From a Biomechanics Lab to CEO

Athanase Kollias is the CEO of Kinvent, a Scale Up Cohort 7 company developing technology to help people in physical rehabilitation and athletes improve their movements and performance through precise measurements and real-time feedback. Raised in Thessaloniki, Greece, Athan grew up surrounded by biomechanics. He spent his childhood in his father Iraklis’ lab, watching as his father—a biokinetics professor—built innovative equipment to overcome budget constraints. This hands-on exposure to movement science lit a spark in Athan early on, fueling a passion that would shape his future.

A former athlete himself, Athan competed in rowing and rugby for over a decade, experiencing firsthand the frustrations of injury recovery. It was during these challenges that the idea for KINVENT began to form—a way to bridge the gap between biomechanics and accessible tools for therapists and coaches.

His journey took him from Thessaloniki to Paris, where he earned a double degree in mechanical engineering, splitting his studies between his home university and the prestigious École Centrale. This experience not only honed his technical skills but also opened doors to the French industry. Athan’s career began at Michelin in France, where he applied his biomechanics expertise to improve driver comfort in mining vehicles. Later, he worked in Cameroon, further broadening his technical and business experience in diverse environments.