Agenda overview
Outlined below are the topics and industries featured in the conference. The full agenda will be posted soon. Subject to change as details are confirmed.
Thursday, March 19
Day 1 – Foundations, Trust & Human-Centered Transformation
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
What happens on Day 1
Day 1 sets the intellectual and strategic foundation of EmTech Europe 2026. We begin with the scientific roots of AI and move into its security and ethical, organizational, and human implications. The day moves from theory to specific practice — from Turing Award–level thinking to banking, cybersecurity, education, HR and AI trust in real-world systems. The focus is clarity: understanding what is truly happening in AI today, how it impacts institutions, and what leaders must do to adopt it responsibly and strategically.
By the end of Day 1, attendees will:
- Understand where AI truly stands today
- Gain tools to think about governance, risk, and resilience
- See how technology transforms institutions
- Be better equipped to lead responsibly
From Then to Now – AI’s Evolution
Joseph Sifakis - Turing Award Laureate, Emeritus Research Director at the Verimag laboratory and a Distinguished Professor at Southern University of Science and Technology
Moderator: Margarita Pournara - Journalist KATHIMERINI
A visionary look at the future of artificial intelligence and the scientific foundations of autonomous systems. The Turing Award laureate will share how Europe can lead ethical innovation amid global technological competition.
Ethics and Authenticity in Intelligent Creation Times
Alessandra Sala - Head of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at Shutterstock and Co-Chair of UNESCO Women for Ethical AI
Moderator: Charlotte Jee - News editor, MIT Technology Review
As generative AI blurs the line between real and synthetic, Alessandra Sala explores authenticity, trust, and fairness. Drawing on her global leadership and large-scale AI governance experience, she outlines how organizations can build ethical AI systems at scale.
Cybersecurity in the Age of Generative & Agentic AI
Keri Pearlson - Senior Lecturer and a Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Sloan School.
Robert McArdle - Director at Trend Micro
What does AI-powered cybercrime look like? How must leaders rethink resilience? Robert McArdle examines the emerging threat landscape, while Keri Pearlson connects cybersecurity to leadership psychology and organizational culture. The session closes with practical insights on building security-aware organizations.
Securing Europe’s Digital Future
George Patsis - President and CEO, Obrela
Moderator: Ted Hu - Senior Manager of Licensing at MIT Technology Review
In a rapidly evolving geopolitical and technological landscape, cybersecurity has become central to Europe’s strategic autonomy. This conversation explores how advanced security intelligence, innovation, and entrepreneurial leadership can strengthen digital trust and competitiveness across the region.
Invisible Finance: Designing User Experience in the Age of Intelligent Technology
Achilleas Manolopoulos - Head of Customer Experience Center of Excellence at Piraeus Bank
Moderator: Despina Konti - Journalist, Kathimerini
How can AI enhance customer experience without compromising trust? This panel explores personalization, digital payments, fraud detection, and human-centric financial innovation.
Designing the AI-Augmented Workforce
Léa Peersman - CEO & Co-Founder of Lign.AI, Founder of CIEL Studio
Fotis Rigas - Founder, Human Factor LTD
AI changes work, but culture determines outcomes. This discussion focuses on how HR technology, leadership mindset, and organizational design influence large-scale transformation.
Predictive, Preventive, Personalized: The AI Health Revolution
Jurgi Camblong - Founder and CEO at Sophia Genetics
Kira Radinsky - Founder at Diagnostic Robotics
Maria Papadopouli - Professor of Computer Science at the University of Crete
Moderator: Tom Ellis - Editor in Chief of Kathimerini English Edition
Artificial intelligence is reshaping medicine, from precision genomics to predictive, preventive care. This session brings together leaders in AI-driven health innovation to explore how intelligent systems are moving healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive, personalized intervention and what it takes to scale these breakthroughs across real-world systems.
Visions of AI: Building our Sociotechnical Future
Shakir Mohamed - Research Director at Google DeepMind, TIME 100 most influential people in AI
Moderator: Charlotte Jee - News editor, MIT Technology Review
Artificial intelligence is not a single future, but many possible ones. In this forward-looking session, a leading DeepMind researcher explores how high-trust AI can transform education, amplify creativity and reshape society’s relationship with technology, and what it will take to build systems that are reliable, inclusive and aligned with human values.
Friday, March 20
Day 2 – Health, Industry & Agentic Systems in Action
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
What happens on Day 2
Day 2 shifts from foundations to operational impact. The focus is applied intelligence: how AI is transforming healthcare, entrepreneurship, tourism, infrastructure, robotics, and digital markets.
This is the day of execution, where leaders learn how to scale and move from thought to market.
By the end of Day 2, attendees will:
- See real-world AI deployment cases
- Understand sector-specific opportunities
- Learn how to scale responsibly
- Gain inspiration for long-term transformation
Digital Governance
Dimitris Papastergiou - Minister of Digital Governance
Moderator: Iliana Magra - Journalist, KATHIMERINI
A discussion on how governments design digital frameworks that enable innovation while protecting citizens.
Turning AI Ambition into Enterprise Reality
Kimon Drakopoulos - Executive Advisor, AI and Innovation, PwC Greece & Associate Professor Data Sciences and Operations (USC)
Moderator: Iliana Magra - Journalist, Kathimerini
While investment in AI continues to surge, most organizations struggle to scale beyond pilots. Moving from experimentation to enterprise-wide impact requires more than advanced models — it demands data readiness, governance frameworks, cultural transformation, and clear business alignment. This fireside conversation explores the structural, operational, and leadership bottlenecks that prevent AI from delivering measurable value, and what distinguishes the companies that successfully scale.
AI Trust in Enterprise Systems
Phaedra Boinodiris
Moderator: Apostolos Mangiriadis - Journalist, Kathimerini
How do organizations operationalize AI trust? From explainability to governance frameworks, this session provides practical tools for responsible deployment.
AI for Competitive Advantage: Tourism & SMEs
Georgios Chalkiadakis - Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Crete
Christina Gialama
Moderator: Matina Charkoftaki - Journalist, Kathimerini
How can AI move from experimentation to measurable economic impact? This panel connects academic research in decision-making systems with telecom-driven AI tools for SMEs and tourism, offering concrete lessons for traditional sectors.
Engineering the Next Generation of AI Startups
Paul Cheek - Executive Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship
Minas Liarokapis - Founder at Acumino
Harrys Sfyrakis - Founder at Newmode AI
Panel moderated by Paul Cheek
Building an AI startup today requires more than great technology — it demands strong research foundations, execution capability, and a supportive ecosystem. This panel explores how founders turn intelligent systems into scalable companies, and how academia and industry together can accelerate global impact.
Longevity, Biodefense and the Future of Resilient Health Systems
Moderator: Athanasios Spanos - Partner, Head of Operations and AI, PwC Greece
A strategic discussion on emerging biomedical research, resilience and the future of health systems.
The Future of Higher Education
How must universities evolve in the AI era? This session explores how higher education institutions transform into platforms for innovation, leadership development and lifelong learning.
Innovation by Design: From Vision to Operating Reality
Moderator: Ted Hu - Senior Manager of Licensing at MIT Technology Review
A fireside conversation on innovation as a leadership mindset. How do large organizations embed AI into infrastructure, scale transformation, and maintain reliability while moving fast?
MIT Technology Review 10 Breakthrough Technologies
Charlotte Jee - News editor, MIT Technology Review
A fast-paced overview of the technologies that will shape the coming decade — from AI and biotech to climate and quantum. A strategic compass for decision-makers.
Beyond Generative: The Era of Agentic AI
Rohit Patel - Director, Superintelligence Labs, Meta
Moderator: Charlotte Jee - News editor, MIT Technology Review
As AI systems move from generating content to making autonomous decisions, this session explores the rise of agentic systems, their industry impact and the governance challenges Europe must address to lead responsibly.
Closing Remarks
A synthesis of insights and key takeaways — equipping leaders with clarity, ingenuity, and concrete direction for navigating the age of intelligent systems.