San Franciscopoulos

Vassilis Tziokas (Head of Ecosystem Success Matter Labs)
Melina Mai (Big Pi Ventures)
Nick Kalliagkopoulos (Big Pi Ventures)
Guy Krief (Big Pi Ventures)

0:00 Intro
0:32 Vassilis Tziokas 
2:02 Crypto Basics
8:27 Bitcoin (Is there fundamental value?)
14:15 US Digital Asset Stockpile
16:31 Ethereum and building applications on top 
18:49 Zero Knowledge
20:18 Blockchain and AI
26:40 Current blockchain applications 
28:58 Stablecoins
34:18 FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, and the crypto domino
38:40 Government applications of blockchain
45:59 Can blockchain replace notaries?
47:34 Crypto and the US election
50:37 Crypto Optimism in the US
52:28 Trump coin scam
58:10 Are we moving backward or forward? 
59:28 VC is booming and Greece is on the map

• Melina Mai (Big Pi Ventures)
• Nick Kalliagkopoulos (Big Pi Ventures)
• Guy Krief (Big Pi Ventures)

0:00 - Intro

2:46 - Greek Startup Ecosystem 2024

• Discussion around the latest Foundation Report: €555M raised in 2024.
• Challenges for scaling Greek startups into global ecosystems.
• A discussion on major exits, including their representation in the ecosystem's maturity narrative.
• Discussion on what defines a mature ecosystem, comparing Greece to global leaders like Israel and the Netherlands.
• Insights into angel investing gaps, the importance of industry-aligned backers, and the growing need for pre-seed and growth-stage funding.

31:51 - The AI Race in 2025: US vs. China

• The geopolitical stakes of the generative AI race, driven by the US and China.
• Europe's position as a regulatory force rather than a technological contender, with attempts at initiatives like Mistral AI for regional sovereignty.
• The role of AI in defense technologies, such as drones, with implications from conflicts like Ukraine.
• The dominance of China in the robotics value chain and the global reliance on Taiwan for chip production.
• Broader impacts of AI on manufacturing, with predictions of transformational change driven by AI integration into robotics.

54:12 - Recent Greek Deal: Corsmed ($3.5M)

• A spotlight on Corsmed’s groundbreaking innovation in MRI technology, making full-body scans faster and more affordable.

1:00:00 - International Deals: Anthropic ($2B), Zension Technologies ($30M), Oura ($200M)

• Insights into Anthropic’s anticipated funding round and its position as a top-valued US startup.
• Zension Technologies’ Series A round led by Saudi Aramco, revolutionizing device management for telcos.
• Oura’s growth through its latest funding, redefining health monitoring with wearable technology.

Melina Mai (Big Pi Ventures)
Eleftherios Karabatsakis (Carge - PPC)
Alex Eleftheriadis (Big Pi Ventures)
Nick Kalliagkopoulos (Big Pi Ventures)
Guy Krief (Big Pi Ventures)

AI Highlights:

• OpenAI’s technological strides and ethical challenges, including concerns about manipulative behaviors and self-preservation mechanisms in advanced AI models.
• The rise of AI startups like Perplexity AI and Mistral AI, European sovereignty in AI, and the competitive funding landscape.
• The environmental costs of AI, from water and energy consumption in data centers to the broader sustainability challenges posed by large-scale adoption.
• The future of AI specialization and its integration into diverse industries, transforming productivity and enterprise workflows.

EV Insights:

• Analysis of EV adoption in Greece, touching on infrastructure development, charging station availability, and evolving public perceptions.
• Scaling EV infrastructure to meet growing demand, with insights into government incentives and their impact on the Greek market.
• Global EV market, focusing on BYD’s dominance, Tesla’s competition, and the role of Chinese innovation in reshaping the industry.
• The environmental sustainability of EVs, including the ecological cost of battery production and the potential of hydrogen as an alternative energy source.

Recent Greek deals: Piney and Butler.

Interesting deals: spotlight on /dev/agents ($56M), Planet A Foods ($30M), Luma AI ($90M).

Melina Mai (Big Pi Ventures)
Panagiotis Karampinis (Endeavor)
Nick Kalliagkopoulos  (Big Pi Ventures)
Guy Krief (Big Pi Ventures)

Slush Festival Highlights:

• Recap of the Slush event in Helsinki, emphasizing its role in fostering innovation and collaboration in the Nordic ecosystem.

• Discussion on Greece’s need for a large-scale tech event and how lessons from Slush could apply locally.

Golden Visa & Startup Visa:

• Analysis of Greece’s evolving Golden Visa program, including upcoming incentives to support startup investments.

• Comparison with successful visa initiatives in Portugal and Spain and their impact on local ecosystems.

Eurobank & Plum Partnership: insights into Eurobank’s €5M minority investment in Plum, a fintech focused on financial planning and savings.

Interesting deals: spotlight on Starfish ($29M), Physical Intelligence ($400M) and Faircraft (€15M).