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David Mekkaoui is the CEO of All Digital, a network promoting digital inclusion and education across Europe.Former CEO of Euractiv, he led this pan-European media specialised in EU affairs to growth and profitability,culminating in its acquisition by Mediahuis in 2023.
Committed to equal opportunities and AI innovation, David contributes as a board member to Europe MédiaLab, Alliance Française, and the Scouts & Guides associations,supporting media, cultural, and educational initiatives. An Oxford graduate with expertise in finance and governance, his career began with an international marketing award at The Wall Street Journal Europe and contributing to Expedia’s launch in Europe.
Currently, as Founder & CEO of HER Venture HUB, a women-centric social enterprise, she knows firsthand the pains (hello, gray hairs!) and gains (deep purpose) of raising a global social enterprise from the ground up.
Luísa Baltazar is a high-impact advisor, results-driven consultant, and founder with 25+ years of experience in the corporate, startup, and non-profit sectors, spanning Silicon Valley, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. She offers executive training and advisory services to equip teams with the skills and strategies needed to drive sustainability, impact, and innovation. As a speaker, she covers topics including #SocialEconomy #Impact #Entrepreneurship #Business #Strategy #Leadership #Innovation #DEI.
To individuals, Luisa is a business and leadership coach, mentor and trainer with a proven track record of impact, as reflected in numerous client testimonials. Her expertise lies at the intersection of Social Impact & Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Business Strategy, AI-driven Solutions, and Future-Proof Leadership Skills, helping executives, investors, startups, and organizations stay ahead of global shifts while driving growth and impact. With extensive experience in corporate, startup, and non-profit ecosystems, including tech industries and innovation across global markets, she has played a key role in creating and scaling multiple ventures.
To organizations, as a strategist, leader, and founder, Luisa is known for being ethical, reliable, and resourceful, bringing a “Get S#it Done” mindset, multidisciplinary expertise, and a global perspective to every challenge. Her boundless energy and commitment to value-driven solutions ensure the delivery of holistic, real-world results with purpose at the core. Having worked with Google, the European Innovation Council (EU), Karolinska Institutet, and as the global leader for AI Research Lab42 in Davos, she has gained deep insights into how technology, innovation, strategy, and leadership shape and drive the future. With ESG policies tightening and AI transforming industries, she helps organizations adapt, integrate innovation, and unlock new revenue streams not just to stay compliant, but to lead in the new global social economy.
A lifelong learner, hands-on professional, and natural communicator, Luísa constantly seeks ways to turn knowledge into wisdom. Believing in paying it forward, she dedicates her time and expertise to social projects that contribute to a better future.
CEO of the Lithuanian Social Business Association | Social Business Ecosystem Builder | Change Facilitator
Viktorija Braziunaite is passionate about inspiring people to pursue their dreams and realize their talents. With over 10 years of experience in managing international projects, she is known for her enthusiasm and ambition, consistently delivering projects on time, within budget, and within scope. Highly educated yet down-to-earth, Viktorija applies a hands-on, target-driven approach to her work.
She is currently actively involved in building the Lithuanian social business ecosystem, with a special focus on legal regulation, raising awareness, and fostering international cooperation.
Her other areas of expertise include international parliamentary cooperation, NGO leaders’ empowerment, innovation and entrepreneurship development, start-up mentoring and acceleration, national and EU (Horizon 2020) innovation promotion, public relations, and change management.
Senior Manager at PwC Belgium
Enya Steenssens is a Senior Manager at PwC Belgium, where she coordinates and oversees the Scale Programme for Belgium, supporting the growth of innovative startups across various industries. She manages 10 Belgian startup acceleration programmes under PwC | Scale, where she supports European B2B technology startups in scaling their businesses. This involves providing interactive masterclasses, organizing inspirational events with industry key players, and facilitating curated pitching events to connect startups with PwC’s internal and external network. Furthermore, Enya leads the startup scouting phases, which include database scouting, outreach to international networks, development of inbound and outbound strategies, coordination with the marketing team, creation of longlists, and conducting interviews with over 1,000 startups.
Director of R&D and Project Management at the Center for Social Innovation (CSI)
Dr. Katerina Theodoridou is the Director of R&D and Project Management at the Center for Social Innovation (CSI), where she coordinates the organization’s European-funded projects, as well as CSI Academy, through which the project managers that undertake the research and development phases of the projects are trained. A former Fulbright scholar, she holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Austin, with a specialization in Educational Technology. Her core expertise focuses on program design and evaluation, curriculum development, ICT-based learning, language learning methods, Computer-Assisted Language Learning, and the use of avatars in vocabulary acquisition. In the past 15 years she has worked on projects related to the design and development of interactive games, e-learning, curriculum development, instructional approaches, and innovation infusion in organizations. Specifically, as a researcher, curriculum developer, project manager, and expert facilitator/trainer she has been involved in programs that focus on educational planning, the integration of ICT in education, developing educational materials for online learning and professional training, and assessment of learning needs. She has also worked on various projects that focus on the integration and inclusion of migrants and other marginalized groups. Her research interests include, among others, the integration of technology and online learning environments in teaching and learning, digital literacy for youth, capacity-building skills for educators, the use of ICT in language teaching methods, and project management skills for professionals.
Senior Business Consultant in the Advisory department at PwC Cyprus
Specialising in Human Resources with a distinct focus in Learning and Development interventions. Evi leverages her expertise to empower international organisations in the public and private sector to grow through upskilling and reskilling interventions. She has experience in crafting and facilitating innovative and sustainable training solutions, utilizing a diverse array of methodologies including face-to-face or virtual workshops, development centers, and e-Learning courses. Her capabilities include experience in business transformation from strategy to execution with a focus on Human Resource elements, both within the public and private sector. Her multifaceted skill set encompasses governance and organizational restructuring, development of HR processes and procedures, workforce and succession planning, skills and competencies assessment, people engagement surveys, and performance and reward management processes. Evi is adept at fostering stakeholder engagement and aligning HR strategies with overarching business objectives, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability. Moreover, Evi boasts experience in customer and user experience services. Using a diverse range of research methods, she analyses behaviours and with the strategic application of design thinking processes, she crafts compelling customer journeys and personas that elevate the overall user experience and drive customer satisfaction and loyalty. Evi has a MSc in Human Resource Management, from the University of Cyprus, and a BSc in Psychology, obtained from the University of Crete in Greece.
Manager in the Advisory Department at PwC Cyprus
Where she serves as an expert in innovation and entrepreneurship within the Business Consulting unit. In addition to her role, she serves as the coordinator of the PwC Cyprus Scale-up Programme, designed to provide startups with specialized services and tools to accelerate growth. Her responsibilities include overseeing the program’s design, establishment, and operation. Bringing over 6 years of extensive experience, Konstantina has played a pivotal role in managing and contributing to the implementation of various European and National funded projects, including Horizon, Erasmus+, and Interreg. She is deeply engaged in representing PwC Cyprus in entrepreneurship and tech events, such as Cyprus Entrepreneurship Competition (CyEC), Student Innovators (SINN) Competition, BridgeSTEAM, etc. Moreover, Konstantina actively participates in other innovation and entrepreneurship endeavors, offering guidance on European and National Funding Opportunities and crafting communication strategies and action plans to support the development of innovative products and services. Noteworthy engagements include contributing to the Development of Cyprus’s long-term economic strategy under the Cyprus Economy & Competitiveness Council – DG REFORM, as well as collaborating on the formulation of Cyprus’s Recovery & Resilience Plan with the Ministry of Finance. Konstantina’s academic background includes an MSc in Biomedical Sciences and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Cyprus, underpinning her interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving and strategic planning within the realm of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Senior Manager in the Advisory Department at PwC Cyprus
Brings a wealth of expertise in state governance and policy optimisation. With a focus on enhancing the efficiency of government organisations and service delivery, Charis has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at refining governance structures, implementing key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge progress, and streamlining regulatory processes to reduce administrative burdens. Throughout her career, Charis has played a pivotal role in driving reform within the Cyprus government and public sector. Her responsibilities have encompassed stakeholder identification, mapping, and engagement through a variety of interactive platforms, including physical and virtual workshops. Charis’s professional repertoire extends to co-creating strategic visions, fostering leadership alignment, and guiding organizational restructuring in alignment with corporate objectives. She excels in evaluating operating models, pinpointing areas for enhancement, and delivering comprehensive recommendations and action plans to drive meaningful change and transformation. Charis has a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), obtained from the EDHEC Business School in France and a BSc in Economics, obtained from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom.
Policy Officer, DG Grow – Single Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Alberto is currently working in the Directorate General for Single Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, in the Unit for Proximity, Social Economy and Cultural&Creative Industries. He is part of the Social Economy Team and deals with project relating to social innovation and regional issues.
At the European Commission since 2002, in his career he has been dealing mainly with Innovation and Industrial policy. He carried out projects in the field of Innovation analysis and measurement, Industrial modernisation, Inter-regional cooperation and Smart Specialisation.
Alberto graduated in Political Science specialising in Economics and holds a Master in Business Administration and Marketing. Before joining the European Commission he worked for about ten years in Italy in the private sector as marketing manager, independent business advisor and free-lance export manager for small and medium-size enterprises.
Eefje appears to be a remarkable individual who has leveraged her life experiences as a driver to develop systemic solutions and become a serial social entrepreneur. Her focus on involving all stakeholders in society is commendable, as it promotes a holistic approach to addressing complex issues. In summary, Eefje’s approach focuses on inclusivity, community engagement, and grassroots innovation to address complex societal challenges. Her company’s, such as Cokido and the 6 pollinator hubs, De Stuyverij, promote a bottom-up approach to problem-solving and have a positive impact on various aspects of society in Flanders.
Sam Taylor is a Manager at PwC Raise Ventures, where he advises early-stage, high-growth companies in the build up and through their Series A investment rounds. He is also a mentor for the University of Helsinki’s Biosphere incubator where he advises companies on early product and go to market strategies. Having supported numerous deals, and leveraging PwC’s yearly analysis of term sheets, Sam is well poised to comment on the market standards of deal terms in Seed, Series A, and Series B deals. With an educational background in Biotechnology where he focused on CRISPR gene-editing, Sam specialises in advising DeepTech companies across several vertices such as HealthTech, CleanTech, Computing, and Energy to name a few. Sam has previous experience as a strategy consultant in the fields of pharma and life sciences, where he has conducted commercial due diligence, growth strategies, and merger/separation support. In sum, Sam’s expertise spans early-stage financial modelling, go-to-market planning, commercial due diligence, global expansion, market sizing, and venture capital.
Diversity and Inclusion Project Manager & Representative, Diversity Charter Cyprus (DCC)
Mrs. Eleni Ploutarchou is a dynamic professional with expertise in diversity, inclusion, and social innovation. With a background in politics, history, and multicultural studies, she actively contributes to European projects, counseling, and initiatives on migration, climate change, and education. Her strong communication skills, team spirit, and commitment to positive societal impact make her a valuable asset in fostering inclusion and social development.
Emily Psara holds a BA in Political Sciences from Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki in Greece, and a MA in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester, UK. Her postgraduate work focused mainly on the fragile and constable nature of borders, and on the cultural construction of the past. In addition to her studies, she has been involved in ethnographic and film projects dealing with the phenomenon of migration and cultural diversity. As a member of the Center for Social Innovation team she works as a Senior Project Manager and on projects focusing on environmental education and awareness, social entrepreneurship, and gender equality and women’s empowerment.
the Director of Strategic Development of the Center for Social Innovation - CSI.
Sotiris is coordinating the grants and tenders’ preparations, applications, and fundraising services of the organization, and his team is coordinating the overall networking and outreach activities of CSI.
The CSI is awarded projects from a wide range of Global, European, and International funding agencies such as Horizon Europe, ERASMUS+, EuropeAid, Research Promotion Foundation, United Nations Development Program, and other public and private agencies, of a total value of more than 60 million euros. He has been involved in more than 200 programs and initiatives on social innovation, social justice and empowerment, and vocational training, as a Team Leader and Researcher.
Co-Founder and the CEO of CSI (The Center for Social Innovation).
Demetris C. Hadjisofocli is a social entrepreneur, innovator, and mentor with expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems, and intellectual property. As Co-Founder and Managing Director of CSI, he has led over 50 projects in entrepreneurship, digital learning, and life sciences. With prior experience at Worldcom DVG managing a $2B investment portfolio, he has worked with pioneering ICT companies. He has driven startup acceleration, academia-business collaboration, and youth entrepreneurship programs like Junior Achievement Cyprus. A strategic thinker, he applies AI and contextual thinking to business ecosystems. Holding multiple advanced degrees, he is currently pursuing a doctorate on localized innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Head of Unit, ‘Proximity, Social Economy and Creative Industries’, at the European Commission.
An EU official since 2002, she has held different positions at services and Cabinet-level at the European Commission and the Council of the EU, relating to tourism and textiles, culture and media policy, creative industries, and external relations. Before joining the EU civil service, Anna worked as Adviser to two Ministers of Culture in Greece and as Director of Programme Planning for the Athens 2004 Cultural Olympiad. In parallel, she lectured on History of Art and Cultural Management. Anna studied Archaeology (University of Thessaloniki), specialised in History of Art, where she holds an M.A. (George Washington University) and a Ph.D (Courtauld Institute of Art), and is the author of publications on History of Art and cultural policy.
