Can Bacteria Solve Fashion's Pollution Problem?

Can Bacteria Solve Fashion's Pollution Problem?

Author: Thomas Ohr August 27, 2026 Duration: 42:51
Join us for a conversation with Karin Fleck, the CEO and Founder of Vienna Textile Lab, an innovator in sustainable textile dyeing through biotechnology. With a decade of experience in the oil and energy sector, Karin transitioned her expertise to address one of the fashion industry’s most pressing challenges: the environmental and human cost of synthetic dyes. In this interview, she shares her journey from managing large-scale industrial projects to founding a company dedicated to creating bio-based, eco-friendly dyes derived from microorganisms. Discover how Vienna Textile Lab is transforming the textile industry by offering a commercially viable, safe, and sustainable alternative to traditional synthetic dyes. The conversation also touches on the role of Women TechEU in supporting deep-tech startups and the importance of fostering a collaborative ecosystem to drive meaningful change in the industry.

Hosted by Thomas Ohr, the EU-Startups Podcast pulls back the curtain on the continent's most dynamic and innovative companies. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a direct line to the founders, investors, and operators who are actually building the future across European cities. Each conversation digs into the tangible details-the early struggles for funding, the strategic pivots, the challenges of scaling across borders, and the personal journeys behind the headlines. You'll hear candid stories about what works and what doesn't in the intersecting worlds of technology and business, offering real insights for entrepreneurs at any stage and anyone curious about the mechanics of startup culture. As the audio companion to the leading online magazine EU-Startups.com, this podcast delivers depth and context you won't find elsewhere, turning each episode into a practical case study. Tune in for an authentic, unvarnished look at the ideas and people driving Europe's entrepreneurial landscape forward.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

EU-Startups Podcast
Podcast Episodes
From Dining Table to $700M Exit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:19
Join us for a conversation with Jos White, co-founder of Notion Capital and serial entrepreneur, as he reflects on his journey - from building pioneering companies like Star and MessageLabs to investing in the next gener…
From Getting Scammed to Building a Unicorn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:11
Join us for a conversation with Tarek Müller, co-founder and co-CEO of ABOUT YOU, a leading European fashion and lifestyle e-commerce platform and Hamburg’s first unicorn. Tarek shares his journey from building websites…
The Startup Turning Swamps Into Fashion Gold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:16
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Julian Ellis-Brown, CEO and co-founder of Ponda, the innovative biomaterials company developing the world’s first wetland-regenerating material supply chain. Julian shares th…
The Airship Startup NATO is Backing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:08
In this exclusive interview, Janne Hietala, CEO of Kelluu, discusses how his company is pioneering the use of autonomous, hydrogen-powered airships to revolutionise aerial monitoring. Unlike traditional drones or satelli…
The Christmas Trip that Built BlaBlaCar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:52
Join us for a deep dive with Frédéric Mazzella, founder of BlaBlaCar, as he reflects on the origins of the world’s leading carpooling platform and shares insights on the future of shared mobility, sustainability, and ent…
The Startup Freezing Humans For Tomorrow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:08
Join us for a deep-dive conversation with Dr Emil Kendziorra, CEO of Tomorrow.bio, as we explore the cutting edge of cryopreservation and medical biostasis. Dr Kendziorra, who began his career in cancer research with a s…
From MI6 to Startups [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:28
In this edition of the EU-Startups Podcast we had a cht with Tyler Edwards, the ex-MI6 founder who set out to secure AI Agents.
From 0 to $100M ARR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
Join us for an in-depth conversation with Pieterjan Bouten, Founding and Managing Partner at Entourage, as he reflects on his journey from co-founding In the Pocket and scaling Showpad to $100M ARR, to now building and f…
From Skype to Delivery Robots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:10
In this interview, Ahti Heinla - co-founder, CEO, and CTO of Starship Technologies and one of the original engineers behind Skype - shares his journey from a young programmer in Estonia to leading one of the world’s most…
The Travel Startup that Beat Covid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:10
What does the future of travel really look like - and how is AI reshaping the way we explore the world? In this episode, we sit down with Patrick Andrae, co-founder and CEO of HomeToGo, to unpack the evolution of TravelT…