Maria Lavithi is the founder and CEO of Heroes Made, a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) platform transforming how students in elementary education build lifelong skills. With a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Louisiana and over a decade in the U.S. corporate world in business development and communications, Maria returned to Cyprus to create an educational solution rooted in story, emotion, and purpose. She is now leading the international expansion of Heroes Made, with pilots showing 100% student engagement and partnerships underway across Europe, the U.S., and Asia. Currently, the platform is nominated for the prestigious Best of ISTE award. Beyond her company, Maria serves on the Cyprus Entrepreneurship Competition (CyEC) committee and mentors local and international startups through various incubators. She has represented Cyprus at global innovation events, including the Creative Business Cup and Global Startup Forums, promoting entrepreneurship and equity in education. Her work bridges education, innovation, and purpose, driven by the belief that knowledge matters, but the person who carries it defines its value.