Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation – it happens when diverse minds come together to connect ideas, tools, and teams, shaping the future. That was exactly the spirit behind the Aviation Twin Transition (ATT) Clustering Event, organised by Future Needs on 29–30 July 2025 at Π55 Coworking Space in Athens, as part of the Horizon Europe project RefMap.
We welcomed almost 50 experts from across Europe for a two-day event dedicated to advancing the green and digital transitions in aviation and urban air mobility.
From Vision to Execution
Running a meaningful EU event isn’t just about showing up and speaking on stage. It’s about creating space for real exchange – and that starts long before the first guest walks through the door.
For our team at Future Needs, this meant taking care of every layer of the experience: shaping the agenda, coordinating speakers, designing visuals and materials, planning communications, and handling venue logistics. And once on site, we were there every step of the way – facilitating, moderating, problem-solving, and keeping the flow going with a smile (and sometimes a spare HDMI cable!).
Setting the Stage for Connection and Collaboration
The event opened with welcoming remarks from Anna Palaiologk (Founder, Future Needs), alongside Gerardo Zampino (RefMap Project Manager, KTH Royal Institute of Technology) and Georgios Bampanis (European Commission, CINEA). Together, they framed the goals and ambitions driving this clustering activity.
We were honoured to welcome keynote speakers Ioanna Katsarou (DG MOVE, European Commission) and Ignacio Garcia Vega (IGAVE INNOVATION), who shared forward-thinking perspectives on EU policy and the role of digital twins in shaping sustainable urban futures.
Engaging Panels
Each panel offered a deep dive into specific challenges and opportunities for aviation and UAM, bringing together researchers, industry leaders, and policy experts.
- The “Showcasing Digital Leadership” panel, moderated by Anna Palaiologk, featured four forward-looking demonstrations: Sotiris Xydis (ICCS, RefMap) presented the RefMAP platform; Fateme Baneshi (UC3M, RefMap) shared a multi-agent AI approach to aircraft trajectory planning; Milan Rollo (AgentFly, ImAFUSA) explored public acceptance of drone traffic; and Prajwal Prakasha (DLR, Colossus) presented Colossus project outcomes. The discussion revealed how digital innovation is already steering aviation’s twin transitions.
- In the “Future Aviation Economy” panel, moderated by Nikoleta Krousouloudi (Future Needs), the focus turned to user needs and business readiness. Anna Palaiologk (Future Needs, RefMap) examined expectations for sustainability tools; Kyriaki Daskaloudi (Future Needs, ImAFUSA) addressed welfare in UAM; Petros Masouridis (WaltR) explained how AI can reduce emissions via APU monitoring; and Dr. Stefan Kaufmann (TransHyDE 2.0) posed critical questions about the impact of green fuel quotas on the hydrogen economy.
- The “Sustainability Challenges in Aviation” panel, led by Milan Rollo (AgentFly, ImAFUSA), brought together technical and policy perspectives. From Prof. Antonio J. Torija Martinez’s (University of Salford, RefMap) advances in drone noise modelling to Abolfazl Simorgh’s (UC3M Carlos III University of Madrid, RefMap) insights on contrail mitigation, the panel covered urgent environmental issues. Gerardo Zampino (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, RefMap), Angelos Filipatos (University of Patras), and Constantin Tzembelicos (Element Aerospace Limited, Di-Pegasus) rounded out the session with talks on turbulence, holistic aviation design, and what seaplanes can teach us about UAM.
- The final panel of the day, focused on Regulatory and Operational Challenges, was moderated by Prof. Antonio J. Torija Martinez. The panel featured Marina Mpasimakopoulou (Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority) discussing regulatory challenges related to the Single European Sky, Raffaello Mariani (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, ImAFUSA) addressing perceived safety in U-Space drone usage, Zorana Milosevic (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Airship) introducing autonomous electric ground-effect cargo craft, and Ioanna Moscholidou (University of the Aegean, Di-Pegasus) covering sustainability issues and policy objectives for seaplanes in Greece.
The day wrapped up with a rooftop networking session overlooking the Acropolis – a relaxed setting for informal conversations and connections.
The real breakthroughs happen between the slides and sessions — when we step back from our own work and ask: what are we all solving together? That’s the essence of this event: connecting the dots across tools, topics, and teams shaping sustainable aviation.
— Anna Palaiologk
Day 2: Joint Dissemination & Business Models Workshop
Day two opened with the Joint Dissemination Opportunities panel, moderated by Georgia Nikolakopoulou (Head of Dissemination, Future Needs), with Pavlos Zafiropoulos (Future Needs, RefMap), Kyriaki Daskaloudi (Future Needs, ImAFUSA), Nabih Naeem (DLR, Colossus), and Ioanna Moscholidou (University of the Aegean, Di-Pegasus). The panel explored how combined outreach efforts can amplify each project’s voice and collective impact.
The conversation continued with a hands-on workshop on Validating New Aviation Business Models, led by Kyriaki Daskaloudi, Niki Krousouloudi, and Sofia Iosifidou (Future Needs). Participants worked through real-world use cases and surfaced ideas for building viable, sustainable business models in aviation and urban air mobility.
We closed the event not with a formal farewell, but with a shared experience – a guided walk through the historic centre of Athens and a visit to the Acropolis Museum, continuing the conversation.
Thank you to all participants who joined us in Athens, contributing their expertise, energy, and insights throughout the event. Your active engagement made this gathering a success. We look forward to continuing these valuable conversations and collaborations at future activities. Until then, stay inspired and connected!
Photo Highlights: Day 1
Photo Highlights: Day 2
