The Pool Podcast

Andreas Mihalovits is a former serial entrepreneur turned angel investor based in Marbella, co-founder of the Global Super Angels Club, and board member and early investor in The Pool. Born in Romania, raised in Germany, and now building one of the most active investment networks on the Costa del Sol, Andreas shares a remarkable story spanning decades of entrepreneurship, exits, and a deliberate shift toward a different kind of life.In episode of The Pool Podcast, host Christian Rasmusson and Andreas go deep into his journey from writing hotel management software for monasteries as a student, to building one of Germany's top internet auction platforms in the late 1990s, to surviving the dot-com crash and pivoting into subscription businesses that eventually gave him financial freedom in his mid-30s.They also talk about what it really takes to build a startup ecosystem from scratch, why Andreas chose Spain as his primary investment market, what he thinks the Costa del Sol is missing to become the Silicon Valley of Europe, and why he believes the next wave of unicorns could come from Marbella.Topics covered:- Growing up in communist Romania and moving to Germany at age 11- His first software business selling to monasteries while still a student- Turning down Amazon in 1996 to stay the entrepreneurial path- Building and exiting one of Germany's first internet auction platforms- Pivoting and surviving the dot-com crash with a subscription model- The decision to step back, move to Marbella, and start investing- Investing in 200+ startups and 16 VC funds- What Spanish startups get right and where they need to improve- The missing ingredients for a thriving Costa del Sol tech ecosystem- His AI music project under the name Cyber MCAFind Andreas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasmihalovits/ or search for his music on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@CyberMCA_official Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qnxFnMa8kKTUpelYomLt9?si=DBgzwnA3TkO7QOvh0x7oVA and SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/cybermca under the artist name Cyber MCA.

Stratify AI founder Tom Williams discusses building AI-readiness foundations, lessons from 12+ years at GE, enterprise consulting across industries, and practical guidance for startups. He also shares his family’s relocation to Spain, finding community in Marbella, and plans to lead the CTO Hub at The Pool.What you’ll learn:- Why validation and rapid iteration matter more than assumptions- How to balance discovery vs. solutioning in consulting- Common enterprise software pitfalls and the cost of replatforming- The five pillars needed to scale AI: business alignment, people, data, technology, governance- How to assess AI use cases against organizational readiness- Practical steps for 90-day and 1-year AI roadmaps- Relocation insights for families moving to Spain

In this episode of The Pool Podcast hosted by Christian Rasmusson, Semi Hakim shares his journey from chef to agri-food entrepreneur and outlines the vision for a new FoodTech Hub.

He discusses climate-focused innovation, supporting startups in emerging markets, and positioning Spain as a practical bridge to Latin America.

Semi also explains his upcoming venture fund for Emerging Europe and the importance of long-term relationships across regions.

Former Siemens executive and Airbus Defence and Space leader Zoltan Wirth discusses his career across global mission-critical communications, the evolution of cybersecurity, and how 5G/6G, AI, and blockchain are shaping resilient infrastructure and public safety. He also shares views on digital sovereignty, Europe’s competitiveness, tokenization of real-world assets, and the role of standards and regulation.Also on YouTube and Apple Podcasts here: https://bio.site/tpm.podcastConnect with Zoltan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoltan-wirth-0b206b1/

In the episode of The Pool Podcast, Elizabeth chats with Maxim Kinds, founder of Claropark. Maxim shares how he turned a personal parking frustration into a growing platform that helps homeowners rent out unused parking spaces to long-term seekers. He discusses his background, why Claropark started in Madrid, operational focus before expansion, and the roadmap toward Barcelona and other European markets. Maxim also covers user acquisition, upcoming B2B listing tools, the Marbella startup environment, working routines, mentorship, challenges, and practical advice for first-time founders.

Crypto Megan join Vicente Ortiz in this special episode of The Pool in Podcast to discuss The Bridge 2025, a weekend hackathon supported by Sui Foundation, and how Marbella is growing as a hub for technology and digital assets.

They cover local government support, the potential for initiatives like Draper University in Spain, and the impact of EU regulation (MiCA) on startups.

Megan also references recent pro-crypto remarks by the head of the IMF and shares insights on building a sustainable ecosystem in Southern Spain.

Cristina Sancho shares her career journey across technology and media, from early social media roles to Amazon in Seattle, Netflix in Amsterdam and Madrid, leading Taringa as CEO, and co-founding Initia, an AI agents company. She discusses leadership, company culture, writing and measurement rigour, experimentation, handling rapid growth, managing through shutdowns, and the personal discipline of knowing when to quit. Cristina also covers building AI-powered conversational agents for real business impact, team development, and practical advice for young founders.Guest: Cristina Sancho — Co-founder, Initia; former Amazon and Netflix; ex-CEO of Taringa.Interviewer: Christian Rasmusson, CEO of The Pool MarbellaGet in touch with Cristinahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinasanchocastro/https://linktr.ee/cristina.sanchoFind out more about The Pool Marbella here: https://www.thepool.es/

In this episode of The Pool Podcast, gaming creator Jelly (Jelle) shares his journey from early YouTube uploads to 23+ million subscribers and 15B+ views.

He discusses naming, first contracts, scaling with consistency, content strategy for a young audience, and how the pandemic impacted viewership.

Jelly also covers workflow, team structure, health and balance, moving from the Netherlands to Monaco and now Marbella, travel for work, and what he is preparing for with GTA VI.

The conversation includes advice for aspiring creators, responsibility when creating for kids, and lessons from merchandising attempts.

Subscribe for more conversations on entrepreneurship, sustainability, and building impactful companies.

Contact The Pool Marbellahttps://www.thepool.es/Jolly YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UC0DZmkupLYwc0yDsfocLh0A

In this episode of The Pool Podcast. Christian Rasmusson chats with Marbella resident Cristina González-Pitarch (Cristina Pitarch), Managing Director for Security at Google Cloud in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Cristina shares her career journey and practical insights on leadership, cybersecurity, and building high-performing teams.What they discuss:

• Early life, competitiveness, and studies in Law and Business (ICADE), MBA at UC Berkeley
• Starting in finance, moving to Salesforce in Dublin, and rapid growth in sales
• Transition to Google: from sales to technical support leadership and transforming customer satisfaction
• Returning to Google Cloud and scaling EMEA teams during hypergrowth
• Joining Chronicle (Alphabet’s security unit) and building the EMEA business from scratch
• VirusTotal and the Google Cybersecurity Center in Málaga: origins, impact, and community outreach
• Real-world cybersecurity during COVID: supporting critical institutions
• Practical security advice for SMEs: MFA, strong passwords, employee training, VPN, phishing awareness, and basic controls
• Career advice for women and newcomers to cybersecurity: play to your strengths, technical and go-to-market paths
• Life in Marbella, family decisions post-COVID, and community needs for teenagers

Subscribe for more conversations on entrepreneurship, sustainability, and building impactful companies.Contact The Pool Marbellahttps://www.thepool.es/

CEO and Founder of Biocircular Fiber, Maziar Nodehi, shares his journey from building Sweden’s largest youth club at 13 to launching Spain’s first hemp processing facility in Seville.

In this conversation with Christian at The Pool Podcast, Maziar discusses B2B sales, scaling SaaS, his experience at Serendipity, the EU’s Digital Product Passport, and the path to building a circular materials business in Andalusia.

He also talks about local impact, market readiness, and practical advice for new founders.What you’ll learn:- Early entrepreneurship: community projects and events in Sweden- Breaking into business without a degree and fast-tracking career growth- Serendipity culture, B2B sales playbooks, and SaaS scaling- Why Spain for hemp processing and the Sevillian location decision- EU Digital Product Passport and implications for textiles, packaging, and construction- Hemp fiber benefits, supply chain localization, and circular economy- Building with local partners in Andalusia and market education- Forbes 30 Under 30 experience