Technology Transfer Hub and Startups mean digital upgrade for Greece

In the panel coordinated by John Dionatos, publisher of Startupper Mag and Journalist of EMEAgr, the Deputy Minister of Investments, Christos Dimas, the President of ThessIntech, Nikos Efthymiadis, the General Manager of Ansys Hellas, Babis Bakolias and the Professor of Systems Engineering, John Baras, discussed the transition of Greece to the modern digital era. The discussion took place in the framework of the 7th Delphi Economic Forum, which takes place in Delphi from 6-9 April and is under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Mr. Dimas said that in the government, a strategic priority is to link research and innovation with entrepreneurship. In four months’ time there will be a change in the institutional framework in the field of spin–offs, with a simplification of procedures.”But Greece is already offering tax incentives to businesses to invest in technology. Our country has one of the most competitive tax frameworks in the European Union”, he said. He also stressed that the creation of technology transfer offices is a necessary step for the creation of an innovation ecosystem, while he added that it is important to have, from childhood, appropriate education in areas related to technology.”

Mr. Efthymiadis then spoke about new technologies and noted that it is important for Greece to become a regional technology hub. “Something is happening in our country”, he said and underlined that Greece has many possibilities, remarkable universities, extrovert businesses, more than 2,000 Startups, many spin-offs, but also the first unicorns. The “missing link” is partnership, complementarity, the co-establishment of research centers, entrepreneurship and the public sector and this is what the technology park of Thessaloniki (ThessIntech) comes to offer.

Mr. Bakolias noted that since 2019, that his company operates in Greece, he has been trying to “grow” by approaching research institutions in the country. “We are reaching out to research institutions to provide us with access to metrics to verify our internal results, to conduct experimental studies in academic research, but also to have access to talent pools,” he said.But he said he faces several difficulties as the company grows at a slower than desired pace. “We hope that the technology transfer offices will help us in this effort,” he added.

Mr. Baras finally commented that Greece has good foundations, but focused on what “needs to be done” in the country.He stated that Greece must invest in infrastructure, there must be balanced development in the periphery of the country, there must be a proper connection of digital technology with the production process, education in schools in the field of the use of computers and new technologies must be upgraded, as well as total innovation systems should be added to the teaching process, i.e. there should be a programme that teaches entrepreneurship to young people, so as to help further strengthen Startups.