The Entrepreneurs

How Italy is positioning itself to become Europe’s next tech hub. Plus: author Mehran Gul on ‘The New Geography of Innovation: The Global Contest for Breakthrough Technologies’. And: Kagi founder Vladimir Prelovac on the search engine’s answer to combating internet AI slop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Pietro Collina, co-founder of Whitebox Cocktails, a company making full-strength, single-serve classics such as negronis, espresso martinis and cosmopolitans. Collina talks about creating canned cocktails and scaling the brand to international shelves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder Scott Hudson shares the story of Henrybuilt and how the company constructed a business around custom kitchen systems that combine design, craftsmanship and function. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder Natalie Enslöw shares how she launched Fjör, a skincare brand tackling dryness, sensitivity and other skin issues with advanced microbiome technology and a purpose-driven approach. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore different ways to build community through entrepreneurship. June O’Sullivan talks about the role of social enterprise in shaping modern business. Then: Alexei Korolyov meets the founder of an independent Viennese cafe chain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CEO of Cata, David Brunier, shares his journey to creating a next-generation SaaS platform that launches fully branded consumer apps with no coding and minimal upfront costs, including the top app in Singapore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aera co-founders Jas Minhas and Olof Larsson join us at Midori House to discuss how things have been ticking along at their watch brand since Minhas’s previous visit. Plus: Monocle’s Brenda Tuohy on Geneva Watch Days trends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French-Togolese architect and co-founder of Studio Neida, Jeanne Autran-Edorh, talks about the future of design in Togo and how her work is making an impact internationally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonny Lake and Isa Bal, co-founders and masterminds behind the two Michelin-starred Trivet in London, discuss their latest venture. Plus: Simon Kim chats about shaking up the traditional American steakhouse with the acclaimed Cote. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roberts Treize shares the story of Sporonex, a Latvian startup developing sustainable acoustic solutions using mycelium and circular-waste materials. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laurent Kleitman stops by Monocle’s Paris studio to reflect on the state of luxury hospitality, Mandarin Oriental’s takeover of the Lutetia hotel and the group’s starring role in season three of The White Lotus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Didrik Dimmen is the co-founder and CEO of Auk, an award-winning indoor smart-gardening system that makes it easy to grow fresh herbs, salad plants and even vegetables, no matter the season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We mark two centuries of passenger rail with a look at what’s down the line. Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, discusses the direction of travel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to share something that’s rooted in place with the world? Naoki Mita discusses Le Furo’s “craft onsen” – concentrated hot spring solutions that capture the therapeutic benefits of Japan’s mineral-rich waters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feng Chen Wang is a Chinese, London-based fashion designer who embodies what it means to update tradition. Her eponymous brand creates pieces that are deeply personal yet globally resonant, merging traditional Chinese references with modern tailoring, sportswear influences and futuristic silhouettes. As her brand marks a decade of boundary-pushing design, Wang reflects on her upbringing in Fujian, collaborations with major brands such as Converse and why straddling cultures is her superpower in both design and business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Maas, co-founder of Papa Salt, talks about testing 59 distilled recipes before settling on their gin, which uses native Australian botanicals. Plus: a florist’s mission to elevate the status of the country’s wildflowers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Archer Aviation’s founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, joins to discuss the UAE launch of the ‘Midnight’ eVTOL. Is a 20-minute Dubai-Abu Dhabi commute in the offing? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ole Scheeren is the award-winning German architect behind some of the world’s most ambitious and unconventional buildings. From tech campuses in Asian megacities to residential apartment blocks in Vancouver, Scheeren’s designs seamlessly bridge opposing aesthetics and functionalities. In this episode he tells us about the power of cross-cultural collaboration and how this can enrich the lives of those who live, work and gather in his spaces. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet the founder of outdoor-adventure emporium Arksen to hear how the lifelong thrill-seeker built a business to share his love of exploration and bring a new approach to the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder and creative director Vania Leles shares the story of how she became a gemologist and launched her brand, Vanleles, an African high-jewellery brand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.