The Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), Cyprus’ national funding agency for research, technological development, and innovation, continues to be a cornerstone in developing the country’s growing ecosystem.  RIF supports startups and scaleups that have introduced innovative products and services, secured funding from business angels and venture capital firms, and expanded their reach internationally.  Furthermore, RIF has enabled researchers to excel globally, significantly contributing to Cyprus’ reputation in the scientific community.  This aligns with RIF’s vision to establish Cyprus as a regional powerhouse in research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and high technology.  The Reflect Festival 2024, held on May 30-31 at Kolla Factory in Limassol, marked another significant milestone.  As the largest tech and entrepreneurship event connecting Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, it featured 5 stages, and more than 30 side events, and gathered over 250 investors, 250 speakers, 1000 startups, and more than 10,000 attendees.  For the fifth consecutive year, RIF proudly participated as a Gold Sponsor, channelling support through its Sponsorships Programme designed to foster events that promote technological and innovative growth across Cyprus.  RIF’s booth in the main Exhibition Area was a central hub of activity, featuring a creative mocktail bar with drinks named after its various funding programmes: Pre-Seed, Seed, Innovate, Disrupt, and Co-develop.  This innovative setting facilitated lively interactions, with RIF staff on hand to discuss the benefits of RIF’s programs.  Visitors could even holoport to engage with the Director General’s avatar, ready to answer any questions. Esteemed guests included prominent figures like House speaker Annita Demetriou, Education Minister Athena Michaelidou, and Deputy Minister of Research Nicodemos Damianou.  During the event’s Big Picture Stage, RIF’s Director General, Theodoros Loukaidis, delivered the opening remarks, passionately saying that “we are on a mission. To make Cyprus a regional innovation and technology hub”.  “And we are very much committed to making it happen. We are creating the enabling conditions to attract talent, support the creation and development of startups and scaleups, and host multinational corporations here,” Loukaidis explained.  “We are making it more appealing for investors but also international partners to work with us,” he added, noting that “at the RIF, we have funding programmes to cater for all the needs of one’s entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial journey”.  Loukaidis also said that, at the RIF, “we are on the lookout for doers who dare to think big and act bigger”.  A significant event was the panel moderated by Loukaidis titled “From Cyprus to the World: Startup Journeys to Global Success”. This panel provided an opportunity for Cypriot entrepreneurs to share their global expansion stories and the pivotal moments that shaped their journey.  One of the highlights was Marios Kyriakou of Darefore, who emphasised the importance of team building and the support of RIF.  He noted, “Team building is of great importance, as is the support provided by RIF which has a crucial role in fostering Cypriot innovation on the global stage.” Similarly, Louiza Sophocleous of The Mighty Kitchen reflected on the local talent, stating, “We are particularly proud to contribute to this discussion. One of the biggest takeaways is that we have a lot of talented, smart people here. What we need to do is cultivate an environment and work on problems that activate those people and their skillsets in the best way.”  Furthermore, Eugenia Herodotou of EnergyIntel shared that “EnergyIntel’s goal is to contribute to the realisation of humanity’s vision for a sustainable future by ending the planet’s dependence on fossil fuels. RIF’s funding programs, starting with INNOVATE (2020), were a springboard for the rapid growth of the company and acted as a reinforcement in confirming the value of the company and the consequent attraction of private capital for further escalation of its operations.”  She also highlighted the role of the DISRUPT grant, received in 2024, as an incentive to intensify the company’s R&D efforts towards a sustainable future.  (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Cyprus Mail