THYREON: Greece's Answer to the Gap Between Defence Industry and European Programmes

In a packed auditorium at the National Gallery, Seeders presented THYREON, its new Defence & Security Business Unit, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, before an audience of defence industry executives, retired military officers, government representatives, and sector professionals. The event was opened and closed by Konstantinos Michanetzis, CEO of Seeders and Founder & Strategic Lead of THYREON, who presented the vision and four pillars of action, emphasizing THYREON's role as a bridge between defence expertise and the private sector at a critical time for the European defence industry.

THYREON: Strategic Partner, Not Consultant

THYREON ("The Bridge to European Defence") operates across four axes: Consulting & Corps, European Defence Venture Studio (EDVS), Training Programmes (D2B & DIO), and the SIGNAL Intelligence platform. It does not function as yet another consulting firm, but as an operational partner for any organization seeking to operate in the European defence space. The service covers the entire cycle: market analysis, consortium design, proposal submission to mechanisms such as the EDF, Horizon Europe, and PESCO, and management of defence projects through to implementation.

The THYREON team, comprising retired military officers, defence programme managers, and technologists with extensive experience at Greek and European levels, provides the connection that Greek companies need.

Defence to Business (D2B): The Human Capital the Market is Seeking

A central focus of the event was the presentation of the 2nd cycle of Defence to Business (D2B), the first structured career transition programme for retired members of the Armed Forces & Security Corps into the private sector in Greece.

D2B is an intensive 7-day programme that transforms operational experience into actionable professional capital through structured mentoring, translation of competencies into market language, and networking with companies. The 1st training series was completed in January 2025, and the 2nd will take place from April 20–28, 2026, at the Seeders Training Centre in Nea Psychiko.

The presentation of D2B was conducted by Giannis Tzanos, HR & Talent Services Manager at Seeders, while the coordination of the corresponding panel was undertaken by Antonis Platias, Managing Director of THYREON, with the participation of: Rear Admiral (Ret.) Theodoros Geroukis, President of the Naval Officers' Association, Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ioannis Devouros, President of the Army Officers' Association, Mr. Stefanos Tsolakidis, Chairman & General Manager of KLEOS, Mr. Serafeim Karaiskos, Executive Director of People Solutions, and Mr. Nikos Siagas, Chief Operating Officer of Satways.

Defence Innovation Officer (DIO): The First Defence Innovation Certification in Europe

The third initiative is the Defence Innovation Officer (DIO), the world's first personnel certification scheme in defence innovation management, in partnership with TÜV Austria Hellas. The programme covers ten competency areas, from the European defence ecosystem and ISO 56001 to innovation funding in the EU and NATO, change management, and soft skills. This is a professional certification in accordance with NATO and EU standards that positions the holder as a specialized professional in a market where demand for defence innovation is increasing rapidly.

The presentation of DIO was conducted by Antonis Platias, Managing Director of THYREON. The corresponding panel included: Dr. Nikos Karambekios, Head of the Defence Innovation Department of the National Documentation Centre, Dr. Athanasios Gkegas, Defence Capability & Strategy Architect, Dr. Suzanna Sofou, Senior Research & Innovation Manager at Satways, and Mr. Sotiris Kokkinos, Vice President of SEKPY and CEO of FEAC.

Michanetzis's Statement

The Significance of Institutional Presence: SEKPY and Retired Officers' Associations

Of particular significance for the weight and credibility of the event was the active presence of institutional representatives from the defence industry and the retired military community.

The Hellenic Defence Industries Association (SEKPY), the leading sectoral body of the Greek defence industry, was represented by its Vice President, Mr. Sotiris Kokkinos, who participated as a speaker on the Defence Innovation Officer panel. The presence of SEKPY, which is also a supporter of the D2B programme, signals recognition by the organized defence industry that initiatives such as THYREON address real needs of the sector: the need for specialized human capital and certified capabilities in defence innovation.

Equally significant was the presence and active participation in the D2B panel of the Presidents of two historic Retired Officers' Associations: Rear Admiral (Ret.) Theodoros Geroukis, President of the Naval Officers' Association (EAAN), and Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ioannis Devouros, President of the Army Officers' Association (EAAS). EAAN and EAAS represent tens of thousands of retired officers who constitute precisely the human capital to which the D2B programme is addressed. Their support reflects the belief that the career transition of retired officers is not only an individual matter but a national priority, and that leveraging military experience in the private sector has become a necessity for the country.

The simultaneous institutional representation by SEKPY, EAAN, and EAAS gave the event a character that transcends the narrow framework of a corporate presentation: it signalled the convergence of the defence ecosystem around a common understanding of the connection between defence, innovation, and the private sector in Greece.

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