What happens when a 24-year-old ex-BCG consultant takes on Europe’s slow, dusty real estate market? You get Casavo — a platform that once bought $30M in homes a month... then pivoted hard.

In this episode, Giorgio Tinacci shares:

How he raised $800M+ (with zero VC experience)

The real story behind their near-death moment (hint: interest rates)

Lessons from running a real estate rocket ship in 4 countries

Why he loves building things that create “ecosystem value”

It’s a masterclass in company success, founder intuition, and the art of pivoting under pressure. If you like big swings, big numbers, and bigger lessons — this one's for you.

Chapters

00:00:00 - Introduction to Casavo and Giorgio Tinacci

00:00:56 - The Birth of Casavo: Early Challenges and Validation

00:05:49 - Funding the Vision: Securing Initial Investments

00:10:08 - Navigating the COVID Era: Investor Support and Challenges

00:13:06 - Building Relationships with Investors

00:16:50 - Lessons from the VC World: What Founders Should Know

00:21:05 - Cultural Differences in Investment: US vs. European VCs

00:24:03 - Facing Crisis: Near-Death Experiences in Entrepreneurship

00:25:27 - Navigating Near-Death Experiences in Entrepreneurship

00:26:11 - The Impact of Interest Rate Changes on Startups

00:28:00 - Transitioning to an Asset-Light Model

00:30:22 - Preparing for Market Changes

00:32:21 - Cultural Shifts in Business Strategy

00:35:33 - Expanding into International Markets

00:39:00 - Challenges of Merging Company Cultures

00:41:31 - Shifting Mindsets: From Growth to Profitability00:46:20 - The Founder’s Spirit: Balancing Leadership and Operations

What do Formula 1 and nanotechnology have in common? Andrea Giovannelli.

At 23, while Italy’s startup scene was barely on the map, Andrea launched Nanotech — betting on the smallest materials to solve the biggest engineering challenges. Fast forward: today, his company is powering faster F1 cars, safer airplanes, and the future of advanced materials.

We dive into the early days of building from scratch, landing €50K in business plan competitions, convincing partners when deeptech wasn’t “cool” yet, and why real innovation doesn’t chase trends — it creates them.

If you've ever dreamed about building something hard, this episode is for you.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction to Nanotech and Its Vision

00:05:03 The Journey of Co-founding Nanotech

00:09:51 The Role of Sports in Entrepreneurship

00:15:02 Transitioning from Consulting to Entrepreneurship

00:19:56 Understanding Nanotechnology and Its Applications

00:24:53 Breaking into Formula One and Early Success

00:25:37 Entering the World of Formula One

00:29:14 Navigating Challenges and Innovations

00:31:02 Overcoming Early Struggles

00:38:35 The Courage to Start

00:42:47 Vision for the Future

00:46:11 Finding Momentum and Motivation

In this episode, we dive into how he built Vianova, a mobility data platform used by cities to make better decisionsaround transport and infrastructure. He shares what it’s really like to sell to governments, validate a product in public, and pitch an idea before the market is ready.

00:00:00 - Introduction to Vianova and Its Mission

04:26:00 - The Journey of Thibault Castagne: From Finance to Mobility

12:41:00 - The Evolution of Vianova: Data-Driven Urban Mobility

16:06:00 - Challenges in Partnering with Cities and Governments

20:06:00 - Vianova's Presence and Market Focus

24:17:00 - Navigating Urban Mobility Challenges

27:27:00 - The Entrepreneurial Journey: Personal Insights

31:34:00 - Lessons from the Startup Experience

37:13:00 - Funding and Investor Relations

41:11:00 - Building a Strong Technical Team

45:55:00 - Finding Momentum in Entrepreneurship

Chandralika Hazarika is a walking power surge.

No tech background, no co-founder, no safety net—and yet, she’s partnering with global fashion giants to bring AI to your online shopping cart.

As co-founder of Bigthinx 3D AI, she’s building cutting-edge tech that powers 3D body scans, virtual try-ons, and digital twins for the world’s biggest fashion and luxury brands.

(You know that moment when you wish you could see a 3D view of the bag you’re about to buy online? That’s her tech.)

In this episode, we talk:

⚡ Turning rejection into rocket fuel

⚡ Building credibility without a tech CV

⚡ Selling to big brands before the market was ready

⚡ Showing up bold in rooms that want you quiet

Chapters

00:00:00 - Revolutionizing Fashion with AI

00:07:27 - The Journey from Architecture to Fashion Tech

00:14:52 - Overcoming Challenges in the Fashion Industry

00:19:35 - Navigating Funding in Fashion Tech

00:25:39 - Building a Strong Founding Team

00:31:29 - Global Expansion and Headquarters Strategy

00:34:41 - Challenges Faced During Growth

00:38:30 - Personal Impact of Entrepreneurship

00:40:20 - Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

00:42:13 - Competitive Advantages in the Market

00:44:09 - Motivation and Team Development

Cristina Jäger spent years advising millionaires at UBS—then left it all to fix what the industry ignores: the gender wealth gap.

In this episode, she shares how Her Financial Freedom was born from a few conversations over Prosecco and turned into a fast-growing platform that’s helping thousands ofwomen invest with confidence.

We cover:

💸 Real estate vs. market investing

👶 The ETF plan she started for her 4-week-old niece

⚠️ The biggest mindset mistakes women make about money

🧠 What Europe can learn from Hong Kong billionaires

If you’ve ever thought“I’ll start investing when I have more money” — this episode is for you.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction to Financial Empowerment

00:03:01 Cristina's Early Influences and Career Path

00:05:59 Wealth Management Insights from Asia and Europe

00:09:06 The GenderWealth Gap and Financial Literacy

00:11:54 The Birth of Her Financial Freedom

00:14:56 Transitioning from Banking to Entrepreneurship

00:17:53 Mission and Vision of Her Financial Freedom

00:20:57 Addressing Misconceptions About Wealth

00:23:47 The Importance of Financial Education for Women

00:27:26 Gendered Communication and Its Impact on Financial Confidence

00:30:35 The Importance of Early Investment

00:33:54 Starting Small: Building Financial Confidence

00:39:37 Transforming Financial Education for Future Generations

00:46:35 Creating a Supportive Community for Women in Finance

In this episode, we sit down with Yury Vasilkov, CEO of Gamaya, to talk about what it really takes to build momentum in deep tech. From overcoming a failed product launch to finding the right market (hello, sugarcane farmers 🧃), Yury shares the behind-the-scenes of navigating pivots, raising funding, and introducing AI into one of the most traditional industries on earth.

00:00:00 - Introductionto Gamaya and Yuri's Journey

00:03:10 - Transitioningfrom Corporate to Startup Leadership

00:05:53 - ChallengesFaced in Previous Startup Experience

00:08:57 - NavigatingGamaya's Early Challenges

00:11:52 - StrategicChanges and Business Model Pivot

00:15:01 - BuildingTrust with Farmers and Driving Adoption

00:18:02 - Innovatingin Agriculture: Overcoming Resistance to Change

00:24:05 - BuildingCustomer Relationships and Trust

00:28:26 - ExpandingProduct Portfolio and Market Reach

00:32:05 - NavigatingChallenges in Business Growth

00:34:20 - PersonalChallenges and Leadership in Uncertainty

00:41:23 - FindingMotivation and Balance in Entrepreneurship

00:42:52 - Passion forAgriculture and Technology

"Sell first. Build later." That’s the mindset that helped Tanguy Frecon, co-founder and CEO of Prolong, raise €1.5M before even launching his company.

Prolong is reshaping the fashion industry by making after-sales a brand asset—helping companies integrate care, repair, and maintenance services seamlessly. But building astartup from scratch is never smooth sailing.

How do you convince investors and clients to bet on an idea that doesn’t exist yet? What happens when your startup goes head-to-head with industry giants? And what’s thehardest lesson Tanguy learned along the way?

Listen now to find out.

00:00:00 - Introductionto Prolong and Tanguy's Journey

00:05:28 - Tanguy'sEntrepreneurial Background and Early Experiences

00:10:07 - BuildingProlong: The Concept and Team Formation

00:15:28 - FundraisingJourney and Initial Challenges

00:20:24 - NavigatingChallenges and Pivoting the Business Model

00:26:13 - TheImportance of External Perspectives

00:28:13 - KeyLearnings from Building Prolong

00:30:55 - SalesStrategy and Founder Involvement

00:32:01 - Goals andExpansion Plans for Prolong

00:34:15 - TargetMarket and Client Focus

00:35:16 - Data-DrivenAfter-Sales Solutions

00:36:29 - AIIntegration and Future Prospects

00:40:09 - Motivationand Vision for the Future

Quitting Corporate to Launch a Lingerie Empire – Tiffany’s Wild Ride

Ever thought about ditching your 9-to-5 to start your own thing? That’s exactly what Tiffany did. In this episode, Erika, Tiffany, and Vlada catch up on her leap from podcast host to full-time entrepreneur—building a lingerie brand with a bold twist: adaptive fashion.

The crew dives into the chaos of launching a business in France, why influencers are the new power players in marketing, and the unfiltered truth about going all-in on your dreams. Spoiler: It’s not all champagne and victory laps.

🔥 If you’re into startups, scale-ups, or just love a good “I quit my job” story, this one’s for you.

Episode Timestamps

00:00:00 - Introduction and Transition

00:01:12 - Tiffany's Departure and Vlada's Introduction

00:02:27 -Vlada's Background and New Beginnings

00:04:28 - The Podcast Experience and Learning Together

00:05:41 - Authenticity in Content Creation

00:06:11 - Exploring Entrepreneurial Journeys

00:08:58 - Tiffany's Transition from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

00:11:02 - Identifying Market Gaps and Personal Experiences

00:13:11 - The Evolution of Tiffany's Business Idea

00:15:40 - Reflections on Corporate Experience and Growth

00:17:02 - Deciding to Take the Leap

00:18:53 - The Roller Coaster of Entrepreneurship

00:20:41 - Language Learning and Cultural Integration

00:22:00 - Challenges of Starting a Business in France

00:24:11 - Navigating Company Registration and Ecosystem Connections

00:24:30 - Funding Strategies for Startups

00:26:04 - Influencer Marketing in the Fashion Industry

00:33:10 - Dreams and Aspirations for the Future