The Regional Governor of Attica, Nikos Hardalias, is in Barcelona for the International Digital Technology Exhibition Mobile World Congress 2024, the most important event in the global market of digital technologies and innovation, in which the Region of Attica participates, for one more year, with six innovative business groups in National Pavilion of Greece.

“We stand as helpers in the development of policies that promote the international visibility of innovative businesses, encouraging their interconnection with international markets and networks”, said the Regional Mayor of Attica, at the opening of the Greek pavilion held by the Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou, in the presence of the Deputy Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis, of G.G. of Telecommunications and Posts Konstantinou Karantzalou, the President of EBEA Sofia Kounenakis Efraimoglou and the Governor of AADE Giorgos Pitsilis.

“Our aim, over the next five years, is to emphasize – in collaboration with the central government – ​​innovative business ideas, in order to strengthen competitiveness, resilience and extroversion, creating new, well-paid jobs,” added Mr. Hardalias, underlining that more than 220 million euros from the new NSRF (2021-2027) are intended for actions related to digital transformation, the creation of new research infrastructures, as well as research clusters that will make Attica an “international digital entrepreneurship hub, a real digital hub, so that we can multiply what the technology and communications sector offers to the GDP of the country”, as he pointed out.

The Regional Governor of Attica toured the premises of the International Exhibition, where he had the opportunity to talk with Greek startuppers, highlighting the country’s high-level scientific potential which – as he said – is awarded and innovates, attracting the interest of international investors and decisively contributing to the prevention of brain drain of young people. “You are the hope and the future of our country”, underlined Mr. Hardalias. He also met with officials of the Association of Mobile Telephony Companies and the Association of Innovative Applications Companies of Greece (SEKEE).

Mr. Hardalias described the digital transformation of the State and Local Government as a “key point” for the country’s development dynamics. “Enhancing innovation is at the core of our policy. It is a permanent bet for us, both for the quality of services provided to citizens, and for strengthening transparency and accountability. And in our effort, the protagonist is the powerful tool of gov.gr”, as he noted.

The Mobile World Congress Exhibition gathers in Barcelona every year the interest of companies, organizations and professionals in the field of digital technologies, telecommunications and IT, from every corner of the planet, offering an excellent opportunity for networking, collaborations and discussions about future trends and the challenges.

This year, a total of 31 Greek innovative technology companies, with more than 100 representatives, are participating in the National Pavilion of Greece at the Exhibition. The six businesses from Attica have been supported by the Young Business Incubator – a dynamic program implemented with the cooperation of the Attica Region, the Attica Regional Development Fund and the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA). These are start-ups that develop innovative products, applications and services, leveraging new digital technologies such as 5G and Artificial Intelligence and are active in the areas of business process automation, talent attraction platforms, water and air data monitoring, virtual communication assistants, digital wallet and retail product management technology.

“This is the strongest Greek presence, compared to similar events in the past, a sign of the new path that is being opened for our country in the field of innovation and digital transition”, pointed out the Regional Governor of Attica and added: “The will of all of us is to strengthen even further this cooperation, in order to expand the synergies with research centers, universities, embassies of foreign countries, as well as the interface with clusters, with financial institutions and innovation organizations in Greece and abroad”.

The Greek delegation to the Exhibition is co-organized by the Ministry of Digital Governance, SEKEE and Enterprise Greece and is supported, among others, by the Region of Attica and the Regional Development Fund of Attica.