Avlis Otreb

An entrepreneur who accidentally built a €12M AI business while trying to automate customer service for his family's struggling tourism company. What started as a weekend coding project in 2020 became an AI-powered multilingual chatbot now serving over 500 businesses across 18 European countries.

With no formal AI training or startup experience, Avlis's journey from Lagos hotel receptionist to tech entrepreneur embodies the unexpected opportunities of the AI boom.

Avlis has been featured in TechCrunch, Sifted, and Wired for his unconventional approach to scaling—he still codes from his childhood bedroom in the Algarve and refuses to relocate to Lisbon despite investor pressure. He's a vocal advocate for "accidental tech founders" who solve real problems first and frequently speaks about AI ethics, impostor syndrome, and the myth of needing a Silicon Valley pedigree.

When he's not improving his algorithms or negotiating with enterprise clients, Avlis teaches free accordion at local music schools.