Venture Ahead

In this episode of Venture Ahead, recorded live at South Summit Brazil, IE Business School professor Joe Haslam sits down with Tony Jamous—founder and CEO of Oyster, a company on a mission to remove barriers to remote work and unlock global talent potential.
Tony shares his personal journey from growing up amid war in Lebanon to reimagining the future of work without borders. He explores how leaders can foster satisfaction in remote teams and why the freedom to choose where you live and when you work is key to happiness and productivity.
The conversation offers fresh insights into the evolving role of leadership in a distributed world, and how purpose, flexibility and inclusivity are shaping the workplaces of tomorrow. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the future of work, leadership and global opportunity.

https://books.google.es/books/about/The_Monk_and_the_Riddle.html?id=uYIGJWJGncYC&redir_esc=y 

https://www.oysterhr.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/teljamou/?originalSubdomain=cy

In this episode of Venture Ahead, recorded live at South Summit Brazil, IE Business School professor Joe Haslam sits down with Jeff Hoffman—serial entrepreneur, co-founder of Priceline and Booking.com, and a global advocate for innovation and education.
Jeff shares hard-won insights on building and scaling successful ventures, including the art of asking the right questions rather than having all the answers. He reflects on creating Expedia with Bill Gates, developing the first airport check-in kiosks and building the right team to drive scalable impact.
The conversation also explores the power of the founder influence and why Jeff likes to keep his feet firmly on the ground. Packed with practical advice and inspiring stories, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about entrepreneurship and creative leadership.

jeffhoffman.com 

https://www.amazon.com/Scale-Seven-Proven-Principles-Business/dp/1591847249

In this episode of Venture Ahead, host Joe Haslam talks with Paula Ganem, who at the time was Head of Canada and LATAM Capital Markets at the New York Stock Exchange, about connecting Latin American companies with global investors, the current state of tech IPOs from LATAM and why the market went quiet after 2021.
Paula explains the key benefits of going public on the NYSE, from the cost of capital advantages to joining an exclusive club of global companies. The conversation covers when companies should start the IPO process, investor perceptions of LATAM companies, and her family connection to Brazilian Formula One legend Ayrton Senna.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-s-ganem/

https://www.nyse.com

https://international.nubank.com.br/about/

 https://www.southsummit.io/leader/paula-ganem-2/

https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/joe-haslam/

https://www.southsummit.io/brazil/

In this episode of Venture Ahead, host Joe Haslam talks with Leandro Balbinot, CTO at Amazon and Whole Foods Market, about his return to Porto Alegre for South Summit Brazil.

They discuss Amazon's customer-obsessed philosophy and flywheel approach to innovation, exploring how the company uses data to identify new opportunities.

Leandro shares insights on building a culture that embraces experimentation and failure, Amazon's unique structure of thousands of small teams within a massive company and the leadership principles that make it all work.

They also explore the evolution of AI processing power and why innovation must always come from understanding the customer first.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandrobalbinot/

 https://www.amazon.com

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com

https://www.amazon.jobs/content/en/our-workplace/leadership-principles, https://stratechery.com

https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/joe-haslam/

https://www.southsummit.io/brazil

In this episode of Venture Ahead, host Joe Haslam talks with cybersecurity expert Nancy Wang about her keynote at South Summit Brazil and her mission to boost female leadership in deep tech.
They discuss her journey in the industry, including the role of women in supporting other women. Nancy talks about the value of awareness, action and allyship, and why inclusion depends on everyone having a seat at the table.
The conversation also touches on management styles and how these affect early-stage startups, as well as the role of regulation in the tech sector and how it’s shaping innovation, ethics and responsibility.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandrobalbinot/

https://www.amazon.com

 https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com

https://www.amazon.jobs/content/en/our-workplace/leadership-principles

https://stratechery.com

https://www.ie.edu/university/about/faculty/joe-haslam/

https://www.southsummit.io/brazil/

In this episode of Venture Ahead, entrepreneur and venture capitalist Ricardo Aizenman shares insights from his career at KPMG and Citibank, his experience founding Ironman Capital, and his work supporting Latin American startups.

He discusses the role of technology in financial inclusion and reflects on how his MBA from IE Business School shaped his success. The conversation also touches on his social impact work through an NGO focused on disaster relief in Latin America.

Episode structure:

Intro: 1:17

Initial question: 6:28

Interview: 7:18

Entrepreneur’s inbox: 23:07

In this episode of Venture Ahead, Iñaki Berenguer shares his journey from scientist to serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, drawing on his experiences founding and scaling multiple tech companies.

He reflects on the value of creating innovative products, navigating personal sacrifices, and transitioning from founder to investor. The discussion covers his approach to investment, emphasizing team qualities, market timing, and innovation in rapidly changing fields like AI, life sciences, and healthcare.

Iñaki also highlights the transformative potential of AI in democratizing healthcare, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing longevity, offering guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors.

Episode structure:

Intro: 1:14

Initial question: 3:00

Interview: 4:05

Entrepreneur’s inbox: 27:00

In this episode of Venture Ahead, Catalina Valentino, CEO and co-founder of Elixr, shares her inspiring entrepreneurial journey and vision for sustainable smart cities.

She discusses her rapid academic and professional rise, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the transformative potential of technologies like blockchain and digital twin planning. The conversation highlights her dedication to creating impactful, human-centric solutions while addressing the realities of the entrepreneurial lifestyle and pivoting to find your path.

Episode structure:

Intro: 1:08

Initial question: 6:24

Interview: 7:16

Entrepreneur’s inbox: 26:54

In this episode of Venture Ahead by IE University, Alejandro Artacho, CEO and co-founder of Spotahome, shares his journey from identifying inefficiencies in the real estate market to building a groundbreaking digital rental platform.

Artacho discusses the early challenges of establishing trust among landlords, the complexities of balancing supply and demand, and the importance of building a versatile, committed team. He offers strategic insights on capital management, advocating for bootstrapping and selective fundraising, and announces Spotahome’s latest service: guaranteed rent for landlords in Europe. Alejandro also reflects on the role of digital innovation in transforming real estate and the entrepreneurial principles guiding Spotahome’s continued expansion.

Episode structure:

Intro: 1:04

Initial question: 4:49

Interview: 5:44

Entrepreneur’s inbox: 21:53

In this episode of Venture Ahead, Valeria Salgado interviews Mateo Salvatto, the young CEO and founder of Asteroid, a company that creates technology for people with disabilities.

Mateo shares his inspiring entrepreneurial journey: from developing software to help his mother’s deaf students, to leading a global company serving over 400,000 users. The conversation covers key topics such as the challenges of bootstrapping a startup in Argentina, navigating cultural and financial barriers in Latin America, expanding into Europe, and the importance of resilience and adaptability in entrepreneurship.

Mateo also offers insights into his motivations, driven by the emotional impact of his work and the sense of responsibility to make a difference, quoting Argentine liberator José de San Martín to highlight his commitment.

Episode structure:

Intro: 1:02

Initial question: 3:56

Interview: 7:12

Entrepreneur’s inbox: 14:01