Innovantage Podcast

40 Episodes
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By: Max Golikov

### Apple Podcasts Summary Welcome to the Innovantage Podcast, where technology, business, and innovation meet. Join host Max Golikov as he dives into the transformative power of artificial intelligence and digital advancements across a variety of industries. Each episode features in-depth conversations with industry leaders and provides practical insights on integrating technology into your business. Subscribe to stay ahead in todayโ€™s rapidly evolving tech landscape and discover how AI is driving change and inspiring new business strategies. Tune in to unlock your competitive edge in the world of technology!

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What really happens to IT when two insurers merge? | Innovantage Podcast #59
#58
Today at 10:50 AM

How do two major insurers merge their IT, data, and teams without customers feeling a thing? In this episode of the Innovantage podcast, we go inside the ERGO and Gjensidige integration across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to see what insurance M&A really demands from technology and people.

Kristaps Spundins is Information Technology and Operations Officer at ADB Gjensidige and Deputy CIO at ERGO Latvia, with more than 14 years in insurance after starting his career as a software engineer. He now works at the center of a cross-border transformation, bringing two established insurersโ€™ organisations, processes, systems, products, an...


What makes VCs trust you? | Innovantage Podcast #58
#57
10/01/2026

๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐˜† ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฝ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—น๐—ฒ, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฑ๐—ผ ๐—ฉ๐—– ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐—ณ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐—บ๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜€? ๐—œ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜ #๐Ÿฑ๐Ÿด ๐—ด๐—ผ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—น๐˜†-๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐—–๐—ผ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ฉ๐—ถ๐—ธ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ท๐—ฎ ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—น.

Viktorija Trimbel is a VC investor, strategic advisor, and Managing Director at Coinvest Capital, an evergreen sovereign venture capital fund investing alongside business angels and other VCs. With more than 30 years across corporate governance, M&A, investing, and fundraising, she brings both an investorโ€™s view of risk and a long-term perspective on how startup ecosystems develop.

Funding is rarely just about having the strongest idea or the best-looking pitch deck. The real edge comes from understanding how investors think, what builds trust, where risk actually sits, and how to build a company that can attract capital without losing sight of the business itself.

Introduction 0:00
Lithuaniaโ€™s startup tiger is finally awake 0:25
You have to be Viktorija to run Coinvest 01:58
Does Coinvestโ€™s investment model actually work 10:03
Why Coinvest backs real defense startups 14:04
What investors really look for in founding teams 19:55
Maternity leave, military service and startup funding 22:00
What founders always underestimate when raising capital 29:20
When s...


What Actually Makes a Brand Memorable? | Innovantage Podcast #57
#56
09/17/2026

๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ ๐—ฏ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—น๐—ฒ ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐—ฒ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐˜๐—ถ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—น๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ธ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐˜€๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฒ? ๐—œ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—œ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜, ๐—ฏ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ด๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฎ ๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ธ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ธ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐˜ฤ— ๐—น๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ธ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐˜† ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ฏ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ด๐˜† ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ธ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฝ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ด๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜€.

Justina Saikauskaitฤ— is a Fractional CMO and Brand Strategist helping startups and challenger brands turn chaotic marketing into brand-led strategy that supports revenue growth. Her experience spans positioning, go-to-market strategy, brand and product launches, and fractional marketing leadership across agency, in-house, and freelance roles.

Strong branding is less about having the perfect creative idea and more about making deliberate choices, testing whether they work, and committing long enough to become recognizable. From sharper positioning to smarter use of AI, the practical takeaway is simple: more marketing activity means little when people cannot understand, remember, or trust the brand behind it.

Introduction 0:00
What actually makes a brand noticeable and memorable 0:28
Why looking like your competitors kills your brand 4:57
Can you trust AI to analyze your competitors 7:02
Being boring became a brilliant brand strategy 8:57
When should startups actually start investing in brand 13:21ย 
The marketing mistakes that keep startups from growing 16:00
How to balance brand and performance marketing 18:29
Why B2B and B2C need different marketing strategies 20:36
How startups can find the right audience faster 23:14
AI is changing mar...


AI Is Blurring the Line Between Business and Tech | Innovantage Podcast #56
#55
09/04/2026

How is AI changing the relationship between business and technology โ€” and what happens when even great tech fails to deliver business value? On the Innovantage Podcast, Gediminas Zalys from Accenture UK & Ireland unpacks what digital transformation actually looks like inside large enterprises.

Gediminas Zalys is an engineering leader focused on AI, machine learning, and business transformation. With experience spanning engineering, consulting, entrepreneurship, and enterprise technology at Accenture, he has seen both sides of the equation: ambitious technology built without the right business case, and business decisions transformed by what new technology suddenly makes possible.

0:00 Introduction


What Recruiters Actually Look for in Salespeople | Innovantage Podcast #55
#54
08/21/2026

Sales and recruiting rarely get discussed together, even though they shape each other constantly. This episode, Max sits with Edvin Vosylius, founder of European Sales Headhunting Agency, a Vilnius-based recruitment agency focused specifically on sales talent, to unpack how those two functions collide in practice.

Edvin brings 19 years of hands-on sales experience to the table, having worked as a rep, a head of sales, and a chief sales officer before building a business around placing salespeople for a living. That path, including a failed corporate venture and a startup collapse, shapes everything he now looks for when...


How to Build a Defense Tech Startup & Raise โ‚ฌ1.1M | Innovantage Podcast #54
#53
08/07/2026

What does it take to build a defense tech startup, raise โ‚ฌ1.1 million, and manufacture drone technology in Europe? In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, Elvinas Kukys, CEO and Co-Founder of Luna Robotics, shares how the Lithuanian hardware startup is building advanced vision systems for unmanned platforms without relying on Chinese supply chains or unnecessary AI.

Drawing on his military background and startup journey, Elvinas explains how Luna Robotics grew from an idea into one of Lithuania's emerging defense tech companies, developing dual-use technology designed for both military and civilian applications.
Learn what investors actually look fo...


Why 70% of Mergers & Acquisitions Fail (And How to Avoid It) | Innovantage Podcast #53
#52
07/24/2026

Why do 70% of mergers and acquisitions fail after closing?ย 
In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, integration strategist Sabine Janssens shares what separates successful M&A integration from value destruction, why the first 100 days are critical, and how companies can turn acquisitions into long-term growth.

Sabine Janssens has led more than 40 M&A integration projects over the past four years and developed a pragmatic 100-day integration model used in buy-and-build environments. Drawing on decades of strategic marketing and integration experience, she works with acquiring companies to align strategy, operations, technology, and people after the deal closes.


We Let a Pimple Go Viral and It Worked | Innovantage Podcast #52
#51
06/29/2026

Can AI actually fix your skin or just feed your insecurities? On this episode, the founder of System Akvile breaks down how a skincare app reached 900K+ users by letting data, not assumptions, drive the product.

Akvile Ignotaite is a PhD data scientist who moved from corporate finance and M&A into founding System Akvile, an AI-powered skin-health platform now used by more than 900,000 people across Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Her path ran through economics in Lithuania, an MBA in Germany, and a forced detour into statistics and coding during her PhD, all of which now...


Nobody Climbs the Career Ladder Now | Innovantage Podcast #51 | Powered by BMI Executive Institute
#50
06/11/2026

Can AI transformation actually make a company faster, or is it just hype? In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, we go inside Wix to find out what real AI transformation looks like when you're running engineering sites across Europe.

This is the latest episode in our ongoing series with BMI Executive Institute, spotlighting leaders who put business theory into practice.

Joining Max is Monika Laukaitฤ—, a senior operations and site leadership executive at Wix and a current EMBA participant at BMI Executive Institute, who oversees R&D and engineering sites across Lithuania, Berlin, Amsterdam, L...


Can AI Replace CEOs? | Innovantage Podcast #50 | Powered by BMI Executive Institute
#49
05/28/2026

What does real innovation look like in 2026 โ€” inside a 160-year-old state railway and a modern AI-first startup? We continue our series with BMI Executive Institute, sitting down with two guests from two different worlds to explore how innovation, AI adoption, and the future of work actually play out on the ground.

We cover the startup vs enterprise mindset, the project management triangle of speed, cost and quality, the EU AI Act, AI anxiety, and whether humans are still relevant when AI can do most of the work.

Our guests are Jonas Valuta and Vidas Vasiliauskas. Jo...


AI vs Human Traders in 2026 | Innovantage Podcast #49 | Powered by BMI Executive Institute
#48
05/14/2026

This episode marks the beginning of our special series in collaboration with BMI Executive Institute, where we explore the intersection of business, leadership, and technology with standout entrepreneurs connected to the BMI network.
We kick off the series with Bas Kooijman, tech-to-finance entrepreneur, CEO/co-founder of DHF Capital, and participant of the EMBA programme at BMI Executive Institute
AI is no longer a future concept in finance โ€” itโ€™s already trading real money.
Bas built and sold telecom businesses operating across 35 countries before transitioning into professional trading and asset management. Today, he leads DHF Capital, where AI-d...


The Worldโ€™s First Industrial LEGO Sorting Machine Powered by AI | Innovantage Podcast #48
#47
04/30/2026

What if mixed, unused LEGO bricks could become complete sets again โ€” at industrial scale?
Ilya Malkin, founder of Sort A Brick, is building an AI-first automation company that does exactly that. Using computer vision, machine learning, and custom-built hardware, his team identifies, cleans, and sorts over 100,000 unique LEGO elements by shape, color, and print, turning chaotic brick bins into rebuildable sets.
After nearly 20 years in consulting, Ilya pivoted into hard-tech to solve a problem most people overlook: making large-scale LEGO refurbishment economically viable.
In this episode, we unpack the technology, the business model, and why AI-powered re...


Your Startup Isnโ€™t Failing for the Reason You Think | Innovantage Podcast #47
#46
04/16/2026

What does it really take to go from founder to venture capitalist, and why are most startup ideas actually โ€œbad ideasโ€ at first?
In this episode, Raimonds Kulbergs shares the real story behind BADideas Fund, what founders consistently get wrong about fundraising, why most VCs will struggle in the AI era, and what separates ambitious startups from small ideas that never scale.
If youโ€™re building a startup, raising funding, thinking about Y Combinator, or wondering whether AI is now mandatory for investment, this episode will reset how you think about venture capital and early-stage growth.

๐Ÿ‘‡ us...


China Vs Silicon Valley: Who Leads Innovation? | Innovantage Podcast #46
#45
04/02/2026

China tech and innovation | Chinese economy | Silicon valley vs China | AI strategy

In our new episode, Pascal Coppens โ€” sinologist, author, and tech entrepreneur with decades of experience working between China and Silicon Valley ย breaks down how the Chinese economy actually works and why Western perceptions of China are outdated.
We cover how Chinese innovation differs from Silicon Valley, the role of competition and survival in Chinese business, the truth about Chinese electric vehicles and monopolies, why Europe struggles with strategic decision-making, and what the so-called AI race really looks like.ย 

๐Ÿ‘‡ Useful links
Subscribe to our...


Why AI Won't Replace Top Lawyers (But Will Destroy Mediocre Ones) | Innovantage Podcast #45
#44
03/19/2026

Are law firms using AI all wrong? The answer might cost you millions.

Aku Sorainen, Founder & Senior Partner at Sorainen and Chairman at Crespect, reveals why most legal tech investments fail and what actually works after 25 years of building his own systems. In this episode, we explore the dangerous gap between AI hype and real-world legal practice.

โ€ข Why Sorainen spent โ‚ฌ2M building software after discovering global solutions were "years behind"
โ€ข The "chaos in, chaos out" problem: Why 25M documents can be a liability
โ€ข Why lawyers are using AI less for drafting in 2025
โ€ข The truth...


Why Women Leave Tech And How Leadership Can Fix It | Innovantage Podcast #44
#43
03/05/2026

What does it really take to succeed as a woman in tech leadership today?

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, weโ€™re joined by Diana Gold โ€” CTO | Head of Digitalization and Technology at Gijos, Partnership Associate Professor at Vilnius University, and PhD candidate at ISM University of Management and Economics.

In this conversation, Diana shares:
โžก๏ธHer journey from IT and consulting roles to becoming a CTO in the energy sector
โžก๏ธWhat women in tech leadership still struggle with โ€” and what actually helps
โžก๏ธWhy many digital transformations fail without cultural change
โžก๏ธHow AI can both reduce...


How to Win Startup Grants in Europe Without Wasting Time | Innovantage Podcast #43
How to Win Startup Grants in Europe Without Wasting Time | Innovantage Podcast #43 episode artwork
#42
02/19/2026

Most founders think grants are about paperwork. In reality, they are about positioning, clarity, and execution.
In this episode, we speak with Jonathan Spruytte, Grants & Incentives Senior Manager at KPMG Belgium, with prior EY Subsidia experience and a Ghent University research/PhD background, helping organizations secure Belgian and EU funding through structured grant strategy and writing.

In this episode we talk about:
ย โ€ข How the grant process actually works
ย โ€ข What makes a company truly โ€œgrant readyโ€
ย โ€ข Why some proposals succeed and others fail
ย โ€ข How long it realistically takes to secure funding
ย โ€ข The human factor behind...


Why Hiring With AI Alone Is Failing and What Works Better | Innovantage Podcast #42
Why Hiring With AI Alone Is Failing and What Works Better | Innovantage Podcast #42 episode artwork
#41
02/05/2026

Is AI fixing hiring or breaking human connection?
Why do the best candidates never apply to job ads?
And what really happens inside a startup during its first 9 months?

Juris Zalฤns โ€” Co-founder at Talenme, HR Tech strategist, and digital transformation expert shares unfiltered insights from building a referral-driven hiring platform and navigating the fast-changing world of talent acquisition. From startup realities and fundraising to the future of HR tech, this episode explores how technology, trust, and human networks are reshaping recruitment.

What youโ€™ll learn from this episode:
โžก๏ธWhy passive candidates dominate...


How United Wardrobe Sold to Vinted (and What Came Next) | Innovantage Podcast #41
#40
01/22/2026

If you are building a startup, this episode might save you from expensive mistakes. In this new Innovantage Podcast episode, we talk with Thijs Verheul, Co-founder of United Wardrobe, acquired by Vinted. Thijs is now an Angel Investor and author of Thrift to Triumph. We focus on execution: how to build the right team, launch fast, find distribution, manage burn, and make decisions when the runway is shrinking.

What you will learn:

โžก๏ธHow to structure a founding team with complementary strengths

โžก๏ธWhy launching early beats waiting for โ€œperfectโ€

โžก๏ธA community growth strategy that cr...


From Startups to Scaling Global Innovation in Lithuania and Beyond | Innovantage Podcast #40
#39
01/08/2026

Building a startup is a series of tests you donโ€™t see coming until you fail one. In this episode, Max sits down with Povilas ลฝinys, Director of Plug and Play tech center in the Baltics, working with startups from Pre-Seed to Series B and helping founders prepare for the realities of venture-scale growth. They unpack what separates scalable companies from โ€œbusyโ€ startups that never break through โ€” the 2026 landscape founders are walking into, how investors filter opportunities, and what it really takes to go global from Lithuania and the Baltics.

What youโ€™ll hear in this conversation:

โžก๏ธ Wh...


Rethink Creativity in the Age of AI | Innovantage Podcast #39
#38
12/18/2025

What if creativity isnโ€™t about โ€œexpressing yourselfโ€, but about understanding yourself?
In this episode, Max sits down with Fredrik Hรคrรฉn, the Creativity Explorer who has spent decades traveling the world to understand how humans create โ€” and the truth heโ€™s uncovered will challenge everything you assume about creativity.

This episode goes straight into the uncomfortable, the surprising, and the transformative parts of creativity most people never talk about.

Prepare to rethink everything:
โžก๏ธ Why Westerners misunderstand creativity
โžก๏ธ The Bhutan idea that destroys the โ€œexpressionโ€ myth
โžก๏ธ Why โ€œcreative anxietyโ€ might not even be real
โžก๏ธ The Icel...


AI-Powered ESG Reporting & Building a Startup That Survives the Storm | Innovantage Podcast #38
#37
12/04/2025

In this episode of The Innovantage Podcast, Max sits down with Jerome Cloetens, Co-founder & CEO at Palau, Sustainability Tech Entrepreneur, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a startup in todayโ€™s AI-driven world. From bootstrapping with almost no runway to signing major enterprise clients, Jerome shares the hard realities, clever strategies, and mindset shifts that kept his company alive and growing even when a regulation change nearly wiped them out overnight.

Explore the psychology of fundraising vs. bootstrapping, the power of community-driven product development, and why enterprise sales are both the hardest challenge an...


Can We Trust Again? Digital Identity and Democracy in the Age of AI | Innovantage Podcast #37
#36
11/20/2025

What happens when technology outpaces democracy? In this episode, Max sits down with Mathieu Michel โ€” Belgian politician, State Secretary for Digitalization, and advocate for digital identity, trust, and responsibility in the online world. He has played a leading role in shaping Europeโ€™s digital identity standards and initiatives such as eIDAS 2.0 and the Declaration of Leuven, with a strong focus on protecting democracy, empowering citizens, and building a safer digital future. Together, they explore the tension between freedom, responsibility, and innovation. From the AI Act to digital identity, they tackle the hard questions: Can regulation protect democracy without killing prog...


Founder-Market Fit and the Baltic Startup Ecosystem with Gytenis Galkis| Innovantage Podcast #36
#35
11/06/2025

In this episode of The Innovantage Podcast, host Max sits down with Gytenis Galkis, Partner at Superhero Capital and venture capitalist with over a decade of experience investing across the Baltic and Nordic startup scenes. From evaluating 600 startups a year to spotting the elusive โ€œfounderโ€“market fit,โ€ Gytenis shares what really separates great founders from good ones โ€” and why luck, timing, and conviction all matter more than most entrepreneurs think.

Together, they unpack how investors think, what makes a founder credible, and why being 40 might actually be your startupโ€™s superpower. From poker-table analogies to billion-dollar lessons from Tesla...


AI, Data Sovereignty & Europeโ€™s Digital Dilemma with Dennis van Bregt | Innovantage Podcast #35
#34
10/23/2025

In this episode of The Innovantage Podcast, host Max sits down with Dennis van Bregt, Head of Data Analytics & AI at allnex, a global leader in materials science. With over 30 years of experience in data, analytics, and AI, Dennis has witnessed the evolution of data from dusty spreadsheets to intelligent, self-learning systems, and shares how mastering โ€œdata literacyโ€ is the key to thriving in the AI era.

Together, they explore how data-driven thinking is transforming organizations, why most companies still misuse AI, and how to build a workforce ready for a future powered by automation, analytics, and ethi...


Investing in Security: Edvinas Kerza on Cyber Wars, Spy Tech & Startups | Innovantage Podcast #34
#33
10/09/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, Max dives into the intersection of defense, security, and innovation with Edvinas Kerza โ€“ Managing Partner at Scalewolf and former Vice Minister of Defense of Lithuania. Edvinas brings decades of experience in cybersecurity, defense planning, and strategic innovation to the conversation, offering a rare insider perspective on how military needs drive technological breakthroughs.

Together, they explore why defense startups matter, how Lithuania is building a hub for dual-use technologies, and what lessons Europe can learn from global leaders like Israel and the U.S. Edvinas shares stories from his time shaping Li...


Nothing is Impossible! How Europe Can Compete in Scaling Businesses | Innovantage Podcast #33
#32
09/25/2025

In the new episode of the Innovantage Podcast, host Max had a pleasure to speak with Professor Rudy Aernoudt, a venerated author, speaker, founder of EBAN, and political activist with a vast range of expertise. From economics and politics to education and technology, they explore how business meets tech to give you a competitive edge.

ย 

Professor Aernoudt shares his unique perspective on what truly drives innovation. We unpack the debate between the European and US startup ecosystems, the critical role of business angels, and the surprising challenges holding Europe back. Rudy also introduces a revolutionary n...


AI Transformation in Payments with Martynas Kairys | Innovantage podcast #32
#31
09/11/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, Martynas Kairys โ€” General Manager at ZEDGE (formerly Director of AI Strategy & Development at Shift4), AI-driven growth leader, and international keynote speaker โ€” shares how to turn AI from scattered experiments into an operational advantage across a complex, regulated business. With 20+ years across military, logistics, real estate, investment banking, and tech, Martynas blends strategy with sleeves-rolled-up execution.

ย 

We unpack the AI vision he led at Shift4, global scale, compliance-by-design, and how those lessons translate to ZEDGE and beyond, along with a pragmatic playbook for measurable wins.

ย 

What y...


A CEOโ€™s Playbook for AI Transformation with Thibaud De Keyzer | Innovantage Podcast #31
#30
08/28/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, Thibaud De Keyzer โ€” CEO of Mobilexpense, Board Advisor at TechWolf, and Strategic Advisor at Fortino Capital โ€” joins us to share a CEOโ€™s playbook for leading AI transformation.

From boardrooms to AI task forces, Thibaud is at the center of how leaders can move beyond buzzwords and turn artificial intelligence into a competitive edge. Under his leadership, Mobilexpense is evolving into an โ€œautonomous enterpriseโ€ โ€” where AI doesnโ€™t just optimize operations, but reshapes what leadership and decision-making look like in the digital age.

Discover how to:

โžก๏ธ Lead AI from the C...


Bridging Policy and Innovation with Ausrine Armonaite | Innovantage Podcast #30
#29
08/14/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, Max Golikov sits down with Auลกrinฤ— Armonaitฤ— โ€” former Lithuanian Minister of Economy & Innovation and now Head of Investor Relations at prop-tech crowdfunding leader InRento.

Disclaimer: Investing involves the risk of losing some or all of the amount invested, so it is recommended to diversify your investments and evaluate them responsibly.

From parliamentary debates to startup boardrooms, Auลกrinฤ— has seen first-hand how policy and innovation collide โ€” and how the right leadership can turn crises into catalysts for growth.

Discover how to:

โžก๏ธ Build a national inno...


Bootstrapped AI: Building Practical Innovation for Real Businesses | Innovantage Podcast #29
#28
07/31/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, Max Golikov sits down with Denis Leysen โ€” Co-Founder at noah., AI adoption strategist, and former enterprise consultant with deep roots in family entrepreneurship. Together, they dive into what it really takes to implement AI in real-world organizations โ€” especially when you're bootstrapping, not burning VC cash.

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Discover how to:

โžก๏ธ Build AI solutions that SMEs actually want (and can afford)

โžก๏ธ Bootstrap a startup in the enterprise space โ€” without losing control or momentum โžก๏ธ Navigate the hidden blockers of enterprise AI adoption

โžก๏ธ Learn from legacy: how Denisโ€™s family consulta...


AI and Business Model Transformation with Adriana Grรผschow | Innovantage Podcast #28
#27
07/17/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, host Max Golikov sits down with Adriana Grรผschow โ€” Industry Lead Business Development Manager at Zรผhlke Group and a seasoned expert in smart connected solutions, complex innovation, and sustainability in the industrial sector. Together, they explore what it really takes to bridge hardware with AI โ€” and how IoT is reshaping not just products, but entire business models.

Discover how to:

โžก๏ธ Move beyond buzzwords and align AI with real-world business challenges

โžก๏ธ Navigate the shift from selling products to delivering services โ€” and why this matters now more than ever


PR, Policy & AI: Europeโ€™s Tech Voice with Remco Janssen | Innovantage Podcast #27
#26
07/03/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, host Max Golikov sits down with Remco Janssen โ€” founder of Silicon Canals, one of Europeโ€™s leading tech media outlets, and a tireless advocate for European innovation, startups, and smart tech policy. Together, they unpack how Europe can tell its own story โ€” and why now is a critical moment for startups to get strategic about media, policy, and AI.

Discover how to:

โžก๏ธ Avoid the most common PR mistakes startups make โ€” and tell stories that actually get coverage

โžก๏ธ Think beyond the funding announcement and build long-term visibility in European medi...


From Web 1.0 to AI-First DXPs: The Future of Digital Experiences | Innovantage Podcast #26
#25
06/19/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, host Max Golikov is joined by Dominique De Cooman โ€” Founder, CTO, and co-CEO of Dropsolid, a leading Digital Experience Company based in Ghent, Belgium. Get ready for an insightful conversation as Dominique takes us through the evolution of Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs) and how AI is shaping the future of digital ecosystems.

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Discover how to:

โžก๏ธ Understand the shift from traditional CMSs to intelligent, AI-driven Digital Experience Platforms.

โžก๏ธ Harness AI for personalized content at scale and drive more effective engagement.

โžก๏ธ Integrate open-source solutions like Drupal to...


Leadership, Diversity, and Agentic AI | Innovantage Podcast #25
#24
06/05/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, host Max Golikov sits down with Stijn Staes โ€” Founder of Stappen met Stijn, trusted transformation counselor, and podcast host โ€” for an eye-opening conversation on leadership, diversity, and the evolving partnership between humans and agentic AI. Whether youโ€™re navigating your first leadership role or
driving transformation at scale, this episode is packed with practical insights and thought-provoking ideas to shape the future of work.

Discover how to:
โžก๏ธ Build truly diverse teams โ€” and avoid the most common (and costly) mistakes organizations make.
โžก๏ธ Create psychological safety so every voice is heard, valued...


Unlock Agile Tech Teams with Team Topologies | Innovantage Podcast #24
#23
05/22/2025

In this episode of The Innovantage Podcast, host Max Golikov interviews Thiago de Faria, Senior Solutions Architect at AWS and a recognized Team Topologies expert, to discuss how organizations can modernize their architecture, scale engineering teams effectively, and implement AI strategies that actually work. Whether you're a CTO, software architect, DevOps lead, or tech-savvy founder, this episode offers actionable advice on how to transform your tech teams, workflows, and organizational design using proven frameworks like Team Topologies, cloud-native architecture, and grounded AI implementation.

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Key Topics Covered

โžก๏ธ What is Team Topologies and why it's a gam...


The Science and Art of Winning Investors | Innovantage Podcast #23
#22
05/08/2025

In this episode of The Innovantage Podcast, host Max Golikov explores the science and art of pitching with Robin De Cock โ€” Professor of Entrepreneurship at Antwerp Management School and author of Mastering the Pitch. Whether you're a startup founder, investor, or just want to level up your storytelling, this episode delivers powerful, research-backed advice to help you win hearts and minds in milliseconds.

Discover how to:

โžก๏ธ Make a lasting impression in just 150 milliseconds using proven persuasion techniques.

โžก๏ธ Use humor strategically (without crashing your credibility).

โžก๏ธ Build long-term relationships with investors across cultures and geographie...


The Rise of AI Agents in Business | Innovantage Podcast #22
#21
04/24/2025

In this episode of the Innovantage podcast, we explore how AI agents are reshaping sales and business strategy with Frank Sondors, founder of Salesforge. Frank is leading the charge in building AI-powered sales engines that donโ€™t just automate โ€” they outperform.

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Why Listen?

In this episode, we unpack what AI agents actually are, how they differ from basic automation, and how companies can use them to create smarter, faster, and more personalized sales processes.

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Key Insights from the Episode:

๐Ÿ”น What AI agents are โ€” and why theyโ€™re not just fanc...


The Future of Digital Customer Experience | Innovantage Podcast #21
#20
04/10/2025

In this episode of The Innovantage Podcast, host Max dives into the future of digital customer experience with a special guest โ€” Tomer Azenkot, CEO of Vee24. Drawing from his deep expertise in blending AI-driven automation with human-led interactions, Tomer explains why a balanced approach is key to truly delighting customers and forging lasting relationships online.

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Why Listen?

Tomer reveals real-world success stories, common mistakes companies make, and why โ€œcustomer-firstโ€ often fails in practice without the right execution strategy.

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Key Insights?

โžก๏ธ Transform your digital customer journey with the right mix of AI and human en...


AI in Business โ€” Beyond the Hype with Maxime Vermeir | Innovantage Podcast #20
#19
03/27/2025

On this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, we dive into the real-world impact of AI in business with Maxime Vermeir, Senior Director of AI Strategy at ABBYY. Maxime has been in the AI space long before it became a buzzword.

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Why Listen?

In this conversation, we cut through the noise to discuss whatโ€™s actually working in AI adoption, where companies are wasting time and money, and how businesses can navigate the next evolution of AI.

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Key Insights from the Episode:

๐Ÿ”น The truth about AI in business โ€” when it a...