As AI data centers demand gigawatts of power and the world shifts toward renewables, the global energy grid faces an unprecedented challenge: how do we stabilize intermittent power and secure energy sovereignty?

In this episode of The Trust Moat Pod, I sit down with Wasim Sarwar, CEO of Rimac Energy.

From engineering high-performance battery systems for hypercars to pioneering next-generation grid-scale stationary storage, Wasim shares how Rimac Energy is building software-defined batteries, why systems integration matters more than raw cell production, and what Europe must do to compete with the US and China in the race for clean energy infrastructure.

The episode was supported by https://dealion.net/, a vetted circle of revenue leaders and founders built around meeting face-to-face, with a private space where the conversation continues in between.

We cover:

The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction & The Global Energy Landscape

01:40 - Why Wasim Founded Rimac Energy

03:12 - Solving Grid Intermittency with Energy Storage

07:05 - The Battle for European Energy Sovereignty

08:13 - 18 Months in Stealth: Focus on Deep-Tech Innovation

11:00 - Engineering Talent & Building in Croatia

14:05 - The "So What?" Metric: Product Differentiation

16:30 - AI Boom, Data Centers & Surging Energy Demand

20:00 - Made in Europe: Competing with China & the US

29:00 - The State of European Battery Cell Manufacturing

33:50 - Software-Defined Batteries & Distributed Inverters

39:00 - Trust, Openness, and Long-Term Unit Economics

44:15 - Strategic Forecasting & The Road Ahead Follow Wasim: LinkedIn –

In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Ben, the solo founder behind Polsia, one of the most talked-about and controversial startups in the AI space.

With a $10M ARR and a mission to "turn everyone into a founder," Ben has captured massive attention while facing intense scrutiny over his product's delivery and Trustpilot reviews.

Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this conversation is a masterclass in distribution, attention, and the brutal reality of building at the bleeding edge of AI. We cover:

The Mission: Turning non-technical people into economic contributors. 

The Controversy: Addressing "scam" allegations and Trustpilot reviews. 

The Business Model: Moving from high-priced subscriptions to a Shopify-style marketplace.

The "Solo" Secret: How Ben leverages infrastructure partners instead of hiring a full-time team.

The AI Race: Why OpenAI and Google are "scared" of releasing true autonomy.

The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.

📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction: Is Polsia a brilliant experiment or "trustwashing"? 02:50 - Lessons from Travis Kalanick: Building things with a 10x improvement.

04:55 - Is AI a dangerous gamble? Ben’s take on the future of humanity. 07:05 - The $50 "Scam": Explaining the high cost of AI compute.

09:25 - Dealing with bugs and the "Loud Minority" on Twitter.

10:45 - The Pulsia Promise: Turning everyone into a founder.

13:10 - What is God Mode? The cost of real AI autonomy.

15:15 - Facing the Trustpilot reviews: 1.8 stars vs. 2,000 happy users.

22:30 - Building in Public: Breaking down the $10M ARR dashboard.

27:00 - The Pivot: Why Polsia is dropping its price to $20.

33:15 - The Shopify Parallel: Making money on transactions, not just seats. 43:00 - The Innovator's Dilemma: Why Google and OpenAI are playing it safe.

50:15 - Why Ben has zero employees (and how he scales anyway).

57:10 - Public Perception vs. Private Trust: What really matters for Polsia's future.

Follow Ben Cera:

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbroca/

X – https://x.com/Bencera?lang=en

Listen to The Trust Moat:

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Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm 

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julia Stamm to unpack a critical disconnect in the modern workplace: the AI "sabotage gap." While executives race to implement AI, many employees resist, mostly because of a fundamental lack of trust and agency.

Dr. Stam introduces her "TRAP" framework (Trust, Relevance, Attention, and Potential) and explains how leaders can flip the script by focusing on Purpose, Agency, Responsibility, and Trust when introducing AI. We dive deep into why technology alone isn't the answer and why the future of innovation depends on reclaiming our human judgment.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julia Stamm to unpack a critical We explore:

The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/

Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines 

X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm 

In this episode of The Trust Moat, Ina Jovičić, co-founder and CEO of eNOugh — shares the harrowing personal story behind the eNO badge: a smart safety wearable that uses audio, video, motion, and heart-rate detection to identify danger and alert real human dispatchers in real time.

We get into why existing safety apps fail in the moments that matter, how the AI "brain" works without a single button press, and the trust decision at the core of the product — footage so private that not even the woman wearing it can access it.

This is a conversation about women's safety technology, building hardware against the odds, and why trust is the real competitive moat.

The episode is made possible by https://www.therecursive.com/, community-born tech media and relationship infrastructure connecting CEE, GCC, and DACH

We explore:

- The inception story: how a personal attack in London led to founding eNOugh

- The problem with current tech: why existing hardware and safety apps fail in high-stress moments

- How the eNO badge works: the AI "brain" that detects danger with zero manual input

- Privacy & trust: why the footage is encrypted and inaccessible — even to the wearer

- The hardware challenge: pitching a women's safety product to a male-dominated investor landscape

- The future of public safety: empowering women and helping law enforcement through better evidence.

The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.

📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Cold open: 1 in 3 women will face violence

01:50 – The London incident: Ina's story of survival

03:55 – Safety in Prague vs. London: the normalization of fear

07:05 – The data: 900,000 yearly crimes and why current tech fails

11:02 – Building the team: Balkan roots and finding co-founders

14:59 – Form factor: why chest-level placement is critical for deterrence 16:20 – The "AI brain": real-time threat detection (audio, video, heart rate) 17:55 – Eliminating manual steps: why phones fail in emergencies

19:11 – Accuracy & prevention: why cameras stop 70% of attacks

24:26 – The OpenAI shift: how hardware investing changed in 2025

28:20 – Conviction: why Ina refused to go "fully B2B" for investors

30:36 – Safety certifications: working with the British Transport Police

32:14 – Privacy first: why footage is encrypted and protected

34:36 – Profit vs. cause: building when you're solving your own problem 37:32 – Joining the waitlist: how to get the eNO badge

39:00 – Global impact: future plans for India, Brazil, and beyond

42:25 – The ultimate goal: the "sisterhood nod" on the London Underground

----

Follow Ina Jovičić: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ina-jovicic/

Explore eNOugh: https://www.enobadge.com/home

----

Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines

X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 I

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovic...

Wally Wong (founder of Scale Asia Ventures) joins the podcast to break down the rapidly evolving landscape of "Physical AI" and why the industry is currently at a critical crossroads between software "brains" and hardware "bodies." In this episode, we explore:

Whether you're an investor, a tech enthusiast, or just curious about how robots will integrate into our daily lives, Wally provides a sobering and insightful look at the distance between the hype and the reality of Physical AI.

--- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. --

Follow Wally on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wallyyingxiaowang/ 

Connect with Maja on:

In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Yash Terkiwal, the founding GTM Engineer at Clay, to explore why AI and automation won't replace humans, but rather amplify our creative and strategic potential. If you're a founder or builder trying to navigate the 'AI vs. Human' question, Yash’s insights on creativity and critical thinking are essential.

---

The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.

--

This episode was filmed at SaaStanak 2026, in Šibenik, Croatia - where SaaS meets sea and sand. More about it here https://saastanak.com/ What we cover:

Follow Yash on:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashtekriwal/

CHAPTER 1 - THE AUTOMATION PARADOX: REDEFINING WORK & THE RISE OF THE GTM ENGINEER

03:15 - The contradiction of selling automation while teaching humans 04:22 - Identifying "non-human" tasks in knowledge work

06:29 - Why human interaction remains the center of Clay’s BDR strategy 12:50 - Defining the GTM Engineer: Collapsing systems and strategy CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLING MECHANISMS FOR CRITICAL THINKING

17:42 - Why critical thinking is the most important skill in an AI world

19:21 - The "Order of Operations" for business growth

20:43 - The "Ask Why Five Times" rule for strategy

21:48 - Why strategy board games are the best business training CHAPTER 3: CLAY'S PHILOSOPHY ON LEARNING & COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEMS 28:24 - Moving beyond passive education to active ecosystems

30:17 - Content Strategy: Quick, human, and script-free

31:25 - Experiences: Creating a safe space to "fail proudly"

32:38 - Moving from "AI fear" to "AI empowerment" CHAPTER 4: PROTECTING THE TRUST MOAT AGAINST AUTONOMOUS AGENTS

44:33 - Why human relationships are the ultimate moat in a commoditized world

46:50 - Navigating the "Salesperson Fluff" problem

48:15 - Building genuine partnerships through feedback and agility

51:32 - Final Advice: Why creativity is the antidote to optimization fatigue

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebA...

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02... Connect with Maja on:

Get this straight in your inbox -- 📩 Subscribe to the Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/

In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Tomislav Car, founder of Productive, an all-in-one agency management platform and business software, to explore the shifting landscape of the software industry.

As AI democratizes coding and "moats" built purely on software begin to evaporate, we dive into what truly creates lasting value for the SaaS companies today. Tomislav shares his journey from bootstrapping a Productive agency to navigating the complexities of scaling teams and maintaining radical transparency in the era of agentic AI.

--- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. --

This episode was filmed at SaaStanak 2026, in Šibenik, Croatia - where SaaS meets sea and sand. More about it here https://saastanak.com/

What we cover: - The Bootstrapping Advantage: Why starting with a focus on productivity and financial freedom creates a resilient foundation.

- The AI Interface Shift: Moving from horizontal tools to vertical, agentic AI interfaces that solve specific problems.

- Future-Proofing Teams: How to overhaul headcount and internal structures to stay competitive as AI changes the workload.

- Trust Through Transparency: The role of radical honesty in building a team that can weather massive industry shifts.

- The "Founder Mode" Era: Lessons learned from the mobile boom and how to apply them to the current AI revolution.

Follow Tomislav on:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomislavcar/

 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebAw2S6DC3HLyEjuKQ

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trust-moat-podcast/id1895009648

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Connect with Maja on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines

- X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm 

Get this straight in your inbox -- 📩 Subscribe to the Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/

The fashion industry is one of the world's most opaque industries, built on broken data and the assumption that no one would ever look too closely at where our clothes actually come from. In this episode, Maja sits down with Dóra Lality, co-founder and CLO of Material Exchange, to pull back the curtain on the global supply chain. Discover how technology and the upcoming EU Digital Product Passport are forcing a radical shift from "strategic ignorance" to total transparency, and why the future of fashion depends on being data-driven rather than just "creative."

--- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. ---

What we cover:

- The Myth of Sustainability: Why Dóra believes "sustainable material" doesn't actually exist and how to make better, less impactful choices.

- The Complexity of the Chain: Why a single garment often travels through seven different countries before reaching your wardrobe.

- The "Creative" Excuse: Overcoming the industry’s resistance to data and why being data-driven doesn't kill creativity.

- The Shift in Responsibility: How new legislation is moving the burden of compliance from manufacturers back to the brands.

- The 2027 Deadline: Everything you need to know about the mandatory EU Digital Product Passport and how it will change the way we shop.

- Building Trust through Data: How transparency creates a stronger relationship between suppliers, brands, and the next generation of consumers (Gen Z and Alpha).

- A Consumer’s Framework: Practical advice on how to choose brands you can actually trust beyond just the marketing labels.

Follow Dora on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dóra-lality/

📹  Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HCFpH27DrQo?si=CnasvOIAQx64ydVJ 

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebA...

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02...

Connect with Maja on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines

- X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11

Alan Knott-Craig Jr. has published 10 books, built Africa's first mass-market social network, and invested in over 20 companies. But his most important venture might be his current one — bringing fast, affordable fiber internet to South Africa's townships for 25 cents a day. In this episode, Alan talks about what it actually takes to build in places the rest of the world has written off. Negotiating with construction mafias.

Losing everything and starting over. Choosing the right partners, focusing on the right business model, and purpose is the only thing that keeps you from giving up when the runway runs out.

--- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. --

What we cover:

- Why he came back to South Africa and never left

- How Fibertime works — and why 13 million homes were left behind

- Negotiating infrastructure deals in communities with no government and active gangs

- Losing everything after Mxit and rebuilding from scratch

- How to find the right business partners (and get rid of the wrong ones fast) - The ego dragon — why confidence is a superpower until it isn't

- How purpose makes the hardest decisions easy

Books Alan has written:

o Chasing the Internet, From Backyards to Boardrooms

o Life Lessons: How to Fail and Win o 13 Rules for Being an Entrepreneur

o Be a Hero: Live a Heroic Life

Follow Alan on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanknottcraig

X - https://x.com/alanknottcraig

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebAw2S6DC3HLyEjuKQ

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trust-moat-podcast/id1895009648

🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02cd7a2-e32f-4480-8914-9a26d5c3d0ff

Connect with Maja on: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines - X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm

Gartner predicts that 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by 2027—not because the models aren't smart enough, but because the underlying memory layer isn't ready. In this episode, we sit down with Nemanja Bibic, Head of Growth at Cognee, a startup building the knowledge layer for our agentic future, to discuss the urgent need for a "hippocampus" for artificial intelligence. We dive deep into why current LLMs suffer from "AI Alzheimer’s," the technical difference between stateless and stateful versions, and why better memory—not just bigger models—is the key to reaching AGI. Inside the Episode

Prefer watching the conversation? Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrustMoatPod

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00:00 Intro

00:03:40 CHAPTER 1 - WHY YOUR AI HAS AMNESIA

00:05:15 The "48-Hour Wipe": Why LLMs lose context over time

00:08:30 Stateless vs. Stateful: The technical root of AI memory loss 00:14:22 Why "Long Context Windows" aren't a permanent fix

00:25:42 CHAPTER 2 - THE $7.5M BET ON A PROBLEM NOBODY'S TALKING ABOUT

00:27:10 Why OpenAI and FAIR founders are backing memory infrastructure 00:29:45 Identifying the "infrastructure gap" in the current AI stack 00:32:15 The business risk of building on "forgetful" models

00:34:47 CHAPTER 3 - WHAT "AI MEMORY" ACTUALLY MEANS

00:36:12 Vector Databases vs. Knowledge Graphs: A breakdown

00:38:50 The role of "Ontologies" in making AI understand your business 00:40:05 Ephemeral vs. Persistent memory in agentic workflows

00:42:08 CHAPTER 4 - HOW THE HUMAN BRAIN INSPIRED A FIX FOR BROKEN AI MEMORY

00:44:10 Mimicking the Hippocampus: Building a digital long-term memory 00:46:55 How "Cognitive Mimicry" beats simple "Neurological Mimicry" 00:49:30 The "Self-Doubt" Mechanism: Teaching AI to know what it doesn't know

00:52:48 CHAPTER 5 - 12,000 DEVELOPERS WHO CHOSE TO BUILD THIS FOR FREE

00:54:20 The Open Source advantage in AI security and memory

00:58:15 Why community-driven "Maltbots" are outpacing corporate labs 01:03:40 Collaborative Intelligence: Lessons from 12k contributors

01:07:54 CHAPTER 6 - THE RACE BENEATH THE RACE: MEMORY VS MODELS

01:09:15 Commodity Models: Why intelligence is becoming a "race to zero" 01:11:05 Proprietary Data + Memory: The only defensible moat left

01:13:39 CHAPTER 7 - WHAT YOUR COMPANY SHOULD DO BEFORE LOCKING IN AN AI STACK

01:15:20 The Gartner Warning: Avoiding the 40% project failure rate 01:18:45 Evaluating your "Memory Layer" before you buy the model

01:21:10 Future-proofing your agentic infrastructure

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