In a recent interview on the Hellenic Parliament’s official channel, Deputy Minister of Development Stavros Kalafatis outlined the government’s active strategy to establish 13 Regional Innovation Hubs across Greece. Highlighting innovation as a cornerstone of national policy, Kalafatis emphasized that the Ministry of Development is focused on steering the country toward a more innovative, green, digital, and competitive economy. Its policies are deliberately aligned with the needs of local self-government, entrepreneurship, and civil society—aiming to foster a supportive environment for sustainable development and social cohesion.
AI and the New Industrial Revolution
Kalafatis underscored the growing role of new technologies in everyday life—how people move, work, and entertain themselves. He described Artificial Intelligence not merely as an emerging tool, but as a transformative force: “a new industrial revolution, a new post-digital era.” As such, harnessing AI and other advanced technologies, investing in cutting-edge knowledge production, and converting research into high-value products and services are central priorities of Greece’s new productive model. Equally critical, he stressed, is leveraging the scientific and research potential embedded in each of Greece’s regions.
A Coordinated National Effort
Referencing progress made under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ administration—including the digital transformation of public services and the nationwide rollout of the gov.gr platform—Kalafatis affirmed that cities and regional and local authorities play a pivotal role in this effort. “We have developed and launched a concrete strategy for creating 13 Regional Innovation Hubs,” he stated.
Each region, he noted, already hosts strong academic institutions—including universities and university branches—as well as internationally recognized research centers equipped with modern R&D infrastructure, alongside a vibrant ecosystem of startups. The goal of the hubs is to better coordinate and interconnect these regional innovation ecosystems nationwide, fostering collaboration among academia, research centers, and the private sector.
Tangible Benefits for Regions and Citizens
According to Kalafatis, this integrated approach yields economies of scale, generates new high-quality jobs outside Athens, and—most importantly—ensures that locally produced research doesn’t remain confined to laboratories. Instead, it translates into real-world applications: boosting regional economies and directly addressing citizens’ everyday challenges.
As a concrete example, Kalafatis cited the Fly Over initiative in Thessaloniki—a regional innovation project demonstrating how applied R&D can drive urban mobility solutions.