Suggestions
Marco Veremis
Partner at Big Pi Ventures
Marco Veremis
Marco Veremis is the Founding Partner at Big Pi Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Athens, Greece. He is also the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Upstream, a mobile technology company.12
Key Facts about Marco Veremis:
- Co-founded Upstream in 2002 and served as CEO until 2017, growing the company to €230m in revenue and 400+ employees3
- Founding Partner at Big Pi Ventures since July 20182
- Board member of several organizations including the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), Endeavor, the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), Junior Achievement Greece, and diaNEOsis think tank12
- Awarded the EY Greek "Entrepreneur of the Year" award in 20131
- Early investor in companies like Persado, Workable, Hellas Direct, SoftOne, and Softomotive (acquired by Microsoft)23
- Holds an MA from the University of Warwick and an MPhil from the University of Oxford3
As a veteran entrepreneur and investor, Marco Veremis has played a key role in the growth of Greece's startup ecosystem. Through his work at Upstream, Big Pi Ventures, and various board positions, he continues to support and guide the next generation of Greek technology companies.45
Highlights
Αρχή άνδρα δείκνυσι - power reveals the real man/self. Time and time again this comes to mind when I see people become rapidly corrupted when they gain even a little power. Nowhere more obvious than yesterdays discussion on X between Trump and Musk. A couple of immature egomaniacs discussing the future of the world like it was their personal playground. We have glorified the end point of success and forgot the issue of who you’ve become by the time you get there. Result being exceptionally succesful people who are admirable for their achievements yet are lacking so deeply in quality of character. Aristotles notion of eudemonia as the real purpose of life is instructive. Discover and invest every day in your best demons (and fight your worst) through the practice of empathy, moderation/humility, justice and courage. A comprehensive set of rules to live by. Undoubtedly power corrupts and absolute power can corrupt absolutely (Lord Acton) but you can be Skywalker or you can be Vader and that’s entirely up to you.
A substantive discussion with one of the best entrepreneurs I know in Innovative Greeks Talks. Spyros Theodoropoulos is best known as the founder of Chipita Global S.A. a shining example of a multinational born in Greece. Following its 2b Eur sale, he immediately began building one of the largest food groups in the region with companies including ION and P.G.NIKAS SA. He has created thousands of jobs and built a new paradigm based on ambition, persistence, innovation, exports and global production. Impressive yet very approachable, principled and giving person.
