AI, Strategy & the CTO’s Role in a Changing World | CTOs Roundtable with Tomer Simon, Microsoft

Endeavor Greece, in partnership with Microsoft & Microsoft for Startups, welcomed a select group of tech leaders to a closed-door roundtable with Tomer Simon, Partner Chief Scientist of one of Microsoft’s most strategic global R&D hubs*. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving AI landscape, the session brought together some of the country’s most forward-thinking CTOs and founders for a candid exchange on how to stay ahead in an era of exponential change.

A High-Stakes Moment for Technology

Tomer Simon’s keynote set the tone for the morning. The acceleration of generative AI, quantum computing, and synthetic biology isn’t just reshaping industries; it is redefining how organizations think, build, and lead. Drawing on his experience advising governments, multinational corporations, and global institutions, Tomer underscored a pressing truth: "When the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near."

Through a dynamic presentation, he unpacked:

• The four waves of generative AI, from copilots to full autopilots, and the approaching horizon of AGI

• New paradigms for software development, where junior developer tasks are increasingly automated and senior engineers focus on culture, architecture, and compliance

• The collapse of traditional SaaS pricing in favor of models that reflect exponential usage and network effects, raising existential questions for startups

• The rise of multi-agent systems capable of autonomously building, testing, and deploying products at scale

Local Innovation, Global Vision

From conversational AI at enterprise scale (Omilia) and rights management in the music industry (Orfium) to recommerce innovations (Pandas), investment platforms (WealthyHood), AI-powered food safety (Proxy Foods), robotic automation for industrial maintenance (Alicia Bots), medical imaging simulators (Corsmed), research-driven innovation (NCSR Demokritos), and smart fitting technology (Safesize), each participant brought technical challenges, go-to-market insights, and product ambitions shaped by real-time industry shifts.

It wasn’t just a conversation about tools - it was a discussion about survival and strategy.

How do you move fast without breaking trust? For companies dealing with sensitive data (financial, personal, or biometric), adopting new AI systems isn’t just a technical challenge, it’s a reputational one. Several CTOs noted that the shift from experimental use to production-grade AI demands a new level of governance: tighter guardrails, clearer escalation paths, and a much deeper collaboration with legal and compliance teams.

How do you build with the right architectural mindset when AI is changing daily? Tomer emphasized that the challenge today isn’t scale, it’s adaptability. Startups are now expected to re-evaluate their architecture not annually, but quarterly or even monthly. Founders shared how they’re experimenting with hybrid models: combining foundation models with fine-tuned agents, designing systems that can flex as new capabilities (and risks) emerge.

What does leadership look like in flat, agent-powered engineering teams? With junior developer tasks increasingly automated, the role of the senior engineer is evolving into that of a systems thinker; a designer of flows, not just features. Teams are getting smaller, leaner, more autonomous. But that also creates a vacuum in coordination, onboarding, and culture. The group reflected on the need for new internal rituals (code reviews, retros, async decision-making) to keep clarity and cohesion in fast-moving, decentralized setups.

A Community Ready to Ride the Wave

The session closed with a forward-looking discussion on culture, adaptability, and the future of work. As AI cost models grow, junior roles flatten, and experimentation frameworks become essential, it’s clear that CTOs are no longer just technical leads - they’re navigators in uncharted waters.

Tomer left the room with a quote that encapsulated the spirit of the morning:

“You can’t stop the waves - but you can learn to surf.”

We’re proud to support this kind of peer learning and vision-setting at Endeavor Greece. Special thanks to Tomer Simon and the Microsoft team for catalyzing such a powerful exchange - and to the founders who continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

* Microsoft R&D Center in Israel is one of Microsoft's three strategic regional development centers, and home to some of the company's most exciting and innovative technologies.