15 March 2025
FIERCE at Forward Green Expo 2025
FIERCE was proud to participate in this year’s Forward Green Expo, held in Thessaloniki — a dynamic expedition dedicated to sustainable development and green entrepreneurship in Greece and beyond.
15 March 2025
Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement 101177496. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HADEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement 101177496. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HADEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Anne Lebreton Wolf is a professional with a background in finance and investments, holding a Masters in International Finance from HEC, an engineer diploma from CentraleSupelec and the Proficiency in English grade from the University of Cambridge.
With a rich history in various organizations, Anne has served as a Business Angel with 20+ tech/deeptech early stage EU startups, a former Esil Trainer On Innovation (Bulgaria, Malta), and serves as external expert at the European Commission, EIT Digital and EIT Manufacturing and several other institutions.
Her experience spans across portfolio management, investment, financial engineering, and strategic advisory, having worked in companies like Natixis Investment Managers, Amundi, Skandia Norden, Banque Du Louvre, and Astorg Partners.
Anne's diverse expertise includes being a part of programs like EIC Accelerator, WomenTechEU and general partner with Good Only Ventures, demonstrating her involvement in supporting entrepreneurship, innovation and impact investment.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-lebreton-wolf-ba5a37/
Vasiliki (Betty) Charalampopoulou is GEOSYSTEMS HELLAS S.A. [GSH] President & CEO and a shareholder. [GSH] was established in November 2009 as the newest member of GEOSYSTEMS EU GROUP GEOSYSTEMS EU GROUP. Nowadays, [GSH] is a Greek SME with a German minority shareholder GSH GmbH which was fully acquired from OHB SE on February 2022. Betty is a geologist, with a specialization on remote sensing, photogrammetry and GIS applications.
In 1992, she graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and since then, she has been working on commercial and research projects in the area of photogrammetry, remote sensing, earth observation and geoinformatics (GIS and WebGIS). She is actively enrolled in projects by Horizon Europe, H2020, ESA, GSRT and bi-National and in several commercial ones with a dynamic participation to the downstream space sector. Have several collaborations with national and international universities, local governments and industries. As CEO and President, she has established methodologies and formulated strategies, gaining many distributions and collaborations. In 2012, she established the company’s R & D division and had Successful R & D projects under her supervision, with transferability to many industries and countries.
She is also responsible for the distribution of roles and responsibilities in the company. She has also established several international collaborations, being involved in working groups of EARSC, GEO, FIG, UNESCO, OGC, ESA, NASA, ISA etc. Betty is an elected Director of the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC), EARSC representative in the GEO Post-2025 Working Group, is also elected in the board of the Hellenic Association of Space Industry (HASI) and the board of the si-cluster in which acts as Technical Director for SPACE 4.0. Betty is the ELOT “Expert – Greece” at the ISO TC20 /SC14 /WG 8 Downstream standardization for Space Services & Space-based Applications Group.
Areas of Expertise in Space, Agriculture, Food, Healthcare, Innovation Management, Business Development & Business Modeling, Operation, Production & Project Management, Investment & Funding, Technology.
"Fadi is a seasoned Business Innovation Strategist with a focus on entrepreneurship, working extensively with startups and organizations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East. He provides expert advice, advisory, and strategic guidance, demonstrating a strong commitment to driving DeepTech innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, and promoting sustainable business practices. His expertise in business strategy, project management, and technology innovation has helped numerous organizations and startups achieve their goals and make a positive impact in their respective industries.
Additionally, He is a highly skilled and results-driven Program and Project Director with over 20 years of experience in the ICT sector, Fadi specializes in managing complex projects and programs on both national and international levels from inception to completion.
Fadi is an active Business Expert and Advisor, working with organizations such as EIC, EBN, Stanford Seed, MassChallenge, World Business Angel Investment Forum and others. In addition, his professional journey includes various roles in software development, ICT project management, and economic development programs. He has managed multi-million-dollar portfolios and numerous projects. He holds a Master of Science in Computer & Telecom Engineering, and an Executive MBA from ESCP Europe."
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fadinaffah/
Gaetano Volpe, as CEO of Latitudo 40 a space downstream company, is a seasoned executive, mentor, and strategic advisor with a profound commitment to fostering innovation and growth within the Space and Deep Tech sectors. With extensive experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and technology commercialization, Gaetano has played a pivotal role in guiding startups, scale-ups, and established companies toward success in highly technical and rapidly evolving industries.
As a mentor and coach, Gaetano provides hands-on support in refining business strategies, securing funding, and navigating complex ecosystems such as the space industry, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced geospatial analytics. His expertise extends to helping Deep Tech founders translate groundbreaking research into commercially viable solutions, ensuring that technological advancements have real-world impact and market traction.
Gaetano has been actively involved in leading accelerator programs, collaborating with venture capital firms, and advising innovation-driven companies on scaling strategies, go-to-market execution, and international expansion. His deep understanding of public and private sector dynamics enables him to bridge the gap between research institutions, government initiatives, and commercial enterprises, fostering synergies that drive technological breakthroughs.
Passionate about knowledge sharing and industry advancement, Gaetano frequently engages in speaking engagements, panel discussions, and mentorship initiatives. His leadership and insights have empowered numerous startups and technology ventures to achieve sustainable growth, secure strategic partnerships, and position themselves as frontrunners in the highly competitive Space and Deep Tech landscapes.
With a results-driven approach and a keen eye for innovation, Gaetano Volpe remains a key enabler of progress, supporting the next generation of technology leaders in transforming visionary ideas into impactful, scalable solutions.
LinkedIn Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaetanovolpe/
Iulian Juhasz is an entrepreneur, advisor, and mentor with over 15 years of experience in the space sector, working with government agencies, large space system integrators, and startups. His expertise spans business development, space project management and strategy, with a strong focus on fostering innovation and commercialization of space technologies.
As Founder & CEO of Initium Space, he leads a consulting and technology firm dedicated to supporting space-related ventures. He has been actively involved in incubators and accelerators.
Iulian serves as a mentor and advisor in several prestigious programs, including NATO DIANA, the European Innovation Council (EIC) Scaling Club, TakeOff Accelerator (Plug and Play Italy), and the European Space Agency Business Incubator Center (Czech Republic). He is also engaged in space-related training and lectures, helping bridge the gap between cutting-edge space technologies and real-world applications.
Angelina Bekasova is Senior Expert for Space and Innovation Policy at the Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia and the Director for International Relations and Industry Development at the Latvian Space Industry Association. Her mission is to inspire and assist Latvia’s knowledge-intensive and innovative industries to advance, transfer and internationalise their capacities. In her role, Angelina is involved in the coordination of the implementation and governance of the Smart Specialisation Strategy of Latvia. Angelina is a representative of Latvia in the European Space Agency, European Organisation of Nuclear Research (CERN) and the European Union Space Programme.
Angelina entered the deep tech sector first in 2017 by joining the European Commission’s Earth Observation unit and later, worked as a science communication and management consultant in an international space sector consultancy based in Brussels and Munich.
Additionally, Angelina has a professional background in international business support and holds interdisciplinary bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business and the humanities.
LinkedIn Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelina-bekasova/
Anne Lebreton Wolf is a professional with a background in finance and investments, holding a Masters in International Finance from HEC, an engineer diploma from CentraleSupelec and the Proficiency in English grade from the University of Cambridge.
With a rich history in various organizations, Anne has served as a Business Angel with 20+ tech/deeptech early stage EU startups, a former Esil Trainer On Innovation (Bulgaria, Malta), and serves as external expert at the European Commission, EIT Digital and EIT Manufacturing and several other institutions.
Her experience spans across portfolio management, investment, financial engineering, and strategic advisory, having worked in companies like Natixis Investment Managers, Amundi, Skandia Norden, Banque Du Louvre, and Astorg Partners.
Anne's diverse expertise includes being a part of programs like EIC Accelerator, WomenTechEU and general partner with Good Only Ventures, demonstrating her involvement in supporting entrepreneurship, innovation and impact investment.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-lebreton-wolf-ba5a37/
Vasiliki (Betty) Charalampopoulou is GEOSYSTEMS HELLAS S.A. [GSH] President & CEO and a shareholder. [GSH] was established in November 2009 as the newest member of GEOSYSTEMS EU GROUP GEOSYSTEMS EU GROUP. Nowadays, [GSH] is a Greek SME with a German minority shareholder GSH GmbH which was fully acquired from OHB SE on February 2022. Betty is a geologist, with a specialization on remote sensing, photogrammetry and GIS applications.
In 1992, she graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and since then, she has been working on commercial and research projects in the area of photogrammetry, remote sensing, earth observation and geoinformatics (GIS and WebGIS). She is actively enrolled in projects by Horizon Europe, H2020, ESA, GSRT and bi-National and in several commercial ones with a dynamic participation to the downstream space sector. Have several collaborations with national and international universities, local governments and industries. As CEO and President, she has established methodologies and formulated strategies, gaining many distributions and collaborations. In 2012, she established the company’s R & D division and had Successful R & D projects under her supervision, with transferability to many industries and countries.
She is also responsible for the distribution of roles and responsibilities in the company. She has also established several international collaborations, being involved in working groups of EARSC, GEO, FIG, UNESCO, OGC, ESA, NASA, ISA etc. Betty is an elected Director of the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC), EARSC representative in the GEO Post-2025 Working Group, is also elected in the board of the Hellenic Association of Space Industry (HASI) and the board of the si-cluster in which acts as Technical Director for SPACE 4.0. Betty is the ELOT “Expert – Greece” at the ISO TC20 /SC14 /WG 8 Downstream standardization for Space Services & Space-based Applications Group.
Areas of Expertise in Space, Agriculture, Food, Healthcare, Innovation Management, Business Development & Business Modeling, Operation, Production & Project Management, Investment & Funding, Technology.
"Fadi is a seasoned Business Innovation Strategist with a focus on entrepreneurship, working extensively with startups and organizations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East. He provides expert advice, advisory, and strategic guidance, demonstrating a strong commitment to driving DeepTech innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, and promoting sustainable business practices. His expertise in business strategy, project management, and technology innovation has helped numerous organizations and startups achieve their goals and make a positive impact in their respective industries.
Additionally, He is a highly skilled and results-driven Program and Project Director with over 20 years of experience in the ICT sector, Fadi specializes in managing complex projects and programs on both national and international levels from inception to completion.
Fadi is an active Business Expert and Advisor, working with organizations such as EIC, EBN, Stanford Seed, MassChallenge, World Business Angel Investment Forum and others. In addition, his professional journey includes various roles in software development, ICT project management, and economic development programs. He has managed multi-million-dollar portfolios and numerous projects. He holds a Master of Science in Computer & Telecom Engineering, and an Executive MBA from ESCP Europe."
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fadinaffah/
Gaetano Volpe, as CEO of Latitudo 40 a space downstream company, is a seasoned executive, mentor, and strategic advisor with a profound commitment to fostering innovation and growth within the Space and Deep Tech sectors. With extensive experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and technology commercialization, Gaetano has played a pivotal role in guiding startups, scale-ups, and established companies toward success in highly technical and rapidly evolving industries.
As a mentor and coach, Gaetano provides hands-on support in refining business strategies, securing funding, and navigating complex ecosystems such as the space industry, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced geospatial analytics. His expertise extends to helping Deep Tech founders translate groundbreaking research into commercially viable solutions, ensuring that technological advancements have real-world impact and market traction.
Gaetano has been actively involved in leading accelerator programs, collaborating with venture capital firms, and advising innovation-driven companies on scaling strategies, go-to-market execution, and international expansion. His deep understanding of public and private sector dynamics enables him to bridge the gap between research institutions, government initiatives, and commercial enterprises, fostering synergies that drive technological breakthroughs.
Passionate about knowledge sharing and industry advancement, Gaetano frequently engages in speaking engagements, panel discussions, and mentorship initiatives. His leadership and insights have empowered numerous startups and technology ventures to achieve sustainable growth, secure strategic partnerships, and position themselves as frontrunners in the highly competitive Space and Deep Tech landscapes.
With a results-driven approach and a keen eye for innovation, Gaetano Volpe remains a key enabler of progress, supporting the next generation of technology leaders in transforming visionary ideas into impactful, scalable solutions.
LinkedIn Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaetanovolpe/
Iulian Juhasz is an entrepreneur, advisor, and mentor with over 15 years of experience in the space sector, working with government agencies, large space system integrators, and startups. His expertise spans business development, space project management and strategy, with a strong focus on fostering innovation and commercialization of space technologies.
As Founder & CEO of Initium Space, he leads a consulting and technology firm dedicated to supporting space-related ventures. He has been actively involved in incubators and accelerators.
Iulian serves as a mentor and advisor in several prestigious programs, including NATO DIANA, the European Innovation Council (EIC) Scaling Club, TakeOff Accelerator (Plug and Play Italy), and the European Space Agency Business Incubator Center (Czech Republic). He is also engaged in space-related training and lectures, helping bridge the gap between cutting-edge space technologies and real-world applications.
Angelina Bekasova is Senior Expert for Space and Innovation Policy at the Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia and the Director for International Relations and Industry Development at the Latvian Space Industry Association. Her mission is to inspire and assist Latvia’s knowledge-intensive and innovative industries to advance, transfer and internationalise their capacities. In her role, Angelina is involved in the coordination of the implementation and governance of the Smart Specialisation Strategy of Latvia. Angelina is a representative of Latvia in the European Space Agency, European Organisation of Nuclear Research (CERN) and the European Union Space Programme.
Angelina entered the deep tech sector first in 2017 by joining the European Commission’s Earth Observation unit and later, worked as a science communication and management consultant in an international space sector consultancy based in Brussels and Munich.
Additionally, Angelina has a professional background in international business support and holds interdisciplinary bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business and the humanities.
LinkedIn Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelina-bekasova/
Giulia Tessari is a Project Manager and Senior Earth Observation Expert at sarmap SA, a Swiss company specializing in customized Earth Observation solutions, with a focus on EO data and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology.
She holds a PhD in Earth Sciences and an MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Padova, Italy. Following her doctoral studies, she worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Padova. She also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Framework Programme for Research and Innovation through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, focusing on the use of satellite SAR data to analyze infrastructure stability.
Giulia manages multiple projects involving the use of SAR data for land motion monitoring, natural hazards, emergency response, and security applications. She is also actively involved in training and capacity-building initiatives, delivering programs for both the private sector and academic and research institutions.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulia-tessari-80159542/
Giulia Tessari is a Project Manager and Senior Earth Observation Expert at sarmap SA, a Swiss company specializing in customized Earth Observation solutions, with a focus on EO data and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology.
She holds a PhD in Earth Sciences and an MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Padova, Italy. Following her doctoral studies, she worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Padova. She also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Framework Programme for Research and Innovation through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, focusing on the use of satellite SAR data to analyze infrastructure stability.
Giulia manages multiple projects involving the use of SAR data for land motion monitoring, natural hazards, emergency response, and security applications. She is also actively involved in training and capacity-building initiatives, delivering programs for both the private sector and academic and research institutions.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giulia-tessari-80159542/