Startup Istanbul Podcast
Episodes
Lessons from a16z Speedrun’s Josh Lu
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last month, I was in San Francisco for the a16z Speedrun Demo Day — surrounded by brilliant Substack writers, top founders, and sharp investors.I ha...
Stop Racing to Raise Money
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I had an eye-opening chat with Jason Fried on my podcast about startup funding. His perspective challenges everything most founders believe.Controvers...
Your Company Is Already Dead
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Big companies don't fail from lack of innovation.They fail from successful resistance to it.Episode with Tendayi Viki about startups and corporate inn...
Get Investors to Notice You (In 2025)
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's post, we're diving into the crucial topic of attracting investors, with insights from a true expert. I recently had the pleasure of spe...
Instant Pitch Deck Killers
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Just had an incredible chat with Ed Kang from Startups.com about what really happens when investors look at your deck.Here's the shocking truth:You do...
The Venture Mindset
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I had a great chat with Ilya Strebulaev recently. Ilya is a professor at Stanford GSB, author of 'The Venture Mindset' book, and knows a ton about ven...
Progress Metrics: The Secret Weapon
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In my latest podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeremiah Gardner, a seasoned innovator and author of "The Lean Brand." Jeremiah's jo...
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fundraising is a critical stage for any startup, but it's not without its pitfalls. In a recent conversation with seasoned venture capitalist Andrew R...
From $0 to $9 Million per Week: The Up & Go Startup Story
27 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had Touradj Barman on my podcast to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and founding Up’n Go, a contactless payment solution for restaura...
Cara Health
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anna Strubel, co-founder of Cara Health, an innovative startup aiming to improve the maternity experience...
Your Startup Is Boring but
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I had the pleasure of speaking with Adeo Ressi, a well-known figure in the world of entrepreneurship and venture capital. Adeo is the founder of Found...
Uncertainty
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm excited to share some highlights from my recent conversation with Jerry Neumann, a seasoned venture capitalist and co-author of "Founder vs. Inves...
Why Your Startup's Community is Worth More Than Money
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had an insightful conversation with Derek Andersen, the visionary founder of Bevy and Startup Grind, on my podcast. Derek's journey is a te...
Silo Team
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Ida Stjernström, co-founder of Silo Team, on my podcast. Silo Team is a startup working to revolutionize ...
How I Invested in Coinbase
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In my recent Substak podcast episode, I spoke with Adam Draper, founder of Boost VC and third-generation VC investor, about his unconventional path in...
The Mom Test
04 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🎧 Listen on Spotify + watch on YouTubeRob Fitzpatrick, author of The Mom Test, recently joined me for an insightful conversation on my podcast. We ...
Why My Startup Failed & What I Learned
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🎧 Listen on Spotify + watch on YouTube Former Pannacotta founder Fernando Taliberti joins me to give a raw, honest postmortem on his failed calenda...
Unlocking Financial Access in Egypt
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🎧 Listen on Spotify + watch on YouTube I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Karl Marco, co-founder of Octo, an Egyptian fintech startup pro...
Radar: Fintech Lessons from Latin America
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent Startup Istanbul podcast, Amanda Jacobson, co-founder of Radar, shared invaluable insights on building a fintech startup in Latin America....
Dave McClure on Investing Evolution
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dave McClure, founding partner of Practical VC and former founding partner of 500 Startups, on my podcast...
Pirates In The Navy
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had an insightful chat with Tendayi Viki, author of "The Corporate Startup" “Pirates In The Navy” and expert on innovation. We discusse...
From Lab to VC Fund
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jens Lapinski, an experienced investor, entrepreneur, and mentor, on my podcast. Jens shared valuable ins...
Steve Blank - Apollo Clash
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent podcast episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Steve Blank, the legendary entrepreneur and father of the Lean Startup methodolo...
Tim Draper: Rules for Radical Returns !
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the honor of speaking with legendary venture capitalist Tim Draper on my podcast. Tim has an incredible track record, having backed com...
Angel Investing: Masterclass
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing David S. Rose, a pioneer angel investor and author of the book "Angel Investing: The Gust Guide to Making ...
Think Remarkable
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm thrilled to have the chance to have an in-depth conversation with Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki on the podcast. As one of the original Apple ...
Unpopular VC
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Livingston, founder of Unpopular VC, shared his insights on angel investing and working with startups globally in my recent podcast interview. M...
Hard Truths
02 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with veteran entrepreneur and investor Kent Lindstrom, partner at 8 Bit Capital, for an enlightening conve...
Take Risks Early
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently spoke with Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner at Hustle Fund, a VC fund investing in early-stage software startups. In our wide-ranging talk, Shi...
No Investors Needed
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the honor of interviewing Jason Fried, founder of 37 Signals, Basecamp, on my podcast. Jason provided so many fascinating insights abo...
Innovation Alchemy
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In my recent conversation with Dan Toma, author of The Corporate Startup and Innovation Accounting, he shared invaluable perspectives on helping large...
Hindu spirituality
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In my recent episode of Startup Istanbul Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Manu Jain, co-founder and CEO of Vama App. Vama is an intriguing ...
Beyond Silicon Valley
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'm talking with Allen Taylor from Endeavor Catalyst about the tough world of entrepreneurs in emerging markets. Allen brings 20+ yea...
The View from Dubai
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Daniel Dos Reis, Investment Director at Wamda Capital, about startups and venture capital in the Middle E...
From Coffee Company to Supply Chain Solution
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bobby Katoli, co-founder and CEO of Ceres Technology, an AI-powered supply chain analytics platform. We d...
The Final Foundry Fund
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I had the pleasure of speaking with Seth Levine, co-founder of Foundry Group, on my podcast this week. Foundry made headlines recently when they annou...
Rise of the Airship Drones
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm excited to announce that Seth Levine, partner and co-founder at Foundry Group, will be a guest on my podcast next week. If you have any questions ...
Humans and Robots
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm excited to have Seth Levine on my podcast next week. If you have any questions you'd like me to ask him, please share them here. I'll be sure to a...
Only Paranoids Survive
13 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Silicon Valley investor Marvin Liao on my podcast. Marvin has a wealth of experience spanning over 20 yea...
Don't Let Fear Hold You Back
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Alec Sorensen, co-founder and CEO of Tradespace, on my podcast. Alec has a fascinating background and sha...
Don't Think
06 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I talked this week with Peter Vesterbacka, entrepreneur and founder from Finland known for building major brands like Angry Birds, Rovio and Slush.Tak...
The Craziest Startup Pivot that Became a Unicorn
23 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I have had the pleasure of knowing Eamonn Carey for many years. We first connected when we hosted him as a speaker at various events in Istanbul and A...
Making Side Hustles Mainstream
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Arthur Wang, founder of Fud, about his entrepreneurial journey. Arthur Wang's family origins as Chinese A...
Insights from a Canadian VC | Casey Van Maanen
16 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I have a great talk with Casey Van Maanen is a Senior Analyst at LOI Venture, an early stage venture capital fund focused on young entrepreneurs in Br...
Doing it For the Next Generation - Twice Commerce
09 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I had a great conversation with Tuomo Laine, founder and CEO of Twice Commerce, formerly known as Rentle. Additionally we met during our side event at...
How Everfund Helps Nonprofits Fundraise More Easily
25 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I had an insightful chat with Christopher Burns, Co-Founder of fundraising platform for nonprofits, Everfund. Christopher has been working on startups...
Mosmos: Save Now, Buy Later
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I had a wonderful conversation with Mosmos co-founders recently and asked them the question,"If you go back in time 2 years, when you were just starti...
Funding Startups: An Investor's Playbook
18 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with Yrjö Ojasaar, Partner at Change Ventures, about the startup ecosystems in Estonia, the Baltics, and the...
Growth Hacking Tips from Sean Ellis, Bestselling Author
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When Sean's wife signed him up to coach his daughter's soccer team, he knew little about the sport. However, as with any challenge, he wanted to take ...
Figuro: InsurTech in LATAM
04 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Top notes from my conversation with Juan Camilo co-founder of FiguroFiguro: InsurTech startupFocus: Latin America* Platform:* Simplifies insurance buy...
Investing is more "psychology than finance" early on
28 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, we chatted with Scott about entrepreneurship, early stage investments, the Fuzzy and Techie book, and many different topics. When I started...
Insights from an Emerging Market VC: A Chat with Vir Kashyap
21 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Vir Kashyap, veteran investor and entrepreneur, on the Startup Istanbul podcast. Vir has a unique backgrou...
Failing to Win - Lessons from a Purpose-Driven African Startup
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I had the pleasure of talking with Mike Quinn, founder of Boost, a B2B commerce platform for retailers and distributors in Africa. We discussed his en...
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Start a Startup in 15 Minutes
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This video is the most popular one on our Startup Istanbul YouTube channel. We have also converted it into a podcast format. Michael Seibel's (Managin...
Khyaal - An Engagement Platform for Senior Citizens in India
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I had the pleasure of talking last week with Hemanshu Jain, founder of Khyaal, an engagement platform for senior citizens in India. We discussed his e...
Inside Superface AI: How This Startup Uses AI to Automate Integrations
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Radek Novotny, founder of Superface AI, for the Startup Istanbul podcast. Superface is an exciting startup...
From Campus to Success: Empowering Middle Eastern Students in the Startup World
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent podcast, I had the pleasure of engaging in a conversation with Yousef Hamidaddin, a well-respected figure in the Middle Eastern startup ec...
Interview with Artemis Cofounder Josh Gray
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hello everyone! I'm excited to share my latest podcast interview on Startup Istanbul with Josh Gray, founder of ArtemisArtemis is an early-stage start...
The Existential Founder: Finding Purpose Over Profits
24 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I spoke with serial social entrepreneur Alex Souza about the importance of existential founder fit. Alex has founded 5 companies across different indu...
Puppetry ( former Elbo AI )
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent episode of the Startup Istanbul podcast, we got to talk with Saravana Rathinam and Ben McMahan. They're the folks behind Puppetry (Former ...
Flipside XR - Lesley Klassen
10 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode of the Startup Istanbul podcast, we had the privilege of discussing virtual reality (VR) and spatial content creation with Lesle...
Lukhu - Sustainable fashion
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm Burak Buyukdemir, and I'm thrilled to bring you an exclusive glimpse into my recent podcast interview with Reynolds Mungai, who serves as the co-f...
Lease Simple - Jeremie Romand
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Introducing LeaseSimple, the first banking app tailored for renters! Renting in big cities has become increasingly expensive and complex, and we aim t...
Action Fuels Reality
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Source of motivation"Without actions, the world would still be an idea" — General Georges Doriot Founder, INSEAD. Startup Discovery Digest* Kiwi La...