She Turned Plastic Waste Into Opportunity

She Turned Plastic Waste Into Opportunity

Author: Thomas Ohr August 20, 2026 Duration: 40:03
Join us for an interview with Angela Ivanova, the co-founder and CEO of LAM’ON Compostable Films, a Bulgarian company at the forefront of sustainable packaging solutions. Angela shares her journey of addressing one of the most pressing environmental challenges: the 1.2 million metric tons of laminated paper wasted annually. LAM’ON has developed bio-based, compostable laminating films and packaging foils that seamlessly integrate with paper recycling, offering a circular economy solution without compromising quality. In this discussion, Angela dives into the challenges of building LAM’ON from the ground up. She reflects on the gender gap in entrepreneurship, the moments that led her to focus on biodegradable materials, and the hurdles of product development, industry adoption, and scaling a startup in Bulgaria. The conversation also explores the real-world impact of LAM’ON’s innovations. Angela discusses how companies are transitioning to their compostable films, the barriers to widespread adoption, and whether customers are driven by genuine environmental consciousness or regulatory pressures. With a sharp focus on the future of sustainable materials, she examines the role of technology, infrastructure, and consumer behavior in making compostable packaging mainstream within the next five years.

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
How Factorial Became Barcelona's HRTech Unicorn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:18
This interview features Jordi Romero, Founder and CEO of Factorial, offering an in-depth look at the evolution of one of Europe’s leading HRTech scaleups. Based in Barcelona, Romero shares his journey from engineer to en…
Why Female Founders Are Still Overlooked [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:23
In this episode, Rupa Popat, founder of Arāya Ventures, shares her vision for redefining early-stage venture capital. Rupa discusses the persistent under-allocation of capital to diverse founders, highlighting that femal…
Europe's Journey to Tech Autonomy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:42
In this interview, Jan Oberhauser, Founder and CEO of n8n, talks about how a personal frustration with repetitive coding led him to build one of Europe’s best-known workflow automation platforms. From the early pain poin…
Inside the Tech Hacking Brain Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:12
This episode features Ana Maiques, CEO and co-founder of Neuroelectrics, a Barcelona-based neurotechnology company pioneering non-invasive brain stimulation for neurological and psychiatric conditions. Founded in 2011 as…
Meet the startup turning e-waste into Millions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:07
In this interview, we speak with Philipp Heltewig, Refurbed founder Kilian Kaminski. The Austrian scale-up is turning e-waste into Millions.
AI and the Moral Question of our Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:19
In this interview, we speak with Philipp Heltewig, Chief AI Officer at NiCE and General Manager of NiCE Cognigy, about the journey of building Cognigy from a startup in 2016 to a $1 billion acquisition by NiCE Ltd. in 20…
How He Built a €1.1B Giant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:40
In this interview, Enrico Giacomelli, Founder and Chairman of Namirial, reflects on building one of Europe’s leading Digital Transaction Management and Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) groups - from a small Italia…
Tackling Europe's Skills Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:44
In this episode, we speak with Davide Dattoli, Founder and Executive Chairman of Talent Garden, about building one of Europe’s largest digital skills and EdTech platforms — from its launch in 2011 as a coworking experime…
The Unicorn Formula Behind 1,800 Startups [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:39
In this episode, we sit down with Fridtjof Berge, co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Antler, one of the world’s most active early-stage venture capital firms. Since launching in 2017, Antler has backed more than 1,…