Workshops

Konstantinos Vaitsas, Director of Innovation, Deloitte, Greece 

This practical workshop will guide founders through the essential elements of building and delivering a compelling investor pitch, from understanding the investor mindset and crafting a clear narrative to structuring the pitch and making a convincing ask. Participants will also explore common pitching mistakes and what investors expect at different stages of a company’s journey, followed by an interactive discussion focused on turning a strong idea into an investor-ready story.

Elezi Zika, Head of Sector for Scientific Impact and Feedback to Policy, European Research Council (ERC), Belgum 

Frontier research in the life sciences often generates discoveries with tremendous potential, but translating scientific breakthroughs into products, therapies, startups, or policy impact requires skills that extend well beyond the laboratory. This workshop explores the full innovation pathway, from intellectual property, technology transfer, and spin-out creation to venture capital, corporate partnerships, and public funding opportunities such as ERC Proof of Concept and the EIC Accelerator. Participants will gain practical insights into the unique challenges of biotech, medtech, and digital health, including regulatory requirements, clinical validation, and commercialization strategies. Through real-world examples and discussion with experienced innovators, the workshop provides researchers, entrepreneurs, and students with practical frameworks for turning scientific discoveries into societal and economic impact.

Giannis Mylopoulos, Fund Manager, Evnia, Denmark & Vicky Valla, Regulatory Compliance Lead, Evnia, Denmark 

Organized by Evnia and ARETI Europe, this hands-on workshop explores the regulatory red flags that can weaken funding rounds, increase investment risk and delay market entry, and how regulatory readiness can instead become an investment advantage. Through practical examples and interactive discussion, the session will examine how regulatory strategy, clinical evidence, quality systems, IP, market access and execution readiness influence investment decisions, helping participants identify hidden liabilities early and strengthen their investment case. Expect a candid, two-way discussion rather than a conventional presentation, using real-world scenarios to challenge assumptions and generate practical insights.

Dimitri Dimitriou, President & Founder, DyoDelta Biosciences Ltd; Executive Chairman, Neurentis plc, UK 

In this workshop, we will explore the fundamentals of partnering as a strategic alternative for biotech companies facing challenges in securing investors. This session is designed to provide a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the essentials of forming successful partnerships in the biotech industry.

Christina Christodoulou, Founder, Speakout, Greece 

A practical session on scientific and entrepreneurial communication, designed for researchers and founders who need to present complex ideas clearly and persuasively to non-expert audiences. The session covers the fundamentals of message structure, storytelling, and audience awareness, focusing on breaking the curse of knowledge and building messages that others can literally receive, understand, and act on.

Costis Goudas, Mechanical Engineering Student, NTUA & Board member, ODYCEO, Greece; Alexandros Dionysios Kollias, Electrical and Computer Engineering Student, NTUA & Board member, ODYCEO, Greece; Stelios Mastorakis, Electrical and Computer Engineering Student, NTUA & Board member, ODYCEO, Greece; Yannos Stergiou, Electrical and Computer Engineering Student, NTUA & Board member, ODYCEO, Greece 

True innovation often emerges when we challenge established approaches and question what is taken for granted. Through real-world examples from industry and research, this workshop explores how breaking away from conventional and academic thinking can open unexpected paths to technological progress and transformative innovation.