The 3rd Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum 2017 - IEF2017, with the theme "Research commercialization and innovative start-ups" took place on 28 November 2017 at the University of Cyprus. The forum was organized by the Center for Entrepreneurship (C4E) and The Hellenic Initiative (THI), in cooperation with PwC Cyprus, MIT Enterprise Forum Greece (MITEF Greece) and the support of the US Embassy in Cyprus.

Opening remarks and greetings to the event were addressed by the Rector of the University of Cyprus, Professor Constantinos Christofides, the Founding Member of The Hellenic Initiative Mr. George David, the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Constantinos Petrides, the Program Director of The Hellenic Initiative Mr. Michael Printzos and the US Ambassador in Cyprus Mrs. Kathleen A. Doherty. Keynote speeches were given by: Mr. Leon Sandler, Executive Director of MIT’s Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation, USA on ‘"Technological Innovation - commercializing university technologies for impact. The experience of the MIT Deshpande Center"; Herbert Chen, COO of Tusholdings (TusPark) Co. and Vice Dean of TusPark Research Institute for Innovation, Tsinghua University of China on "Why China needs a Science Park?", and Mrs Anna Protopapas President and CEO of Mersana Therapeutics on "Learning from two decades in Biotech".

The Forum featured:

(a) A Research Capacity Exhibition, which comprised posters presenting results from 30 university projects with commercialization potential, organized in four categories: Smart Infrastructures, Health Sciences, Energy and Clean Tech and IT, Communications and Devices. A group of international guests toured the exhibition and interacted with the exhibitors. The guests were welcomed by the Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Professor Marios Dikaiakos, who summarized the C4E activities and indicated that IEF2017 represents an important milestone in the University’s efforts to establish long-term synergies with investors, entrepreneurs and business experts involved in research commercialization, with the aspiration to steer the Cyprus economy toward an innovative and knowledge-driven direction.

(b) A Pitching Competition with 10 Cypriot start-ups that were selected out of 30 applications. The start-ups presented in front of a panel of judges comprised by seven internationally renowned entrepreneurs, investors and experts, namely: Ph. Ammerman, J. Downward, A. Doxiadis, P. Maroudias, Al. Pantazis, V. Papakonstantinou and Anna Protopapas. The competition’s moderator was the President of the Entrepreneurship Council of the University of Cyprus, Associate Professor G. Kassinis. The three best teams won a total amount of $15,000, offered by The Hellenic Initiative, and free training sessions from PwC Cyprus. The first prize was awarded to the Cypriot company LEVEL 5 and was received by Dr. Marios Neophytou. LeveL 5 is a KAUST IP based start-up incorporated in Cyprus which provides a dust removal system for Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras using printed plasma actuators on protective glasses of the CCTV cameras without lowering the quality of the video image or disturbing the CCTV operation. The second prize was awarded to the AJMmed-i-caps company and was received by the associate professor of the University of Cyprus Dr. Julius Georgiou for the invention of a smart-pill solution that screens both the small and large intestine for cancer; this is a result of European cooperation research project involving the University of Cyprus. The third prize was awarded to AMDM and was received by Dr. Vasilios Draconakis. AMDM focuses on the production of light and durable nanomaterials with applications in the construction of aircrafts, cars, defense systems, etc. and is based on research conducted by the Cyprus University of Technology.

(c) A panel discussion on "Key factors for successful commercialization", with the participation of the Forum’s invited speakers, the Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and the CEO of PwC, Mr. Eugenios Evgeniou.

The IEF2017 was attended by investment fund managers, entrepreneurs, and business experts from Europe, the US, China and Cyprus, and representatives from various Universities, Ministries and other institutions of Cyprus. The Research Capacity Exhibition was also visited by the President of Bulgaria Mr. Rumen Radev, who was visiting the University of Cyprus that day. A brief inclusive video footage of the Forum was published at the C4E YouTube channel on:

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum is organized every year and seeks to provide knowledge, expertise, training, support and networking opportunities to the academic community, young researchers, students and the Cyprus society, about ideas, practices, perspectives, but also the challenges and opportunities that exist in order to contribute to the creation of a sustainable innovation ecosystem in Cyprus.

It is organized and hosted each year by the Center for Entrepreneurship of the University of Cyprus.

For more information please visit www.c4e.org.cy, Tel.: +357-22895110, or email at: