A common set of values and a shared vision bring our team together.
We were inventors, technologists, engineers, managers and entrepreneurs long before we became investors. We thought success was its own reward but once we achieved it, we found out that the journey was every bit as important as the destination.
We share the same respect and admiration for every entrepreneur who sets out to change the world.
We recognize the innovation landscape has changed dramatically in the past ten years. High speed communications, instantaneous access to information through the Internet and low communication and computing infrastructure costs have globalized innovation. Entrepreneurial teams around the world have the ability and the opportunity to succeed as long as they have access to capital and business experience
Thanasis “A.K.” Kalekos
Managing Partner“A.K.,” as he is known in the Valley, brings thirty years of executive management and venture capital experience to the Odyssey team.
His operating experience spans product R&D, marketing, general management, corporate officer and CEO responsibilities with Computervision, Xerox, Mentor Graphics, Cadence Design Systems, CoWare and Conformiq, Inc. His seminal experience with Cadence – which he joined during its pre-revenue stage in 1985 and by the time he left in 1997 had reached over $1B in revenues – gave him a lasting love for the startup experience.
As general partner with Telos Venture Partners, a Silicon Valley information and communication technology venture firm, A.K. focused on the emerging internet market opportunities for business to consumer and business to business solutions as well as the technologies that enabled the internet infrastructure. He invested in and held board positions in companies like: Khimetrics, Conduct, VPNX, Intraspect, Coventor, Theta Microelectronics, and YY Technologies among others.
A.K. is known for his ability to develop simple strategies for complex market and technology environments, straightforward marketing and business development approaches, and his mentoring and motivating skills. His current interests are focused on software applications that redefine the value chain in specific industries and vertical markets and the infrastructure technologies that enable such applications.
He holds a BSEE degree from Lafayette College and an MSEE degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a member of IEEE, and several other professional societies.
“I made my first investment in a Greek startup in 2001. At the time I would be hard pressed to find a second company to invest. Nowadays we see two or more Greek companies each week that are worth investing in. What a difference ten years make!”
Spyros Trachanis
Managing PartnerSpyros Trachanis is a pioneering member of the Greek venture capital community, holding investment management positions in funds investing in early and growth stage Greek technology companies since 1999. During that period, Greek technology entrepreneurship evolved from small software houses tending to the needs of the local market to the first waves of extrovert companies competing globally in industries ranging from RF semiconductors to mobile marketing.
Spyros participated in this evolution, leading investments and seating on the Boards of companies such as Theta Microelectronics, Forth Photonics, InternetQ and spitogatos.gr. In parallel, he was a co-founder of venture capital companies Oxygen Capital Ventures and NBGI Ventures.
He joined AK Kalekos in 2011 in establishing Odyssey Venture Partners with the aspiration to build a true Silicon Valley standards venture fund in Greece and help Greek technology entrepreneurs move to a next level. In the period from 2013 to 2016 he led the investment and currently sits on the boards of a number of Odyssey portfolio companies: Acromove, Mantis, Classter, Econais and Tripsta. Spyros enjoys working closely with founders and executives to build companies that can grow sustainably and profitably.
Spyros holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the University of Patras and an MBA from Insead. He is currently a member of the board of the Hellenic Venture Capital Association.
Nikolas Pisanias
PartnerNikolas joined Odyssey after working many years in the Banking industry as a manager in BPM and as a Project Manager for IT Projects.
Before returning to Greece he has worked in London as a consultant for startups and Venture Accelerators and as a researcher at London Business School and the London School of Economics exploring the impact of ICT on financial industries.
He is a co-founder and a member of the BoD of Helic, one of the first VC-funded startups in Greece, that specializes in EDA tools for high-performance integrated circuit design.
Nikolas’ primary interests are Fintech, Bioinformatics, and the Internet of Things.
Nikolas holds a Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, and an MSc and PhD in Management from the Said Business School of the University of Oxford.
Konstantina Theodosopoulou
Fund AdministratorKonstantina holds the role of Fund Administrator and Office Manager for Odyssey Venture Partners since 2014. She collaborates with the Fund’s limited partners and the relevant regulatory authorities, ensuring proper compliance combined with smooth Fund operations. She also engages with Odyssey’s portfolio companies on all reporting and regulatory issues.
She brings to Odyssey a private banking background, having previously worked with Société Générale Private Banking for over 5 years as an assistant private banker and a compliance officer. She has worked for another five years in the banking industry in Greece, in retail and mortgage banking roles.
Konstantina holds an MSc in Public Policy from UCL and a degree of Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Athens.