Proving a technology works in the lab is one thing. Building a company that can make it work in the real world is another. Dr Vasileios Drakonakis shares his journey from researcher to entrepreneur—and what it takes to turn advanced technologies into real industrial applications.

Vassilis is a Mechanical and Aeronautics Engineer, Co-Founder and CEO of AmaDema. He holds a Diploma in Mechanical and Aeronautics Engineering from the University of Patras, Greece (2008), and a PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington, USA (2012). He has extensive international experience in advanced materials, specializing in the development, industrial processing and characterization of advanced polymer composites, combined with strong expertise in technology and innovation project management. His career includes research positions in leading laboratories and universities across the USA, Greece and Cyprus, with doctoral research supported primarily by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Since co-founding AmaDema, Vassilis has served as CEO, leading the company’s growth and the transition of innovative advanced-material technologies from research to industrial applications, while successfully securing more than €10 million in funding to support the company’s development and growth.