No-Code World Radio

DISPATCH 24 · FRANKFURT
Yaokai Jiang, founder, Momen

FRANKFURT — A software engineer who started coding in 1998 sets out to build a no-code tool. He doesn't know Bubble exists. Six years later, his users are running businesses with 60,000 customers. I sat down with Yaokai Jiang at No-Code Week to talk databases, DSLs, and why AI needs tools — not prompts — to write reliable backends.

On the ground with
Yaokai Jiang is the founder of Momen, a no-code platform for data-intensive applications. A former early engineer at Medallia, he built large-scale real-time analytics engines before turning his attention to a question: why should you need four years of university to build a SaaS?

What we covered
00:00 The itch: why a coder builds a no-code tool
02:09 Full-stack from day one — and never abandoning the front end
08:04 Transactional semantics, types, and replacing Hasura
11:02 AI meets DSL: why tool use beats prompt engineering for backends
20:32 The sports card collector: 60K users, $800K revenue, one builder
29:51 China vs US: two AI worlds, one regulatory chasm

From the notebook

• Momen — momen.app
• Medallia — medallia.com
• Hasura — hasura.io
• Bubble — bubble.io
• Xano — xano.com
• FlutterFlow — flutterflow.io
• Supabase — supabase.com
• Figma — figma.com
• Lovable — lovable.dev
• GraphQL — graphql.org
• Postgres
• Stripe

Find Yaokai
LinkedIn — linkedin.com/in/yaokai-jiang-21894924

Next stop
A dispatch from another builder reshaping how software gets made.

No-Code World Radio is hosted by Alex. New dispatches from a new city, wherever you listen.

DISPATCH 23 · FRANKFURT
Artur Mkrtchyan, co-founder, Softr

FRANKFURT — A platform that started as a visual front end for Airtable is now a full-stack builder with its own database, workflow engine, and AI layer. Artur Mkrtchyan sat down at No-Code Week to trace that arc — and explain why business teams need platforms, not just prompts.

On the ground with
Artur Mkrtchyan is co-founder of Softr, the no-code platform he and Mariam Hakobyan launched in 2020. With 15-plus years as a software engineer, Artur built Softr for the teams engineering departments never had time to serve: marketing, sales, HR. The platform now powers internal and client-facing tools at companies from TED to MIT.

What we covered
00:00 The repeating patterns of software engineering
03:30 Why Softr: the Zalando origin story
10:56 From interface builder to full-stack platform
23:53 AI meets no-code: the Softr approach
26:13 Why vibe coding alone fails business teams
35:37 What's next: MCP, agents, and the roadmap

From the notebook

• Softr — https://www.softr.io/
• Airtable — https://airtable.com/
• Make — https://www.make.com/
• Zapier — https://zapier.com/
• HubSpot — https://www.hubspot.com/
• Notion — https://www.notion.so/
• Salesforce — https://www.salesforce.com/
• Snowflake — https://www.snowflake.com/
• Cursor — https://cursor.com/
• Claude — https://claude.ai/
• Stripe — https://stripe.com/
• Shopify — https://www.shopify.com/
• TED — https://www.ted.com/
• MIT — https://www.mit.edu/
• No-Code Week — https://nocodeweek.com/
• MCP (Model Context Protocol)
• REST API, SQL databases, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Excel
• Google Tables, AppSheet (both discontinued/acquired by Google)

Find Artur

• LinkedIn — https://de.linkedin.com/in/artur-mkrtchyan-27282b256
• Softr — https://www.softr.io/

Next stop
Another city, another builder. Next dispatch drops soon.

No-Code World Radio is hosted by Alex. New dispatches from a new city, wherever you listen.

Get in touch with Alex on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiskovalenko/) or by email at [email protected].

DISPATCH 22 · FRANKFURT
Darragh McKay, CEO and founder, Noloco

FRANKFURT — At No-Code Week, Noloco's founder traces an arc from 2021 to today: five years of building internal tools on top of other people's data. Along the way, the word "no-code" started to fray at the edges.

On the ground with
Darragh McKay founded Noloco in 2021 after working as a software engineer at HubSpot and a Dublin startup. He saw small and mid-sized teams drowning in spreadsheets and disconnected SaaS tools, unable to assemble the systems they actually needed. Noloco gives them an interface layer on top of existing databases — Airtable, Postgres, MySQL, Google Sheets — without writing code.

What we covered
00:00 Introductions at No-Code Week Frankfurt
01:19 From HubSpot engineer to founder: the thesis behind Noloco
05:46 How Noloco turns spreadsheets and databases into working apps
11:19 A US construction firm that runs CRM, ERP, and project management on one Noloco app
17:58 Five years of evolution — from web app builder, to data-first platform, to AI
23:25 NOLA, the AI agent that helps builders create apps from natural language
32:58 Why "no-code" doesn't hold up anymore, and what might replace it

From the notebook

• Noloco (https://noloco.com)
• Airtable (https://airtable.com)
• HubSpot (https://hubspot.com)
• Lovable (https://lovable.dev)
• Make (https://make.com)
• Zapier (https://zapier.com)
• n8n (https://n8n.io)
• WeWeb (https://weweb.io)
• Bubble (https://bubble.io)
• Glide (https://glideapps.com)
• Softr (https://softr.io)
• Claude (https://claude.ai)
• Cursor (https://cursor.com)
• Retool (https://retool.com)
• GitBook (https://gitbook.com)

Find Darragh
LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/darraghmckay

Next stop
No-Code Week returns next year — whatever it ends up being called.

No-Code World Radio is hosted by Alex. New dispatches from a new city, wherever you listen.
—
Get in touch with Alex on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiskovalenko/) or by email at [email protected].

DISPATCH 21 · FRANKFURT
Bart Veldhuizen, Community Lead, n8n

FRANKFURT — At No-Code Week 2026, n8n's community lead explains why handing your bank credentials to an AI agent is still a terrible idea — and how the company is racing to build an AI workflow builder that rivals what users already get from Claude.

On the ground with
Bart Veldhuizen has been building communities for over 20 years, starting with Blender in the early 2000s. He joined n8n as a user, then became community lead. Now he runs a team of six, with a seventh on the way. His view spans open-source culture, commercial community strategy, and the collision of no-code automation with AI agents.

What we covered
00:00 The arc of community building — from Blender to n8n
03:43 MCP server overhaul and the "Instance AI" workflow builder
05:58 Why builders are bypassing n8n and using Claude to write workflows
09:15 AI agents vs. traditional automation: observability is the difference
11:43 A self-learning Gmail assistant, vibe-coded in one weekend
24:31 From 35 to 175 ambassadors, and the path to 1,000

From the notebook

• n8n: https://n8n.io
• Blender: https://www.blender.org
• Claude Code: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code
• Model Context Protocol (MCP): https://modelcontextprotocol.io
• No-Code Week : nocodeweek.io

Find Bart

• LinkedIn: https://nl.linkedin.com/in/bartveldhuizen

Next stop
No-Code Week wraps with a hackathon. Results in the next dispatch.

No-Code World Radio is hosted by Alex. New dispatches from a new city, wherever you listen.

That's the dispatch from Frankfurt. I'm Alex. Talk soon.

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Linkedin or Bluesky

🗒 Brief summary

In this interview, Alex speaks with Tomas Halgas, a tech entrepreneur from Slovakia, about his journey from working at Facebook to founding Sutro, a no-code development platform that integrates AI to empower users in building applications without deep coding knowledge. Thomas discusses the evolution of AI, particularly language models, and Sutro's focus on combining creativity with reliable software development. He critiques the current no-code ecosystem for often prioritizing ease of use over security and reliability, especially in business applications. Tomas shares his vision for Sutro's upcoming launch, emphasizing enhanced user experience and invites listeners to join the waitlist. The conversation highlights the intersection of AI, coding, and the no-code movement.

📚 Resources

• Tomas on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomhalgas/
• Sutro: https://withsutro.com/

📖 Chapters

0:17 Introduction to the Interview

2:52 Tomas's Background and Experience

4:47 The No-Code Ecosystem

6:31 The Rise of AI in Development

9:12 Sutro: Merging No-Code and AI

12:35 The Role of Compilers in Sutro

13:33 Evolution of Sutro and LLMs

18:38 Challenges in Business Software

22:59 Sutro's Approach to Development

35:15 Future Steps for Sutro

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠⁠⁠

🗒 Brief summary

In this interview, Alex talks with Daniel Zrůst, App Solutions Architect at Make, about the platform's evolution and AI integration over the past year. They discuss key features like scenario inputs/outputs and a beta grid for organizing workflows, alongside the typical five-step complexity of automations. Daniel highlights the balance between traditional automation and AI's capabilities, emphasizing the importance of human oversight through the new Human in the Loop module. They conclude with enthusiasm for future developments in Make's offerings.

📚 Resources

• Daniel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danzrust/
• Daniel's talk from No-Code Week 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v51vOCjrBYs
• Make: https://www.make.com

📖 Chapters

0:31 Introduction to the Interview

2:22 Evolution of Make and the Industry

10:37 The Role of AI in Automation

18:18 Exploring MCP Servers

21:55 Human in the Loop Technology

25:00 Future Predictions and Closing Remarks

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠⁠⁠

🗒 Brief summary

In my interview with Igor Voroshilov, a Tokyo-based Webflow developer and agency owner, he shared his journey from studying international relations in Russia to building a tech career in Japan. Without a technical background, Igor discovered Webflow while seeking marketing solutions for his startup, which eventually led him to master the platform and launch his own agency. His company now specializes in helping Japanese businesses migrate from traditional CMS platforms to Webflow. Igor offered fascinating insights about Japanese web design aesthetics, which often feature information-dense layouts reflecting cultural communication preferences. Despite the challenges of lengthy decision-making processes with Japanese clients, he values the loyalty these relationships bring. Igor runs a team of five, teaches Webflow through his Supasaito Academy, and expressed his deep appreciation for Tokyo's unique blend of modernity and tradition.

📚 Resources

• Igor on X: https://x.com/igorvoroshilov
• Igor on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/igorvoroshilov/
• Supasaito web site: https://www.supasaito.com/en
• Studio.design: https://studio.design/
• Webflow Tokyo Meetup: https://lu.ma/webflow-tokyo

📖 Chapters

0:36 Introduction in Tokyo

1:25 Background and Education

3:39 Startup Journey

5:15 Transition to NoCode

7:37 Discovering Webflow

9:37 Learning Webflow

11:37 Agency Overview

14:30 Client Needs and Requests

15:57 Japanese Design Aesthetics

19:53 Working with Japanese Clients

23:15 Sales Process and Challenges

26:41 Company Structure and Culture

29:03 Remote Work Benefits

31:59 Project Management Tools

34:15 Webflow Features and AI

39:59 Use of AI in Projects

46:22 No-Code Community in Japan

49:12 Fragmentation of Communities

51:30 Conclusion and Personal Interests

54:53 Closing Remarks and Social Links

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠⁠⁠

🗒 Brief summary

In this interview, I talk with Maimi Higuchi, a no-code consultant in Japan, about the rise of no-code development and her role in promoting citizen development with Kintone, a platform for small businesses. Maimi shares her journey from the U.S. to Japan, the challenges of freelancing in a corporate culture, and the importance of foundational experience. They discuss Kintone's impact on streamlining operations and the necessity for effective training in no-code tools. Maimi also outlines her plans to create educational content for Japanese users and empower Ukrainian refugees with no-code skills, while touching on local AI adoption and the No-Code Japan Association's initiatives. The conversation highlights the evolving no-code ecosystem in Japan.

📚 Resources

• Maimi on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/maimi-higuchi-121410269/
• Maimi on X : https://x.com/maimihiguchi
• Kintone : https://www.kintone.com/
• Cafe LA in Osaka : https://maps.app.goo.gl/YEVRnRiuLV2EKvw3A

📖 Chapters

0:44 Introduction to No-Code in Japan

2:50 Background of a No-Code Consultant

6:26 Freelancing Culture in Japan

7:35 Challenges of Freelancing

13:09 Understanding Kintone Tool

16:28 Projects and Applications

27:19 Notion and Its Popularity

28:10 Citizen Development Explained

34:03 The Role of Citizen Developers

39:05 Supporting Ukrainian Refugees

40:02 AI Tools in Japan

44:06 No-Code Community in Japan

46:49 Experience at No-Code Summit

49:20 Personal Recommendations for Osaka

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠⁠⁠

🗒 Brief summary

Join us for an insightful conversation with Nicolas Carroll, Product Manager at Bubble, recorded live at the No Code Week conference. We discuss the evolution of Bubble's visual programming platform, the challenges of enabling no-code mobile app development, and how AI is poised to transform the no-code landscape. Nick shares his perspective on product management for a powerful yet complex tool like Bubble and how they balance user requests with the company's broader strategic goals. An enlightening discussion for anyone interested in the future of no-code!

📚 Resources

• Nick on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolasjcarroll/
• Bubble: https://bubble.io
• Nick's talk at the No-Code Week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDDk3QjiNCs

📖 Chapters

00:00 - Intro00:39 - Nick's background before Bubble02:25 - How Nick would describe Bubble to someone new04:47 - The breadth and challenge of working on Bubble as a product07:02 - Organizing product teams at Bubble09:09 - Deciding to focus on native mobile app development13:01 - Current state of no-code mobile app builders14:20 - Distinction between responsive web apps, app wrappers, and native mobile apps18:33 - How Bubble determines product roadmap and feature prioritization22:12 - The role of AI in enhancing the Bubble platform and assisting users26:21 - Vision for AI-powered app generation and iteration in Bubble29:31 - Challenge of onboarding users to modify AI-generated complex apps32:27 - Documentation as a key problem to solve for no-code platforms34:53 - Nick's experience and takeaways from the No-Code Week conference36:54 - Outro

Please share this episode around and get in touch with me on Twitter : ⁠⁠@alexkovax⁠⁠

🗒 Brief summary

On this episode of the No-Code World radio podcast, we meet Sarkis Buniatyan, a prominent figure in the No-Code community. Sarkis discusses his background as a product designer and his love for software. He explains the potential of No-Code tools and showcases impressive projects using Webflow. He also talks about his entrepreneurial journey and his focus on revolutionizing learning with his company, Restep. He emphasized the importance of creativity and the need for quality in the No-Code space. Finally he highlights the benefits of exploring new environments, like Chiang Mai, for personal growth and creativity. The episode concludes with an invitation to subscribe and share thoughts.

📚 Resources

• Sarkis on Twitter/X : https://twitter.com/SarkisBuniatyan
• Sarkis on Webflow : https://webflow.com/@protocore
• Restep : https://www.restep.io/
• Civilization 6 : https://webflow.com/made-in-webflow/website/Civilization

📖 Chapters

0:00:00 Introduction to Season 5 and Chiang Mai Trip

0:01:06 Discovering the Power of Software

0:03:07 The Choice Between Developer and Designer

0:03:34 The Gateway into Code: Exploring the World of No-Code

0:06:09 Pushing the Limits of Webflow with Realistic PlayStation Interface

0:14:51 Changing Perception of Web Design

0:18:49 AI Startup: Creating a contextual information platform

0:20:45 Restep: Revolutionizing learning with workflow replication technology

0:24:03 Frustrations with traditional learning methods

0:26:21 The future of visual development and the no-code space

0:29:15 No-code space evolving towards visual development

0:31:50 Building your own software with customizable platforms

0:34:22 The Danger of Valuing Speed over Creativity in Web Design

0:35:44 The Impact of our Environment on Creativity

0:39:06 Chiang Mai: A Place to Bootstrap Ideas

0:40:23 A Different Episode with Limited Equipment

0:42:25 Chiang Mai: A Vibrant City with Amazing Nature and Food