Explore every episode of the podcast Venturing Abroad

“Europe will not have a vibrant ecosystem unless the markets are unified.”

In the latest episode of Venturing Abroad, we sat down with Michael Jackson, an American entrepreneur and investor based in France, who is one of the most outspoken voices in European tech. With decades of experience investing across Europe and the US, he doesn’t sugarcoat his convictions throughout this conversation: Europe produces exceptional founders and world-class science, but systematically fails to turn that into globally dominant companies.

In this candid and contrarian conversation, Michael argues why Europe continues to underperform on the global tech stage and what steps Europe should take as a collective to change this.

Five of Michael’s key arguments from the conversation 👇

1. Unify capital markets across Europe or accept being a follower

Europe cannot build global tech leaders without unified, deep capital markets. Fragmentation caps ambition before companies even reach scale.

1. Stop confusing science volume with commercial success

Europe has incredible IP. However, commercialization, not research output, determines outcomes. Talent alone is not enough.

1. Be global from day one

Building for a single European market is a dead end. The most successful European tech stories were never country-specific. They were global by design.

1. Europe is sitting on a goldmine of university IP and failing to commercialize it

Less than a fraction of European university research ever becomes a real business. Fixing university tech transfer is one fast way European tech champions can emerge.

1. Let private markets do their job

Venture capital cannot thrive as a subsidized economic development tool. Without real exits, DPI, and competitive pressure, the ecosystem stagnates.

Michael’s transatlantic observations are thought-provoking and underscore ideas that could accelerate and strengthen Europe’s position in the global tech ecosystem. 

We share Michael’s conviction that Europe’s university researchers need stronger support in building the right foundations for company creation, commercializing IP, and the know-how of raising capital. This belief sits at the heart of daphni’s Blue Fellowship, where we work with researchers to help turn breakthrough science into globally ambitious companies.

Thank you for joining us, Michael!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

“In Silicon Valley, anything can happen. Just because you're the giant today doesn't mean you'll be the giant tomorrow.”

Today, we sit down with Leo Liu, an entrepreneur, investor, and tech leader whose life and career have crossed 16 cities, multiple continents, and more than 10 industries. 

From Taiwan to Singapore, Vancouver, Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, Leo has built a world-spanning perspective shaped by early independence, unconventional decisions, and a deep curiosity for people and cultures.

At just 10 years old, Leo made the life-altering decision to move abroad alone: the first of many bold jumps that shaped his “owner mindset,” sharpened his ability to navigate ambiguity, and ultimately prepared him for leadership roles at companies like WebEx, Cisco, Tesla, and Dentsu.

In this conversation, Leo pulls back the curtain on:

• Breaking into the California / Silicon Valley culture 
• Best approach to closing deals in China
• Why Tesla’s “dig the hole first” philosophy works
• What Western observers misunderstand China’s tech ecosystem 
• Why making friends is the key to international entrepreneurship success

This candid conversation is full of lessons and practical frameworks for anyone scaling across borders, from early founders to global investors to leaders navigating complex cultural and geopolitical environments.

Thank you Leo for sharing your incredible story with us!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

“Cultural intelligence is a competitive advantage… listening more and adapting your communication style and understanding to the local etiquette can really open doors.”

In this episode of venturing abroad, we are traveling from Normandy to Hong Kong, as we follow the incredible journey of entrepreneur Ines Gafsi. Driven by her passions and instincts from a young age, Ines’ interest in languages and world cultures drove her to study and work abroad.  

After a stint in Canada and London, she made her way to Hong Kong, where she has played an integral role in paving the way for women in entrepreneurship. Co-founding Female Entrepreneurs Worldwide, she shares how she built one of Asia’s leading communities for female founders.

Today, Ines is bringing that same purpose-driven energy to Blissmi: a preventive health and longevity platform for employers. Powered by real biometric data, medical science, and AI, Blissmi helps companies support their teams with personalized, proactive health insights. What began with her own experience navigating motherhood is now reshaping how workforces understand and manage their well-being, shifting care from reactive to preventive.

In our conversation, Ines details:

• Business communication nuances in Asia 
• How to raise funds in Hong Kong
• The power of personal branding 
• The tech landscape of APAC
• Creating impact by filling gaps

Her key advice for entrepreneurs? Dream Big.

Thank you for joining, Ines!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

“We said okay, let's pack our suitcases, go to France for three years… and 11 years later, we are still in France.”

In this episode of Venturing Abroad, we have the pleasure of talking with Chris O’Brien. An American journalist based in France, Chris is the founder of The French Tech Journal and one of the key voices covering France’s tech scene.

After years of reporting on Web 2.0 and the rise of social media in Silicon Valley, Chris found himself building a new life and a new career in France. From navigating French bureaucracy to chronicling La French Tech’s incredible growth, his journey offers both humor and wisdom about adapting, learning, and thriving in two different countries.

In our conversation, Chris shares: 

• How timing, curiosity, and adaptability can shape a career
• His observations on the evolution of French tech ecosystem
• Misconceptions about Silicon Valley and La French Tech
• Cultural shocks of moving from California to Toulouse
• Journalism in the age of AI and more

Thank you for sharing with us your France-US experience, Chris!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

"If you don’t understand the value you bring, you won’t succeed… no matter where you go."

In this episode, we had the pleasure of welcoming Finnish entrepreneur Monika Liikamaa, co-founder and co-CEO of Enfuce, the leading global card issuer and payment processor.

Monika’s career is embedded in international fintech, from building networks during the Nokia boom to scaling multiple financial businesses across the globe. 

In this episode, she shares:

• How her dual Finnish-Swedish roots shaped her entrepreneurial mindset 
• The steps to scale a fintech business internationally 
• The power of co-leadership and trust in driving growth
• Keeping sustainability at the core of her work through her initiative “Everyone Should Give a Damn”

Monika’s experience is a blueprint for entrepreneurs aiming to grow globally with purpose and precision.

Thank you Monika for joining us!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

“Discipline, hard work, practice… that’s what you learn as a professional athlete. The same elements apply to investing.” 

This week on Venturing Abroad, we sit down with Luben Pampoulov, a former professional tennis player who swapped the court for Silicon Valley’s world of venture capital.

From Bulgaria to Austria, UCLA to Silicon Valley, and eventually Paris, Luben’s story is one of reinvention, grit, and global perspective. After leading early investments in Spotify, Dropbox, Lyft, and Coursera, he’s now helping shape the future of EdTech through GSV Ventures.

In this episode, Luben shares:

• How lessons from elite sport translate into entrepreneurial success.
• What moving between continents taught him about cross-cultural investing.
• Why he believes education technology is one of the most powerful tools to drive societal change, especially in the age of AI.

Thank you for joining us, Luben!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

“Prepare for success sooner than you think.” 

This week on Venturing Abroad, we sit down with Clare Jones, CEO of Polarsteps: the all-in-one app for travelers to daydream, plan, track, and relive their adventures. A native Londoner, Clare moved to Amsterdam over a year ago to take the helm at Polarsteps. From adapting to a smaller city and a frank work culture, her move mirrors the values that the travel-tech company cherishes: new cultures, learning from different perspectives, and traveling respectfully.

As the third CEO of Polarsteps, Clare took on the rare challenge of leading a team where the founders and former CEOs are still part of the company and deeply involved. Her approach? Listening first and keeping product and culture in sync, as the company quickly scales internationally.

Today, Polarsteps has:

• 17 million users (up from 16M just in July!)
• 1 million daily active users
• 20 million trips shared across the globe
• Expanding across the U.S. while topping the app stores in France 

Thank you so much, Clare, for sharing your story with us!

If you love traveling, this episode is a must-listen.

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

“At 20 years old, I had this idea of starting this company… So I go up the Empire State Building, I ring at the door, and I say to the office secretary, “Hey, I have a great idea to sell your boss, can I see him?”

In this episode of Venturing Abroad, we’re going on a transatlantic journey with Patrice Thiry. 

Growing up in the suburbs of Paris, Patrice moved to Boston at 17 to pursue a degree at Babson College. After graduating, he spent five years in New York and London, combining his American mentality with his French savoir-faire to lead sales and marketing operations for Russell Athletic across Europe and Asia.

Patrice shares with us his key learnings from studying and working in the U.S., and how he translated those skills when he returned to France to build his startup, ProwebCE, which he sold in 2017 for 300M €. Today, he is the Co-founder & President of startup accelerator Tomcat, an investor at daphni, and the

author of “The Journey of a Successful Entrepreneur.”

Thank you Patrice for your candor and sharing your expertise!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

In our debut episode of Venturing Abroad, we sit down with Ervin Tu, an investor whose career spans Goldman Sachs in New York, major global deals at SoftBank with ByteDance and Uber, and leadership as the former Group President and CIO at Prosus in Amsterdam.

A lifelong learner, Ervin shares what it takes to close deals across Asia, the Middle East, and North America and why respecting local context and building genuine relationships are critical for success. He also opens up about his nonprofit, Passport, which helps first-generation and low-income students in the U.S. pursue higher education.

His advice for investors and entrepreneurs? Stay curious. Connect with everyone. Never take relationships for granted.

If you’re building a startup, scaling across borders, or curious about how global deals get done, this episode is for you.

Fasten your seatbelts, and let’s go venturing abroad with Ervin Tu.

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.

Welcome aboard daphni's third podcast series "Venturing Abroad."  

In this podcast, entrepreneurs, leaders, and investors from around the world will share their journeys of scaling across borders. You'll embark on a trip through the stories of founders and industry pioneers who have built businesses with global reach, as we explore the strategies, challenges, cultural nuances, and pivotal moments that shaped their paths to international growth. Along the way, we’ll also hear from investors on how they navigate global investment opportunities and close groundbreaking deals that transform the way we live.

Fasten your seatbelts, and let’s venture abroad!

Hosted by Audiomeans. Visit audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite for more information.