Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites

Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs

Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites is a podcast featuring inspirational conversations with exceptional entrepreneurs and innovators about the strategies they used, lessons they learned, and what makes them stand out.

  1. 6 MAI

    Thought Leadership & the Start-up

    IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Denise Silber sits down with Michaela Horvathova, co-founder of Beyond Education and alumna of Harvard's Graduate School of Education, to explore how building an innovative company demands more than a great product — it requires becoming a thought leader.  Michaela’s journey is as global as it is inspiring. Despite not fitting into the traditional school system in Slovakia, Michaela earned a tennis scholarship to the U.S., graduated from Harvard, advised the Prime Minister of Slovakia, and co-founded a bold edtech startup helping schools adapt to the age of AI. Her company, Beyond Education, was selected for and completed the Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Accelerator — a zero-equity, virtual program supporting high-potential, Harvard alumni-founded companies.  You’ll hear how Michaela: Pivoted from policymaking to entrepreneurship for greater impact. Built a company focused on digital assessments and teacher development to help schools evolve with technology. Learned why even small startups must embrace thought leadership to shape their market and build demand. Turned her credibility and conviction into invitations to speak at global education events — and even organized her own summit. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or advisor, this episode unpacks why communication and positioning matter just as much as product — especially when your innovation is ahead of its time. Tune in to learn how a tennis champion turned edtech entrepreneur built a mission-driven company from the ground up — and how the HAE Accelerator helped refine their vision and strategy. GUEST BIO: Michaela Horvathova is the co-founder of Beyond Education, a fast-growing edtech startup now active in over 13 countries. She holds a Master's in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University and has over 12 years of experience in global education reform. Before launching Beyond Education, Michaela worked at the OECD, partnered with organizations like IB and UNICEF, and advised ministries of education across the Czech Republic, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Brazil. As an Advisor to the Prime Minister of Slovakia, she helped shape national education strategy, focusing on competency-based learning. A regular speaker at global conferences, Michaela is passionate about reimagining how schools prepare students for the age of AI. A former professional tennis player, she brings resilience, adaptability, and a growth mindset to her work as an entrepreneur.

    29 min
  2. 24 MARS

    From Founder to Leader: Mastering the Scaleup Journey

    IN THIS EPISODE: Scaling a startup brings exciting opportunities—but also the challenge of increased complexity, slower decision-making, and the creeping risk of bureaucracy. In this episode, Artus de Longuemar joins host Philip Guarino to reveal how founders can delegate with confidence, maintain agility, and empower teams without losing control. They explore the psychological barriers to delegation, the shift from hands-on execution to strategic leadership, and how clear autonomy frameworks can drive success. Artus also highlights the power of inspiring content creation for platforms like LinkedIn and how founders can align delegation with company goals. Plus, they dive into strategies for decentralizing decision-making, fostering collective intelligence, and navigating the rise of AI in leadership. GUEST BIO: Artus de Longuemar helps startup founders scale their teams without losing speed, agility, or control. With experience across 180+ businesses—from startups to Fortune 500s—he specializes in agile, collaborative leadership. Great leadership, he believes, isn’t about pushing harder but creating the right conditions for teams to thrive. After five years at Airbus, he shifted to entrepreneurship, advising startups on leadership and organizational design. He’s also developing Proudly, an AI-powered virtual coach for managers. Beyond work, Artus enjoys surfing, skiing, and MMA—balancing discipline, agility, and flow.

    33 min
  3. 11 FÉVR.

    Digital Health: ROI is King

    IN THIS EPISODE: In a change of pace, host Denise Silber delves into her professional field, digital health, as she  invites fellow Harvard alumna Dr. Ariel Dora Stern. Together they  explore Dr. Stern's extensive and unique, research-based findings on what drives successful business models in healthtech. Dr. Stern combines her Harvard PhD, insights from her decade on the HBS faculty, and her prestigious position as Alexander von Humboldt Professor at Germany’s Hasso Plattner Institute to provide listeners with unparalleled expertise in the digital health business across the globe  Ariel Dora Stern provides  case learnings from Proximie, a company using augmented and virtual reality to improve surgical procedure, and shares more broadly  how startups can navigate the business challenges of healthcare. This episode brings valuable advice to entrepreneurs looking to scale their digital health solutions on both sides of the Atlantic. GUEST BIO: After completing her PhD at Harvard and spending ten years on the faculty of Harvard Business School, Ariel Dora Stern is currently the Alexander von Humboldt Professor for Digital Health, Economics and Policy at Germany’s Hasso Plattner Institute. Ariel’s research focuses on innovation and technology management in health care. Formerly, she served as the Director for International Health Care Economics at the Health Innovation Hub, an independent think tank of the German Ministry of Health. She is a member of several academic and industry advisory boards and advises numerous health care startups.

    27 min
  4. 03/12/2024

    Dancing with Robots : A New Entrepreneurial Frontier

    IN THIS EPISODE: Host Denise Silber sits down with Harvard alumna Dr. Merritt Moore, who is a quantum physicist, ballet dancer, educator and entrepreneur all at once! They explore her unique multi-disciplinary journey at the intersection of dance and robotics. Dr Moore reveals the challenges and triumphs of merging her two passions, and how her work offers deeper insights into human-machine interaction.  Dr. Moore shares how she is creating a new industry by coding robots and performing as a professional ballet dancer on global stages. Dr Moore’s  innovative teaching approach in creative robotics at NYU Abu Dhabi offers entrepreneurs insights into embracing interdisciplinary approaches and combining diverse skills to forge unique career paths and inspire market-defining innovations. GUEST BIO: Dr. Merritt Moore graduated from Harvard College in physics and from the University of Oxford with a PhD in Quantum Optics. She danced professionally with the English National Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, and Zurich Ballet, and continues to perform with the Boston Ballet. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor at NYU Abu Dhabi, teaching robotics. She was awarded Forbes 30 under 30, she was one of the 12 candidates on BBC "Astronauts: Do you have what it takes?". She has been invited to perform with robots at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Forbes Women's Summit, and around the world. This led to features in TIME, Financial Times (FT), Vogue, BBC.

    28 min
  5. 10/09/2024

    Investing in LatAm with VC Trailblazer Christine Kenna

    IN THIS EPISODE: In this unique episode taking us to Latin America, Denise Silber interviews HBS alumna Christine Kenna,  Partner at a leading early-stage VC fund in Mexico,  in order to explore and amplify the often overlooked opportunities for venture capital investment in the region. Drawing from her experience as a former Silicon Valley executive, operational manager in LatAm, and board member, Christine Kenna shares insights on identifying innovative business models and supporting entrepreneurs in this emerging market. Listeners will gain valuable takeaways on the region’s tech landscape, the importance of local partnerships, and the evolving role of women in venture capital. Christine Kenna also discusses her initiatives to empower women in VC, the necessary balance between personal values and profess GUEST BIO: Christine Kenna, an alumna of the Harvard Business School, is Partner at IGNIA, a leading venture capital fund investing in global technology companies reinventing the way to do business across Latin America. Christine, a trailblazer in the investor and entrepreneurial ecosystems, co-founded Mujeres Invirtiendo and MBA Mujeres de México to accelerate the careers of professional women in LatAm. With 15+ years of VC experience, she serves on IGNIA´s boards and is an independent Board Member of ALSEA and the Kauffman Fellows. Recognized as one of Latin America’s top female investors, Christine’s background includes leadership roles at Google, EF Education First, and EY Parthenon and The Guggenheim Foundation.  Christine did her undergraduate degree at Duke University and is a Kauffman Fellow.

    28 min
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À propos

Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Invites is a podcast featuring inspirational conversations with exceptional entrepreneurs and innovators about the strategies they used, lessons they learned, and what makes them stand out.