The Recursive Podcast

In this special episode of The Recursive Podcast, recorded live at Latitude59 in Tallinn, we sit down with Jonas Bartasius, co-founder of Lithuania-born Based Collective, to explore a question Europe’s startup ecosystem has been wrestling with for years: what should it learn from Silicon Valley, and what should it build differently?For Bartasius, the answer goes beyond more capital, accelerators, or unicorns. What Europe needs is stronger, denser networks of founders who actively help one another build companies. Key topics covered in this recording:The origins of BaseSpace and the transition from a physical hacker house to the pan-European Base Collective.Why traditional VC and accelerator models often fail to provide the support founders actually need.An assessment of the "New Nordics" ecosystem and the current gaps in pan-European talent distribution.The dangers of over-glamorizing fundraising.Jonas's personal background in serial entrepreneurship, from selling flowers at 13 to navigating post-startup depression.

AI can generate logos, colors, taglines, and entire visual identities in seconds. But can it build a brand people actually remember?In this episode of The Recursive Roundtable, we explore one of the biggest questions facing founders, marketers, and designers today: what does branding look like in the age of AI?Joining us are three branding experts with decades of experience building companies across technology, consumer products, and global markets:• Zlatina Petrova — Founder & Creative Director, Brandly• Plamen Motev — Creative & Operational Director, Fontfabric• Kiril Hadjidinev — Brand Strategist & Marketing AdvisorThe episode is hosted by Etien Yovchev, Co-founder and CGO, The Recursive.☑️ Why the strongest brands shape identity, not just recognition☑️ How design, typography, and marketing create emotional connection☑️ Why AI-generated brands often struggle to build authenticity☑️ What happens to local brands in a world shaped by global AI models☑️ How founders can preserve cultural identity while building for global markets☑️ Whether AI can truly understand local language, heritage, and aesthetics☑️ What remains of a brand when customers discover products through AI assistantsWhether you're building a startup, launching a product, working in marketing, or simply curious about how AI is changing creative work, this conversation offers practical insights into what still requires human judgment, and why great brands are built through relationships, not prompts.👉 Check the full conversation and join the discussion.🎧 Follow us for more episodes of The Recursive Podcast.

In this episode of The Recursive Podcast, we sit down with Rakuten Viber CEO Ofir Eyal to discuss how the company is evolving beyond messaging through its partnership with OpenAI, the rise of AI-powered communication, and the long-term vision behind building a "super app."The conversation explores how the company approaches privacy and responsible AI adoption, and why Europe has yet to embrace the super app model seen across Asia.Ofir also reflects on his own journey from product manager to CEO, the leadership lessons he learned while navigating one of Viber's most challenging periods after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.In this episode:☑️ Why Viber partnered with OpenAI☑️ The future of AI inside messaging apps☑️ Can Europe build a successful super app?☑️ Privacy, security, and responsible AI adoption☑️ How Viber makes money beyond messaging☑️ Leadership lessons from scaling a global platform☑️ Rebuilding after losing 40% of the business overnight🎙️ Subscribe to The Recursive Podcast for conversations with the founders, investors, and technology leaders shaping the future of innovation across Central and Eastern Europe and beyond.Í

Can We Safely Live with Humanoid Robots? 🤖 In this fascinating episode of The Recursive Podcast, we sit down with Emily Kate Genatowski, an AI PhD candidate, historian and domestic robotics researcher who provides a unique, hands-on perspective on our future with machines. Unlike most researchers who work in controlled labs, Emily lives full-time with a humanoid robot named Tova (a Unitree G1) in her apartment in Vienna. As the founder of PSL (Proportional Stake Liability), an insurtech startup bridging the liability gap in robotics, Emily’s career is dedicated to uncovering the practical, legal, and social friction points that arise when AI gains a physical body. She moves beyond the "AI hype" to explore how humanoid robotics will realistically intersect with our legal regulations, physical infrastructure, and the daily fabric of our communities.🧠 Why Watch?Whether you’re a tech optimist, a skeptic, or someone worried about the future of work, this conversation offers a grounded, practical look at the challenges ahead. Emily moves the needle from philosophical fear to practical empowerment, showing us that we are still the architects of the future we want to see.🔔 Subscribe to The Recursive for more deep-seated stories at the intersection of technology, society, and the European startup ecosystem.Find out more about Emily & her work:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilykategenotovsky/https://www.therecursive.com/emily-kate-genatowski-tova-humanoid-robot-laws-regulation-liability/

What does AI engineering actually look like inside modern enterprises — and how close are we to truly autonomous software development?In this episode of The Recursive Podcast, we sit down with Karol Przystalski, Chief Data and AI Officer at Exadel, to explore how organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and into AI-native operations.We discuss the evolution from AI copilots and coding assistants to fully orchestrated engineering systems, why many companies are measuring AI success incorrectly, and how enterprise leaders should think about ROI, productivity, and organizational change in the age of autonomous engineering.Karol also shares insights into Exadel Colleague — an AI-powered engineering teammate designed to support entire software teams—and explains why the future of AI isn't about replacing humans, but helping them focus on higher-value work.In this episode we discuss:🔹 Why AI adoption is shifting from experimentation to real business valueHow enterprises have moved beyond AI proof-of-concepts and are now focused on productivity, efficiency, and measurable outcomes.🔹 The difference between AI-enabled development and AI-native engineeringWhy coding assistants are only the first step—and how autonomous systems are transforming entire software development lifecycles.🔹 How to measure AI ROI beyond token usageThe metrics that actually matter, including productivity gains, human-equivalent hours saved, accuracy, and business impact.🔹 The future of autonomous engineering and the role of humansWhy AI won't replace software engineers, but will fundamentally change how teams work and what skills will matter most.🧠 Whether you're an engineering leader, CTO, product executive, or simply curious about the future of software development, this conversation offers a practical look at where enterprise AI is headed next.🔔 Follow The Recursive for more stories at the intersection of tech, society, and startup ecosystems.

In this episode of The Recursive Podcast, we sit down with Kilian Kaminski, the co-founder of Refurbed, the Vienna-based marketplace that has become a powerhouse in the European circular economy. Kilian shares insights from his transition from Amazon to entrepreneurship and the ongoing battle to establish refurbishment as a standardized global consumption category.A former head of Amazon’s Certified Refurbished program in Germany, Kilian left the corporate giant to revolutionize how we consume. Today, Refurbed has surpassed €2 billion in sales, proving that "rethinking new" is not just a sustainable choice, but a massive business opportunity that sits at the intersection of consumer trust and environmental impact.What we discussed in this episode:♻️ The limitations of corporate sustainability and the origins of Refurbed’s marketplace model.♻️ Overcoming the "chicken and egg" problem of acquiring sellers and building consumer trust in non-new products.♻️ The critical need for standardized European legal definitions and quality criteria for refurbishment.♻️ Cultural differences in consumption habits and the untapped "gold mine" of 600 million unused devices in European households.♻️ The impact of the "Right to Repair" directive and the role of the European Refurbishment Association (EUREFAS) in policy lobbying.---This episode was shot in Vienna, during CEE Forum 2026. Big thanks to wexelerate for hosting us in their hub, which was also the first home to Refurbed team as well. Make sure to check their website to learn more about other events they host and the community they are building 👉 https://wexelerate.com/---🧠 This episode is a must-watch for entrepreneurs interested in marketplace dynamics, sustainability advocates, and anyone curious about how the "Right to Repair" legislation will impact the gadgets we use every day.🔔 Follow The Recursive for more stories at the intersection of tech, society, and startup ecosystems.

Ivan Valev, Sales leader for CEE & the Baltics at Deel with deep SaaS and GTM experience. He discusses CEE’s rise from low-cost outsourcing to a world-class talent hub. Talks cover compliance as a growth enabler, payroll automation freeing founders for strategic work, rapid market testing instead of slow entity setups, and the emergence of new roles like AI trainers.

Is Central and Eastern Europe becoming the next global cybersecurity hub, or are we still exporting our best talent abroad?In this episode of The Recursive Roundtable, recorded in Vienna and hosted by Elevator Ventures, we bring together leading voices from the cybersecurity ecosystem to discuss Europe's biggest opportunities and challenges in cybersecurity, AI, digital identity, talent retention, venture capital, and digital sovereignty.Our guests explore whether Europe can compete with the US in building global cybersecurity champions, how AI is transforming both cyber defense and cyber attacks, and why keeping top technical talent in Europe may be one of the most important strategic challenges of the decade.We also dive into:☑️ The cybersecurity talent advantage in Central & Eastern Europe☑️ Brain drain and the race for top engineers☑️ Why European startups struggle with Series A and Series B funding☑️ AI-powered cyber attacks and autonomous defense systems☑️ Europe's dependence on foreign cloud and security providers☑️ Digital sovereignty and the future of European cybersecurity☑️ Scaling cybersecurity companies from Prague, Vienna, and beyondFeaturing:Maximilian Schausberger, Managing Director (Elevator Ventures)Petr Dvorak, Founder & CEO (Wultra)Rene Heinzl, CTO (CyberTrap)💡 Key takeaway:Europe has world-class technical talent and cybersecurity expertise. The question is whether it can create the capital, ecosystem, and strategic vision needed to keep that talent, build global leaders, and secure its digital future.👇 What do you think?Can Europe become a global cybersecurity leader, or will talent and innovation continue to flow elsewhere? Share your thoughts in the comments.👉 Watch the full conversation and join the discussion.🎧 Like and subscribe for more episodes of The Recursive Podcast.Chapters: 00:00 Europe's Cybersecurity Wake-Up Call02:00 Can Europe Become a Cybersecurity Superpower?06:00 The Brain Drain Crisis08:55 Why Europe Struggles to Scale13:20 Cybersecurity Cannot Be Outsourced16:25 The Global Demand for European Cybersecurity19:08 AI Is Already Attacking23:42 The Startup Trust Problem30:30 Why Cybersecurity Is So Hard31:52 What If AI Was Smarter Than Your Team?33:22 Quantum Computing Changes Everything40:40 Europe's Opportunity to Lead

In this episode of The Recursive Podcast, we dive into one of the hottest topics in tech right now — AI in banking. Our host Dilyana Haralanova speaks with Valentin Stepanovich, Head of Machine Learning Platform at DSK Bank, about where he leads ML and AI innovation initiatives. They explore how generative AI is transforming customer service, fraud prevention, software engineering, and financial operations inside modern banks, and more.💡 How AI Is Transforming Customer Service in Banking: Why banks are replacing traditional rule-based chatbots with AI assistants, how customer interactions are becoming more natural, and why Valentine believes customer service will be the biggest area AI fundamentally changes. 💡 The Real Risks of AI in Finance: From AI-generated fraud and identity theft to GDPR, security layers, hallucinations, and the EU AI Act — the conversation unpacks the biggest challenges banks face when deploying generative AI safely. 💡 Why AI Isn’t Replacing Jobs (Yet): Valentin shares why AI is changing the nature of work rather than eliminating jobs, how engineers are adapting to AI-assisted development, and the surprising rise of candidates using AI live during job interviews.

Is the “Genius Founder” Myth Hurting Your Startup? In this episode of the Recursive Roundtable, we pull back the curtain on the real founder’s journey — from the grueling early days of fundraising to the high-stakes world of multi-million dollar exits. We are joined by three industry experts who see the lifecycle of a company from every angle: Gergana Stoichkova, a VC expert and fundraising advisor; Stan Andreev, an M&A specialist with a background at Citibank in New York and London; and Teodor Antonio, a narrative strategist who helps founders shape their public presence. Together, they debunk common misconceptions about "startup freedom," explain why your exit strategy should start on Day 1, and reveal why "chaos mastery" is the most important skill a CEO can have.💡 What we discuss:The Biggest Startup Myths: Why building a great product doesn't guarantee distribution, and why the "lone wolf" founder narrative is a recipe for failure.The Reality of Selling Your Company: Stan explains why an exit is never "easy," how to align co-founder incentives early, and why a declining business is almost impossible to sell.Fundraising as a Relationship, Not an Outsource: Gergana breaks down why you can’t hire someone to raise capital for you and what VCs are actually looking for beyond a perfect pitch deck.Narrative as Infrastructure: Theodor explores how to use major milestones (like funding rounds) for customer acquisition rather than just vanity PR, and why public speaking is a learnable craft.Red Flags for Investors: How to tell when a founder’s confidence has turned into arrogance and when social media "vanity metrics" are masking a lack of real growth.🏆 This episode is essential viewing for early-stage founders, entrepreneurs planning their next exit, and anyone looking to understand the bridge between building a product and building a legacy.🔔 Subscribe to The Recursive for more stories at the intersection of tech, society, and startup ecosystems.