40+ million products. 5,300+ suppliers. Relied upon by thousands of scientists, lab managers, procurement, and finance users. If you want to understand how a biotech procurement platform that offers all of that and more runs smoothly behind the scenes, look no further than ZAGENO’s Chief Operating Officer, Kostas Sereleas.
A supply chain strategist, operations veteran, and former leader at Apple and McKesson, Kostas has spent his career simplifying complexity. At ZAGENO, he’s brought his extensive knowledge to bear. The result? A stronger, more scalable operational foundation that quietly powers faster order cycles, better supplier partnerships, and a more seamless experience for customers.
When the clock is ticking: ZAGENO’s commitment to partnership
To Kostas, ZAGENO’s biggest differentiator isn’t just performance, it’s genuine partnership.
“There are very few companies in our industry where you can talk to a real person,” he shares. Whether it’s tracking down a hard-to-find PCR reagent or getting help with an urgent quote, ZAGENO customers know they can reach someone quickly.
“Within two minutes of accessing our chat during ZAGENO business hours, you can speak with a live support professional. There is nobody else in the industry or otherwise where you can actually get a hold of somebody.”
That unwavering commitment to live, customer support is a key reason life sciences companies turn to ZAGENO in a crunch.
“Many companies come to us because one of our existing customers was in a meeting, or at an expo, and they were chatting about ‘I cannot process quote codes with this other vendor.’ Then, our customers say, ‘Have you tried ZAGENO?’”
That word-of-mouth trust reflects what Kostas and his team have been building from day one.
Meet some of the customer service all-stars at ZAGENO
From Crete’s classrooms to biotech's cutting edge: Kostas's path to simplicity
Kostas’s path to biotech began with a mantra that’s stuck with him since childhood: simplicity is wisdom.
“Don’t use a thousand steps to go from A to B if you can do it in ten,” he shares. He first employed this philosophy during his early work redesigning factory workflows in his home country of Greece, where he also attended university in Crete. That mindset eventually brought him to the U.S. for an MBA in management science and finance, “to merge process thinking with business strategy.”
After gaining valuable data science chops in healthcare analytics, he returned to his operations roots at McKesson. “That was where I started seeing how much value I could create by optimizing outdated or fragmented processes,” he says. His time at Apple deepened that experience, balancing global complexity with what he calls “work-life flexibility,” a rhythm he’s carried into his current role at ZAGENO.
Leading operations across the marketplace
As COO, Kostas wears many hats, leading the operations, supply chain, supplier partnerships, and merchandising teams. All the while, he’s focused on getting the best pricing and shipping rates for customers.
“At any point, I’m thinking about how we route orders, what pricing and shipping terms we’re negotiating, and whether we’re surfacing the right products for customers,” he explains.
One of his biggest early wins? Overhauling ZAGENO’s operational KPIs, without adding headcount.
“We took up all of the operational KPIs by at least ten points higher.” Today, even long-time customers who previously struggled with order confirmation times during COVID times “cannot comprehend how much things have changed.” This demonstrates ZAGENO's commitment to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
Global reach, local impact: Managing ZAGENO’s worldwide team
Kostas’s day starts before sunrise. With teams across Europe, Boston, and India, he’s up early in the Bay Area to sync with each region. “My mornings are back-to-back with Europe and India. Afternoons are for the East Coast,” he says.
That Apple-era mindset of “work-life flexibility” continues to shape how he leads. “It’s not about being online 8 to 5, it’s about knowing where to prioritize, where to delegate, and how to preserve your energy.”
Building a scalable lab supply chain: Behind the ZAGENO experience
While ZAGENO helps scientists and lab managers gain transparency into their supply chain, Kostas is focused on making ZAGENO’s internal operations just as efficient.
“Most of the work has not just been optimizing existing processes, it’s developing new processes as we’re pivoting as a company to adjust to the needs of the customers.”
“A lot of people don’t realize how much of what we do behind the scenes enables that experience,” he notes. From launching ZAGENO’s custom procurement solutions and refining purchase order flows to laying the groundwork for future AI and procurement automation, Kostas’s team is constantly iterating.
“It’s like you’re changing the tires while driving the car,” he laughs. “But the beauty is that you see the impact of your work immediately, and you can course-correct just as fast.”
Unlock efficiency: Why biotechs choose ZAGENO for more with less
Kostas is quick to note that the most successful customers aren’t necessarily the biggest, they’re the savviest. “We’ve had customers continue to run smoothly even when someone in accounting or lab ops left. Because they knew how to use ZAGENO properly, it covered the gap, and their processes were met.”
“If I were a customer, I would be more aggressive with how I use ZAGENO. We’ve only seen a handful of customers that… have really taken to the maximum the potential that solutions like ZAGENO are giving them.”
That includes everything from automated tracking to consolidated invoicing to white-glove customer support and smart reordering. He sees even more opportunity ahead for biotech and pharma companies to leverage ZAGENO’s full potential.
Data-driven decisions, people-powered success
One of Kostas’s personal passions is the power of data to improve decision-making. At ZAGENO, he’s helping expand access to procurement data so customers can better manage spend, avoid duplicate orders, and optimize supplier strategy.
“Do I buy the same thing over and over again? Do I buy the same thing from a thousand different suppliers? That gives you opportunities to save, track your inventory, and partner with us to give you more alternative options.”
Internally, he brings the same logic to leading people.
“Say what you do and do what you say… And recognize when [people] have done that… that’s one of the biggest motivators.”
The future of biotech procurement: AI and what’s next for ZAGENO
As ZAGENO continues to push into AI to improve search, enhance catalog management, and spot missing order information, Kostas sees massive potential. “This isn’t a trend that will fade; it’s a real shift. And we’re using AI in ways that are safe, smart, and meaningful to the customer experience.”
And in an industry that’s been rocked by funding shifts and market pressure, that kind of steady, adaptive leadership is exactly what makes ZAGENO stand out.
ZAGENO’s promise
Whether he’s negotiating supplier contracts, reviewing KPIs, or refining the next internal process, Kostas is focused on the same goal: making ZAGENO’s platform work harder, so customers don’t have to.
“We are a company that you can actually reach out to a specific person, your CSM or customer support, within minutes. And you can get somebody to start solving your problem.”
Want a lab supply procurement partner who actually picks up the phone?
ZAGENO helps life sciences teams simplify procurement with expert support and operational clarity. Contact us to learn how our operational backbone can support your science.
About Konstantinos (Kostas) Sereleas
Konstantinos (Kostas) Sereleas is the Chief Operating Officer at ZAGENO, a leading digital biotech procurement platform. With more than 20 years of global experience in supply chain strategy, business operations, and process optimization, Kostas has led large-scale initiatives at companies like Apple and McKesson.
His background includes global supply chain leadership, data-driven performance management, and cross-functional strategy development. At ZAGENO, he leads operations, supplier partnerships, and merchandising; driving scalable growth across the marketplace.
Kostas holds an MBA in Management Science and Finance from the University of Miami and a bachelor’s degree in Production Engineering and Management from the Technical University of Crete. He is a recipient of multiple Six Sigma awards and is known for delivering operational efficiency and strategic impact at scale.
He resides in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife and daughter.
