All episodes

🎙️ Jorge Correa, founder of EatCloud, a digital platform fighting food waste and hunger across Latin America, joined Peter Kovacz from the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS) for a compelling conversation about how technology can transform one of humanity's most urgent paradoxes: millions going hungry while tons of perfectly good food are thrown away every day. Together they explore how data-driven solutions are connecting surplus food with vulnerable communities, why exponential technologies offer hope for eradicating hunger, and what it takes to build a scalable social impact company in the food industry.
From his early days automating commercial processes...

🎙️ Dr. Le Hong Hiep, Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Vietnam Studies Program at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and editor of the journal Contemporary Southeast Asia, joined Eleonora Neri, International Relations Specialist at the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS), for a compelling conversation about how Southeast Asia is navigating the intensifying strategic rivalry between the United States and China. Together they explore the regional dilemma of balancing between two great powers, the transformation of supply chains and tech competition, and Vietnam's delicate positioning in an era where neutrality is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.

From the...

🎙️ Daniel Ospina, founder of Pygma, a fintech accelerator based in Bogotá, Colombia, joined Peter Kovacz from the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS) for an engaging conversation about why Latin America is emerging as the next major frontier for fintech innovation. Together they explore the region's unique opportunities, the evolving startup ecosystem across Latin America, and how strategic support at the pre-seed stage can unlock transformative growth for founders building the future of financial technology.

From his early days at Endeavor to launching a micro fund and eventually founding Pygma—named after the Pygmalion effect, where high expectations drive high...

🎙️ Flo Mosoane, founder of Easy Chicken Club in South Africa, joined Prof. Dr. Zoltán Ács, Director of the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS), for a conversation on the transformative potential of small-scale agriculture in Africa. Together they explore how technology, strategic infrastructure, and localized supply chains can unlock economic opportunity for millions while addressing food security challenges across the continent.

South Africa presents a paradox: a country of two agricultures. On one side, sophisticated commercial farming operations compete globally in blueberries, macadamia nuts, and other high-value crops. On the other, millions of small-scale farmers operate informally, locked out...

How do we navigate a century defined by "God-like technologies" while still operating within "Stone Age" institutions? Join Zoltan Ács, Director of the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS) , in a profound conversation with impact investor and technologist Amit.

In this episode, we dive into the shifting architecture of our global economy—from the death of cash to the rise of agentic frameworks where AI transacts on our behalf. Amit challenges the traditional "Silicon Valley mindset" that prioritizes the how over the why, arguing instead for a future where sociocultural needs drive innovation.

What You’ll Learn:

The Death of Intent-Based Transactions: Why 90% of our future financial interactions will be handled by autonomous agents....

🎙️ Shirley Bandak, General Partner at Maserine Climate, joined Peter Kocacz from the Vienna Institute for Global Studies (VIGS), for an engaging conversation about water risk, climate adaptation, and the future of food security. They explore how data-driven technologies are helping communities adapt to extreme weather events, why water is the overlooked protagonist in the climate story, and what innovative solutions are emerging at the intersection of agriculture, technology, and entrepreneurship.

From childhood memories of Israel's Sea of Galilee to the realities of Cape Town's Day Zero water crisis, Shirley shares personal insights on how water scarcity shaped her career...

🎙️ Dr. Robert Lichtner, head of the Danube Strategy Point and Secretary of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, joined Prof. Dr. Zoltán Acs for a wide-ranging conversation on the cultural, economic, and political future of the Danube region. Together they explore the historical roots of Central European identity, the challenges and opportunities of EU enlargement, and the critical question facing Europe today: how to balance its regulatory traditions with the urgent need for digital transformation and entrepreneurial innovation.

From Slavic folklore to the legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, from pollution that crosses borders to startups that transcend national...

Former Israeli Ambassador Yakov Hadas-Handelsman, who served in Germany, Hungary, Jordan, the EU, and NATO, joined Prof. Dr. Zoltán Ács, Director of the Vienna Institute for Global Studies, for a conversation on diplomacy, the legacy of the Abraham Accords, and the Middle East’s evolving role in global trade and energy. Together they explore how cooperation, pragmatism, and hope can guide peace-building and sustainable progress in a rapidly changing world.

The Next25 Podcast brings together leading experts to discuss the global challenges and ideas shaping the next 25 years.

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