EUROPE BUILDS by BORRN

With Chris Mantolas, Elena Papadonikolaki and Eilon GrouperWhat happens when the next generation of European entrepreneurs steps up? And how do they turn personal obsession into scalable ventures?In this special season finale, we sit down with three of Europe’s emerging founders — each building in wildly different arenas, but united by clarity of vision and ambition to reshape their industries.🛥️ Christos Mantolas is the co-founder of Seago, a platform rethinking mobility across the Greek islands with private boat transfers and luxury yachting experiences.🧿 Elena Papadonikolaki is the founder of Boutique Setters, a premier B2B hub for the boutique hospitality industry, connecting hotels, vendors, and service providers worldwide and promising to revolutionize the realm of boutique hospitality.🧠 Eilon Grouper, a gamer-turned-AI-influencer, is building tools and content that demystify artificial intelligence — and turning his personal transformation into a platform for global reach.Together, we discuss discovering their passion, finding their early users, and navigating the tension between bold ideas and local realities. Join us for a chat about the future of European entrepreneurship: scrappy, soulful, and surprisingly global.

With Renia RigopoulouHow do you ‘Orphimize’ the music world? And why does a top product leader ban the phrase data-driven?In this episode we sit down with Renia Rigopoulou, Group Product Manager at Orfium—the Greek-born scale-up that helps labels and publishers detect, claim, and monetize music across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and other UGC platforms. Renia walks us through a decade of building products at eBay, Deliveroo, InstaShop, and Blueground, and discussed why she prefers data-informed to data-driven decision-making and how “be the user” became her golden rule (including engineers fixing bugs in greasy kitchens). We also discuss the benefits—and limits—of Greece as an R&D hub for a global business and why the the one skill she’d double-down on tomorrow is resilienceWhether you’re scaling a rights-management platform or just trying to ship features with impact, Renia’s playbook on revenue focus, cross-functional empathy and global product thinking is packed with field-tested takeaways.

With Alex VamvakasWhat makes a founder worth betting on? Why should deep tech be the next big focus for European VCs?In this episode, we speak with Alex Vamvacas, founding partner of Evercurious VC—a new early-stage venture capital firm focused on commercializing deep scientific research across Europe. With a background that spans CERN, medical device startups, and asset management in Zurich, Alex shares what led him back to Greece to co-launch Evercurious. We talk about how to identify conviction-led founders, why real problems require real technology, and what makes an “investor-ready” startup. Plus, why sometimes the best move is to ignore the advice of those with “institutionalized thinking.”

What does it take to build a borderless company from the Balkans? And how do you design a startup culture that people actually want to stay in?In this episode of Europe Builds, we talk to Jack Thorogood, founder and CEO of Native Teams, a fast-growing fintech platform simplifying payments, employment, and compliance for global professionals. With roots in North Macedonia and a footprint spanning 85+ countries, Native Teams is tackling remote work infrastructure with a bold cultural ethos and an employee-first mindset.We explore how a personal problem became a scalable business idea, why building for the overlooked is a winning strategy, and what it means to create company culture with real intention. Jack also shares his playbook for hiring across borders, why remote culture needs more than Slack and Zoom, and how to build a business where no one wants to leave.

With Oleks Yaroshenko How do you scale an edtech startup into a company with 150 million users worldwide, without taking outside funding? And what’s it like building it from wartime Ukraine? In this episode, we sit down with Oleks Yaroshenko, Chief of Staff at Headway Inc, the company behind one of the world’s most popular lifelong learning apps. Previously known as Headway, the company officially evolved into Headway Inc, marking its transformation into a full-scale consumer tech platform. Oleks shares how the team navigated competition, used A/B testing as a superpower, and built resilience through necessity. We also dive into Ukraine’s growing startup scene and debunk some myths about bootstrapped growth.

With George GeorgiadisHow does an engineer turn into an investor? And what does it take to back world-changing technology before it’s cool — or proven?In this episode, we talk to George Georgiadis, Founding Partner at Evercurious VC, a new deep-tech venture fund betting on scientist-founders building defensible technologies. George shares how his decade at Volkswagen’s HQ shaped his approach to investing, why Europe keeps inventing breakthrough tech but failing to commercialize it, and why Evercurious prefers conviction over hype when picking early-stage bets. We also explore how VCs can help technical founders become leaders — and what makes a startup worth waiting six years for.

How can you build something disruptive and transformative amidst one of the biggest economic downturns in recent memory? And how can fixing potholes be a brilliant move for an insurance company?This week, Alexis Pantazis, co-founder and co-CEO of Hellas Direct, joins us on EUROPE BUILDS to share how he and his team built a next-generation insurance company in Greece—during the height of the Eurozone crisis. A former Goldman Sachs executive, Alexis explains why Greece was the perfect “blind spot market” for disruption, how Hellas Direct scaled to multiple countries, and why authenticity, vulnerability, and persistence are core to their leadership model. We also talk about the power of timing, the myth of the solo visionary, and how to build lasting trust in a notoriously unsexy industry.

What does it really take to back the right idea at the right time? And why might humility, not hype, be the most underrated trait in great investors?In this episode of Europe Builds, we sit down with Nick Kalliagopoulos, Partner at Big Pi Ventures—one of Greece’s most prominent VC funds. With a decade of experience spanning Prime Ventures in Amsterdam and the Randstad Innovation Fund, Nick brings a rare blend of insight from both deep tech and the future-of-work sectors. We discuss how to evaluate truly transformational technology, what traits set apart the founders worth backing, and why ego can be a liability on both sides of the investment table. Nick also shares lessons in timing, discipline, and the quiet power of long-term conviction.For anyone building or betting on the next frontier, this episode is full of insight.

How do you reinvent a dating app into a vibrant social network for the queer community—and grow it globally without a marketing budget? Why do even the most successful product teams still sometimes forget to listen to their users?In this episode of EUROPE BUILDS, live from the Doers Summit in Athens, we sit down with Michelle Parsons, Chief Product Officer of Lex. A former product leader at Netflix, Spotify, Kayak, and Hinge, Michelle shares hard-earned lessons from scaling some of the world’s most beloved platforms. We discuss Lex’s pivot from dating to community, how to nurture word-of-mouth growth, how to adapt products to new cultures, and why customer obsession and fast experimentation are key to sustainable innovation. Michelle also opens up about designing with safety and privacy for marginalized users—and how a science teacher from Texas ended up shaping the future of consumer tech.If you want to build better, listen deeper, and lead with impact—this one’s for you.

How do you build a global EV company from scratch—without outside funding—and use it as a vehicle for systemic change? And why might the most meaningful entrepreneurial journey be the one that ends in giving back?On this episode of Europe Builds, live from the Doers Summit in Athens, we are joined by Adam Ridgway, founder and CEO of OneMoto Technologies, a pioneering electric vehicle scale-up transforming last-mile delivery across 13 countries and counting. Adam shares how he’s building a capital-efficient, impact-first company by rethinking scale, outsourcing smartly, and staying obsessively mission-driven. We dig into the three pillars of OneMoto’s impact model—environmental sustainability, operational profitability, and rider welfare—and explore how these shape their B2B-first strategy in emerging and underrepresented markets.Adam also opens up about his ultimate ambition: a philanthropic “capstone” project to empower homeless individuals with EVs and dignity, and how a TV documentary he saw at age 16 became a lifelong source of purpose. We discuss why the delivery gig economy offers untapped potential for social reintegration, how to deal with betrayal in business, and what it really means to build a legacy with heart.Check our Adam’s discussion on sustainable e-mobility in MENA: https://enterprise.news/climate/en/news/story/292baafb-cc03-4ea4-a7e1-1e0badb31708/one-moto%25e2%2580%2599s-ceo-adam-ridgway-talks-sustainable-e-mobility-in-mena

What brings two top investors with years of experience in global markets back to Athens? And how do they go about measuring impact and value? This episode we are joined by Ariadne Velissaropoulou and Marina Bouki, two former institutional investors who turned into angel investing and returned to Greece. We discuss investing against the current, highlight the traits that make founders stand out, like fearless optimism and a can-do attitude, and how angel investors can help guide founders through their first entrepreneurial steps. We also discuss the value of coachability for founders, which ideas have caught Ariadne and Marina’s interests, from Athens to the Faroe Islands, and how to measure impact in investing and bring value among the noise.Find out more about Blossom ventures, the Greek Female Angel Investors Club, here: blossom-ventures.com/

How does an operator turn his insight into successful leadership as a CEO? And how does a tech and AI expert who worked for the US administration apply his learnings into the start-up ecosystem?On this episode we are joined by Adam Bonnifield, a tech entrepreneur behind some of the most impactful projects in global mobility. Most recently. Adam served as CEO of KONUX, the first AI scale-up in rail and was also Head of AI at Airbus, the world’s largest aerospace company, driving innovations in autonomous flight, advanced manufacturing, predictive maintenance and sustainability. Previously, Adam led data and technology projects for the Obama White House, and founded two startups dedicated to democratising AI and Big Data.We discuss how to train teams and scale up capabilities, how deep tech companies can get over their struggles with R&D, how a CEO can help a company continue to innovate depending on its stage, and how experience in the public sector can actually turn into wisdom about scaling operations and bureaucracies. We also dissect how today is simultaneously the best and also hardest time to create a company in the AI space, and why Adam is bullish about Europe’s future in the field despite the challenges.

How Skroutz become and remains Greece’s biggest online marketplace - Bite-sized insights on failure and scaling with George HadjigeorgiouHow does a founder turn his hobby into Greece’s biggest e-commerce marketplace? And why is his key insight, after 20 years of successful entrepreneurship, that we should all embrace failure more?For our premiere of Season 2 of Europe Builds, live from the Doers Summit, we are joined by Geroge Hadjigeorgiou, co-founder and CEO of Skroutz. Skroutz is Greece’s leading online marketplace, a household name with over 8,000 outlet partners and a staff of around 1,200 people. We discuss why failing forward needs to be embedded into teh European mentality, how to best manage a team while scaling up and maintaining a tight-knit start-up culture, navigating entrepreneurship through war times, and the advantages and challenges of having a team of co-founders.Read more about how George started Skroutz as a hobby here: https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1261602/skroutz-started-out-as-a-hobby/

What does it take to scale a start-up from garage mode to a global superpower, with clients ranging from the US Department of Defense to Toyota?This week we are joined by Haris Pylarinos, Founder and CEO of Hack The Box. Born initially as a passion project for Harris, Hack The Box has grown to become the world’s leading cybersecurity performance center, providing millions of users with a human-first platform to create and maintain high-performing cybersecurity individuals and organizations. The platform stands out for its innovative gamification approach, making cybersecurity learning more accessible, engaging, effective and fun, and it is used today by clients ranging from Deloitte to the University of South Florida.We discuss how a community of users evolved into an impressive global clientele, strategies to understand a proper product-market fit, the transformative power of gamification in education and explore the question of Europe’s position in the cybersecurity ecosystem.🖲️Watch a video interview of Haris discussing how he turned his passion into Hack The Box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsDSGsR8Wpo🔨 Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation

How can a startup help companies and corporate leaders redefine how they approach coaching and people management?This week, we are joined by Hilary Klassen, Founder and CEO of Bestselfy, a platform whose mission is to help people be their best self at work. Drawing on modern insights from coaching, psychology, and people development, the Bestselfy app helps managers coach their team via key insights, connect with their team’s personal and professional goals, and go beyond daily managing to engage on a whole new level. Hilary was previously the founder of Kowhog, the first open-source HR/recruitment consultancy and has founded a number of other ventures.We discuss lessons from Hilary’s serial entrepreneurial journey and the challenges women entrepreneurs face, cultural differences in approaching sales, the art of building an MVP and the future trends of leadership coaching.💪Listen to a podcast episode where Hilary discusses strengths-based leadership: https://www.bestselfy.com/post/run-with-hilary-episode-33-strengths-based-leadershipLearn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation

How does one build the largest micromobility fleet in Europe? And how can partnerships, mergers and acquisitions help a company soar to new heights?This week we are joined by Maxim Romain, President and Co-founder of Dott, who is on a mission to change mobility for good. With over 250,000 vehicles after joining forces with TIER, the company today directly employs over 1,900 people and operates shared e-bikes and e-scooters in 400+ cities across Europe and the Middle East. We discuss navigating complex negotiations, lessons from Dott’s journey with integration, and the future of the micromobility industry in Europe.🚲Read an article by Reuters documenting how Tier and Dott set out to form Europe's largest e-scooter rental firm https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tier-dott-form-europes-largest-e-scooter-rental-firm-2024-01-10/ Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation

How do great ideas spin from academia into entrepreneurship? And how can a company revolutionize the robotics industry by giving robots a sense of touch? On our latest episode of EUROPE BUILDS, we are joined by Klajd Lika, Founder and CEO of Bota Systems, a company based in Zurich with a vision for robots to work and move safely and as natural and free as humans. As a developer and manufacturer of multi-axis force-torque sensors, Bota Systems and its team of robotics, software and mechanical engineers continually develops highly-integrated and advanced sensors to support a wide range of applications. We discuss Klajd’s leap from the ETH research labs to a fully fledged company with successful commercialization strategies, the recent partnership between Bota Systems and Kinova, the latest trends in robotics and the main differences in robotics adoption between the EU and the US. 🧑‍💻Read more about how Bota Systems partnered with Kinova to add sense of touch to AI robotics https://www.therobotreport.com/bota-partners-kinova-robotics-add-sense-touch-ai-robotics/  Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation

How can AI empower non-native English speakers to communicate with confidence?  In this episode, we sit down with Anada Lakra, the Founder and CEO of BoldVoice, an innovative ed-tech app that uses AI to help non-native English speakers improve their accents, communication skills, and confidence. Anada shares how her experiences as an immigrant in the U.S. inspired BoldVoice and shaped its mission to make effective communication accessible to all. We delve into how AI is leveraged to adapt to the nuances of human speech, explore the development of the app’s new viral feature—a tool that predicts and detects a user’s accent—and discuss how it’s driving BoldVoice’s global expansion. Anada also provides valuable insights into building a thriving user base, the challenges and rewards of a B2C model, and the differences in fundraising and scaling in Europe versus the U.S. 🧑‍💻Read more about the Accent Oracle, the new tool by BoldVoice that can accurately detect your accent using AI https://www.msn.com/en-ca/technology/artificial-intelligence/discover-the-artificial-intelligence-website-that-accurately-detects-your-accent/ar-BB1r9ZRs  Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation

What does it take to build and scale successful tech teams? And how can leaders overcome the fear of failure and embrace growth in a fast-paced industry? In this episode, we are joined by Michael Petychakis, the former CTO of ORFIUM, a global leader in providing software, data, and licensing solutions to the entertainment industry, and the current CTO of Dialectica. Michael shares the unorthodox start of his entrepreneurial journey, the lessons learned from multiple pivots, his insight on the evolution of AI, and his experience leading tech teams through successful mergers and acquisitions. We dive into his strategies for scaling teams, fostering innovation, and creating an environment where failure is a stepping stone, not a roadblock. Tune in for an insightful conversation on leadership, adaptability, and thriving in the ever-evolving world of tech. 🧑‍💻Listen to Michael’s TED talk about building a better future with AI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_go6hqPRcg 🔨Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation

What does it take to innovate at the crossroads of technology and life sciences?  This week we are joined by Dimitris Skaltsas, Co-Founder and CEO of Intelligencia AI, an innovative company applying AI and machine learning to de-risk drug development. Intelligencia AI aims to bridge the gap between innovation and risk reduction with an interdisciplinary team of software engineers, AI practitioners, scientists, and drug developers, with the ultimate goal of bringing novel therapies to patients faster. Dimitris shares insights into balancing innovation with regulation, releasing AI tools at the right moment, and fostering trust-based relationships to bridge the gap between risk and discovery. 🚀Listen to Dimitris discuss how to think fast and slow in start-up culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDLq4kdMy9o Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation

Self-awareness, equanimity and adaptability are essential traits for founders - especially if they’re on a mission to redefine how companies around the world create healthy and fulfilling cultures. On this episode, we are joined by Andreas Konstantinou, Founder of Rethink Culture, a venture that is on a mission to help businesses audit their culture and build cultures people love to work for. Previously, Andreas founded SlashData and grew it into the leading developer analyst firm, helping the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Facebook understand developers through data. He has also held various leadership positions at Entrepreneurs Organisation, and is also an educator and podcaster. We discuss the key components of quantifying and improving company culture, and why it’s an effort that should begin with the CEO and not be shafted on to HR. We also delve into how to overcome challenges as a second-time founder, and discuss the value of candor, openness and Andreas’ purpose to be “a multiplier for multipliers”. Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation  🪴Listen to Andreas talk about how to create trust and growth with the right insights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzQbc_oefSg

How much passion and ambition does it take to build the intelligence of the robots of today and tomorrow? On this episode we are joined by Minas Liarokapis, Co-Founder and CTO of Acumino, a world leading Robotics and AI company working on next generation, foundation robot models for the execution of highly dexterous tasks. Acumino is headquartered in the US and has operations in New Zealand and Greece, and its solutions empower robots' capabilities to perform complex tasks to diverse real-world environments and with high reliability, tapping into what Minas calls “a trillion dollar opportunity”. Minas breaks down how Acumino increases the penetration of robotics-based automation in factories today, how it develops its commercialization strategies in robotics, and how it builds hardware agnostic solutions for the robots of today and tomorrow. We also discuss the leap from academia to entrepreneurship, the importance of risk in decision making, and the potential of Europe’s role and value in the future of robotics and AI. Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation 🤖 Watch Minas discuss a new approach to robot skill learning at the MARS 2024 conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aUyMAEH_xA 

How much vision and grit does it take to become a global pioneer in influencer marketing and insights? On our fourth episode, we are joined by Jenny Tsai, Founder and CEO of WeArisma, a leading earned influencer analytics company that works with companies like Marc Jacobs, Westfield and Polaroid to help them measure and grow their influencer marketing. Founded in 2015, way before the influencer phenomenon took off, today WeArisma is used by over 40 global brands, including some of the world’s most valuable luxury and Fortune 500 brands. Join us for a discussion on the strategies that help a start-up build strong relationships with leading brands, the evolution of influencer marketing, the importance of adaptation, and the role of AI or cultural nuances in scaling up a global influence analytics company.  Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation Read an interview by Jenny on how We Arisma transforms influencer marketing, social media ranking and building brand affinity with Gen Z: https://www.maddyness.com/uk/2023/08/09/knowing-and-growing-your-influence-with-wearsima/ 

How much motivation and focus does it take to innovate in the circular economy? On our third episode, we are joined by Valentina Cerolini, co-founder and CEO of Deesup.com, a curated marketplace for luxury second-hand furniture which launched in Milan in 2017. Staying true to its goal of making the furniture supply chain more ethical and sustainable, Deesup has expanded well beyond Italy, consolidating its presence in multiple European markets.  We discuss strategies to generate consumer interest for second-hand furniture, the adaptability it takes to transition from Peer-to-Peer to Business to Consumer, and growing investment interest in the circular economy. Join us for a deep-dive into what it takes to build scalable marketplaces in the intersection of luxury and sustainability. Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation Read about how Deesup built a resale-as-a-service platform https://www.doorwayplatform.com/en/network/news/deesup-lancia-il-white-paper-e-pensa-a-piattaforma-di-resale-as-a-service 

How much stubbornness does it take to build a user-base of 150 million users? In our second episode, Co-founder and CEO of Sweatcoin, Anton Derlyatka, walks us through the key ingredients of ultra-high consumer growth. Sweatcoin has inspired more than 150 million people worldwide to move more via behavioral nudges and real-time incentives, and was the most downloaded health and fitness app globally in 2022. We discuss the role of robust referral programs and tapping early into the influencer market, as well as the power of storytelling and the challenges of scaling up across borders and boundaries. This episode is a deep dive into the tools, strategies and persistance that founders need in order to build large and loyal consumer bases. 👓Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation 🏃Read about how Anton Derlyatka built an app converting your steps into currency: https://www.maddyness.com/uk/2022/01/06/meet-sweatcoin-the-app-converting-your-steps-into-currency/ 

How important is tenacity, stamina, and honesty in the fundraising process? On our first episode we are joined by Alex Loizou, a computer scientist turned entrepreneur who founded TROUVA in 2013, a leading platform for discovering and shopping independent boutiques and brands across Europe. Trouva has raised a total funding of $41.1M over 6 rounds. We discuss successful and unsuccessful strategies of securing capital, the nuances of fundraising in the US as a European founder, and key decision-making criteria such as when to raise funds, how much to seek, and from whom. This episode is a deep dive into the strategic and honest approach to building enduring relationships with investors, essential for any startup’s growth. 🔨 Learn more about EUROPE BUILDS: https://byborrn.substack.com/p/does-europe-build-real-innovation🔍 Read about how Alex Loizou Built an International Company and Sold it Twice https://fastforward.com.cy/tech-ecosystem/how-alex-loizou-built-international-company-and-sold-it-twice

Welcome to EUROPE BUILDS, a podcast dedicated to diving deep into the real stories behind Europe’s startups.