Dr. George Papamichail is the Director of the Science and Technology Park of Crete (STEP-C) under the Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH). With a prolific career spanning over 40 national and EU-funded R&D projects, he specializes in entrepreneurship, regional development, research exploitation, intellectual property management, and business incubators.

Since 2021, he has led STEP-C, driving innovation and regional development. His tenure at FORTH began in 2004 as a Senior Project Manager, focusing on academic and student entrepreneurship, start-up support, and industry-academia collaborations. He also managed academic entrepreneurship initiatives for the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) from 2014 to 2015 and provided consultancy on youth entrepreneurship policies for the Ministry of National Education & Religious Affairs in 2010.

In academia, Dr. Papamichail served as a lecturer at the Hellenic Mediterranean University from 2019 to 2023, teaching courses in business and innovation. His research interests include startup and academic entrepreneurship, IPR protection, and regional development strategies. He has authored several publications and presented at international conferences on these topics.

Dr. Papamichail is also a mentor for the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science and a member of various professional networks, including EURAXESS and the Regional Studies Association. His career exemplifies leadership in fostering innovation and regional development through strategic initiatives and academic contributions.