Non-profit organisation Cyprus Seeds has announced that it recently hosted a high-profile technology transfer event.

The event, held in collaboration with the EU-funded DiGiNN initiative, aimed at strengthening Cyprus’ innovation ecosystem and accelerate research commercialisation.

The gathering brought together more than 60 participants from academia, research institutions, and the local startup community. 

According to the organisers, the event served as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, highlighting the pivotal role of technology transfer in turning academic research into real-world impact. 

In her opening remarks, Maria Markidou Georgiadou, founder and managing director of Cyprus Seeds, welcomed participants and reiterated the organisation’s mission to bridge science and entrepreneurship.  

She was joined by Konstantinos Kleovoulou, director of Research and Innovation at the Deputy Ministry of Research and Innovation, and Vasilis Tsakalos, director of research and technical support at the Cyprus Institute, who also addressed the audience. 

The keynote address was delivered by John Cosmopoulos, senior associate director of the Technology Transfer Office at Tufts University (USA).  

Cosmopoulos shared international best practices and insights on the journey “From Lab to Intellectual Property to Product,” offering a practical overview of commercialisation pathways, the role of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), and illustrative case studies from the biotech and medtech sectors. 

An expert presentation followed by Sophia Tsakiri, a lawyer with an MBA and experience in Technology Transfer, also co-founder of RENVIS and chair of the scientific board for tech transfer and intellectual property in Greece.  

Her talk, titled “From University to Market: The Role of Technology Transfer,” examined the mechanisms, services, and strategic significance of TTOs in bridging the gap between academic research and market needs. 

The event also featured interactive Question and Answer sessions and networking opportunities, which, according to the organisers, fostered meaningful dialogue among researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovation stakeholders. 

Cyprus Seeds extended its thanks to the distinguished speakers for their contributions and to all attendees for their enthusiastic participation.  

As it explained, the event marked another step forward in its ongoing efforts to cultivate a thriving innovation ecosystem in Cyprus. 

Established in 2018, Cyprus Seeds is a non-profit organisation supporting the commercialisation of innovative scientific research in Cyprus.  

Inspired by programmes like the MIT Deshpande Center, it offers grants, mentoring, and investor networking with the goal of reversing brain-drain and fostering technology spin-offs that generate employment and wealth for the country. 

It is the only initiative in Cyprus supported by Greeks and Cypriots in the Diaspora through The Hellenic Initiative (THI), and also serves as an innovation partner in EU-funded projects including the Digital Innovation Hub (DiGiNN) and the PHAETHON Centre of Excellence for renewables and green energy. According to the organisation, it leverages its expertise to enhance entrepreneurial and tech-transfer skills across Cyprus. 

To date, Cyprus Seeds has facilitated the creation of six spinoff companies in sectors such as IoT, health, energy, and art.