G100 Speech

 G100 – Greece Diplomatic Meetings

Organized by the G100 – Greek Political Leadership Wing

“Open the Door, Expand the Future”.  Speech by Chief Scientist, Demetris Skourides.

Excellencies, distinguished guests, policymakers, innovators, founders, and friends,

It is both an honour and a responsibility to speak in a country where the very foundations of democracy, philosophy, and civic life were shaped.

Greece has long stood as a cradle of ideas that defined how societies organise, govern, and aspire.

And yet, as we reflect on this extraordinary legacy, we must also confront a fundamental question: who has historically been invited to shape that future, and who has not?

Because from the very beginning of history, the world has often called great change impossible, until a woman stepped forward and made it real.

Human progress was never built by discovery alone. It was built by courage, by vision, and by those who refused to accept the limits placed before them.

Again and again, across centuries and civilisations, women have turned silence into voice, exclusion into excellence, and impossibility into a new standard for humanity.

For Greek women, this story begins at the very roots of civilisation.

In ancient Alexandria, Hypatia stood as a beacon of intellect and dignity, teaching mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy in a world that did not easily make room for women of authority. She did not simply study the universe; she showed that a woman could help explain it.

In ancient Athens, Aspasia of Miletus influenced philosophical and political thought at the highest level, even when history chose to record her presence only in fragments.

Agnodice challenged the barriers that excluded women from medicine, proving that knowledge and determination can overcome even the most rigid structures of society.

And during the Greek War of Independence, Laskarina Bouboulina did not wait for permission to lead. She acted with clarity, courage, and conviction when it mattered most.

These women were not exceptions.

They were architects of possibility.

Across the world and across time, women have stepped forward at decisive moments in history.

From Marie Curie, who redefined the boundaries of science, to Fei-Fei Li, whose work in artificial intelligence has shaped how machines understand the world, women are not following innovation.

They are defining it.

And yet, despite this, access to capital, visibility, and influence remains disproportionately constrained.

Which brings us to a critical insight.

The challenge has never been talent.

The challenge has been access to systems that recognise, fund, and scale that talent.

And that brings us to today.

We stand at a defining moment in history.

Technology is reshaping economies. Innovation is redrawing global competitiveness. And leadership is no longer judged only by results, but by responsibility, foresight, and purpose.

In this moment, one truth stands irrefutable.

No society can claim readiness for tomorrow if it leaves half its talent on the sidelines.

The data is clear.

Startups with at least one female founder raised a record $73.6 billion in venture capital in 2025.

And yet, all-female founding teams still receive only around 2% of global funding.

This gap is not just inequity.

It is inefficiency at a global scale.

Similarly, women remain underrepresented in senior leadership, particularly in technology, despite consistent evidence that organisations with greater gender diversity outperform in innovation, decision-making, and long-term growth.

This is not anecdotal.

This is arithmetic.

Technology without humanity is fragile.

Innovation without inclusion is incomplete.

Leadership without diversity is inherently limited.

The future demands more women at the tables where decisions are made. In boardrooms, laboratories, startups, ministries, venture funds, and research centres.

Not as participants.

As leaders.

Because when women lead, systems evolve.

Innovation becomes more human-centred.

Institutions become more responsive.

And decisions gain depth, perspective, and foresight.

And yet, subtle barriers persist.

A capable woman presents a strategy and it is questioned.

A man presents the same idea and it is endorsed.

She is described as too assertive.

He is described as decisive.

And still, despite this, women continue to deliver.

They build companies. They lead scientific breakthroughs. They drive progress across industries.

Now imagine what becomes possible when those barriers are not simply acknowledged, but removed.

When talent flows without friction.

When access to funding, mentorship, and opportunity is based on merit.

That is not inclusion.

That is acceleration.

Every woman founder who secures funding creates jobs, intellectual property, and momentum.

Every woman scientist expands the boundaries of knowledge.

Every woman who rises to lead reshapes what the next generation believes is possible.

The question is no longer whether women have impact.

The question is whether our systems are ready to recognise, accelerate, and scale that impact.

That responsibility belongs to all of us.

To governments: build policies that open pathways.

To institutions: create cultures where capability is recognised and trusted.

To investors: understand that backing women founders is not philanthropy. It is a high-performance strategy.

And to leaders everywhere, inclusion is not a narrative.

It is a competitive advantage.

And today, I want to speak directly to men.

Because in many systems and many rooms, men still hold disproportionate influence over access and opportunity.

You have a choice.

To remain observers of change.

Or to become enablers of it.

Allyship is practical. It is deliberate. It is consistent.

Recommend the brilliant woman whose name is not yet on the list.

Advocate for her work in rooms where she is not present.

Sponsor talent early, before it becomes visible.

That is leadership.

That is system change.

Let us build ecosystems where women no longer need to prove they belong, but can focus on shaping what comes next.

Where leadership is not the exception, but the expectation.

And this is where mindset must shift decisively.

Do not wait to be invited to the table.

Step up and lead fearlessly.

Because progress has never been driven by permission.

It has been driven by those who chose to lead when it was necessary.

I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge the importance of collective leadership and global collaboration in advancing this agenda.

I am honoured to contribute, in an advisor and champion capacity, to the G100 and World Economic Forum G100 Mission Millions network, supporting its work across humanity, innovation, and technology. This is a global initiative that brings together leaders committed to shaping more inclusive, forward-looking systems across sectors and geographies.

In this context, I am particularly proud to support the work of Maria Mikitsopoulou, and to actively contribute to the development of the next generation of G100 leaders across both the public and private sectors.

Because ultimately, leadership is not only about position.

It is about responsibility.

It is about creating pathways for others to rise, to lead, and to shape what comes next.

And I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the organisers of this important gathering, to the women’s networks and societies represented here, and to the men who stand as allies in this effort.

Because progress at scale is never achieved in isolation.

It is built through collaboration, through shared commitment, and through the courage to move forward together.

And as we speak about unlocking the full potential of women within our systems, we must also extend our perspective beyond borders.

Because today, talent is not confined by geography.

Across the world, there exists a powerful and deeply connected community of Cypriots and Greeks of the diaspora: leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators shaping global industries.

They are not distant from us.

They are part of our national capability.

And within this global network lies one of our greatest strategic opportunities.

To activate not only the diaspora as a whole, but specifically the women of the diaspora; a highly accomplished and globally positioned force of leadership and innovation.

They operate across ecosystems.

They bridge cultures and markets.

They connect ideas, opportunities, and people.

And at a time when nations compete for talent, ideas, and innovation capacity, we must ask: Are we fully engaging this extraordinary network?

Are we creating pathways for them to contribute and shape?

This is why the strategic direction set by President Nikos Christodoulides around “Minds in Cyprus” is so important.

It is a national call to action.

A call to reconnect, to collaborate, and to co-create.

A call to unite Cypriot minds across the world and align them with the priorities that will define our future.

Research.

Innovation.

Digital transformation.

Artificial intelligence.

Entrepreneurship.

And sustainable growth.

For this vision to succeed, it must be inclusive by design.

It must actively engage women as leaders and co-architects.

Because when we activate the women of the diaspora, we do more than expand our talent pool.

We multiply it.

We bring global experience into the national ecosystem.

We accelerate partnerships.

We strengthen our position as a bridge between regions, markets, and ideas.

And we send a clear message to the next generation.

That leadership has no borders.

That opportunity is not limited by geography.

And that Cyprus is not only a place you come from.

It is a place you can shape.

This is how small nations become powerful.

Not by size.

But by connection.

By alignment.

By the ability to mobilise their people, wherever they are in the world, towards a shared vision.

When we unite our minds across the diaspora, we do more than strengthen an ecosystem.

We build a nation that competes globally because it collaborates globally.

A nation that leads because it includes.

So let us move forward with intention.

Let us open doors, within our institutions and across borders.

Let us activate the full spectrum of our talent, including the extraordinary women of our diaspora.

And let us ensure that the future of Cyprus, and the future of innovation, is shaped by all of its minds.

Not some.

All.

Thank you.