Episode 154

full
Published on:

29th Apr 2026

The Trip to the Moon: Scaling Autonomous AI with Sonia Schulenberg

In this episode of Scale Her Up, Dr. Brenda Hector talks with Sonia Schulenberg, CEO and founder of Level E Research. Sonia shares her journey from Mexico City to the University of Edinburgh, where she pioneered the use of autonomous AI agents in asset management. She breaks down why traditional AI fails in the "non-stationary" world of finance and how she built a digital twin of the global market to outperform multibillion-dollar funds . Beyond the tech, Sonia reveals the staggering level of commitment required to scale, including a legendary story of closing an investment round and paying salaries while in active labor .

The Hook: She was told her vision for AI in finance was a "trip to the moon." Sonia Schulenberg didn't just build the rocket; she’s now navigating the entire asset management industry toward a new frontier.

Key Topics:

  • The Problem with Traditional AI: Why financial markets act like a "shifting giraffe" and require a unique continuous learning approach .
  • The Operative System for Finance: How Level E Research provides a B2B SaaS platform that automates everything from decision-making to compliance.
  • The Cost Crisis: Why active fund managers are underperforming and how AI can save the "eroding value" of our pensions.
  • Explainable AI: Why AI is "nothing" if it cannot explain its own behaviours to regulators and stakeholders.
  • Unstoppable Resilience: The reality of 100-hour work weeks and the drive to deliver "smarter, faster, and cheaper" solutions.

Estimated Timestamps:

  • [00:01:00] Early career at Citi and the proposal that started it all.
  • [00:06:00] Moving to Edinburgh: Choosing machine learning over an MBA.
  • [00:10:00] Developing the first fully autonomous fund in the world.
  • [00:17:00] Winning the Aberdeen Asset Managers & FinTech Scotland competition.
  • [00:27:00] Overcoming the "fear" that AI will replace humans.
  • [00:37:00] The Tuesday Deadline: Why Sonia fired 12 lawyers to get results.
  • [00:39:00] The Birth Story: Fundraising, labor, and a Friday deadline for salaries.
Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Support Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success

A huge thank you to our supporters, it means a lot that you support our podcast.

If you like the podcast and want to support it, too, you can leave us a tip using the button below. We really appreciate it and it only takes a moment!
Support Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success
A
We haven’t had any Tips yet :( Maybe you could be the first!

Listen for free

Show artwork for Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success

About the Podcast

Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success
The Female Entrepreneur Show. Sharing business expertise, start-up experiences and business growth strategies to overcome challenges
If you are a female business owner, self-employed freelancer, or girl boss who wants to build a successful business i.e. work less hours, make more money, and get better results from your staff, then this is the podcast for you. Hosted by Dr Brenda Hector MBA from ActionCOACH UK, this podcast provides relatable and accessible business advice and inspiration from successful businesswomen who have been there and done it before you.

This podcast is where you can
• hear female business stories
• share business success
• learn how to overcome business challenges
• get advice for businesswomen aspiring to success
• find out what needs to change
• discover how we can bring about that business revolution

Only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs are female.
UK men are 5 times more likely than women to build a business of over £1million turnover

If UK women matched UK men in starting and scaling businesses, it would add £250 billion to the UK economy (Alison Rose, The Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship 2018)

As a woman in business, a business coach, and a business growth expert, Brenda’s mission is to help business owners grow their companies, achieve their goals and live the lifestyle of their dreams. She's the help you need to grow your business.
Support This Show

About your host

Profile picture for Brenda Hector

Brenda Hector

I’m Brenda Hector — entrepreneur, business coach, podcast host and writer — and I help ambitious female business owners turn hard work into real results: higher profits, better team performance, and more time back.
If your business relies too heavily on you, growth feels messy, or you’re “successful on paper” but exhausted in real life, you’re not alone — and it’s fixable. My work is about building a business that performs consistently, develops leaders, and supports you to step up and step back when you choose.
On Scale Her Up: The Female Entrepreneur Show, I spotlight women who are building brilliant businesses and share tools and insights to accelerate progress and improve gender balance in entrepreneurship.
"Because being in business should give you more life"