Uppersky Podcast
By Uppersky
Uppersky PodcastMay 15, 2024
#47: Helping shoppers find their ideal product with 3D configurators | Talk with Matthew Gertner - Founder & CEO @ Salsita Software
Meet Matthew Gertner, the founder of Salsita Software, a digital product agency with over 14 years of experience. They’re now creating their products, including a 3D configurator for e-commerce sites.
In this episode, Matthew shares:
- What Salsita Software does
- How they’re shifting from offering services to creating products
- Tips on hiring developers and product managers
- Why User Experience Research is crucial
- What Salsita AI and their 3D Configurator are all about
- The benefits of conversational UI
- His go-to resources for staying updated
Stay connected with Matthew on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgertner/
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Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/
- Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#46: Helping individuals and companies thrive through mentorship | Talk with Lucie Neumanova - Co-founder & CEO @ Femme Palette
Meet Lucie Neumanova! She loves helping people grow through her community, Femme Palette. What began in the Czech Republic is now expanding to Germany and the Netherlands.
In this episode, Lucie takes us back to the start of Femme Palette, discussing how the community has developed and the good they’ve achieved. She opens up about her guiding principles, what she’s learned from organizing events and leading the group, and why mentorship is key to achieving goals faster. She also offers advice on partnering with businesses.
Lucie recommends a few resources that keep her inspired:
- https://www.femmepalette.com
- https://www.femmepalette.com/resources
- https://www.sophiaamoruso.com/
- The making of a manager by Julie Zhuo
- Never split the difference by Chris Voss
Stay connected with Lucie on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucieneumanova/
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Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/
- Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#45: Bootstrapping tech startups and entrepreneurship on your terms | Talk with Melissa Kwan - Co-founder & CEO @ eWebinar and Host @ ProfitLed Podcast
Come join a friendly chat with Melissa Kwan! Melissa is the founder of three startups she’s built without VC funding. Currently, she is leading her startup eWebinar. She also hosts the ProfitLed podcast and creates helpful content on LinkedIn.
In this episode, Melissa shares how she shapes her businesses around the life she wants. Isn’t it interesting how you can do business your way? She talks about different ways to grow a business, both through sales-led growth and product-led growth, and asks you to think about what might be best for your startup.
Do you ever wonder what to focus on when starting your tech business or which business idea might work for you? Melissa provides tips based on her own experiences and asks you to consider why creating online content can be vital. She also shares what she learns from podcasting and discusses the resources and people she finds inspiring.
Why not tune in and maybe find some guidance on navigating your entrepreneurial journey?
Stay connected with Melissa on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissakwan/
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Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/
- Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#44: Investing in tech that creates a new infrastructure for society | Talk with Kateryna Kovalenko - Associate @ DEPO Ventures
Let's meet Kateryna Kovalenko! She's passionate about helping new startups grow, and she plays a big part in this as an associate at DEPO Ventures.
In this chat, Kateryna (who likes to be called Kate) tells us all about her excitement for her work and the world of venture capital. She'll let us in on a unique perspective she has in this field, talk about some common slip-ups new startups tend to make, and share tips on how to avoid them. Plus, Kate offers her thoughts on how to make sure a new business idea has what it takes to succeed.
She's also excited to talk about DEPO Ventures' collection of promising startups. To top it off, Kate shares her favorite resources and suggestions for anyone interested in keeping up with the latest in startups and venture capital. Join us to hear all about Kate's journey and insights!
Stay connected with Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-kovalenko/
You can visit DEPO Ventures: https://depoventures.com/
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Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/
- Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#43: Communicating deep tech and why science needs translators | Talk with Kateřina Syslová - Marketing Manager @ Tensor Ventures & Creative Director @ Startup Kitchen
Join us for a great chat with Kate Syslova, a passionate communicator and deep tech enthusiast. As the marketing manager of Tensor Ventures and a creative force in the Startup Kitchen community, Kate brings her expertise to the conversation, making the complex world of deep tech startups accessible to all.
In this episode, Kate shares her unique journey of merging her love for science with her knack for communication. She delves into effective ways to discuss intricate topics, common communication pitfalls startups face and how to sidestep them, insights from her recent TEDx talk, and her approach to demystifying deep tech.
Plus, Kate shares her top book and resource recommendations for anyone eager to explore further. And, keeping up with her podcast's tradition, we find out about the strangest food she's ever tasted.
Tune in for a conversation filled with inspiration, learning, and a touch of the unexpected!
Stay connected with Kate on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerinasyslova/
You can visit Tensor Ventures and Startup Kitchen websites:
- https://tensor.ventures/
- https://startupkitchen.community/
- https://startupkitchen.community/podcasts/
Also, feel free to check out her TEDx talk - why science needs translators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc3fp5fjBhw
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Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/
- Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#42: Building products with great user experience (UX) | Talk with Tom Garcy - Senior Product Designer & Founder @ Kyugo
Join us for a warm and engaging conversation with Tom Garcy, the creative designer behind Kyugo! As a Senior Product Designer and Founder, Tom is at the forefront of blending beauty with practicality in product design to find that perfect market fit.
In this episode, Tom opens up about his journey in product design, introduces us to the innovative world of Kyugo, and explains how he crafts products that people love. He'll demystify the differences between UI and UX, share the importance of focusing on user experience, reveal the secret sauce of assembling an early-stage startup team, pinpoint common pitfalls tech startup founders face, and offer his top picks for books and resources every aspiring designer and entrepreneur should check out.
Get ready for insights, inspiration, and a dash of fun with Tom. It's an episode you won't want to miss! Stay connected with Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomgarcy/ You can visit his design studio website: https://www.tomgarcy.com/ Also, feel free to check out Kyugo: https://app.kyugo.app/ --- Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/ Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#41: Data-driven decision-making for Real Estate Development | Talk with Martin Decky - Co-Founder & CEO @ BuiltMind
Join us for a friendly chat with Martin Decky, the co-founder & CEO of BuiltMind, who's improving the real estate industry with smart data!
In this episode, Martin shares his passion for real estate and how his digital tool is helping developers make savvy decisions. He'll talk about how they're improving industry processes, listening to customer feedback, and using it to enhance their product. Plus, don't miss Martin's valuable tips for aspiring tech entrepreneurs. Tune in for an inspiring and insightful conversation!
Stay connected with Martin on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deckymartin/
Also, you can visit the BuiltMind website:
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Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/
- Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#40: Investing globally in technologies extending healthy lifespan | Talk with Petr Sramek - Managing Partner @ VC LongevityTech.fund and CEO @ HealthyLongevity.clinic
Meet Petr Sramek, the managing partner of LongevityTech.fund. Petr is on a mission to invest in companies that are paving the way for a healthier and longer life.
In this episode, get ready to dive into the fascinating world of longevity startups. Discover the innovative therapeutics that these companies are working on, and learn how Petr contributes to their growth. But that's not all – Petr talks about his routines to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and slowing down his epigenetic age.
Tune in for an inspiring chat that goes beyond investments – it's about the exciting journey towards a longer, healthier life. Don't miss out!
Stay connected with Petr on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petrsramek/
Also, you can visit the LongevityTech.fund website:
https://www.longevitytech.fund/
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Are you interested in learning more about Uppersky? You can find us over here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uppersky/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uppersky/
- Website: https://www.uppersky.co
#39: Helping SaaS companies to turn more website visitors into customers | Talk with Pedro Cortés - SaaS Marketing Consultant
Meet Pedro Cortés, your SaaS marketing buddy! Pedro helps software-as-a-service companies make more customers from their website visitors.
In this chat, Pedro talks about why he loves marketing and spills some tips on how to do it well. He'll chat about common problems SaaS companies face and share simple tricks to explain your product in a way that everyone gets. Plus, Pedro has some cool books and podcasts to recommend. Join us for an easygoing chat and pick up some marketing wisdom along the way! 🌟🚀
Stay connected with Pedro on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedrocort%C3%A9s/
Also, you can visit his website:
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#38: Shaping up to deliver big and meaningful software products | Talk with Ryan Singer - Author of the book Shape Up, founder of Felt Presence, and former Head of Strategy of Basecamp
Meet Ryan Singer, the friendly mind behind the book Shape Up, founder of Felt Presence, and the former Head of Strategy of Basecamp. He's all about helping product teams create awesome software products that make a big impact, all while reveling in the excitement of building.
In this chat, Ryan shares his experience from his 18+ years at Basecamp, explains how the Shape Up framework came to life, and highlights the fantastic perks of shaping up your projects. He dishes out advice on diving into Shape Up, warns about the pitfalls of agile frameworks like SCRUM, and shares golden nuggets from his mentors - Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson, and Bob Moesta. Plus, Ryan clues us in on the people and resources that keep him growing personally and professionally.
Ready for some valuable insights? Check out the goodies Ryan shared right here:
- Shape Up - Free Online Book.
- Shaping in a nutshell.
- Shaping in Real Life Course.
- Christopher Alexander's Books.
- Eric Evans' Books.
- Creating Passionate Users by Kathy Sierra.
- Andrej Karpathy.
- Intro to Large Language Models by Andrej Karpathy.
- Jensen Huang of Nvidia on the future of A.I.
Stay connected with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feltpresence/
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#37: Bringing together people to create innovations | Talk with Patrik Juránek - Founder & CEO @ Startup Disrupt
Patrik Juránek is the founder & CEO of Startup Disrupt. They're on a mission to build an ecosystem that brings startups, corporates, and government institutions together in the Czech Republic and the Central and Eastern European region.
In this episode, Patrik shares his beginnings organizing startup meetups, how Startup Disrupt starts and his future plans, how was his latest event Innovations United 2023, his advise to have good networking as a startup founder, and the resources and people he follows to grow personally and professionally.
Stay connected with Patrik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrikjuranek/
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#36: Innovating Healthcare with Design Thinking | Talk with Cinzia Gussoni - Innovation and Capabilities Head for Central & Eastern Europe @ Novartis
Cinzia Gussoni is the Head of Innovation and Capabilities for Central and Eastern Europe at Novartis, where she works on delivering purposeful innovations to improve the healthcare sector.
In this episode, Cinzia shares her story of working in the pharmaceutical sector, her use of design thinking and its different stages, the main health problems she is trying to help solve, and her routines and hobbies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Stay connected with Cinzia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cinzia-gussoni-45324011/
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#35: Helping B2B early-stage startups with their positioning & website messaging | Talk with Anthony Pierri - Partner @ Fletch
Anthony Pierri is a partner at Fletch, where he helps early-stage B2B startups position themselves and write website messages that help customers understand the value of their products or services.
In this episode, Anthony shares his most important advice for defining the messaging on your startup's website, as well as the learning resources he uses and his approach to building a tech startup.
If you're struggling to write effective website messaging, this episode is for you! Anthony's tips are practical, actionable, and easy to follow.
Want to learn more about Anthony's work? Visit his website at https://www.fletchpmm.com/
Stay connected with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonypierri/
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#34: How to beat procrastination and get the best out of life? | Talk with Adela Plesnik Schicker - Founder @ Procrastination.com and Co-author of The End of Procrastination
Adela is the founder of procrastination.com and co-author of the best-selling book The End of Procrastination. She's helped people all over the world to be more productive, stay motivated, and create a positive work environment.
In this episode, Adela shares how she handles her everyday activities, her favorite procrastination-busting tools, and why it's so important to find your life purpose. She also talks about how she balances her personal and work life and the key resources she follows.
If you're struggling with procrastination, this episode is for you! Adela's tips are practical, actionable, and easy to follow.
Want to learn more about Adela's work? Visit her website at procrastination.com.
Stay connected with Adela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelaschicker/
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#33: Helping organizations to work with diversity and inclusion strategically | Talk with Jana Tikalova - Founder & CEO @ OPIM
Jana Tikalova is the Founder & CEO of OPIM. They are helping organizations to work with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategically, through educational programs, consulting, and advocacy.
In this podcast episode, Jana shares her journey of more than 20 years in diversity & inclusion, what is her definition of diversity and inclusion, what are the different activities promoted by OPIM, what is the progress on DEI from companies in the Czech Republic, and some of the resources that Jana uses for her constant learning journey.
- Would you like to know more about OPIM? Visit their website: https://www.opim.cz/en
- Feel free to follow Jana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jana-tikalova-36554b23/
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#32: How to be unique and generate enterprise sales with a B2B SaaS product | Talk with Patrick Trümpi - Chief Sales Director @ Unique
Patrick Trümpi is the Chief Sales Officer of Unique. They are on a mission to create a tailored solution for the financial industry that aims to increase productivity by automating manual workload through AI and ChatGPT solutions.
In this podcast episode, Patrick shares his experience in closing deals with corporates, what are the steps to improve your sales cycle in a B2B SaaS product, how to experiment as a sales leader to gain access to new industries, and some of the books and podcasts he follows about sales.
- Would you like to know more about Unique? Visit their website: https://unique.ch
- Feel free to follow Patrick on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-trümpi/
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#31: Building the fastest neural pathways between your brand and the customer needs | Talk with Marek Nebesář - Sales and Operations Director & Co-Founder @ Behavio
Marek Nebesář is the Sales and Operations Director & Co-Founder of Behavio. He is helping companies to improve their ads and brand positioning using behavioral science.
In this podcast episode, Marek shares the beginnings of Behavio, what are the methodologies they recommend to use to understand customers' needs, how they have approached their expansion to the US market, his learnings from working in China, and some of the resources he follows to keep up to date.
- Would you like to know more about Behavio? Visit their website: https://behavio.app/
- Feel free to follow Marek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mareknebesar/
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#30: Helping companies to uncover the potential of diversity & inclusion | Talk with Zuzana Zamborská - Co-Founder & CEO @ BE-ID human and Co-Founder & Partnerships Director @ Lumus Investment
Zuzana Zamborská is the CEO & Co-Founder of BE-ID human and Co-Founder and Partnerships Director of Lumus Investment. She is helping companies to uncover the potential of diversity & inclusion.
In this podcast episode, Zuzana shares how she starts working on diversity & inclusion (D&I), what are all the types of diversities, how a business can start on its journey to be more diverse and inclusive, and some of the success stories of uncovering the potential of D&I. Also, how she and her team are working on connecting female angel investors with startups via Lumus Investment.
- Would you like to know more about BE-ID human? Visit their website: https://www.beidhuman.com/
- Would you like to know more about Lumus Investment? Visit their website: https://www.lumusinvestment.com/
- Feel free to follow Zuzana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zuzanamaderova/
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#29: Bringing innovation and circular economy principles to the world of waste management | Talk with Cyril Klepek - Founder & CEO @ Cyrkl
Cyril Klepek is the Founder & CEO of Cyrkl. He and his team are bringing innovation and circular economy principles to the world of waste management. One of the implemented solutions is a marketplace where companies can sell or buy industrial waste, by-products, secondary raw materials, or used materials.
In this podcast episode, Cyril shares his journey from working as an innovation leader in different companies to kickstarting his own business, how does it work the communication process to bring new companies to his marketplace, what is the circular economy for him, and his intrinsic motivation to work on this area, and how to decide what investors to on-board in your journey. Also, touch on his current journey of finding the product-market fit for his marketplace.
- Would you like to know more about Cyrkl? Visit their website: https://cyrkl.com/
- Feel free to follow Cyril on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyril-klepek/
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#28: How to approach business development & sales in tech businesses | Talk with Anthony Temperante - Product & Business Development Director @ Datamole
Anthony Temperante is the Product & Business Development Manager of Datamole. Datamole helps industrial businesses by developing custom and pre-made data & artificial intelligence solutions.
In this podcast episode, Anthony shares his journey as a sales manager, what are his recommendations to kickstart sales in a tech business, how to define the value proposition of your business, how important is understanding what your competitors are doing, and what are the foundations to close more sales in B2B businesses.
Some of the resources shared by Anthony are over here:
- The Value Proposition Canvas.
- The Greatest Salesman in the World.
- You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar, 2nd Edition: Sandler Training’s 7-Step System for Successful Selling.
- MEDDICC: The ultimate guide to staying one step ahead in the complex sale
- Would you like to know more about Datamole? Visit their website: https://www.datamole.ai/
- Feel free to follow Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonytemperante/
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#27: Helping first-time founders find the recipe for success | Talk with Tomas Cironis - Master Chef @ Startup Kitchen
Tomas Cironis is the Master Chef of the Startup Kitchen. He and his team are helping first-time founders to raise their first funding rounds and guide them on their journey to build successful startups.
In this podcast episode, Tomas shares his journey and the reason behind starting the community of the Startup Kitchen, what type of services and help they are providing to founders, lessons learned from his conversations with successful people like Steve Wozniak, and his expectations towards the startup ecosystem in the Czech Republic.
- Would you like to know more about The Startup Kitchen? Visit their website: https://startupkitchen.community/
- Also you can listen to The Startup Kitchen Talks: https://startupkitchen.community/podcasts/
- Feel free to follow Tomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomascironis/
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#26: Helping European companies enter the North American market | Talk with Philippe Valentine - Director, Business Development for Europe @ Montréal International
Philippe Valentine is the Director of Business Development for Europe at Montréal International. He is on a mission to assist companies in investing and expanding operations to the Canadian market.
In this podcast episode, Philippe tells us about his personal story and interest in bringing European companies to the North American market, how Montréal International operates and what are their services, what are the cultural differences between Europe and Canada, and what are his thoughts on the benefits of Montreal as a business location.
- Would you like to know more about Montréal International? Visit their website: https://www.montrealinternational.com/en/
- Feel free to follow Philippe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippe-valentine-m-a-50312342/
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#25: Real estate investing for everyone | Talk with Peter Maslik - Co-Founder & COO @ Investown
Peter Maslik is the Co-Founder & COO of Investown. He and his team are showing the way to bring real estate investing to everyone in the Czech Republic and planning expansion to other markets.
In this podcast episode, Peter shares his story and interest in bringing to life user-friendly solutions for real estate investing in the CEE region, how Investown gets started with five co-founders, what is the way they are getting feedback from their users to improve their product, how is the collaboration between Investown & Seed Starter by Česká spořitelna, and what are his thoughts on the real estate market in the Czech Republic.
Also, he has mentioned the process behind Investown in selecting the projects which are listed on the platform and the plans of his company in the upcoming months.
- Would you like to know more about Investown? Visit their website: https://www.investown.com/
- Feel free to follow Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermaslik/
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#24: Product development tips & building a solution for financial wellness of renters | Talk with Tomas Rehor - CTO @ Zenbase
Tomas Rehor is the CTO of Zenbase. He is on a mission to build a solution to improve the financial wellness of renters. Currently focused on the Canadian market.
In this podcast episode, Tomas tells us about his journey to start working on Zenbase. Also, he has mentioned his experience working on startups, scale-ups, and corporations, recommendations for product development in early-stage startups, and his hobbies or activities in Prague outside of the startup life.
- Curious to know more about Zenbase? Visit their website: https://myzenbase.com/
- Feel free to follow Tomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rehor/
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#23: Digital service for rehabilitation of patients with chronic health conditions | Talk with Lisa Aasa - COO & Co-Founder @ Vitala
Lisa Aasa is the COO and co-founder of Vitala. She is on a mission to build a digital service for the exercise and rehabilitation of patients with chronic health conditions.
In this podcast episode, Lisa tells us about her journey with Vitala, and how to work as a family business. Also, she has mentioned the lessons learned she has brought as a soccer player to her new chapter as a startup founder, recommendations for fundraising, and her hobbies or activities outside of the startup life.
- Curious to know more about Vitala? Visit their website: https://www.vitala.health/en/home
- Feel free to follow Lisa on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-aasa/
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#22: Providing growth capital for SMEs | Talk with Martin Bodocky - CEO @ Threshold Capital
Martin Bodocky is the founder & CEO of Threshold Capital. He is providing growth capital for digital SMEs.
In this podcast episode, Martin tells us about his mission of bringing growth capital to SMEs in a transparent, flexible, personalized way. Also, we have learned the process while building his digital product, lessons from his days as a developer and a VC partner, and his recommendations for businesses to achieve healthy finances.
- Curious to know more about Threshold Capital? Visit their website: https://threshold.capital/
- Feel free to follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinbodocky/
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#21: Building tech for gender equality and better workplaces | Talk with Eleanor Manley - Co-Founder & CTO @ Metta Space
Eleanor Manley is the co-founder & CTO of Metta Space. She is building tech for gender equality and better workplaces.
In this podcast episode, Eleanor tells us about her role as CTO and her transition to the role of CSO, what steps they have followed to build their digital product, informs us about the impact of harassment in the workspace, and how they are working to reduce this issue.
If you would like to know more about Metta Space, you can visit their website: https://www.metta-space.com/
- Feel free to follow Eleanor on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanormanley/
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#20: Investing in impact-driven entrepreneurs from the Czech Republic | Talk with Andrew Gray - Investment Manager @ Tilia Impact Ventures
Andrew Gray is an Investment Manager at Tilia Impact Ventures. He supports founders in the CEE region to develop scalable solutions to solve social and environmental problems.
In this podcast episode, Andrew tells us about his role as an investment manager in an impact-focused VC firm, what's Tilia Impact Ventures, its portfolio, and vision, get to know about the mindset of VC investors, his advice for early-stage startup founders to raise funds, and recommendations to improve the chances to get product-market fit.
If you would like to know more about Tilia, you can visit their website: https://tilia.vc/
Some of the resources shared by Andrew during the conversation are over here:
- Social Impact Award
- ClimAccelerator
- Future of Food
- Prusa Lab Accelerator
- 321 dilna
- Ashoka Visionary Program
- SDGs Awards
- New Foundations Podcast
- Stuff You Should Know Podcast
- Feel free to follow Andrew on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-m-gray/
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#19: Supporting startups working towards positive impact & sustainability | Talk with Andrea Monti - Managing Director @ Founder Institute - Impact and Sustainability Chapter
Andrea Monti is the managing director of Founder Institute - Impact & Sustainability Chapter. Andrea has led several acceleration programs (like Hatch CoLab in Geneva, Switzerland) and helped different impact-driven startups to scale up.
In this podcast episode, Andrea tells us how he arrived to work with impact & sustainability-focused startups, what's the Founder Institute and its program for impact-driven companies, which are his advice for early-stage startup founders while building their ideas, and what are his recommendations for work-life balance.
- If you would like to join to the Founder Institute Impact and Sustainability program you can apply over here: https://fi.co/apply/impact
- Feel free to follow Andrea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/montiandrea/
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#18: How to build digital solutions from scratch | Talk with Will Dzama - Entrepreneur, Senior Product Manager
Will Dzama is an entrepreneur and CPO of Encubate. Will loves to build digital products and has worked on different early-stage startups, software development studios, and scale-ups.
In this podcast episode, Will tells us his story of working as a product manager in different companies, what recommendations and processes to follow while building a tech startup, how to validate ideas with users, and what skills are necessary for the role of product management.
- Feel free to follow Will on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/viliamdzama/
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#17: Innovation and collab with startups in the insurance industry | Talk with Sven Trautner - Senior Innovation Manager @ Munich Re
Sven Trautner is a Senior Innovation Manager of Munich Re. Sven loves to work towards innovation in the insurance industry with a framework called Business Building.
At Munich Re, with their Business Building practice, they strengthen their partners’ value proposition combining their industry expertise, technology and capacity with the shared goal of building the insurance of tomorrow.
In this podcast episode, Sven tells us his story working as an innovation manager, what is the Munich Re process in the Business Building practice, what are the challenges faced by the insurance industry during these times, what are the skills needed to work as an innovation manager and what resources he uses to keep learning about innovation and the insurance industry.
Some of the resources shared by Sven are:
- Feel free to follow Sven on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sven-trautner-ab0286125/
- Get to know more about Munich Re over here:
https://www.munichre.com/en.html
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#16: Leveraging AI for industrial machines operations and maintenance | Talk with Tanja Koch - Co-Founder & CCO @ Amplo
Tanja Koch is the Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer of Amplo. Tanja is a mechanical engineer building bridges between product, R&D, and B2B customer success. She is dedicated to B2B growth by triggering human emotions, keeping high standards, and educating customers.
With Amplo, Tanja and her team are working to make maintenance smart with a digital solution and leveraging AI.
In this podcast episode, Tanja tells us the story of Amplo, what is their process of building the software, how they are working to find product-market fit in different markets, what are her responsibilities & advice as a Chief Customer Officer, how to keep her motivation while building her tech startup, and different tips to raise funds from angel investors and VCs.
- Feel free to follow Tanja on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanjankoch/
- Get to know more about Amplo over here:
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#15: Making sustainability easy for real estate | Talk with Renate Andersen Straume - Founder & CEO @ Varig
Renate Andersen Straume is the founder and CEO of Varig. She has studied property development and facilities management and currently focused on bringing technology as a key enabler for sustainability within the use and ownership of buildings.
With Varig, they are making sustainability reporting easy for commercial real estate.
During our conversation, we got the chance to talk about Renate's process to define the scope of the minimum viable product, her story finding investors, how to make the right questions to the software users / customers, her vision for the software & real estate sustainability, and resources / places to follow if you are planning to start a tech company in Norway.
- Feel free to follow Renate on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/renateandersen/
- Get to know more about Varig over here:
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#14: Taking actions to tackle the climate crisis | Talk with Hermann Arnold - Co-Founder @ 42hacks, serial entrepreneur, investor and democracy reformer
Hermann Arnold is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and democracy reformer. He is currently working on 42Hacks - closing the gap between climate promises and protests with actions. Also, Hermann has invested in more than 30 startups in different industries.
During this podcast episode, we're talking about Hermann's journey as an entrepreneur & investor, how 42Hacks is helping to implement actions to reduce the climate crisis, what are the changes he is working towards improving democracy, what is his process and recommendations to invest in startups and the resources & books he follows for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors.
- Feel free to follow Hermann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hermannarnold/
- Get to know more about 42Hacks over here: https://www.42hacks.com/
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#13: Guiding people and companies in telling genuine stories | Talk with Pavla Lokajova - Senior Copywriter & Storyteller
Pavla Lokajova is a senior copywriter & storyteller helping businesses to use storytelling to engage with their customers. She has interviewed more than 500 CEOs and written about their stories.
Currently, she provides copywriting services to eCommerce, FoodTech, and FemTech companies. She loves to create long-format content like blog posts, case studies, whitepapers, and e-books to tell honest, unplugged stories of businesses, their industry, their teams, and customers.
During this podcast episode, we're talking about Pavla's approach to writing stories, the resources & books she follows, why companies must invest in content marketing and storytelling, what's the process companies need to follow to engage better with their customers, and some examples of good approach towards copywriting.
Some of the resources and links shared by Pavla are:
Books
- On Writing by Stephen King
- Living to Tell the Tale (Vivir para contarla) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell
- 12 Archetypes by Carol S Pearson
- Heroines's Journey by Maureen Murdock
- Do/Story by Bobette Buster
Newsletters
TED Talks
Feel free to follow Pavla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlaloka/
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#12: Building the first marketplace for clean hydrogen | Talk with Shawn Drost - CEO & Co-Founder @ Phoenix Hydrogen
Shawn Drost is the CEO & co-founder of Phoenix Hydrogen based in Berkeley, California, USA. He has previously co-founded and led a company training software engineers called Hack Reactor (https://www.hackreactor.com/) and has an exit of this company with Galvanize (https://www.galvanize.com/).
After selling his startup, Shawn decided to embark on a journey to learn more about climate change and look for potential improvements he could build. He gained significant knowledge about clean hydrogen and then kickstarted Phoenix Hydrogen.
With Phoenix Hydrogen, Shawn and his team are building the first marketplace of clean hydrogen combining his software development skills with the expertise of his co-founder on hydrogen. They have participated in one of the batches of Y Combinator and managed to raise their seed capital during the previous months.
During this podcast episode, we are talking about Shawn's way to learn about climate change and clean energy, the resources & companies he follows, what is green hydrogen, his vision of the use of hydrogen in the upcoming years, advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on finding co-founders, how he has approached fundraising for the company, and what's the process to build his marketplace.
Some of the resources and links shared by Shawn are:
- https://www.terra.do
- https://elementalexcelerator.com
- https://climatebase.org
- https://www.mcjcollective.com/media/podcast
- https://xenetwork.org/ets/
- Feel free to follow Shawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawndrost/
- To know more about Phoenix Hydrogen, you can visit their website at https://www.phoenixhydrogen.com/
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#11: Delivering the power to build a better world | Talk with Øyvind Vesterdal - Co-Founder & CEO @ Norsk Solar
Øyvind Vesterdal is the Co-Founder & CEO of Norsk Solar based in Stavanger, Norway. He has been working in the renewable energy sector for more than six years.
With Norsk Solar, Øyvind and his team are developing, investing, building, and operating solar power PV plants in emerging markets (LATAM, Africa, and Asia), with a special focus on commercial and industrial clients. The company has an installation track record of 60 MW. They are aiming to have 2 GW in operation or under construction by 2025.
During this podcast episode, we are talking about his starting point to work in the solar energy industry, advice for people to find ideas and execute them in profitable businesses, how does it work the Norsk Solar business model, the thinking behind and process of listing their company on the Euronext Growth Oslo stock exchange, and the resources he uses to keep updated in a constantly changing world.
- Feel free to follow Øyvind on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oyvind-laugen-vesterdal/
- To know more about Norsk Solar, you can visit their website at https://norsksolar.com/
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#10: Promoting and advancing entrepreneurship in Switzerland | Talk with Silvan Krähenbühl - Entrepreneur, Swisspreneur Podcast Host, Enterprise Account Director at Rentouch
Silvan Krähenbühl is an entrepreneur and podcast host based in Zürich, Switzerland. He loves to put ideas into action with great teams and hit goals he didn’t think were possible. Currently, he is the host of the podcast Swisspreneur (Switzerland's # 1 podcast for entrepreneurs) and Enterprise Account Director at Rentouch.
During this episode, we are talking about his experience building GymHopper and exiting this startup, how his gym routine has helped in the entrepreneurship path, how Silvan arrives to work as an ecosystem builder in Swisspreneur, key lessons learned from all the interviewees of the podcast, his passion for B2B sales and insights about it.
- Some of the resources mentioned during the conversation are:
- Swisspreneur Podcast (https://www.swisspreneur.org/podcast)
- Swisspreneur Syndicate (https://www.swisspreneur.org/syndicate)
- Swisspreneur Coaching (https://www.swisspreneur.org/coaching)
- Swisspreneur Events (https://www.swisspreneur.org/events)
- Blue Lion Accelerator (https://bluelion.ch/)
- Swiss Startup Mafia Map (https://www.swisspreneur.org/swiss-startup-mafia-map)
- If you want to read really interesting articles written by Silvan, check out: https://www.silvankraehenbuehl.com/things-i-write
- Feel free to follow Silvan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvankraehenbuehl/
- To know more about Swisspreneur & Rentouch, you can visit their website at https://www.swisspreneur.org/ and https://rentouch.ch/
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#9: Helping innovative entrepreneurs build a sustainable future | Talk with Vaclav Gregor - CEO & Partner @ Soulmates Ventures
Vaclav Gregor is the CEO & Partner of Soulmates Ventures. His mission is to accelerate bold entrepreneurs building a more sustainable future. Since 2020, the fund has been investing in a portfolio of companies addressing the most urgent and pressing environmental challenges. Some of the portfolio startups are Tesla Medical, Precismo, Perfect-Air, edlab, and sensetio.
During this episode, we are talking about the beginnings of Soulmates Ventures, how Vaclav arrives to work on this mission to accelerate purpose-driven companies, what are his recommendations to aspiring founders while creating their business, what is their criteria to invest in companies, how to approach hiring senior talent for your startup, and what is his next move with Soulmates.
- If you want to read really interesting articles, check out the Soulmates Ventures Journal: https://www.soulmatesventures.com/journal/
- Feel free to follow Vaclav on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaclavgregor/
- To know more about Soulmates Ventures, you can visit their website at http://www.soulmatesventures.com/.
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#8: Shaping the world of unbiased hiring | Talk with Charlotte Melkert - Co-Founder & CEO @ Equalture
Charlotte Melkert is the Co-Founder & CEO of Equalture. She is on the journey to disrupt the HR market with a digital tool shaping the world of unbiased hiring. Since 2018, Charlotte has started this company with her twin sister, Fleur Melkert, and they are currently a team of 37 people with their main headquarter in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Equalture is an HR software that helps SMBs collect unbiased insights on the skills and behaviors of both their team and candidates to hire the best-fits without bias, by using a gamified approach.
During this episode, we are talking about the beginnings of Equalture, how Charlotte arrives to work on this mission to fix the hiring process, what are her recommendations to aspiring founders while creating their tech startups, what has been their process to build the product, and what's the future of hiring.
Also, if you are planning to build a digital product soon, Charlotte recommends checking out this book: Hooked - How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal (https://www.nirandfar.com/hooked/).
- Feel free to follow Charlotte Melkert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-melkert-07987b81/.
- To know more about Equalture, you can visit their website at https://www.equalture.com.
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#7: Supporting impact tech founders in scaling and fundraising | Talk with Sasha Lipman - Founder @ tech2impact
Sasha Lipman is the founder of tech2impact. She is currently leading a team of 20+ people on a mission to support impact tech founders in scaling and fundraising.
tech2impact is a global digital hub for impact tech, supporting founders with needed resources and opportunities, and providing tailored guidance on corporate impact innovation. The heart of their ecosystem are founders, who build solutions to real global problems, using technology or science with a business model in place.
During the episode, we are talking about the story of tech2impact, what are the main challenges which startups are dealing with, the status of the impact-driven companies funding in Europe, how Sasha manages her time as the CEO of tech2impact, and valuable resources that she keeps using to grow this venture.
- Feel free to follow Sasha Lipman at her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashalipman/
- Also get to know more about tech2impact over here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech2impact/
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#6: Designing & implementing solar energy solutions | Talk with Richard Gabor - CEO @ reWATT
Richard Gabor is the CEO at reWATT. He has been working in the Solar Energy sector for more than 4 years now with Solarity as a Chief Financial Officer and started reWATT in 2020.
At reWATT, they are designing & implementing Solar Energy solutions for commercial entities to help with the reduction of CO2 emissions, reduction of electricity costs, and dependence on electricity supply.
During this episode, we are talking about the story of reWATT and Solarity, what is the process to set up solar energy plants in factories, what’s the current status of the energy sector in the Czech Republic and Europe, how Richard managed his time to build this company, and other ventures, and which are the resources he uses to keep learning as an entrepreneur.
- Feel free to follow Richard Gabor at his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardgabor/
- Also to know more about reWATT over here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rewattepc/
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#5: Empowering plant-based lifestyle with tasty and nutritious cookies | Talk with Julia Devecchi - Founder & CEO @ naanu
Julia Devecchi is the founder & CEO of naanu. She is passionate about making plant-based products. In naanu, she is making cookies that are tasty and also can provide you with 100% of your daily needs of vitamins & minerals.
During this podcast episode, we are talking about the story of naanu, what is the process she recommends to kickstart a company, what are the mentors/institutions to follow when starting a business, what’s the status of the FoodTech ecosystem in Switzerland and other countries, how did she create a team to move forward, and other important topics of her business journey.
Feel free to follow Julia on her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-devecchi-mas and get to know more about naanu over here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mynaanu/
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Some of the recommended resources by Julia in the podcast are:
- https://foodhack.global
- https://www.swissfoodresearch.ch/en
- https://swissfoodnutritionvalley.com
- https://helloalice.com
- https://zurich.impacthub.ch
- https://www.campus.co
- https://fi.co/s/zurich
- https://masschallenge.org/programs-switzerland
- http://momtestbook.com
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#4: Longevity - bringing together innovators and investors | Talk with Phil Newman - Founder @ First Longevity & Editor-in-chief @ Longevity Technology
Phil Newman is the founder of First Longevity and editor-in-chief of www.longevity.technology. He focuses on bringing together innovators and investors to commercialize the companies that will form the Longevity economy.
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During this podcast episode, we are talking about the story of founding First Longevity, what does it mean Longevity for him, what's the current state of the Longevity Ecosystem, what's the future of this sector, and his recommendations for aspiring founders to follow.
Feel free to follow Phil on his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-newman-61544b/
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#3: Innovate through Design Thinking | Talk with Linda Armbruster - Managing Partner @ Spark Works
Linda is the managing partner of Spark Works (https://www.sparkworks.ch/). She is an innovation consultant, service designer and lecturer with a background in strategic design, visual communication and art. Having worked in the field of arts and visual design, she realized that her passion and responsibility as a designer go beyond the sole creation of objects and appearances, towards generating innovative solutions with value for users, businesses and society as a whole.
At Spark Works she builds and leads inspiring research programs with interdisciplinary teams to tackle complex innovation challenges and contribute insights and creative thinking to projects in the private and public sector. The company blends methods grounded in Design Thinking and apply them throughout the design process to inform and inspire insight-driven and human-centered opportunities.
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During this podcast episode, we are talking about her story of founding Spark Works, how her company is helping companies to tackle complex innovation challenges, what's the Design Thinking process and her recommendations for aspiring founders to follow.
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#2: From marketing to mattering | Talk with Michaela Thomas - Founder & Design Director @ Butterflies & Hurricanes
Michaela is the founder & design director of Butterflies & Hurricanes (https://www.butterflies-hurricanes.cz/) - it's a design studio based in Prague, Czech Republic - they are helping NGOs and SMEs be more sustainable in the design of brands and their packagings.
Her company is involved in different activities and social media campaigns to make the world a better place in recycling and other issues. Also, she is offering her help to brands going from Marketing to Mattering. Feel free to listen to this episode, learn how is the process to design sustainable packaging, and join her movement.
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#1: The story of Startup Guide | Talk with Anna Weissensteiner - COO @ Startup Guide & Co-Founder @ WeBread
Anna is the COO of Startup Guide (https://www.startupguide.com). She is currently making sure the business operations are running smoothly. Anna has been working in Startup Guide for more than 3 years and she is going to tell us more about her story working at Startup Guide, the process behind, tips while running the business, the exciting mission they are up to and their future plans.
Also if you love eating and baking bread, we talked about her family venture WeBread (https://www.we-bread.com/). WeBread promises beautiful bread that’s easy to bake at home and is made from all-natural ingredients sourced locally in the Nock Mountains, Austria.
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