robots, with Minas LiarokapisHow much passion and ambition does it take to build the intelligence of the robots of today and tomorrow?
On this episode we are joined by Minas Liarokapis, Co-Founder and CTO of Acumino, a world leading Robotics and AI company working on next generation, foundation robot models for the execution of highly dexterous tasks. Acumino is headquartered in the US and has operations in New Zealand and Greece, and its solutions empower robots' capabilities to perform complex tasks to diverse real-world environments and with high reliability, tapping into what Minas calls “a trillion dollar opportunity”.
Mina...
2024-11-1934 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow WeArisma helps the world's biggest brands with influencer marketing, with Jenny TsaiHow much vision and grit does it take to become a global pioneer in influencer marketing and insights?
On our fourth episode, we are joined by Jenny Tsai, Founder and CEO of WeArisma, a leading earned influencer analytics company that works with companies like Marc Jacobs, Westfield and Polaroid to help them measure and grow their influencer marketing. Founded in 2015, way before the influencer phenomenon took off, today WeArisma is used by over 40 global brands, including some of the world’s most valuable luxury and Fortune 500 brands.
Join us for a discussion on the strategies th...
2024-11-0531 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Deesup became Europe’s ethical marketplace for furniture resale, with Valentina Cerolini
How much motivation and focus does it take to innovate in the circular economy?
On our third episode, we are joined by Valentina Cerolini, co-founder and CEO of Deesup.com, a curated marketplace for luxury second-hand furniture which launched in Milan in 2017. Staying true to its goal of making the furniture supply chain more ethical and sustainable, Deesup has expanded well beyond Italy, consolidating its presence in multiple European markets.
We discuss strategies to generate consumer interest for second-hand furniture, the adaptability it takes to transition from Peer-to-Peer to Business to Consumer, and g...
2024-10-2240 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Anton Derlyatka got over 150 million users on their feet through Sweatcoin
How much stubbornness does it take to build a user-base of 150 million users?
In our second episode, Co-founder and CEO of Sweatcoin, Anton Derlyatka, walks us through the key ingredients of ultra-high consumer growth. Sweatcoin has inspired more than 150 million people worldwide to move more via behavioral nudges and real-time incentives, and was the most downloaded health and fitness app globally in 2022.
We discuss the role of robust referral programs and tapping early into the influencer market, as well as the power of storytelling and the challenges of scaling up across borders and...
2024-10-0837 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNHow Alex Loizou raised six rounds of funding for TrouvaHow important is tenacity, stamina, and honesty in the fundraising process?
On our first episode we are joined by Alex Loizou, a computer scientist turned entrepreneur who founded TROUVA in 2013, a leading platform for discovering and shopping independent boutiques and brands across Europe. Trouva has raised a total funding of $41.1M over 6 rounds.
We discuss successful and unsuccessful strategies of securing capital, the nuances of fundraising in the US as a European founder, and key decision-making criteria such as when to raise funds, how much to seek, and from whom. This episode is a deep...
2024-09-2450 min
EUROPE BUILDS by BORRNEUROPE BUILDS - TRAILERWelcome to EUROPE BUILDS, a podcast dedicated to diving deep into the real stories behind Europe’s startups.
2024-09-2000 min
weLEADERs UnpluggedTech Vs Business: Σχέση Αγάπης ή Μίσους; με την Ματίλντα Νατάν από την BORRN και την Ρένια Ρηγοπούλου από την OrfiumΣτο σημερινό επεισόδιο του «weLEADERs Unplugged» συζητάμε με την Ματίλντα Νατάν, συνιδρύτρια και CEO της BORRN, και τη Ρένια Ρηγοπούλου, Senior Product Manager στην Orfium, για ένα θέμα που έχει προβληματίσει και συνεχίζει να προβληματίζει πολλές τεχνολογικές εταιρείες: τη συνεργασία μεταξύ των τεχνολογικών και επιχειρηματικών ομάδων. Μια συνεργασία που συχνά περνάει από 40 κύματα!
Ποιά ομάδα έχει τον τελευταίο λόγο για ένα νέο feature;
Πώς διαχειρίζεσαι μία/ έναν επιχειρηματία όταν λέει, «Έχω μια ιδέα για ένα νέο προϊόν και το θέλω τώρα!»;
Πώς η tech ομάδες μπορούν να αποκτήσουν καλύτερη κατανόηση των αναγκών της εταιρείας και οι στόχοι τους να είναι πάντα ευθυγραμμισμένοι με τους επιχειρηματικούς στόχους;
Ποιες δεξιότητες χρειάζονται για να χτιστεί μια σχέση εμπιστοσύνης;
Για αυτά και πολλά ακόμη, συντονίσου τώρα!
Αν θες κι εσύ να χτίσεις μια επιτυχημένη καριέρα στον χώρο της τεχνολογίας, μπες στο https://www.joinwelead.org.
Προτεινόμενο Βιβλίο: «Man's Search for Meaning», Viktor Frankl
2024-06-1347 min
Conversations With WāhineSteph Lewis and Dr Anae Neru Leavasa- Labour MP'sJoin Harita Gandhi-Kashyap and Haley Rachel Rolls for a conversation with New Zealand Labour Party MP's Steph Lewis MP for Whanganui and Dr Anae Neru Leavasa MP about the medical system, Covid 19, our grocery duopoly, ethnicity considerations within healthcare, and more. 07/09/2023Watch our zoom video over on https://youtu.be/82v0DCYLhx8Steph Lewis is our Labour candidate for #whanganui. Borrn in Whanganui; she grew up between Kaitoke Prison village, where her Dad worked as a Prison Officer, and her family’s farm in Waverley.She's worked as an employment advocate, a lawy...
2023-09-2747 min
Cinema World InterviewsInterview with Ólafur ArnaldsOur Interview with Ólafur Arnalds about "When We Are Borrn" (2021-08-25)00:00 Musical Education 00:47 Broadchurch 02:43 When we are born (The idea for this project) 04:14 When we are born (His importance for the content) 05:55 The Music from "Some Kind of Peace" 07:11 Inspiration 07:44 The best thing about composing 08:30 The less beautiful thing about composing 09:05 Current and next projects 09:42 Five Terms
2021-10-0110 min
Real Talk RadioRTHH - Real Talk Hip Hop - EP 1#RTHH - Real Talk hip Hop - November 29th
- Snoop Dogg Lullaby album: Lullaby Renditions of Snoop Dogg
1. Gin and Juice
2. What’s My Name?
3. Beautiful
4. Drop It Like It’s Hot
5. Lay Low
6. Sensual Seduction
7. Young, Wild & Free
8. Snoop’s Upside Ya Head
9. California Roll
10. Trust Me
11. Slow Down
12. Doggy Dogg World
- Snoop teams up with Rockabye baby! to do a lullabye renditions of his hits. The album released on vinyl on November 29th, but will be released Digitaly on Dec...
2019-12-0126 min
Historier fra BibelenDavid og hans børrn (Historier fra Bibelen Tirsdag den 06-06-17)2. Samuels bog kapitel 13. David og hans børn. Historier fra Bibelen med Tove Christensen
2017-06-0621 min