From mission-critical systems at Ford to scaling AI-powered identity verification at Onfido, Lyubomira Dimitrova has helped lead one of Europe’s largest tech exits.

In this episode of Startup Scaleup People, we speak with Lyubomira Dimitrova, co-founder, fractional CPTO, and former SVP of Engineering at Onfido, a RegTech company acquired for $650M.

She reflects on her transition from enterprise to startup, scaling a team through hypergrowth, and building a new AI venture.

🎧 Hosted by Mario Rivas and Tiffany Shown, this episode explores building psychological safety, technical debt, scaling leadership, and why not all models (like the Spotify one) fit every company.

📢 About Startup Scaleup PeopleReal stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages — we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, and everything in between.New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time.

🧭 Chapters

00:00 From Ford to Founders: Lyubomira’s Global Journey

03:50 Lessons from Mission-Critical Enterprise IT

06:30 Joining Onfido: From Process Gaps to Hypergrowth

11:00 Scaling to $100M ARR and a $650M Exit

15:00 Technical Debt, Product Risk & Communication2

0:00 Building AI Ops & Cross-Functional Teams

25:00 Psychological Safety vs. Pressure to Perform

30:00 CTO + CPO Roles & Starting a New AI Venture

💬 Key Highlights

▸ Led Onfido’s technical teams through $100M+ ARR & $650M acquisition

▸ Former enterprise leader at Ford, now co-founder in RegTech AI

▸ Expert in scaling systems, eliminating tech debt & aligning GTM

▸ Advocates for women in leadership and product-tech hybrids

▸ Now building again in stealth-mode with focus on financial services

👥 Who Should ListenTech founders • Enterprise engineers • Product/Eng leaders • RegTech and AI builders • Fractional CPTOs • Women in Tech

🔗 Follow & Subscribe

📌 https://www.instagram.com/startupscaleuppeople/

📌 https://www.tiktok.com/@square.circle.podcast📌 https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU📌 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/startup-scaleup-people/id1847157416📌 https://www.linkedin.com/company/squarecirclecommunity/📌 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/📌 https://www.squarecircle.me

🧠 Keywordsstartup, scaleup, entrepreneurship, business podcast, leadership, business growth, founder mindset, startup stories, scaleup journey, entrepreneur advice, business strategy, innovation, venture capital, startup founders, startup funding, executive leadership, enterprise leadership, enterprise strategy, business transformation, board of directors, fractional leadership, NEDs, startup scaleup people, fintech, RegTech, AI, CPTO, product strategy, women in tech

#startupleadership #businessgrowth #scaleups #enterprise #boardleadership #venturecapital #startup #founderstories #innovation #businesspodcast #careergrowth #operationalexcellence #leadershipdevelopment #startupstrategy #funding #exitstrategies #teambuilding #corporategovernance #techfounders #startupscaleuppeople #startupfunding #vc #podcast #shorts #leadership #fintech #entrepreneurship #investing #governance #peoplestories #experience #leadershipskills #leadershiplessons #businessleadership #businessstrategy #businessideas #businesssuccessstories #businesssuccess #biotech #saas #failure #fail #entrepreneur #howtoinvest #hiring #digitaltransformation #expansion #businessexpansion #energy #technology #techstartup #techfounders #successmindset #motivation #mindset #perseverance #resilience #Emprendimiento #Empreendedorismo #Entrepreneuriat #Unternehmertum #Imprenditorialità #Ondernemerschap #उद्यमिता #ريادة_الأعمال #Girişimcilik #Kewirausahaan #Pagnenegosyo #创业 #起業家精神 #기업가정신

From COO of PolyAI to investor at Point72, Yan Zhang reveals what it really takes to scale AI startups globally — and why he’s building again.

In this episode of Startup Scaleup People, we sit down with Yan Zhang, former Chief Operating Officer at PolyAI, now an angel investor, mentor at Cambridge Founders and Deep Tech Labs, and Principal at Point72 Ventures.

Yan unpacks how PolyAI scaled voice AI across 20+ countries and how he now supports founders with funding and operational insight.

🎧 Hosted by Mario Rivas this conversation explores scaling enterprise AI, operating under constraints, go-to-market in the U.S. vs Europe, sales hiring, founder resilience, and why Yan still wants to build.

📢 About Startup Scaleup People
Real stories from startup, scaleup, and enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages — we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, and everything in between.
New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time.

🧭 Chapters
00:00 Yan’s Global Career Journey
04:00 Corporate Development, Random House & China Expansion
08:00 Joining PolyAI & Focus on Voice Modality
11:00 Understanding Constraints and Business Strategy
15:00 Scaling to $50M ARR & Global Teams
20:00 Sales Hiring Challenges & Expansion into the U.S.
24:00 From Operator to Investor: 400+ AI Startups Reviewed
28:00 What He’ll Build Next & Advice for Founders

💬 Key Highlights
▸ COO at PolyAI: Scaled enterprise AI voice to $50M revenue
▸ Led expansion into 20+ countries and U.S. GTM
▸ Principal at Point72 Ventures, investing in applied AI startups
▸ 15+ angel investments across Europe & Silicon Valley
▸ Mentor at Cambridge Founders & Deep Tech Labs
▸ Practical insights on sales hiring, constraints, resilience, and exits

👥 Who Should Listen
AI founders, B2B operators, enterprise sales leaders, investors, and founders scaling internationally.

🔗 Follow & Subscribe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupscaleuppeople/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@square.circle.podcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/startup-scaleup-people/id1847157416
LinkedIn (Community): https://www.linkedin.com/company/squarecirclecommunity/
LinkedIn (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/
Website: https://www.squarecircle.me

🏷️
startupleadership, businessgrowth, scaleups, enterprise, venturecapital, startup, founderstories, innovation, businesspodcast, leadership, startupstrategy, funding, exits, techfounders, saas, ai, investing, resilience

How do you lead product through hypergrowth, scale to IPO, and now advise the next generation of startups? In this episode of Startup Scaleup People, we sit down with Adriana Landaverde, a seasoned Chief Product Officer with 3 successful exits, including Trulia (IPO) and Nutmeg (acquired by JPMorgan).

From El Salvador to Silicon Valley to London, Adriana shares what it takes to scale product teams, build retention strategies, and become a trusted advisor to early-stage founders.

📢 About Startup Scaleup People: Real stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages — we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, and everything in between.New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time.

🧭 Chapters

00:00 Intro & Adriana's Background

02:00 What IPO Teaches You That Books Don’t

07:00 From El Salvador to Stanford to Silicon Valley

10:30 Trulia, Nutmeg & Product Leadership Across Stages

14:00 Balancing Customer Needs with Strategy

17:00 Aligning Sales, Product & Go-To-Market Teams

22:00 Nutmeg Launch Failure: Lessons in Execution

26:00 What Makes a Good Founder-Advisor Fit?

33:00 Clarity, Team Roles & Strategy for Scaling Startups

💬 Key Highlights

▸ Led product at Trulia (IPO $450M+), Nutmeg (acquired by JPMorgan), JamesEdition and more

▸ Scaled B2B & B2C product orgs across UK, US & EU

▸ Deep insights on retention, churn, and cross-functional product teams

▸ Advisor to Series A/B startups as fractional CPO

▸ Built product strategy with customer empathy + commercial focus

▸ Evangelist for sales + product collaboration

👥 Who Should Listen

Product leaders • Founders • CPOs • B2B/B2C Operators • Fractionals • Investors • Go-to-market teams

🔗 Follow & Subscribe

📌 https://www.instagram.com/startupscaleuppeople/

📌 https://www.tiktok.com/@square.circle.podcast

📌 https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU

📌 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/startup-scaleup-people/id1847157416

📌 https://www.linkedin.com/company/squarecirclecommunity/📌

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/

📌 https://www.squarecircle.me

🧠 Keywordsstartup, scaleup, entrepreneurship, business podcast, leadership, business growth, founder mindset, startup stories, scaleup journey, entrepreneur advice, business strategy, innovation, venture capital, startup founders, startup funding, executive leadership, enterprise strategy, enterprise leadership, business transformation, board of directors, fractional leadership, NEDs, startup scaleup people, fintech, product leadership, retention, advisor

#startupleadership #businessgrowth #scaleups #enterprise #boardleadership #venturecapital #startup #founderstories #innovation #businesspodcast #careergrowth #operationalexcellence #leadershipdevelopment #startupstrategy #funding #exitstrategies #teambuilding #corporategovernance #techfounders #startupscaleuppeople #startupfunding #vc #podcast #shorts #leadership #fintech #entrepreneurship #investing #governance #peoplestories #experience #leadershipskills #leadershiplessons #businessleadership #businessstrategy #businessideas #businesssuccessstories #businesssuccess #biotech #saas #failure #fail #entrepreneur #howtoinvest #hiring #digitaltransformation #expansion #businessexpansion #energy #technology #techstartup #techfounders #successmindset #motivation #mindset #perseverance #resilience #Emprendimiento #Empreendedorismo #Entrepreneuriat #Unternehmertum #Imprenditorialità #Ondernemerschap #उद्यमिता #ريادة_الأعمال #Girişimcilik #Kewirausahaan #Pagnenegosyo #创业 #起業家精神 #기업가정신

How do you build a global, high-impact healthtech business bootstrapped and profitable from day one?

In this episode of Startup Scaleup People, we speak with Jonathan Larbey, CEO & Founder of T-Pro, an AI-powered clinical documentation platform trusted by over 130,000 clinicians globally.

🎧 Hosted by Mario Rivas this conversation dives into building a healthcare SaaS business from zero to $30M ARR through acquisitions, product innovation, global expansion, and governance.

Real stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages — we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, and everything in between.

New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time.

🧭 Chapters

00:00 Jonathan’s Journey: From Rugby to Tech CEO
04:00 Solving Clinical Documentation at Scale
08:00 Global Expansion: UK, ANZ, India & More
12:00 Impact on Clinicians & Healthcare Systems
17:00 Reaching $30M ARR with Strategic Acquisitions
23:00 Governance, Boards & Private Equity Partners
29:00 Lessons in Due Diligence & Integration
36:00 Founder Advice & Leadership Lessons

💬 Key Highlights

▸ 130K+ active users, tens of millions of documents processed annually
▸ Bootstrapped and profitable from the start — now private equity-backed
▸ Strategic acquisitions in Ireland, UK, Australia, India & New Zealand
▸ Built M&A playbook and acquisition runway for future growth
▸ Solving clinician burnout & documentation inefficiencies with AI
▸ Active board with PE firm Livingbridge and top-tier chair
▸ Insights on scaling in highly regulated global markets

👥 Who Should Listen

Healthtech founders • SaaS leaders • PE-backed executives • Board directors • Clinicians • Global operators • Investors

🔗 Follow & Subscribe

📌 https://www.instagram.com/startupscaleuppeople/
📌 https://www.tiktok.com/@square.circle.podcast
📌 https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU
📌 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/startup-scaleup-people/id1847157416
📌 https://www.linkedin.com/company/squarecirclecommunity/
📌 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/
📌 https://www.squarecircle.me

🧠 Keywords

startup, scaleup, entrepreneurship, business podcast, leadership, business growth, founder mindset, startup stories, scaleup journey, entrepreneur advice, business strategy, innovation, venture capital, startup founders, startup funding, executive leadership, enterprise leadership, enterprise strategy, business transformation, board of directors, fractional leadership, NEDs, startup scaleup people, AI, healthtech, SaaS, M&A, private equity, clinician productivity

#startupleadership #businessgrowth #scaleups #enterprise #boardleadership #venturecapital #startup #founderstories #innovation #businesspodcast #careergrowth #operationalexcellence #leadershipdevelopment #startupstrategy #funding #exitstrategies #teambuilding #corporategovernance #techfounders #startupscaleuppeople #startupfunding #vc #podcast #shorts #leadership #fintech #entrepreneurship #investing #governance #peoplestories #experience #leadershipskills #leadershiplessons #businessleadership #businessstrategy #businessideas #businesssuccessstories #businesssuccess #biotech #saas #failure #fail #entrepreneur #howtoinvest #hiring #digitaltransformation #expansion #businessexpansion #energy #technology #techstartup #techfounders #successmindset #motivation #mindset #perseverance #resilience #Emprendimiento #Empreendedorismo #Entrepreneuriat #Unternehmertum #Imprenditorialità #Ondernemerschap #उद्यमिता #ريادة_الأعمال #Girişimcilik #Kewirausahaan #Pagnenegosyo #创业 #起業家精神 #기업가정신

On the Square Circle Podcast, Benjamin Wong, 3x entrepreneur and CEO of Transwap, shares how he built a fast-growing global fintech operating in 180 countries, with 24 currencies, 100+ employees, and a clear path toward becoming the next unicorn — profitably.

This conversation dives into solving real customer pain points in cross-border payments, scaling across 8 countries, building resilient teams, using digital currencies, preparing for IPO, and the mindset required to survive (and win) as a founder.

Join us on our platforms: https://linktr.ee/SquareCirclePodcast. Subscribe, and write a comment or like the video, thanks! ⏱️

💡 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How to scale a fintech across multiple countries

• Why solving real pain points beats competing on price

• How digital currencies & stablecoins are reshaping global payments

• Why most startups fail due to founder conflicts, not product

• How to hire the “right people” vs the “best CVs”

• How to build a global compliance & payments infrastructure•

Why Transwap is on track to become a profitable unicorn

• How to choose between IPO vs acquisition

• The mindset every founder needs: resolute, resourceful, resilient• Why there is no perfect time to start — just start

🔗 LINKS🔗 Full episode on YouTube — subscribe to support the podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@SquareCirclePodcast

🎥 Watch all episodes & follow us across platforms:https://linktr.ee/SquareCirclePodcast🤝 Connect with the Square Circle Community on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/square-circle-startup-and-scale-up-people/?viewAsMember=true

📩 Join the community, be a guest, or sponsor an episode:Email Mario Rivas → mario@squarecircle.life

#entrepreneurship, #startup , #businessgrowth , #leadership , #fintech , #innovation , #motivation , #success , #growthmindsetforkids , #startuplife , #entrepreneurlife , #technology , #finance , #businessgrowth , #inspiration , #ceo , #founderstory , #globalbusiness , #digitaltransformation , #mindset #startup #podcast #squarecirclepodcast #fintech

On the Square Circle Podcast, Dr Jordan Abdi, physician and CEO of U-Ploid, a fast-growing biotech developing treatments to help women extend and expand their reproductive window by improving egg quality.

This conversation goes deep into fertility science, biotech risk, IVF realities, stigma, and the potential future of reproductive medicine.

⏱️ TOP CHAPTERS — The Key Moments

00:00 – Welcome to Square Circle

00:37 – Introducing Dr. Jordan Abdi

01:30 – Jordan’s journey: NHS → biotech → fertility

03:19 – Why reproductive health is decades behind other fields

05:48 – What U-Ploid is building (and why it matters)

09:36 – The fertility crisis: $35B IVF market, 70% failure rate

12:24 – Extending the reproductive window: what is actually possible

14:35 – The real cause of declining egg quality (explained simply)

17:26 – Why IVF fails in women 35–45 (chromosome errors)

18:56 – The emotional and social stigma around fertility

20:39 – Fertility is NOT a women-only issue

23:05 – Fundraising & biotech: how it really works

27:32 – The regulatory and safety challenges in reproductive biotech

30:43 – Advisory board vs governance board: what founders must know

33:41 – The biggest lessons Jordan learned building U-Ploid

35:25 – When could these treatments reach the market?

37:47 – Closing reflections & message to listeners

💡 What You'll Learn

• Why IVF outcomes decline so sharply after 35

• The biological reason behind miscarriages & failed embryos

• What "egg quality" actually means (in plain English)

• The science behind U-Ploid’s lead treatment, Livanta

• How biotech startups manage multi-year risks

• How fertility stigma harms both men and women

• Why the UK is a global leader in reproductive innovation

• What founders should know before entering biotech

📩 Want to join the community, be a podcast guest, or sponsor an episode?

Email Mario Rivas → mario@squarecircle.life

📩 Want to join the LinkedIn community? https://www.linkedin.com/company/square-circle-startup-and-scale-up-people/?viewAsMember=true

#Fertility #Biotech #Healthcare #EggQuality #IVF #Innovation #ReproductiveHealth #LifeSciences #Startups #WomenInScience #HealthTech #ClinicalResearch #Entrepreneurship #SquareCirclePodcast #JordanAbdi #UPloid #MarioRivas #TiffanyChown #Science #FutureOfHealth #IVFSuccess #Embryology #BiotechStartups #FemaleHealth #FertilityAwareness #MedicalInnovation #HealthcareLeadership #Podcast #Community #ScaleUp

What does it take to build Latin America's modern venture capital landscape from scratch?

In this episode of Startup Scaleup People, we talk to Andres Meirovich, Managing Partner at Genesis Ventures, who has helped grow one of Chile’s most influential VC funds from $24M to $600M—with a bold vision to scale toward $2B–$3B.

🎧 Hosted by Mario Rivas and Tiffany Shown, this conversation explores Andres' unique journey building venture capital in Latin America, the global capital flows shaping the region, and why LATAM might be the next great tech corridor.

📢 About Startup Scaleup PeopleReal stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages — we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, and everything in between.New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time.

🧭 Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

01:38 Andres' Origins and First Fund in Chile

04:25 MIT, Scaling Globally, and Raising $600M09:00 Investing in LATAM Through Chile

13:58 LATAM + Europe VC Collaboration Outlook

17:01 Smart Capital Strategy & LATAM Expansion24:00 Board Roles: Funding, Clients, Tough Calls

30:00 Lessons in Trust, Team, and Transparency

36:11 Family, Balance & The Long Game

💬 Key Highlights▸ Built Genesis Ventures from $24M to $600M—now scaling to $2B+▸ Opened LATAM's first UK-backed VC fund, inspired by Singapore's model▸ Funded 50+ startups, from cleantech to fintech to digital innovation▸ Advises boards across LATAM, Europe & the US▸ Advocates for transparency, founder partnership, and long-term vision

👥 Who Should ListenFounders • Investors • LPs • Board advisors • Policy makers • LATAM growth leaders

🔗 Follow & Subscribe

📌 https://www.instagram.com/startupscaleuppeople/

📌 https://www.tiktok.com/@square.circle.podcast

📌 https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU

📌 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/startup-scaleup-people/id1847157416

📌 https://www.linkedin.com/company/squarecirclecommunity/

📌 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariorivassanchez/

📌 https://www.squarecircle.me

🧠 Keywordsstartup, scaleup, entrepreneurship, business podcast, leadership, business growth, founder mindset, startup stories, scaleup journey, entrepreneur advice, business strategy, innovation, venture capital, startup founders, startup funding, executive leadership, enterprise leadership, enterprise strategy, business transformation, board of directors, fractional leadership, NEDs, startup scaleup people, fintech, AI

🏷️ Hashtags#startupleadership #businessgrowth #scaleups #enterprise #boardleadership #venturecapital #startup #founderstories #innovation #businesspodcast #careergrowth #operationalexcellence #leadershipdevelopment #startupstrategy #funding #exitstrategies #teambuilding #corporategovernance #techfounders #startupscaleuppeople #startupfunding #vc #podcast #shorts #leadership #fintech #entrepreneurship #investing #governance #peoplestories #experience #leadershipskills #leadershiplessons #businessleadership #businessstrategy #businessideas #businesssuccessstories #businesssuccess #biotech #saas #failure #fail #entrepreneur #howtoinvest #hiring #digitaltransformation #expansion #businessexpansion #energy #technology #techstartup #techfounders #successmindset #motivation #mindset #perseverance #resilience #Emprendimiento #Empreendedorismo #Entrepreneuriat #Unternehmertum #Imprenditorialità #Ondernemerschap #उद्यमिता #ريادة_الأعمال #Girişimcilik #Kewirausahaan #Pagnenegosyo #创业 #起業家精神 #기업가정신

On the Square Circle Podcast, we sit down with David Jarvis, Founder & CEO of Griffin — the UK’s first full-stack banking-as-a-service platform, built from scratch to empower fintechs and embedded finance players.Hosted by Mario Rivas, Founder & CEO of Square Circle, and Tiffany Shown, this conversation dives deep into David’s journey — from Silicon Valley software engineer to fintech founder leading one of the UK’s most ambitious regulated startups.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

02:00 David Jarvis: Entrepreneurial Journey and Early Experiences

04:59 The Birth of Griffin: From Idea to Reality

09:18 Navigating Challenges in the Banking Sector

13:35 The Impact of Silicon Valley Bank's Collapse

18:47 Future Strategies and Growth Plans for Griffin

27:05 Navigating Board Dynamics

34:09 Leadership Evolution and Style

38:18 Lessons Learned and Advice for Founders

44:40 Outro Final .mp4

💬 Highlights from the conversation:• David’s entrepreneurial roots — from selling energy drinks in high school to leading a bank.• Lessons learned from his time at Airbnb, CircleCI, and Silicon Valley Bank.• The early days of Griffin: pitching investors during Brexit and building from zero.• Overcoming the toughest years — surviving near-collapse and raising capital when no one would invest.• How to manage your board, choose the right chair, and deal with investor politics.• Leadership evolution — from servant leadership to “founder mode” and owning accountability.• Building a strong, independent board and learning how to “date” your future chair.• Griffin’s exponential growth: from 3 founders to 80 employees and 5× revenue in 2025.• Key lessons for founders building fintechs in the UK and Europe.💡 Key quote:“Life is long and the world is small. Just do good things for other people — and do them for free. It will find its way back to you.” — David Jarvis🎯 If you’re a founder, investor, or board advisor, this episode is a masterclass on resilience, regulation, leadership, and building trust through crises.🎙️ About the Square Circle PodcastA community for Startup and Scale-up People — Board Directors, Fractionals, Founders, and Investors — sharing real stories from the people driving innovation.Hosted by Mario Rivas & Tiffany Shown.📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3804Om0XrGG1gNRsev6DlU🍏 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/square-circle-for-startup-scale-up-people/id1847157416💼 Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/square-circle-for-startup-and-scale-up-people📩 Want to join the community, be a podcast guest, or explore sponsorship opportunities? Contact Mario Rivas at 👉 mario@squarecircle.life#Fintech #Leadership #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #EmbeddedFinance #GriffinBank #SquareCirclePodcast #DavidJarvis #BankingAsAService #RegTech #FounderStories #UKStartups #VentureCapital #BusinessGrowth #Scaleups #BoardAdvisors #FractionalExecutives #MarioRivas #TiffanyShown #Podcast