Editor’s Note: This article was contributed by Lorena Billi, an AI leader from Belgium, and has been adapted by AiNews.com for clarity, neutrality, and context.

San Diego’s entrepreneurial ecosystem welcomed two European entrepreneurs this fall through the U.S. Department of State’s Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI).

Lorena Billi from Belgium and Constantinos Samuel from Cyprus arrived as part of the program, guided locally by Cheryl K. Goodman, founder of Findgood.tech, an AI integration strategy firm. Their visit highlights how cross-border collaboration is shaping conversations about technology, trust, and the future of work.

The program is supported by American Councils, a nonprofit dedicated to international education and professional development across 130 countries, and the Diplomacy Council San Diego, which fosters cross-cultural understanding. Together, these organizations help YTILI fellows connect with U.S. innovators, reinforce transatlantic partnerships, and empower future leaders.

Lorena Billi leads a global community of women at the intersection of blockchain and AI, creating a platform that promotes collaboration and visibility for female leaders shaping the future of work. She also hosts the Furt’Her Podcast, spotlighting women innovating across industries and borders.

Beyond community leadership, Billi is a sought-after trainer and speaker, having presented at institutions including Cambridge University. She also works as a talent matchmaker, linking organizations with experts to accelerate technology adoption. Her work enables organizations to save both time and cost while staying focused on their business goals, ensuring that innovation is strategically integrated into operations.

“For me, it’s about more than just technology,” Billi said. “It’s about empowering people, raising awareness, and ensuring that as AI and blockchain evolve, trust must be earned and studied—never taken for granted.”

Acting as the U.S. host is Cheryl K. Goodman, founder of Findgood.tech, an AI integration strategy firm. A longtime innovator with experience at Qualcomm and Sony, Goodman reinforces global ties with technology entrepreneurs by leading at Startup San Diego.

As an author, Forbes columnist, and podcaster for Mind the Machine, she is known for creating platforms that connect ideas, people, and opportunities, particularly in emerging industries such as AI.

She has played a key role in guiding the fellows’ immersion, introducing them to San Diego’s changemakers and showing how the region fosters entrepreneurship. Together with the fellows, Goodman leveraged local technology networking events, facilitated introductions, and even recorded a podcast with Billi.

“San Diego is inherently a deep technology hub rich with lifescience, mobile technology, AI and defense,” Goodman said. “What makes programs like YTILI so powerful is the exchange of ideas and connections that lead to opportunities of global relevance — this is especially important for fast moving technologies such as AI where global access remains uneven. We are inspired and we learn just as much from our European fellows as they learn from us. That kind of collaboration is what drives innovation forward.”

Through her company Findgood.tech, Goodman continues to champion a model of entrepreneurship rooted in perseverance, collaboration, and purpose, aligning perfectly with YTILI’s vision.

The second YTILI fellow in San Diego, Constantinos Samuel, is the founder of Blend, a fast-growing employee scheduling and workforce management platform. Blend simplifies shift planning, leave management, payroll, and team communication, helping businesses like restaurants and retail chains save time while keeping employees engaged.

Global brands like KFC, Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, Dairy Queen, and 7-Eleven already use Blend to streamline operations. What sets the company apart is its focus on businesses with 10–50 employees, a segment often left relying on spreadsheets or WhatsApp to manage their teams. Blend fills this gap with an intuitive, affordable, and all-in-one solution.

“With Blend, our goal is to make workforce management fast, fair, and accessible,” Samuel said. “Learning from San Diego’s ecosystem is invaluable for scaling those ambitions.”

Samuel is currently raising a seed round to expand Blend’s reach in the U.S. and European markets and accelerate growth.

For both fellows, the experience in San Diego highlights the importance of global collaboration in emerging technologies.

“This program is not only about learning but about creating bridges,” Billi said. “Through connections here in San Diego, I’m gaining perspectives that will empower my community and foster collaboration across borders.”

Samuel added: “Innovation thrives when diverse perspectives come together, and YTILI makes that possible.”

As the program continues, the fellows plan to carry forward the lessons and networks they’ve built, while Goodman remains committed to strengthening the international relationships that make San Diego a hub for entrepreneurship.

Q: What is the YTILI fellowship?
A: The Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) is a program by the U.S. Department of State that brings European entrepreneurs to the U.S. to exchange ideas, foster innovation, and build global partnerships.

Q: Who are the 2024–2025 fellows hosted in San Diego?
A: Lorena Billi, an AI and blockchain leader from Belgium, and Constantinos Samuel, founder of Blend from Cyprus.

Q: What role does Cheryl Goodman play in the fellowship?
A: As founder of Findgood.tech and leader at Startup San Diego, Goodman mentors the fellows, connects them with San Diego’s innovation community, and facilitates opportunities for collaboration.

Q: What makes Blend unique in the workforce management market?
A: Blend focuses on small to mid-sized businesses (10–50 employees), providing an intuitive, affordable, and all-in-one solution where larger platforms often overlook this segment.

Q: Why does this program matter for AI and technology?
A: By linking European innovators with U.S. ecosystems, YTILI fosters global collaboration, strengthens trust, and empowers leaders who will shape the future of work in AI and beyond.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.