The Entrepreneurs

From the maker of a wildfire-fighting drone to the inventor of a robotic roadie, we meet Beirut’s entrepreneurs to discover why they’re staying put and innovating in the face of the country’s business hurdles. Meanwhile, we ask about the future of photography and go in the search for the perfect image with Lorenz Aschoff, co-founder of Berlin-based start-up EyeEm. Plus: we visit The Collective to test out a new residential model that may offer an intriguing solution to London’s housing crisis. But can millennials be persuaded to adopt a living situation that more closely resembles a young version of a retirement community?

Former fighter pilot Jonny Nicol reveals why he built Stratajet, billed as the world’s first fully automated, real-time, real-cost system for booking a private jet. We also meet a new player on the venture-capital scene: Andre de Haes from Backed VC explains why European founders may soon build a $100bn (€88.3bn) company. Plus: we sit down with Alice Bentinck, co-founder of London-based Entrepreneur First, and talk shop with the new CEO of Dutch design brand Moooi.

The world’s most famous recording studio has launched a programme to mentor the next generation of music-technology companies. We swing by London’s Abbey Road to hear the story of one promising start-up from the inaugural class. Conflicts in the workplace are an inevitable part of office life – Harvard’s Daniel Shapiro, one of the world’s pre-eminent experts on negotiation, shares his guide to navigating emotionally-charged disputes. Then, with the African commodities boom coming to an end, we investigate the state and future of business affairs on the continent.

In the age of the truly on-demand, one London start-up promises to pick up whatever you want and deliver it within an hour. The CEO of Quiqup explains the challenges and business model of the ‘last mile’. Meanwhile in California, one company hopes to erase the word ‘lost’ from the dictionary forever: we tell the story of TrackR. Plus: UK engineer and entrepreneur Max Fordham shares some of the business and life lessons he’s learned during 50 years spent leading his eponymous firm.

Cold-water surfing is not like other surfing: freezing water, freezing air and, until UK brand Finisterre came about in 2002, a severe lack of quality clothing and gear. We trek to the coast of Cornwall to meet the company’s founder and team. Filson’s creative director Alex Carleton shares his top tips for a successful work day. And two brothers in Tunisia have defied the odds and built a car company from scratch. But how did they do it? We hear the story of Wallyscar.

British chocolate brand Prestat counted the Queen Mother, Roald Dahl and generations of sweet-toothed children as its fans but what happens when the company is rejuvenated for a new generation? Meanwhile, in Vienna we meet cosmetics entrepreneur Wolfgang Lederhaas, who explains why his products are inspired by 18th-century literature and philosophy. Plus: as Oculus Rift launches this week to international fanfare, we’re in San Francisco to investigate the future of virtual reality.

From the objects on his desk to tips on getting the creative juices flowing, Shinola’s creative director Daniel Caudill tells us how he works. We also sit down with English model, activist and entrepreneur Lily Cole, who explains how to create an ethical business, and hear Steve Van Doren’s personal stories from the early years of Vans on the brand’s 50th anniversary. Plus: we meet the founder of independent watch brand Ressence at Baselworld.

From crisps to vodka, on this week’s episode we hear the story of family-run firm Chase Distillery. We also meet Asad Hamir of eyewear brand Kite, who explains the meaning of luxury in a world of 3D printing, and Swiss fintech expert Marc Bernegger to hear his thoughts on the sector’s future. Plus: we’re in Moscow to profile “quests”, a fast-growing and profitable business trend that involves players racing the clock to find clues and solve puzzles.

What do Italian leather bags, fine French wines and Palestinian tiles have in common? They all improve with time. We trek to the city of Nablus to visit the last remaining traditional producer of hand-crafted tiles in the West Bank. We also meet entrepreneur Spencer Hyman, who has manufactured Cabbage Patch dolls and My Little Pony in Thailand, translated Monopoly into Japanese, worked at Amazon at the turn of the millennium, helped run Last.fm and founded Artfinder. Hyman is now betting big on his chocolate subscription service Cocoa Runners. He drops by the studio to share lessons from his eclectic business career.

How can traditional hotels fight back against the sharing economy juggernaut? We meet Caitlin Zaino, founder of Porter & Sail, a start-up whose secret weapon involves a dash of the high-tech and the charm and knowledge of an old-school concierge. We also sit down with the managing director of St Barths-based Sereno Hotels, who explains why the company is expanding to Lake Como. Plus: Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am tells us why musicians make natural entrepreneurs and Winkreative’s Raphael Güller asks whether sex really does sell.