HETiA’s 4th Emerging Tech Forum 2024: Transforming Greece’s Tech Landscape with Pioneering Discussions on Microchips and AI Innovations
Athens
16.12.2024
On December 11, 2024, the 4th Emerging Tech Forum, organized by HETiA, was held at the Grande Bretagne Hotel in Athens, marking a pivotal moment in Greece’s technological evolution. This year’s forum brought together industry leaders, government officials, and academic experts to discuss critical topics shaping Greece’s tech future, including the microchip industry, the National Strategy for Microelectronics, the EU Chips Act, and HETiA’s proposal for the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC) within the European Chips Competence Centres framework.
The forum served as a vital platform for fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors, exchanging innovative ideas, and crafting strategies to unlock Greece’s deep-tech potential.
The day began with a compelling welcome address by HETiA President Dr. Emmanuel Zervakis, who underscored the significance of the forum in advancing Greece’s tech ecosystem. This was followed by opening remarks from Panagiotis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development, who emphasized the government’s commitment to fostering innovation through strategic investments and infrastructure development in the microelectronics sector, aiming to position Greece as a key player in the digital economy.
Meeting of HETIA with European Commission and Government representatives.
Central to the discussions was the presentation by Anna Mani Papadimitriou, Deputy Minister of Development, who detailed Greece’s National Strategy for Microchips. She outlined a comprehensive roadmap for advancing the country’s ambitions in semiconductor manufacturing and innovation, highlighting the critical role of the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC). The session, moderated by John Kikidis, HETiA Board Member and Global Ecosystem Lead at Renesas Electronics, underscored the importance of public-private partnerships in driving progress in this critical industry.
Moreover, the forum featured a series of thought-provoking panels that delved into various aspects of technology and innovation. A Fireside Chat on Digital Transformation, led by Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance, demonstrated the pivotal role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in driving innovation and economic growth.
The forum delved into critical topics like Greece’s potential as a Cybersecurity Hub, featuring insights from Yiannis Pavlosoglou, Vice Governor of the National Cyber Security Authority along with experts on the field. Later, the Emerging Technologies in National Security panel focused on advancements in defense innovation and included a spotlight on the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between HETiA and HASDIG (Hellenic Aerospace Security & Defense Industries Group), represented by Dimitris Skalaios, President of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry. This agreement underscores their shared dedication to strengthening Greece’s defense innovation capabilities.
The Empowering HR with Technology: Strategies for Success panel delved into the transformative role of technology in human resources, emphasizing tools and strategies to drive workforce efficiency and engagement. Mr. Konstantinos Karagkounis, Deputy Minister of Labour & Social Security, and industry leaders highlighted the importance of adopting digital platforms for talent management, upskilling, and creating more inclusive workplaces. The panel underscored how leveraging HR technologies can empower organizations to adapt to the evolving demands of the digital era.
The day concluded with discussions on High-Tech Alliances, emphasizing strategies and partnerships shaping the future of innovation and collaboration in emerging technologies.
The event concluded with networking sessions, offering attendees the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and innovators, fostering collaborations to advance Greece’s technological landscape.
Reflecting on the forum’s success, Dr. Emmanuel Zervakis expressed his gratitude:
“The Emerging Tech Forum provided a vital platform to discuss Greece’s strategic initiatives in the semiconductor sector and beyond. We were honored to host distinguished speakers, including Mr. Panagiotis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development, Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance, Mr. Thomas Skordas, Deputy Director General of DG CONNECT at the European Commission, Mrs. Anna Mani Papadimitriou, Deputy Minister of Development and Mr. Konstantinos Karagkounis, Deputy Minister of Labour & Social Security, whose insights will propel Greece into the global tech spotlight. Their participation highlights the united efforts in harnessing the opportunities ahead.”
For a comprehensive event summary of the Emerging Tech Forum, a full recap will be released soon on the HETiA YouTube channel (www.youtube.hetia)
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About the forum:
Held each year in downtown Athens is the emerging technologies ecosystem’s gathering event, targeting to create awareness for HETiA members to governmental actors and society, discuss developments and challenges and finally propose ideas on capitalization of Greece’s competitive advantages in the global technological landscape.
About HETiA:
HETiA is the alliance of highly innovative industrial and academic performers, promoting digital technology proliferation and entrepreneurship in emerging technology domains. HETiA is the evolution of the Hellenic Semiconductor Industry Association that was launched in 2005.
