EU-Startups Podcast

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Vidya Peters, CEO of DataSnipper—the Dutch unicorn automating document-heavy audit and finance with enterprise-grade, traceable AI.

Founded in 2017, DataSnipper is used by 600,000+ professionals across 2,000+ customers in 175 countries—including the Big Four (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) and enterprises like Volkswagen, Morgan Stanley, Paramount, Siemens, Baker Tilly. In 2024, DataSnipper raised a $100M Series B led by Index Ventures at a $1B valuation, was the #1 fastest-growing company in the Netherlands for two years, and completed its first acquisition (UpLink). With multi-language support and industry-specific automation, DataSnipper focuses on what auditors actually need: speed with a regulator-ready audit trail.

In this exciting conversation, Vidya shares her background, the importance of auditors in society, and how DataSnipper is transforming the auditing landscape by automating tedious tasks and enhancing efficiency. The conversation delves into the future of auditing with AI, the significance of trust in the auditing process, and the impact of partnerships, particularly with Microsoft. Vidya also engages in a rapid-fire segment, sharing personal insights and thoughts on the evolving role of AI technology in people's lives.

We go deep on:

– What “traceable AI” looks like for regulators (step-by-step breadcrumbs)

– The one process that makes auditors smile by Friday

– Where agents should own work this quarter—and where humans stay in the loop

– How partnerships (incl. Microsoft ecosystem) make Monday mornings effortless

– The moment auditors say, “I’ll never go back”

Takeaways:

– Traceable AI = evidence, not guesses: every extraction, match, and check leaves a breadcrumb.

– Automate reality, not theory: start with evidence collection & tie-outs (fastest “auditors smile by Friday” win).

– Agents own the repetitive; humans own the judgment: let agents prep, reconcile, and validate; keep materiality & risk with people.

– Trust beats speed when it’s close: preserve human sign-off where stakes are high.

– Platform vision: industry-specific automation + partners + app ecosystem → repeatable outcomes at scale.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to DataSnipper and Its Impact

02:30 The Role of Auditors in Society

06:01 Transforming Auditing with Technology

09:33 The Future of Auditing: AI and Automation

12:33 The Importance of Human Auditors

14:25 Partnerships and Effortless Workflows

15:56 Milestones and Future Vision

17:29 Rapid Fire Questions and Personal Insights

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#startup #ai #technology #data #audit

This is the best time to build a startup ever. To young people thinking whether to build something: Start Now.

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Laura Modiano (Startups EMEA at OpenAI) to turn her “love letter to European founders” into a build-now playbook.

We break down OpenAI’s latest platform updates—Apps in ChatGPT + Apps SDK (a brand-new distribution channel), AgentKit (agents that actually do), Codex (GA) for developer speed, Sora 2 / Sora 2 Pro via API for high-ROI video, and GPT-5-pro for higher-stakes reasoning—into concrete steps founders can run today.

You’ll learn:

– The fastest path from idea → prototype using OpenAI’s stack (weekend-level speed)

– Apps in ChatGPT: how discovery + monetization change—and what founders should prep before day one

– Where AgentKit beats basic API calls (state, tools, guardrails → outcomes)

– How to fold Codex (GA) into your PR flow without slowing teams

– Sora 2: responsible, high-ROI uses that move real metrics

– GPT-5-pro vs. cheaper models: a practical decision rubric (stakes, accuracy, latency, cost)

Takeaways:

– Speed is a moat: scaffold with GPT-5-pro, then optimize to cheaper models.

– Don’t “add AI”—remove steps: redesign the workflow; kill clicks, not add them.

– Apps in ChatGPT = new distribution: 800M weekly users; EU/UK—prep your app listing, onboarding, and pricing now.

– Agents vs. endpoints: with AgentKit, combine state + tools + guardrails to deliver outcomes, not demos.

– Codex (GA) ≠ novelty: pair-programming, repo refactors, doc hygiene—without slowing PR velocity.

– Sora 2: use where dynamic video outperforms static—product demos, instructionals, simulations.

– Europe’s edge: talent density + research depth; the bottleneck is belief + shipping cadence, not brains.

Chapters:

00:00 Building in Europe: A Love Letter to Founders

05:15 Europe’s Competitive Edge

12:16 From Idea to Prototype: Leveraging OpenAI Tools

13:45 Integrating AI: Common Mistakes to Avoid

15:10 Apps in ChatGPT: Discovery, Distribution & Monetization

18:22 AgentKit: Unlocking New Possibilities

19:14 Codex (GA): Enhancing Developer Workflows

21:44 Sora 2 & GPT-5-pro: The Future of AI

25:15 AI & Jobs: A Balanced Perspective

32:01 Best Time to Build: A Call to Action

38:45 Final Thoughts: AI’s Role in Our Lives

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#startup #ai #chatgpt

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Scott van den Berg, founder of HotStart VC, to unpack how celebrity and creator-led brands actually win.

HotStart VC's team has been involved in 55+ celebrity-founded brands, including investments in companies founded by Selena Gomez, DJ Khaled, Jake Paul, and more. They also co-founded two of the most successful celebrity-founded brands: Feastables w/ MrBeast ($375M revenue in Y3) and The Honest Co. w/Jessica Alba ($1.4B IPO in 2021).

Most recently, HotStart VC welcomed actress Sasha Pieterse (20M followers) and creator Marina Mogliko (17M followers) as venture partners, further strengthening our access and expertise in the space.

We dive into why distribution is the new moat, why product quality (not hype) drives repeat purchase, how authentic creator–product fit builds trust, and the signals & metrics that matter beyond follower counts. Scott also shares how to structure teams around a creator, what most investors miss about the category, and why ownership changes commitment.

You’ll learn:

– Distribution as a competitive edge (and how to build it)

– Authenticity & problem-solving always beat endorsements & logos

– The metrics that predict revenue: engagement, retention, LTV/CAC

– Team design for creator-led companies (ops, brand, growth, supply)

– Why B2B for creators is an underpriced opportunity

Takeaways:

– Distribution is the moat; reach + repeatable channels beat one-off virality.

– Product quality drives retention; hype may launch, quality compounds.

– Authenticity converts; creator–product fit builds trust and pricing power.

– Engagement is more important than the number of followers; comments, saves, CTR, and repeat purchase predict revenue.

– Ownership matters; real skin-in-the-game changes creator commitment.

– Right team, right roles; brand + ops + growth + supply around the creator.

– Zero-to-one differs; creators start with audience, still must earn product–channel fit.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to HotStart VC and Scott van den Berg

02:33 The Role of Distribution in Celebrity Brands

05:01 Understanding the Challenges of Celebrity Brands

08:08 Identifying Early Signals of Success

10:32 Key Metrics for Long-Term Revenue

12:37 Building a B2B Company as a Creator

15:56 The Importance of Team Structure in Celebrity Brands

19:25 Rapid Fire Questions and Insights

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#startup #creator #celebrity #venturecapital

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Rocío Alcocer Magirena, Managing Director of Norrsken Barcelona — Europe’s largest hub for tech & impact startups — during Impact/Week (Oct 1–2).

We dig into Norrsken’s “infrastructure for hope”, the Impact/100 2025 list (where AI tops tomorrow’s impact unicorns), and why Spain’s startup economy is surging (📈 €3.8B). Rocío breaks down the momentum in healthcare, biotech, biodiversity, and home-care — and what Barcelona needs next: more talent and more patient capital.

Spanish finalists spotlighted in the episode:

Deepull (2019) — 1-hour, culture-free molecular test for ~95% of sepsis pathogens + resistance genes.

Sycai Medical (2020) — AI that flags abdominal lesions & predicts pancreatic cancer risk.

Biorce (2024) — Streamlining clinical trials with an AI platform, Jarvis.

Ocean Ecostructures (2018) — “Life Boosting Units” regenerate marine biodiversity; 300+ species & 1.5t CO₂ captured.

Qida (2017) — Scalable home-care to transform healthcare delivery.

What you’ll learn:

– How Norrsken builds infrastructure for hope (community + capital + space)

– Why AI leads in the next wave of impact unicorns

– The Impact/100 methodology & what makes a company “impact-ready”

– Europe’s healthcare & biodiversity challenges + where startups can win

– Community design: how Barcelona is shaping a global impact hub for 2026

Takeaways:

– AI is shaping the next wave of impact unicorns – solving real problems, not hyping demos.

– Spain’s startup ecosystem is breaking out – €3.8B and rising, with global attention.

– Impact thrives when capital meets purpose – patient, aligned money solves hard problems.

– People move markets – founder stamina beat paperwork.

– Community is the multiplier–the best hubs are engineered, not accidental.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Impact Week and Norrsken

03:07 The Growth of Spain's Startup Ecosystem

05:49 Impact/100: AI and the Future of Impact Unicorns

09:08 Spotlight on Spanish Startups

11:51 Challenges in Healthcare Startups

14:58 Biodiversity and Economic Impact

18:07 Home-Care Innovations

21:11 Community Design in Startup Ecosystems

24:00 Looking Ahead: Barcelona's Impact Scene in 2026

26:46 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

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#startup #venturecapital #impact

Most growth teams run on incentives. Most incentives run on… spreadsheets, guesswork, and disputes.

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Sergio González, CEO & Co-Founder of Remuner—the AI-powered sales compensation platform that turns commissions from confusion into a growth system. Fresh off a €5.5M Seed (led by Seaya, with Pear VC and others), Remuner is expanding globally and doubling down on AI to become Europe’s reference platform for sales compensation.

We unpack:

– Why incentives break (misalignment, opacity, manual ops)

– How AI nudges help reps maximize earnings (and hit targets)

– Why transparency kills shadow accounting and builds trust

– The power of no-code plan design (business teams, not IT)

– What “global by design” means for currency/compliance/culture

– The future: compensation as a strategic, data-driven growth lever

Takeaways:

– Automation + AI turn commissions from manual to strategic

– Transparency builds trust and ends shadow accounting

– Fix sales/comp cycle misalignment to unlock growth

– No-code design = faster changes, fewer IT bottlenecks

– AI nudges guide reps to maximize earnings, in real time

– “Global by design” matters: currency, compliance, culture

– Compensation is becoming a data-driven growth lever

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Remuner and Sergio González

01:29 What Remuner Actually Does (in plain English)

02:34 Why Transparency is the Trust Engine

04:01 Designing Effective, Fair Compensation Plans

06:14 Predicting Paychecks with Confidence

08:51 Before & After: A Customer Turnaround Story

11:10 AI Compensation Manager: Nudges & Insights

13:49 Ending Disputes & Shadow Accounting

15:57 No-Code Plan Design (No IT Dependency)

18:36 Global Compensation: Currency & Compliance

20:28 The Strategic Future of Compensation

23:32 Rapid Fire with Sergio

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#startup #sales

This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Beth Susanne, global pitch coach trusted by over 3,950 startups and clients across 60 countries. She has helped entrepreneurs raise over $10 billion to date!

Her work spans industries from medtech and biotech to fintech, AI, and cleantech, and she has collaborated with organisations such as Singularity University, Oxford Foundry, Barclays, BMW, and Disney. Known for her “dogged determination to extract the very best” from founders, Beth specializes in crafting clear, confident messages that resonate across investors, markets, and culture. She is the person European and Asian entrepreneurs call when they want to learn how to loosen up and exude confidence before meeting with a group of Silicon Valley investors.

In this episode, Beth breaks down how to capture and maintain investor attention, map motivations such as risk, upside, and speed, and master delivery through voice, pace, pause, and presence. She also shares why simplicity is a superpower, how founders can remove 70% of words to double their impact, and much more!

You’ll learn:

– Why attention is the only currency in a pitch—and how to earn it fast

– How to map investor motivations (risk, upside, speed) and speak to them directly

– Delivery that lands: voice, tempo, pause, and eye contact

– Simplicity as a superpower: remove 70% of words, double the impact

– Visualization & rehearsal: training confidence on command

Takeaways:

– Attention is the currency. Open strong, cut filler.

– Motivation mapping: speak to risk, upside, speed.

– Delivery makes meaning: breath, pace, pause, eye contact.

– Simplicity scales: fewer words, clearer claims.

– Visualization works: rehearse the state you need to feel.

Chapters:

00:00 The Art of Pitching: Understanding Investor Attention

02:33 Crafting the Perfect Pitch: Structure and Delivery

05:05 Transformative Coaching: Real-Life Success Stories

08:14 The Importance of Simplicity in Pitch

10:48 Mastering Delivery: Techniques for Confidence

13:33 Visualization and Mindset: Preparing for Success

16:02 Universal Pitching Rules Across Industries

19:00 Cutting Through the Fluff: Effective Communication

21:19 Body Language and Credibility in Pitching

23:56 Feedback and Growth: The Coaching Process

26:30 Rapid Fire: Insights and Advice for Founders

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#startup #pitching #venturecapital

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, Founder & CEO of EGYM, the German fitness tech unicorn transforming how the world approaches health.

EGYM’s mission is simple yet bold: make fitness accessible to everyone. By rethinking the traditional gym experience and integrating fitness into healthcare, EGYM is pioneering a shift from repair to prevention.

We dive into:

– Why 80% of gym-goers don’t actually benefit from their workouts

– The role of strength training in longevity and healthy living

– How technology personalizes and enhances fitness journeys

– What Europe can learn from the US (and vice versa) about health and fitness

– Philipp’s bold vision for the future of EGYM and preventative healthcare

Takeaways:

– EGYM’s mission is to make fitness accessible for all, not just the motivated 20%.

– Traditional gyms fail because most members don’t get real results.

– Strength training is one of the biggest unlocks for longevity.

– Integrating fitness into healthcare lowers costs and saves lives.

– Technology can personalize workouts, making prevention more engaging.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to EGYM and Its Mission

05:11 – The Broken Gym Experience

09:53 – Integrating Fitness and Healthcare

14:47 – The Future of Gym Technology

20:11 – Global Perspectives on Fitness

24:49 – Bold Bets and Future Aspirations

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#startup #fitness #gym #technology

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Des Traynor, Co-founder of Intercom, creators of Fin.AI, to unpack what it takes to transform a unicorn into an AI-first company.

Des shares the story of how Intercom embraced AI at its core, building Fin.AI, a customer service agent now handling millions of conversations. He explains the challenges of creating an AI-first culture, the risks of transition, and why companies that fail to adapt will not survive.

This is a must-listen for founders, builders, and investors navigating the AI revolution.

We also dive into:

– The future of AI-powered customer experiences

– Why Europe has untapped opportunities in AI vs. Silicon Valley

– What investors should know about backing AI startups today

– Des’s vision for the future of Intercom and Fin.AI

– And lessons from his angel portfolio (Notion, Algolia, Miro, Synthesia, and more)

Takeaways:

– AI isn’t a feature. It’s a foundation shift.

– Transforming a company into AI-first means changing culture, not just code.

– Customers measure AI by trust, not accuracy.

– Europe has the talent to lead in AI — speed is the missing piece.

– The biggest AI wins will come from industries still waiting to be disrupted.

Chapters:

00:00 – From Unicorn to AI Transformation

06:08 – Building an AI-First Culture

12:03 – Success Stories with Fin

17:48 – Europe vs. Silicon Valley in AI

24:12 – Future Vision for Fin and Intercom

If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube!

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#startup #venturecapital #ai

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Marco Trombetti, seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and Co-Founder & CEO of Translated and Pi Campus. Translated provides translation services in more than 200 languages with over 500.000 professional translators working in symbiosis with the best translation AI ever created.

Marco’s story is one of curiosity, long-term vision, and relentless optimism. From building software at just 15 to co-founding one of Europe’s leading translation platforms, Marco shares the lessons learned from decades at the intersection of technology, language, and entrepreneurship.

Packed with wisdom from a career of building, investing, and learning, this is a masterclass in how to play the long game as an entrepreneur.

We explore:

– Why naivety is often an entrepreneur’s superpower

– The importance of loving your users’ problems, not just your product

– How AI and humans can complement each other in translation and beyond

– Why physical spaces matter for innovation (and how Pi Campus was designed for that)

– Why optimism and long-term thinking are the most underrated startup strategies

Takeaways:

– Entrepreneurship is a long game: think 10–15 years, not 10–15 months.

– Optimism is an edge in building companies.

– Naivety isn’t a weakness — it’s what lets you try the “impossible.”

– AI won’t replace humans — it will enhance them.

– Founders should fall in love with their users’ problems, not their own ideas.

– The future is built by those who show up to build it.

Chapters:

00:00 – From Early Beginnings to Entrepreneurial Spirit

03:08 – The Birth of Translated and the Internet Revolution

10:05 – Building Companies: The Long Game

16:13 – The Importance of Physical Spaces for Innovation

19:34 – Optimism and Naivety in Entrepreneurship

21:16 – Rapid Fire Insights: Wisdom from Marco Trombetti

If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube!

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#startups #entrepreneurship #ai #translation

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Joe Seager-Dupuy, Partner at TRUE, the $1bn consumer-specialist VC and innovation advisory firm that’s reshaping the retail, leisure, and consumer tech sectors.

Joe shares his unique journey from a family of firefighters to venture capital, explains why brands today need a strong point of view, and reveals the “superpowers” that make TRUE one of the most interesting players in consumer VC.

The conversation dives into:

– How TRUE integrates sustainability beyond just a label

– The evolution (and reality check) of direct-to-consumer (D2C) models

– How AI is transforming consumer behavior and entrepreneurship

– Lessons learned working with Richard Branson

– And what makes a founder truly stand out

Takeaways:

– Great founders reshape consumer habits, not just follow them.

– Market size matters — even the best idea struggles without it.

– Copy-paste advice is dangerous; context defines success.

– Brands with a bold point of view earn loyalty faster.

– AI is an accelerant — amplifying both good business models and bad ones.

This episode is packed with insights on where consumer markets are heading — and what it takes to build a business that actually changes behavior.

Chapters:

00:00 From Firefighter to Venture Capitalist

04:11 The Superpowers of TRUE

08:20 Sustainability Beyond the Label

12:14 Brands Need a Point of View

16:17 The Evolution of D2C

19:11 The AI Revolution and Consumer Behavior

22:15 The Impact of AI on Entrepreneurship

25:29 Lessons from Richard Branson and Early Stage Founders

26:04 Identifying Promising Founders

29:43 Challenges in Consumer Market Size

31:01 Red Flags in Startup Pitches

33:02 Rapid Fire Insights on Consumer Trends

Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn:

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#startups #consumer #ai #venturecapital