Nicosia, Cyprus. A panel at the Doers Summit said Cyprus has moved from discussing becoming a technology hub to building one, with the next challenge being the creation of internationally competitive companies. Speakers pointed to new AI infrastructure, global partnerships and university-led research as key assets.
Panel discussion at Doers Summit
The message was delivered during a panel discussion titled ‘Cyprus’ Innovation Bet’, held as part of STEM for All by TechIsland and Women in Tech Cyprus at the Pentagon Stage of the Doers Summit.
The panel was moderated by Tanya Romanyukha, General Manager of TechIsland, and included Konstantinos Kleovoulou, Director of Research and Innovation at the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Antonis Polemitis, CEO of the University of Nicosia, and Alfredo Gomez Soria, Regional Director EMEA at Plug and Play.
Tech sector contribution and recent momentum
Romanyukha said Cyprus is no longer discussing the possibility of becoming a tech hub, but the reality being built on the island.
She cited KPMG data presented earlier at the event indicating that the tech sector contributes 17 per cent to Cyprus’ GVA, with a total economic impact of €8.5 billion.
Romanyukha said the momentum began with President Nikos Christodoulides’ visit to Silicon Valley, where he met NVIDIA, Amazon, OpenAI and leading investment funds.
Developments described after Silicon Valley visit
Romanyukha said three major developments are now taking shape in Cyprus: a national supercomputer in partnership with NVIDIA, a global accelerator through Plug and Play, and a joint degree between the University of Nicosia and Columbia University.
What do you think is the biggest barrier to turning Cyprus’ new tech initiatives into globally competitive companies?
