George Hatsopoulos

Cofounder, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Search every verified George Hatsopoulos interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. George Hatsopoulos, the founder of Thermo Electron Corporation, has discussed his career and entrepreneurial philosophy in several recorded conversations. In a 2022 interview, he described his model for a technology company as assembling a group of engineers, scientists, and other experts to identify emerging societal needs and develop solutions, characterizing the company's purpose as "the business of creating new businesses." He also reflected on his decision to move from Greece to the United States in 1948, citing what he described as a more entrepreneurial and risk-taking culture in America compared to a more conservative and traditional one in Europe. In earlier remarks, Hatsopoulos recounted his early life in Athens during the German occupation, including building shortwave radios to hear BBC broadcasts, an activity he said was punishable by death. He credited MIT with supporting his thesis on converting heat into electricity by boiling off electrons, stating that MIT should be considered a co-founder of Thermo Electron. He also described entrepreneurship as "a bug" and an "affliction," and said his goal was to achieve "80% fun" in his work.