About Us
Our Story
In July 2007, our family house in a small village in Peloponnese, Greece, was one of only 5 homes out of 85 that survived a catastrophic wildfire — thanks solely to the tremendous effort and life-risking work of our uncle and cousin. The fire destroyed in total 1,000 houses and 1,100 other buildings, and damaged hundreds more. More than 4% of Greece’s total forest area was burnt. That day was the first wake-up call that showed us the magnitude of the wildfire threat.
The tragic 2018 wildfire in Mati, Greece — where 104 people lost their lives — touched us deeply.
Happening on 23 July 2018, it was at that time the second-deadliest wildfire event in the 21st century. Thousands of vehicles, 4,000 homes, and 40,000 pine and olive trees were burned. This became the second event that showed us clearly it was time for action.
It wasn’t just a disaster; it was an awakening. A moment we realized how fragile things are when nature slips beyond our control. The image of burned homes, families who lost everything, and the fear left in people’s hearts became the spark that lit our determination to act. We didn’t want to just watch. We wanted to do something real, something meaningful. We wanted to find a way to protect homes and families — to give people the sense of security they deserve, even when they can’t be there.
That’s how APIRA was born — a name that means “non-fire,” from the Greek prefix “a-” (without) and “pyr” (fire).
APIRA is not just an idea — it is already backed by a patent (pending) on this innovation and a series of certified tests, reports, and validations carried out by accredited laboratories and universities in both Germany and Greece. These results confirm the reliability and effectiveness of our approach, ensuring it is ready for real-world challenges.
Our journey is also inspired by global tragedies: from the 2018 wildfires in California, where over 24,000 structures were destroyed, to the “Black Summer” in Australia in 2019, when 34 people died, more than 10,000 homes were lost, and one billion animals perished. And most recently, the January 2025 California wildfires, which killed between 31–440 people, forced more than 200,000 to evacuate, destroyed more than 18,000 homes and structures, and burned over 521,632 acres of land. These devastating events reinforced our determination to create a solution that transcends borders.
As Peter Thiel put it: “…you start a company because there is a very important problem to solve that’s not getting solved, in large you know, governmental or nonprofit or for profit institutions. And that’s why you actually need to start a new company.” This is exactly why we founded APIRA: to solve a critical global problem that until now nobody has truly addressed.
This mission is personal. It’s our answer to a problem that affects all of us. And every day, we work to make wildfire protection accessible and effective for every home.
Meet the Team
Iosif Koutsoumpidis
Visionary entrepreneur with a background in innovation management, climate tech, general management and entrepreneurship. As a long-time Scout, Iosif brings leadership, purpose, and a passion for helping others.
Alexis Kritharis
Panagiotis Koutsoumpidis
Our Mission & Vision
Mission: We proactively protect homes from wildfires with affordable integrated solutions that combine advanced materials and IoT controls, operating without requiring residents’ presence. Our solution saves lives and protects vulnerable groups.
Vision: To revolutionize global residential wildfire defense by ensuring every home is safeguarded through high-tech materials, automated operation, and alerts, preserving lives and properties.