Exploring Tomorrow’s Tech: HETiA and University of Thessaly Host the 3rd Emerging Tech Conference ‘Edge Intelligence’ 2024
Volos, Greece – October 17-18, 2024
The Hellenic Emerging Technologies Association (HETiA), in close partnership with the University of Thessaly, recently held the 3rd annual Emerging Tech Conference ‘Edge Intelligence’ (ETCEI) in Volos, Greece, gathering influential figures from academia, industry, and technology sectors. The event, held over two days, spotlighted Greece’s advancements in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and edge computing, reinforcing its growing influence in the global technology landscape.
The conference, which has quickly established itself as a premier event in Greece’s technology calendar, provided an essential platform for showcasing the innovative work emerging from Greece’s research institutions and tech companies. The 2024 edition focused on bridging the gap between academic research and industrial application, underscoring the nation’s role in advancing these pivotal fields.
The event was supported by sponsors that had the opportunity besides presenting research results, to demonstrate product and services in dedicated booths, as well as to attract new talents during the Career Day.
(Exhibition Area)
Opening Remarks from Key Leaders
The conference began with welcome remarks from esteemed leaders, including Prof. Chrysi Laspidou, Vice Rector of the University of Thessaly, Prof. George Stamoulis and Dr. Emmanuel Zervakis, President of HETiA, each underlining the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing technology. Dr. Zervakis highlighted the significance of ETCEI as a platform for knowledge exchange and innovation.
(Opening Remarks)
Keynote and Session Highlights
The event kicked off with a keynote by Dionysios Diamantopoulos from IBM Research Europe, who spoke on the topic of “Supercharging IA* for a GenAI World”, capturing the audience’s attention with insights into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.
Throughout the first day, participants engaged in a variety of sessions focused on advanced machine learning techniques, federated learning models, and AI’s potential to drive energy efficiency. One standout presentation, led by Sotirios Bekos from Qubber, delved into Optical Inspection Systems in Industry, highlighting the real-world applications of AI in manufacturing.
In addition to these presentations, the day featured an interactive workshop on AI and Industrial Applications, with Sotiris Bekos from Qubber and Dimitris Garagounis from Oliveex, moderated by journalist Dimitrios Kareklidis (magnesianews.gr). This session provided hands-on insights into practical applications of AI within industrial settings.
The day also included an engaging panel discussion on AI in the agrifood sector, featuring speakers Yiorgos Bontzios from Agroverse, George Varvarelis from CNH, Sotiris Bantas from Centaur, and Dionysis Bochtis from Farm-B. Moderated by Ioannis Anastasiou, Vice Governor of Digital Governance and Citizen Services for the Region of Thessaly, the panel explored how AI innovations can enhance and support agricultural productivity and sustainability.
(1st Day – Keynote and Session Highlights)
The day concluded with a networking cocktail event, which fostered vibrant discussions and potential collaborations among attendees.
On the second day, the agenda shifted towards in-depth research presentations, highlighting significant advancements in circuits and CAD, followed by high-level discussions on cutting-edge developments in high-performance AI applications. These sessions underscored the continuous drive for innovation and the importance of integrating research with industry practices.
The conference also held career-focused sessions, creating a valuable opportunity for attendees to meet directly with HR representatives from leading tech firms. Our sponsors played an active role in the Career Day, engaging with a large number of students and recent graduates eager to enter the tech industry. This participation helped build pathways for emerging professionals and offered sponsors a unique chance to connect with promising talent, fostering meaningful networking and potential recruitment opportunities
(Career Day)
Highlights included an invited speech by Paraskevas Bakopoulos, Director of NVIDIA Greece, on “Accelerating Innovation: NVIDIA’s Role in Shaping the Future of AI and High-Performance Computing”. Attendees also explored applications of AI and engineering in the CENTAURUS Racing Team presentation by John Athanasiadis and Konstantinos Bakiris and a brief overview of the HERMES Team led by Christos Belogiannis.
(2nd Day – Keynote and Session Highlights)
Manolis Frantzeskakis, CEO of Argosemi, delivered an invited speech on “The Adventure of 5G Radios in a Greek Perspective”. The event continued with Alexander Ypma and Dimitra Gkorou from ASML, The Netherlands, in a discussion on “AI Challenges and Opportunities in Semiconductor Manufacturing”.
The day concluded with a roundtable on “Silicon Entrepreneurs: Leveraging the CHIPS Act”, moderated by Dr. Sotiris Bantas, CEO of Centaur, with panelists Dimitrios Garyfallou (EDALOGIC), Tilemachos Matiakis (KENOTOM), and Nikos Sketopoulos (Silicon Highway Technologies) discussing CHIPS Act-driven growth in the semiconductor industry.
(2nd Day – Keynote and Session Highlights)
All sessions are available to view on-demand at the following link: Access On-Demand
Looking Ahead to 2025
In his closing remarks, Dr. Emmanuel Zervakis – HETiA president, commended the contributions of all participants and emphasized the conference’s growing role in strengthening ties between academia and industry. He expressed enthusiasm for ETCEI’s upcoming edition in 2025, which will be organized in collaboration with the Foundation for Research & Technology (FORTH) Hellas and Micro Nano Scientific Committee, and will take place in Crete in October 2025. Dr. Zervakis set high expectations for further collaboration and advancements, envisioning a milestone event that will continue to drive innovation and industry partnerships.
