k/talks

Is there a magic formula for creating the products and services that people want? How should we think about our customers and their needs if we wish our product to be well received?

In this episode of k/talks, my guest Marko Jevtić presented a concept of design thinking. Design thinking is a methodology that is successfully used both by startups and large corporations around the globe. It leads us to better understanding of our users, their needs and problems on one side, but also teaches us to how to test prototypes, find innovative solutions and adapt on the other. Companies that use the design thinking methodology describe it as the key to success not only in the process of innovation, but also in improving existing products and ideas.

Marko Jevtić is the co-author of the book Design Thinking, which he wrote together with his colleague from Nordeus, Milovan Dekić. In Nordeus, Marko leads a team working on the game Top Eleven, a product that had over 200 million users. After completing Cotrugli EMBA studies, he also completed the LEAD program at Stanford University. Before Nordeus, he worked in marketing and wrote for various media. Marko revealed that design thinking is somewhat like cooking - after some time and practice, everyone finds their ideal recipe that suits them best.

This episode is in Serbian.

This year's edition of Startup Genome, published on June 25, brings two key results for the Serbian IT scene - the startup market of Belgrade and Novi Sad reaches a value of 502 million dollars, and Serbia ranks fifth among the analyzed countries in the number of blockchain developers. This research shows us not only how our ecosystem positions itself in comparison to other startup ecosystems in the world, but also allows us to map its key strengths and the weakest points.

The guest of the 12 episode of k/talks is Vukasin Stojkov, one of the founders and director of Startit Center. Vukasin is certainly one of the pioneers in the development of the local startup ecosystem. Startit Center was among the first organizations which educated about the IT sector, new software and digital systems, new trends, values ​​and ways of thinking. With Vukasin, I tried to get deeper into the reasons for the success of the local startup ecosystem, but also to peek into the pockets of its untapped potentials. We also touched on the Tesla Nation, a project started with the goal of choosing the best technology inventors and professionals of Serbian heritage and connecting them to partners from all around the world, inspired by the vision and ambition of Nikola Tesla.

This episode is in Serbian.

It is 2020 and you live in a city? You probably didn’t know that you belong to 50% of the total world population inhabiting the urban environment. In the next 30-40 years this number is predicted to increase to 80%. If that sound too abstract, let’s transfer these percentages into some real-life examples - in the upcoming years the urban population will increase by one city the size of Milan, Prague or Belgrade on a weekly basis! Dizzying, right?

If you belong to the urban population, you have certainly not been bypassed by the buzzword "smart city". Cities of the future or smart cities are a wide discussed concept, originated from the trend of population growth and the need for sustainability. One of the pioneer companies from the smart city tech industry comes from Serbia and is older than the term "smart city" itself. Strawberry Energy is founded in 2011. And today you can find their products in over 20 countries and 50 cities around the globe. Strawberry produces a smart street furniture, which brings energy and connectivity to the city streets. Their products are designed for public spaces where people gather, making the cities smarter and more convenient to live in. 

Miloš Mlisavljević, one of the founders of Strawberry Energy, is truly enthusiastic about the reorientation of city infrastructure aimed at improving life in urban areas. In this conversation we tackled a lot of interesting topics, from Strawberry smart city products such as Strawberry tree and smart benches, through PPP between cities and socially responsible companies, all the way to Tesla, electric cars and the influence of Covid-19 to smart cities and habits of its inhabitants.

The episode is in Serbian.

We all know music and we all love music. We all surrender to it, when it speaks to us directly, and when it works its magic as a glue that brings people together. We dance and sing to it, and sometimes even dare to create it or play around with it. But have you ever wondered who dares to move it forward and set its new frontiers? And where the most audacious technologists play with music, and the most innovative musicians with technology.

Michela Magas and Andrew Dubber are the minds and hearts behind one such movement, a community known as the Music Tech Fest. They celebrate music as a force for human advancement and transformation, as it innovates and benefits from innovation, as it interacts with technology and social change. This episode is dedicated to the power of the music as a platform.

Michela Magas and Andrew Dubber, social innovators who are standing strong on the intersection of music and technology, are directors of Music Tech Fest, a global community platform of over 7000 creative innovators and scientific researchers, who work in science, art, engineering, humanities, activism, social science, policy and industry. The platform is a unique innovation ecosystem, festival of ideas and creative laboratory, which provides a test case for innovation in areas as diverse as neuroscience, forestry and microcomputing.

Michela has a track record of more than 25 years in innovation – she is innovation advisor to the European Commission and the G7 leaders, and the creator of the Industry Commons. In 2017 she was awarded European Woman Innovator of the Year and in 2016 she was presented with an Innovation Luminary Award for Creative Innovation. Andrew is a Steering Board Member of the Industry Commons Foundation, the founder and author of New Music Strategies, an advisor to Bandcamp and host of the weekly MTF Podcast. He is an academic, broadcaster, DJ, record producer and the author of several books about music, media and technological change.

This episode is in English.

Links to Dj Arthro and Riika Hänninen, the blind singer who can play music from her brain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMP72qRv2BA
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXqH3xUhYOnRNRdv32-E3hw
https://www.facebook.com/djarthro/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hil_lZyF8IY

Jooki:
https://www.jooki.rocks/

Skoog:
https://skoogmusic.com/

(This episode is in Serbian)

In this episode of k/talks I sit down with Zoja Kukić. Zoja is an integral part of the Serbian digital ecosystem, a contemporary of its growth from its modest beginnings up to the point where the local hubs of Belgrade and Novi Sad get recognized by the Startup Genome in three major categories - top 5 in blockchain, top 5 in affordable talent and top 10 in gaming. This has been a tremendous accomplishment, as it puts Belgrade and Novi Sad as the only such hub on the map between Estonia and Israel. We talked about the early years, different factors that enable or hamper growth and many other things.

Zoja also co-authored a research published by Digital Serbia Initiative, that tracked how the Covid-19 pandemic and the accompanying economic crisis affected the local digital ecosystem. Contrary to what many commentators suggested, the digital community suffered greatly across the globe. With a few notable exceptions, most businesses took a big hit as a result.

Further read and resources:
https://startupgenome.com/ecosystems/belgrade-and-novi-sad
https://www.dsi.rs/skener-digitalne-privrede-covid-19/

(Episode is in Serbian)

In this episode, I sit down with Jelisaveta Lazarevic, project leader at AFA (Association for Female Affirmation - All for all), leading the project of women's digital literacy. We are looking into reasons why a staggering 54% of women qualify as digitally illiterate and what AFA is doing to change this trend. We also discuss the global challenge of having disproportionally fewer girls interested in STEM education, compared to the number of boys and, more alarmingly, compared to the number of girls interested in STEM below the age of 10. You may learn more about AFA's activities by contacting them via email ([email protected]) or looking them up on social media.

In this episode, I am speaking with Marc Wesselink. Mark is a founding partner of Venture Rock, a venture capital firm attempting to change the business of venture capital, improving it both for the investors and the entrepreneurs. He is a serial entrepreneur and as one, he understands the importance of focusing on process and execution. By focusing on these critical points, and less on the appeal of an idea, his fund is focusing on startups that have the ability to execute. In the time when we can measure everything, a well thought out process can help funds and entrepreneurs focus on goods and services that actually deliver value to their customers. 

From minimum viable team, through detailed and well thought out execution plan, to detailed monitoring, this was an exciting conversation with someone who believes that the successful VC capital emerges from the marriage of modern technology for measuring, and basic principles for doing business - focusing on the customers, plan and execution.

Apologies to everyone for a slightly explicit content at times ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

(Episode is in Serbian)

In this episode I am speaking with Nikola Čavić. Nikola is a founder and chairman of the Serbian Gaming Association, a business association whose members include prominent and well established global names in global gaming, as well as smaller studios and teams. Before founding the SGA, Nikola has spent many years as an executive in product and business development in gaming companies, including Nordeus, one of Serbia's finest. He also runs a consultancy business GameBiz Consulting; through his company and particularly through the SGA he focuses on building and nurturing the local gaming industry - successful startups and a myriad of teams looking to launch their gaming ideas into global orbit.

In this episode we touch upon the global and local aspects of gaming. Gaming is just massive globally. It raked in more than USD 150 billion in 2019, making it by far the largest creative industry in the world right now, dwarfing the film and music industry combined... and almost three times over. Just as interesting is the local Serbian gaming scene. In the last year's research of Startup Genome, Belgrade and Novi Sad ranked in top ten of all major global destinations, shoulder to shoulder with places like Silicon Valley, London, Barcelona and Shanghai.

If you want to get in touch with Nikola and the SGA, you may reach the organisation at [email protected].

(Episode is in Serbian language)

In this conversation we explore storytelling with Relja Dereta. Relja is best known for his ability to transform semi-interesting presentations into exciting and memorable public appearances. He has worked with dozens of TED and TEDx speakers, executives and activists, helping them capture their audiences and deliver their message when they really need to. We explore what makes a good presentation, a good message, a good and memorable public performance. We discuss the significance and evolution of storytelling and the role it plays in today's culture of public speaking.

In some circles Relja is better known for his tango skills. He is an instructor and project coordinator at Tango Natural, the largest Argentine Tango community in the region, and one of the largest in Europe. We asked Relja to share some of the music that inspires him and he more than delivered. Well connected in the tango community that he is, he kindly got us licences. I hope this inspires you to explore this beautiful genre further.

1. Otros Aires - Milonga Sentimental (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIZj1m-rt1c)
Milonga Sentimental is almost a century old, originating from the early thirties, revered by countless generations of tango lovers. Otros Aires is a tango music project, founded in Barcelona in 2003. You may find them on all major streaming platforms (Apple Music, Spotify and others), and you may enjoy their music on their Bandcamp site at https://otrosaires.bandcamp.com

2. Orquestra Romantica Milonguera - And I Love Her (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4f8mNro28E)
This is a well known classic from The Beatles, with a tango twist which breathes it a new life. After I heard the song, I binge-listened many more from this band. We hoped it excites this conversation a bit more. You may enjoy the Orquestra Romantica Milonguera on major streaming platforms, read more about them at https://www.facebook.com/romanticamilonguera/ and buy their tunes at https://romanticamilonguera.bandcamp.com

3. At the end of the conversation we enjoy another take on Milonga Sentimental by Balkan Aires feat. Otros Aires.

(Episode is in Serbian)

So what do escape rooms and digital transformation have in common? Digital transformation is a concept loved by some and hated by many, a journey of sorts, filled with mysteries and adventure which can also be exciting and fulfilling. It is a journey where a skilled gamemaster can help with revealing blind spots and offering hints. So what do escape rooms and digital transformation have in common? Our guest in this episode - his name is Aleksandar Vratonjić Gligorijević. In a suit, he is the CMO of Telegroup, a well known company in the SEE region, responsible for many transformative journeys. In a t-shirt "100 escape rooms" - he is an escape room enthusiast, finishing of what is now a three figure count of escape quests. And layered on top of all of his other skills, he is a founder of Watchout, a nu metal band from a while back. I hope you enjoy this journey of digital transformation, where we also go on two side quests, one discussing escape rooms and the other - playing music.