EPISODE · Jul 7, 2026 · 1H 15M
#29: Luciano Lykkebo on Building Conferences, Sleepless Nights, And Linguistics
from UX Fika Podcast · host Anna Dahlström
In this episode of the UX Fika podcast, I sit down with Luciano Lykkebo, entrepreneur and event creator behind Future Product Days and a growing number of conferences across Europe.We talk about Luciano’s journey from studying linguistics and starting a translation company in his early twenties to, 18 years later, asking himself what he would build if he had to start all over again. The answer was conferences, despite never having organised one before.Luciano shares what he’s learnt about creating events people actually want to attend, why he starts with how he wants people to feel when they leave and works backwards from there, and why conferences are less about learning and more about inspiration, new perspectives, and bringing people together.We also dive into AI, MCPs, and how the roles of designers and developers are moving closer together. Luciano shares why he believes we’ll increasingly build products for agents as well as people, why the future is in your data, and how he uses AI not just to generate things, but to uncover patterns and help him make better decisions.Along the way we talk about the reality of building businesses, sleepless nights, relying on his wife financially in the early days, and why founders need to expect setbacks and learn to worry less. Plus why Luciano now spends a surprising amount of his working day simply thinking, and why doing something you genuinely love can be one of your biggest competitive advantages.It’s a conversation about building, taking risks, thinking ahead, and creating the things you wish existed.Plus:☕️ Why an espresso is his go to fika, because he wants the essence and he wants it fast⭐ Why you should expect the setbacks and remember to enjoy life along the wayWhat we cover:00:00 Introduction and Background02:49 Transition to Event Organizing05:38 Learning from Mistakes in Conference Planning08:36 The Impact of AI on Conferences11:42 The Future of In-Person Events14:46 Collaboration Across Disciplines17:26 The Shift Towards Intelligent Agents20:27 The Evolution of Content Creation23:29 Personal Journey and Business Growth26:39 The Value of Investing in Talent27:45 Overcoming Doubts in Entrepreneurship30:09 Learning to Worry Less32:09 The Sacrifices of Startup Life33:54 Seeking Investment and Support36:01 The Role of AI in Business39:17 Leveraging AI for Decision Making42:13 Data-Driven Insights and AI45:00 The Intersection of Linguistics and AI49:43 Balancing Work and Life52:55 Life in Denmark: A Journey of Adaptation56:27 The Feeling of Home: Navigating Multiple Cultures57:41 The Future of Europe: Unity and Digital Independence01:00:32 Fostering Startups: The Path to European Innovation01:03:55 Lessons from Entrepreneurship: Embracing Setbacks01:06:22 Passion and Success: The Key Ingredients01:09:46 The Role of AI in Entrepreneurship01:10:50 Favorite Cafes: A Personal TouchWhere to find Luciano:LinkedInFuture Product DaysWhere you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:Anna on LinkedInUX Fika websiteUX Fika on InstagramUX Fika on LinkedInThe UX Fika Digest newsletter
What this episode covers
In this episode of the UX Fika podcast, I sit down with Luciano Lykkebo, entrepreneur and event creator behind Future Product Days and a growing number of conferences across Europe.We talk about Luciano’s journey from studying linguistics and starting a translation company in his early twenties to, 18 years later, asking himself what he would build if he had to start all over again. The answer was conferences, despite never having organised one before.Luciano shares what he’s learnt about creating events people actually want to attend, why he starts with how he wants people to feel when they leave and works backwards from there, and why conferences are less about learning and more about inspiration, new perspectives, and bringing people together.We also dive into AI, MCPs, and how the roles of designers and developers are moving closer together. Luciano shares why he believes we’ll increasingly build products for agents as well as people, why the future is in your data, and how he uses AI not just to generate things, but to uncover patterns and help him make better decisions.Along the way we talk about the reality of building businesses, sleepless nights, relying on his wife financially in the early days, and why founders need to expect setbacks and learn to worry less. Plus why Luciano now spends a surprising amount of his working day simply thinking, and why doing something you genuinely love can be one of your biggest competitive advantages.It’s a conversation about building, taking risks, thinking ahead, and creating the things you wish existed.Plus:☕️ Why an espresso is his go to fika, because he wants the essence and he wants it fast⭐ Why you should expect the setbacks and remember to enjoy life along the wayWhat we cover:00:00 Introduction and Background02:49 Transition to Event Organizing05:38 Learning from Mistakes in Conference Planning08:36 The Impact of AI on Conferences11:42 The Future of In-Person Events14:46 Collaboration Across Disciplines17:26 The Shift Towards Intelligent Agents20:27 The Evolution of Content Creation23:29 Personal Journey and Business Growth26:39 The Value of Investing in Talent27:45 Overcoming Doubts in Entrepreneurship30:09 Learning to Worry Less32:09 The Sacrifices of Startup Life33:54 Seeking Investment and Support36:01 The Role of AI in Business39:17 Leveraging AI for Decision Making42:13 Data-Driven Insights and AI45:00 The Intersection of Linguistics and AI49:43 Balancing Work and Life52:55 Life in Denmark: A Journey of Adaptation56:27 The Feeling of Home: Navigating Multiple Cultures57:41 The Future of Europe: Unity and Digital Independence01:00:32 Fostering Startups: The Path to European Innovation01:03:55 Lessons from Entrepreneurship: Embracing Setbacks01:06:22 Passion and Success: The Key Ingredients01:09:46 The Role of AI in Entrepreneurship01:10:50 Favorite Cafes: A Personal TouchWhere to find Luciano:LinkedInFuture Product DaysWhere you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:Anna on LinkedInUX Fika websiteUX Fika on InstagramUX Fika on LinkedInThe UX Fika Digest newsletter
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#29: Luciano Lykkebo on Building Conferences, Sleepless Nights, And Linguistics
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