At the emblematic Great Hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in the presence of Ministers, Rectors of Universities across the country, representatives of Local Government, as well as distinguished executives from the business community, the award ceremony of the Innovation Competition of the Holy Metropolis of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, Innovate East, was successfully held.
The Award Ceremony, held on Tuesday, 7 October, marked the culmination of an 18-month journey of innovation and entrepreneurship, during which an unprecedented initiative brought together, for the first time, institutions, businesses and seven leading universities in the country: the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the National Technical University of Athens, the Agricultural University of Athens, the University of Piraeus, the University of Thessaly, the University of the Peloponnese and the University of West Attica.
The initiative of His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki demonstrated that a traditional institution can play a leading role in the era of innovation. With vision and determination, the Metropolis created an inclusive meeting point between science, entrepreneurship and society, with the shared goal of green and healthy development, focusing on Eastern Attica. Innovate East demonstrated how innovation can emerge and flourish when institutions, universities, Local Government, businesses and the younger generation of researchers work together.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaos stressed that “a Church that does not innovate is a Church that does not understand – as long as it understands its innovation.” He underlined that the competition initiative was not intended to promote the Church, but rather “responds to a real need of Eastern Attica, a region with land, crops, vineyards, marinas and greenery, which requires a holistic approach with care and responsibility.”t the same time, he highlighted the dynamism of emerging economic activities, such as the airport, ports, business parks and data centers, stressing that “sustainable development is what we are asking for, with care for the preciousness of future generations.”As he characteristically noted, “the Church should not be afraid of innovation; it should use its resourcesto open new paths for universities, researchers and the young people who dare.”
Break Even Consulting, which undertook the implementation of the competition, organised a truly ecosystem-wide collaboration, bringing together 74 teams from 13 universities and research institutions, connecting ideas with mentoring and businesses, and supporting participants throughout the preparation, guidance and evaluation process. The nine finalists presented their proposals before a seven-member jury comprising representatives of leading research institutions and innovative startups, showcasing particularly noteworthy and high-impact solutions.
The Rector Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Prof. Gerasimos Siasos, as host, opened the event, describing Innovate East as “an initiative of great symbolic significance that connects the academic community with the productive fabric of the country, promoting innovation, people and the environment.” As he noted, “Universities are beacons of progress and agents of change; knowledge must return to society through products, services and policies that improve our lives.” Referring to Greek universities, he highlighted the new institutional framework, start-ups and research centres, while praising the ideas of the finalist teams as evidence that the younger generation does not merely dream, but creates, proposes and innovates.
During his address, Minister of Development Takis Theodorikakos congratulated the organisers of Innovate East, highlighting the importance of the initiative in strengthening research and innovation. He focused on the Ministry’s initiatives to support 370 startups, while also referring to technological institutes so that they can acquire modern infrastructure and support Greek universities. As he stated, the priority is cooperation between universities, research institutions and businesses, with the aim of bringing innovation closer to society, strengthening the Greek economy and creating new jobs and opportunities for young people. Concluding, he stressed that “the younger generation of scientists and entrepreneurs is living proof that Greece has the capacity to play a leading role in Europe in innovation.”
The Rector Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Konstantinos Vlasis described the competition as an excellent initiative that gives young people the opportunity to showcase innovative ideas with the aim of making them useful to society as a whole. He stressed that “the Church acts as a bridge between society and entrepreneurship, proving, at the same time, that tradition can support science.” He added that “the enthusiastic participation of young people shows that they seek the support and wisdom of older generations.”
The Rector Minister of Health Marios Themistocleous stressed that Innovate East provides an answer to the challenges of our time and is an example of how “we move from theory to practice, serving human values through innovation.” As he said, the initiative can connect science, Local Government and society with the common goal of a better tomorrow, for people and for future generations, strengthening Greece’s standing and reputation on the global stage.
The Rector Minister of Development Stavros Kalafatis described the competition as a model of partnership for strengthening innovation with social impact. He emphasised that ideas stemming from technological solutions are also proposals for addressing everyday challenges and creating a better future, adding that “this competition is the beginning of cooperation.”
The Rector Deputy Regional Governor of Eastern Attica Dimitrios Damaskos stated: “Innovation is not simply an option, but a necessity if we are to transform our Region into a modern, functional and people-friendly region for citizens and professionals alike.” As he stressed, Innovate East is a typical example of collaboration that mobilises young people with creativity and a vision for green and climate-resilient development. Concluding, he noted that “the winners of today are the winners of tomorrow, whom we want to support.”
The Rector of the National Technical University of Athens, Prof. Ioannis Chatjigeorgiou, stressed: “NTUA serves its mission by guiding society towards the future through innovation. Academic knowledge can become a solution with a social and economic footprint. Innovate East promotes collaboration that society needs, and the University supports such synergies because our role is to inspire, connect and transform.”
The Rector of the University of Piraeus, Prof. Michail Sfakianakis highlighted international outreach and partnerships as key characteristics of the University, noting that His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaos “demonstrates in practice that leadership inspires when it invites new people to bring their ideas forward and contribute to the development of the country.”
The Rector of the University of the Peloponnese, Prof. Athanasios Katsis, noted that “a few years ago, it would have seemed strange for a university to participate in an award ceremony hosted by a religious institution. Today, this is a university–society partnership that bears fruit and generates innovation.” Referring to the fact that the project operates as a tool for employment and innovation with a practical dimension, he wished all teams every success in their course and in supporting their ideas.
The Rector of the University of West Attica, Prof. Panagiotis Kaldis, also highlighted the collaboration of the organisations that made Innovate East possible, noting that UNIWA, “a modern public university with 45,000 members, operates as a multidimensional ecosystem of innovation.”
The Vice Rector for Academic and Administrative Affairs of the Agricultural University of Athens, Prof. Emmanouil Flemetakis, stressed that “the closer partnerships with entrepreneurship and innovation become, thanks to the modern institutional framework, the greater the benefits can be, and today’s event proves that the connection is becoming even stronger.”
The Vice Rector for Innovation, Internationalisation, Partnerships and Digital Governance of the University of Thessaly, Prof. Charis Apostolidis, highlighted the University’s twofold orientation towards entrepreneurship and sustainable development, emphasising the importance of the “blue economy.” As he stated, “the aim is to cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation so that young people remain in the country.”
The President of Break Even Consulting, Dr Markos Margaritis, emphasised that “great success is achieved through the cultivation of ideas. We chose ideas and teams with systematic criteria for innovation and their research and business maturity. Dreams are framed by the hard work of academics, as well as by the universities of the Church and His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaos,” highlighting the Competition’s characteristics.
The event also explored how technology is transferred into practice, which best practices and challenges exist in collaboration, and the key question of how innovation becomes a tool for society. The discussion was moderated by Dr Christoforos Kochis, Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at the University of West Attica and Co-founder & CEO of InAccel, which was acquired by Intel, and Dr Giorgos Vardaxoglou, Chief Operating Officer of Innoetics, which was acquired by Samsung Electronics, with journalist Kostas Papachlimintzos of ERT serving as moderator.
WINNERS
Nine proposals stood out for their originality, technical merit and social impact, demonstrating the high level of the Competition and confirming that innovation is not the privilege of a few, but the result of collaboration, inspiration and deep understanding of society’s needs.
The winners of the competition are:
1st place and €5,000 – Nature4Nature: “Green” coastal protection practice against erosion (underwater breakwater) – National Technical University of Athens.
2nd place and €3,000 – GreenBioGels: Green biorefinery for the development of biomimetic hydrogels with applications in the circular economy – National Technical University of Athens / National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
3rd place and €2,000 – Ce.B.Tec.: Detection of livestock pathogens using biosensors – National Technical University of Athens / Agricultural University of Athens.
Rising Star and €1,000 – EnRise: Production of bio-paper from industrial and agricultural by-products – National Technical University of Athens research team.
Pilot Applications
Beyond the cash prizes, the quality of the proposals created the need for additional substantial awards. Local Government Bodies and Businesses announced pilot applications of selected ideas, giving the teams the opportunity to see their projects implemented:
- Municipality of Kropia – pilot with Solea: Development of a Solar Cadastre (National Observatory of Athens research team).
The award was presented by the Mayor of Kropia, Dimitris Kiousis.
- Municipality of Paiania – pilot with Agrofelis: Development and construction of autonomous multifunctional agricultural robots (Startup).
The award was presented by the Mayor of Paiania, Isidoros Madis.
- Municipality of Pallini – pilot with Nutrisense: Rational fertilisation programmes (Agricultural University of Athens).
The award was presented by the Mayor of Pallini, Christos Aidonis.
- ETVA VI.PE. S.A. – pilot with Hydrotube: Application of artificial intelligence methods in liquid-waste treatment (Startup).
The award was presented by the CEO of ETVA VI.PE. S.A., Thanos Psathas.
- Lavrio Port Authority – pilot with Climeco2mbs: Composite materials that absorb CO₂ for use in building envelopes (National Technical University of Athens research team).
The award was presented by the CEO of the Lavrio Port Authority, Vassilis Vakondios.
In addition, Microsoft’s Education Sector Lead for Greece, Cyprus, Malta and the Adriatic countries, Giorgos Anastasiopoulos, announced the provision of technological support, Azure credits, access to work tools and guidance from Microsoft executives to all nine finalist teams.
