Technology and innovation are the keys to the future
Greece is embracing the digital age as it seeks to become more competitive in the global marketplace and to improve life for its citizens

Rapid progress towards a knowledge-based society is at the heart of the government’s strategy for a prosperous Greece. Mr Karamanlis’s vision is of a Greece where citizens have ready access to digital services and the production of innovative hi-tech products and services has made the country’s status a more competitive player in the global economy.

Moves are under way to raise the quality of the Greek education system, promote investment in research and development (R&D), advance the digital revolution and enhance the links between the research and business communities.

The government’s digital strategy up to 2013 aims to increase productivity via the use of ICT and improve the quality of life for Greek citizens through ICT and the internet. This includes a broadband action plan, costed at 450 million euros and already under way, for developing broadband infrastructure and stimulating broadband demand in the Greek regions.

Fibre optic networks are being developed in 75 cities across Greece and wireless networks created in 120 smaller cities. Sixty million euros are being channelled into a digital strategy to help local authorities to develop digital services and harness the benefits of ICT for regional development.

R&D infrastructure is being expanded, financial incentives provided for private investment and encouragement given to the creation of new innovative enterprises. Although Greece continues to export primarily labour-intensive goods, the level of specialisation in research-intensive products has increased significantly.

A good example of private-public collaboration is the Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative (HTCI). Founded last year to promote the establishment of clusters of companies specialising in areas such as microelectronics, biotechnology and renewable energy, it was inspired by a group of private companies and has received funding from the government and the EU.

Vassilios Makios Director General of HTCI

Its first fruit, the Innovation Centre in Microelectronics, was recently inaugurated in cooperation with the Hellenic Semiconductors Industry Association. Greece’s first technology cluster, it hosts around 25 enterprises specialising in semiconductors - which are the core of IT - telecommunications and consumer electronics products.

Another cluster is being developed in the area of culture and language technologies. Future plans include the establishment of clusters in free trade areas at the International Airports of Athens and Thessaloniki.

The kind of firms being targeted are mostly small and mediumsized enterprises, including start-ups and spin-off companies that have the potential to become pioneers in their fields. Vassilios Makios, HTCI General Manager, says the common ground shared by the companies should be that they are knowledge intensive, focused on research and development of products and export-oriented. The idea is that bringing such enterprises together will create an “ecosystem” in which innovation will flourish.

“We strongly believe technology will take off soon in Greece,” says Professor Makios. The focus is on “the ability to find pockets where there is a deficit of innovation in other countries and to develop that, to complement the US and other major countries in pockets of innovation.”

He adds that Greeks have proved throughout their history that they are highly versatile people. “Versatility is something which innovation needs. An innovator is someone who can think outside the box.”