StrictlyVC by TechCrunch Comes to Greece: A Milestone Moment for Greek Innovation

On May 8, 2025, something unprecedented happened for Greece’s innovation ecosystem: TechCrunch and its flagship event series StrictlyVC came to Athens - and Endeavor Greece was proud to make it happen.

Held at the iconic Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center Lighthouse, the event brought together leading voices in venture capital, global tech journalism, entrepreneurship, and government to spotlight Greece’s growing role in the global innovation landscape.

The event was hosted and moderated by Connie Loizos (Editor-in-Chief and GM, TechCrunch; StrictlyVC founder), with additional moderation from Mike Butcher (Editor-at-Large, TechCrunch). Opening remarks were delivered by Panagiotis Karampinis, who welcomed attendees and set the tone for the evening - one focused on opportunity, visibility, and momentum.

A Fireside Start - With Greece’s Vision for the Future

The evening kicked off with a standout fireside conversation between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Connie Loizos.

This wasn’t your typical political keynote — it was a fast-paced, insightful exchange that touched on AI, startups, defense tech, education, and economic strategy. Mitsotakis, who notably has a background in venture capital, spoke the language of founders and investors with clarity and depth.

“AI gives us a chance to leapfrog economically. We have no excuse to miss it.”

The Conversations That Followed

Across three curated panels, the conversation explored everything from the maturation of Greece’s startup scene to cross-border growth and founder resilience:

Why Greece, Why Now

Apostolos Apostolakis (VentureFriends), Myrto Papathanou (Metavallon VC), Panos Papadopoulos (Marathon VC), Marco Veremis (Big Pi Ventures), and Dimitris Kottas (Delian) reflected on the growth of the local venture scene, the sectors attracting capital, and what it will take to back the country’s next wave of standout founders.

Built in Europe: Scaling Ambition from the Ground Up

Konstantina Psoma (Kaedim), Haris Pylarinos (Hack The Box), and Simon Schaefer (Factory) discussed the challenges and wins of building global-first companies from European soil — including fundraising abroad, hiring across borders, and staying globally competitive.

A Tale of Two Emerging Markets

Nate Clarke (GoTyme Bank) and John Tsioris (Revotech, ex-InstaShop) shared lessons from scaling across MENA, Southeast Asia, and Europe - and why founders from smaller markets often develop sharper instincts and stronger execution muscle.

Beyond the Stage: What This Means for Greece

StrictlyVC Athens wasn’t just about who was in the room - it was about what the event symbolized. Endeavor’s initiative to bring TechCrunch to Greece reflects a larger commitment: to elevate the Greek tech ecosystem on the global stage, strengthen international bridges, and unlock more capital, talent, and opportunity for founders scaling from here.

TechCrunch’s editorial team also spent time meeting with Greek founders, VCs, and ecosystem stakeholders - gaining firsthand insight into what makes the country’s startup scene so unique and full of potential.

What’s Next

StrictlyVC Athens was a milestone. But for Endeavor Greece, it’s just one step in a long-term strategy: to transform Greece into a regional hub for innovation, and to empower the next generation of high-impact entrepreneurs to dream bigger, scale faster, and pay it forward.