🎃 Get ready for a spooky twist! In this Halloween special, Erika and Tiffany ditch the usual format for a live discussion on the latest in wearable tech and some up-and-coming companies driving innovation. Erika channels Winnie the Pooh, and Tiffany sports her Halloween spirit as they dive into tech trends with augmented reality, wearable AI friends, and digital fashion. 🎃

What’s Inside:

• 00:00:00 - Kicking off Halloween style!
• 00:04:00 - Snapchat’s Wearables & Virtual Fashion: The hosts discuss Snapchat's collaboration with top fashion brands and explore AR try-ons.
• 00:09:00 - Augmented Reality’s Comeback? Erika and Tiffany share insights on how AR is becoming a communication tool and practical tech in stores and online shopping.
• 00:13:00 - Startup Spotlight: Exploring "Visual AI" and wearable innovations that let consumers "try before they buy."
• 00:17:00 - AI as a Companion? Discover “Friend,” an AI-powered wearable necklace designed to tackle loneliness and provide daily support.
• 00:22:00 - 3D Printing & Spray-Paint Shoes?! Erika and Tiffany get creative with the latest in smart textiles, 3D printing for clothing, and fashion’s future in personalized wearables.
• 00:28:00 - Tracking Health with Wearables: From glucose monitors to emotional tracking, the future of real-time health monitoring tech gets personal.
• 00:33:00 - Privacy in Wearables: Learn about a unique clothing line that blocks facial recognition, transforming wearers into animals.

Get in the Halloween spirit with Erika and Tiffany as they mix fun with future-forward topics in wearable tech. Happy Halloween from the Momentum team!

This week, we talk with Stefano Bellasio, founder of Anthropos, an AI skill development platform helping companies tackle recruitment, retention, and skill-building challenges. Stefano discusses how Anthropos’ unique AI simulations and skill taxonomy are reshaping workforce training, and shares insights on hiring right, scaling fast, and creating company culture. Discover what keeps Stefano motivated to innovate and lead in the high-stakes world of employee development.

• 00:00:00 - Introduction to Stefano Bellasio and Anthropos
• 00:05:00 - From Cloud Academy to Anthropos: Lessons in Building Across Markets
• 00:10:00 - Creating a Company Culture Based on Principles, Not Just Values
• 00:17:00 - How Anthropos Uses AI for Skills Mapping and Development
• 00:23:00 - New Workforce Skills: Digital Tools and Emotional Intelligence
• 00:34:00 - Early Days of Anthropos: Product Development and Market Focus
• 00:46:00 - Building Momentum: Scaling Teams and Staying Motivated

What’s the right time to hire your first sales rep? How do you approach market entry when your product is still in beta? In this episode, Eric Shaver provides expert guidance on these questions and more. We delve into the practicalities of hiring, scaling, and surviving in the competitive B2B landscape, with a focus on navigating vendor risk and defining a clear go-to-market strategy that drives real results.

0:00 - Introduction and welcoming Eric Shaver
2:00 - Understanding the foundation of building a B2B startup
5:00 - Key considerations before hiring your first sales team
9:30 - The importance of addressing vendor risk
14:00 - Scaling with limited resources: Strategy tips
19:00 - How to identify and assess your addressable market
26:00 - Final thoughts on creating a sustainable B2B sales process

Erika sits down with Pedro Salvi, co-founder and CFO of Viceversa, to discuss the real challenges of starting a revenue-based financing company. Pedro opens up about his shift from venture capital to entrepreneurship, the tough journey of securing investors, and how Viceversa is navigating growth across multiple markets while prioritizing trust and sustainability. A candid look at what it takes to build a company in financial services.

• 01:00 How Viceversa Was Born
• 04:00 Making the Leap from Venture Capital to Entrepreneurship
• 09:00 Early Challenges: Securing First Clients
• 13:00 Raising €10M: The Emotional Rollercoaster of Fundraising
• 24:00 Expanding Across Europe: Learning from New Markets
• 27:00 Balancing Growth and Sustainability
• 43:00 Staying Motivated: Long-Term Vision and Impact

Antonio Arezzo, CFO of UNGUESS, joins Momentum to discuss the evolving role of the CFO in tech startups. From securing €10 million in funding to strategically managing community costs, Antonio offers a masterclass in balancing growth with fiscal responsibility. We explore UNGUESS's unique crowdtesting model, its approach to cybersecurity, and Antonio's lessons from working in private equity to driving a tech startup to profitability. Learn how to manage cash burn, optimize product feature investments, and justify community costs in a fast-paced startup environment.

• 00:00 Introduction to Antonio Arezzo and UNGUESS: Revolutionizing Crowdtesting
• 06:00 Transition to Tech: Antonio's Shift from Real Estate and Private Equity to Startups
• 13:00 Defining Community at UNGUESS: Balancing Cost with Value as CFO
• 21:00 Overcoming Learning Curves: Antonio’s Early Challenges and Growth Strategies at UNGUESS
• 31:00 Key Growth Levers for Startups: Metrics Antonio Monitors to Drive Financial Health
• 42:00 Expanding to France: UNGUESS’s Acquisition Approach and International Strategy
• 54:00 Becoming EBITDA Positive: Antonio’s Financial Strategy for Sustainable Growth

In this episode, we sit down with Martin Lewerth, CEO of Aira, to explore how the company is spearheading Europe’s transition away from fossil fuels with cutting-edge heat pump technology. With 145 million raised in an oversubscribed Series B, Aira is expanding into markets like Germany, Italy, and the UK, aiming to reduce heating costs by up to 40% and cut emissions. Martin shares his insights on navigating clean energy challenges, the future of electrification, and how Aira is making sustainable solutions accessible to all. Join us for a forward-thinking conversation about the future of home energy and the electrification of heating across Europe.

In this episode, Olaf van der Ven, co-founder and CEO of Orbisk, joins us to discuss how his company is tackling one of the world’s biggest yet most preventable problems: food waste. He reveals surprising facts like how 70% of food waste happens before it even reaches the plate, and shares how AI technology is helping restaurants reduce waste while boosting their bottom line. Olaf also opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, breaking down his unique approach to funding—including the "fake door test"—and how he managed to grow Orbisk from a kitchen table idea to landing major hotel clients.

• 02:00 The Wake-Up Call: Breakfast Buffet Sparks an Idea
• 05:00 Food Waste: The Shocking Global Impact
• 10:00 How Orbisk's AI Tracks Waste Before It Reaches Your Plate
• 17:00 Fake Door Test: Olaf’s Strategy for Testing Demand
• 18:00 Funding Breakdown: Navigating Bootstrapping vs. Investors

Mattia Montepara, co-founder and CEO of Sibill, breaks down how his fintech startup is making waves by scaling in the competitive small-to-medium business (SMB) sector. From automating financial operations to navigating the complexities of Italy's SMB market, Mattia shares the strategies that have fueled Sibill's rapid growth. Learn how focusing on underserved SMBs, leveraging mandatory e-invoicing, and maintaining strong co-founder alignment have been critical in scaling Sibill’s impact. Perfect for founders looking to scale smart in niche markets.