Γιώργος Καραντώνης

Γιώργος Καραντώνης, Partner at Metavallon VC

George Karantonis has almost 25 years of professional experience in consulting, management of ICT companies, entrepreneurship and support of entrepreneurship. He holds a B.Sc. in Geology and Environmental Sciences from the University of Athens, M.Sc. in Exploration Geophysics from the University of Leeds, and an MBA from Athens Laboratory of Business Administration, and during his University days he has been involved in research activities which led to more than 20 refereed scientific publications. He worked for several years as a freelance consultant and as a partner of Atlantis Consulting, in Greece. He has helped numerous Greek SMEs prepare investment and business plans and secure funding through relevant Greek and European programs. Later he worked as senior manager in leading Greek ICT companies. He has experience working in private companies, as well as in companies listed in the Athens (Pouliadis & Associates), London AIM and NY Nasdaq (Velti) stock exchanges. He co-founded his first ICT company while he was a University student and the second one in the year 2000. In 2012 together with his partner Nikos Karapanagou they ran a successful MBO taking over the integration business of Velti and creating the Motivian Group, which soon became a competent solutions provider for Banks, Operators and Government Agencies in the wider area of SE Europe, Middle East & N Africa.

He was the key person who managed the successful implementation of the 5M euro project co-financed by the G.S.R.T. of the Greek Ministry of Development for the creation of a Business Incubator under the name “Velti Center for Innovation”. This was one of the first attempts in the Greek market for very early stage investments in technology. Finally, George is the founding Vice-President of the Hellenic Association for Mobile Applications Companies and during the last six years he has worked systematically for the development of the Greek ICT ecosystem with a number of initiatives including training & acceleration programs, awards & competitions, congresses, international business delegations and exhibitions.