Iron Foundry by Terra API

The first Iranian entrepreneur to build a company worth over $1B in Europe, Dan Vahdat, founder of Huma, is joining Kyriakos Eleftheriou, founder of Terra APIThey discuss:00:00 - Intro02:10 - Communicating with @EmmanuelMacron and @kmitsotakis08:55 - Why are Greece and Persia not empires today13:40 - How the best people look like18:30 - Short-term vs long-term thinking24:27 - Dropping out of PhD26:57 - The first months of Huma32:00 - Early days32:27 - 'I never had the ego of being turned down'34:00 - First customers37:21 - How to price expensive contracts48:30 - Regulation as a moat59:10 - Raising $300m from partners instead of VC1:02:58 - AI1:06:00 - Storytelling advice1:09:55 - Running1:14:32 - Cyrus, Darius, and Achaemenid inspirations1:19:23 - The future

David Turner is the Group CTO of Virgin Active, a global health brand with more than 230 fitness clubs across 8 countries. He previously led NHS tech during Covid.The host: Kyriakos More about Virgin Active00:00 - Intro01:26 - UK Tech05:33 - F1 telemetry vs fitness data07:33 - Betting + health data09:30 - Getting into software engineering13:51 - Inside NHS tech: joining mid-Covid chaos14:00 - Leading the NHS Covid digital response, 24/720:56 - Building national-scale testing tech24:49 - The real data engine behind the Covid travel pass26:00 - Virgin Active after NHS30:40 - Inside Virgin clubs tech33:40 - 360° member view41:40 - Rewards45:19 - Why true gym innovation came from outsiders54:40 - Advice to young engineers: fail fast, fail often58:17 - The future of health: your constant digital twin

Kian Sadeghi, the innovative Founder and CEO of Nucleus Genomics, shares insights on the intersection of AI and genetics. He discusses the evolution of genetic testing, highlighting how it has become more accessible and impactful. Sadeghi reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing emotional storytelling in fundraising and navigating regulatory challenges. He reveals exciting concepts like Nucleus Embryo for enhancing IVF through genetic analysis, all while tackling the ethical implications of genetic engineering and the future of personalized healthcare.

Mark Gainey, co-founder of Strava and a tech entrepreneur, dives into his journey from launching a startup to reaching a $2.2 billion valuation. He discusses how technological advancements, particularly AI, are reshaping fitness communities while highlighting the importance of engaging niche markets. Gainey emphasizes the principle of simplifying products to enhance user experience and shares insights on effective fundraising strategies. He reveals how Strava balances growth while maintaining authenticity, all while cultivating genuine connections within the fitness world.

How do you build a $3B company from Portugal?In this episode, Marcelo Lebre (Co-founder of Remote), in a discussion with Kyriakos ,  shares how he went to building one of Europe’s top startups and why health, culture, and ruthless focus were key to scaling Remote globally.We talk fitness, healthcare, European bureaucracy, and the mindset behind building a generational company.Follow Marcelo → https://x.com/marcelo_lebreFollow Kyriakos → https://x.com/kyriakoselChapters:00:00 Intro03:08 Training for Longevity05:11 Nutrition and Wearables08:14 What Doctors Miss11:06 DIY Health and Data14:10 Health Isn’t Just Avoiding Sickness17:20 The Quote That Hit Hard18:53 Building a Unicorn in Portugal23:35 Why European Startups Die27:12 Bureaucracy and Politics32:03 What Governments Must Fix35:50 Remote Still Feels Like a Startup38:05 Europe’s Investment Problem40:11 Remote Was Built Out of Frustration44:03 Building a Global HR Platform49:06 The Backbone of Global Hiring52:04 No Ego No Politics55:15 Not a Family A Team57:52 How to Attract Top Talent59:39 His 100-Year Vision

In the latest conversation at Imperial College London, Kyriakos is joined by George Robson, Partner at Sequoia.George went from leading global products at Revolut to joining Sequoia Capital - one of the most selective VC firms in the world.At Revolut, he helped scale the team from a few hundred to thousands and launched products used by millions. Now at Sequoia, he backs Europe’s most ambitious founders.In this episode, George shares:What made Revolut’s culture so intense and effectiveHow Sequoia actually decides who to fundThe founder red flag they won’t tolerateWhy “talent density” beats speed in the early daysWhether you’re raising your first round, building a team, or just curious how the top VCs think this episode is packed with real insight from both sides of the table.Follow George Robson on XFollow Kyriakos Eleftheriou on XTIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Intro: From Revolut to Sequoia03:15 – What made Revolut’s culture brutally effective06:40 – Nik Storonsky’s “gym” metaphor and hiring filter10:30 – The pod structure that unlocked speed and ownership13:50 – Why Revolut grew like a Darwinian startup lab17:10 – Inside Sequoia: culture, filters, and pace21:45 – What founders often misunderstand about VC24:30 – 50/50 founder equity splits: why it’s a red flag28:00 – How Sequoia filters for world-class founders31:00 – The 4 traits George looks for before investing35:20 – Working with founders after the check lands38:50 – Europe vs US: what’s still misunderstood43:00 – How to pitch Sequoia the right way46:30 – What great founders don’t do in a pitch50:15 – Why storytelling and obsession matter53:45 – What George would do differently as a founder56:00 – Lightning round: hot takes on VC, speed, AI59:10 – Closing thoughts: how to build for the long game

In the latest episode, Kyriakos is joined by Dmitry Gurski , the CEO of Flo Health, the fastest growing health startup in the world, for 2024, in their conversation at Imperial College LondonTimestamps:00:00 - Intro02:10 - Early Failures & $60M Mistake 05:45 - Smart Founders Fail 08:20 - Launching Flo11:10 - What Great Products Have in Common 13:30 - Beating Max Levchin & a16z16:00 - Winning against Apple20:30 - Fundraising23:10 - 300 Experiments26:00 - What Almost Killed Flo28:40 - From $1B to $10B Valuation 30:00 - AI is too slow 33:30 - Fast Decisions > Smart Decisions 36:28 Q&A

Kyriakos is joined by Ethan Kurzweil, a founding partner at Chemistry and former managing partner at Bessemer Venture Partners.He’s led early investments in Twitch, Twilio, Intercom, and PagerDuty — and in this conversation, he shares what separates good founders from iconic ones.In this episode, we discuss:- Why the best founders are like cult leaders- What makes a startup idea truly contrarian- How to build a focused, high-conviction VC fund- The future of AI-native companiesWhether you’re raising, investing, or building— This is a must-listen for anyone serious about startups.Follow Ethan on X: https://twitter.com/@ethankurzFollow Kyriakos on X: https://twitter.com/@kyriakoselChemistry VC: @chemistry_fund | [https://chemistry.vc](https://chemistry.vc/)TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Intro02:10 - What Makes a Cult-Like Founder05:20 - Why the Best Startups Start in SF08:30 - The Origins of Ethan & Chemistry VC10:20 - How He Spotted Twilio Early13:45 - What Great Founders Have in Common18:00 - Contrarian vs. Consensus Thinking21:00 - Lessons from Bessemer + Transition to Chemistry26:00 - Why Chemistry Focuses Only on Early Stage30:30 - Building a High-Conviction VC Fund35:00 - What Chemistry Invests In38:00 - How to Build a Durable AI Company43:00 - Why AI Will Reshape Healthcare First47:10 - Ethan’s First Healthtech Investment50:00 - Building Strong Startup Culture52:00 - Advice for Founders Moving to SF54:40 - Ethan’s 50-Year Future Vision58:00 - The Future of Creativity & Learning1:01:00 - Are Elite Universities Still Worth It?1:03:00 - How to Reach Ethan & Final Words

Ivan Selin, Chief Product Officer of AllTrails, previously crafted innovative products at Apple, Airbnb, and Uber. He shares fascinating insights on integrating technology with outdoor adventures and creating user-centric experiences. Ivan discusses balancing long-term goals with immediate planning while enhancing community engagement through user-generated content. He also highlights the role of AI in outdoor experiences and reflects on future hiking trends, emphasizing the connection between humanity and nature empowered by technology.

Kyriakos is joined by Kian Sadeghi, the CEO of Nucleus Genomics, the leading company in the world, in genome testing.As of today, Nucleus has raised $32m, from some of the best investors in the world, such as Founders Fund, Seven Seven Six, and many more. 00:00 Introduction02:00 Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson: How the deal happened05:40 Make America Healthy Again in Fox News08:00 How to generate attention21:20 How Nucleus started28:00 Raising the first $33:00 How Kian raised from Keith Rabois from Founders Fund45:25 'The modern day emperor is founders'48:40 'The companies that win don't care about trends'49:30 'The two startup models'52:00 'AI is a negative signal'55:50 'Join the founder that is insane'56:50 Nucleus product evolution57:20 The 23andMe acquisition1:08:00 'DNA future and family planning'1:16:00 Raising the Series A1:21:00 Deadlifts