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HETIA Participates in the 4th HBIO Forum on Emerging Trends in Biotechnology & Life Science Innovation – March 6-7, 2025

The 4th HBIO Forum, titled “Emerging Trends in Biotechnology & Life Science Innovation“, took place on March 6-7, 2025, in Athens, Greece. The event gathered industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore the evolving landscape of biotechnology and life sciences at both national and European levels.

Representing the Hellenic Emerging Technologies Industry Association (HETIA), Dr. Emmanuel Zervakis participated in Keynote Session 2, held on March 6, 2025. This session, titled “Clusters Fostering Alignment with National/Regional Strategy”, emphasized the critical role of innovation clusters in shaping policy frameworks and strengthening regional and national innovation ecosystems.

(Keynote Session titled “Clusters Fostering Alignment with National/Regional Strategy”)

Moderated by Stamatiki Kritas (Cluster Manager at HBIO & Managing Director at CEBR), the session featured distinguished speakers, including:

• Linda (DG GROW, European Commission) – Discussing Europe’s strategic support for clusters.
• Tasos Gaitanis (General Secretariat for Innovation, Greece) – Outlining Greece’s cluster policy.
• Stratos Simopoulos (Hellenic Parliament, Special Committee on Research & Technology) – Addressing the legislative landscape.
• George Dimitriou (Hellenic Digital Health Cluster) – Showcasing the impact of digital health clusters.
• Daniel Cosnita (Romanian Cluster Association) – Sharing insights on EU-level cluster policy.

During his presentation, Dr. Zervakis highlighted HETIA’s role in fostering innovation and technological development in Greece. He addressed the need for a more integrated approach to cluster policy at both national and European levels, emphasizing the following key points:

1. The necessity of refining cluster policies to add greater value to innovation ecosystems.
2. Strategies for clusters to better support national and regional policies.
3. The importance of industry-academia collaboration in advancing technological breakthroughs.

A Collaborative Future for Innovation Clusters

The HBIO Forum served as a vital platform for dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders in biotechnology and emerging technologies. Following the session, organizers expressed their gratitude for the insightful discussions, emphasizing the importance of clusters in shaping regional and national innovation strategies.

HETIA remains committed to actively participating in discussions that drive Greece’s technological and industrial evolution. The association looks forward to further collaborations within the HBIO network and beyond.