#DisinfoHachakthon 
Thessaloniki International Fair Pavilion 7 

“It takes an ecosystem

to challenge and tackle misinformation."

We look forward to seeing you on September 10 and 11, at Pavillion 7, at Thessaloniki International Fair, in the heart of innovation and digital transformation, to design and present your own ideas and projects, to meet and collaborate with participants with different backgrounds, and to attend talks and workshops that will spark your imagination and inspire you to combat misinformation.

About DISINFOHACKS

DisinfoHacks Project is an innovative training program that brings together partners expertise, engaging an ecosystem of communication and media stakeholders, startup innovators and influencers in identifying, assessing, and combating disinformation.

The goal of the innovation competition is to offer the participants an experiential experience of collaboration in the development of collaborative solutions with the contribution of technology and digital standard applications. Each thematic challenge has been designed in cooperation with experts and is about proposing ways that innovation can help fight misinformation in journalism, health, religion and advertising.


A Partnership Marathon in the Fight against Disinformation

#Challenges

Disinformation in Journalism

Infodemic: How disinformation affects the health field

Religion and Disinformation

Disinformation, advertising and brands

Innovation against disinformation

The winner team will participate at the second phase of the 13th Innovation and Technology Competition of the NBG Business Seeds Program.

Schedule
Saturday September 10, 2022
10:30 – 11:30
10:30 – 11:30
Registrations
11:30 – 12:30
11:30 – 12:30
Opening speeches and welcoming remarks
12:30 – 13:00
12:30 – 13:00
Defining the Disinformation Problem 
Introducing the #DisinfoHackathon Theme Challenges
13:00 – 14:00
13:00 – 14:00
Working lunch
14:00 – 14:30 
14:00 – 14:30 
In Search of Inspiration: "How Strategic Use of Data and Misinformation Affect Our Perceptions"

Inspirational talk by Mr. Neophytos Kolokotronis, Head of Products & Services at Found.ation
14:30 – 15:30
14:30 – 15:30
Teams Creation and Pitch Ideas
15:30 – 16:30
15:30 – 16:30
Preparatory Workshop from Amazon Web Services with Mr. Nikiforos Botis, Senior Solutions Architect

16:30 – 17:00
16:30 – 17:00
Guidelines for networking groups

Sunday, September 11 2022

10:30 – 11:00 
10:30 – 11:00 
Arrival of Participants
11:00 – 11:30
11:00 – 11:30
In Search of Inspiration: "The Case of the Ellinika Hoaxes"
Inspirational talk by Mr. Theodoros Danielides, Founder of the website ellinikahoaxes.gr

11:30 – 12:15 
11:30 – 12:15 
Preparatory Workshop: "Ideation Through Design Thinking": How do we design for "the others"?

In the "Ideation through Design Thinking" workshop, we will learn the design process steps, which will help you generate, improve, and enrich your existing ideas. Instead of having just one idea, you will now have several complementary ideas that you can use to explore and utilize on available opportunities. With Mr. Marios Vlachos, Business Training Strategist, Found.ation

12:15 – 13:00 
12:15 – 13:00 
Business Model Canvas: Skills Workshop with Ms. Agapi Kyriakopoulou, Marketing & ESG Manager at Envolve Entrepreneurship

13:00 – 13:30
13:00 – 13:30
Looking for Inspiration: "The Inside Story"
A discussion with Mr. Dimitris Xenakis, Instigator and Creator of Insidestory.gr
13:30 – 14:00
13:30 – 14:00
 Working lunch
14:00 – 16:30 
14:00 – 16:30 
Meet the Mentors: Hacking and Mentoring

A collaborative two-hour session for the creation and development of ideas that will combat misinformation
16:30 – 17:30 
16:30 – 17:30 
Preparation Workshop: "Pitching with a Successful Narrative"
"How do I make my pitching stand out?" Does this question trouble you too? After all, we live in the age of chaotic information, where every few seconds a new initiative pops up, promising to change the world. Thus, the battle is no longer given in the area of uniqueness, but rather on the time that will succeed in staying on prospective investors' and customers' minds. In the field of marketing, storytelling is one of the most effective and timeless communication strategies. Tell your story properly and you'll see people connect and your idea stand out and enjoy the publicity it deserves. All this, through your authenticity, without having to do something extreme just to get people's attention. In this workshop we will share valuable secrets on how to apply the top-notch principles of storytelling to the presentation of an idea, so that you can tell your own story effectively, motivating people to say: "Tell me more, I'm hooked."

With Ms. Fotini Vavitsa, Social.Innov Instructor, Business Coach and Mentor

17:30 – 18:00 
17:30 – 18:00 
Pitching Ready: Preparing Presentations
18:00 – 18:30
18:00 – 18:30
Looking for Inspiration: A conversation with Ms. Sofia Papadopoulou, Journalist
18:30 – 19:30
18:30 – 19:30
Proposal Presentations – Closing Ceremony – Networking
Mentors
Makis Monastiridis 
Head of Marketing and Fundraising, Megaron Thessaloniki
Experienced Marketing, Public Relations and Fundraising manager with a demonstrated history of working in the cultural sector as well in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Marketing Management, Digital Strategy, Event Management, Media Relations, and Guerrilla Marketing. Strong media and communication professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused in Innovation, marketing and non profit organizations from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Journalism & Mass Communications. Also involved in academic teaching and research.
Foteini Vavitsa
SocialInnov Instructor, Business Coach and Mentor
She helps people and businesses to thrive by setting everyday chaos and dilemmas in order. Leveraging her multi-faceted experience in the business field, she works with teams and professionals to help them communicate effectively and develop holistically, which can only come through discovering and investing in what matters.
Natalia Deligiorgi
Certified Performance & Development Coach
A professional Coach, committed to helping people and businesses scale up. Working on business goals, soft skills development, productivity, performance, habits, success mindset, self-optimization and presentation, conflict management, and team dynamics.
She has coaching experience with entrepreneurs and businesses ranging from small startups to well-established enterprises. Collaborating with incubators, accelerators, and hackathons in Greece and abroad and has proudly coached and mentored many award-winning teams.
She sits on the Adv,Board of a company based in Amsterdam, she has co-founded a Business Coaching Company headquartered in the Netherlands, operating in three (3) Hubs, and a Leadership Skills Academy for Startups in Greece. Partner at Holistic
Retreat, a personal & corporate wellness company.
She is a proud mother of two adults (a 25-year-old son and a 20-year-old daughter) and lives in Athens with her husband.
Maria Gabriella Anagnostopoulos
Project Manager & Financial Analyst at Envolve Entrepreneurship
Project Manager & Financial Analyst of Envolve Entrepreneurship in Greece, responsible for planning, execution and promotion. To date she actively participated in the evaluation of over 7,000 business plans from a wide range of business sectors.
Maria Gabriella’s previous experience includes executive and project management roles in NGOs managing research and conferences regarding European institutions and international affairs, and public affairs positions working closely with members of the Greek government.
A US national, Maria Gabriella completed her studies in Athens, Greece. She holds a MSc in International Economics and Finance from the Athens University of Economics and Business and a BSc in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Athens.
Konstantinos Kissas
Business Development & Operations Executive at Envolve Entrepreneurship
Business Development and Operations Executive at Envolve Entrepreneurship Greece. He is responsible for internal operations and conducts the financial reporting of the organisation while being responsible for developing or leveraging existing relationships with businesses. In addition, he actively participates in the evaluation process of hundreds of business plans every year for the Envolve Award Greece, an annual interest-free funding startup competition.
Prior to Envolve, he has worked in the insurance sector, providing insurance consulting services for life and non-life insurance products, while being also a certified Insurance Agent by the Bank of Greece.
Konstantinos holds an MBA degree from Athens University of Economics and Business. He also holds an International Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from University of Milano-Bicocca and a BSc in Economics from University of Thessaly.
Theodoros Daniilidis
Founder of Ellinika Hoaxes, member of the global fact-checking network IFCN 


Sofia Papadopoulou 
Editor in chief at ANA-MPA’s Macedonia-Thrace Directorate
Studied Journalism at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (graduated in 1996) and pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Cairo/Department of Political Science. Full member of the Editors’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), the International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists. Also a German Marshall Fund (GMF) fellow (2011). Active member of the Association of Balkan News Agencies-SE Europe since 1999. Fluent in English, Arabic and Italian. Also speaks French, German. Studies Turkish and Persian.
Marios Vlachos

Business Training Strategist at Found.ation
Marios Vlachos is the Business Training Strategist at Found.ation. He has studied Telecommunication Systems and Networks at the University of Applied Science of Western Greece and Psychodrama at the Hellenic Association of Group Analysis and Psychotherapy. His career began at OTEAcademy (OTE group – Deutsche Telekom), where he discovered corporate education. He has since designed, delivered, and facilitated training programs to help individuals and businesses adopt a growth mindset and conduct business differently. Over the last half-decade, he has given numerous workshops and presentations to a wide range of organizations on the topics of Customer Experience, Design Thinking, Self-Management, and Interpersonal Skills. He is a National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance Trainer for Adults and a CXPA Customer Experience Professional.
Nasos Koskinas
Electrical & Computer Engineer, MSc, Founder of POS4Work Innovation Hub
Nasos Koskinas is a social entrepreneur and the founder of POS4work Innovation Hub,
an authorized accelerator in the “Elevate Greece” – the official startup platform of the
Hellenic Government.
He created the first coworking space in Patras and the first student incubator at the
University of Patras, among numerous innovative projects with the participation of
multinational tech companies, startups and scaleups, corporates and venture capital
firms.
He is an ecosystem builder, mentor and experienced business developer who
specializes in innovation strategy & technology. In 2022 received the IVLP Impact
Award from the Department of State.
Dimitris Xenakis 
Founder of inside story
Involved with online media and IT since the time of Netscape Navigator, in management, strategy and vision formation and in the development of digital applications and services. Contributed to the development of services in some of the largest media organizations in Greece. On a mission to disrupt Journalism's stagnation, since 2016 proud co-founder of inside story, an innovative and influential (I dare say), pure digital, member-based news site in Greece.
Vicky Fiska
Medical Informatics MSc. Student at AUTh // PhD Student at UOWM // Codegirls Instructor // IVLP Alumna
She is an Informatics & Telecommunications Engineer devoted to Medical Research aiming to combine Computer Science and Medicine to make a difference in the healthcare world.
Konstantinos Vasileiou
Founder/ President EduAct
Konstantinos Vasileiou is the President of the Educational Organization Eduact , the Coordinator of Thessaloniki Tech Lab, graduate of the IVL Program and Coordinator of European Programs at the Primary Education Directorate of Western Thessaloniki. He presents himself as an educator, activist and dreamer. He firmly believes that education is not a symphonic orchestra, but a jazz band. So, he researches, experiments, experiences, learns, works, creates, discovers, travels, evolves but most importantly, he is open to new things, ideas, choices. 

Antonia Psallida
Senior Manager, EduAct
Antonia Psallida is a Senior Manager and founding member of the Educational Organization Eduact. Antonia is an educator with an additional background in the fields of Marketing & Development. She uses her experience in the fields above to promote and enhance the work of not only Eduact, but also Thessaloniki Tech Lab, the sixth American Corner in the country. 

Despina Stoikou
Assistant Development Manager, Eduact
Despina Stoikou is an Assistant Development Manager at Eduact. There she studies the flow of ideas and plans their transformation into projects through collaborations with local and international institutions. Admiring the dynamics of communities, she designs projects with the Thessaloniki Tech Lab team and volunteers for the Michael and Kitty Dukakis Center for Public and Humanitarian Service.

Judges
Spyros Arsenis
Ηead of the Business Innovation Development Unit of the National Bank of Greece, Director of the ΝΒG Business Seeds program
Dr. Spyros Arsenis is Head of the Business Innovation Development Unit of National Bank of Greece, Director of the ΝΒG Business Seeds program, and initial coordinator of the act4Greece crowdfunding platform. He is a member of the advisory boards of Uni.fund, Metavallon, Big Pi, OK!Thess, and the Archimedes Center of the University of Athens. He also serves on the board of the Hellenic Society of Environment Cultural Heritage, the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce’s Education, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee, and the Start Ups Committee of the German-Hellenic Chamber. 
He is an Electrical Engineer with 25 years’ professional multi-sector, multi-discipline experience in Greece and abroad in international telecom projects, business banking and innovation, and is also the author of seven books on ICT and the Internet.
Alexandros Nousias
 Country Director of Envolve Entrepreneurship in Greece
He manages program operations and implements the organization’s strategic support towards the startup community in Greece, through three main pillars: Education, Resources & Awards. In addition, he develops initiatives and new activities, while at the same time he oversees and supports the expansion of the annual award program’s winning businesses, in their effort to grow in Greece and abroad.
He started his career in shipping and in 2013 joined the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award (current Envolve Award Greece) as Project Manager and Financial Analyst and later as Director. To date he has taken part in the evaluation of over 8,000 business plans from a wide range of commercial sectors.
Alexandros holds a M.Sc. in Shipping, Trade and Finance from Cass Business School in London and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Athens University of Economics and Business.

Makis Monastiridis 
Head of Marketing and Fundraising, Megaron Thessaloniki
Experienced Marketing, Public Relations and Fundraising manager with a demonstrated history of working in the cultural sector as well in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Marketing Management, Digital Strategy, Event Management, Media Relations, and Guerrilla Marketing. Strong media and communication professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused in Innovation, marketing and non profit organizations from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Journalism & Mass Communications. Also involved in academic teaching and research.
Foteini Vavitsa
SocialInnov Instructor, Business Coach and Mentor
She helps people and businesses to thrive by setting everyday chaos and dilemmas in order. Leveraging her multi-faceted experience in the business field, she works with teams and professionals to help them communicate effectively and develop holistically, which can only come through discovering and investing in what matters.
Natalia Deligiorgi
Certified Performance & Development Coach
A professional Coach, committed to helping people and businesses scale up. Working on business goals, soft skills development, productivity, performance, habits, success mindset, self-optimization and presentation, conflict management, and team dynamics.
She has coaching experience with entrepreneurs and businesses ranging from small startups to well-established enterprises. Collaborating with incubators, accelerators, and hackathons in Greece and abroad and has proudly coached and mentored many award-winning teams.
She sits on the Adv,Board of a company based in Amsterdam, she has co-founded a Business Coaching Company headquartered in the Netherlands, operating in three (3) Hubs, and a Leadership Skills Academy for Startups in Greece. Partner at Holistic
Retreat, a personal & corporate wellness company.
She is a proud mother of two adults (a 25-year-old son and a 20-year-old daughter) and lives in Athens with her husband.
Maria Gabriella Anagnostopoulos
Project Manager & Financial Analyst at Envolve Entrepreneurship
Project Manager & Financial Analyst of Envolve Entrepreneurship in Greece, responsible for planning, execution and promotion. To date she actively participated in the evaluation of over 7,000 business plans from a wide range of business sectors.
Maria Gabriella’s previous experience includes executive and project management roles in NGOs managing research and conferences regarding European institutions and international affairs, and public affairs positions working closely with members of the Greek government.
A US national, Maria Gabriella completed her studies in Athens, Greece. She holds a MSc in International Economics and Finance from the Athens University of Economics and Business and a BSc in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Athens.
Theodoros Daniilidis
Founder of Ellinika Hoaxes, member of the global fact-checking network IFCN 


Sofia Papadopoulou 
Editor in chief at ANA-MPA’s Macedonia-Thrace Directorate
Studied Journalism at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (graduated in 1996) and pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Cairo/Department of Political Science. Full member of the Editors’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), the International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists. Also a German Marshall Fund (GMF) fellow (2011). Active member of the Association of Balkan News Agencies-SE Europe since 1999. Fluent in English, Arabic and Italian. Also speaks French, German. Studies Turkish and Persian.
Marios Vlachos

Business Training Strategist at Found.ation
Marios Vlachos is the Business Training Strategist at Found.ation. He has studied Telecommunication Systems and Networks at the University of Applied Science of Western Greece and Psychodrama at the Hellenic Association of Group Analysis and Psychotherapy. His career began at OTEAcademy (OTE group – Deutsche Telekom), where he discovered corporate education. He has since designed, delivered, and facilitated training programs to help individuals and businesses adopt a growth mindset and conduct business differently. Over the last half-decade, he has given numerous workshops and presentations to a wide range of organizations on the topics of Customer Experience, Design Thinking, Self-Management, and Interpersonal Skills. He is a National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance Trainer for Adults and a CXPA Customer Experience Professional.
Nasos Koskinas
Electrical & Computer Engineer, MSc, Founder of POS4Work Innovation Hub
Nasos Koskinas is a social entrepreneur and the founder of POS4work Innovation Hub,
an authorized accelerator in the “Elevate Greece” – the official startup platform of the
Hellenic Government.
He created the first coworking space in Patras and the first student incubator at the
University of Patras, among numerous innovative projects with the participation of
multinational tech companies, startups and scaleups, corporates and venture capital
firms.
He is an ecosystem builder, mentor and experienced business developer who
specializes in innovation strategy & technology. In 2022 received the IVLP Impact
Award from the Department of State.
Dimitris Xenakis 
Founder of inside story
Involved with online media and IT since the time of Netscape Navigator, in management, strategy and vision formation and in the development of digital applications and services. Contributed to the development of services in some of the largest media organizations in Greece. On a mission to disrupt Journalism's stagnation, since 2016 proud co-founder of inside story, an innovative and influential (I dare say), pure digital, member-based news site in Greece.
Vicky Fiska 
Medical Informatics MSc. Student at AUTh // PhD Student at UOWM // Codegirls Instructor // IVLP Alumna
She is an Informatics & Telecommunications Engineer devoted to Medical Research aiming to combine Computer Science and Medicine to make a difference in the healthcare world.
Dimitrios Kourtesis
Tech entrepreneur, co-founder of Ideas Forward
Dimitrios Kourtesis is a tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Ideas Forward, a technology venture studio based in Thessaloniki, Greece (ideasforward.com). He has been working in computer science research, software system design and new product development since 2005 -- initially as PhD researcher and technology consultant and eventually as co-founder of a VC-backed startup. Since 2017 he has been working with early-stage startups as a coach (100+ teams through NextStage.gr and OK!Thess) and angel investor (4 companies). 
 

Maria Sarantopoulou
Communication and Public Affairs Manager, Head of Department at the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB)
Maria Sarantopoulou is Communication and Public Affairs Manager, Head of Department at the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB). She has deep experience in communication and public policy, including international affairs. She has worked as Press Officer in the Spokesperson’s Service, the official voice vis-à-vis media of the European Commission in Brussels, covering the policy areas of Competition, Single Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Budget and Human Resources. Moreover, she has worked as EU Commissioner’s Speechwriter and as Policy Coordinator for Migration and Home Affairs in DG HOME of the European Commission. She has also been involved in other areas such as Digital Single Market, Foreign Affairs (focus on International Development), and Justice. 
Maria started her career as journalist at Kathimerini. She has also worked as an Officer and Communication expert in the National Drug Coordinator of Greece, which included representing the service in international fora, the EU and UN. 
Maria holds an MSc in Public Policy and Administration from the London School of Economics (LSE) with a specialisation in Comparative Public Policy Change, and a BA in Communication and Media from the National Kapodistrian University of Athens. Maria speaks English, German and French.

Konstantinos Vasileiou
Founder/ President, EduAct
Konstantinos Vasileiou is the President of the Educational Organization Eduact , the Coordinator of Thessaloniki Tech Lab, graduate of the IVL Program and Coordinator of European Programs at the Primary Education Directorate of Western Thessaloniki. He presents himself as an educator, activist and dreamer. He firmly believes that education is not a symphonic orchestra, but a jazz band. So, he researches, experiments, experiences, learns, works, creates, discovers, travels, evolves but most importantly, he is open to new things, ideas, choices. 

Antonia Psallida
Senior Manager, Eduact 
Antonia Psallida is a Senior Manager and founding member of the Educational Organization Eduact. Antonia is an educator with an additional background in the fields of Marketing & Development. She uses her experience in the fields above to promote and enhance the work of not only Eduact, but also Thessaloniki Tech Lab, the sixth American Corner in the country. 

Despina Stoikou
Assistant Development Manager, Eduact
Despina Stoikou is an Assistant Development Manager at Eduact. There she studies the flow of ideas and plans their transformation into projects through collaborations with local and international institutions. Admiring the dynamics of communities, she designs projects with the Thessaloniki Tech Lab team and volunteers for the Michael and Kitty Dukakis Center for Public and Humanitarian Service.

Speakers
Neofytos Kolokotronis
Head of Products & Services at Found.ation
Neofytos studied medicine and got a degree in psychology, before deciding to follow his passion for technology. As the Head of Products & Services at Found.ation, Neofytos is leading the company’s programs related to the startup and innovation ecosystem, as well as the innovation management consulting for the digital transformation of organizations. He is a co-founder of open data and open government citizen initiatives and has been a long-time contributor to international communities and organizations developing open source products, with a focus on shared knowledge, privacy, and transparency. Neofytos is also a member of the global board of directors of KDE, one of the largest volunteer software communities in the world, having comprehensive experience in working with technology teams and delivering products to users.
Theodoros Daniilidis
Founder of Ellinika Hoaxes, member of the global fact-checking network IFCN 
Sofia Papadopoulou 
Editor in chief at ANA-MPA’s Macedonia-Thrace Directorate
Studied Journalism at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (graduated in 1996) and pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Cairo/Department of Political Science. Full member of the Editors’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), the International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists. Also a German Marshall Fund (GMF) fellow (2011). Active member of the Association of Balkan News Agencies-SE Europe since 1999. Fluent in English, Arabic and Italian. Also speaks French, German. Studies Turkish and Persian.
Dimitris Xenakis 
Founder of inside story
Involved with online media and IT since the time of Netscape Navigator, in management, strategy and vision formation and in the development of digital applications and services. Contributed to the development of services in some of the largest media organizations in Greece. On a mission to disrupt Journalism's stagnation, since 2016 proud co-founder of inside story, an innovative and influential (I dare say), pure digital, member-based news site in Greece.
Workshop Fascilitators
Foteini Vavitsa
SocialInnov Instructor, Business Coach and Mentor

She helps people and businesses to thrive by setting everyday chaos and dilemmas in order. Leveraging her multi-faceted experience in the business field, she works with teams and professionals to help them communicate effectively and develop holistically, which can only come through discovering and investing in what matters.

 Agapi Kyriakopoulou 
Marketing & ESG Manager at Envolve Entrepreneurship
Agapi Kyriakopoulou is Marketing and ESG Manager of Envolve Entrepreneurship in Greece, responsible for Envolve’s communication and promotion in Greece, as well as exploring new educational and business opportunities. She also participates in the evaluation process of the Envolve Award Greece competition by reviewing hundreds of business plans annually. 
Before joining Envolve, she held marketing, digital marketing, business development, and event planning roles in the consulting, education, and healthcare industries.
Agapi holds a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Business Administration of the University of Piraeus and two minors in Marketing and Entrepreneurship Management from DEREE – The American College of Greece. She also has participated in an International Consulting Program at the Virginia Commonwealth University, USA.

Marios Vlachos
Business Training Strategist at Found.ation
Marios Vlachos is the Business Training Strategist at Found.ation. He has studied Telecommunication Systems and Networks at the University of Applied Science of Western Greece and Psychodrama at the Hellenic Association of Group Analysis and Psychotherapy. His career began at OTEAcademy (OTE group – Deutsche Telekom), where he discovered corporate education. He has since designed, delivered, and facilitated training programs to help individuals and businesses adopt a growth mindset and conduct business differently. Over the last half-decade, he has given numerous workshops and presentations to a wide range of organizations on the topics of Customer Experience, Design Thinking, Self-Management, and Interpersonal Skills. He is a National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance Trainer for Adults and a CXPA Customer Experience Professional.
Antonia Psallida
Senior Manager, EduAct
Antonia Psallida is a Senior Manager and founding member of the Educational Organization Eduact. Antonia is an educator with an additional background in the fields of Marketing & Development. She uses her experience in the fields above to promote and enhance the work of not only Eduact, but also Thessaloniki Tech Lab, the sixth American Corner in the country. 

Despina Stoikou
Assistant Development Manager, Eduact
Despina Stoikou is an Assistant Development Manager at Eduact. There she studies the flow of ideas and plans their transformation into projects through collaborations with local and international institutions. Admiring the dynamics of communities, she designs projects with the Thessaloniki Tech Lab team and volunteers for the Michael and Kitty Dukakis Center for Public and Humanitarian Service.

Meet our Team
Ioanna E. Koutsounanou
Public Engagement Specialist, U.S. Consulate General, Thessaloniki, Greece

Ioanna is the Public Engagement Specialist at the U.S. Consulate General in Thessaloniki, serving in that position since 2008. An experienced professional in Public Affairs, she is proficient in implementing strategies, coordinating and event planning with strong communication and interpersonal skills. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science and International Relations from Queens College, City University of New York. She is a member of the American University Graduates Association of Northern Greece and a member of the UNESCO Center for Women and Peace in the Balkan Countries.    
Betty Tsakarestou
Associate Professor & Head of Advertising and Public Relations Lab
Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
Department of Communication, Media, and Culture
Betty Tsakarestou, an associate professor, Head of ADandPRLAB at the Department of Communication, Media and Culture of Panteion University in Athens.
Betty is the Branding Chair & European Research Co-Liaison for International Communication Division at The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (USA) and serves at the BoD of the Institute of Communication in Athens. 
Betty has gained international research and teaching experience as a visiting scholar in universities in the USA, Europe, Asia, and LATAM.
She has co-organized thematic Startup Weekends and multi-stakeholder co-creation workshops on city branding- social innovation- participatory journalism challenges
Betty is an alumna of the Study of U.S. Institutes (SUSI) on Journalism and Media at Ohio University alumna,  a project leader of The Room Where It Happens project, a MIL initiative funded through an Alumni TIES small grant.
Betty served as the director of Educational Radio-Television at the Ministry of Education & member of the media literacy expert group in EC. Currently has joined the Mediterranean Group of UNESCO MIL Alliance supported by EKOME 

Nikos Panagiotou
Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Media Communication, Faculty of Economic and Political Sciences, Aristotle University and DAAD Scholar to Deutsche Welle, President of DCN Global 
Dr. Nikos S. Panagiotou is Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Media Communication, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has been a DAAD Scholar at Deutsche Welle, Chevening Scholar of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office UK, RCAP Scholar from APU University Japan, Scholar to Beijing Foreign Studies University, Scholar at Sabanci University (Turkey), Scholar of the State of Luxembourg. He has an extensive research work which has been funded from Google (DNI Initiative fund). He is the initiator and organizer of Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy and in charge of Digital Communication Network Global and Director of Peace Journalism Lab School of Journalism and Mass Media Communication, Aristotle University. He has a track record research and project work regarding disinformation, Fake News Hunters, Refugees against disinformation etc.
Vassilis Tsoulis
Founder & CEO, YET
Serial entrepreneur, mentor, networker, business angel. Has academic training in international relations, and European and global politics. Ηas experience as Apple's manager of education and training. Possesses extensive experience in establishing and running organizations that encourage careers and linking graduates with the industry, as he was leading Career & startup offices at IEK Delta 360 and the University of Sheffield International Faculty. Has been taking part in several national and European projects that are focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainability, increasing skills, capacity and employment, startups, new technologies, responsible research & innovation etc. Has excellent design, setup, and implementation skills for educational and training activities. He is the Founder and CEO of YET NGO, which focuses on EU and other projects (H2020, Marie Curie, Interreg, Erasmus+, Creative Europe, etc.) and seeks to support and promote startups, scaleups, and skills development.
Nasos Panagiotidis
Co-Founder & COO, YET
Strategic thinker with academic training and working background in business development, entrepreneurship and marketing. Has worked extensively in the marketing, sales, and exports field in Greece as well as in business consulting focusing on tech startups in the gaming, blockchain and fintech arena on a European and international level based in Malta.

Co-founder and COO of YET NGO, an organisation focusing on EU and international projects such as H2020, Marie Curie, Interreg, Erasmus+ and others, pursuing to support, encourage and promote entrepreneurship, skills development, and new technologies.

Tech enthusiast having a keen interested in start-ups, web 3.0 and digital trust, information sourcing, IoT and datafication, open-source economy, distributed enterprises, design thinking, service design and UX design.

Has participated in numerous European Projects focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainability, capacity building and employment, start-ups, new technologies, digitalization, decentralisation and democracy.
Christoforos Aivazidis
CIO, YET NGO
Christoforos Aivazidis studied law and vehicle engineering but his love and passion for technology and specifically programming led him to different business paths. While at a young age computers and programming were never part of his daily life everything changed about 16 years ago when he started his first website. The need to integrate certain functions into his website led him to write his first lines of code.
Founding member of various businesses with a strong online presence as well as in the tourism sector. His first startup was from the tourism industry. In 2017 he participated in SXSW as a member of the Greek delegation.
The need to contribute to the community and society led him to get involved in YET, where together with the partners they try to make the world a better place, taking one step at a time.
Marianna Tanagia 
Communications Director of DCN Global 
Marianna Tanagia is a journalist, working as an editor, digital content creator and head of communications for the last 20 years. She studied Journalism and she did her Master's degree on Journalism and New Media at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. As part of her master thesis, she created the online magazine “Publishit" which is inspired by crowdsourcing journalism and has received an award by Regional Media Greece (Bronze Award "Best Column", 2017). She also works as an adult educator, as well as a facilitator in digital journalism, content creation and social media workshops. She was included in the list of 50 young (under forties) disruptors of Northern Greece (2018).
Panos Rafailidis
EU Projects coordinator, YET NGO, UX/UI Designer & Researcher
Having always been interested in aiding others through different means, I did my Bachelor's in Political science and Social administration. My passion for user-centered technology was so immense that I decided to complete 2 Master's programs, in Applied IT and Learning and Software & Design at Göteborgs & Chalmers University in Sweden. I focused on UX Research and UI Design, simulation-based learning, VR-AR, Gamification, and Digital Transformation. My empathy and incline towards research aided me to conduct 2 research projects at the University of Gothenburg related to the learning potential through gamification as well as analysis and reshaping of Stack Overflow. Currently being a Projects Researcher & Coordinator for YET NGO, implementing EU projects that focus on increasing learning capabilities for youth and professionals alike, Digital Transformation & Innovation for entrepreneurs and start-ups. I am also working on the digital redesign (UX/UI) for the famous cooperation ASEPOP Velventou (Velvita) with the guidance of a multi-year experienced mentor.
Katerina Panagiotidou 
Project Manager & Digital Marketer | YET NGO
A social media professional and creative digital content creator that assists organizations and businesses in scaling up by developing a distinct and strategic online presence. She has teamed up with several innovative organizations as part of creative and communications teams and has collaborated with various marketing agencies and start-ups.

Being an associate partner of YET since 2016, she has been actively involved in the project management and the implementation of several EU projects focusing on entrepreneurship, innovation, ​​skills development, and capacity building. She has managed projects for high-profile global events and was a member of the core team that developed and delivered UNESCO's most recent Global Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).
Vassilis Plegas
Founder, 2ence Growth Marketing & Consulting Agency
Vassilis Plegas founded 2ence, an x2 award-winning Growth Marketing & Consulting Agency based in Athens, Greece. He has worked with a variety of startups, enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses, and public sector organizations, fostering their domestic and international business growth. Vasilis graduated with honors from Panteion University's Communication, Media, and Culture Department, and he also attended an intensive bootcamp on "Reporting on International Affairs" at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, DC. His BA research thesis focused on misinformation about covid-19 in online parental Facebook communities. Adding to that, Vassilis has also advised several politicians on their online communication, having been very interested in political communication since his university days. He strongly believes that in order to reap the full benefits of our extensive science and technology advancements, we must focus more on steadily improving our decision-making processes as individuals and as a society. As a result, he spends the majority of his free time learning about cognitive science and how he can help himself and others make better decisions.
Anastasia Zapantioti
Co-Founder, 2ence Growth Marketing & Consulting Agency
Young woman entrepreneur with a passion for digital media. She has co-founded the x2 award winning 2ence Growth Marketing and Consulting Agency, collaborating as a growth partner with a diverse range of small-medium businesses, enterprises and institutions of the private and the public sector in Greece and abroad. She is leading a flexible team of highly skilled and adaptive individuals, handling day to day operations and communication with the clients, while ensuring that all project are running properly and are meeting deadlines. Anastasia has also, worked extensively in the Public Relations & Event Planning fields, where she gained valuable experience managing clients from a variety of industries and markets on a national and international scale. She is a Panteion University and AD&PRLab alumni, holding a Bachelor Degree from the Communications, Media and Culture Department with honors.
 Palmyra Giannakidi   
Advertising and public relations 
Palmyra is a fourth year student at Panteion University at the department of Communication media and culture she has chosen to follow the direction of advertising and public relations and she is an active member of AD & PR LAB. She has a passion for sustainability, innovation and creativity. She runs the social media pages and she is a content creator for the Ethnological museum of Thrace and she was an intern for fashion brand Rianna and Nina  
Katerina Beli
Political and European communications professional 
Katerina Beli is a professional of political and European communications. She holds a BA Honours in Journalism and Mass Communications from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a master’s degree in European Studies from King’s College London. As part of her postgraduate degree, she also spent an exchange semester studying European Affairs and Public Policy in Sciences Po Paris. She is a firm believer in the power of communication as a tool which connects people and plays an integral role in the shaping of personal and communal identities, a fact reflected in her work as a strategic communication consultant and event coordinator for multiple international organisations, including DCN global. In October 2022 she will begin her Blue Book traineeship in the Directorate-General for Communication of the European Commission.

Maria Kokidou
Head of Outreach & Content at Found.ation | Content Strategist
Creative content editor, experienced journalist, innovation strategist with a twist. A storyteller in love with technology with a keen eye for insights and patterns. Working with startups, entrepreneurs and C-level executives.
Maria started her professional career as a journalist. Her studies in Media, Communication and New Technologies led her to work as a technical editor in a few leading technological magazines. She served as the longest standing Editor in Chief of the Greek edition of PC Magazine (10 years), while at the same time pursuing two master's degrees on Technology and New Media.
Being an avid supporter of every innovating idea, she engaged with the startup community quite early. Currently acting as an editor in chief for all research activities and publications of Found.ation and its satellite companies, deploying the company’s content marketing strategy, and orchestrating a team of editors curating and producing quality content published monthly by most top tier media outlets. Successfully curating and ghostwriting for top level executives’ profiles.


DisinfoHackathon is part of DisinfoHacks Program, organised by DCN Global, ADandPRLab @cmcPanteionUniversity and YET, funded by the Department of State and U.S. Mission GREECE, and supported by Amazon Web Services, National Bank of Greece, Socialinnov and Found.ation.

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