Stelios Papadopoulos
Nationality: Cypriot
MSc Course: MSc Entrepreneurship
Graduation year: 2024
“My journey as an entrepreneur has been challenging but deeply fulfilling”
Being an entrepreneur is not an easy career path to follow. For that initial spark of an idea to turn into a successful business requires almost limitless dedication, adaptability and resilience. When there is no guarantee of success, what drives someone to follow this difficult road? For many entrepreneurs, they spot a gap in a market or a challenge that needs solving. For others, the inspiration that drives them comes from their family.
For Stelios Papadopoulos from Cyprus, it was seeing his father’s success which motivated him to become an entrepreneur.
“Growing up, I was inspired by my father, who built a prestigious career, holding senior positions in a reputable firm. I always felt incredibly fortunate for what my family provided to me, and I held aspirations to one day give back at least half of what I’d received.”
“It was actually my father who suggested I take a master’s. I had expressed a desire to create something for myself, rather than work for somebody else, and he encouraged me to look at courses which would give me the skills, insight and experience I would need.”
Bayes promotes collaboration not competition
“I researched several London universities, but I chose Bayes because people I spoke to said it’s a university that pushes you to collaborate – it doesn’t have the ‘dog-eat-dog’ mentality that some other big London schools have. To build a successful start-up you do have to compete, but you also must be able to collaborate and grow a team. If you can’t form a strong team, you won’t create something successful. From my first day at Bayes, it was evident that it pushes you to collaborate, rather than compete. I really liked that approach.”
Stelios joined the MSc Entrepreneurship – a master’s for the ambitious, the creative and the curious, which sharpens the entrepreneurial mindset. It attracts early-stage founders, aspiring entrepreneurs and future leaders of family businesses. The course covers everything from start-up creation to managing growth and raising investment. Practical, hands-on learning on live projects and interactive case studies, gives students in-demand skills in product innovation, marketing, sales and operational feasibility.
A diverse cohort of international cultures
“There were people from so many different countries on the course – it meant that you had to understand other cultures and how people think differently, to see how we could create a group to work on assignments together. I formed a strong group with classmates from Kuwait, America, Switzerland and China. We had completely different backgrounds, but we clicked really well – we were aligned in that we wanted to work hard and get the most out of the year, but that we could have fun when it was time to relax a little. It was a really good dynamic.”
“The course content was excellent. I found the modules led by external practitioners and Bayes academics like Professor Scott Moeller and Ruben Van Werven to be particularly insightful and demanding, which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the sales and psychology-related courses, as entrepreneurship requires a well-rounded skill set. Overall, the programme offered a strong mix of theoretical knowledge and practical application, which kept me engaged throughout.”
Juggling start-up development while studying
During his undergraduate studies, Stelios co-founded a start-up called XO, which he now leads as CEO. The company is focused on reshaping nightlife and entertainment experiences for young people and is currently preparing for launch.
“It started with an idea my co-founder and I had five years ago, back in Cyprus. We saw how nightlife and hospitality businesses didn’t really interact with their customers. It was a faceless interaction. There wasn’t a platform which allowed you to do all the things you’d want to when planning a night out – from discovering new places, to inviting your friends, booking tickets and tables, even placing orders. Then enjoying loyalty from those businesses who could be having better relationships with their regular customers. That was how the idea for XO was formed.”
“During my master’s at Bayes, I managed to navigate XO into three accelerator programmes to drive our development. It was a chaotic time, but it was also incredibly fulfilling. My days were packed, but I felt more alive than ever.”
“XO is now gearing up for launch. Our mission is to transform nightlife and entertainment experiences for the younger generation, making them more meaningful and engaging, while simultaneously improving operational efficiency for businesses. Social isolation among the youth is a growing concern, and being part of the solution is deeply meaningful to me.”
Overcoming obstacles
“We have a very robust product that is ready to go. But we had a lot of delays in development, and that’s impacted the outreach we’ve been able to do with businesses. We’re working to find partnerships and exploring all kinds of avenues and markets. One challenge to overcome is that businesses are reluctant to be the first to sign-up – they like the product and the design, but they want us to find customers first and then go back to them. As CEO, I have to find a way to overcome that struggle.”
During the master’s, students have access to a dedicated entrepreneurial mentor and can access the workspace and activities organised by City Ventures.
“My mentor was an incredible source of support, particularly during times of stress when I was struggling mentally with the demands of juggling everything. I wish I had access to a mentor on a day-to-day basis now, and that’s something I know Bayes is looking at to provide more assistance to future students.”
Make the most of the Bayes experience
What words of wisdom would Stelios offer to prospective students?
“Go for it 100% – but be prepared to get out of your comfort zone and make the most of every opportunity. Attend talks, meet new people and don’t be afraid to start something from scratch. Bayes provides all the resources you need, but it’s up to you to take full advantage of them. You might find the people you want to start a business with – but make sure you are in complete alignment. Life comes at you fast and tough decisions are inevitable.”
“The entrepreneur’s journey is challenging and often isolating, but it’s also deeply fulfilling. Success is not a given, and only time will tell if it will all be worth it. But you will learn so much along the way.”
Building a new community of Bayes Entrepreneurs
The Bayes Alumni Community of Entrepreneurs (BACE) has recently launched to bring together alumni working in or interested in creating new businesses. The initiative will run both online and through in-person events, offering opportunities for alumni to exchange experiences, share advice, expand networks and connect with current Bayes students and academics.
A dedicated LinkedIn group has been set up to help facilitate conversations and connections, while volunteers from the alumni community will form a committee to shape activities and events.
Alumni interested in joining can connect through the BACE LinkedIn group.