If you’re somewhere in the middle, caught between what leadership expects and your team’s day to day reality, this event is built for you.
Join the free Open Day on 27 October, or go deeper, earlier, with the Executive Training on 23 October: a hands on day from theory to practice, for teams and individuals alike. This is the event for you if you are:
New to the role You’ve recently taken on your first management role and are finding your footing.
Balancing leadership’s expectations You’re caught between leadership’s expectations and your team’s day-to-day reality.
Expected to go digital You need to bring AI into the way your team works without a roadmap or formal training.
Ready to lead better You want more clarity, confidence and impact as a leader.
Not there yet, but leading already You’re already leading, projects, people, decisions, just without the title yet
Designed for
Middle Managers
2–5 years of management experience, leading teams of up to 15 people, often in their first real leadership role.
Specialists & Emerging Leaders
High-performing professionals preparing to step into their first management position.
Mid-to-Senior Professionals & Directors
Leaders staying sharp on the latest in Leadership, AI, Entrepreneurship and the future of work.
Founders & Career Changers
Professionals who invest deliberately in their own growth and long-term trajectory.
HR, L&D & People Leaders
Decision-makers responsible for developing talent and building future-ready teams.
Companies & Partners
Companies that want to bring their brand to the conversation and invest to their teams
Between Doing and Leading: When do you stop doing and start leading?
If you've built your reputation on flawless execution, stepping back to let others take the lead isn't easy. So how do you make the shift from doer to leader - without feeling like you're losing your value?
Speakers: Stephanos Hadjiraptis (Country Manager Hemmersach / Chief Operating Officer Salescode) & George Kladis (Lead Manager Corporate Services)
11:00 12:00
T16 Boutique Office
Conflict Management & Difficult Conversations
How to raise pushback, underperformance or tension early and calmly, so the conversation clears the air instead of damaging the relationship.
Speaker: Stella Malle (HR Executive & Organizational Psychologist)
12:00 12:30
Coffee break
12:30 13:30
T16 Boutique Office
Branding Matters: For the Individual and the Corporation
An engaging workshop exploring why branding goes far beyond logos and visual identity. Participants will discover how individuals and organizations can define what they stand for, shape meaningful perceptions, and build strong, authentic brands that create lasting impact in an increasingly competitive world.
Speaker: Peter Economides (Brand Strategist, FelixBNI)
13:30 14:30
Lunch Break
14:30 15:30
T16 Boutique Office
Positive Leadership: Unleashing the power of Trust
Shift from giving answers to developing your people — the questions and habits that build a team that solves more on its own.
Speaker: Alexadra Lekkou & Vicky Grigoriadou (Co-founders, TheHappyLab)
15:30 16:30
T16 Boutique Office
Automate the Work Nobody Should Be Doing by Hand with AI
Find the repetitive tasks draining your team's week and turn them into simple, reliable automated flows.
Speaker: Dimitris Dimakopoulos (CEO, HappyOnline. Certified Partner in the Claude Partner Network)
16:30 17:00
Coffee break
17:00 18:00
T16 Boutique Office
Getting Your Team to Actually Use AI
Most teams get the tools and then quietly go back to the old way of working. How to make AI part of how the team actually operates, not a one-off training that fades.
Speaker: George Kary (Senior Delivery Manager & Founder @ Blackaft)
10:00 11:00
Registration
11:00 11:15
Welcome
11:15 11:30
Fireside chat with N. Kerameus
Speakers: Niki Kerameus (Minister of Labour and Social Security of the Hellenic Republic), Alexandros Nousias (Managing Director, Envolve)
11:30 12:00
Main Stage
Who owns the future?
Speakers: Loudovikos Van-Heurck ( Head of Informatics and Telecommunication Department, Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI), Pavlos Efthymiou (Director General of the Hellenic Entrepreneurs Association (EENE)/ Growth Partner, Fortune Greece), Yannis Mastrogeorgiou (Special Secretary for Strategic Foresight, Presidency of the Hellenic Government | AI Strategy & Governance | Public Policy | Future Governance) & Myronas Flouris (Innovation and Business Development Executive)
12:00 12:15
Main Stage
Growing the People Who Work for You
Spotting potential, coaching and career conversations - how to develop your team instead of just directing it.
Speaker: Grigoria Artsanou (Senior Talent Development Specialist @ Kaizen Gaming)
Innovathens — Ground Floor
PRESENCE: The Leadership Skills MBAs Don’t Teach
An immersive, hands-on session where participants don’t sit and listen, they stand, move, and experience three core leadership skills: Presence, Reading, and Redirect. Based on two decades of embodied learning research across three continents, this workshop uses live exercises to develop the capacity to read a room, lead without forcing, and change direction without losing the team. No slides. No theory. Only experience.
Speaker: Pavlos Mavromatis (Founder & Strategic Advisor)
12:15 12:30
Main Stage
When Your Team Doesn't Trust You Yet
Speakers: Alexandros Klonaris (Chief Marketing Officer @ Douleutaras) & Sotiris Pappas (Director of Operations Strategy, Business Consultant, Campeon Gaming)
Innovathens — Ground Floor
PRESENCE: The Leadership Skills MBAs Don’t Teach
An immersive, hands-on session where participants don’t sit and listen, they stand, move, and experience three core leadership skills: Presence, Reading, and Redirect. Based on two decades of embodied learning research across three continents, this workshop uses live exercises to develop the capacity to read a room, lead without forcing, and change direction without losing the team. No slides. No theory. Only experience.
Speaker: Pavlos Mavromatis (Founder & Strategic Advisor)
12:30 13:00
Main Stage
Behind Every Leader, There’s a Story
Speakers: Ioannis Papadimos (Strategic Communications & Public Affairs Consultant @ Ethos), Rosanna Mortoglou (CEO Libra Philanthropies), Achilleas Kotrozos (Independent Leadership Coach, Systemic Consultant and Trainer), Moderator: Eleni Aktypi (Managing Director, WE LEAD)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Networking
13:00 13:30
Main Stage
The Skills Race: Can Our Workforce Keep Up With the Future?
As technology, AI, demographic change and global competition reshape labour markets, how can individuals, businesses and countries stay relevant and competitive?
Speakers: Konstantinos Geormas (Director General of Labour Force Policies, DYPA), Christina Konstantinidou Konstantopoulou (General Manager & Chief Academic Officer, BCA – Business College of Athens), Vangelis Kravvaritis, Senior Manager (Organisation and Work Transformation, Deloitte), Moderator: Rodis Savvakis (CEO, fyi.news)
Innovathens — Ground Floor
What's Your Leadership Style?
There's no single right mold for leading. A self-discovery session: find out how you naturally lead, where it helps you and where it holds you back.
Speakers: Ioannis Arampatzis (CFO | Leadership Coach) & Thomas Malakis (Commercial and Strategic Advisor)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Working with Claude: From Blank Page to Finished Deliverable
A hands-on session with Anthropic's Claude: analyzing documents, drafting reports and building a repeatable workflow for your everyday tasks. Bring your laptop.
Speaker: Stefanos Karagos (Founder & Lead Instructor @ CAIO Group)
13:30 13:45
Main Stage
Can AI Create a Brand?
Speaker: Peter Economides (Founder & Brand Strategist, FELIX BNI)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Working with Claude: From Blank Page to Finished Deliverable
A hands-on session with Anthropic's Claude: analyzing documents, drafting reports and building a repeatable workflow for your everyday tasks. Bring your laptop.
Speaker: Stefanos Karagos (Founder & Lead Instructor @ CAIO Group)
13:45 14:00
Main Stage
Break
14:00 14:30
Eξωτερικός χώρος Technopolis
Move Better, Work Better Powered by FitKit
A quick reset for your body - 30 minutes of posture correction and stretching exercises designed for desk workers looking to move better and feel better.
Speaker: Mandy Persaki, Physical Education Teacher, PhD at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Pilates By Mandy
Innovathens — Ground Floor
Gemini in Practice: Tools and Strategies for Leveraging AI for Middle Managers
In a business landscape that is rapidly transforming, middle managers serve as the crucial bridge between strategic direction and day-to-day execution. The workshop, “Gemini in Practice: Tools and Strategies for Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Middle Managers,” equips participants with the essential skills to turn artificial intelligence from an abstract concept into a practical driver of productivity, quality, and effective leadership.
Speaker: Dimitris Mitroulis (Digital Transformation Lead, Krataion Consulting)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Networking
14:30 15:00
Main Stage
It's Not the Tool, It's the Culture: AI Adoption in 3 Different Organizations
Speakers: Chris Georgakopoulos (Digital Operations & AI Director @ Sleed), Sandy Tsakiridi (Senior Director, Legal Counsel @ The Coca Cola Company), Moderator: Yiannis Imelos (CEO @ linq)
Innovathens — Ground Floor
Gemini in Practice: Tools and Strategies for Leveraging AI for Middle Managers
In a business landscape that is rapidly transforming, middle managers serve as the crucial bridge between strategic direction and day-to-day execution. The workshop, “Gemini in Practice: Tools and Strategies for Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Middle Managers,” equips participants with the essential skills to turn artificial intelligence from an abstract concept into a practical driver of productivity, quality, and effective leadership.
Speaker: Dimitris Mitroulis (Digital Transformation Lead, Krataion Consulting)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Networking
15:00 15:30
Main Stage
Responsibility Can’t Be Automated: AI, Accountability & the Future of Work
Speakers: Nick Gonios (VP of Learning Transformation and Company Ambassador
TalentLMS by Epignosis), Giannis Anastasopoulos (Upper Education Sector Lead | Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Adriatics | Microsoft, Europe South), Ilia Tzortzopoulou (General Manager for South East Europe, Wonderful), Moderator: Dimitris Mallas (Journalist)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
The Gift of Feedback: Feedback that Fuels Growth
Change from having a “speaking up” mentality to a “growing together” one - how to turn honest conversations with our people into opportunities for growth and trust, so that we can really support their progress in the future.
Speaker: Maria Kokkinos (Empowerment Coach, Psychologist & Workshop Facilitator)
15:30 16:00
Main Stage
Intrapreneurship: Build the New from Within
You don't have to leave to create. How managers turn ideas into new initiatives inside their organization - and how they win support for them.
Speakers: Nicolas Karidis, Program Manager (The People's Trust), Alexandros Nousias (Managing Director, Envolve), Irene Kouriantaki (Food & Beverage Strategist), Moderator: Dimitris Kalavros-Gousiou (Founding Partner, WIRED Greece)
Innovathens — Ground Floor
AI in Project Management
AI has moved from answering questions to doing real work. This hands-on session shows leaders what that means for the way projects are run, and how to put it to work from Monday.
What we’ll cover: AI, briefly: what AI is, how we got from 1950 to ChatGPT, and why we’re now entering the era of AI agents, The new job title: when AI does more of the doing, everyone manages projects. What project management really is, and how AI speeds up every stage
Build your agent (live): we build an AI agent on stage that takes over a weekly chore
Who it’s for: executives, managers and project leads. No technical background needed.
Speakers: Eirini Sarantidou, Growth Strategist, Found.ation, Celia Gkavanozi, Business Development & Partnerships Manager, Found.ation
Innovathens — 1st Floor
The Gift of Feedback: Feedback that Fuels Growth
Change from having a “speaking up” mentality to a “growing together” one - how to turn honest conversations with our people into opportunities for growth and trust, so that we can really support their progress in the future.
Speaker: Maria Kokkinos (Empowerment Coach, Psychologist & Workshop Facilitator)
16:00 16:15
Main Stage
Coffee Break & Networking
Innovathens — Ground Floor
AI in Project Management
AI has moved from answering questions to doing real work. This hands-on session shows leaders what that means for the way projects are run, and how to put it to work from Monday.
What we’ll cover: AI, briefly: what AI is, how we got from 1950 to ChatGPT, and why we’re now entering the era of AI agents, The new job title: when AI does more of the doing, everyone manages projects. What project management really is, and how AI speeds up every stage
Build your agent (live): we build an AI agent on stage that takes over a weekly chore
Who it’s for: executives, managers and project leads. No technical background needed.
Speakers: Eirini Sarantidou, Growth Strategist, Found.ation, Celia Gkavanozi, Business Development & Partnerships Manager, Found.ation
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Coffee Break & Networking
16:15 16:30
Main Stage
The becoming of a leader
Speaker: Joe Navarro (Former FBI Special Agent, author and expert on non-verbal communication)
Executive Presence & Storytelling: Showcasing your value
Speaker: Maria Themeli (Strategic Advisor to CEOs, Corporate Reputation & Strategy)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Think It Through With AI: Pressure-Testing a Real Decision
Bring a real call you're weighing. Leave with the options mapped, the risks surfaced and a recommendation drafted.
Speaker: Rodanthi Alexiou (AI Partner Solution Architect @ Microsoft EMEA)
16:45 17:00
Main Stage
Leadership is an Odyssey. Learnings from Ancient World
Speaker: Dr Angeliki Kosmopoulou (Story Strategist / Founder, Storymentor)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Think It Through With AI: Pressure-Testing a Real Decision
Bring a real call you're weighing. Leave with the options mapped, the risks surfaced and a recommendation drafted.
Speaker: Rodanthi Alexiou (AI Partner Solution Architect @ Microsoft EMEA)
17:00 17:30
Main Stage
Your Team Is a Business. Start Leading It Like One.
Great managers don't just lead people, they drive business outcomes, and this session explores the financial mindset, metrics, and decision-making skills needed to turn teams into engines of growth and impact..
Speakers: Stavros Theodoratos (Digital Marketing Director @ Novibet), Dimitrios (James) Banos (Lead Specialist, TA Marketing and Communications @ TTEC), Stathis Anagnostou (Executive Director, Strategy, Business Development & Transformation @HEDNO), Moderator: Roza Tzima (Go To Market Team Leader, Qualco Technology)
Innovathens — Ground Floor
Debate: Does AI at Work Need More Rules?
Two sides, an audience that votes before and after. Regulation, responsibility and the future of work in open debate.
Speaker: Paris Dimitrakopoulos (Senior Technology Specialist @ Microsoft)
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Think It Through With AI: Pressure-Testing a Real Decision
Bring a real call you're weighing. Leave with the options mapped, the risks surfaced and a recommendation drafted.
Speaker: Rodanthi Alexiou (AI Partner Solution Architect @ Microsoft EMEA)
17:30 18:00
Main Stage
Break
Innovathens — 1st Floor
Networking
18:00 18:30
Main Stage
Unlocking Human Performance: What Truly Motivates People
What really drives performance, and why most motivation tactics quietly backfire.
Speakers: Kostas Kefalakis (Chief Customer Engagement Officer & Head of Cyprus @ Roche), Lia Tekidou (Head of Consultants @ Business Pathways), Georgia Paraschou, Founder & CEO, Humanity Greece), Moderator: Giannis Krikris (Founder & Creative Mind @ Social Experience Athens)
Innovathens — Ground Floor
How to Build Your Brand as a Manager Inside Your Organization
Your reputation as a leader isn't accidental: how it takes shape, how it affects your career and how to change it.
Speaker: Marily Mitropoulou (Architect of Influence | ex-Google | TEDx Speaker)
One day. Real conversations. Your next step as a leader.
Established in 2021, the Forum is the premier event for upskilling and connecting professionals with companies in both tech and non-tech industries. Organized in collaboration with Envolve and linq (ex CollegeLink), the 5th annual “Skill Up Forum” will take place on 27 October 2026at the Technopolis City of Athens*. This year Skill Up Forum is bringing together middle managers, emerging leaders and ambitious professionals, it delivers practical insights, honest conversations and actionable content across Leadership, AI, Entrepreneurship, Policy and ESG.
Whether you’re leading your first teamor preparing for your next step up, Skill Up gives you the tools, the confidenceand the networkto move forward.
One day. Practical learning. Real connections. Your next step as a leader.
*And for companies and individuals who are ready to go deeper, the Executive Trainingruns on23 October: a hands on day to move from theory to practice, open to partner companies and individual professionals alike.
By Envolve & linq
Skill Up Forum is co-organized by leading organizations from the recruitment and startup ecosystems.
linq is a multi-award-winning recruitment and retention solutions provider, recognized at the HR Awards for three consecutive years and a trusted member of the startup ecosystem. linq has curated a database of 250,000 candidate profiles, established partnerships with 5,000 companies, and hosted 75 educational and recruitment events.
Envolve Entrepreneurship is a leading startup support organization in Greece, working with tens of thousands of entrepreneurs and innovation agencies across Europe. The organization has trained more than 650 people through 120 seminars and has supported the creation of 2,200 jobs.
In Their Words
Sofia Vlahava
participant
I’m an environmental engineer, and I came for the talk on circular economy.
Peter Economidis
Brand Strategist, FelixBNI
It's all about Soft Skills in a world of Technology and Skill Up gives me the opportunity to talk for something I believe in very much.
Zoe Fragkou
Organisational Psychologist
I wish everyone who came to Skill Up to keep growing and evolving! We already spend so many hours at work- why make life harder for ourselves?
Participant
For me, being in the process of a career change, the Skill Up Forum was a great opportunity to strengthen my skills and prepare for the challenges of a new era.
Participant
It’s one of the best meetups I’ve attended this year! Truly amazing! I saw some fantastic talks. You should definitely come!
Nefeli Karaleka
Recruitment Team Leader, Speakit
I attended Skill Up on both days and took part in the workshops on managerial skills. The speakers are truly inspiring, and I feel really engaged with everything I’ve heard. I’m already looking forward to the next ones!
Konstantinos Kintzios
Business Mentor
I just finished giving my talk at the Skill Up Forum, an excellent event organized by Linq & Envolve. One key takeaway I’d like to highlight is the most important skill we need to develop: RESILIENCE- in the face of pain, change, and failure.