Startup Talks by Make IT in Oradea

Should you really raise VC?

 This week on Startup Talks, Andreas from EUVC drops hard truths about venture capital and why most founders would be better off without it.

We dive into:

• Why the VC model is overhyped for most startups
• The reality of European venture capital vs. Silicon Valley
• How Romania and Eastern Europe are becoming unexpected startup hotspots

It's a candid, insightful take that flips the usual startup advice on its head.

👉 Perfect for founders, creators, and anyone thinking about taking funding (or not).

🚀 Startups don’t need bigger ad budgets—they need communities.

The best brands today aren’t built on ads, they’re built on people who love them enough to spread the word. But most founders still think growth = spending money.

In this episode of Startup Talks, we sit down with Matei Psatta, CMO & Co-Founder of Blindspot, to break down why community-driven marketing is the future and how startups can turn their users into their biggest growth engine.

💡 If you’re a founder, marketer, or just want to grow something big—you need to hear this.

Călin Popescu didn’t just build a company—he built himself first. From leaving Romania to working in global tech companies, to launching Nostra:Biome, a startup tackling gut health through microbiome intelligence, his journey is filled with brutal lessons on discipline, resilience, and how startups actually survive.

🔥 In this episode, we cover:
🚀 The truth about startups: Why most fail & how to avoid it
🛠️ Building a company the hard way: From Romania to global entrepreneurship
💡 Why discipline > motivation in business (the key to long-term success)
📈 Lessons from launching a biotech startup (and why investors hesitate)
🔬 The gut-health connection: What most people (and doctors) miss

This isn’t just a startup story—it’s a lesson in how to think, build, and survive as a founder.

Are you making the same mistakes?

Startups aren’t a fairy tale. If profit is your only goal, you're setting yourself up for failure.

In this no-holds-barred episode of Startup Talks, we chat with Cristobal Alonso, Global CEO & El Patron of Startup Wise Guys—Europe’s leading B2B startup accelerator. With over 400 investments under his belt, he reveals the secrets to success! 

In this episode, you’ll discover:
✅ The #1 reason why startups fail (and how to avoid it)
✅ The MVP trap—and why most founders get it wrong
✅ The real role of accelerators (and why most don’t actually help)
✅ Why VC funding isn’t the golden ticket (and what to focus on instead)
✅ How instant gratification culture is ruining young entrepreneurs
✅ The one skill that separates real founders from wannabes

Thinking of launching a startup? Struggling to grow? This is a MUST-WATCH.

🔔 You should subscribe! :) we drop valuable insights from the world of startups every week.

02:06 – Intro: Who is Cristobal Alonso?
04:36 – The #1 Reason Startups Crash and Burn
09:06 – Are Founders Becoming Softer?
14:21 – The MVP Trap: Why Most Startups Get It Wrong
19:46 – How European Founders Are Failing Themselves
25:16 – Do Accelerators Actually Help Startups?
30:06 – Why VC Funding Won’t Solve Your Problems
35:36 – How to Think About Growth as a Founder
42:26 – What Every Founder Should Focus On Instead of Funding
48:56 – Final Thoughts: The Brutal Truth About Startups

🎙️ Startup Talks: Episode 5 – A Conversation You Can’t Afford to Miss

This week, we sit down with Andy Budd, a UX design pioneer and venture partner at Seedcamp, to explore what it really takes to grow a startup that scales. 🚀

Andy shares his journey from shaping the early days of UX to mentoring founders through the highs and lows of funding, scaling, and everything in between. His incredible advice is a must-hear for any entrepreneur.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

- Why growth is non-negotiable for startups (and how to embrace it)
- The common mistakes startups make with MVPs—and how to avoid them
- Key pre-revenue metrics that actually impress investors
- The founder’s unique role in driving sales, marketing, and growth

Packed with practical insights and real-world examples, this episode will leave you inspired and ready to level up your startup game.

🔔 Subscribe now to catch every episode of Startup Talks—where entrepreneurs, founders, and investors share the secrets to building meaningful AND profitable things.

#growth #startups #founder

April Dunford Exposes the Myths of B2B Marketing and Positioning

In this eye-opening episode, April Dunford, a renowned positioning expert and author, challenges common misconceptions about B2B marketing, sales, and positioning. From debunking the idea that B2B purchases are driven by the same emotions as consumer buying, to explaining why startups must endure an "awkward teenage phase" before finding their true positioning, April provides unfiltered insights that will change how you think about marketing and sales in the tech industry.

🔔 Subscribe for more insightful conversations with industry leaders!

Forget everything you think you know about startup growth! 🚫 In this episode, Irina Scarlat—former growth leader at Uber, Revolut, and Bitpanda—reveals why growth hacking is a lie and why real growth is unpredictable, messy, and driven by experimentation. 🚀

Get ready for a candid conversation that goes beyond the surface-level startup advice you’ve heard before. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or just curious about how real growth happens, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew.

Are you ready to rethink the future of technology?

In this thought-provoking episode of Startup Talks, host David Achim sits down with futurist and innovation expert Timmy Ghiurau to explore why AI alone won't save us and how storytelling, ethics, and collaboration are the true catalysts for building the future we all want to live in.

Discover how narratives and world building influence technological advancement, the limitations of AI, and the importance of creating a shared language to address global challenges. Timi shares insights from his work with visionary Alex McDowell (Minority Report, Black Mirror) and discusses the hurdles facing the European tech ecosystem.

Whether you're a founder, investor, technologist, or simply curious about what's next, this episode offers fresh perspectives that challenge conventional thinking and inspire action.

The Future of Crypto, Entrepreneurship, and Draper University's Vision

This video dives deep into various entrepreneurial and innovative topics, focusing on the advancements and potential of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Chris Joannou and David Achim discusses the role of governments in fostering innovation, the transformation of the startup ecosystem through Draper University, and the impact of survival training on building leadership skills. Additionally, the conversation touches on the historical contributions of the Draper family to venture capital and significant investments in companies like Skype, Tesla, and Bitcoin.

In this episode of Startup Talks Podcast, we dive deep into the Eastern European startup landscape with a special guest, Vlad Gliga. As the Board President of the ROStartup initiative and CEO of Rubik Hub, Vlad brings unparalleled insights into the burgeoning Romanian startup ecosystem. Discover how he's spearheading efforts to create Romania's first comprehensive startup strategy, in collaboration with major players like the European Commission and the World Bank. Join us as we analyze the current state of the ecosystem, identify its flaws, and explore the innovative solutions that Vlad and his team are implementing to foster a thriving environment for startups. Tune in to understand the vision, strategy, and future of Romania’s startup landscape.

Startup Talks is a podcast launched by Make IT in Oradea. Its purpose is to share the stories of startups from Oradea in order to inspire the creation of products with a global impact. Make IT in Oradea is a non-governmental organization initiated by the Oradea City Hall, with the support of local companies in the technology sector.