Future-Proof: Gen Z and the Digital Economy, Navigating Digital Transformation and Entrepreneurship
June 1-3, 2025 | Antalya, Türkiye
Join us for Future-Proof: Gen Z and the Digital Economy, a forum hosted by DCN Global in collaboration with World Learning and funded by the U.S. Department of State, taking place on June 1-3, 2025, in Antalya, Türkiye. This event will bring together young professionals from Europe to collaborate, build skills, and explore innovation in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
Gen Z is the most connected and entrepreneurial generation in history, uniquely positioned to drive global economic growth. This forum will help them harness emerging technologies, exchange ideas with peers, and gain insights from industry experts. While AI, fintech, and digital platforms create new opportunities, challenges such as skill gaps, cybersecurity threats, and limited funding still hinder many young professionals. This event will bridge those gaps through hands-on training and direct engagement with digital leaders shaping the future.
Day 1
Day 1 will focus on navigating the digital economy, covering AI-driven job markets, fintech trends, digital financial literacy, and cybersecurity essentials. A hands-on workshop will guide participants in building their personal brands.
Day 2
Day 2 will explore digital entrepreneurship, offering insights into e-commerce, content creation, and AI-driven businesses. Participants will learn about the U.S. startup ecosystem, funding opportunities, and strategies to scale globally, concluding with a practical workshop on launching a digital business.
The forum is organized by World Learning and Digital Communication Network Global with funding from the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
SCHEDULE
June 1-3, 2025
Team & Workshop Setup Day
Welcome & Introductions
A dynamic kickoff session that sets the tone for the event. Participants will be welcomed by DCN leadership, introduced to the objectives of the forum, and given an overview of what’s to come. DCN team members will offer initial remarks, underscoring the importance of global collaboration.
Moderator: Dimitris Dimitriadis talking to Vlad Spencer and Marianna Tanagia
Pre-Forum Workshop: Lab Setup & Ideation Groups
This interactive session invites participants to form ideation clusters focused on the digital topics that matter most to Gen Z—AI content creation, micro-entrepreneurship, fintech, and more. Guided by innovation experts Dimitris Dimitriadis and Dimosthenis Spyridis with support from DCN’s Diana Filimon and Marianna Tanagia and American mentors, groups will develop key questions and themes to shape the deep-dive sessions ahead. U.S. speakers will rotate among tables, serving as mentors and sounding boards.
Facilitator: Dimitris Dimitriadis, DCN Global, Futurist, TheFutureCats Innovation Consultancy, Greece & Dimosthenis Spyridis, Head of Innovation, TheFutureCats Innovation Consultancy, Greece
Fintech Fundamentals: Earning, Saving & Investing for the Digital Native
This session helps demystify digital finance and offers practical tools to manage money online and safely.
Speakers:
- Anna Tutova, CEO, Coinstelegram, Ukraine/UAE
- Aysegul Sensoy, Country Manager, Fuze Finance, Türkiye
Facilitator: Dimitris Dimitriadis, DCN Global, Futurist, TheFutureCats Innovation Consultancy, Greece
Skills for the Digital Workforce
Panel: Gen Z and the Digital Startup Culture – Building the Future from the Ground Up
Start the day with a conversation about how Gen Z is embracing startup culture to redefine career paths and drive innovation. Featuring American entrepreneurs and students, the panel will explore how U.S.-style startup ecosystems can serve as blueprints.
Speakers:
- Melissa Armas, Founder & Lead Strategist, AZ Collab, U.S.
- Madison Miller, Graduate Assistant, Florida State University, U.S.
- Gavin Schweiger, Journalism Student, Rowan University, U.S.
- Paige Britt, Journalist, Rowan University/NJ.com, U.S.
- Paige Lombardi, Language Bank Coordinator, The Northern Nevada International Center, U.S.
- Adam Harrell, Co-Founder, Nebo Agency, U.S.
Facilitator: Diana Filimon, DCN Global, Romania
Fireside Chat with Diana Filimon: Digital Skills for 2030
What skills will matter in the job market of the future? Dr. Sari offers a roadmap of digital competencies needed to thrive.
Speaker: Dr. Eunice Sari, CEO, UX Indonesia, Indonesia / Australia
Coffee Break
Fireside Chat with Marianna Tanagia. How to Become an Influencer—and What to Do with the Influence
An insider’s perspective on leveraging digital platforms to build authentic influence and drive social or entrepreneurial impact.
Speaker: Dun Concha Abiera, CEO | Founder and Managing Director, Work Beyond Borders | Yabong, Philippines
Talk: The Intersection of Blockchain and AI: A New Era of Digital Transformation
Explore how the convergence of blockchain and AI is reshaping transparency, security, and innovation in the global digital economy—with examples drawn from startup cultures worldwide.
Speaker: Dr. Irmak Yolcu, Operations Manager, Caiz Academician, Türkiye
Fireside Chat with Diana Filimon. Staying Safe in a Smart World: Internet Security in the Age of AI As digital tools evolve, so do threats.
This session focuses on protecting your data, identity, and future in a connected world.
Speaker: Dr. Anna Mysyshyn, Co-founder, Director, Institute of Innovative Governance, Ukraine/U.K.
Lunch
Parallel Workshops (Choose One)
A) Mastering YouTube with AI: Smarter Strategies for Creators
Discover how AI can help you grow your YouTube channel—from planning content and writing titles to analyzing performance and boosting reach. Nastia Debowska shares practical tools and workflows to help creators work faster, stay consistent, and create smarter.
Facilitator: Nastia Debowska, Content Strategy expert, agency founder, ex-YouTUbe, Insider Consulting, U.K.
B) Human Skills for the AI Age
Develop soft skills that give tech talent a human edge.
Facilitator: Shashwat Kansal, Palantir Technologies, U.K.
C) No-Code Prototyping
Learn to build functional landing pages or apps without coding.
Facilitator: Josh (Adi) Tedjasaputra, Director, Customer Experience Insight Pty Ltd, Australia
D) Your Digital Venture: Real-World Lessons in U.S. Entrepreneurship for Gen Z Gain firsthand knowledge from an American founder on launching with lean tools and global vision.
Facilitator: Melissa Armas, Founder & Lead Strategist, AZ Collab, U.S.
Coffee Break
Fireside Chat with Diana Filimon. Building Trust in a Digital World: Money, Markets & Meaningful Brands
Learn how to build financial credibility and brand trust in borderless marketplaces—drawing from fintech case studies and digital marketing practices.
Speaker: Aysegul Sensoy, Country Manager, Fuze Finance, Türkiye
Digital Business & Entrepreneurship
Morning Briefing
DCN team will preview the day’s objectives and offer feedback on workshop outcomes from Day 2.
Fireside Chat with Mariana Tanagia. Digital Entrepreneurship Without Big Funding
How to launch small—content ventures, online shops, service platforms—using global tools and lean startup models
Speaker: Yousun Do, Director, Nuleep, South Korea / U.S.
Coffee Break
Fireside Chat with Diana Filimon. Monetizing Content on Digital Platforms
From Substack to Instagram, learn how creators build income streams across today’s most popular digital platforms. This session brings American entrepreneurial energy to the creator economy.
Speaker: Adam Harrell, Founder, Nebo Agency, U.S.
Talk: Smart Tools for Small Digital Teams
Tips for using Notion, Trello, Slack, and other startup-favorite tools to boost productivity and collaboration.
Speaker: Dr. Eunice Sari, CEO, UX Indonesia, Indonesia/Australia
Lunch
Parallel Workshops (Choose One)
A) Gen Z Communication in the Digital Age
Learn how digital-first storytelling can drive change.
Facilitators: Diana Filimon, Co-Founder, Gen Zette & Gen, știri, Romania, Sorana Horsia, Editor-in-chief, Gen Zette, Romania
B) Personal Branding and Career Design in the Age of AI
Develop your identity and network to stand out.
Facilitator: Reese Wong, Founder & CEO, Potentia Fellowship. U.K.
C) Unlocking AI Magic in Canva: The Future of Digital Branding
Learn how AI tools in Canva can elevate your content game.
Facilitator: Nok Werner, Canva Verified Expert & Graphic Designer, Digisign, Netherlands
D) Data & Analytics for Beginners
Intro to Google Analytics, UTM tracking, and using data for content decisions.
Facilitator: Josh (Adi) Tedjasaputra, Director, Customer Experience Insight Pty Ltd, Australia
Coffee Break
From Ideas to Action: What’s Next?
DCN’s Marianna Tanagia, Diana Filimon and Vlad Spencer return for this final wrap-up session, offering feedback, sharing insights across sessions, and spotlighting top ideas and takeaways. Participants will be invited to present the concepts they’ve developed, and mentors will share strategies to help turn these concepts into sustainable digital ventures.
Speakers
