In a recent episode of The Business Narrative podcast, we spoke with Kovas Kastanauskas, a bachelor student from Lithuania who’s already running his own business. His new project, Culturio, is a platform that helps people discover events they’ll actually enjoy and helps small event organizers get noticed.

Starting Young

Kovas didn’t wait until graduation to start building things. Back in ninth grade he launched a clothing brand and took summer internships to learn new skills. He believes that in today’s world, experience matters as much as education.

“I’ve always liked creating things and working with people,” he says. “That’s how this path came naturally to me.”

What is Culturio?

Culturio is a new way to find events happening near you. Many small organizers can’t afford expensive advertising, so their concerts, workshops, or classes stay hidden. Culturio’s app uses a simple recommendation system to show people events they’re most likely to enjoy, giving smaller organizers a fair chance to reach the right audience.

To teach its system how to personalize recommendations, Kovas and his team first used information from 100,000 movies on IMDb. Once the model understood how to match people with content, they adapted it to events. The result? A tool that feels personal, even if you’re seeing it for the first time.

Why Start in Lithuania?

Culturio is focusing on the Lithuanian market first. It’s a small country, which makes it easier to test ideas and talk directly to event organizers. Once the app works well there, Kovas plans to grow into other countries.

He also believes that after years of online-only activities, people are eager for real-world experiences again and Culturio can help them find those.

Keeping the Team Motivated

Running a startup while still studying isn’t easy. To keep everyone on track, Kovas uses a simple goal-setting method that breaks big tasks into smaller ones so each team member knows what to focus on. This helps them move forward together even when things get hectic.

Preparing for the App Launch

Culturio has already launched its website, and the mobile app will follow soon. Kovas and his team are planning a big marketing push to attract more users and show potential investors that the idea works.

Before the first launch, he spent days cold-calling and emailing organizers to fill the platform with events an effort that paid off with thousands of organic views and strong early feedback. Now, with two new marketing-focused teammates, he hopes to reach a much bigger audience.

Advice for Other Young Entrepreneurs

Kovas shared three key lessons for anyone starting out:

• Stay motivated, even when things get tough.
• Think ahead and do your homework. Learn about your market, your competitors, and your customers.
• Find people you can trust. A supportive team makes all the difference.

He sums it up simply: “Hard work, trust, and consistency.”

Looking Ahead

With the upcoming app launch, Kovas hopes Culturio will become a go-to place for discovering and managing events. His story shows that you don’t need to wait to start something meaningful you just need an idea, determination, and the right people by your side.