Panos Stravopodis, ELYOS AI: From Zakynthos to Y Combinator and AI Agents at Global Scale

n the first episode of Season 7 of Outliers, we follow the journey of Panos Stravopodis, Co-Founder of Elyos AI.

Born and raised on the Greek island of Zakynthos, Panos was introduced to technology at an early age through his father. He began experimenting with computers and writing his first lines of code while still a child, gradually discovering his passion for software and engineering.

He went on to study Computer Engineering and Informatics at the University of Patras. During his studies, he built an online booking system for a boutique hotel, gaining his first professional experience and laying the foundation for his career in software engineering.

After graduation, he deliberately chose the startup path, joining different teams and working on a variety of projects. Through these experiences, he realized that the only way to have real ownership over the problems he wanted to solve was to build his own company. This led to the founding of Elyos AI, which initially focused on developing AI agents to optimize energy efficiency in commercial and industrial buildings.

However, the company's experience at Y Combinator became a turning point. There, the founders realized that in order to unlock meaningful growth, they needed to change direction. This strategic pivot took place in 2024 and led to the company's first major breakthroughs, with Elyos AI achieving approximately 30% month-over-month growth.

Today, Elyos AI delivers AI solutions that create measurable value for its customers. The company recently closed a $13 million funding round and is now focused on expanding into new markets while growing its team from 17 to 32 people by the end of the year, with a strong emphasis on hiring engineering talent, including in Greece.