EU-Startups Podcast

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Pieterjan Bouten, Founding and Managing Partner at Entourage, as he reflects on his journey from co-founding In the Pocket and scaling Showpad to $100M ARR, to now building and funding the next generation of B2B SaaS companies through Entourage Studio and Entourage Capital.

Pieterjan also shares insights on his role as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Vlerick Entrepreneurship Academy and the vision behind Wintercircus, a hub for entrepreneurs, researchers, and digital creatives.

Pieterjan dives into the challenges and triumphs of scaling a global SaaS company, the evolution of his perspective as both an operator and investor, and how Entourage is redefining early-stage support for European founders. He also discusses the future of AI in B2B SaaS, the role of communities like Wintercircus, and what it takes for founders to stand out in today’s competitive landscape.

💬 What’s your biggest takeaway from Pieterjan’s journey? Share in the comments!

In this interview, Ahti Heinla - co-founder, CEO, and CTO of Starship Technologies and one of the original engineers behind Skype - shares his journey from a young programmer in Estonia to leading one of the world’s most advanced autonomous delivery companies.

Ahti reflects on how his early exposure to coding shaped his mindset, and the lessons he carried from building Skype into scaling Starship. He dives into why last-mile delivery became the problem he wanted to solve, and how autonomous robots are changing the way goods move through cities.

The conversation explores the human side of automation - addressing concerns about jobs, the evolving role of delivery workers, and how technology can support rather than replace people. Ahti also discusses the importance of sustainability and impact in decision-making, highlighting how zero-emission delivery can reshape urban environments.

From navigating regulation in different markets to working with major delivery platforms across Europe and the US, Ahti offers a look at what it takes to deploy robotics in the real world.

What does the future of travel really look like - and how is AI reshaping the way we explore the world?

In this episode, we sit down with Patrick Andrae, co-founder and CEO of HomeToGo, to unpack the evolution of TravelTech - from early marketplace bets to today’s AI-powered platforms.

Founded in 2014 in Berlin, HomeToGo has grown into Europe’s leading vacation rental group, with over 20 million listings worldwide and a public listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Patrick shares the original insight behind the company, how traveler behavior has shifted over the past decade, and what it takes to scale from startup to IPO.

We also dive into the post-Covid travel reset, the rise of “soulcation” and wellness-driven trips, and why nature is becoming the ultimate luxury. Patrick reflects on Europe’s startup ecosystem, the increasing role of AI in hospitality, and the responsibility platforms have in balancing tourism growth with local communities.

This interview features Jordi Romero, Founder and CEO of Factorial, offering an in-depth look at the evolution of one of Europe’s leading HRTech scaleups. Based in Barcelona, Romero shares his journey from engineer to entrepreneur, reflecting on his early experience at Redbooth and the founding of Factorial in 2016.

The conversation explores how Factorial has grown into a global business software platform serving thousands of companies across more than 90 countries. Romero discusses the company’s mission to eliminate manual administrative work through automation, enabling organisations to focus more on people and decision-making.

With increasing investment flowing into AI-driven workforce management tools, Romero provides perspective on how automation, data insights, and integrated platforms are reshaping HR, finance, and IT operations. The discussion also highlights Spain’s growing role in this space, as well as the competitive dynamics emerging across Europe.

His insights provide valuable context for understanding how modern companies are rethinking workforce management in an increasingly digital and AI-enabled environment.

Key Points
- The role of AI in automating recruitment, onboarding, and employee lifecycle management
- Challenges and opportunities in scaling a SaaS company internationally
- The shift from fragmented tools to integrated, all-in-one business management platforms
- How startups can identify and solve inefficiencies in traditional business processes
- The competitive landscape of European HRTech and emerging innovation trends

In this episode, Rupa Popat, founder of Arāya Ventures, shares her vision for redefining early-stage venture capital. Rupa discusses the persistent under-allocation of capital to diverse founders, highlighting that female-led teams in the UK still receive less than 1% of VC funding - even though data shows diverse teams consistently outperform.

Rupa also dives into the world of AI investing, focusing on workflow-native, human-centred AI rather than headline models. She shares her perspective on the UK’s positioning as a European AI hub, the growing opportunities in Health x AI, and how early-stage founders can prepare for fundraises that go beyond technical spectacle to execution-led, scalable businesses.

Throughout the conversation, Rupa explores what it means to be a value-add VC today, the importance of domain expertise in building defensible startups, and the systemic challenges in the venture ecosystem. She highlights emerging sectors, including preventative healthcare, precision medicine, and FemTech, while providing actionable insights for founders, investors, and policymakers.

Key points covered in this interview:
- The persistent funding gap for female founders and why inclusivity drives performance, not just values.
- What makes a founder or founding team stand out at pre-Seed stage: lived experience, resilience, and clarity of vision.
- Emerging opportunities at the intersection of Health x AI, including preventative care, precision medicine, and FemTech.
- How Arāya Ventures trains investors through its Investment Academy to broaden who writes cheques and build a more inclusive ecosystem.