Alexandros Yfantis, Sychem Group: The Greek innovator bringing clean water to the world

“In our biggest crises, we act like a spring. We take the hit - then leap higher.”

In this episode of Outliers Podcast, Alexandros Yfantis, Chairman and Managing Director of Sychem, shares his journey from building machines in a small Cretan workshop to leading one of Europe’s most advanced industrial technology companies.

Driven by a passion for solving real problems, Alexandros founded Sychem to deliver integrated water and energy solutions - from desalination and wastewater treatment to biogas and energy-saving systems. Today, the company operates globally, providing water to cities like Casablanca and Paphos in record time.

His path was anything but easy. Through economic crises, high-risk investments, and years of reinvestment, Alexandros stayed committed to one principle: quality and trust. “I’d rather lose money than lose a customer.” That mindset allowed Sychem to grow from a local manufacturer into a global player with a social mission - to protect the environment and give life through technology.

From Greece’s first industrial-scale factory in water treatment to international projects recognized by Global Water Intelligence, his story reflects resilience, vision, and a belief that Greek industry can lead the green transition.

Curious how Alexandros turned a small idea in Crete into a company saving cities from drought? Listen to the episode here and learn more at outliers.gr