The Trust Moat Podcast

Can AI nurture childhood curiosity instead of trapping kids in passive screen time? In this episode of The Trust Moat Pod, I sit down with Lionel Mora, co-founder of Marble—an AI mobile app designed for children ages 6 to 12. Unlike conventional consumer apps built to maximize time on screen, Marble is engineered to spark real-world curiosity, encourage active problem-solving, and push kids to go outside and create. Lionel breaks down the philosophy behind building a subscription-first, ad-free product for families, the technical challenge of deploying multi-agent safety checks in real time, and why they decided to open-source the Marble dynamic curriculum.
We cover:
- Why standard AI tools fall short when interacting with young children
- Shifting from "edutainment" to active learning playgrounds
- The decision to open-source the Marble knowledge curriculum
- Why high-quality interactive screen time beats passive consumption
- Real-time multi-agent safety guardrails and manual human oversight
- How to measure and reward genuine curiosity over simple test scores
- Building a subscription-based model to avoid advertising incentives
 
The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.
📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction & The Mission Behind Marble
01:56 - What Most Tech Gets Wrong About Kids & Screen Time
04:00 - Why Curiosity & Agency Matter for the Next Generation
06:16 - Active Friction vs. Instant AI Answers
11:00 - Rethinking EdTech: Playgrounds Instead of Tutors
13:37 - Why Marble Open-Sourced Its K-12 Curriculum
20:00 - Grounding the Knowledge Graph in National Standards
22:04 - Why Marble Chose Screens Over Voice-Only
23:41 - Multi-Agent Safety Layers & Real-Time Guardrails
27:08 - Human-in-the-Loop Review & Benchmark Testing
29:54 - Designing AI That Sends Kids Away From Screens
32:53 - Measuring Curiosity & Academic Research Partnerships
36:00 - Unlocking Intrinsic Motivation for 95% of Learners
38:00 - Choosing Subscriptions Over Attention-Economy Ads
43:40 - The Proximal Zone of Development in AI Education
46:00 - Early Beta Insights & Magic Moments 49:05 - Giving Parents Visibility and Direct Input 54:30 - Building With the Community & Closing Thoughts
 
Follow Lionel: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lionelmora/
Find out more about Marble: https://withmarble.com/
Watch The Trust Moat on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WzbXoB7pY6Q 
Connect with Maja:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines
X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm
Listen to Artifakt Podcast Maja hosts, in Serbian https://www.youtube.com/@UCzv93udXqG_Pt4CKemmdWvQ 

As AI data centers demand gigawatts of power and the world shifts toward renewables, the global energy grid faces an unprecedented challenge: how do we stabilize intermittent power and secure energy sovereignty?
In this episode of The Trust Moat Pod, I sit down with Wasim Sarwar, CEO of Rimac Energy.
From engineering high-performance battery systems for hypercars to pioneering next-generation grid-scale stationary storage, Wasim shares how Rimac Energy is building software-defined batteries, why systems integration matters more than raw cell production, and what Europe must do to compete with the US and China in the race for clean energy infrastructure.
The episode was supported by https://dealion.net/, a vetted circle of revenue leaders and founders built around meeting face-to-face, with a private space where the conversation continues in between.
 
We cover:
The Transition from Supercars to the Grid: How engineering high-performance EV battery systems paved the way for next-generation grid storage.
Europe’s Energy Sovereignty: Why stationary energy storage is the missing puzzle piece for renewable energy and geopolitical independence.
The AI Power Crunch: How soaring electricity demand from data centers is forcing a massive rethink of power infrastructure.
Software-Defined Batteries: The role of distributed inverters, modular architecture, and software in driving down long-term levelized cost of storage (LCOS).
Competing on the Global Stage: What it actually takes to build a clean-tech champion in Europe against subsidized competition from the US and China.
Building Deep Tech in Croatia: Attracting world-class engineering talent and staying laser-focused during 18 months in stealth mode.
The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction & The Global Energy Landscape
01:40 - Why Wasim Founded Rimac Energy
03:12 - Solving Grid Intermittency with Energy Storage
07:05 - The Battle for European Energy Sovereignty
08:13 - 18 Months in Stealth: Focus on Deep-Tech Innovation
11:00 - Engineering Talent & Building in Croatia
14:05 - The "So What?" Metric: Product Differentiation
16:30 - AI Boom, Data Centers & Surging Energy Demand
20:00 - Made in Europe: Competing with China & the US
29:00 - The State of European Battery Cell Manufacturing
33:50 - Software-Defined Batteries & Distributed Inverters
39:00 - Trust, Openness, and Long-Term Unit Economics
44:15 - Strategic Forecasting & The Road Ahead Follow Wasim: LinkedIn –
 

In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Ben, the solo founder behind Polsia, one of the most talked-about and controversial startups in the AI space.
With a $10M ARR and a mission to "turn everyone into a founder," Ben has captured massive attention while facing intense scrutiny over his product's delivery and Trustpilot reviews.
Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this conversation is a masterclass in distribution, attention, and the brutal reality of building at the bleeding edge of AI. We cover:
The Mission: Turning non-technical people into economic contributors. 
The Controversy: Addressing "scam" allegations and Trustpilot reviews. 
The Business Model: Moving from high-priced subscriptions to a Shopify-style marketplace.
The "Solo" Secret: How Ben leverages infrastructure partners instead of hiring a full-time team.
The AI Race: Why OpenAI and Google are "scared" of releasing true autonomy.
The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.
📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction: Is Polsia a brilliant experiment or "trustwashing"? 02:50 - Lessons from Travis Kalanick: Building things with a 10x improvement.
04:55 - Is AI a dangerous gamble? Ben’s take on the future of humanity. 07:05 - The $50 "Scam": Explaining the high cost of AI compute.
09:25 - Dealing with bugs and the "Loud Minority" on Twitter.
10:45 - The Pulsia Promise: Turning everyone into a founder.
13:10 - What is God Mode? The cost of real AI autonomy.
15:15 - Facing the Trustpilot reviews: 1.8 stars vs. 2,000 happy users.
22:30 - Building in Public: Breaking down the $10M ARR dashboard.
27:00 - The Pivot: Why Polsia is dropping its price to $20.
33:15 - The Shopify Parallel: Making money on transactions, not just seats. 43:00 - The Innovator's Dilemma: Why Google and OpenAI are playing it safe.
50:15 - Why Ben has zero employees (and how he scales anyway).
57:10 - Public Perception vs. Private Trust: What really matters for Polsia's future.
 
Follow Ben Cera:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbroca/
X – https://x.com/Bencera?lang=en
Listen to The Trust Moat:
🎧 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebAw2S6DC3HLyEjuKQ 🎧 Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trust-moat-podcast/id1895009648
🎧 Amazon Music – https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02cd7a2-e32f-4480-8914-9a26d5c3d0ff
Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm 

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julia Stamm to unpack a critical disconnect in the modern workplace: the AI "sabotage gap." While executives race to implement AI, many employees resist, mostly because of a fundamental lack of trust and agency.
Dr. Stam introduces her "TRAP" framework (Trust, Relevance, Attention, and Potential) and explains how leaders can flip the script by focusing on Purpose, Agency, Responsibility, and Trust when introducing AI. We dive deep into why technology alone isn't the answer and why the future of innovation depends on reclaiming our human judgment.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julia Stamm to unpack a critical We explore:
The Sabotage Gap: Why there is a massive disconnect between executive AI trust and employee reality.
The Certainty Trap: The danger of "outsourcing" critical decision-making to algorithms and losing human agency.
The PART Framework: A leadership roadmap for moving from reactive fear to proactive, human-centered tech adoption.
Europe’s AI Identity: Where Europe stands in the global race and why values-based governance is a competitive advantage.
Human Agency vs. Automation: How to maintain judgment and responsibility in an increasingly automated world.
The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/
 
Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines 
X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm 

In this episode of The Trust Moat, Ina Jovičić, co-founder and CEO of eNOugh — shares the harrowing personal story behind the eNO badge: a smart safety wearable that uses audio, video, motion, and heart-rate detection to identify danger and alert real human dispatchers in real time.
We get into why existing safety apps fail in the moments that matter, how the AI "brain" works without a single button press, and the trust decision at the core of the product — footage so private that not even the woman wearing it can access it.
This is a conversation about women's safety technology, building hardware against the odds, and why trust is the real competitive moat.
The episode is made possible by https://www.therecursive.com/, community-born tech media and relationship infrastructure connecting CEE, GCC, and DACH
 
We explore:
- The inception story: how a personal attack in London led to founding eNOugh
- The problem with current tech: why existing hardware and safety apps fail in high-stress moments
- How the eNO badge works: the AI "brain" that detects danger with zero manual input
- Privacy & trust: why the footage is encrypted and inaccessible — even to the wearer
- The hardware challenge: pitching a women's safety product to a male-dominated investor landscape
- The future of public safety: empowering women and helping law enforcement through better evidence.
 
The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.
 
📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/
 
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Cold open: 1 in 3 women will face violence
01:50 – The London incident: Ina's story of survival
03:55 – Safety in Prague vs. London: the normalization of fear
07:05 – The data: 900,000 yearly crimes and why current tech fails
11:02 – Building the team: Balkan roots and finding co-founders
14:59 – Form factor: why chest-level placement is critical for deterrence 16:20 – The "AI brain": real-time threat detection (audio, video, heart rate) 17:55 – Eliminating manual steps: why phones fail in emergencies
19:11 – Accuracy & prevention: why cameras stop 70% of attacks
24:26 – The OpenAI shift: how hardware investing changed in 2025
28:20 – Conviction: why Ina refused to go "fully B2B" for investors
30:36 – Safety certifications: working with the British Transport Police
32:14 – Privacy first: why footage is encrypted and protected
34:36 – Profit vs. cause: building when you're solving your own problem 37:32 – Joining the waitlist: how to get the eNO badge
39:00 – Global impact: future plans for India, Brazil, and beyond
42:25 – The ultimate goal: the "sisterhood nod" on the London Underground
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Follow Ina Jovičić: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ina-jovicic/
Explore eNOugh: https://www.enobadge.com/home
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Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines
X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 I
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovic...

Wally Wong (founder of Scale Asia Ventures) joins the podcast to break down the rapidly evolving landscape of "Physical AI" and why the industry is currently at a critical crossroads between software "brains" and hardware "bodies." In this episode, we explore:
The Brain vs. Body Gap: Why the US leads in AI software while Asia dominates the manufacturing of robotic hardware.
The Tipping Point: What is actually holding back the mass adoption of humanoid robots in the workforce?
Global Sovereignty: How the US, China, and the EU are competing for control over the future of robotics and AI regulation.
Investment Realities: The market dynamics of Japan and Korea and why they are the current battlegrounds for automation.
Whether you're an investor, a tech enthusiast, or just curious about how robots will integrate into our daily lives, Wally provides a sobering and insightful look at the distance between the hype and the reality of Physical AI.
--- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. --
 
Follow Wally on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wallyyingxiaowang/ 
Connect with Maja on:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines
X : https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm 

In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Yash Terkiwal, the founding GTM Engineer at Clay, to explore why AI and automation won't replace humans, but rather amplify our creative and strategic potential. If you're a founder or builder trying to navigate the 'AI vs. Human' question, Yash’s insights on creativity and critical thinking are essential.
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The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.
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This episode was filmed at SaaStanak 2026, in Šibenik, Croatia - where SaaS meets sea and sand. More about it here https://saastanak.com/ What we cover:
The GTM Engineer: Why this new role is the bridge between data systems and human strategy.
The "Job Growth" Paradox: Why Yash believes AI will net-create more jobs by removing the 'non-human' tasks.
Building a Learning Ecosystem: How Clay uses community and 'failing proudly' to empower users.
Trust as a Moat: Why human-centric value is the ultimate competitive advantage in a world of commoditized software.
Follow Yash on:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashtekriwal/
CHAPTER 1 - THE AUTOMATION PARADOX: REDEFINING WORK & THE RISE OF THE GTM ENGINEER
03:15 - The contradiction of selling automation while teaching humans 04:22 - Identifying "non-human" tasks in knowledge work
06:29 - Why human interaction remains the center of Clay’s BDR strategy 12:50 - Defining the GTM Engineer: Collapsing systems and strategy CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLING MECHANISMS FOR CRITICAL THINKING
17:42 - Why critical thinking is the most important skill in an AI world
19:21 - The "Order of Operations" for business growth
20:43 - The "Ask Why Five Times" rule for strategy
21:48 - Why strategy board games are the best business training CHAPTER 3: CLAY'S PHILOSOPHY ON LEARNING & COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEMS 28:24 - Moving beyond passive education to active ecosystems
30:17 - Content Strategy: Quick, human, and script-free
31:25 - Experiences: Creating a safe space to "fail proudly"
32:38 - Moving from "AI fear" to "AI empowerment" CHAPTER 4: PROTECTING THE TRUST MOAT AGAINST AUTONOMOUS AGENTS
44:33 - Why human relationships are the ultimate moat in a commoditized world
46:50 - Navigating the "Salesperson Fluff" problem
48:15 - Building genuine partnerships through feedback and agility
51:32 - Final Advice: Why creativity is the antidote to optimization fatigue
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebA...
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02... Connect with Maja on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines/
X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm 

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In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Tomislav Car, founder of Productive, an all-in-one agency management platform and business software, to explore the shifting landscape of the software industry.
As AI democratizes coding and "moats" built purely on software begin to evaporate, we dive into what truly creates lasting value for the SaaS companies today. Tomislav shares his journey from bootstrapping a Productive agency to navigating the complexities of scaling teams and maintaining radical transparency in the era of agentic AI.
--- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. --
 
This episode was filmed at SaaStanak 2026, in Šibenik, Croatia - where SaaS meets sea and sand. More about it here https://saastanak.com/
What we cover: - The Bootstrapping Advantage: Why starting with a focus on productivity and financial freedom creates a resilient foundation.
- The AI Interface Shift: Moving from horizontal tools to vertical, agentic AI interfaces that solve specific problems.
- Future-Proofing Teams: How to overhaul headcount and internal structures to stay competitive as AI changes the workload.
- Trust Through Transparency: The role of radical honesty in building a team that can weather massive industry shifts.
- The "Founder Mode" Era: Lessons learned from the mobile boom and how to apply them to the current AI revolution.
Follow Tomislav on:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomislavcar/
 
 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebAw2S6DC3HLyEjuKQ
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trust-moat-podcast/id1895009648
🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02cd7a2-e32f-4480-8914-9a26d5c3d0ff
 
Connect with Maja on:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines
- X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm