Giving AI startups a voice: The AI NATION Podcast

AI is shaping the future - and startups are at the heart of that transformation. Yet in Germany, the voices behind these AI ventures are still too rarely heard. That’s exactly what the AI NATION Podcast sets out to change.

Driven by AI+MUNICH and K.I.E.Z., the podcast gives stage to the people building AI startups in Germany - their challenges, breakthroughs, and the deeply personal journeys behind the tech.

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Real stories from real founders

Whether it’s building your first prototype, finding co-founders, navigating funding rounds or scaling globally - founding an AI startup comes with unique hurdles. Through in-depth conversations, the AI NATION Podcast explores these moments in detail.

These are not polished PR stories. They are honest, personal, and sometimes raw accounts of what it really takes to build an AI company in Germany today - with all the ambition, doubt, and resilience that comes with it.

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A narrative that goes deeper

What sets the AI NATION Podcast apart is its storytelling approach. Each episode follows a unique structure inspired by the classic five-act play - giving space for the full arc of the founder’s journey:

• Setting the Scene: Who is the founder? What shaped their perspective and sparked their first ideas?
• Rising Conflict: What early obstacles did they face? How did they find co-founders, define the problem, and take the first steps?
• The Climax: The key turning point - launching the company, making bold decisions, or taking real risks.
• Falling Action: What does everyday life inside the startup look like? What challenges are they navigating right now?
• The Future: What’s their vision - for the company, for the ecosystem, for AI as a whole?

Instead of a typical Q&A, each episode unfolds like a story - personal, unexpected, and easy to relate to. Combined with a warm-up session before the recording, it helps build trust and authenticity, resulting in deep, honest conversations that go far beyond surface-level success stories.

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Why Germany needs this now

Germany has everything it takes to build globally relevant AI companies: world-class research, strong industry connections, and top talent. But it still lacks one key ingredient - visibility for its startup pioneers. The AI NATION Podcast helps close that gap.

The podcast offers a space for stories that often go unheard - unpolished, thoughtful, and real. And sometimes, hearing one story is all it takes to get started on your own.

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Voices you should hear

The AI NATION Podcast is already live - with multiple episodes and many more in the making. Founders from health tech to legal tech have shared their journeys. Thoughtful voices and inspiring personalities have offered rare insights into what drives them, what challenges them, and what keeps them going.

And we’re just getting started.

→ Listen now on Spotify and YouTube.

→ Follow AI NATION on LinkedIn to stay updated on new episodes.

The future needs more than just algorithms. It needs people who dare to build. And their stories deserve to be heard.

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