Our next guest is one of the power ladies of the Bulgarian VC sector. Elina Halatcheva is a managing partner at BrightCap Ventures . With a background in finance and investment banking, Elina has an MBA from Stanford University. She grew as a professional in the US and UK markets and her expertise ranges from investment banking to e-commerce and real estate. Eventually, Elina came back to Bulgaria to contribute to the growth of the local tech ecosystem. As an investor Elina is also a part of the...
Nov 15, 2022•54 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is a seasoned executive who has walked the road from corporate to entrepreneurship. After more than 20 years in different positions in the IT industry, Dimitar Dimitrov founded his own company. Digital Lights is a software company building innovative solutions for the mobility industry. Recently, it has been ranked the 3d fastest-growing IT company in Bulgaria. Dimitar Dimitrov is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University. His own Alma Mater...
Nov 08, 2022•58 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest’s mission is to make artificial intelligence more secure and reliable. Petar Tsankov is at the unique intersection of science and entrepreneurship. Until recently, He’s was researcher and a lecturer at ETH Zurich, and currently co-founder of LatticeFlow , a company helping machine learning teams build and deploy trustworthy AI. Before that, Petar already had one successful exit. He sold his first company ChainSecurity to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Petar is the proud owner of “T...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest discovered entrepreneurship when he was a teenager. Since then Radu Negulescu has been running multiple successful businesses. While still in university, he founded Trencadis , a company developing IT solutions for governmental institutions and businesses. Trencadis was recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in Central Europe by Deloitte. During the pandemic, Radu appointed a seasoned manager to run Trencadis to jump-start a new venture. His company Sessions was founde...
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest has participated in the Romanian tech ecosystem since its inception. First as an angel investor, today, Dan Mihaescu is the founding partner of GapMinder VC . He has led GapMinder’s investments in companies like FintechOS, TypingDNA, Cartloop, Cyscale, and DruidAI. Before that, Dan was a seasoned business executive with experience in small, medium to large enterprises, M&A deals, and venture acceleration. Dan is also an INSEAD Alumni and Harvard Business School graduate....
Oct 18, 2022•49 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is one of the most influential people in tech in Europe. Mike Butcher is Editor-at-large at TechCrunch . But his journalistic work has appeared in many media outlets from The Guardian to the BBC, and Bloomberg. He was recognized by the Queen of England for his services in tech industry and journalism. Mike has also advised UK Prime Ministers and the Mayor of London on tech startup policy. He is the founder of the non-profit Techfugees . A global organization providing tech solutio...
Oct 11, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest takes education very seriously. So much so, that she founded an ed-tech startup. Evelina Necula is the co-founder of Kinderpredia . A school management software that simplifies administrative stuff to help teachers, parents, and students communicate better. Today, Kinderpedia is used by schools and kindergartens in 14 countries. In over 2000 schools and kindergartens worldwide. Evelina leans on her marketing and B2B sales experience to scale the company. In her conversation with G...
Oct 04, 2022•55 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is born an entrepreneur. At just 23 years old, he already had three companies, making profits. Andrei Ursachi is a serial entrepreneur, currently serving as the CEO of Stailer, an online booking platform for the beauty industry . An opportunity Andrei saw and acted on in the midst of the pandemic. He utilizes his background in digital marketing and psychology to build fast-scaling companies. In his conversation with Georgi Nenov, Andrei reflects on what is it like to stay at...
Sep 27, 2022•52 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest has a passion for exploring the barriers to AI implementation. As a startup founder, and an advisor, but also as an investor. Dimitrios Skaltsas is the co-founder and Executive Director of Intelligencia . A company that helps pharma and biotech companies reduce risks in drug development and bring new drugs to market faster. Dimitrios has an MBA from INSEAD and he has been an executive resident there. And he has also led the Big Data and AI department at McKinsey New Ventures. Dimi...
Sep 20, 2022•45 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is a true community builder and a person with a passion and talent for connecting people. Pavlina Yanakieva is the co-founder and CEO of Bulgaria Innovation Hub . A non-profit that aims to build bridges between Sofia and the Silicon Valley and help local entrepreneurs scale their businesses in the US market. Before that Pavlina gained experience in sales, marketing, and network development at US Telecoms like AT&T and T-Mobile. She has also worked for Google and Cingular Wirel...
Sep 13, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is known as the Guru of the Greek startups. Apostolos Apostolakis is a partner at Venture Friends . The first 100% private venture capital fund in Greece with successful exits and soonicorns like Blueground and Spotawheel in their portfolio. Today, Venture Friends has spread its impact not only throughout Europe but also to South America and the Middle East. Apostolos also has a vast portfolio as an angel investor. But before that he was a serial entrepreneur, tapping into n...
Sep 06, 2022•52 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Next on The Recursive podcast, we welcome the Chief Financial Officer and Partner at LAUNCHub Ventures , Irina Dimitrova . She left behind a prospective career in London, where she graduated in Banking and International Finance from the University of London, to pursue her dream - of making an impact in her home country, Bulgaria. With her financial acumen and determination, she managed to put Southeast Europe on the map for investments when entrepreneurship was still at its embryonic level. Firs...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Next, on The Recursive podcast, we welcome an innovation driver and supporter in the Bulgarian startup ecosystem. Meet Max Gurvits, a “Bulgarian by choice,” as he describes himself. Max is a Managing Partner at Sofia-based VC, Vitosha Venture Partners. Graduating from The University of Groningen with a Master’s degree in International and European Law, Max explores his interest in entrepreneurship at one moment of his life, which later leads him to moving to Bulgaria. Since then, Max Gurvits has...
Aug 23, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest, Vicky Foteinou, has been side-by-side with the tech founders from the Greek innovation ecosystem for the past decade. She has consulted startups from scratch, navigating their growth and expansion across markets, sectors, and networks. Payhawk, Plum, WealthyHood, Finloup, and Welcome Pickups, to name a few. Vicky Foteinou is an experienced program manager with a background in public and business administration. Currently, she’s the Program Manager at the Greek Innovation and Tech...
Aug 16, 2022•50 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest’s growth journey reflects the growth of the Greek innovation landscape. Dimitris Kalavros got fascinated with tech innovation while working as a journalist. This is how he found his own calling for entrepreneurship. Dimitris brought the TEDx conference to Athens and has curated it for more than a decade. He also created Found.ation, a technology and innovation enabling platform in Southeast Europe. Today, Found.ation runs a digital transformation accelerator for companies and it a...
Aug 09, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Next, on The Recursive Podcast, we welcome someone who is literally driving innovation in the future of mobility. Meet Thomas Metz , the Managing Director of Bosch Engineering Center Sofia . Before coming to Bulgaria, he held various positions in Bosch Group. He worked in the field of automotive engineering, key customer management, and strategic marketing and sales. Thomas Metz joined Bosch more than a decade ago as part of their Junior Management Program. In his conversation with Irina, Thomas...
Aug 02, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back, The Recursive Community! Our summer season is starting off hot with one of the stars of the European fintech world - Victor Trokoudes , the co-Founder and CEO of the AI money management app Plum. Plum is a European smart money app that aims to grow people’s wealth through automation. It's built to improve financial outcomes for everyone by helping customers save, invest, budget, and spend. The company currently has over 1.3 million customers in Europe. As Victor Trokoudes ex...
Jul 26, 2022•51 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is passionate about building companies and developing marketing strategies. But he’s also experienced in building communities. Svetoslav Dimov is the co-founder and CEO of DEV.BG , the biggest IT community in Bulgaria. DEV.BG is also a leading tech job board and one of the main organizers of tech events in the country. Helping IT professionals not only to find opportunities, but also to exchange ideas, knowledge, and experience. In his conversation with Georgi Nenov, Svetoslav Dim...
Jun 28, 2022•50 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest started her career in journalism. But switched career paths from media to property management and entrepreneurship. Galia Jordanova is the co-founder of a tech company that tries to reinvent the way people buy and manage properties. Gaida.AI deploys technology to simplify the process of buying and managing your property and save people money on mortgages. In her conversation with Georgi Nenov, Galia shares why change is a big word in her life - not only personally, but also becaus...
Jun 21, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is an engineer by profession and a community builder by calling. Dimitris Dimosiaris is the co-founder of Founderhood . A platform for tech startup founders in their early stages to support and connect them with all the stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Prior to this, Dimitris co-founded ThinkBiz Hellas and Mindspace. Two of the largest NGOs in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation within Greek universities. Dimitris was also an executive at the global communit...
Jun 14, 2022•54 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is a bold dreamer. When Martin Vechev graduated in Computer Science from Cambridge university he dreamt of creating a world-class research center in his homeland Bulgaria. Today, his dream is a reality. Martin Vechev is the architect of The Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) in Sofia. The deep tech institute was created in collaboration with two of the world's leading tech universities, Zurich and Lausanne. It is supported by tech giant...
Jun 07, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Hello from Athens, The Recursive community! Our next guest combines several unique talents: legal background with business acumen and people’s skills. Athina Polina Dova is the co-founder of Owiwi . A digital tool that combines psychological research with game design to help companies recruit the best talent. Athina Polina is the Vice-President of the International Union of Professional Trainers. She also serves on the board of directors of the first creative industries cluster in Greece Coralli...
May 31, 2022•54 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is a business development professional who got fascinated with the world of crypto. Jordan Stoev is the Head of Crypto & Trading, Skrill & NETELLER at Paysafe Group , one of the biggest IT employers in Bulgaria. In the last five years, he gained extensive experience in investing, valuations, analysis, advisory, and solutioning in crypto. With a background in business analysis and finance, Jordan is constantly trying to improve, learn and grow. In the episode he also talks ...
May 24, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Hello from Athens, The Recursive community! Our next guest describes herself as a Civil Engineer by degree and an innovation enthusiast by nature. Niki Karali is the co-founder of Mantis Business Innovation . A company that provides growth strategies, innovation programs, and startup scouting. Together with an innovation management software to digitize the whole process. Niki is also an active startup ecosystem builder. She has helped in the organization of the StartupNow Forum, the largest star...
May 17, 2022•47 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast The Recursive podcast is filming from sunny Athens this week. Our first guest has a rich entrepreneurial journey despite her young age. Stefi Vasilopoulou started her first business when she was just 21 years old. Since then she has juggled many roles. Entrepreneur. Consultant. Angel investor. Mentor. Community builder. Most recently Stefi co-founded Hellenides , a career network that supports women in Greece. Hellenides provides female professionals with tools and trainings to thrive. She’s als...
May 10, 2022•53 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is a computer engineer who dropped his PHD to create an online platform to ignite kids in Bulgaria to learn. Darin Madzharov created Ucha.se a decade ago. His edtech platform offers video lessons and tests for all grades in the public school system in Bulgaria. Over time Ucha.se turned into a tool for the teachers to inspire kids to study. Now, more than 60% of the schools in the country have a subscription to the platform. In 2020 Madhzarov created an international version of the...
May 03, 2022•57 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest created his first company when he was just 28 years old. Radoslav Georgiev is the co-founder and CTO of the Bulgarian-born OKR management software Gtmhub . OKR stands for objective and key results methodology for goal setting in business. Together with his co-founders, Rado is part of the so-called Telerik mafia. A term coined for the entrepreneurs who came out of one of the most successful Bulgarian IT companies ever. Rado started his journey there as a programmer and grew up to ...
Apr 19, 2022•56 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is an engineer by calling and an entrepreneur by accident, as he puts it himself. Kosta Jordanov is the co-founder of FITE, a global pay-per-view platform for combat sports events . With more than 5000 streamed events and over 10 million users, FITE became the top-grossing app in the world across all categories. In 2021, the streaming platform was acquired by the US-founded TrillerNet , which counts celebrities like Metallica, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne and Pitbull among its investors....
Apr 12, 2022•56 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast The Recursive podcast is back for Season 4 and it welcomes one of the founding fathers of the Bulgarian tech ecosystem. Vassil Terziev is the biggest angel investor in Bulgaria. He’s also among the most active ones in the whole region. He’s a partner at the early-stage fund Eleven Ventures . Vassil Terziev is the co-founder of one of Bulgaria’s most successful tech companies, Telerik. The company’s sale to Progress in 2014 is still the largest for Bulgaria to this date. More than 40 companies we...
Apr 05, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast To wrap up a season of awesome conversations, we invite you to take a peek at the playbooks for building great products of some of the most exciting companies from the SEE region. From the fundamentals of value creation to having the audacity to shape the world around them in a positive way, these entrepreneurs talk about how they have learned: To process negative feedback; To ask their customers the right questions; To innovate by anticipating what’s next for the market; To pair up the right ta...
Mar 15, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
