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.

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 functions as an operational partner for any organization seeking to operate in the European defence space, covering 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.

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.

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 D2B panel featured: Rear Admiral (Ret.) Theodoros Geroukis (President, Naval Officers' Association), Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ioannis Devouros (President, Army Officers' Association), Stefanos Tsolakidis (Chairman & GM, KLEOS), Serafeim Karaiskos (Executive Director, People Solutions), and Nikos Siagas (COO, Satways).

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

The Defence Innovation Officer (DIO) is 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.

The DIO panel included: Dr. Nikos Karambekios (Head of Defence Innovation, National Documentation Centre), Dr. Athanasios Gkegas (Defence Capability & Strategy Architect), Dr. Suzanna Sofou (Senior R&I Manager, Satways), and Sotiris Kokkinos (VP of SEKPY and CEO of FEAC).

"The Greek defence industry is not lacking in expertise or human capital. It is lacking in access. European defence programmes require networks, consortia, knowledge of the rules, and trust relationships built over time. THYREON was created to function precisely as this bridge: to connect Greek capabilities with European funding instruments and the right industrial structures. We do not offer theory. We offer structure, network, and results."

Konstantinos Michanetzis, CEO Seeders & Founder THYREON

The Significance of Institutional Presence

The simultaneous institutional representation by SEKPY, the Naval Officers' Association (EAAN), and the Army Officers' Association (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.