Women Innovators Exchange meeting

Α Recap

More than 20 women innovators were in Thessaloniki for the debriefing event of the TV series “Regional Women Innovators” and “Women in Tech Business”. The two series were designed and implemented by Mindspark+ and DCN Global with the support of the Friedrich Nauman Foundation for Freedom.

Background of the series – How it all started

The story of the production starts in 2022 when the coordinators of DCN and Mindspark+ got in touch with executives of technology companies. Discussions took place during which the executives made clear reference to a trend of a quantitative increase of women in positions of responsibility. In one of the technology companies (ONELITY), at the time of the discussions, women accounted for more than 50% of the workforce. This led to the conception of “women in tech”, the primary series that sought to bring to light the feminine side of success by highlighting women who through their work shaped the technologies of today. Mindspark with DCN proposed producing the series and FNF Greece agreed to support the first series and a longer journey had just begun.

The production of the first series was the basis for examining the nature of entrepreneurial success among women living in regional Greece. As the production states “Everyday women with vision and perseverance to make it happen. Women who remain in the provinces and leverage the limited resources available to them, creating value for the economy and the society they live in.”

The series has created a strong footprint and episodes have been played on three TV stations in the Greek region (Delta TV, Alpha TV, Dion TV), while the final season for Western Macedonia is currently in production.

With the completion of the production of the two series, the Foundation’s contributors and coordinators, wishing to enhance the impact created by the programme, agreed to hold a debriefing event.

Each woman had experienced a small part of the production, the aim was for women to become part of the larger idea that the production had generated.

what happened over the weekend?

On 19 April 2024, the coordinators met at the
Mediterranean Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki to prepare for the Conclusion Event. The atmosphere was electric from the beginning as the series has been a two-year quest. A journey of discovery and creation.

April 20 was the first day and perhaps the most important day of the meeting. It began with preparations for the event and a sneak peek of the first episode. The reason was that there was so much to be said and so little TV time. A supplementary shoot was decided to give more time to the guest of the first episode of the series about Western Macedonia, to share more dimensions of her story.

The time of the event arrived and the guests started to arrive at the Alexandria Innovation Zone. A space that was symbolically chosen as it emanates the values that the series tried to embody in its episodes. Some twenty women who created value for society and the economy. Some locally while others influenced the international development of science, technology and business.

The event started with a dynamic “speed dating”. This party had a mission. Each woman had experienced a small part of the production and did not know the other women and their accomplishments. It was the means to the greater end. To become part of the mission of the show not part of the episodes. Part of exploring the female side of success.

The speed dating was followed by a warm welcome from the host, Professor Dr. Panagiotis Ketikidis, who spoke about the nature of innovation and the role of women in the investment environment, referring to the upcoming seminar in the zone with guest Selma Prodanovic, Vice President of the European Business Angels Network. He concluded his statement by referring to the supportive role of the Alexandria Zone to continue the initiative in cooperation with the implementing agencies.

This was followed by Professor Dr. Nikos Panagiotou who referred to the importance of the series and the social implications that arise from it. Professor Panagiotou pointed out how through the series, we can examine problems and dilemmas faced by the characters, and highlight hidden social structures and perceptions. With the help of the series, we can not only be entertained but also engage in important social debates and analyses.

Then Alona Tatarova took over the moderation of the panel and invited the presenter Eleni Siapikoudi (ES) as the presenter and Leonidas Skerletopoulos (LS) as the producer and director of the series. This was followed by a guided exploration of the development of the initiative in order to take the participants to the deeper meaning of the outcome produced. As mentioned by LS «was a wonderful journey as from the beginning the destination was not to create a series but to explore a social issue» and added that «this ingredient was the basis for the result, making the trip a pleasant experience that we wanted to pass on to you». Then “ES” began to narrate her journey through the series. As her words came to an end, emotions flooded the presenter and drove her to an emotional climax and her tears became the voice of emotion she could not describe in words. It was a beauty that only true connection could bring to the surface.

This was followed by an active dialogue where experiences from the audience were heard. Among the topics were the use of the term “women” in entrepreneurship, the need for a transition to a more open society free of racial labels and the challenges of political correctness for individual freedom.

The evening was concluded by an insightful presentation by Angeliki Kosmopoulou (AK) who dealt with the specifics of overcoming failure and imposter syndrome. AK’s personal note in her presentation brought back the atmosphere of emotion and created a dynamic conclusion for the first day. The day concluded with a lunch at a restaurant in the city.

The programme of the second day included a “Constructive Breakfast Session” in an exclusive room of the Mediterannean Palace. Active feedback was given and then participants shared issues that hinder their development which they were challenged to solve in a “world café” session. The day ended with a commemorative photo session and the filming of the 6^th accounting episode.

It was a journey of creation and discovery.