Marianna Nathanail
Head
European Investment Bank
Greece & Cyprus
Marianna Nathanail is Head of the European Investment Bank’s Office in Greece & Cyprus. With more than 25 years of experience across banking, legal and policy arenas, she has held senior roles at the EIB’s Luxembourg headquarters, focusing on capital markets, risk management and policy development.
She was also a Financial Markets Policy Officer at DG FISMA (DG Internal Markets) of the European Commission as well as Legal Counsel at the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission.
At the EIB, Marianna advances strategic priorities spanning sustainable investment, energy transition, innovation and social value, working across EU delegations, public and private stakeholders. She holds a law degree, an LL.M. and an MSc in Banking & Finance.
Alexandra Balkova
General Partner & Head of Portfolio
Startup Wise Guys
Alexandra Balkova is a seasoned early-stage investor and portfolio leader who currently serves as General Partner & Head of Portfolio at Startup Wise Guys (SWG). With over a decade in venture capital, she oversees a global portfolio of hundreds of startups across more than 60 countries.
Her earlier career began in public relations and communications, across sectors such as logistics, telco and IT, before she transitioned into investor-relations and deal sourcing at a family office in Ukraine.
At SWG she has taken on leadership of accelerator programmes specialising in B2B SaaS and scaling pre-seed companies in “New Europe” (CEE/CIS) as well as more broadly international markets. Under her stewardship, SWG’s investment engine has deployed dozens of accelerator batches and seed-stage investments, positioning the firm as one of Europe’s most active pre-seed investors.
Alexandra brings deep insights on the intersection between early-stage venture funding, founder support frameworks and regional growth ecosystems. Her operational history in deal sourcing, portfolio development and founder enablement makes her well-suited to address themes of startup value creation, structural transformation and cross-border growth strategy.
Alexandra is particularly passionate about supporting female-led teams and enabling founders to build sustainable, globally oriented companies.
Zsuzsanna Bodi
Programme Director Europe
Mastercard Strive Programme
Zsuzsanna will be presenting the Mastercard Strive Programme, an initiative that provides grants to small enterprises active in artificial intelligence, access to finance, cybersecurity and other areas.
Zsuzsanna has over 13 years of leadership experience as an open innovation expert, working across the EU. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with a diverse client portfolio on topics including deep tech, big data, digital skills and jobs, space technology, entrepreneurship, platform development, circular economy, and smart cities.
Zsuzsanna joined the Caribou Digital team to coordinate the Mastercard Strive EU programme, the latest addition to Strive, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth's global portfolio of programs supporting small business growth.
In her most recent role, Zsuzsanna led the coordination of the innovation agenda for the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. Previously, Zsuzsanna managed the Hungarian business incubation programme for the European Space Agency (ESA) and served as Associate Director of the European Network of Living Labs - ENoLL, overseeing 25+ research and innovation projects and representing 200+ innovation stakeholders in front of EU policymakers and institutional bodies.
Zsuzsanna holds Hungarian-Belgian nationality and enjoys visiting her second home: Brussels. She earned an MBA from the Université Jean Moulin - Lyon and an M.Sc. in Engineering and Management from the Technical University of Budapest.
Andrea Böhmert
Managing Partner
SBI Ventures Europe
Andrea Böhmert is Managing Partner of SBI Ventures Europe, the European-focused venture capital arm affiliated with Japan’s SBI Holdings. Under her leadership she drives strategic investments in technology-driven growth companies across Europe.
SBI Holdings traces its roots back to SoftBank Group, originally spun off in 1999 to pursue technology-led financial services and investment. Over the years, SoftBank has financed some of the largest-known global startups, including Alibaba, Uber, ARM Holdings, WeWork and others. Through its venture and fund programmes, SBI has built a portfolio of more than 1,100 companies and over US $7 billion in assets under management.
Andrea is a seasoned venture capital and growth-equity partner with over two decades of leadership experience spanning fund management, technology investing, startup scaling and exit-oriented business building. Her career features senior roles that converge investment discipline with operational execution, enabling her to serve both as a capital partner and strategic enabler for growth-stage tech ventures.
In her current capacity, Andrea operates at the intersection of investor and board-level leadership: she supports scaling tech companies, drives value creation, and focuses on exit readiness. Her insights draw on deep experience in sourcing, making and growing investments, and on structuring governance and exit pathways. She also engages with the startup ecosystem as a non-executive director and thought-leader, particularly in the German market.
Marina Bouki
Angel Investor and Financial Professional
Marina will be presenting on her experience as an angel investor in Athens and London.
Marina is an angel investor who has completed over 16 investments in Greece and internationally. In addition, she is a Board Member at Aegean Baltic Bank S.A. and an independent member of the Investment Committee Member at Halcyon Equity Partners AIFM, In both roles, she advises on tech and innovation investments.
Marina also serves as a Senior Advisor at Bain & Company and at Delphos, offering strategic insights and advisory services.
Previously, Marina worked at Morgan Stanley for 16 years, rising to the position of Managing Director. At Morgan Stanley, she worked on strategic advisory, M&A, capital raising, IPOs, and asset and liability restructuring, particularly within the banking, insurance, and fintech sectors.
Before Morgan Stanley, she was a consultant at WTW and an analyst at Standard Life UK, where she gained valuable experience in actuarial and management consulting.
Marina earned an MBA in Business and Finance from Columbia Business School and an MSc in Actuarial Sciences from Heriot Watt University. She is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
Zacharia George
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Launch Africa Ventures
Zach will be presenting his fascinating journey from Wall Street to founding the largest pre-seed VC fund in Africa. He will also be presenting on the tremendous potential of Africa as an investment destination.
Zachariah George is a Managing Partner at Launch Africa Ventures: the most prominent and active early-stage Venture Capital Fund across the African continent, solving the significant gap in the pre-Series A investment landscape in Africa.
He is also the co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at Startupbootcamp AfriTech – the leading multi-corporate backed venture accelerator program in Africa. Zach is widely recognized as one of Africa’s most prominent investors, with investments in 100+ of the leading tech startups in Africa including Flutterwave, Kudabank, MPost, Peach Payments, RecoMed and several others.
Zach was formerly the head of Africa Investments for U-Start, the largest network of private Multi-Family offices in Europe. Prior to moving to South Africa, he was an investment banker on Wall Street covering M&A, corporate finance strategy and risk management at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital.
Zach has a Master’s degree in Finance & Management from Stanford University and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.
Yiannos Georgiades
Yiannos Georgiades is a veteran commercial and corporate lawyer whose career spans more than three decades. He holds an LL.B (Hons) from the University of West London and was called to the Bar at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn in London in 1990. Early in his career he worked in a London‐based solicitor’s firm and later had visiting attorney stints in Chicago and Washington D.C. with firms such as Corboy & Demetrio and Baker & Hostetler.
Since 1992 he has been the Managing Partner (Founder) of Y. Georgiades & Associates LLC (with offices in Cyprus, the UK and Greece), a full-service international law firm specialising in corporate, commercial, mergers & acquisitions, intellectual property, real-estate, dispute resolution and investment immigration matters.
In addition to his legal practice, Yiannos has played a significant role in the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Cyprus. He is a co‐founder and Partner of Kinisis Ventures Ltd, a Cyprus-based accelerator and early‐stage investment vehicle focused on scaling technology-driven companies toward international markets, particularly the U.S.
Through this venture, Yiannos has helped channel legal, business and investment frameworks into building a startup infrastructure on the island, bridging his expertise in corporate‐commercial and IP law with the high-growth start-up sector.
Beyond his dual hats as lawyer and investor/accelerator partner, Yiannos holds key advisory and governance roles in several industry bodies. He serves as the President of the Cyprus Chapter of the European Court of Arbitration and Mediation for Commercial Disputes (CEAM) and has acted as a Nominated Advisor (NOMAD) for the Emerging Companies Market (ECM) of the Cyprus Stock Exchange. His cross‐disciplinary vantage spanning legal practice, dispute resolution, investment supporting mechanisms and tech-ecosystem building positions him uniquely at the intersection of law, finance and innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Heinz Marx
Managing Partner
Round2 Capital
Heinz Marx is a seasoned investment partner and growth‐capital expert based in Vienna, Austria, where he serves as Managing Partner at Round2 Capital Partners. Round 2 is professional background includes structuring and scaling investment opportunities in technology-driven businesses, with a particular focus on software and recurring-revenue models.
At Round2 Capital, Marx helps lead the firm’s mission to provide an alternative financing pathway for growing European software companies. Round2 specialises in revenue-based financing, an investment model where capital is repaid through a share of future revenues rather than traditional equity dilution.
Under his leadership, the firm supports hundreds of software businesses in a funding gap traditionally underserved by banks or venture capital. Marx’s role is especially relevant for discussions on scaling tech-enabled, real-economy enterprises that seek growth without sacrificing ownership or strategic control.
Dr. Badr Moudden
Co-Founder & Managing Director
K2 Match
Badr is a seasoned expert in strategic development, renowned for his ability to elevate sales growth through effective tender management, negotiation, and deal closing. With over 30 years of experience, he has held senior executive positions in B2B sales, marketing, and procurement, contributing significantly to industries such as chemicals, automotive, engineering, machinery, industrial distribution, and B2B software (SaaS).
Throughout his career, Badr has demonstrated a remarkable ability to scale businesses and guide companies through seed and Series A funding rounds. He has consulted for top European companies and startups, leveraging his expertise to foster growth and innovation. As a serial founder and business angel, Badr has been instrumental in launching and nurturing various ventures, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit.
Badr is Co-Founder of K2 Match, an angel investor and professional networking organization based in Cyprus and Monaco. He also serves as the President of Manager Lounge Düsseldorf, where he mentors startups and coaches emerging leaders.
His role as an international networker is further enhanced by his fluency in seven languages, including German, English, French, and Arabic, enabling him to connect with professionals across the globe.