Perception Paradox with Zivile (Zivi) Ein

In this Perception Paradox episode, futurist Carsten Beck joins Zivile Einikyte to explore why the future isn’t something to predict — but to imagine. Together, they unpack how AI , diversity , and foresight are reshaping the way we think about progress, power, and human agency. This conversation isn’t about crystal-ball predictions — it’s about designing futures worth living in. About Carsten Car...

When your company starts scaling, it’s not the product that breaks — it’s the people. In this episode of Perception Paradox , host Zivile Einikyte sits down with Jarek Owczarek , co-founder of Contractbook and now Head of Contract Management & AI at Scrive , to unpack the untold truths behind building, merging, and evolving startups. From co-founder dynamics to product obsession, from cultural...

In this episode of Perception Paradox , host Zivile (Zivi) sits down with Rishabh , Venture Partner at Hoxton Ventures — a London-based early-stage VC firm backing some of Europe’s most ambitious startups. Before joining Hoxton, Rishabh co-founded Belong , an HR tech platform backed by Sequoia Capital , scaling it from a raw idea to one of India’s fastest-growing enterprise startups. Today, he inv...

What happens when AI stops being just a tool… and starts becoming your friend, your boss, or even your government? In this special episode, I sit down with Walter Pasquarelli — one of the world’s leading voices on AI strategy who’s advised Fortune 100 CEOs, governments, and even royalty — to unpack the hidden shifts AI is already driving in our lives. We dive into: Why AI companions and “digital t...

Mariama Boumanjal works with Google for Startups across EMEA, partnering with VCs, governments, and ecosystem operators to support founders through programs like the Black Founders Fund. In this conversation, we discuss why diversity drives innovation, how AI is changing startups, and what characteristics separate successful founders from everyone else. Key topics we cover: What major tech compani...

Two years ago, Anisah Osman Britton was my very first podcast guest when this was just a crazy idea. Now she's back for a raw conversation about what's really changed. We dive into how she built Brown Bodies from a newsletter into a movement tackling love and relationships in the South Asian diaspora, why she refuses to call it a "media company," and her honest take on why dating...

Some of the biggest unicorns started as “bad ideas.” In this episode, I sit down with Raimonds, co-founder of Bad Ideas Fund , live at TechBBQ in Copenhagen — to unpack why betting on unconventional founders and community-driven VC could beat traditional venture capital. We dig into: Why the Scandinavian ecosystem is shifting from Stockholm to Copenhagen The rise of founder-to-founder VC and why c...

Most entrepreneurs are told to start young and move fast. Aron Gelbard did the opposite - and built Europe's leading gifting platform. While others rushed to launch, Aron deliberately waited years to start Bloom & Wild. That patience allowed him to raise €150M, expand across 8 European markets, and become a certified B Corp. In this conversation, you'll discover: Why "start now&qu...

After her own brutal postpartum experience, Nanna Schultz realized something shocking: no one talks about what really happens to mothers after birth. So she built Momkind - a company breaking the silence around motherhood's hardest truths. In this raw conversation, Nanna reveals why 'Instagram motherhood' is dangerous, how she's scaling a business while protecting her mental health...

Philip’s story is not your typical startup highlight reel. After chasing success at all costs, he hit burnout — and it forced him to rebuild everything: his identity, his leadership, and even how he defines success. In this raw and practical conversation, Philip opens up about: Discovering his ADHD and how it reshaped his leadership. Why therapy and coaching are the real growth hacks. The dangers...

Maria Therese from Quiet Space reveals why meditation isn't just self-care—it's world-changing. Discover the simple 10-minute practice that transforms suffering into wisdom, and learn why the busiest people need meditation most.  Recorded live in Copenhagen during a TechBBQ conference, this conversation explores how to pause, breathe, and find humanity in our hyper-connected world. About M...

What happens when a philosophy student decides to disrupt an entire industry? Matias went from studying abstract concepts to building GoMore - a peer-to-peer car sharing platform that's changing how millions think about car ownership. This isn't just another startup story. Key insights: Why the sharing economy still has massive untapped potential Cultural patterns that determine which mark...

What happens when two German cousins send 1000+ cold emails to build their dream startup? Meet Eric Garsleitner and Benjamin Buthmann, the founders behind Koalo (formerly Whyzer), who turned a Silicon Valley inspiration into a creator community platform. Their journey includes landing a Hollywood actress as an early investor and strategic partner, expanding into the Brazilian market, and now closi...

Non-technical manager → Applied AI expert → 500+ automations → 1M users. Here's the exact blueprint. Vykintas Glodenis went from zero coding skills to Chief AI Officer at Mindvalley. In this conversation, he reveals the simple system anyone can use to automate their life and business with AI. What you'll learn: The one thing you must do daily with AI Why "just start building" bea...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Soulaima Gourani, Silicon Valley-based CEO and VC-backed founder of Happioh Inc., recorded live at TechBBQ conference.  Discover her game-changing approach to entrepreneurial mental health, energy management, and authentic leadership. Learn why she treats her mind like a gym, views challenges as projects (not problems), and believes energy is your most va...

In this episode of Perception Paradox , Zivile Einikyte sits down with Andy Bruckschlöegl, whose entrepreneurial path started selling backpacks on eBay at age 12 and led him to co-found Ryte—recently acquired by Semrush—and Europe’s largest founders’ festival, Bits & Pretzels. Andy shares: How humble beginnings turned into ambitious ventures The secret sauce behind designing events that foster...

What if AI could run on human brain cells instead of energy-hungry chips? Meet Dr. Fred Jordan, the Swiss scientist who ditched traditional computing to grow living human neurons in his lab—and they're learning to compute with 1 MILLION TIMES less energy than current AI systems. In this mind-bending conversation, Fred reveals:  - How he creates "brain organoids" from human stem cells...

What if the future of fashion lies not in excess, but in regeneration? Meet Marci Zaroff , the visionary who invented “ECOfashion” in 1995 , and has been pioneering a path toward conscious, regenerative design ever since. In this episode, Marci unwraps how a deep commitment to ethics and ecology became the blueprint for sustainable style.  You’ll learn: How she coined and trademarked “ECOfashion”...

In this episode of Perception Paradox , host Zivile sits down with Ada Mockutė Jaime , Chief Marketing Officer at Nordcurrent, who walks us through an extraordinary journey—from customer intelligence in finance to building viral campaigns in gaming. You’ll hear how Ada fuels global growth using data, authenticity, and cultural storytelling—from bootstrapped scaling to “pink soup” marketing that ge...

What do you do the day after the investor call, the layoff, or the final shutdown? Join Marten Palu (ex-Gamecan) & Kristjan Maruste (Kõu Mobility Group) on the Latitude59 Podcast Stage for a raw, unfiltered conversation about what happens when startups fall apart. No spin. No sugarcoating. They’ll share what it truly takes to lead through collapse, take full responsibility, and start over — wi...

What if everything you’ve labeled a failure was actually the beginning of your becoming? Ed Soo Hoo doesn’t fit into any box—and that’s entirely the point. With nine startups under his belt, he’s lived the full spectrum of business: from working-class roots to boardroom pressure, from seed-stage scrambles to IPO highs—and, yes, total collapse. Now the CTO of Worldwide Global Accounts, a UC Berkele...

What happens when Silicon Valley’s brightest minds take on humanity’s most silent crisis? In this explosive episode, serial entrepreneur Joseph Perla reveals how he built Hangout.fm , a platform using music and gaming to fight the loneliness epidemic that's devastating Gen Z. From zero to over 1 million users , Joseph shares raw, behind-the-scenes lessons on building community, scaling without...

Pedro Santos has built, exited, and now invests in startups across continents. But his biggest lesson? "Just because you love a solution doesn’t mean the market will." In this episode, Pedro shares raw, hard-earned wisdom from the founder’s seat to the investor’s table. He unpacks the critical traits that separate surviving startups from failed ones, how to actually validate your idea, and why fou...

What if the way you’ve been thinking about startup fundraising is... totally outdated? In this episode of  Perception Paradox , I sit down with  Jeffrey Fidelman , a former Wall Street pro turned startup investment strategist, to break down  what’s actually working in fundraising today . We explore: How “Fundraise as a Service” is flipping the script for founders The biggest mistakes startups make...

Join me for an insightful conversation with Eric Sim — former Managing Director at UBS Investment Bank and author of Small Actions . Known for inspiring millions on LinkedIn with his career wisdom, Eric shares how he built a meaningful portfolio career driven by purpose, not just prestige. In this episode, we explore: The quiet power of self-discovery and authenticity How Eric went from stage frig...