About Made In Cyprus | Big biz stories from a tiny island
Made in Cyprus," the first English podcast that takes you behind the scenes of building a business and brand on this small but mighty island.
Join us as we explore the big business stories from a tiny island, diving deep into the journeys of the people putting Cyprus on the global map.
From the challenges to the triumphs, "Made in Cyprus" shines a light on the individuals putting Cyprus on the global map, embodying the spirit of "mitsi alla rotsi" — small but mighty!
Brought to you by Factory 39, hosted by Martin Zarian.
Made in Cyprus | S3 E9 | Bringing Silicon Valley culture home with Michael Tyirimos.
Made in Cyprus | S3 E9 | Bringing Silicon Valley culture home with Michael Tyirimos.
In the early 2010s, a handful of people started organising hackathons and putting Facebook posts out to see who would show up. Nobody made a cent. They did it for Cyprus.
In this episode of Made in Cyprus, we sit down with Michael Tyirimos, Founder & Managing Director of Capacitor Partners and member of the Cyprus National Board for Research and Innovation, to trace the origin of the Cyprus startup ecosystem back to the people who quietly built it.
From studying in Cambridge, spending time in Silicon Valley and getting his moment with people like Reid Hoffman, to coming home in his early 20s determined to bring that same open, collaborative culture to Cyprus, Michael shares how a Facebook post led to Cyprus Enterprise Link, how the crew behind it went on to launch Hack Cyprus, and why the community outlasted the initiatives that started it.
We talk about why an island this small has two ecosystems instead of one, why the split between "local" and "foreign" companies is the wrong lens, and why cross-pollination between imported talent and local talent is the only way forward. We dig into his bet that a unicorn is coming out of Cyprus, why founders should stop chasing valuations and start solving problems, and how AI should be treated as a tool, never a decision-maker.
And we end on a dream shared by both host and guest: that in ten years, Cyprus will finally be Cyprus one island, unified.This is a conversation about resilience, cross-pollination, and the quiet builders who laid the foundations everyone else is standing on.
Brought to you by Factory39 and Martin Zarian.
5 Aug 2026
Made in Cyprus | S3 E8 | The Leap of Faith with Eddy Nassar.
Made in Cyprus | S3 E8 | Trading 24 years of hospitality for Cyprus with Eddy Nassar.
After 24 years climbing to the top of Cyprus's hospitality world, Eddy Nassar walked away to build something of his own.In this episode of Made in Cyprus, we sit down with Eddy Nassar, founder of MICA (Mediterranean Influencer Creator Association) and the voice behind The Cyprus Insider, to unpack the leap of faith that turned a 24-year Columbia career into a fast-growing creator platform.
From growing up between Beirut and Limassol, to running entertainment at Columbia Plaza, to reaching Managing Director and realising that comfort had become the problem - Eddy shares the real triggers behind the pivot, including his mother's passing and the loneliness that set in the higher he climbed.We talk about why he refuses to be paid for his Cyprus content, why every trip abroad makes him fall back in love with the island, and how MICA grew from 5 creators to 120 members in a single year. And we dig into the harder conversations too - is Limassol becoming a city locals can no longer afford, is the government keeping pace with the growth, and can Cyprus really become the biggest creators hub in ten years?
This is a conversation about ambition, authenticity, and finding the courage to leave the safe seat behind.
Brought to you by Factory39 and Martin Zarian.
7 Jul 2026
Made in Cyprus | S3 E7 | Building Global Events from a Tiny Island with Lilly Pavlou
Everyone talks about networking. Lilly Pavlou thinks half the industry might not survive without the word.
In this episode of Made in Cyprus, we sit down with Lilly Pavlou, Executive Director at QUBE Events, to unpack what it actually takes to run global events from a small island - beyond the conference stages and the sponsor decks.
From last-minute cancellations and entire delegations failing to show, to the moment she realised events could be a serious global business, Lilly breaks down why running events today means being part business leader, part crisis manager.
We talk about the difference between events that build real community and ones that are just expensive networking theatre, and why bigger isn't always better.We explore what it means to build a predominantly female team, whether the industry has become too commercialised, and what actually separates a good event from a great one.
This is a conversation about events, but more importantly, about credibility, community, and building something worth people's time.
Brought to you by Factory39 and Martin Zarian.
Who has been a guest on Made In Cyprus | Big biz stories from a tiny island
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Stephanos Ioannou
Helene Alexi Ioannides
Marianna Prokopi-Demetriades
Andreas Spyrou
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
13 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 48 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
72
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
60
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