Join us on The DMV Business Show with Otto Sevilla as we share the journey of Panos Kostopoulos, Founder and CEO of Proxy Foods. Hear the story behind his journey from Athens, Greece, to starting an innovative food tech company in Washington, D.C.
Panos shares his early fascination with engineering and his path from breaking and building things as a child to studying chemical engineering and biotechnology. Inspired by the importance of food in health, sustainability, and global culture, he set out to revolutionize food and beverage product development by integrating artificial intelligence.
Proxy Foods is an AI-powered platform that helps food and beverage companies quickly create and optimize recipes—from snacks and yogurts to cocktails—taking into account everything from nutritional values to regulatory compliance. The system can analyze and iterate on recipes digitally, dramatically streamlining traditional R&D processes.
Panos describes how his move to the U.S. and studies at Georgetown were pivotal, leading to the founding of Proxy Foods after realizing the powerful application of AI to food systems. He recounts winning the Bark Tank competition at Georgetown, which brought crucial funding and introduced key mentors and co-founders to the business, including his CTO and an industry leader.
The conversation touches on the challenges of starting a company, the sacrifices required, and the joy of seeing impactful innovation unfold. Panos emphasizes his motivation: building something that truly matters and could help feed a growing world population sustainably.
The episode also explores topics like company growth, finding the right talent, tackling the hurdles of being a founder, and practical life habits, such as taking long walks for problem-solving and jotting down ideas in a traditional notepad.
Panos reflects on future possibilities—personalized nutrition, healthier and tastier food options, and a better, more sustainable global food system. He also gives some thoughtful recommendations on TV shows and shares a bit about what he enjoys outside of work.
Listeners interested in food tech, entrepreneurship, or the intersection of AI and industry will find Panos’s story both informative and inspirational.
This episode is brought to you by: SEVI - The first commercial real estate company committed to the four C’s: Commercial Real Estate, Community, Content, and Culture
https://seviproperties.com/
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