At this year’s Greeking Out in Zurich, founders from across Europe gathered at ETH Zürich to explore what it takes to build resilient, impactful ventures in today’s evolving tech landscape. Moderated by Pyrros Koussios (1Global & Key Capital AG), the Founders in Focus panel brought together Manoj Harasgama (Crosstown H2R & join.com), Dimitrios Terzis (MeduSoil), and Harris Antoniou (Neptune Maritime Leasing & Codrus Capital AG) for a candid discussion on entrepreneurship, mindset, and the shifting role of innovation in Europe and Greece.
The Founder’s DNA: Resilience Over Perfection
“What makes a good founder?” Pyrros opened the conversation with the question every entrepreneur asks themselves. For Manoj Harasgama, who has built and exited multiple ventures across Europe, the answer lies in mindset and process. “It’s not what you see in the papers - that’s the survival bias of the media,” he noted. “Most of the time, founders are failing. Resilience is what keeps you going.”
He compared entrepreneurship to Roger Federer’s record - winning only about half his games despite global success. “Founders are wrong most of the time,” he said, “but what matters is getting hit in the face every day and still getting up.” For Manoj, focus and iteration are key: “It’s about single-tasking, executing, learning, and repeating. Success isn’t just the IPO - it’s the journey.”
Creating Your Own Luck
Dimitrios Terzis, who founded MeduSoil after years of research at EPFL, described the challenges of turning scientific innovation into a viable business. “Switzerland may be the most innovative country in the world, but building from academia is hard,” he said. “Founders need to create their own luck - not wait for it.”
For Dimitrios, that means stepping outside the lab, learning about intellectual property, governance, and soft skills, and surrounding yourself with the right mentors. “Investors don’t like tech founders who fall too much in love with their ideas,” he said. “You have to balance passion with perspective - and keep learning how to lead.”
From Big Ideas to Small Wins
From an investor’s perspective, Harris Antoniou emphasized the importance of both vision and execution. “Don’t hesitate to dream big,” he said. “The world’s biggest problems are also the world’s biggest opportunities.”
But he also reminded founders that progress often happens incrementally. “Execution can start with small steps - small wins bring the team together, make them excited, and give you the energy to follow through on what seems a mountainous task.”
Harris shared a story of a space-tech founder who raised millions by daring to imagine 3D printing rockets on other planets - proof that bold ideas attract bold investors. “Dream audaciously,” he said, “but prove your progress along the way.”
Fake It Till You Make It - Or Make It Till You Make It?
The discussion turned to the familiar Silicon Valley mantra. Pyrros asked: is “fake it till you make it” a healthy mindset? While Harris admitted he prefers “feet on the ground,” Manoj reframed it: “You’re always living in two timelines - where you are and where you want to go. You have to tell a story of the future and show small proof points along the way.”
Dimitrios agreed: “You make it when your customers speak for you. Transparency, documentation, and trust are what turn a vision into reality.”
Greece’s Ecosystem: Momentum Meets Maturity
The panel concluded with reflections on the rapid transformation of the Greek startup ecosystem. “A few years ago, we couldn’t imagine raising capital from a Greek VC,” said Dimitrios. “Now we’re signing term sheets with Greek investors and partners. The brain gain is real - people are returning, building, and investing.”
Harris echoed the optimism: “There’s tremendous momentum. We now have local capital, structured funds, and a more supportive state. The next step is mentorship - helping founders see beyond their borders and scale globally.”
About Greeking Out in Zurich
Hosted by Endeavor Greece in strategic partnership with The Hellenic Initiative, Greeking Out in Zurich was part of the Zurich AI Festival 2025, uniting founders, investors, and academics from across Europe to celebrate the rise of Greek innovation and its growing global footprint.