After seeing the recent surge of success that Benedek Herman and his team have achieved, it feels timely to revisit a conversation we shared some months ago. Following the journey of Benedek and his co-founder, Benedek Szilágyi, COO of Voovo, through social media has been inspiring. The two have managed to secure €500,000 in funding—a significant milestone that speaks to the traction and potential of their innovative app. This international journey, showcasing Voovo from New York to other tech hubs, highlights their drive to make a global impact.

Their recent feature in the November issue of Forbes Hungary, where they are spotlighted in the tech section, marks another proud moment. It’s a big milestone, not only for them but also for Hungary’s growing tech scene. Reflecting on these achievements, I decided to revisit our conversation—a conversation that initially struck me with Benedek’s maturity, humor, and relentless curiosity. Through our dialogue, I realized that behind Voovo’s success is not just a clever app but a profound drive and a unique perspective that Benedek brings to his work.

We began our conversation casually, covering everything from his childhood to his journey with Voovo. Benedek, only 22, surprised me with a depth and insight that felt years beyond his age. He shared stories from his youth, growing up as the youngest of six siblings, where he learned resilience, independence, and the value of curiosity. His mother homeschooled him, an experience that he credits for nurturing his love of learning and introducing him to the structured, inquisitive approach he now applies to his career.

Reflecting on that homeschooling environment, I could see how those formative years influenced his path. In a way, his mother’s approach was almost a precursor to Voovo’s purpose: making learning accessible and tailored, yet rigorous. In today’s educational landscape, the emphasis on personalized learning and alternative education models is growing rapidly, as more people realize that traditional schooling may not work for everyone. Benedek’s background offers a unique perspective on this trend—he’s creating a tool that empowers students to learn on their own terms, a concept that clearly stems from his own educational experiences.

At one point, Benedek mentioned how his mother went to great lengths to find the best teachers to support each subject, almost like assembling a curated curriculum at home. This was fascinating to me and resonated with the evolving trend of modular learning, where students and parents can now “pick and choose” resources that best meet their needs. It’s a trend I’ve seen in various educational circles, but here was Benedek bringing it to life in a very real and personal way.

Our conversation naturally flowed into his experiences as a young entrepreneur. “I sometimes feel like I’m already 22,” he admitted, “like time is running, and there’s so much I should have done by now.” This urgency is a common sentiment among young entrepreneurs, particularly in tech, where the pace is relentless, and the expectation to innovate is constant. But Benedek balances this with a reflective side. He knows the importance of focus and commitment but has also experimented with multiple interests, from tennis to biochemistry, and now tech.

I found myself reflecting on this “jack-of-all-trades” approach, something I’ve often valued in my own career. Benedek’s perspective reminded me of how dabbling in multiple fields can fuel creativity and adaptability. However, as he noted, there’s always the risk of spreading yourself too thin. This struggle between specialization and versatility is one I’ve seen many creatives wrestle with, myself included.

As we continued, Benedek opened up about his brief stint studying in Des Moines, Iowa, where he attended college on a tennis scholarship. I could sense the contrast he felt between Hungary’s demanding educational system and the more relaxed atmosphere he encountered in the U.S. “College in Hungary is like a six-year commitment, one that’s grueling,” he explained, “but in the U.S., it felt more like four years of fun.” For him, the experience solidified his appreciation for Budapest and the intense focus Hungarian academia demands.

His story of returning to Hungary and diving into building Voovo was marked by a clear-eyed pragmatism. Benedek admitted to making numerous mistakes along the way, particularly in the app’s early development phases, but he didn’t let those setbacks deter him. Instead, he treated them as learning experiences, refining Voovo based on user feedback, early adopter insights, and constant experimentation. “You really have to be honest with yourself and your product,” he said. “The market will tell you what it needs; you just have to listen.”

This iterative approach in developing Voovo—listening to user feedback, adjusting features, and remaining open to change—is emblematic of a successful startup mentality. I found myself admiring Benedek’s humility here. Too often, I’ve seen creators fall in love with their initial ideas, clinging to them despite clear signs from the market to pivot. Benedek, however, demonstrates a refreshing blend of confidence and flexibility, adapting Voovo to meet the real needs of students rather than his idealized vision of the app.

Voovo itself is designed to address a specific gap in the educational tech market. By using active recall and spaced repetition techniques, Voovo helps students retain information more effectively—a boon for those in high-pressure fields like medicine and science. Benedek’s goal is to make these powerful learning techniques accessible, using tech to bridge the gap between traditional study habits and modern efficiency. As someone who’s always had an interest in the cognitive sciences, I found this concept particularly compelling. Studies have shown that active recall and spaced repetition significantly improve long-term memory retention, yet these methods are often underutilized in conventional schooling. Benedek is onto something here, tapping into a well-researched area and making it practical for today’s learners.

As our conversation wound down, we found ourselves discussing the future. Benedek spoke about his ambitions for Voovo, his hopes to expand its user base, and his ongoing journey of learning from each success and setback. I could see the weight of his aspirations, the quiet pressure he places on himself to continually innovate. Yet, despite this, he remains grounded. “I’m genuinely happy,” he shared, “but that happiness comes from my relationships, not my achievements.”

It was a reminder, both humbling and inspiring, that no matter the success, real fulfillment often lies in the simple, personal connections we make along the way. In an industry that celebrates relentless drive and ambition, Benedek’s balance of hustle and human-centered values is a breath of fresh air. I look forward to following his journey, watching Voovo grow, and seeing where his boundless curiosity takes him next.