In this episode of the UX Fika podcast, I sit down with Luciano Lykkebo, entrepreneur and event creator behind Future Product Days and a growing number of conferences across Europe.

We talk about Luciano’s journey from studying linguistics and starting a translation company in his early twenties to, 18 years later, asking himself what he would build if he had to start all over again. The answer was conferences, despite never having organised one before.

Luciano shares what he’s learnt about creating events people actually want to attend, why he starts with how he wants people to feel when they leave and works backwards from there, and why conferences are less about learning and more about inspiration, new perspectives, and bringing people together.

We also dive into AI, MCPs, and how the roles of designers and developers are moving closer together. Luciano shares why he believes we’ll increasingly build products for agents as well as people, why the future is in your data, and how he uses AI not just to generate things, but to uncover patterns and help him make better decisions.

Along the way we talk about the reality of building businesses, sleepless nights, relying on his wife financially in the early days, and why founders need to expect setbacks and learn to worry less. Plus why Luciano now spends a surprising amount of his working day simply thinking, and why doing something you genuinely love can be one of your biggest competitive advantages.

It’s a conversation about building, taking risks, thinking ahead, and creating the things you wish existed.

Plus:

☕️ Why an espresso is his go to fika, because he wants the essence and he wants it fast

⭐ Why you should expect the setbacks and remember to enjoy life along the way

What we cover:

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:49 Transition to Event Organizing

05:38 Learning from Mistakes in Conference Planning

08:36 The Impact of AI on Conferences

11:42 The Future of In-Person Events

14:46 Collaboration Across Disciplines

17:26 The Shift Towards Intelligent Agents

20:27 The Evolution of Content Creation

23:29 Personal Journey and Business Growth

26:39 The Value of Investing in Talent

27:45 Overcoming Doubts in Entrepreneurship

30:09 Learning to Worry Less

32:09 The Sacrifices of Startup Life

33:54 Seeking Investment and Support

36:01 The Role of AI in Business

39:17 Leveraging AI for Decision Making

42:13 Data-Driven Insights and AI

45:00 The Intersection of Linguistics and AI

49:43 Balancing Work and Life

52:55 Life in Denmark: A Journey of Adaptation

56:27 The Feeling of Home: Navigating Multiple Cultures

57:41 The Future of Europe: Unity and Digital Independence

01:00:32 Fostering Startups: The Path to European Innovation

01:03:55 Lessons from Entrepreneurship: Embracing Setbacks

01:06:22 Passion and Success: The Key Ingredients

01:09:46 The Role of AI in Entrepreneurship

01:10:50 Favorite Cafes: A Personal Touch

Where to find Luciano:

• LinkedIn
• Future Product Days

Where you’ll find Anna & UX Fika:

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