Founders
Dr. George Koutitas is a serial entrepreneur and academic in electrical engineering and computer science. He has more than 7 years of business experience and applied research in smart grids, advanced metering infrastructure, load disaggregation, energy efficient networking and prosumer cooperation. George is also an adjunct professor at Texas State University and is funded for his post doc research from the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Thessaly and the European Union. From 2010 he applies his scientific expertise on optimization algorithms, game theory and signal processing for the benefit of the community. His vision is to build the foundations for innovative and impactful services in the energy sector. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an M.Sc. degree (with Distinction and prizes from 'Nokia') in Mobile and Satellite Communications from the University of Surrey, UK and a PhD in Electrical Engineering under EPSRC scholarship from Centre for Communications Systems Research, UK. George is a member of IEEE and has more than 40 scientific publications.
Dr. Costas Tzaras is a serial entrepreneur and academic. In 2007, he founded a company in Greece and in UK to develop radio and network planning software and to assess quality of service for the cellular industry. His company currently serves large cellular operators in Europe/Asia/Africa, with presence in 12 countries worldwide. He is also an active entrepreneur in smart grids developing software but also hardware solutions for RF mesh smart meter networking, meter data management systems and Web development. He has a B.Sc. in Physics, University of Thessaloniki, an M.Sc. in Mobile & Satellite Communications, University of Surrey, UK, and a Ph.D. in Mobile Communications, University of Surrey, UK. In the period 2000-2007 he worked as Team Leader at Vodafone Global R&D in UK and his team was responsible for the development of new software and new technologies for the radio planning of GSM and UMTS networks across the Vodafone Group worldwide. In the period 2002-2007 he also worked as a lecturer at the University of Surrey in UK.
Angelos Angelou is the founder of the International Accelerator. He has a long history in helping to build Austin’s entrepreneurial infrastructure and was part of the effort to establish the Austin Technology Incubator and the Austin Software Council (now known as the Austin Technology Council). Angelos is an active angel investor in several technology start ups and was also an affiliated investor in fund IV of Austin Ventures. He is the Principal Executive Officer of AngelouEconomics (AE), bringing nearly 30 years of experience in economic development and corporate site selection. AE has completed over 600 strategic plans for economic development clients throughout the world and sited over $18 billion of corporate projects. Angelos is the business backbone of Gridmates with enormous experience in economic development, strategic planning and start up mentoring.
Andreas Carvallo has more than 27 years of experience, having held c-level and senior management titles in the Energy, Computer, Telecommunications, and Software industries. Andres is globally recognized by the IEEE as one of the early developers of the smart grid concept and technology. Andres championed Austin Energy's industry leading smart grid program design and implementation from 2003 – 2010 as their CIO. Andres also co-led over $ 4 billion in investments into two wind farms, a solar farm, a biomass power plant, a natural gas power plant, roof top solar, a fiber communications network, and smart grid infrastructure. Andres architected the Pecan Street Project as its CTO from 2008 to 2010. Andres has co-authored the best selling book "The Advanced Smart Grid: Edge Power Driving Sustainability" and has received 34 industry awards since 2005. Andres is a core visionary and architect of the smart grid sector.
Our team
Dr. George Koutitas is a serial entrepreneur and academic in electrical engineering and computer science. He has more than 7 years of business experience and applied research in smart grids, advanced metering infrastructure, load disaggregation, energy efficient networking and prosumer cooperation. George is also an adjunct professor at Texas State University and is funded for his post doc research from the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Thessaly and the European Union. From 2010 he applies his scientific expertise on optimization algorithms, game theory and signal processing for the benefit of the community. His vision is to build the foundations for innovative and impactful services in the energy sector. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an M.Sc. degree (with Distinction and prizes from 'Nokia') in Mobile and Satellite Communications from the University of Surrey, UK and a PhD in Electrical Engineering under EPSRC scholarship from Centre for Communications Systems Research, UK. George is a member of IEEE and has more than 40 scientific publications.
Dr. Costas Tzaras is a serial entrepreneur and academic. In 2007, he founded a company in Greece and in UK to develop radio and network planning software and to assess quality of service for the cellular industry. His company currently serves large cellular operators in Europe/Asia/Africa, with presence in 12 countries worldwide. He is also an active entrepreneur in smart grids developing software but also hardware solutions for RF mesh smart meter networking, meter data management systems and Web development. He has a B.Sc. in Physics, University of Thessaloniki, an M.Sc. in Mobile & Satellite Communications, University of Surrey, UK, and a Ph.D. in Mobile Communications, University of Surrey, UK. In the period 2000-2007 he worked as Team Leader at Vodafone Global R&D in UK and his team was responsible for the development of new software and new technologies for the radio planning of GSM and UMTS networks across the Vodafone Group worldwide. In the period 2002-2007 he also worked as a lecturer at the University of Surrey in UK.
Angelos Angelou is the founder of the International Accelerator. He has a long history in helping to build Austin’s entrepreneurial infrastructure and was part of the effort to establish the Austin Technology Incubator and the Austin Software Council (now known as the Austin Technology Council). Angelos is an active angel investor in several technology start ups and was also an affiliated investor in fund IV of Austin Ventures. He is the Principal Executive Officer of AngelouEconomics (AE), bringing nearly 30 years of experience in economic development and corporate site selection. AE has completed over 600 strategic plans for economic development clients throughout the world and sited over $18 billion of corporate projects. Angelos is the business backbone of Gridmates with enormous experience in economic development, strategic planning and start up mentoring.
Andreas Carvallo has more than 27 years of experience, having held c-level and senior management titles in the Energy, Computer, Telecommunications, and Software industries. Andres is globally recognized by the IEEE as one of the early developers of the smart grid concept and technology. Andres championed Austin Energy's industry leading smart grid program design and implementation from 2003 – 2010 as their CIO. Andres also co-led over $ 4 billion in investments into two wind farms, a solar farm, a biomass power plant, a natural gas power plant, roof top solar, a fiber communications network, and smart grid infrastructure. Andres architected the Pecan Street Project as its CTO from 2008 to 2010. Andres has co-authored the best selling book "The Advanced Smart Grid: Edge Power Driving Sustainability" and has received 34 industry awards since 2005. Andres is a core visionary and architect of the smart grid sector.