WIRED has announced the launch of its Greek edition, marking a significant step in expanding its reach across Southeastern Europe. As a female founder who has worked tirelessly to establish tech-driven businesses, I see this as more than just a media presence stepping into a new geographical space. This launch is a celebration of how far Greece has come in nurturing a vibrant tech ecosystem, one that is ready to challenge global perspectives and make impactful contributions.
Let’s unpack why this could be a big deal for European entrepreneurs, particularly female founders, and what lessons we can take away from the announcement.
What WIRED Greece Means For European Entrepreneurs
Greece has been gradually emerging as a tech hub, combining a unique cultural richness with innovation. With WIRED’s arrival, the spotlight on Greece’s tech movers and shakers is about to become sharper, opening new avenues for collaborations, funding opportunities, and global visibility. For entrepreneurs like you and me, especially those focusing on STEM fields, this news signals potential growth, you may not be next door to Silicon Valley, but that shouldn’t limit your aspirations.
Key demographic trends support this expansion. The number of tech startups in Greece rose by more than 40% in the last few years, and initiatives like Found.ation play a pivotal role in growing the community. There’s a noticeable focus on AI, deep tech, and mobility, which are areas I deeply resonate with as someone navigating complex projects in these fields.
Lessons Female Founders Can Learn
The WIRED announcement also left me reflecting on lessons that female entrepreneurs across Europe can glean. Here’s my breakdown:
1. Build Visibility for Your Field
WIRED’s move into Greece isn’t just about telling tech stories, it’s about amplifying regional voices to the global stage. As a business owner, that’s your cue to amplify your work. Host webinars, write articles, build a media presence to put your venture on the map, and make your audience outside your city or country as vibrant as your local one.
2. Collaboration Is Key
Remember, WIRED Greece is not launching independently. Organizations like Prima Materia are leading the project, showcasing the importance of synergy when entering new spaces. In your startup journey, investing time in partnerships , through accelerators or even online incubators like F/MS Startup Game , can accelerate your growth.
3. Make STEM Accessible
Greek innovators embracing WIRED aim to inspire younger cohorts. As noted, addressing representation challenges in STEM needs bold moves. I’ve followed this rule in all my work , integrating game-based methods like Fe/male Switch , and you should thread that accessibility in your narrative too if your field overlaps.
Common Pitfalls to Dodge
Even a well-backed initiative like WIRED Greece must face challenges. Female founders can learn a lot here:
- Neglecting Transparency: Editorial integrity builds trust. Whether you’re pitching VCs or journalists, clarity and authenticity make or break your story. Greece’s boom didn’t happen overnight, it grew because trusted voices echoed long-term ambitions.
- Ignoring Global Networks: The tech industry celebrates ideas that scale globally, but not everyone builds an international network early enough. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn, accelerators, and even events tailored to your field to avoid falling into this trap.
- Speed Without Substance: While publishers take calculated risks entering new regions, relying solely on short-term interest is risky. As founders, that teaches us to focus both on immediacy (with MVPs) but build on depth.
What’s Next for You
Whether or not WIRED directly touches your startup’s field, there’s inspiration in how they started with a small space and continuously expanded their horizons. Here’s how to let this mentality seep into your own entrepreneurial approach:
- Research Southeast Europe’s tech highlights and find regions where collaborations make sense. Greece, Albania, and Romania are hotspots, but dig into cultural nuances.
- If media coverage drives growth, pitch stories about your product that align with innovation in regional ecosystems. Media platforms are always hungry for fresh ideas from local experts.
- Female founders have unique challenges I’ve touched on before, keep integrating your human moments into professional ones.
WIRED’s expansion into Greece isn’t merely a magazine crossing borders, it’s a signal for those of us in Europe to think beyond geographical limits. As someone bootstrapping startups while juggling multiple domains, I encourage you to take this development seriously. It’s not just another edition of a tech magazine; it’s an acknowledgment that even smaller countries can spark ideas that the world needs. Let’s use that momentum to grow ourselves and our ventures actively.
FAQ
1. What is WIRED Greece and why is it significant?
WIRED Greece is the newest edition of the global WIRED magazine, focusing on technology, science, and culture. Its launch marks Greece's growing influence as a tech hub in Southeastern Europe. Explore more about Wired Greece at The Recursive.
2. Who is leading the WIRED Greece initiative?
The Greek edition is spearheaded by Dimitris Kalavros-Gousiou, publisher, and Niko Efstathiou as the editorial leader.
3. What is the main focus of WIRED Greece?
It will highlight Greece’s tech innovation, successful startups, and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, showcasing inspiring stories from local innovators.
4. What organizations are backing WIRED Greece?
The project is supported by Prima Materia PC, known for initiatives like TEDxAthens, Found.ation, and Apeiron Ventures. Learn about Apeiron Ventures' initiatives here.
5. How will WIRED Greece engage its audience?
WIRED Greece will be available in both print and digital formats, ensuring accessibility and promoting in-depth discourse on technology and culture.
6. What industries will WIRED Greece cover?
The magazine will focus on AI, deep tech, mobility, and innovative startups, reflecting Greece's emerging tech landscape.
7. How does WIRED Greece impact the startup ecosystem?
The magazine's global reach will amplify Greek technology and entrepreneurship on an international stage, creating new funding and networking opportunities.
8. What can female founders learn from this initiative?
Female entrepreneurs can leverage the exposure WIRED Greece provides, highlighting their work and building global visibility through media and collaboration.
9. How does WIRED Greece fit into WIRED’s global presence?
WIRED Greece joins a robust network of international editions, including in the U.S., U.K., Japan, and Italy, as part of WIRED's global expansion strategy.
10. Where can I stay updated about WIRED Greece?
For updates, watch out for announcements on its official site wired.com.gr or follow global coverage about the launch.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
