Can artificial intelligence make the world’s oceans safer? One of the Innovators Under 35 is working to make it possible.

Angelos Tsereklas Zafeirakis is the Managing Director of SOTIRIA, a deep-tech startup developing AI-powered sensing technologies to improve underwater security and protect critical maritime infrastructure. 

In 2023, Angelos Tsereklas Zafeirakis was named one of MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35 Europe, joining a community of young innovators recognized for developing technologies with the potential to address significant global challenges. 

Recognized in the Artificial Intelligence & Robotics category, Zafeirakis represents a generation of entrepreneurs turning advanced scientific research into practical solutions for complex real-world problems. 

As Managing Director of SOTIRIA, he has led the development of AI-powered underwater surveillance technologies designed to detect threats that conventional systems may struggle to identify. The company’s solution, Nereid, combines neural networks with advanced sensing equipment to help protect critical maritime infrastructure. 

His work has also reached the international defense ecosystem. Within its first 14 months, SOTIRIA participated in a NATO naval exercise in Portugal, engaged with five naval forces across Europe and North America, and established a partnership with the European Defence Agency in the field of AI. 

Through our IU35 Voices series, we revisit the people behind previous editions of Innovators Under 35. Angelos Tsereklas Zafeirakis shares his perspective as a 2023 winner and reflects on his experience with the initiative. 

Watch his story to find out.