Innovation Doesn’t Have to Be Radical: Thoughts from the 10th Student Research & Innovation Symposium
Tonight, I had the privilege of attending the 10th Student Research & Innovation Symposium (Σ.Ε.Κ.Φ.) at Metropolitan College Thessaloniki, and I left feeling energized and deeply inspired. The event brought together students, alumni, and professionals across disciplines to share groundbreaking ideas, explore real-world applications, and most importantly — to celebrate student-driven innovation.
Activities
May 6, 2025
1 min read
🚀 Innovation Doesn’t Have to Be Radical: Thoughts from the 10th Student Research & Innovation Symposium
Tonight, I had the privilege of attending the 10th Student Research & Innovation Symposium (Σ.Ε.Κ.Φ.) at Metropolitan College Thessaloniki, and I left feeling energized and deeply inspired.
The event brought together students, alumni, and professionals across disciplines to share groundbreaking ideas, explore real-world applications, and most importantly — to celebrate student-driven innovation.
🎤 Key Themes & Takeaways
One of the most powerful messages that stood out to me came during the central roundtable discussion:
"Innovation doesn’t have to be radical — it just has to solve a real problem."
That message, echoing the mindset of visionaries like Steve Jobs, challenged the often glamorized notion of innovation. Instead of chasing the next big thing, we were encouraged to look at everyday pain points and design practical, human-centered solutions.
Another refreshing insight was this:
"Early feedback can be misleading."
This hit home as someone currently shaping their own ideas. It’s a reminder that bold ideas often sound crazy — until they work. Trusting your process, refining your vision, and learning through iteration is part of the journey.
👨🎓 My Reflection as a Student
As a student of [insert your program here] at Metropolitan College, I found the event not only intellectually enriching but also personally empowering. Seeing students just like me presenting their own research, apps, video games, and business ideas reminded me that progress isn’t about perfection — it’s about participation.
It was an honor to be in the same room as:
- Dimitris Lakasas, CEO of Olympia Electronics
- Dr. Christos Taousanis, career advisor and public speaker
- Christina Dimatati, HR professional and executive coach
- Iason Tzanetatos, Machine Learning Engineer and proud Metropolitan College alum
Their stories, combined with the vibrant energy of the student community, showcased the real value of this 10-year tradition.
🌱 What’s Next?
I'm currently preparing to submit my own work for this year’s symposium. Whether you're working on a tech project, research paper, or startup idea — this is your moment to bring it forward, get seen, and get feedback from a real audience.
👏 Huge thanks to the organizing team and to Dr. Evangelos Kontaxakis for moderating such an engaging discussion.
If you're a student or graduate thinking of showcasing your work — I highly recommend participating. You don’t need a breakthrough idea — you just need the drive to start.
#Innovation #StudentLife #MetropolitanCollege #SEKF2025 #Research #Technology #Creativity #HigherEd #STEM #CareerDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #LinkedInLearning #AI #UX #ML #PublicSpeaking #DesignThinking
Written by
PPanagiotis