April 23–25 marked Cyprus’s first visit and participation in GITEX Asia in Singapore, creating a bridge for Cyprus’s integration into Singapore’s innovation ecosystem in 2026. During the visit, the Chief Scientist and Chairman of the National AI Taskforce, Mr. Demetris Skourides, along with the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Indonesia, Mr. Nikos Panagiotou, had the opportunity to meet with Temasek, Singapore’s national sovereign fund, as well as startups, service providers, and venture capital firms, positioning Cyprus as a gateway hub to the EU market.

In addition, several meetings led by Mr. Skourides and Mr. Panagiotou have resulted in interest from Indonesian companies with expertise in solution and system integration, currently specializing in AI and distribution, to explore and invest in Cyprus. As Cyprus builds bridges from West to East in pursuit of Cyprus Vision 2035, under President Christodoulides’s guidance focusing on innovation, commercialization, and the establishment of strategic partnerships with other states, Mr. Skourides and High Commissioner Nicos Panayiotou met with Mr. Jeevan Singh, Director General of the General Strategy Unit, to explore the potential for an MoU between Cyprus and Singapore in the areas of Technology, Innovation, and Research.

Additionally, during the visit Mr Skourides agreed with Korea’s UNIMOTTO, to explore Cyprus’s national participation in Korea’s largest global Startup Festival in 2025. According to Mr. Skourides, Cyprus future participation with both Singaporean, and South Korean startup innovation ecosystem events, are key to Cyprus building its rising momentum on Research excellence and Innovation commercialization. Building on the recent trip to Silicon Valley, the world’s largest technology hub, led by President Nikos Christodoulides, the opportunity to create a bridge with two of the world’s most advanced technology nations, South Korea (ranked No. 3) and Singapore (ranked No. 5), will accelerate the commercialization of Cyprus-based startups, Researchers and attract investment from Asia.

During the visit, Mr. Skourides met with Mr. Joe Ngoi, CEO of Opedia; Mrs. Melisa Lee, Founder and CEO of Arete Platform, who is eyeing Europe as an investment market for early-stage disruptive startups; Mr. Ryan Lee, CEO of Heron Technology Pte Ltd; representatives from the Habibie Innovation Incubator operating in Indonesia; Mrs. Rotem Blanc Inbar, Head of the Climate Tech Competency Center Asia at Accelerator Star2Group; Mr. Ashish Kapahi of the ASEAN Scale Hub; and prominent female leader and CIO100 ASEAN Awardee Geetha Gopal. Best practices on ESG and carbon reduction were discussed.

During the visit, Mr. Skourides also had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Teo Eng Dih, CEO of the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore, and Dr. Chen Xirui, Deputy Executive Director of the Singapore Maritime Institute, where they discussed opportunities to pursue joint research and innovation projects aligned with ministerial priorities. Mr. Skourides and H.E. High Commissioner Mr. Nikos Panagiotou also exchanged views with the Ambassador of Greece to Singapore, H.E. Mr. Christodoulos Margaritis; the Ambassador of Israel to Singapore, H.E. Mr. Eli Hazan; and the Metropolitan of Singapore and Southeast Asia, Mr. Konstantinos Tsilis.

Cyprus’s participation in GITEX Asia 2025 marked a strategic milestone in its efforts to build bridges between Europe and Asia, reinforcing its position as a hub for innovation, research, and commercialization. Under the leadership of Chief Scientist Mr. Demetris Skourides and High Commissioner Mr. Nikos Panagiotou, the visit opened pathways for future collaborations with key regional stakeholders, from sovereign funds and tech startups to maritime and climate innovation leaders. These engagements align with Cyprus Vision 2035 and the national agenda to attract investment, foster international partnerships, and scale Cyprus-based startups, solidifying the country’s role in the global innovation landscape.

Materials are provided by the Office of the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology Republic of Cyprus.