On Thursday, May 20, the ministry of foreign affairs of Cyprus, in cooperation with Cyprus Seeds, organised an event on Cyprus Economic Diplomacy supporting Innovation at the botanical garden of the Atsas training centre in Skouriotissa. The event was addressed by the minister of foreign affairs Nikos Christodoulides, the deputy minister of research, innovation and digital policy Kyriakos Kokkinos, George David, chairman of the board of the Atsas training centre and Phroso Hadjilucas, director of the Atsas centre.
The event was attended by 32 ambassadors of foreign affairs, the president and CEO of INVEST Cyprus, the chief scientist, the general manager of the Research & Innovation Foundation, representatives of the research community of Cyprus and senior officials.
The attendees were informed about the actions planned and promoted in the framework of economic diplomacy, the main pillar of which is, among other things, the support of innovation. At the same time, the managing director of Cyprus Seeds presented the mission and activities of the non-profit organisation which supports the commercialisation of the academic research of Cyprus universities and research institutions, providing support in the form of sponsorships, mentoring, training and networking abroad. Five of the twelve scientific teams supported by Cyprus Seeds, during the second cycle of the programme, had the opportunity to present their technological innovations and work in the fields of health, solar energy and water, information technology, cultural heritage and arts.
Through the presentation of the work of Cyprus Seeds, the participants recognised the importance of promoting and supporting innovation. Nikos Christodoulides congratulated Cyprus Seeds for its unique work, emphasising: “Government supports the efforts of Cyprus Seeds, a non-profit initiative which aims to build bridges between the academic research of Cyprus universities and research institutes and the business world.”
At the end of the event, the attendees visited the Atsas olive grove of the inspirer of Cyprus Seeds George David, where members of the diplomatic corps planted an olive tree in a symbolic movement fully in line with the efforts of Cyprus Seeds – as the seeds of the non-profit organisation, while growing bring solutions to problems not only in Cyprus, but also globally. The olive grove of diplomas, in an idyllic landscape of the Solea Valley, will be reminiscent of the efforts of Cyprus Seeds to grow the business ecosystem in Cyprus.
