Start before you are ready - Isabelle Dijkhorst

In this episode of the 301 Podcast, Marcus Engel sits down with 18 year old entrepreneur Isabelle Dijkhorst, the founder of Foundity, a fast-growing startup built at Berkeley through LaunchX.

While most people her age are figuring out what to study, Isabelle is pitching at Web Summit, building tech, and flying across continents. But this conversation isn’t just about early success, it’s about what drives someone that young to think globally, build intentionally, and challenge the default path.

We talk about ambition, identity, and what it means to create your own opportunities, especially when you're not waiting for permission.

You'll hear about:

• Growing up between two cultures and how that shaped her worldview
• What she learned at 17 from pitching in front of thousands
• The moment she knew she wanted to build something real
• How she thinks about confidence, discipline, and failure
• Why young founders might just be the least afraid of all
• What it takes to build a global network  before you can drink legally

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Meet Isabelle Dijkhorst
02:00 – Growing Up Dutch-Ukrainian
08:00 – The First Sparks of Entrepreneurship
13:00 – Flying Solo to Berkeley for LaunchX
18:30 – Building Foundity & Finding Product-Market Fit
28:00 – Speaking at Web Summit & TEDx
35:00 – Confidence, Rejection & What Drives Her
45:00 – Advice to Young Builders & What’s Next

Connect with Isabelle Dijkhorst:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-dijkhorst/
Foundity: https://foundity.com/

Follow the 301 Podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/301podcast
Marcus: https://www.instagram.com/themarcusengel

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts
💌 Business inquiries: studiobooking@weare301.com

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