You’re running on 4 hours of sleep, prepping for a funding call, and trying to onboard a CTO who’s still on the fence. You don’t need a podcast to “explore trends.” You need one that sharpens your edge, fast. These are the shows founders like you actually listen to the ones passed around in Signal groups, not promoted on LinkedIn.
This is the tip-sheet. Keep it close.
When You’re Building in India or Southeast Asia
The Neon Show (India)
If you’re launching or scaling in India, this is your default. Real founder stories. Zero hype. Listen to Paras Chopra or Sharad Sharma and you’ll get honest breakdowns of exits, tech decisions, and founder mental models.
One More Scoop (Southeast Asia)
Best snapshot of what it’s like to build in Singapore, Jakarta, or Ho Chi Minh. Tactical chats with SEA founders and VCs. Pivots, layoffs, product-market fit it’s all here.
The Enthusiast
This one punches way above its visibility. Hosted by Pat Alex, it features founders from Africa, Asia, and LATAM who are scaling outside the Silicon Valley script. No ego, just raw insight.
When You’re Grinding in Africa
Founders Connect
Hosted by Peace Itimi. This is what founder-to-founder listening sounds like. Unfiltered conversations with African builders surviving market chaos and regulatory whiplash. Bookmark for clarity and courage.
Emerging Markets Startups
Zooms out for the full picture. Great for context-switching between Nairobi, Lagos, and beyond. If you want to know what investors are actually watching, this is it.
When LATAM Is Your Battleground
Emerging Markets Today
Straightforward, regional, and practical. Host Ana Paula Picasso knows the fintech scene cold. Good for seeing how inflation, consumer trust, and logistics shape real-world startups across LATAM.
When You Need EU-Level Context
Startuprad.io
Deep tech. Fintech. Regulated environments. This is your channel if you’re building anything in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. They get into policy mechanics and B2B moves most podcasts skip.
Startup Europe – The Sifted Podcast
Weekly check-ins with Europe’s next wave. Host Amy Lewin filters the noise and brings sharp interviews with founders in overlooked hubs from Portugal to Poland.
When You’re Scaling from Australia (Or Feel Like You Are)
TWISTA – This Week in Startups Australia
Australian, yes but globally sharp. Mark Pesce pulls in thoughtful founders and investors, especially those building in non-obvious verticals. Ideal if you’re outside the capital flow and making it work anyway.
When You Need Strategy, Speed, or Tactical Fire
TBPN
New, loud, and necessary. Hosts John Coogan and Jordi Hays treat AI startup building like a sport. Recruiting, product loops, strategy wars this show is what founders in the AI trenches are actually watching. Fast and founder-literate.
Masters of Scale
Still delivers now with a global pivot. Recent episodes on scaling clean tech in the Middle East, hiring in Africa, and blitzscaling Indian SaaS. Skip the older seasons. 2025 hits different.
Startup Savant
Don’t let the name fool you. This one’s for grinders. Solo founders, small teams, no billion-dollar pressure. Real tools, growth experiments, and business models that don’t require unicorn PR.
The Tech Trailblazers Startup Podcast
This is your spot if you’re building enterprise, infra, or cybersecurity from the ground up. Founder stories from places like Belgium, Brazil, and Botswana. Refreshing and serious.
Mixergy
Long-form, direct, and not afraid of awkward. Andrew Warner gets founders to say what actually happened including what blew up. It’s not always smooth, but it’s always honest.
Content Inc.
You’re growing via audience, not burn. Joe Pulizzi shows how. Think newsletter-first companies, YouTube-led growth, and long-game strategies. Great for first-time founders betting on organic scale.
Rapid Fire: What to Listen to When
Hiring in frontier markets? → Founders Connect, TBPN
Building in India or SEA? → The Neon Show, One More Scoop
Need smart deep-tech or B2B insight? → Startuprad.io
Trying to grow without ads? → Content Inc., Startup Savant
Want founder therapy without the fluff? → Mixergy
Tracking how AI and ops are shifting daily? → TBPN
Need global market contrast fast? → Emerging Markets Today, The Enthusiast
This isn’t about entertainment. These podcasts are time-saving weapons. Queue them up when you’re traveling, building solo, or about to make a tough call. They’ll keep you sharper than half the startup blogs out there.
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Tobias is a Berlin-based startup scout and event reporter who explores global tools, tech events, and founder-friendly platforms.
