We are delighted to have completed ALLILON’s first event in partnership with the University of Ioannina, with around 80 students and young professionals taking part, along with 15 outstanding mentors from Greece and abroad.

The event featured a particularly engaging panel on innovation, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and the link between science and the job market. This was followed by interactive mentoring and networking sessions between participants and mentors.

This was the first event of our partnership with the University of Ioannina, and we very much look forward to deepening this cooperation through new joint activities, events, and initiatives for the benefit of students and young people.

We would like to warmly thank all the speakers, mentors, participants, and co-organisers who contributed to the success of the event and helped create a meaningful space for sharing knowledge, experience, and career guidance with the next generation.

🎥 The panel video will be posted soon.

PART 1: WELCOME ADDRESSES AND PANEL (18:00 – 19:15)

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Welcome addresses:

• Konstantinos Karamanis, Professor and Member of the Governing Council of the University of Ioannina
• Nikolaos Mylonidis, Dean of the School of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Ioannina
• Giorgos Goletsis, Associate Professor, Scientific Coordinator of the Student Support Unit, University of Ioannina
• Angelos Pangratis, Founder and Chair of the Board of ALLILON, former Ambassador of the European Commission
• Ioannis Vrailas, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Greece to the European Union

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SPEAKERS’ PANEL: “Innovation, Startups and Technology Transfer: Biotechnology, the Future of Health, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience”

Moderators:

• Georgios Kotrotsios, former Vice President of Business Development, CSEM SA (Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology)
• Nikolaos Mavridis, MIT PhD, Academic & Consultant in AI & Robotics; former Full Professor and Director of Robotics Institutes (NYU AD, NYU Poly, Innopolis, UAEU)

Speakers:

• Katerina Sarri, Director of the Entrepreneurship Lab, Department of Balkan, Slavic & Oriental Studies, School of Economics & Regional Studies; President of the Committee for Gender Equality and Against Social Discrimination, University of Macedonia
  Topic: Innovation and equality: a gender perspective
• Panagiotis Ketikidis, Vice President for Research & Innovation, University of York Europe Campus; Chair of the Board of the Alexandria Innovation Zone (AZK); Co-founder of the Hellenic Business Angels Network (HeBAN); Member of the National Council for Research, Technology and Innovation (ESETEK)
  Topic: Innovation and entrepreneurship in the age of artificial intelligence
• Sofia Magkia, Head of the Innovation Department, NCSR “Demokritos”
  Topic: From science to the market
• Leonidas Alexopoulos, Full Professor, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA); Co-founder of Protavio
  Topic: Biotechnology & entrepreneurship: from Greece to the whole world
• Alkis Hatziiosif, Instructor, Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital & Researcher, Harvard University
  Topic: Neuroscience, neurotechnology and neurorehabilitation today: developments and prospects

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PART 2: TWO GROUP MENTORING SESSIONS (19:15 – 21:00)

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Mentor Group 1: “Innovation, Startups and Technology Transfer: Biotechnology, the Future of Health, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience” (19:15 – 20:00)

With the participation of the panel moderators and speakers.

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Mentor Group 2: Careers in the EU institutions, in the private sector working with them, and in the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (20:00 – 21:00)

Moderator: Dimitris Iliopoulos, Ambassador (ret.), former EU Ambassador

• Michail Diamesis, Ambassador, Director of the Hellenic Diplomatic Academy
• Evgenia Karatari, Deputy Head of Division, EU Situation Room, EEAS
• Ioannis Giogkarakis, EU Diplomat & Chairman of ASEF
• Andreas Lymperis, Head of Sector, European Innovation Council (EIC)
• Panos Kalavros, Human Resources Specialist, Single Resolution Board (SRB)
• Dimitris Vartholomaios, Manager Government Affairs, DENSO
• Agathi Pafili, Senior Regulatory & Public Affairs Expert
• Theofanis Paraskevas Grammenos, Junior Officer, Hydrogen Europe
• Virginia Marantidou, International Aid/Cooperation Officer, European Commission (extensive previous experience in the private sector)

After the event: Individual meetings between students and mentors can be arranged for another day, depending on both sides’ availability. See the available mentors below and fill in the event registration form.