You don’t need to code to lead in AI. You need to translate.
And Afke Schouten is building the bridges where others see barriers.

In this episode of Tech Inspired, Priska Burkard sits down with Afke - Founder and Managing Partner of AI Bridge - to explore how she turned frustration with miscommunication into a business model that’s helping companies unlock real ROI from AI.

From her unconventional journey into mathematics to becoming a voice for human-centered AI transformation, Afke shares how she scaled from analyst to founder, teacher, and ecosystem shaper. Her message is clear - AI isn’t just about data. It’s about dialogue, design, and deep change.

🔍 In this episode, you’ll hear:

· Why most AI projects fail, and what it actually takes to get them into production.

· The missing skill set no one talks about in data science (and why it might be your superpower).

· How Afke helps companies move beyond proof-of-concepts to building AI with real-world impact.

· Her take on the growing AI economy, and why collaboration between industries is the next big unlock.

· Why understanding people, not just models, is the future of responsible AI adoption.

Whether you're a business leader struggling to make AI stick, a data scientist eager to scale your influence, or a curious mind watching the field evolve - this one’s for you.

🎧 Tune in now and get inspired by Afke’s vision for AI that’s not just smart - but strategic, inclusive, and built to last.

PS: Want to connect or learn more about Afke’s work? Find her on LinkedIn.

Tech wasn’t on her radar - until she discovered how it connects with the things she already loved.

Catherine Kosten started out painting, drawing and sculpting, not coding algorithms. Now? She’s Head of AI at a Zurich-based law firm, helping legal teams understand and integrate powerful tools like large language models - safely and smartly. 🎯

In this episode of Tech Inspired, Priska sits down with Catherine as she unpacks her fascinating pivot from the fine arts to AI, from language studies to machine learning, and how she turned self-doubt into a PhD and a leadership role in one of the most conservative industries around.

🔍 What you’ll love in this episode:

• What it’s really like going from zero coding experience to leading AI strategy (while learning in a second language).
• How Catherine found the intersection between language and tech - and built a career around it.
• The bold question that unlocked her first tech job (Hint: you can ask it too).
• Why law is the next frontier for generative AI - and how her role bridges legal expertise and deep tech.
• What it takes to survive (and thrive) in a PhD program, and why crying over broken code is sometimes just part of the process.
• The one piece of career advice she swears by - especially for women breaking into tech. 💡

This one’s for the career-changers, the self-taught coders, the curious creatives - and anyone who’s ever wondered if it’s too late to start over. (Spoiler: it’s not.)

🎧 Tune in now and get inspired by Catherine’s story of reinvention, resilience, and rewriting what a tech career can look like.

👉 Want to connect with Catherine and learn more about her work? Find her on LinkedIn.

Tech Inspired with Alexandra Grozea

On this episode of Tech Inspired, the Managing Director of TechFace, Priska, sits down with Alexandra Grozea, Partner Solution Sales Lead for Data & AI at Microsoft, as she shares her unexpected - and empowering - journey into tech. From teaching in a classroom to driving innovation at global giants like HP, IBM, and Microsoft, Alexandra’s path is anything but linear - and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.

🔍 What you’ll love about this episode:

• The “aha” moment that made Alexandra leave teaching for tech - and what gave her the courage to follow through.

• How she built a thriving tech career without a traditional background, and why soft skills are her secret weapon.

• What it actually means to work in Data & AI at Microsoft (spoiler: it’s not just about coding).

• How she navigated imposter syndrome - and turned it into fuel for growth.

• Her bold take on the future of AI, why ethical frameworks are non-negotiable, and what’s still missing in the conversation.

• Why adaptability, curiosity, and stepping outside your comfort zone are the ultimate career accelerators.

🎧 Whether you're thinking about a career pivot or already deep in the tech world, this episode is your reminder that there’s no one way to succeed in this space - just your way.

Tune in now - and connect with Alexandra on Linkedin to keep the conversation going.