Today on the podcast we welcome a Ukrainian entrepreneur who currently resides in Sofia. Dmitriy Aleksandrov is the CEO of Homsters, a SaaS provider of automated digital marketing solutions for the property segment. For 8 years, he grew the company from an idea to a PropTech business running in 5 countries. Homsters was acquired by the global media company Ringier at the end of 2022. But Dmitriy is still at the steering wheel to scale the company’s solutions. Initially working in marketing and t...
May 23, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast Our guest today is one of the Co-founders and а Board Member of Scalefocus - Viktor Bilyanski . He started his career in the field of software development two decades ago. In 2012, a pivotal moment in his career came up, as he joined forces with 4 other professionals to establish Scalefocus. With 7 delivery locations in Bulgaria, Turkiye, and North Macedonia, the company provides tailored software solutions and services that empower Fortune 500 companies, innovative startups, and established lea...
May 10, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is helping marketers all over the world have a scalable process for user acquisition, engagement, and storytelling through social media. Sinisa Rakovic is the CEO and co-founder of HUNCH , a marketing technology company focusing on creative intelligence. Sinisa is also a serial entrepreneur with several successful exits behind his back. He graduated from California State University and spent time at Stanford University. In his conversation with Irina, Sinisa reflects on all these ...
May 02, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast In our next stop in Belgrade, our guest is fascinated by the application of AI, machine learning, and data science in the digital transformation of businesses. Darko Todorovic is VP of Engineering and Delivery at the software company HTEC Group . Prior to that, Darko was in charge of R&D, leading the development center of the company HTEC in Niš. Darko is a Ph.D. candidate in the field of Robotics at the University of Niš, where he was the head of the Robotics Laboratory and thought at the D...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast Next stop for The Recursive podcast - Belgrade! Our next guest became an entrepreneur fresh out of high school. Nikola Krstic is now the CEO of the software company Anoris Technology . His company develops a smart glove designed to help people with impaired vision. The smart glove works like a wearable assistant device enabling blind people to have a better quality of life. And it is inspired by the founder himself. In his conversation with Georgi Nenov, he shares his personal journey to entrepr...
Apr 19, 2023•56 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is one of the first female investors in the CEE region. Tatjana Zabasù Mikuž is the managing partner at South Central Ventures (SCV), an early-stage VC fund investing in the Balkans. Last year, they closed their third fund at 70 million euros. Tatjana is also the co-founder of the first venture capital fund in Slovenia, which was created in 2008. Since then, she’s been actively involved in more than 40 investments. She has also served as a board member of companies like Cognism, ...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is responsible for the global growth of Rakuten Viber , one of the biggest calling and messaging applications with over a billion users all over the world. Atanas Raykov is building on the app's popularity with a focus on Europe, the US, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. He works directly with Rakuten’s and Viber's global executive team to develop strategic partnerships, marketing, and PR initiatives, as well as transform the application into a super app. Previously...
Apr 04, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is on a mission to transform Bulgaria’s economic model towards high-value-added businesses. Ned Dervenkov is one of the co-founders of the Bulgarian startup association https://besco.bg/ https://besco.bg/ (recently rebranded to The Bulgarian Entrepreneurial Association). With over 500 members, the NGO is working towards a series of reforms to improve the framework for starting a business in Bulgaria and position the country as an innovation powerhouse in the region. He had partici...
Mar 28, 2023•58 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest started his first startup venture at 17. By the time he finished school, he managed to sell the business and return his investment. Since then Orlin Radev has been a serial entrepreneur, mentor, and supporter of the Bulgarian tech ecosystem. Most recently, he’s one of the founders and CEO of AMPECO . All-in-one electric vehicle charging management platform, essential for the electric mobility evolution. The company recently closed its Series A investment , supported by BMW iVentur...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest believes that decarbonization is the biggest paradigm shift in the world economy since the industrial revolution. Dimitar Enchev is a managing partner at PostScriptum Ventures . A private equity fund focused on sustainability and energy transition investments. But besides his investor’s hat, Dimitar is also an entrepreneur. He co-founded CWP Global . A company that developed and realized a number of large-scale renewable energy projects, including the biggest wind farm in Europe. ...
Mar 14, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is a seasoned manager who walked all the way from consulting to entrepreneurship to ecosystem building. Momchil Vassilev is the managing director of the global entrepreneurial network Endeavor for Bulgaria . In this role, he helps create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and nurture founders with global ambitions, the ability to scale fast, and a give-back mindset. Prior to that, Vassilev has over 20 years of professional experience in management and business development. He co-...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is an Albanian-born entrepreneur. His professional path is closely connected to Bulgaria. But his impact as an entrepreneur and investor has spread throughout the whole region of Southeast Europe. Elvin Guri is currently managing the VC fund - INVENIO Partners , advising and mentoring companies from the biotech industry to healthcare, food, and real estate. Elvin Guri co-created Jet Finance, the largest independent consumer lending company in SouthEastern Europe which he ex...
Nov 29, 2022•46 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Our next guest is a hardware engineer building the future of biometric security. Vince Gaydarzhiev is the founder of the US-Bulgarian company Alcatraz AI . The hardware-as-a-service startup offers autonomous access control that uses facial biometrics, 3D sensing, and AI. Among the customers of Alcatraz AI are Fortune 500 companies, including telecoms and government-owned banks. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Vince worked as an engineer for high-profile companies like Apple and Nvidia. He holds...
Nov 22, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast 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 
