Eduardo Roldan Isaac, co-founder of the language-learning startup Immersive, joined us to discuss the challenges of integrating into Germany, building a business during the pandemic, and how language plays a critical role in cultural adaptation.

Sigrid
Every time I start one of these interviews, I promise I don’t only look for Latin guests. But the Latin community in Germany is so big, and many of them are launching startups! Today’s guest is another example. He’s from Argentina, and he’s doing something exciting in Berlin. Welcome to the show, Eduardo!

Eduardo
Thank you so much for the invitation. I’m really glad to be here. Looking forward to the questions and to sharing a bit more about myself.

Sigrid
Let’s start with you. Who is Eduardo?

Eduardo
I’m from Argentina and like many Argentinians, I have Italian roots, so I also hold Italian citizenship. I’ve lived in Germany for the past five years. I originally came during the coronavirus pandemic. I was doing my master’s in Italy when everything went online. A friend told me Berlin was a great place, so I came for what was supposed to be a summer—but that turned into five years!
I’ve lived in different countries—Australia, Italy, now Germany. I always like to try new things. That’s my mantra, whether in work, sports, or entrepreneurship.

Launching a Startup in Berlin

Sigrid
And now you’re building your own startup. Tell us about your „new baby.“

Eduardo
Yes, very new! I’m currently part of a Berlin accelerator program called Berlin Startup Stipendium. It supports early-stage ideas with funding from the city. I’m working with two co-founders. Initially, we wanted to support teachers in Germany through tech tools, but we hit a lot of barriers.

Our team includes someone from Denmark and me as the person who speaks to teachers and institutions. But my German wasn’t strong enough, and the education system here is incredibly complex. We realized we didn’t know enough about it.

So we pivoted. Now, we’re focusing on helping expats learn German through native content. The idea is to make language learning more immersive and relevant to daily life in Germany.

Breaking the Language Barrier

Sigrid
So, German is definitely a challenge.

Eduardo
Yes, for sure. You can live in Berlin and get by in English—I’ve done that. But if you want to integrate, or really be part of the system, you need German. It’s not like Italian or Spanish where you can pick it up on the street. German takes effort and time.

Our app aims to ease that. There are already great tools for grammar or basic vocabulary, but we focus on helping people consume German content—like news and media—so they can understand what’s happening in the country around them.

Sigrid
And it goes beyond just learning the language. It’s about understanding the culture.

Eduardo
Exactly. And it’s also about inclusion. Many government offices won’t communicate in English. If you want to pay your taxes, deal with bureaucracy, or just fix a problem, German is essential. And yet, there should be better systems in place to help people navigate that.

I’m not saying everyone should speak English, but there should be better digital tools, or ways to submit forms without having to call someone who only speaks German. It would make things much easier.

Connecting Through Content

Sigrid
You mentioned content—news, media. We actually launched a project called Morning Espresso, where we summarize key German news in a simple, accessible format for expats. Language barriers can be isolating.

Eduardo
Absolutely. I love that! Being connected to what’s going on helps you feel part of society.

Language Trends: Denglish and Slang

Sigrid
Our producer Marlene noticed that students are drinking a lot of Mate these days—has it become a thing?

Eduardo
Mate is such a powerful symbol in Latin America. It’s more than a drink—it’s about sharing, connecting. It’s a conversation starter, a social circle. When Germans try it and enjoy it, it makes me really happy.

Sigrid
What about language mix? Marlene says young Germans are using English words like „safe“ in everyday conversation.

Eduardo
Yes! I’ve noticed that too. Germans will be speaking in German, and then suddenly drop in an English phrase. It’s very interesting to hear.

Marlene
We call it „Denglish“! We use a lot of English slang. For example, „safe“ means something like „for sure“ or „definitely“ but in a cool way.

Sigrid
And apparently we don’t say „Tschüss“ anymore, we say „Ciao.“

Eduardo
I love that! I always say „Ciao“ to keep my Italian roots alive.

Sigrid
And then there’s the regional greetings. In Bavaria: „Grüß Gott.“ In Hamburg: „Moin.“

Eduardo
The variety of greetings and expressions is amazing. And that’s something I really appreciate about German—the language has such specific vocabulary for very particular situations. It’s not easy, but it’s beautiful.

Sigrid
We have a similar thing in Mexican Spanish. Like „ahorita“—which means „now-ish“ but could mean now, later, or never!

Eduardo
Exactly! The farther you are from your home country, the more you embrace your culture. I drink more Mate now than I ever did in Argentina. I listen to more Argentinian music too. Being abroad actually brings you closer to your roots.

Embracing Identity, Creating Change

Sigrid
And you’re using that experience to make a positive impact—by building a tool that helps others integrate.

Eduardo
That’s the goal. We’re currently in the prototype phase with Immersive, and launching public tests next week. We’re looking for feedback, especially from expats, to help improve the app.

Sigrid
Where can people find you?

Eduardo
The best place is LinkedIn. Just search for Eduardo Roldan Itzhak. The app is called Immersive, and we’ll soon be opening it up for testing.

Sigrid
We’d love to try it! Thank you for joining us today, Eduardo. We can’t wait to hear how it goes.

Eduardo
Thank you so much. It was a great conversation. I hope to come back with some success stories soon.