Chief Scientist working on developing alliances with US research titans

Cyprus' Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation, and Technology, Demetris Skourides, recently embarked on a pivotal visit to MIT as part of Cyprus’ strategic efforts to advance its research and innovation ecosystem.

As noted in an official press release, the 19 November visit focused on identifying best practices for taking groundbreaking ideas from the lab to the market, underscoring Cyprus’ commitment to fostering innovation-driven economic growth.

During his visit, Skourides was hosted by Professor Kamal Youcef-Toumi, Director of the MIT Mechatronics Research Laboratory and Co-Director of the Center of Complex Engineering Systems. Professor Youcef-Toumi provided an in-depth overview of his team’s cutting-edge research projects and innovations, highlighting the transformative role of artificial intelligence and machine learning. He emphasised the importance of sponsored research and shared how his team’s publications have attracted collaborations with many of the world’s leading multinational companies.

"The meeting between Skourides and Professor Youcef-Toumi also delved into the broader challenges and opportunities faced by research ecosystems across Europe and the United States. They explored MIT’s successful strategies for advancing research commercialisation, agreeing to explore further collaboration between Cypriot research organisations and the MIT Mechatronics Research Laboratory. Such initiatives hold the potential of accelerating the conversion of Cypriot research outputs into innovative products and attracting industry-sponsored research," the press release noted.

As part of his mission to strengthen Cyprus’ research and innovation ecosystem, Skourides met with Marina Hatsopoulos, Board Chair of Levitronix Technologies, President of the Hellenic Innovation Network, and a former member of the Cyprus Research and Innovation Council. He expressed gratitude for the instrumental role the Hellenic Innovation Network and the Greek diaspora in the U.S. have played in supporting Cyprus’ innovation efforts and facilitating the launch of Cypriot companies into the US market.

During their discussion, Skourides shared updates on Cyprus’ strategic initiatives, led by the Deputy Ministry of Digital Policy, Research, and Innovation, to establish Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with countries renowned for their advanced research ecosystems. He outlined the incentives and tools Cyprus has implemented to attract startups globally, emphasising the coordinated efforts between the Deputy Ministry, the Research and Innovation Foundation, and Invest Cyprus.

"Hatsopoulos offered valuable insights into how MIT fosters the commercialisation of innovation, introducing its licensing blueprint designed to motivate researchers to bring their discoveries to market. The exchange of expertise stressed highlighted that adopting international best practices can enhance Cyprus’ capacity for research commercialisation, which is one of the Chief Scientist’s top priorities," the announcement went on to note.

Continuing his strategic engagements, Skourides met with Elaine Papoulias, Executive Director at Harvard University, and Dr Albana Shehaj, Program Manager at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard sharing Cyprus’ vision of becoming a regional research, technology, and innovation hub. Together, they agreed to explored avenues for future collaboration in research and innovation, emphasising Cyprus’ aspirations for research excellence and international partnerships.

Further highlighting the importance of building a globally connected innovation network, Skourides met with Anna Protopapas, a distinguished Cypriot entrepreneur and board member of Cyprus Seeds.

"Protopapas, a trailblazer in the biotech sector, shared her insights on fostering the success of research organisations and startups in Cyprus. Their discussion centred on creating the conditions and synergies necessary to catalyse and accelerate the growth of Cyprus’s biotech sector, given the importance of healthcare as a horizontal strategy priority for the country," the announcement said.

It concluded, "This series of high-level meetings reflects Skourides’ strategic vision and his actions to position Cyprus as a hub of research and innovation excellence with partnerships and alliances with some of the world’s most recognised institutions. By strengthening international collaborations and adopting best practices, Cyprus aims to transform its research ecosystem into a globally competitive engine of innovation."