Taking ownership of your future means refusing to allow your past or your current environment to dictate what you’re capable of achieving.
My guest this week is Valentina Primo, an award-winning entrepreneur, journalist, and international thought leader on social impact and innovation. As the founder and CEO of Startups Without Borders, she has spent over a decade building a thriving global ecosystem that has supported over 20,000 refugee, migrant, and local innovators across the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
In this episode, Valentina shares her raw story of launching a global movement with only 600 euros left in her bank account. We explore the universal rules of adaptability, how to take bolder risks, the benefit of eliminating your plan B, and how to silence your imposter syndrome.
“You have to believe.“ — Valentina Primo
In This Episode, You Will Learn
- Why innovation often emerges from the most unexpected places.
- How getting obsessive about the problem you want to solve builds confidence and helps silence your inner critic.
- The exact strategic advice Valentina used to navigate extreme financial pressure and salvage her first major startup summit with 600 euros left.
- Why treating your company as a movement rather than a transaction creates a powerful network effect that accelerates growth.
- The power of a giving first mindset and how it often leads to remarkable results.
- Plus much more…
What We Discuss:
- 0:00:00 – Episode Opener and Introduction to the Podcast – Valentina Primo
- 0:01:03 – Welcome and Invitation to Connect
- 0:01:42 – Innovation From Anywhere
- 0:02:45 – Refugee Camp Blockchain Story
- 0:04:48 – Grit Of Migrant Founders
- 0:06:39 – Egypt And Startup Awakening
- 0:09:15 – Ecosystems Around The World
- 0:11:42 – From Journalism To Mission
- 0:13:55 – Launching Startups Without Borders
- 0:17:30 – Imposter Syndrome And Purpose
- 0:22:32 – Building Movements Not Companies
- 0:24:29 – 2019 Summit Near Broke
- 0:29:00 – Confidence And Self Belief
- 0:30:08 – Mindset Exercises And Affirmations
- 0:35:00 – Habits That Build You
- 0:36:03 – Running For Clarity
- 0:37:17 – Central Park Magic
- 0:38:07 – Daily Gratitude Rituals
- 0:40:01 – Startup Ecosystem Explained
- 0:41:56 – Hackathon Success Story
- 0:44:59 – Giving First Mindset
- 0:45:45 – Business Model Partnerships
- 0:48:47 – Resilience Over Blame
- 0:52:14 – Refugee Grit Story
- 0:54:44 – POGO Bounce Back Framework
- 1:03:05 – Book And America’s Vision
- 1:05:55 – Building Courage And Curiosity
- 1:10:58 – Rapid Fire – Your Edge
- 1:14:48 – Where to Find Valentina
- 1:15:32 – Final Thanks And Signoff
About Valentina
Valentina Primo is an award-winning entrepreneur, journalist, author, and thought leader on social impact and innovation. She is the Founder and CEO of Startups Without Borders, an international organization supporting refugee, migrant, and local entrepreneurs across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
Under her leadership, Startups Without Borders has built a thriving ecosystem of 20,000+ entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors, and an innovative model by partnering with 500+ institutions to bridge the private and public sectors.
She leads the Startups Without Borders Summit, recognized among the Top 60 startup events worldwide, and hosts the Startups Without Borders Podcast, a part of its media platforms reaching a 3.7 million audience.
Valentina is a leading voice in redefining the narrative around refugees and migrants. She participates in policy dialogues across Italy, Egypt, Jordan, and the Mediterranean, serves on the board of Roma Startup, has advised SXSW Pitch, and frequently delivers keynotes in 15+ countries.
Her years living and working as a journalist in the Middle East profoundly shaped her belief that talent has no passport. What began as a journey driven by curiosity became an immersion into one of the world’s most misunderstood regions, where she witnessed refugee and migrant entrepreneurs building extraordinary ventures in the face of unimaginable odds.
That experience now lives at the heart of her upcoming book, Dear Destiny, a deeply personal search for purpose that traces her own migrant journey from Córdoba (Argentina) to Italy and later Egypt, interwoven with the voices of refugees and migrants who inspired her.
Valentina is a 2025–2026 Obama Scholar and recipient of the Women in Excellence Award. She holds a Bachelor’s in Social Communications and Journalism from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina) and a Master’s in Peace Studies: International Cooperation, Human Rights, and EU Policies from Università degli Studi Roma Tre (Italy).
Show Notes
Connect with Valentina Primo:
- Valentina’s Website
- Valentina’s LinkedIn
- Valentina’s Instagram
- Startups Without Borders – Facebook
- Startups Without Borders – YouTube
Resources Mentioned:
