Event Recap: From Lab to Market: Fueling Greece’s Innovation

The event brought together leading academics, industry experts, and entrepreneurs to explore the intersection of research, innovation, and commercialization within Greece’s academic ecosystem.

The evening opened with remarks from Ioannis Chatjigeorgiou, Rector of NTUA, Manos Varvarigos, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at NTUA, and Stefanos Gandolfo, Director of the Athens Columbia Global Center, who highlighted the critical role of universities in fostering technological advancement and entrepreneurship. Their speeches underscored the need for collaboration between academia and industry to propel Greece into a new era of innovation.

The event featured keynote presentations from John Kymissis, Kenneth Brayer Professor of Electrical Engineering and Vice Dean of Infrastructure and Innovation at Columbia University, and Manos Varvarigos. Their presentations explored how academic research and industry can work together to foster innovation, with Kymissis highlighting the importance of risk-taking and flexibility in innovation and Varvarigos highlighting the changes and progress made in recent years in Greek universities to bridge academia with entrepreneurship.
Professor Kymissis emphasized that successful innovation requires structured programs that provide students with clear pathways, resources, and mentorship. Challenging the mythology that “if they can’t raise a million dollars with a handshake, they can’t do anything,” he highlighted that real commercialization happens through incremental progress, strategic partnerships, and resilience. 

Moderated by Elisa E. Konofagou, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University, the panel of experts featured John Kymissis; Konstantina Nikita, Professor in the Division of Information Transmission Systems and Material Technology at the NTUA; Costantza Sbokou Constantakopoulou, Chairwoman at Endeavor Greece, Co-Owner and Chairwoman at Phaea; and Dora Varvarigou, Professor in the Division of Communication, Electronic and Information Engineering at the NTUA. 

During the panel discussion, Professor Nikita detailed her experience leading an international Master’s program in Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine at NTUA, illustrating the potential of cross-border academic partnerships in driving innovation. Professor Varvarigou highlighted the role of international academic networks, such as the Hellenic Institute of Advanced Studies, in connecting Greek researchers with the global scientific community.

The panel conversation also touched on the need for improved physical infrastructure and incentive structures for corporate involvement, with Costantza Sbokou Constantakopoulou emphasizing the private sector’s role in fostering high-risk ventures. The event concluded with a lively Q&A session, allowing attendees to engage directly with the experts. As the demand for bridging research with market applications grows, the Athens Columbia Global Center remains dedicated to fostering innovation through collaboration.