Mike Mingos

Tech Entrepreneur, Cybersecurity Expert, AI Instructor, Keynote Speaker. 25+ years in technology.

From the province to the front lines of cybersecurity

Mike Mingos at Acronis Miami 2022
Acronis Miami · 2022

I started working with computers in the mid-1980s, at a time when the internet in Greece was still a luxury. Early on I realized that life in big cities wasn’t for me. From the 1990s I was building and repairing computers professionally as a freelance technician while studying — and in parallel I had the time to dive into a wide range of Web projects. That practical, hands-on relationship with technology never left me.

After my studies at the University of Sheffield (MSc Information Systems) and the Hellenic Open University (Computer Science), I spent years working at universities, IT companies and startups — building technical skills while launching many Web projects as side hustles (more than 30 in total). The projects I started always involved a lot of personal work, a website, and were built on top of my sole proprietorship. Most of them were just a waste of time — but they gave me hands-on experience across a wide range of fields.

The first real large-scale startup: texnikoi.com

One of the ideas that started simply because I won a free domain in a competition was texnikoi.com — a network of IT professionals delivering technical support across all the major cities of Greece.

In 2009 I began my first partnership, with my business partner, to build texnikoi.com (Δίκτυο Τεχνικής Υποστήριξης) — with offices in Athens and an initial focus on nationwide computer support, laptop and phone repair, and data recovery. We literally started from zero. I remember the first calls, the first difficult cases, the nights working on destroyed hard drives trying to save a lifetime of files — all while still holding a day job in a public-sector organization in the province.

A few years in, things got serious: we got the opportunity to acquire Tictac Data Recovery, then the largest data recovery company in Greece. The deal closed quickly and the bigger journey began — to continue and grow the brand and the trust it had built, into something even larger.

Tictac: The company that changed everything

From data recovery, we moved into Cyber Security, Managed Backup & Disaster Recovery, Ransomware Incident Response and digital forensics. Ransomware began hitting Greek businesses and we found ourselves on the front lines. This led me to become a Ransomware Negotiator, talking directly with hackers, understanding how they think, finding solutions in seemingly impossible situations.

Today, Tictac employs 30+ professionals, generates seven-figure annual revenue, and is the largest Acronis Platinum Partner in Southern Europe. We have managed 2,000+ ransomware incidents since 2016, writing forensic reports for boards of directors, insurance companies and law enforcement agencies.

Since 2017, thanks to my extensive experience in digital forensics and cryptocurrencies, I have participated in thousands of negotiations with hackers behind ransomware attacks on companies and organizations. I have developed a unique negotiation protocol, and to date — together with my team at Tictac — we have saved tens of millions for businesses through our involvement in these incidents.

Mike Mingos — Tech Entrepreneur, Cybersecurity Expert, AI Instructor
25+ years in technology — from data recovery to ransomware negotiations and AI

Parallel paths: Blockchain & AI

In parallel, I have worked intensively on VIP Blockchain and cryptocurrency seminars, which gave me the opportunity to meet very high-net-worth individuals from around the world as their technical advisor. The world of cryptocurrencies, NFTs, DeFi and Smart Contracts still fascinates me today.

Since 2025 I have been working intensively in the artificial intelligence space, doing 1-on-1 sessions with entrepreneurs who want personalized guidance and don’t have the time to dive in on their own.

The companies I build

Entrepreneurship is in my DNA. I could never stop at just “one thing”.

The mission: Making the complex simple

What sets me apart isn’t just technical knowledge. It’s the ability to explain complex topics in a way that anyone can understand. Ransomware, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity: I’ve lived all of them in practice and I convey them through examples, humor and real-world stories.

That’s why I speak at conferences, write on my blog, and appear on TV and radio. Because I believe knowledge shouldn’t stay locked away in technical circles.

Education

Certifications

Conference Speaking

Every talk I give is based on real stories. People don’t want theory; they want to understand what could happen to them and how to protect themselves.

See my official speaker profile at Click Events / InfoCom Conferences.

TV & Radio

Podcasts

Workshops

Press

Awards & Recognition (Tictac Cyber Security)

As Tictac’s COO I have been part of 11 awards across 3 years at the Cyber Security Awards (Boussias), judged by a jury chaired by Prof. Sokratis Katsikas. See winners:

2025 (6 awards):

2024: BRONZE — Tictac & PHAROS Pharmaceuticals (Disaster Recovery Site)

2023 (4 awards): GOLD Melpaper · SILVER Ransomware IR · GOLD Endpoint Security · BRONZE Cybersecurity Leadership

Also 2025: Brand of the Year 2025 (Marketing Achievement Awards) · Acronis Loyalty Award 2025 (MSSP Global)

Partnerships & external profiles

Areas of Expertise

Cybersecurity: Incident Response, Ransomware Negotiation, Digital Forensics, NIS2, ISO 27001, MSSP, EDR/XDR, Board-level crisis communications

Artificial Intelligence: Executive training, AI agents, automation, Claude/ChatGPT, local LLMs

Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin education, scam identification, blockchain analysis, DeFi/NFT

Entrepreneurship: Startup strategy, innovation, technology investment, M&A

Contact & Network