Dafni Stampouli

Head of Innovation Projects Office, EUROPOL Innovation Lab

“We have set up a structure and a set of services to help law enforcement make the best of the opportunities to prepare for the threats presented by the new technologies.”

Dr. Dafni Stampouli  leads the Innovation Projects Office of the Europol Innovation Lab, which focuses on delivering concrete solutions to enhance the technical capabilities of Europol and the European law enforcement community. She joined Europol in 2014, and before joining Europol, Dafni worked for Airbus Group, initially for the advance research department in the UK and later for Airbus Defence and Space, in France.  Dafni holds a PhD in Computer Vision and started her career in academia, where she worked as a lecturer in UCLAN, in the UK.

Meet Dafni

• Dafni works at the intersection of innovation, law enforcement, and technology, leading the Innovation Projects Office at Europol.
• With a technical foundation and a passion for people-centered problem solving, she believes in bridging the gap between emerging technologies and the real-world needs of users.
• “I enjoyed liaising with clients, discussing their needs, identifying technical solutions” — a skill that continues to shape her approach today.

Read on to find out everything!

Sector:

Working in innovation and law enforcement technology

• From an early age, Dafni was drawn to understanding how complex systems work, fueling a lifelong curiosity that naturally led her toward engineering and innovation: “I would always ask why. Trying to understand how things work”.
• Dafni’s career began in academia, studying electronic engineering and completing a PhD. After working as a lecturer, she joined Airbus Group, where she developed security tools for law enforcement and transitioned into project management. “I started as a developer,” she says, “but I enjoyed the relations with clients, which led me toward project-focused work.”
• She moved to France to continue R&D within Airbus’s defence and security department, before joining Europol in The Hague as a project manager. Her early work focused on delivering operational systems, until five years ago when she was selected to help establish the Europol Innovation Lab.
• The Lab’s mission is to support member states in embracing innovation, avoiding duplication, and building synergies across Europe. “So far, there’s a lot of individual innovation happening across countries and departments,” she explains. “We wanted to create a central space to optimise resources and help law enforcement make the best use of technology.”

What’s in the sector’s future

• The pace of technological change presents both opportunity and risk. “Criminals are much faster in adopting new emerging technologies,” Dafni warns, citing AI, deepfakes, and disinformation as threats that are reshaping the landscape of crime.
• Law enforcement must act quickly — but not alone. “Crime doesn’t recognise borders,” she says, “and we should be working together to address these things collectively.” The Innovation Lab plays a key role in creating interoperable, cross-border responses.
• Flexibility is crucial, as the needs of operations shift constantly. “They change every few months,” Dafni notes. “We need to remain agile and responsive to this quite challenging and changing environment.”

Top Skills

• Dafni’s top skill? “Problem solving and analytical thinking.” Her analytical mindset helps her understand not just how systems work, but also why certain approaches succeed or fail.
• Women are underrepresented in the fields of science and technology, as well as in leadership positions. Dafni values resilience, particularly in complex and often male-dominated environments: “You learn how to navigate this space.” Her ability to listen with empathy and tackle institutional hurdles with creativity helps her lead cross-functional teams effectively.
• Shared goals are key: “Establishing a common goal allows for shared responsibility — that has been very useful.”

Advice and Tips:

• Dafni encourages young professionals to think beyond technical know-how. “Educate yourself about the legal aspects, the ethical concerns, the human rights considerations,” she advises. A holistic understanding is essential.
• She urges people to build a “competitive niche” by combining what they love with gaps they can fill in the field. “If you enjoy it, it doesn’t feel like work.”
• Practical experience makes a difference: “Having applied this knowledge to real-life challenges is very important. It makes candidates memorable.”
• Finally: be patient. “After two or three years working, you realize how little you knew at the beginning,” she reflects. Growth takes time, and presenting your skills well — especially in interviews — is a lifelong asset: “This is a skill that doesn’t come natural to all of us, but once developed, it will be valuable for the rest of your life.”

• Curriculum Vitae

  Europol, Head of Innovation projects office, Europol Innovation Lab, 2020-present

  Europol, ICT Project Manager, 2014-2020

  Airbus group – Cassidian, France, Project Manager, 2012-2014

  Airbus group – EADS Innovation Works, UK, Research Engineer, 2009-2012

  University of Central Lancashire, UK, Part time Lecturer and Researcher, 2002-2008

  SiemensVDO, Germany, Software Developer Internship, 2001