Thoughts That Inspire
We share insights, stories, and reflections on the challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face—from go-to-market strategies, building connections, and exploring markets to the latest trends, well-being, and mindset—to inspire, inform, and support founders on their journey.
How to Network in a New City, and Actually Enjoy It
27 October, 2025
This article distills 15 years of experience in building relationships across global startup ecosystems. It explores how to create authentic connections when arriving in a new city, starting weeks before the trip by preparing, building visibility, and creating “gravity” around your visit. Through curiosity, generosity, and meaningful conversations, it shows how networking becomes a long-term, human practice of earning trust and belonging, where genuine relationships grow naturally instead of being forced.
Podcast conversation: Building the Circular Economy in the Philippines
24 October, 2025
Filmed in Manila with Josef Werker and Nina Opulencia, the co-founders of Humble Sustainability, this conversation dives into how a scrappy Philippine startup grew into a leading force in the circular economy. We explore how they’re tackling e-waste through innovation and empathy, turning discarded electronics into opportunity, while opening up about the personal battles, faith, and clarity that shaped their leadership. The result is a rare look at how purpose, pain, and profit can align to create lasting impact.
How Startup Ecosystems Thrive Outside Capital Cities
20 October, 2025
After fifteen years of working with founders, mentors, and connectors across Europe, Peter Kovács reflects on what truly keeps startup ecosystems alive: people. The piece explores how trust, proximity, and identity shape innovation, why connectors are the invisible backbone of every ecosystem, and how institutions can empower rather than control. From StartITup Győr to creative hubs across the region, the story celebrates real builders, local DNA, and the quiet rhythm that keeps communities thriving. A reflection on generosity, presence, and the human energy behind every city’s startup heartbeat.
Panel recap: “The Future of Money–How Will the World Pay in the Next 10 Years?”
20 October, 2025
Co-organized by Péter Kovács and the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS) at weXelerate, this international panel gathered founders, investors, and policy thinkers from four continents to explore how we’ll pay and manage money in the next decade. The conversation spanned CBDCs, Bitcoin, AI wallets, and digital trust, revealing that the future of money will be plural, shaped by culture, technology, and human choice. From privacy-preserving cash to AI-driven payments, the debate showed one clear shift: financial agency is moving closer to individuals.
Podcast conversation: “The Angel of Manila: Joseph De Leon on Fixing the Startup System”
14 October 2025
A walk-and-talk with Joseph De Leon, one of Southeast Asia’s most active startup investors, enablers and connectors. We trace his path from advertising and Oreos in China to founding Manila Angel Investors Network, directing Founder Institute Philippines, and launching Bullet Day. Joseph shares how he channels global capital into local impact, why the Philippines is an underrated launchpad, and how founders can “be the system” they wish to change. Humor, heart, and half a billion in sustainable ambition.
Podcast conversation: From Bootstrapping to a Strategic Exit: Sab Kun (Arenim Group)
3 October, 2025
In this candid conversation, Peter Kovács meets Sab Kun, co-founder of Arenim Group, and one of the few CEE founders to scale a bootstrapped tech company to acquisition by Constellation Software. They revisit eleven years of persistence, from the early Cryptalk days through failures, pivots, and lessons in listening to customers. Kun shares how his team survived without external investors, built processes that led to growth, and eventually reached a successful exit. The talk explores resilience, timing, values, and what it truly means to be an “unemployable” founder. A grounded, inspiring story for builders chasing sustainable success.
Panel discusson: “What has AI ever given us?”
12 September, 2025
Our panel explored creativity, privacy, intellectual property, and the shifting future of work. Inspired by a Monty Python–style inquiry into what AI truly offers, we discussed automation’s effect on creativity, ownership of AI-generated works, privacy pitfalls, and emerging agent teams. The conversation also highlighted practical micro-tools, global IP differences, and questions of inclusion, access, and bias. This fast-paced exchange provides entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers with sharp insights into how AI is reshaping industries, workflows, and talent today.
Podcast conversation: “What has AI ever done for us?”
18 May, 2025
A roundtable asked what AI has given us, contrasting applied AI with LLMs and favoring a human–AI–human workflow. Examples included note-takers, Viber summaries, Perplexity, micro-tools, and kids’ learning prompts. Debate spanned creativity (Suno, Sora), energy use, privacy, corporate controls, and startups’ speed. Participants warned about “AI-washing,” urged transparency, and defined AI as decision-making from data. Future promise spanned healthcare and transport; risks included bias and misuse. They doubted a one-person unicorn soon, yet expect faster solo builds.
The Future of Intelligent Automation: Enterprise AI & RPA
23 June, 2025
A conversation with Dr. Gergely Romhány traced his path from IT lawyer to founder to Merck IT leader in QA, RPA, and software. He builds enterprise automations in HR and finance, arguing AI, low/no-code and RPA lower barriers so solo builders and emerging regions compete. At a hackathon, prepared use-cases helped mixed teams learn fast. His team trains via a curated LLM. He loves innovation yet worries acceleration boosts workload and generational competition as life speeds up.
Product Strategy in the Age of AI
23 June, 2025
Adrian Pica shares how AI, low/no-code, and automation are transforming product strategy, startups, and even solo entrepreneurship. Drawing on his journey from CPO roles in unicorns to founding his own ventures, he explains why business skills matter more than ever as coding becomes easier, how prototyping now takes minutes instead of weeks, and why Central and Eastern Europe is shifting from outsourcing to building products. If you’re curious about speed, solopreneurs, and the future of digital products, this talk is worth watching.
From Earning to Winning: How Languages Shape Wealth
28 January, 2025
How do the words we use to describe “earning money” shape our mindset about wealth and work?
We dive into linguistic curiosities and cultural perspectives—from Hungarian’s “searching for money” to Japanese diligence and Middle Eastern ethics.
This journey highlights how languages reflect not only cultural values but also business mindsets. Curious how these insights might impact your perspective on wealth creation?
From Balance to Harmony: Rethinking Work-Life Integration
14 December, 2024
Work-life balance has been a buzzword for years, but does it really capture what we’re striving for?
We explore insights from leaders like Jeff Bezos and Simon Sinek, the philosophy of Barry Schwartz, and our own reflections on how we define work and its place in our lives.
Let’s rethink how we integrate work and life, not as opposites but as partners in creating a meaningful, fulfilling journey.
The Good, the Bad, and the Consultant
25 November, 2024
Steve Jobs once said, “Without owning something over an extended period of time… one learns a fraction of what one can.” As someone who’s co-built initiatives like the Global Startup Awards and now works as a consultant, those words resonate with me. Consulting often gets criticized for being all talk, no action—and I agree. I explore why trust and ownership matter—and why most consultants might not love what they read.
Startup Ecosystems in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia & Croatia
20 June, 2024
In our article we provide an overview of the entrepreneurial landscapes in these Central and Eastern European countries. Leveraging our extensive network and collaborating closely with local experts from each nation’s startup ecosystem, we highlight key players, emerging trends, and unique challenges faced by startups in the region. This collective effort offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs and investors interested in exploring opportunities within these dynamic markets.