Roots 2 Disrupt

Young Founders Network
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A podcast about ideas, resilience, and leadership. Here we explore the journeys of extraordinary leaders who dared to dream, faced challenges, and transformed visions into reality. Through deep, introspective conversations, we uncover lessons in growth, meaning, and the relentless pursuit of impact. Join us as we dive into the stories shaping the world—and find inspiration to shape your own.

  1. This AI Hires Faster Than Any Recruiter! The NEW AI changing the Hiring system (Forever) | Sebastian Hjärne (Talentium)

    MAY 11

    This AI Hires Faster Than Any Recruiter! The NEW AI changing the Hiring system (Forever) | Sebastian Hjärne (Talentium)

    AI is transforming the way we hire — and it might just fix recruiting forever. In this episode, we talk about the future of hiring with Sebastian Hjärne, founder of Talentium — one of the most innovative AI startups in recruitment tech. Backed by EQT Ventures, Robin Capital, and industry legends like Sebastian Siemiatkowski (Founder of Klarna), Fredrik Hjelm (Founder of VOI), and Joel Hellermark (Founder of Sana Labs), Sebastian is building an AI-powered Search Engine for recruiting that challenges everything we know about the broken traditional recruitment. From exiting his first startup at 19 to getting VC funding at just 22, his journey is packed with raw insights on entrepreneurship, AI innovations, and venture mindset.We talk about:* Why traditional hiring is broken (and how AI can fix it)* The future of work in an AI-first world* The brutal challenges of building startups* How to scale, fail, and grow as a founder* The mindset it takes to innovate in fast-moving industries00:00 Introduction 02:55 Childhood Influences and Inspirations05:58 Facing Challenges and Mindset08:53 Failures and Lessons11:55 The Journey of Entrepreneurship14:54 Innovative Solutions and New Ventures17:51 Balancing Multiple Ventures20:54 The Broken Recruitment Process and AI's Impact22:43 Revolutionizing Recruitment with Talentium25:11 Harnessing AI for Efficient Hiring28:04 Deep Insights into Candidate Evaluation30:36 Building a Global Team with Talentium33:25 Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Global Hiring34:59 Sneak Peek: The New Talentium Platform36:18 Exploring Blockchain in Hiring37:30 Attracting Top Talent and Advisors39:51 The Essence of True Talent42:20 Hope for Humanity in the Age of AIYT: https://www.youtube.com/@Roots2Disrupt_podcastApple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast...Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/roots2disru...Website:https://youngfounders.network/Sebastian’s LinkedIn Profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-hj%C3%A4rne-4445961a4/Talentium’s Website: https://www.talentium.io/ #AIRecruiting #AIhype #FutureOfWork #Statup #AIHiring #AIstartup #ArtificialIntelligence #RecruitmentTech #HRtech #roots2disrupt

    40 min
  2. AI Hype vs Real Innovation—What VCs Think

    APR 19

    AI Hype vs Real Innovation—What VCs Think

    Marie-Sophie Ando is an VC-Investor at Vorwerk Ventures specialising in Consumer & Climate Tech. Before that she was an Investor at Foundamental investing in Construction Technology globally. In this episode, we talk about: 00:00 Marie’s Journey into Venture Capital 02:20 Bridging the Gap Between Research and Business 08:50 Opportunities for Collaboration Between Researchers and Entrepreneurs 12:50 Utilizing Research Institutions for Commercialization 18:04 Investment Focus: Climate Tech and Consumer Tech 25:24 What Catches Attention in Pitch Decks 29:26 Balancing Focus and Openness in Opportunities 30:17 Diverse Sources for Niche Understanding 33:55 The Importance of Networking and Research 36:27 Identifying Red Flags in Founders 37:08 What Makes Founders Stand Out 41:02 The Investment Decision Process 43:42 Under-Hyped Opportunities in Consumer Tech 46:47 Assessing Founders for Consumer Success 49:58 Opportunities in Construction Tech 51:22 Global Market Dynamics and Local Winners Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/42ijB4ANyvM9kWqf6uf3aS?si=51cd412120bc4732 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roots2disru... Visit our Website: https://youngfounders.network/ Visit Marie’s LinkedIn Profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-sophie-ando/ #roots2disrupt  #venturecapital  #Consumertechnology #venturemindset  #openai #nvidia #deepseek #ai #inference #startups

    47 min
  3. What does an AI-Driven Education look like? - Benedict Kurz, Founder and CEO of Knowunity

    APR 4

    What does an AI-Driven Education look like? - Benedict Kurz, Founder and CEO of Knowunity

    Benedict Kurz is the co-founder and CEO of Knowunity, an AI learning platform with over 18 million users and $23 million in funding. He founded Knowunity while still in high school, when he was also playing competitive tennis and was the German junior Vice Champion at the age of 17. Now 23, he leads over 100 employees and is building the future of education with AI, making a better education accessible for every student and shaping a more democratised world. He is also the youngest board member of the German Startup Association. In this episode, we talk about:
 ✅ How Benedict transitioned from tennis to tech and built Knowunity straight out of high school ✅ Why growing up in an entrepreneurial family shaped his mindset early on ✅ The role competitive sports played in developing grit, confidence, and leadership skills ✅ How Knowunity used TikTok and student creators to go viral in new markets ✅ Why cultural fit is more important than skill in early-stage hiring ✅ How they navigate firing — and why it should never be a surprise ✅ Lessons from launching in Latin America and soon the U.S. ✅ Why product-led growth and A/B testing fuel Knowunity’s scaling ✅ How a strong internal feedback culture supports team development ✅ The importance of authentic leadership as a young founder This Episode is hosted by Ahmad Zandnia. ----------------- Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Benedict and Knowunity 03:26 The Journey from Tennis to Entrepreneurship 06:13 Influence of Family Background on Entrepreneurial Path 09:09 Deciding Between Tennis and Entrepreneurship 12:14 Building Knowunity: Early Days and Challenges 14:41 Hiring and Team Culture at knowunity 17:41 Expansion Plans and Market Strategies 20:23 Virality and Branding Strategies 23:22 Leadership and Team Management 26:15 Lessons Learned and Future Outlook Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/42ijB4A... Subscribe on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast... Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roots2disrupt?igsh=MXJ3eW9sZnVoa2Vibg== Visit our Website: https://youngfounders.network/ Visit Benedict's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benedict-kurz-11abb1159/ Visit Knowunity's Website: https://knowunity.ai/ ---------------- #AILearning #EdTech #AIStartup #FutureOfEducation #roots2disrupt #ArtificialIntelligence #GenZ#EducationInnovation #Tech #Knowunity

    29 min
  4. The Startup Queen Who Took on Iran’s one of the Toughest Tech Competitions - Nazanin Daneshvar

    MAR 14

    The Startup Queen Who Took on Iran’s one of the Toughest Tech Competitions - Nazanin Daneshvar

    Nazanin Daneshvar is one of the most influential entrepreneurs in Iran and the Middle East. She founded Iran's first online supermarket, Meydoonak, in 2009 and Takhfifan, Iran's first and largest discount platform. Takhfifan has now millions of users and is filed for an IPO. In Iran, Nazanin is not only an entrepreneur but also a national hero as she is one of the first female founders in the technology sector and has played a very crucial role in shaping the startup ecosystem. Her Startup acquired Netbarg, its largest competitor, in 2019 after almost a decade of intense competition. Today, Nazanin is an investor in Europe, investing in promising founders in the technology sector and helping them scale. She used to invest with EQT Ventures for a while and now focuses more on her own angel investments.

 In this episode, we talk about:
 ✅ Challenges woman face in Iran especially in business ✅ Her journey from studying in Iran to moving to Europe, going back, founding multiple startups ✅ Scaling startups in Iran and the challenges but also opportunities there ✅ How she made Takhfifan sustaining customers while similar models in Europe and US have failed ✅ The skills future founders need to succeed ✅ Her transition to an VC Investor and the challenges in that process This Episode is hosted by Nour Idelbi and Ahmad Zandnia. 00:00 – Introduction 02:02 – Early Motivation – Family, culture, and proving herself in a male-dominated society 05:12 – Founder Mindset – From problem-solving to entrepreneurship. 07:52 – First Startup Attempt – Iran’s first online supermarket—success and failure. 13:30 – Lessons from Failure – Market timing and business fundamentals. 16:32 – Family as Co-Founders – The pros and cons of working with her sister. 19:20 – Returning to Iran – Why she went back to build something bigger. 24:12 – Challenges as a Female Founder – Navigating bias and credibility issues. 28:12 – Has Iran’s Startup Scene Changed? – What’s different now for women in tech. 32:50 – Building Trust in E-Commerce – Educating businesses and consumers. 37:22 – Handling Crises – Economic instability, scaling, and regulations. 41:51 – Leaving Iran – Her decision to move to Germany. 45:29 – Staying Connected – Supporting Iran’s tech ecosystem from abroad. 49:27 – Toughest Leadership Moments – Layoffs, crisis management, and resilience. 53:47 – Becoming an Investor – The shift from founder to VC. 57:22 – Women in VC & Leadership – The need for more diversity in tech. 01:03:22 – Final Advices – Lessons on resilience, networking, and soft skills. Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/42ijB4A... Subscribe on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast... Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roots2disrupt?igsh=MXJ3eW9sZnVoa2Vibg== Visit our Website: https://youngfounders.network/ Visit Nazanin Daneshvar’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazdnr?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Visit Nazanin Daneshvar's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@controlbcast⁩  #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #Startup #Business #Founder #IranianEntrepreneur #WomenInBusiness #TechFounder #FemaleEntrepreneur #StartupJourney

    1h 13m

  5. MAR 7

    AI-Powered Drone Delivery: Pure Disruption in Logistics & Solving one of Biggest Global Challenges with Cem Uyanik, Founder and CEO of Urban Ray

    Cem Uyanik is co-founder and CEO of Urban Ray, a German drone company that will begin operations in 2025 after 5 years of development and regulatory work. By connecting pick-up lockers with flying couriers, Urban Ray's solution enables the fastest and most efficient deliveries. Cem and his team have a vision of a fully connected world where anyone can send goods anywhere in just one day, without human intervention! In this episode, we talk about the challenges Urban Ray's team has faced, their journey straight from university to building a deep-tech company that disrupts multiple industries, and Cem Uyanik also announces for the first time in an interview that Urban Ray has received SAIL III approval from the German Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, which means they can finally start flying in Germany! This is the start of a huge disruption, a better future for humanity, especially in healthcare where even seconds can save lives, but also the death of broken traditional logistics! In this episode, we discuss: ✅ How Artificial Intelligence and drones are disrupting traditional logistics ✅ The challenges of building an autonomous drone company from scratch ✅ How Urban Ray’s flying couriers work with AI-driven logistics ✅ The future of drone delivery and the death of broken traditional logistics ✅ Exclusive news: Urban Ray’s regulatory approval and what’s next! This Episode is hosted by Ahmad Zandnia. 00:00 – Introduction: Meet Cem Uyanik, co-founder of Urban Ray, and learn how he is disrupting logistics with autonomous drone delivery 00:55 – How Friends Describe Him: Cem shares insights into his personality, ambition, and optimistic realism 03:32 – Shaped by His Environment: How Cem’s background, education, and extracurricular activities led him to entrepreneurship 08:18 – Breaking Away from the Safe Path: Why Cem chose startups over a stable career in aerospace engineering 12:47 – Resilience & The Immigrant Experience: How overcoming challenges as a second-generation immigrant shaped Cem’s entrepreneurial mindset 17:08 – Urban Ray’s Billion-Dollar Vision: What Urban Ray is, how it works, and its potential to revolutionize logistics 21:54 – Building the Right Team: The importance of strong co-founders, mentorship, and learning business skills on the fly 26:40 – Navigating Regulations: Overcoming legal and bureaucratic challenges to get approval for urban drone delivery 32:15 – Funding Challenges in Deep Tech: Why European investors are risk-averse and how Urban Ray approaches fundraising 38:50 – Why Start with Healthcare? The strategic decision behind launching Urban Ray in the medical logistics sector 44:27 – The Technology Behind Urban Ray: How AI-powered logistics and automation drive efficiency in drone deliveries 50:18 – The Military vs. Civilian Use Debate: Why Urban Ray remains focused on civilian logistics and avoids defense applications 55:50 – Parental Reactions to Entrepreneurship: How Cem’s parents initially struggled to accept his startup journey 57:25 – Final Advice for Young Entrepreneurs: Cem’s three biggest lessons on following your passion, having a clear purpose, and seeking mentorship Visit our Website:https://youngfounders.network/ Visit Urban Ray's Website:https://www.urban-ray.com/ Visit Cem Uyanik's LinkedIn Profile: / cemuyanik  - #artificialintelligence #aistartup #techinnovation #futureofai #machinelearning #aifounders #deeptech #airevolution #innovationhub #techforgood #startuplife #entrepreneurmindset #founderjourney #techstartups #buildinpublic #scalingup #fromideatostartup #startupculture #deeptech #failfast #immigrantsuccess #refugeetofounder #firstgenfounder #migrantentrepreneurs #diversityintech #againstallodds #successmindset #dreambig #resilienceandgrit #hustleculture #roots2disrupt #logistics

    58 min

  6. FEB 28

    What No One Tells You About AI, Startups & The Future of Innovation with Mahdi Srour - Co-Founder of Ada IQ

    Mahdi Srour is the Founder of AdaIQ, an AI-driven platform revolutionising product design. He is a 2nd generation immigrant with Lebanese roots. Mahdi's journey took him from being a 2nd generation immigrant to RWTH Aachen, working as an AI researcher at MIT to disrupting industries with AdaIQ. The company uses AI to predict market trends and optimise product design, reducing failure rates and costs for global brands. In this episode we talked to him about how AI will change our lives and businesses, how to come up with ideas for innovative AI ventures, and what you really need to succeed in the era of AI.This episode is hosted by Ahmad Zandnia and Hazhir Javanmardi. 00:00 – Introduction: Meet Mahdi Srour, co-founder of AdaIQ, and learn about his journey from RWTH Aachen to MIT and AI entrepreneurship. 01:35 – Curiosity as the Driving Force: How Mahdi’s early fascination with science and human behavior shaped his career. 02:41 – Scholarships & Community: The impact of the Stadtstiftung and Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes on Mahdi’s journey. 04:00 – Breaking Out of Academia: How international experiences in Beijing, Sweden, and MIT expanded Mahdi’s perspective. 06:35 – The Birth of AdaIQ: How an academic research project turned into a company shaping the future of product development. 07:39 – What is the Stadtstiftung? Mahdi explains how this scholarship supports young talents. 08:32 – The Power of Environment: Why open-minded ecosystems are crucial for innovation. 10:49 – US vs. Germany: Why American founders dream bigger and what Germany can learn from it. 15:52 – AdaIQ’s Vision: How AI can predict market success before a product is even made. 19:15 – How It Works: Can AI design your next microphone, sneaker, or car? 22:47 – The Challenges of AI: How to balance creativity, data, and real market demand. 25:52 – How to Start an AI Company (Even Without a Tech Background!) 29:27 – Finding the Right AI Business Model: Where are the biggest gaps in AI today? 32:52 – What Makes a Great Founder? It’s not what you think… 37:02 – The Immigrant Experience: Mahdi’s personal struggles and what helped him succeed. 40:52 – AI & Ethics: How can we build AI that actually benefits humanity? 46:04 – Europe’s AI Future: Is Europe too late to the game? 52:47 – Mahdi’s Biggest Mistakes & Lessons Learned: What he wishes he knew earlier. –--------------------------------------------------------------- Follow us on Instagram:  / roots2disru.  . Follow us on TikTok:  / roots.2.disru.  . Visit our Website:https://youngfounders.network/ Visit AdaIQ's Website:https://www.adaiq.com/ Visit Mahdi's LinkedIn Profile:  / mahdisrour    #artificialintelligence #aistartup #techinnovation #futureofai #machinelearning #aifounders #deeptech #airevolution #innovationhub #techforgood #startuplife #entrepreneurmindset #founderjourney #techstartups #buildinpublic #scalingup #fromideatostartup #startupculture #b2bsaas #failfast #immigrantsuccess #refugeetofounder #firstgenfounder #migrantentrepreneurs #diversityintech #againstallodds #successmindset #dreambig #resilienceandgrit #hustleculture

    56 min

  7. FEB 21

    "I couldn't cook! I started an Internet Company but had no money and couldn't code!" — Mengting Bönsch

    Mengting Bönsch is the co-founder and former CEO of Kitchen Stories, a global cooking platform with over 22 million users. Kitchen Stories was initially bootstrapped for several years by Mengting and Verena Hubertz, who is now part of the SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, Mengting is now an investor and founder of a healthcare company called Leni's Lab. They had no programming or even cooking skills when they started building Kitchen Stories, which makes their story extremely unique. It quickly became a leading cooking platform in 150 countries and even caught the attention of Apple CEO Tim Cook, who visited their Berlin office.This episode is hosted by Nour Idelbi and Ahmad Zandnia. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro – Welcome to Roots 2 Disrupt Podcast with Mengting Bönsch 1:03 Meet Mengting Bönsch – Co-founder of Kitchen Stories 1:38 From China to Germany – How immigration shaped her journey 3:35 Biggest Challenges as an Immigrant Entrepreneur 7:45 How Kitchen Stories Started – From a crazy idea to reality 11:00 The Initial Struggles – No money, no coding, no cooking skills 14:11 Breaking into the Startup Scene – Feeling like an outsider? 16:29 How Apple CEO Tim Cook Discovered Kitchen Stories 18:15 Funding Struggles – Convincing investors without a network 22:36 How to Get Early Users – Growth hacks that built 22M users 28:08 The Power of Design – Why UX & details made Kitchen Stories win 31:45 The Role of Female Founders in Tech – A different perspective? 34:38 Scaling a Startup – From Berlin to a 150 other countries 37:50 How Kitchen Stories Built a Global Community 42:05 Life After Kitchen Stories – What’s next for Mengting?44:45 New Startup: Leni’s Lab – Solving a big problem for parents 50:52 Fundraising Advice for Founders – How to win investors 55:45 Final Thoughts – Key lessons from Mengting’s journey -------------------------------------------------------------------- Music: BensoundArtist Lunar Years License code: WNLILNYY3YFTR1VJ #StartupSuccess #KitchenStories #Entrepreneurship #FounderJourney #TimCook #WomenInTech #StartupGrind #ProductDesign #ImmigrantEntrepreneurs #BusinessGrowth #FoodTech #StartupAdvice #roots2disrupt

    55 min

  8. FEB 6

    From an Immigrant to LSE, High Finance Career, and Revolutionizing Private Markets with Levent Altunel, Co-Founder of Bunch

    Levent Altunel is a founding member of 2hearts and the co-founder of Bunch with Enrico Ohnemüller, a fintech startup with $23 million in total funding and over $2 billion in transaction volume, revolutionizing the private market by enabling funds and investors to operate, administer, and transact seamlessly. He studied electrical engineering, later at LSE, then worked as a junior banker at Citi Bank, a consultant at Roland Berger, and a VC investor at SquareOne before founding Bunch This episode is hosted by Luis Markmann and Ahmad Zandnia. -------------------------------------------------------------------- With Levent Altunel we discuss: 0:00 - The Founding Story of 2hearts: A Community for Immigrants in Tech3:10 - Growing Up Multicultural: Personal Experiences and Role Models7:24 - The Impact of 2hearts and Changes in the Tech Industry10:32 - Challenges in Integration: Discrimination and Cultural Fit in Tech14:21 - Navigating Career Choices: From Finance to Consulting to VC21:07 - Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Building a Strong Foundation25:34 - Finding the Right Co-Founder: Trust and Complementary Skills32:38 - The Future of FinTech: Opportunities and Market Trends40:00 - Scaling Challenges: Managing Growth and Team Dynamics46:04 - The Role of AI in Revolutionizing the Private Market Subscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/42ijB4A...Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast...Follow Root 2 Disrupt on Instagram:  / roots2disru.  .Follow Roots 2 Disrupt on TikTok:   / roots.2.disru.  .Visit our Website:https://youngfounders.network/Visit Bunch's Website: https://www.bunch.capital/Visit Levent Altunel's LinkedIn Profile:  / levent-altunel  #finance #founder #CEO #venturecapital #startups #fundraising #SamAltman #openai #businesstips #fintech #finance #business #businesstips #growth #founderstory #founder

    40 min
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About

A podcast about ideas, resilience, and leadership. Here we explore the journeys of extraordinary leaders who dared to dream, faced challenges, and transformed visions into reality. Through deep, introspective conversations, we uncover lessons in growth, meaning, and the relentless pursuit of impact. Join us as we dive into the stories shaping the world—and find inspiration to shape your own.

Information

  • Creator
    Young Founders Network
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    86
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Young Founders Network
  • Show Website
    Roots 2 Disrupt