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John Papadimitriou, Co-Founder of Non-Profit Innovation and Digital Economy Hub, Kathimerini Journalist talks to Stavroula Kampouridou, CEO DIAS S.A and Ioannis Vougioukas, CEO at Epirus Cooperative Bank.
What is the future of transactions? How much will the use of IRIS increase and how does this affect consumers? How are banking products and services evolving? Will cash exist in a few years? All the answers in this interesting panel!
Takis Karagiannis, Director of Communications, ActionAid Hellas talks to Eugenia Bozou, Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy for Google Greece, Cyprus & Malta, Katerina Matiatou, Head of Development, ActionAid Hellas and Aggelos Vlachopoulos, Manager of IBM Technology Unit, Greece & Cyprus.
The panel explores how social exclusion takes new forms in the digital era, with technological developments radically transforming our world. ActionAid initiates a public dialogue on accessibility and inclusion in technology, engaging in conversations with Google and IBM about the challenges and solutions that lie ahead.
Elena Sionti, Special Advisor to the Mayor for Architecture and Urban Design talks to Thomas Mpegkas, Mayor of Ioannina, Georgia Ayfantopoulou, Research Director – Deputy Director HIT, Elissavet Bargianni, Department of Resilience and Sustainability, Directorate of Strategic Planning, Resilience, Innovation and Documentation of the Municipality of Athens and George Ioulianos, City Finance Specialist, Climate City Capital Hub.
Six Greek cities, including Ioannina, are urgently tasked with implementing strategies for their green transition. This discussion explores the guiding principles of this transformation, the European Commission’s proposed directions, and the steps currently being taken from a social and spatial perspective.
Dimitris Gerasimidis, Lawyer, Legal Advisor to the General Secretary for Research and Innovation talks to Vasileios Gorgolis, Vice Governor for the Environment of Epirus, Kostas Karamanis, Professor of Economics, Member of the Governing Council of the University of Ioannina, Spyros Mpekas, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Ioannina, Ioannis Sioulis, CTO – Chief Technology Officer, XDigiNet – Member of NextCom Group and Vassilios Tsoukanelis, Executive Director, Epirus Cooperative Bank.
What is the current growth trajectory of Epirus? How have local businesses changed, and what difficulties persist? Does research and innovation drive regional development, or are additional measures needed to strengthen the ecosystem?
Anastasios Vasiliadis, CEO, JOIST Innovation Park talks to Mrs. Irida Laçi, Consul General of the Republic of Albania to Ioannina, Greece, Dimitris Kaboukos, Head of Innovation Programs, Ideas Forward, Nasos Koskinas, Founder, POS4work Innovation Hub and Tassos Koutlas, Co-Founder of Non-Profit Innovation and Digital Economy Hub & Digital Solutions Director, JAKALA.
Nektarios Liolios, Co-Founder of The Future Farm on a firechat with Thanasis Navrozoglou, President & CEO of Natech S.A.
Tassos Koutlas, Digital Solutions Director at JAKALA and Co-Founder of the Innovation and Digital Economy Hub Non-Profit has a one-to-one with Aggelos Vlachopoulos, Manager of IBM Technology Unit, Greece & Cyprus.
Angelos N. Vassos, Director, Now – The Creativity Platform talks to George Alexakis, Journalist, Chief financial editor news247.gr, Georgia Chalatsi, Journalist Epirotikos Agon and Sofia Papadopoulou, Journalist, Editor-In-Chief ANA-MPA.
Order processing is a fundamental operation in service industries such as telecommunications, banking, and insurance. It involves complex information systems that mirror the intricacies of today’s service economy, from the moment a customer submits an order to its fulfillment and delivery.
In this talk, we will explore the journey of an order through a network of interconnected processing systems, highlighting common challenges and opportunities for improvement. We will also demonstrate how advanced analytics techniques empower businesses to gain deeper visibility, enhance process management, and optimize operational efficiency.
Michalis Stangos, Partner at L-Stone Capital, in a panel discussion with Nikos Antoniou, Founding Partner at Apeiron Ventures, Antonios Ilias, Co-founder and Partner, TECS Capital, and Katerina Pramatari, Founding Partner at UniFund and Professor at the Department of Management Science and Technology at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB).
Artificial Intelligence affects all aspects of human life and often appears as a threat.
Nikos Maniatis, Partner, Head of Technology & Innovation, KPMG, discusses with Yiannis Papadimitriou, Co-founder of the Innovation and Digital Economy Hub, Journalist at Kathimerini, how artificial intelligence increases productivity, whether Greek companies are utilizing it, and what the education models are.
Eleftheria Masoura, Head of Marketing & Communications in PINDOS A.P.S.I. talks to Apostolos Patsias, Head of Chemical-Microbiological Laboratory, PINDOS A.P.S.I., Dr. Evangelia N. Sossidou, Veterinarian-Research Director, Veterinary Research Institute of ELGO-DIMITRA, Nikos Tsakanikas, Member of the Board of Directors of PINDOS A.P.S.I. – Head of Energy Transition and Circular Economy of PINDOS A.P.S.I. and Dr. Vasileios Tsiouris, Assoc. Professor in Avian Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, AUTh DVM, MSc., PhD, Dipl. ECPVS.
Dimitrios Georgiou, Strategy & Transactions Advisory, Deloitte talks to Chronis Karachalios, CCO, Country Director Greece & Cyprus, Novoville Limited Greek Branch, Dr. Georgios Smyris, ex. Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, University of Ioannina, Faculty of Engineering and Dimitris Stavrakopoulos, Visionary Founder, Hermoupolis Heritage.
More than just destinations, placemaking transforms spaces into communities—where people choose to stay, interact, and build meaningful connections. This discussion explores how architecture, cultural heritage, and technology shape sustainable, inclusive, and resilient places. From historic landmarks and repurposed industrial sites to evolving cities, it examines the delicate balance between preserving identity, embracing innovation, and fostering community-driven development.
In today’s digital world, cybersecurity challenges are more pressing than ever. The threats within the digital ecosystem demand innovative solutions and robust protection measures. Artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role, serving both as a potential threat and a crucial tool in cybersecurity.
Alexandros Melidis, Director, Open Technologies Alliance – Greek Free Open Source Software Society talks to Panos Louridas, Director of R&D GRNEΤ, Professor, Department of Management Science and Technology, Athens University of Economics and Business, Maria Papadopoulou, Assistant Professor, Digital Humanities and Classics, TALOS LAB in AI4SSH, Artificial Intelligence for the Humanities and the Social Sciences, University of Crete and Michalis Vafopoulos, Founder & CEO, Linked Business AE (LB).
The approval of the Greek AI Factory Pharos and its inclusion among the first seven AI Factories in Europe creates new prospects for developing innovative AI services in Greece. The panel brings together representatives from the public sector, academia, legal research and industry to discuss how open source communities and open data can shape an ecosystem that ensures the public value of AI infrastructures. The discussion will explore issues such as equitable access, transparency and data governance for developing artificial intelligence applications that serve the public interest in the fields of healthcare, Greek language, culture and sustainable development.
Ioannis Papachristos, PhD Candidate UoI/Harvard – CEO/Founder of TEDx Mavili Square talks to Nikos Botinis, Chief Commercial Officer Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Cisco, Dr. Giorgos Goudelis, Head of Analytics and AI, PwC Greece, Manos Macromallis, President of SEKEE, George Nolis, CEO of Lancom and Giannis Tsalparas, Financial Health Advisor | Founder & CEO, Tsalparas advisory “Insurance & Financial services”.
Michalis Moraitis, Strategist and C-Level executive/Business & Digital Transformation Global Leader talks to Anastasios Foukis, HR Manager, Terracom, Stelios Frestas, HR Generalist at DODONI S.A., Maria Mouzakiti, Head of Culture and Internal Communications, Snappi Bank and Evangelia Stavrou, Senior Administrative & HR Assistant, TeamViewer Greece EPE.
The discussion will focus on the need for strategies to find and retain talented people in a constantly changing business environment of high demands and technological innovations. It will also discuss the challenges arising from increasing competition and changes in corporate cultures. The development and best possible placement of human resources is critical for adaptation and innovation. The discussion will highlight best practices as well as make everyone think about what they need to do the next day to win the bet of change.
Dimitris Zacharakis, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Terracom S.A. talks to Antonios Fiorakis, Founder and CEO, Protio.gr, Dr. Evangelos Kosmidis, CEO & General Partner, Loggerhead Ventures Fund and Thymios Papadopoulos, Strategy Director, Olympia Group.
Tassos Antoniou presents about the new food consumer.
Epameinondas Christophilopoulos, Head, UNESCO Chair on Futures Research, FORTH | President, MOMus talks to Elena Mavromichali, Strategist – Cultural Advisor, Hellenic Republic Presidency of the Government.
How do you design tools and platforms that disseminate culture? What value does culture going digital create when used by private technology companies and museums, and can technology serve as a catalyst for cultural experiences?
Alexander Kritikos, Professor of Economics/Member of the executive Board at DIW Berlin, has an on stage discussion with Tassos Κoutlas, Co-Founder of Non-Profit Innovation and Digital Economy Hub & Digital Solutions Director, JAKALA and John Papadimitriou, Co-Founder of Non-Profit Innovation and Digital Economy Hub, Kathimerini Journalist.
Discover how Snappi, Greece’s first neobank with an EU banking license, is empowering regional communities and customers with seamless, customer-first banking experiences. Why is now the perfect time for this transformation—and how will it reshape the future of financial inclusion?
In this closing keynote, Nina Mohanty, founder of Bloom Money, shares an honest and thought-provoking reflection on the realities of building a venture-backed fintech startup for immigrant communities. Far from the glamorized Silicon Valley narrative, Nina explores what it means to step into the founder role—despite hesitation, uncertainty, and the weight of responsibility.
Through personal stories, hard-won lessons, and moments of resilience, this talk will challenge conventional startup wisdom and offer an alternative perspective on leadership, purpose-driven innovation, and the true meaning of success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or changemaker, this keynote will leave you inspired to embrace the unexpected and redefine what it means to build something that truly matters.
What is an Ideathon & Hackathon?
Ideathons & Hackathons are a globally recognized approach for tackling challenges effectively. These competitions bring together multidisciplinary teams to design and implement innovative solutions by combining diverse skill sets.
As part of TechFuse 2025, the Ioannina Ideathon & Hackathon takes place at the C.Ioannina Open Innovation Space (Κάνιγγος 1ΒΓ) on Saturday, March 15, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The Ideathon & Hackathon is supported by the Cooperative Bank of Epirus and co-organized by the European Innovation Hub DigiGov, with participation from the Department of Computer Engineering & Informatics and the Department of Informatics & Telecommunications at the University of Ioannina.
Who Can Participate?
The Ideathon & Hackathon includes teams of students, recent graduates, and professionals from Ioannina’s innovation and digital economy ecosystem. Their mission is to design and implement forward-thinking solutions for the city’s future challenges, such as identified during the Ioannina Foresight Workshop held on March 13, two days prior.
These solutions may take the form of digital products or services, business concepts, or policy proposals, the aim of which are to effectively translate future insights into present-day innovations.
Upon the day’s closing, teams will have the opportunity to present the challenge they addressed, their approach, and the solution they developed. The most innovative solution will be awarded a symbolic award of €300.
Non-Profit Innovation and Digital Economy Hub, in collaboration with its partners, supports teams that wish to evolve into startups, seek funding and develop outbound sales networks.
Benefits for participants:
Co-organizers:
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