On 22/10, Prof. Phoebe Koundouri had the pleasure of speaking at the EIT – European Institute of Innovation and Technology Community Hub Greece Kick-off Event at the National Bank of Greece in Athens, marking a significant step forward in connecting local actors with Europe’s largest innovation network.
The Hub will serve as a central meeting point for startups, researchers, universities, businesses, and public authorities, facilitating access to EIT opportunities in areas such as climate, manufacturing, energy, digital transformation, health, culture and creativity, urban mobility, and raw materials.
As the former Director of the EIT Climate-KIC Hub Greece, Prof. Koundouri reflected on the impactful work conducted between 2018 and 2022, leading over 15 projects and initiatives—including Water Scarcity, Circular Economy Beacons, Maritime ClimAccelerator, Pioneers into Practice, MedFreeSup, Deep Demonstration, Circular Learning Hub, Accelerator, CE in S3, and BL.EU Climate—all of which contributed to the foundation of today’s vibrant and collaborative Greek innovation ecosystem.
During the roundtable “Empowering Greek Innovation,” Prof. Koundouri emphasized the importance of a systemic approach to ensure that all EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities in Greece collaborate effectively as mission-driven partners across domains such as AI, maritime innovation, circular economy, and sustainability transitions.
The event was moderated by Dr. Vivian Sophou (EIT Manufacturing). Other speakers included Dr. Emanuel Zervakis (HETiA), Angeliki (Lina) Konstantinopoulou (EIT Urban Mobility), Maria Loloni (EIT Climate-KIC), Prof. Phoebe Koundouri (AUEB & University of Cambridge), and Katerina Papadouli (Agricultural University of Athens).
These developments mark an exciting phase in strengthening the bridge between Greek and European innovation.
