In February 2025, Andrej Karpathy, well-known for his work with Tesla and OpenAI, introduced a concept that quickly became a buzzword: “vibe coding.” This term described a laid-back, conversational method for coding, where AI takes the spotlight and the coder acts more as a creative collaborator than a traditional programmer. Over a single weekend, Karpathy's demonstration opened up a provocative conversation about the role of AI in enterprise resource orchestration and software development.
Let’s take a closer look at this development and break down the layers of opportunity and challenges it presents. As a startup founder navigating the tech ecosystem in Europe, I find it fascinating, and pertinent, to explore how “vibe coding” sits at the intersection of AI's accessibility and enterprise utility. Here’s what you need to know.
The Concept: Coding Without the Code
Karpathy describes “vibe coding” as a method where a developer leverages large language models (LLMs) to write and debug code through natural language dialogue. Instead of building applications line-by-line, vibe coding involves stating tasks conversationally while AI transforms verbal prompts into functional code. Essentially, you verbalize the task, and AI does the heavy lifting.
For startups and small teams, this could mean speeding up the development process or lowering entry barriers for non-technical founders. But questions linger, how well can this method scale for enterprise-grade systems? Can AI truly replace human craftsmanship when precision and security are non-negotiable?
Why This Matters for European Startups
In Europe, the dominance of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) highlights the need for tools that support resource-strapped teams. Leveraging AI to generate code could reduce costs and democratize development for early-stage startups. According to VentureBeat's coverage of Karpathy's work, this “weekend project” unearthed critical discussions around multi-model AI's deployment in businesses.
For female startup founders like myself, who often bootstrap their ventures, this evolution aligns with the need for accessible, time-saving technologies. As someone who started multiple ventures with limited technical resources, I can see the immediate appeal of turning abstract ideas into real software without mastering coding syntax. Time saved on development translates into more bandwidth for strategy, marketing, and scaling.
But, there's a caution: will reliance on AI-powered coding deepen the tech knowledge gap for budding entrepreneurs?
Potential Use Cases in European Enterprises
The emergence of 'vibe coding' is still in the experimental phase, but its potential applications are promising. Here’s where startups and other enterprises might see the value:
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Rapid MVP Development: Build quick, functional prototypes by articulating needs to the AI, letting SMEs test product-market fit faster and reduce money spent on development cycles.
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Enterprise AI Integration: Many businesses hesitate to invest fully in AI because of integration challenges. “Vibe coding” can act as a bridge, translating high-level business requirements into executable solutions. According to research by Figma, the opportunity for LLMs in automating mundane tasks could save startups up to 40% in product development time.
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Addressing Talent Shortages: With Europe facing notable IT talent gaps, as reported by organizations like OECD, vibe coding offers SMEs a chance to develop solutions in-house and leverage their existing workforce.
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Education and Upskilling: Tools built on vibe coding could help teach non-technical talent the basics of application logic and software development without years of study. This could target demographic gaps such as the underrepresentation of women in tech.
Common Mistakes for Bootstrapping Founders to Avoid
The tools inspired by “vibe coding” sound futuristic, but they aren't foolproof. Here's what to keep in mind as we see this trend grow:
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Blind Trust in AI: While the technology generates quick outputs, it's not yet advanced enough to guarantee functional accuracy without human oversight. Always validate any code it creates.
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Ignoring Security: AI-written scripts may not account for cybersecurity or compliance, a critical concern for European businesses governed by GDPR and similar regulations.
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Overestimating Cost Efficiencies: While vibe coding might appear to reduce development costs, hidden costs such as licenses for LLMs or post-generation debugging can add up.
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Forgetting the User: Even if you use this in development, your end product still needs solid UX/UI, something that current AI tools cannot fully handle without human input.
Lessons for European Female Entrepreneurs
As one of the top female entrepreneurs in Europe recognized by EU Startups, I’ve learned this: no matter how transformative tech appears, skepticism is healthy. “Gamepreneurship,” a methodology I base my ventures on, teaches that delivering value to users requires awareness of both potential and limitation.
Entrepreneurs, specifically women in tech, need to balance excitement about advancements like these with the practicality of business. Focus on how these tools fit within your broader strategy.
What Does the Future Hold?
The scalability of something as nascent as vibe coding remains a question. Enterprise software ecosystems are delicate. Millions in R&D investments and engineering redundancy are often essential to ensure robust, secure, and human-aware, systems. Still, there's something exhilarating about the prospect of having AI not just assist us but actively co-develop with us.
Of course, using AI doesn’t replace the need for sound judgment, proper testing, or long-term vision. After all, today's "weekend hacks" can be tomorrow's key players in every entrepreneur's toolbox.
For startups wanting to explore the possibilities, I recommend starting small. A simple idea articulated through tools inspired by Karpathy’s vibe coding framework, like CodeGPT’s vibe coding approach, could serve as an entry point.
In a space where women are still breaking ground, any tool that helps lower barriers, whether financial or technical, is a win. Don’t wait for a perfect solution; test what’s available and adapt as we go. For me, vibing with the flow of technology doesn’t mean relinquishing control, it means strategically determining how to make the most of it. When done thoughtfully, that’s when the real magic happens!
FAQ
1. What is vibe coding?
Vibe coding is a method coined by Andrej Karpathy where developers leverage natural language prompts to create code via AI, minimizing the need for line-by-line programming. Explore Karpathy’s introduction
2. How does vibe coding work?
Developers converse with AI, providing high-level instructions or tasks. The AI generates and debugs the required code. This allows coders to act as creative collaborators rather than traditional programmers. Learn more from IBM
3. What are the potential applications of vibe coding?
It is particularly useful for prototype development, AI integration in enterprises, tackling talent shortages, and upskilling non-technical professionals. Discover potential uses
4. Why is vibe coding relevant to startups in Europe?
European SMEs often face financial and talent constraints. Vibe coding could reduce expenses and lower technical barriers for non-coding entrepreneurs, making it appealing for resource-strapped startups. Read more from VentureBeat
5. Are there any risks associated with vibe coding?
Reliance on AI can lead to issues like inaccurate code output, security vulnerabilities, and overlooked compliance requirements such as GDPR in Europe. Explore the risks
6. Can vibe coding really replace traditional programming?
While promising, vibe coding cannot fully replace human expertise yet, especially for tasks demanding precision, security, and long-term performance. Learn about its limitations
7. Does vibe coding create dependency on AI tools?
Yes, reliance on AI-generated code can deepen the tech knowledge gap, especially for non-technical users, unless balanced with proper oversight and education. Read the analysis
8. How can female entrepreneurs benefit from vibe coding?
For resource-strapped entrepreneurs, including women in tech, vibe coding offers an accessible way to transform abstract ideas into working software without deep coding expertise. Discover insights from Diana Wolf Torres
9. What precautions should bootstrapping founders take when adopting vibe coding?
Avoid blind reliance on AI by validating outputs, considering security protocols, and ensuring robust user experience (UX/UI) design. Learn more
10. How could vibe coding impact the future of enterprise software?
It has the potential to transform software development workflows, but questions about scalability and governance need to be addressed before enterprise-wide adoption. Explore future implications
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
