Dr. Milan Kumar

Global CIO & CDO |Digital Transformation Leader | AI & Data Monetization, Democratization | Industry 4.0, Humanoids, Digital Twin Ecosystems | TEDx Speaker & Best Selling Author | Board Member Dr. Milan Kumar is a distinguished figure in the field of global technology as a Global Chief Information and Digital Officer (CDIO), renowned as a TEDx speaker, educator, international author, and startups mentor. He currently serves as the CIO at Automotive Industry based in Bern, Switzerland. Dr. Kumar has a wealth of experience in senior IT leadership roles, having previously acted as the CIO and CDO, as well as a board member at WABCO (NYSE :WBC). He also served as the CDO and CIO at NTL (a NTT Group company), where he consulted numerous Fortune 1000 companies with their digital transformation journey. Before this, Dr. Kumar held several high-ranking IT leadership positions within the VOLKSWAGEN group in Europe and India, including CIO/ Director and Board Member of Volkswagen IT Services IPL, where he co-founded Volkswagen's global IT delivery center in India, supporting various brands like Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Scania, MAN, and others worldwide in their manufacturing plants and dealership networks. Throughout his career, Dr. Kumar has supported technology transformation of many Fortune 500 companies such as VOLKSWAGEN Group, ZF Group, BMW Group, General Motors, British Airways, Reliance, Atlas Copco, VISA, Morgan Stanley to name a few. Board Member : Dr Kumar also holds Advisory Board Member role at Swiss CxO Forum, ETH Zurich AI strategy lab, UNIL AI Lab, INCIT Singapore. Dr. Kumar's academic achievements include a PhD in AI Management and completion of the ""Driving Growth Through Innovation"" at the Harvard Business School. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the ""Swiss CIO of the Year,"" ""Global Digital CIO,"" and ""CIO Excellence Award"" from Economics Times. Additionally, Dr. Kumar is a TEDx & Global Keynote Speaker and an avid technical writer with his articles being published in various CIO magazines, Springer, World Economic Forum (WEF), MIT etc. He has also authored three internationally acclaimed books as part of his CIO Series - ""Smart Factory"", ""Immersive and Augmented Analytics"","" Intelligent Robotics PA"", ""Kumar-de-Brabandt AI Data Economy Model"" a copyright/patented framework

Yannis Mamekas

COSMOS ALUMINIUM S.A.

Yannis Mamekas has extensive experience in industrial production and process optimization, applying manufacturing principles in demanding industrial environments. Since 2014, he has been the Production Manager at COSMOS Aluminium, overseeing the production and support operations of the company’s plants in Larissa and Magoula. Prior to that, he served as Chief Operating Officer at BRASS FORM, combining technical expertise with executive oversight in areas such as production, quality, maintenance, and product development. Mr. Mamekas is a graduate of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering of the Aristotle University of Athens and holds two Master degrees, one MSc (Eng) in Advanced Manufacturing Systems and Technology (University of Liverpool) as well as a Master in Business Administration (Athens University of Economics and Business Administration)

Dr. Alexander Wrana

GIG-National Research Institute

Dr. Aleksander Wrana is a researcher at the Główny Instytut Górnictwa (GIG) in Katowice whose work connects geomechanics, mine-safety engineering and environmental innovation; he focuses on turning mining-sector problems into technical and commercial opportunities by developing and validating novel methods such as hydro-borehole mining, drone-based methane monitoring and protocols for upgrading coal-mining wastes into construction materials, and he acts as project leader or GIG manager in large multi-partner European research programmes that aim to make mining safer, more circular and lower-carbon.

Fernando Ubis

Visual Components

Fernando Ubis (MSc. Eng.) is the Research and Development Manager at Visual Components. In this role, he is responsible for all national and international research projects at the company. During his career, he has specialized in production engineering, factory automation, and ICT for manufacturing. He has worked in several projects integrating manufacturing techniques with the latest ICT technologies in simulation, robotics, VR/AR, AI, and IoT. Fernando is actively involved in standardization activities under the IEC standardization committees, SC 65E (Devices and Integration in Enterprise Systems), and SC 41 (Internet of Things and Digital Twin). Currently, Fernando is involved in several research projects to build the Factories of the Future. Smart Factories where the newest 3D simulation and visualization technologies combined with AI assist the workers to integrate and develop their skills in an increasingly automated environment. Smart Connected Factories, where big data is generated, security handled, visualized and analysed using the latest AI/ML technologies to improve productivity along the entire product life cycle, reducing defects and enhancing the ROI.

Dr. Denia Kanellopoulou

NCSR "Demokritos"

Dr. Denia Kanellopoulou is a tenured researcher at the Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications of NCSR ""Demokritos"", where she leads the digital innovation activities that exploit emerging technologies to bring business and societal impact. She is also a co-founder of ahedd Digital Innovation Hub, a spin-off of ""Demokritos"" that aims to act as a “one-stop shop” for cutting-edge digital transformation solutions. Her contributions have been instrumental in the establishment of key initiatives, including the European AI Factory of Greece “Pharos”, the European AI-on-Demand platform, the Smart Attica European Digital Innovation Hub, the Giga Campus by Vodafone & Demokritos, the Demokritos-Qualco Fellowship Program (Gold Award at the Hellenic Responsible Business Awards 2022), ahedd’s AI Training Programs for Business Executives, 1000 Pioneers for AI in Greece (Unesco’s Global Top 100 International list of AI solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals), in getting the Platinum Data i-Space label (top award) for ahedd from the BDVA and in fostering numerous industrial partnerships with both national and international businesses and organisations. She further participates in European and national policymaking activities for AI and Innovation. European-level: She is the national representative of Greece at the EU AI board - AI Innovation Ecosystem subgroup and is active in policymaking and ecosystem-building activities of the Big Data Value Association (BDVA). National-level: She has been involved in the publication of the “Blueprint for Greece's AI Transformation”, a national policy for the Greek government, as an external expert in Greece’s High-Level Advisory Committee for Artificial Intelligence and the “Generative AI Greece 2030: The potential futures of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Greece”, a foresight study for the Special Secretariat of Foresight, as a co-author. She is also a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Innovation group. Her research and innovation interests lie in the fields of: Artificial Intelligence: applications, strategy, business impact, explainability, sustainability Digital Innovation and Transformation with AI and Emerging ICT: methodology, use cases.

Dr. Giannis Karaseitanidis

I-SENSE group / ICCS

Dr. Giannis Karaseitanidis is the Technical Director of the I-SENSE group at the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems. His bachelor is on Electrical and Computer Engineering while he received his PhD from NTUA in 2006 focusing on tracking and interaction in VR environments. He is currently scientifically responsuble for a group of more than 170 researchers working on different research discipnines over more than 60 EU, national or industrial projects. His current research interests lie in the fields of automated and cooperative systems, sensor and information fusion and user-oriented interaction. His main responsibilities within I-SENSE group focus on technology innovation and strategic steering.

Prof. Tomasz Barszcz

AMC TECH, AGH University of Krakow

Prof Tomasz Barszcz received the M.Sc. degree in Electric Engineering/ Automatic Control from the Technical University of Gdansk in 1993, Ph.D. in Mechatronics in 1997 and D.Sc. in Automation and Robotics in 2009 from the AGH University of Krakow. In 1994-2000 he worked in ABB and ALSTOM Power, up to the level of Research and Development Department manager. In 2000 he started his employment at the AGH University of Kraków, Poland. Since 2000 he co-founded several companies in the field of IoT and Predictive Maintenance. In 2015 he founded the AMC Group, with AMC TECH as the innovating engineering company. The company specializes in development and implementation of industrial IoT solutions. In last 10 years AMC TECH has installed more than several hundred systems in various industry branches, e.g. power, transportation, mining, chemical, oil & gas. His research activities in Condition Monitoring, Sensor Technologies, Vibration Signal Processing, Distributed Systems include: damage detection methods, advanced signal processing, analysis and simulation of vibration processes in machinery and structures, distributed computer systems for monitoring and diagnostics, diagnostic centers. He is the author of 6 books and over 300 papers. Prof Barszcz is the vice-president of PTDT (Polish Society of Technical Diagnostics).

Nikos Frangakis

CORE Innovation Group

Nikos Frangakis is an Electrical and Computer Engineer with over 20 years of experience leading innovation projects and managing interdisciplinary teams across sectors ranging from culture to robotics and Industry 4.0. As Director of Business Development at CORE Innovation Group, he focuses on bridging the gap between research and market by transforming promising technologies into viable products. His approach combines a deep understanding of technology with strong user engagement and a clear vision for making industries smarter and greener.

Vasileios Papaloukas

METLEN Energy & Metals

Maintenance & Automation Leader | Digital Transformation Manager Senior Electrical & Computer Engineer with 14+ years of experience in heavy industry, specializing in maintenance, automation, and operational technology. Demonstrated success in reducing costs and failures, enhancing equipment availability, and leading large-scale EI&C industrial projects. Currently spearheading innovation and digital transformation initiatives at METLEN Energy & Metals, overseeing the Metals sector. Recognized for expertise in predictive maintenance, KPI management, and strong leadership, with a safety-first mindset and excellent communication skills.

Argyris Patousias

Hellas Gold

Argyris Patousias is the Country CIO of Hellas Gold, a subsidiary of the Canadian-based Eldorado Gold Corporation, a mining company which has more than 30 years of experience in exploration, construction, and operation of mines around the world. Mr. Patousias is a knowledgeable and results-driven IT professional with over 30 years of executive management experience. He has held various leadership positions across diverse industries, including Trade Distribution, Logistics, Retail, and Wholesale consistently driving operational excellence and digital transformation.

Marta Rabal

CIRCE

Innovation project manager specialized in energy and industrial sectors, supporting Horizon Europe proposal development. Background in Chemical Engineering with a postgraduate degree in Business Management. Experienced in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and fostering technology transfer and collaboration between research, industry and public stakeholders to drive sustainable and competitive innovation at European level.

Meriem Jerbi

BORG AUTOMOTIVE

Master’s graduate in Management with a thesis on closed-loop supply chain dynamics, focused on circular business models. I began my career in a startup incubator, where I managed partnerships and oversaw marketing and community engagement. I then joined Car Parts Industries (part of Borg Automotive Group), supporting strategy development, collaborations with academia and industry, and research on emerging technologies. My core interest lies in circular business models, closed-loop supply chains, and end-of-life product valorization, which I also explore through side projects.

Dr. Sébastien Lani

Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne

Dr. Sébastien Lani holds a PhD in microengineering from University Paris XI. With over 15 years of experience in leading R&D innovation projects, he has facilitated technology transfers across various industries, including semiconductor, watchmaking, and space. Initially specializing in silicon microfabrication and microsystem design, Dr. Lani transitioned to additive manufacturing, focusing on stereolithography and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Currently, he serves as a Senior Project Manager at Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne. His research interests encompass the entire LPBF supply chain, with a focus on laser toolpath optimization, process monitoring, and workflow automation.

Dr. Apostolos Chondronasios

CORE Innovation Group

Dr Apostolos Chondronasios is a Production and Management Engineer from the Engineering Department of Democritus University of Thrace. He also holds an MSc in Advanced Manufacturing Technology and a PhD in Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence from the University of Portsmouth. His is passionate about the entire lifecycle of building intelligent systems. His interests lie at the intersection of machine learning and software engineering, to design scalable software architectures while leveraging the power of cloud computing to deploy resilient, high-performance solutions that solve real-world problems. Currently, he the Director of Engineering at CORE Innovation, and he leads the COREbeat technical development.

Christina Nektaria Vlasi

CORE Innovation Group

Christina Nektaria Vlasi is a Senior Data Scientist at CORE IC. With a background in Mathematics and a specialisation in Applied and Computational Mathematics, she combines strong theoretical knowledge with practical expertise in data-driven problem solving. She has worked extensively as an AI engineer, focusing on AI algorithms, Bayesian networks, and NLP techniques, and has contributed as a data scientist in GDPR-focused projects. At CORE IC, Christina focuses on Generative AI, LLMs, and agentic frameworks to deliver decision support systems, virtual assistants, and recommendation engines that bridge cutting-edge research with real-world applications.

Santiago Grandal Montero

AIMEN

Santiago Grandal is Master Engineer from A Coruña University (Spain). +10 years of experience in research and innovation at private companies and RTOs in a wide range of fields mainly related digitization and engineering. Since 2017, he has been part of AIMEN Competence Center as Innovation Management Consultant and from 2023, Santiago has been promoted to the position of R&D Strategy Leader within AIMEN, having a leading role on the alignment of research lines within the innovation ecosystems and promoting strategic initiatives for the Center.

Prof. Sergio Gusmeroli

MADE Competence Center and Pilitecnico di Milano

Sergio Gusmeroli is Research Coordinator at MADE Competence Center and Politecnico di Milano, Industrial Engineering Department. He has been and is coordinating several H2020 and HEP projects in the domain of Digital Manufacturing, especially focussing on Data Technologies and Artificial Intelligence. Sergio is also co-leading the BDVA working group about Smart Manufacturing Industry and is workpackage leader of the Data Space 4.0 Coordination and Support Action in the Digital Europe Programme about Data Spaces for Manufacturing. Recent research activities are mostly focussing on Data Spaces for Circular Manufacturing and AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEF)

Dr. Panagiota Tsarouchi

HALCOR

Panagiota Tsarouchi is an Electrical and Computer Engineer with a PhD in Industrial Human–Robot Collaboration from the University of Patras. She has over 10 years of experience bridging research and industry, leading projects in robotics, automation, and EU-funded innovation. She also serves as an Expert Evaluator for the European Commission, contributing to the assessment and monitoring of EU research and innovation programmes. She currently works as Funded Programmes Manager for the Copper Segment at Halcor – the Copper and Alloys Extrusion Division of ElvalHalcor, overseeing strategic participation and identifying funding opportunities that advance sustainability, circularity, and digital transformation in metallurgical production. She previously worked at EIT Manufacturing as Head of Funded Projects & Strategic Initiatives, managing international partnerships and innovation activities across Europe, with a special focus on RIS countries. Earlier, she was an R&D Industrialisation Engineer at BIC Violex and a researcher at the Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems & Automation (University of Patras).

Dr. Dominik Rohrmus

Labs Network Industrie 4.0 (LNI 4.0)

Dr. Dominik Rohrmus holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for German small and medium enterprises (SME) in the area of industry and healthcare before he joined Siemens in different functions in the field of manufacturing and production development in 2005. In 2009 he founded the company program sustainable production engineering. Since 2013 he was the head of the group that is responsible for shop-floor equipment and standardization of the future for Siemens factories worldwide with execution in a Czeck Republic Siemens Energy factory. Since 2016 Dominik is also CTO of the non-profit and pre-competitive German association Labs Network Industrie 4.0 e.V. (LNI 4.0), fostering the digital transformation for a wide range of industrial sectors with a focus on SME. Since 2021 Dominik was COO of Gaia-X setting up the association for trusted data ecosystems, growing it in one year to 350 members. In 2022 Dominik re-joined LNI 4.0 as its CTO focusing on data ecosystems internationalization as well as testing and verification. Dominik is member of several industry association gremials, the International Manufacturing-X Council and supports the international industrial standardization.

Christos Athanasiadis

Robovision

Experienced General Manager with a demonstrated history ofworking in the industrial automation industry. Skilled in Machine Vision, Industrial Distribution and Sales Management.

Mark Rachovides

Euromines

Mark Rachovides is President Emeritus of Euromines, Chairman of Venus Minerals, a Director of GreenRoc Strategic Materials and a Consultant to Dundee Precious Metals. He has held numerous board positions in Natural Resources Companies in companies active in Europe and elsewhere during the last three decades and is a recognised expert on European mining. He also spent 11 years at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) holds an MA from Oxford University and is an ACIB.

Maggie Athanassiadi

SEV – Hellenic Federation of Enterprises

At SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises, Maggie Athanassiadi focuses on two main pillars: leading digital transformation initiatives and cultivating robust business development strategies. With more than a decade of experience in technology and innovation, she has become adept at designing programs that bridge the gap between research and industry, enhancing members’ performance through cutting-edge solutions. As Director, her mission is to strengthen the industry’s contribution to GDP, drive investments, and nurture an ecosystem that fosters innovation. By facilitating the translation of research into value-adding products and services, she and her team lay the groundwork for sustainable economic growth and industry-wide innovation.

Xanthi - Maria Sousoni

LIFTCO LP

Xanthi Maria Sousoni, Dipl. Mechanical Engineer and Director of Business Development at Liftco, which leads innovation in autonomous industrial solutions across Europe, specializing in Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). With more than 14 years of leadership in waste management technologies, she brings deep expertise in digital transformation and process optimization. A passionate advocate for smart automation and intelligence, Xanthi has spoken at major international events on the future of industrial operations.

Irene Garcia

Celsa Group

Irene Garcia leads EU-funded R&D and innovation projects at CELSA Group, with over a decade of experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives. She is a specialist in Horizon Europe and other flagship EU programmes, with a strong focus on sustainable industrial innovation. Irene excels at building strategic cross-sector partnerships and translating cutting-edge research into real-world impact. Her work connects industry, academia, and policy to drive collaborative, mission-oriented innovation across Europe.

Jarkko Soikkeli

Visual Components

With over 25 years of experience in manufacturing simulation and visualization, Jarkko Soikkeli is highly skilled in manufacturing processes and intralogistics. Throughout his career, Jarkko has contributed to a wide range of projects, from small startups to some of the largest companies in the manufacturing world. His expertise spans from initial layout planning and research and development to brownfield digital models, digital twins, and physical implementations. This knowledge and practical experience have enabled him to contribute to numerous projects across the manufacturing sector.

Stefanos Kokkorikos

CORE Innovation Group

Stefanos Kokkorikos holds an Electrical and Computer Engineering Diploma from the National Technical University of Athens with a focus on electronics, telecommunications and computer systems. Stefanos uses his extensive experience in deep tech project implementation to design new solutions for the industry, addressing challenges in operations, maintenance and energy management. His interests lie in technologies of Industry 4.0, business modelling and new product development, applied in the manufacturing, mining and infrastructure industries. His CORE vision is to provide the appropriate tools bridging the gap between research, market and society.

Fernando Ubis

Visual Components

Fernando Ubis (MSc. Eng.) is the Research and Development Manager at Visual Components. In this role, he is responsible for all national and international research projects at the company. During his career, he has specialized in production engineering, factory automation, and ICT for manufacturing. He has worked in several projects integrating manufacturing techniques with the latest ICT technologies in simulation, robotics, VR/AR, AI, and IoT. Fernando is actively involved in standardization activities under the IEC standardization committees, SC 65E (Devices and Integration in Enterprise Systems), and SC 41 (Internet of Things and Digital Twin). Currently, Fernando is involved in several research projects to build the Factories of the Future. Smart Factories where the newest 3D simulation and visualization technologies combined with AI assist the workers to integrate and develop their skills in an increasingly automated environment. Smart Connected Factories, where big data is generated, security handled, visualized and analysed using the latest AI/ML technologies to improve productivity along the entire product life cycle, reducing defects and enhancing the ROI.

Dr. Pantelis Papachristou

CORE Innovation Group

Pantelis Papachristou leads the Digital Twins R&I Unit at CORE Innovation Centre. The unit develops AI-based models of industrial assets, systems and processes, to enable their precise virtual representations towards real-time monitoring, analysis and simulation.

He holds a diploma (integrated BSc-MSc degree) in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a second MSc in Physics and a PhD in Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology. Pantelis has a significant experience in the management of academic research and EU-funded projects, as well as in proposal writing, mainly related to the A.SPIRE European association.

Dr. Nikos Makris

CORE Innovation Group

Dr. Nikos Makris is a seasoned expert in Industry 4.0, Automation, and Robotics, with a PhD in Materials Technology from the School of Chemical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens and a degree in Materials Science from the University of Patras. He has extensive experience managing multi-disciplinary research and innovation projects, particularly in the domains of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0. As the Director of Innovation at CORE, Nikos leads initiatives to drive market adoption of cutting-edge technologies developed through R&I projects. His portfolio includes involvement in 20+ European Commission-funded projects, where he has served as an innovation consultant developing market-entry roadmaps for deep-tech innovations.

Pavlos Stavrou

CORE Innovation Group

Pavlos Stavrou is a graduate of the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He was a PhD candidate in the Department of Informatics, focusing on 3D object reconstruction using geometric algorithms and the transmission of compressed images in wireless sensor networks. He has served as a researcher and software engineer in various European and Greek-funded projects for companies such as Zenon S.A., Innora Ltd, iKnowHow Informatics, the Center for Research and Technology Thessaly (CERTH), and CDD Ltd. His main areas of expertise include the development of embedded systems, pattern recognition, and neural networks for applications in non-destructive infrastructure inspection, automation, as well as robotics. Subsequently, Pavlos co-founded and served as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of MuseRobotics, where he focused on developing an ecosystem for robotics development. During this time, he participated in the Qualcomm Robotics Accelerator program and collaborated with animatronics companies in the United States as well as research institutions both in the US and EU. He later worked at Augmenta Agriculture for five years, holding positions including Software Engineer, Vice President of Software, and Head of Data Science. His contributions played a key role in the company's successful acquisition by CNH Industrial. Currently, Pavlos is the Director of Research and Development at Core Group, where he leads advanced projects in cutting-edge technology domains.

Angelos Alexopoulos

CORE Innovation Group

Angelos is the Knowledge and Community Engagement Manager at CORE Group. With many years of experience at CERN, the world’s largest physics laboratory, he has extensive expertise in managing EU-funded projects, fostering collaboration across diverse sectors, and driving innovation in research and technology policy. Angelos has served as President of the Sectorial Scientific Council on Human Resources and Upskilling at the National Council for Research, Technology and Innovation, the supreme government advisory body responsible for shaping and implementing a national strategy for Research, Technological Development and Innovation. A critical thinker with a passion for connecting ideas and people, Angelos is committed to shaping a future that bridges technological progress and human values, ensuring balanced growth and transformation.

Konstantina Tsioli

CORE Innovation Group

Konstantina Tsioli leads the Digital Transformation R&I Unit at CORE Group, driving the development of cutting-edge, technology-driven solutions that empower organisations to transition into Industry 4.0. Her work focuses on enabling end-users and stakeholders to optimise operations, enhance process monitoring, reduce costs, and sustain a competitive edge in an evolving industrial landscape. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and an MSc in Project Management from University College London, Konstantina brings nearly a decade of experience in the industrial sector. Her career spans roles in R&D, Quality Control, and Project Management. Passionate about innovation and the transformative potential of technological advancements, to foster progress in the EU industrial sector.

Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis

CORE Innovation Group

Nikos is a Production and Management Engineer and has a PhD in Robotic Vision Systems. Since 2014 he has been working on the adoption of Industry4.0 and how these technologies can be applied in the factories seamlessly and effectively, participating in more than 70 EU funded projects. He has collaborated with more than 150 top organisations and manufacturers succeeding more than €80Million of funding for innovative Industry4.0 solutions. His vision is to make innovation easy for individuals and organisations by providing access to infrastructure, funding, data, network, experts, and live demonstrations so that they meet their true potentials. In 2016 Nikos co-founded CORE Group aiming at providing this opportunity to people and in 2020 co-founded CORE Innovation Center having succeeded more than €20M of funding. Now, he is working to build the Greek Smart Factory, a trusted platform to test and demo new technologies by joining forces with Academia, Tech providers, and industry.

Valia Iliopoulou

CORE Innovation Group

Valia Iliopoulou is the Leader of the Energy and Resource Efficiency R&I Unit at CORE Innovation Centre. The unit develops and applies advanced machine learning algorithms for process optimisation in sectors such as extraction, processing, the built environment and infrastructure. She holds a degree (BSc and MSc) in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a second MSc in Energy and Environment Project Management. Valia has significant professional experience in energy systems, including battery storage, and market experience from Europe and the US. She also has experience in the management of EU-funded Horizon smart energy projects spanning a range of topics such as energy flexibility, energy storage, electric mobility and decarbonization.

Jose Valdes

ITA (Aragon Institute of Technology)

Jose Valdes holds a graduate degree in Physics (1992) and a PhD in Computational Mechanics (2012). He has been involved in EC-funded programs since 2003 (FP5) and has coordinated several projects: TDM-SEALS (FP7), STREAM-0D, MOULDTEX, LEVIS (H2020), and MANUREFINERY (HE). His technical expertise includes Computational Fluid Dynamics, Dynamic Systems Simulation, and the development of reduced-order models for multi-physics systems. With over 20 years of experience managing projects across diverse industries such as automotive, home appliances, machinery, lifts, and hydraulic valves, he has served as Head of European Projects at ITA for the past 7 years. He is the author or co-author of 22 papers published in international peer-reviewed journals and 15 contributions to national and international scientific conferences.

Prof. Pedro Maló

UNPARALLEL

Professor at the Electrotechnical Engineering and Computers Department (DEEC) of the NOVA School of Science and Technology (FCT NOVA), Senior Researcher at UNINOVA research institute and Entrepreneur at UNPARALLEL Innovation research-driven hi-tech SME. Graduated and MSc in Computer Science and holding a PhD in Computer Engineering with research interests on interoperability and integrability of (complex) systems with special emphasis on Cyber-Physical Systems / Internet of Things. Pedro coined novel methods and tools such as the Plug’n’Play Interoperability (PnI) solution for large-scale data interoperability or the NOVAAS (NOVA Asset Administration Shell) that establishes the guidelines and methodology for industry digitisation by integrating industrial assets into a Industrie4.0 communication backbone. As an entrepreneur, Pedro initiated the development of the IoT Catalogue that aims to be the whole-earth catalogue of the Internet of Things (IoT) - the one-stop-source for innovations, products, applications, solutions, etc. to help users (developers/integrators/advisors/end-users) to take the most advantage of the IoT for the benefit of society, businesses and individuals. Pedro has 20+ years practice in the management, research and technical coordination/development of RTD and innovation projects in ICT domains especially addressing data technologies, systems' interoperability and integration solutions. Pedro is a recognised Project Manager and S&T Coordinator of European/National RTD and industry projects with skills in the coordination of both co-localised and geographical dispersed work teams operating in multidisciplinary and multicultural environments.

Dr. Mario Pichler

Software Competence Center Hagenberg GmbH

Dr. Mario Pichler leads the International Cooperations activities at the Software Competence Center Hagenberg (SCCH), Austria. He has more than 23 years of experience in application-oriented research in the areas of Digital Transformation, Software Science and Data Science.

His current work focuses on the development of international cooperations and projects in the areas of Green and Digital (Industrial) Transformation and Artificial Intelligence with a personal interest on formal knowledge representation and reasoning. Mario recently coordinated the Interreg AT-CZ project PredMAIn (AI-based Predictive Maintenance) and the international project outreach in the H2020 project TEAMING.AI.

Dr. Foivos Psarommatis

Zerofect GmbH

Foivos Psarommatis is a passionate engineer and a highly active researcher in the area of quality management in manufacturing systems. Currently, he is the founder and CEO of Zerofect GmbH, a company based in Switzerland and focusing on providing digital technologies for sustainable manufacturing. Foivos is specialized in sustainable and circular manufacturing using Zero Defect Manufacturing, digital twins, dynamic scheduling tools, and Digital Product Passports. With a strong academic and industrial background, he excels in interdisciplinary collaboration, manufacturing systems design, optimization and driving advancements in circular and sustainable manufacturing. Included in the list of top 2% researchers in the world from 2022.

Dr. Dominic Gorecky

Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB)

Dominic Gorecky is a partner and executive board member at Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne AG. He co-founded and leads the Swiss Smart Factory, Switzerland’s first and foremost test and demonstration platform for Industry 4.0. He also founded the International Smart Factory Academy (IFSA) and co-founded the Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C), where he serves as President of the Board. S3C is a national hub for industrial and academic partners to collaboratively develop and test next-generation robotic solutions. Previously, Dominic was the head of research for the Innovative Factory Systems department at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in Kaiserslautern, Germany. In this role, he coordinated R&D for the living lab SmartFactoryKL. Dominic contributes to the World Economic Forum (WEF) agenda and advises several Industry 4.0 start-ups. He co-founded the Swiss CxO Forum and chairs the International Smart Factory Summit. In 2022, he was recognized as a Digital Shaper in Switzerland. Dominic is passionate about driving responsible digital transformation for a sustainable society. He teaches various technology topics, including digital twins, cobotics, and IIoT in manufacturing. His PhD focused on the use of semantic technologies in the context of the digital factory.

Prof. Dimitris Kyritsis

University of Oslo (UiO)

Dr. Dimitris Kyritsis is Professor Emeritus of ICT for Sustainable Manufacturing at of EPFL(https://people.epfl.ch/dimitris.kiritsis?lang=en) and Senior Advisor at SIRIUS labs of the Department of Informatics of the University of Oslo. His research interests are Closed-Loop Lifecycle Management, Sustainable Manufacturing, Cognitive Digital Twins and Industrial Ontologies. He has more than 250 publications. Dimitris is co-founder of the Industrial Ontologies Foundry https://www.industrialontologies.org/) and the Knowledge Graph Alliance (https://www.kg-alliance.org/) and since 2019 he is actively involved in the WEF Platform on Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains.

Michail Dritsas

Greek Ministry of Economy & Finance

A seasoned executive in both the private and the public sector. Mechanical Engineer, BSc/MSc/MBA, Chartered Engineer, Economist and Marketer (MCIM). Founder and CEO of Elevate Greece S.A., currently serving the Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance, working as the National Contact Point (NCP) for Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (S.T.E.P. EU Platform). Acting as Senior Policy Advisor to Ministers accountable for Research and Innovation since 2010 and Head of the Cabinet Office of Dr Christos Dimas (2020-2022). Speaks and writes articles about Science, Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness. Innovation advisor, startup mentor, and co-author of the book “Startups: from A to Exit”.

Raimund Klein

International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT)

Raimund Klein is a highly skilled individual with experience in manufacturing design and global supply digitization across Europe and Asia. He excels at identifying opportunities to improve, enhance and optimize processes through data analysis. His strong business acumen, solid education and progressive executive management experience enable him to build highly efficient teams in multinational organizations that work collaboratively to meet organizational goals efficiently.

Key areas of expertise and achievements:
Business transformation, business growth models, commercial strategy, corporate communications, stakeholder engagement, product management, digital services, process changes, strategic sales planning, factory management, industrial marketing, regulatory development, key performance indicators, global team building, staff education programmes.

Prof. Paolo Pedrazzoli

TTS

Paolo Pedrazzoli is partner at T.T.S. srl, working in the field of simulation of manufacturing systems. As member of several expert panels (e.g. ManuFuture HLG; SATW expert group on sustainability) he is constantly committed to propose and develop RTD strategies capable of speeding up the rate of industrial transformation. In parallel he is scientific head of the Sustainable Production System LAB (47 employees, active along three main research topics 1- Industrial sustainability; 2- Human centric manufacturing; 3- Industrial internet of things) by SUPSI, where he is Professor of “Modelling and simulation of industrial production systems”.

Dr. Jacopo Cassina

Syxis

Dr. Jacopo Cassina has been partner of General Consulting Society for 7 years, funder and Innovation Manager of Equivolution for 3 years, funder and CEO of Holonix since 2010, partner of i-Deal and S2Y and Director of Syxis since 2022. He has been graduated in Mechanical Engineering and received his PhD in Management and Industrial Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. He is author of more than 40 papers and of three books. His main know-how are PLM, Serious Games and IoT (Internet of Things) applied to the product/service, sustainability, predictive maintenance and Zero Defects. He’s IDSA Ambassador.

Santiago Cuesta Lopez

ICAMCyL foundation & IBERIAN SUSTAINABLE MINING CLUSTER

Santiago Cuesta – López is General Director of the private non-profit Foundation ICAMCyL: International Center for Research in Advanced Materials and Raw Materials of Castilla y León, and General Director and executive member of the Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster.

Spanish representative as a Member State in the Operational Groups within the European Association for Innovation in Raw Materials of the EC, appointed by the permanent Embassy of Spain in Brussels.

Awarded Doctor Honoris Causa in September 2021 by the University of Miskolc (Hungary) in recognition of his contribution to internationalization and Innovation Ecosystems.

Ignacio Montero Castro

AIMEN

Ignacio Montero Castro holds a degree in Chemical Engineering (2007-2012) from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), a Master in Process Systems Engineering (2013-2015) from the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) and a Postgraduate Degree in Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris (2020). He is currently working for AIMEN Technology Centre leading the business development team for providing business management services oriented towards the award and exploitation of innovation projects on ICT, manufacturing and circular economy sectors, the expansion of the R&D clients portfolio, as well as the definition of the centre R&D strategy.

Kostas Botsialas

AuroraGeo

Kostas Botsialas is the founder and owner of AuroraGeo Consulting. He is an experienced Engineering Geologist and Hydrogeologist. Kostas has more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry. His expertise lies in mitigating geohazards to enhance mining productivity and safety and promote environmental sustainability within the mining industry. He has been involved in various high-profile projects, including the MASTERMINE, the TERRAVISION project (Horizon EU Projects), and DePOPS project funded by the Norwegian Research Council, which focuses on innovative solutions for European sustainable mining.

Efstathia Ziata

Halcor

Environmental Engineer and Project Manager specializing in circular economy, sustainability, and environmental initiatives. With expertise in leading innovative projects and implementing digital solutions, I am dedicated to driving impactful results that align with sustainability goals and environmental responsibility.

Ass. Prof. Antonis Peppas

NTUA

Dr. Eng. Antonis Peppas is an Assistant Professor at the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering of NTUA, in the field of energy and environmental optimisation technologies applied to metallurgical industries. He has extensive research experience in decarbonisation technologies for industrial processes, carbon capture combined with alternative fuels production and sustainability analysis (LCA, LCC, sLCA), having an active role in more than 45 EC funded projects. He is a Member of Sustainable Transport Forum appointed by European Commission's (MOVE) and coordinates PRIM-ROCK, an EC funder project, for developing efficient processes, to enable a competitive and sustainable extractive industry.

Prof. David Romero

World Manufacturing Foundation

Prof. Dr. David Romero is a Professor of Advanced Manufacturing at the Departments of Industrial Engineering and Mechatronics of the Tecnológico de Monterrey University in Mexico and the Scientific Vice-chairman for the World Manufacturing Foundation. Furthermore, he is an Agenda Contributor at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Council on “Shaping the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains”, and a World Manufacturing Forum (WMF) Ambassador. He serves on different technical and scientific committees and advisory boards in academia, industry, and government in the disciplines of business and industrial engineering.

Georgios Tsimiklis

ICCS

Georgios Tsimiklis is a Senior Researcher and Research Manager at the I-SENSE Group of Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) since May 2018. He has received a Diploma degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering and a MSc in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management.He is leading multiple groups of 60+ researchers in the areas of Earth Observation, Environmental Monitoring, Circular Economy, Immersive Technologies and Smart Manufacturing.

Anna Domènech Abella

CELSA

Anna Domènech, an Industrial Engineer with a Master's in International Business Management, has 13 years of expertise in funding and innovation management. Since 2020, she has been Head of Innovation at CELSA Group, leading initiatives across European countries to achieve the Group's Net Positive objectives. Her innovation journey began during six years in Brussels as a consultant, guiding clients through the European innovation landscape and securing grants. Prior to CELSA, Anna spent four years at Nissan Europe, managing collaborative projects funded by national and EU agencies to drive innovation in factories and research centers.

Dr. Vicky Panagiotopoulou

LMS

Vicky Panagiotopoulou is a senior research engineer at the Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems and Automation (LMS), University of Patras, Greece. With undergraduate studies in chemical, environmental and biomedical engineering, she holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering, with focus on mathematical modelling of complex biomedical phenomena. Earlier postdoctoral posts included working in academic, medical and research institutions in the UK and Switzerland, in close contact with the industry. She has published more than 25 peer-reviewed journals and has presented more than 50 times in national and international conferences, with best podium presentation prizes. Currently she is developing environmental, biobased and mathematical modelling approaches for the manufacturing industry. Her main research focus is the environmental impact of the manufacturing sector and how to reduce carbon emissions via considering the environmental, financial and social sustainability aspects of those interventions. In addition, she has been coordinating and managing European projects on circular economy, energy efficiency and sustainability, to increase the use of green technologies in the manufacturing sector, but also to support the companies towards their road to become more sustainable.

Emilios Vazoukis

Terna Mag

Emilios Vazoukis is an Exploration Geologist with a Master’s degree from the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, specializing in environmental management and mineral resources. He has a strong background in exploration geology and project management and has been working as an Exploration Geologist at Terna Mag S.A. since November 2020. Emilios is experienced in geological mapping, rock and soil sampling, and diamond drilling activities. He possesses expertise in using QGIS and AutoCAD 3D for map creation, Geovia Surpac for exploration planning, and ContextCapture for 3D reconstruction of open-pit and underground mines.

Prof. Hussam Jouhara

Brunel University of London

Prof. Jouhara is a Full Professor at Brunel University of London and a Fellow the Royal Academy of Engineering (raeng.org.uk). Prof. Jouhara obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK in 2004 and has a career in both the Industry and Academia since then. He is a Chair of Thermofluids at Brunel and the founder and head of the Heat Pipe and Thermal Management Research Group and the Principal Investigator of many national and international projects in the areas of multiphase heat transfer and fluid dynamics, energy efficiency, renewable energy systems and innovative thermal management systems for electronics, nuclear and biomedical applications. Throughout his academic and industrial career, Prof Jouhara received over £16M in direct grants fundings from the Industry, EPSRC, Innovate UK, EU, Royal Academy of Engineering and UK Atomic Energy Authority. His patents have been adopted and implemented by various multi-national companies such as S&P Coils Products Limited, Econotherm (UK) Limited, Flint Engineering Limited, Solex Thermal Science and Air Products PLC that funds many of Prof. Jouhara’s projects directly. Professor Jouhara’s research has been published in over 200 journal articles and over 300 other publications such as conference papers, keynote lectures and editorials. He has also published many books and his latest books are entitled: Heat Pipes, Sustainable Energy Technology, Business Models, and Policies and Waste Heat Recovery in Process Industries . Prof. Jouhara is the editor-in-chief of the Elsevier International Journal of Thermofluids and Science Talks, Co-Editor of Thermal Science and Engineering Progress and an Editor of the International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer in addition to serving on the editorial boards of many other Elsevier journals. His innovative design methods have led to applications of the heat pipe technology in over 32 countries, and many granted international patents. The development of heat pipe heat exchangers, produced by Prof. Jouhara, has been applied in many industries, from high temperature processes such as recovering waste heat from ceramics, steel industry, food processing, solar PV thermal management and thermal energy storage using PCMs. Recent major projects that deal with the development of water and heat recovery systems include the GeoFlexHeat, which is he coordinates and the iWAYS of which he is the scientific and technical director of. Professor Jouhara was also the technical coordinator of many other H2020 projects such as: ETEKINA and the PI for others such as: INCOMESS, Cultural-E and DREAM. Professor Jouhara is a chartered Engineer and Fellow in both the UK (IMechE) and Ireland (Engineers Ireland) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineering (CIBSE). He is also a member of the institute of Refrigeration and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK (SFHEA).

Dr. Niki Kousi

ΕΙΤ Manufacturing

Dr. Niki KOUSI is serving as Managing Director of EIT Manufacturing South East , located in Athens, Greece and supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). Previously, Dr. Kousi served as Project Manager and Coordinator in numerous industry driven international projects focusing on development and implementation of manufacturing innovation / business strategies. This has been accomplished in cooperation with universities, industry and research institutes and in the context of European R&D&I projects. She has been leading teams of professional staff engaging a broad array of stakeholders in industrial innovation projects as well as private cooperation with industry. She holds a Mechanical and Aeronautics Engineer diploma and a Doctor of Philosophy focusing on cutting edge enabling technologies for flexible and hybrid manufacturing systems. She was Finalist of the Innovation Radar Prize (2019) organized by European Commission, under the category Woman Led Innovation.

Stefan Estermann

Embassy of Switzerland to the Hellenic Republic

Stefan Estermann was born on 12 December 1967 in Sursee, Switzerland. He studied political science at the University of Lausanne and has a Master in Public Administration. In 1992 he started his professional career as a Junior Assistant at the Conflict Prevention Center in the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna. In 1996, he joined the Federal Department for Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of Switzerland. He was posted as a Deputy Head of Mission in Ukraine (2001 – 2005) and in Russia (2010 – 2014). From 2005-2009, he worked as the Chief of Staff of the State Secretary of the FDFA. He was the Swiss Ambassador to Croatia from 2014-2018. From 2018 - 2022, he was heading the Prosperity and Sustainability Division in the FDFA, responsible for global sectoral affairs.

Since September 2022, he is the Swiss Ambassador to Greece. He is married and has one daughter.

Dr. John Soldatos

Netcompany

John Soldatos holds a PhD in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (2000) and is currently Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK (2014-present). He was Associate Professor and Head of the Internet of Things (IoT) Group at the Athens Information Technology (AIT), Greece (2006–2019), and Adjunct Professor at the Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (2007–2010). He has significant experience in working closely with large multi-national industries (e.g., IBM Hellas, INTRACOM S.A, INTRASOFT International S.A, Netcompany-Intrasoft S.A, Merck S.A, ExpertiseFrance) as R&D consultant and delivery specialist, while being scientific advisor to various high-tech startup enterprises. Dr. Soldatos is an expert in Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and applications, including applications in digital finance, smart cities, and industry (Industry 4.0 / Industry5.0). Dr. Soldatos has had a leading role in the successful delivery of more than eighty (80) (commercial-industrial, research, and business consulting) projects, for both private & public sector organizations, including complex integrated projects. He is co-founder of the open-source platform OpenIoT. He has published more than 200 articles in international journals, books, and conference proceedings. He has also significant academic teaching experience, along with experience in executive education and corporate training. Dr. Soldatos is regular speaker in international conferences, as well as contributor to various international magazines and blogs, on topics related to Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, and cybersecurity. Moreover, he has received national and international recognition through various appointments in standardization working groups, expert groups, and various boards. He has recently coedited and coauthored ten books and edited volumes on Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, and Cybersecurity related themes, including a recent edited book about “AI in Manufacturing” published by Springer Nature.

George Panagiotopoulos

EY

George is a Partner in the Consulting service line of EY Greece. He has extensive consulting experience, over 29 years, in the optimization of Supply Chain and Business Operations. He has supervised and coordinated the implementation of numerous related projects in large companies in Greece and abroad, specializing in the sectors of Industrial Products, Consumer Products and Retail, Energy, Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics.

At EY he has the role of Industrial Products sector leader in the CESA region, Logistics & Fulfillment solution leader in the EMEIA region, Business Consulting Supply Chain & Operations and Sustainability Corporate leader in Greece. He holds a Diploma in Production Engineering and Management from the Technical University of Crete.

Dr. Dimitrios Panopoulos

Suite5

Dr. Dimitrios Panopoulos is a co-founder and partner at Suite5 Data Intelligence Solutions, a distinguished company at the forefront of innovation in data-driven intelligence. He holds a Ph.D. in Information and Communication Technologies and Decision Support Systems, along with an MSc and Diploma from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). With a wealth of experience in research and innovation, Dr. Panopoulos has been instrumental in leading and managing Horizon Europe projects, driving advancements in artificial intelligence, big data, and digital transformation. His expertise encompasses information systems engineering, decision support, and production management. As a partner, he is dedicated to fostering strategic collaborations and delivering transformative solutions to clients across public and private sectors throughout Europe.

Prof. Konstantinos Karantzalos

Ministry of Digital Governance

Konstanιnos Karantzalos is a Professor of Remote Sensing at the National Technical University of Athens. His teaching and research interests include geoscience and earth observation, geospatial big data, hyperspectral image analysis, computer vision and machine learning with applications e.g. in environmental monitoring and precision agriculture. He has several publications in top-rank international journals & conferences and a number of awards and honors for his research contributions. He has more than 20 years of research experience, involved with more than 30 EU and national excellence/ competitive research projects. Dr. Karantzalos, IEEE Senior Member, serves as Scientific/ Program Committee and reviewer for top rank international journals/ conferences and as an Evaluator/ Panel Member for the evaluation of EU and national research programmes (H2020, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Israel Science Foundation, Belgian Science Policy Office, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, etc). Dr. Karantzalos is currently Chairing the ISPRS Working Group WGIII/2 ‘Spectral and Thermal Data Processing and Analytics’.