A Seat at the Table

Nayia Papasarafianou is a mechanical engineering student at Vanderbilt University.

Having competed in national robotics and F1 in Schools competitions in high school, Nayia chose mechanical engineering as a way to keep exploring the different fields that interest her.

From climate tech to healthcare, she has realized that engineering can be found everywhere and refuses to be confined to just one of its applications.

Growing up, she was often the only girl on the STEM teams that inspired her to pursue engineering. That fueled Nayia to create Girls STEMpowerement, a platform that aimed to urge more girls to see themselves in these spaces. Because they more than belong there.

In our first-ever in-person conversation, Nayia and co-host Annie cover topics like:

• ⚙️Balancing exploration with building technical knowledge
• 🚺What female mentorship can look like
• 🗣️How Nayia trained herself to get comfortable being uncomfortable, from speaking up in class to interviewing people at SXSW

This episode is a must-listen for anyone starting university or just looking for some friendly, down-to-earth advice on exploring your interests, stepping out of your comfort zone and uplifting others along the way.

Learn more:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nayia-papasarafianou-71b573323/

From interning at NASA and SpaceX while still a teenager to graduating early from high school and starting her company instead of going to college, Valkyrie Holmes knows what it means to take bold leaps.

Now the CEO and co-founder of Faura, an insurtech startup that helps insurance companies and homeowners reduce their natural disaster risk, Valkyrie brings a rare mix of ambition, clarity, and heart to her work.

Her openness turns this episode into a “big sister advice” conversation where we touch on topics like:

• 👩‍🏫The role mentors play in shaping your path, especially the powerful influence of female role models
• 🌸The importance of recognizing how hormones influence women’s bodies and learning to embrace them rather than work against them
• 🚀What it means to build your own impact-driven startup in a legacy‑driven industry

This episode is a must-listen for anyone just graduating high school or in their first years of university - and starting to think more deeply about their career.

Learn more

Faura: https://www.faura.us

Valkyrie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valkyrieholmes/

Dr. Ewelina Kurtys is a Strategic Advisor at FinalSpark, a deeptech startup on a mission to build computers from living neurons.

Yes, you read that right! Instead of silicon chips, they’re using living neurons and programming them in vitro (in the dish).

And as science fiction as it sounds, they estimate this future is no more than 10 years away.

With a PhD in Neuroscience and experience in business consulting, Ewelina has a unique talent for making complex science easy to understand.

In this episode, Ewelina shares:

• 🔋 How living neurons could solve AI’s energy problem
• 🔬 The science behind “training” cells with electrical and chemical signals
• 💡 What she’s learned moving from neuroscience to the business world
• 🔮 Her vision for the future of computing

If you’re curious about the intersection of neuroscience, AI, and the future of computing, this episode is a must-listen!

And also make sure to visit FinalSpark’s website and see their neurons working in real time 👀

Learn more:

Finalspark: https://finalspark.com/

Live view of neurons: https://finalspark.com/neuroplatform

Ewelina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewelinakurtys

In this episode, we sit down with Angelina Bintoudi, an electrical engineer and the co-founder of Optimems, a company helping scale microgrids.

During this episode Angelina shares:

• ⚡ The importance of Microgrids (and how they can be used in space) 
• 🌐 Why decentralization is a vital step towards decarbonization 
• 🚀 What’s it’s like building and scaling a startup in Europe, from securing first sales to scaling across locations

And some “unpopular opinions” of Angelina that we loved:

• Make sure you have fun in your student years. Don’t stress too much about your exams, leave room for memories.
• Don’t be afraid to go into business with your people: friends, partners, family, whoever they may be.
• AI is just another tool; it’s important as ever to be able to understand the science behind a given solution yourself rather than trust tech blindly

Learn more:

Angelina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelinabintoudi⁠⁠

Optimems: https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimems

Board of European Students of Technology (BEST):  ⁠https://www.best.eu.org/index.jsp

In this episode we have the pleasure of being joined by Josefine Quack, an engineer at the Amsterdam-based Monumental, a company building brick-laying robots.

It's exactly what it sounds like, and the robots are honestly futuristic to see in action.

In this episode, Josefine shares her thoughts on building projects: pick the ones you don't feel ready for, and fun can be a valid reason!

We also discuss some specific stories from Monumental, like how camera calibration works and how their engineers have had to work to adapt to the construction environment.

And, Josefine shares what she's learned about iterative design. Sometimes, it's better to remove than to add.

If you're interested in robotics, building technical projects, or breaking down problems, definitely check out this episode.

Learn more:

Monumental's website: https://www.monumental.co/

Josefine's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jquack/

Mona Ismail is the co-founder and CEO of Arca, a VC-backed startup helping people curate the internet to tailor it to their interests.

In this episode, Mona shares how growing up as a Somali in Finland shaped her personality and perspective - specifically how the Finnish honesty combined with the Somali fearlessness helped her as a founder. 💪She also shares how Acra (very creatively) got their first users. And finally, we discussed Mona's advice on raising from venture capitalists, and dealing with the toughness of being a founder!

This episode is packed with practical advice on starting a startup, and Mona's advice is particularly helpful when it comes to leveraging your own unique strengths as a founder. 🚀

Learn More:

LinkedIn

Kasia is the Founder of Mindquest Global and an experienced executive coach. Kasia has a background in digital innovation, having led various projects across global organizations. She transitioned into executive coaching and has since worked with leaders across Asia Pacific and North America.

In this episode, we discuss strategies for leading a team and bringing out the best in people. Kasia shares insights on how to foster engagement, and on the power of conversation.

Learn more:

LinkedIn

In this episode, we chatted with Iza Ding, an associate professor of Political Science at Northwestern University. Her research is focused on areas such as bureaucracy, the environment, climate change, and nationalism.

She holds a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University and a B.A. in Political Science and Russian and Eastern European Studies from the University of Michigan. She has conducted field research in China, Germany, and Mongolia and is currently a Berlin Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin.

In this episode, we talk about the stories we tell ourselves, and how that makes us different from other animals.

Iza shares her thoughts on effective polarization and echo chambers, especially related to understanding climate change.

Finally, we discuss how to talk to, relate to, and understand people we disagree with.

Where to find Iza:

Website

LinkedIn

Jaiya is the cofounder of Tydra Labs, which is making the textile industry more sustainable by creating organic stretchy fibers as an alternative to petrol-containing Spandex.

In this episode, Jaiya talks about her journey to founding Tydra Labs, and how she’s scaling it - including conducting customer interviews and crushing pitch competitions. 

We also discuss why petrol-containing Spandex poses such a big problem, and the impacts of fast fashion.

Jaiya also shares insights from her trip to Kenya as part of UBC’s Sauder School of Business, where she taught entrepreneurship in Nairobi.

Where to find Jaiya:

LinkedIn
Tydra Labs
Eco Odyssey Challenge

Thaleia Dimitra Doudali is an assistant research professor at the IMDEA Software Institute, where she researches computers and machine learning, focusing on resource management. She is also an executive member of Greek Women in STEM, where she’s helping create inclusion in academia.
Thaleia’s notable distinctions include winning the Cesar Nombela grant and the Juan de la Cierva fellowship and being invited to attend the Rising Starts in EECS workshop.
In this episode, Thaleia shares her journey in electrical engineering and computer science and walks us through her pioneering research on leveraging AI to maximize the efficiency and sustainability of computer systems.
Thaleia also talks about the importance of mentorship and fostering intentional relationships while discussing how her educational journey in different continents and involvement in Greek women in STEM led her to that realization.

Links:
Personal Website
LinkedIn
Greek Women in STEM - Website