The Chief Scientist of Cyprus for Research, Innovation, and Technology, Demetris Skourides, and the High Commissioner of Cyprus to Singapore, Nikos Panayiotou, concluded a series of strategic meetings in Singapore this week. The visit coincided with their participation in the Asia Innovation and AI Summit 2024, hosted by The Economist.

The Cypriot delegation's presence aligns with the country's ongoing efforts to establish collaborations with leading innovation nations, including Japan, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Israel, India, and Singapore. These initiatives form part of Vision 2035, a plan to position Cyprus as a regional hub for innovation, technology, and research.

During the summit, Skourides and Panayiotou engaged in discussions with global innovation leaders, including Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, Josephine Teo, and Japan’s Vice Minister of International Affairs, Yoichi Iida. Minister Teo emphasized Singapore’s strategic use of AI across various sectors, such as science, drug discovery, and industry, highlighting the city-state’s vibrant ecosystem of over 1,100 startups and 150 AI-focused research teams.

The Cypriot delegation met with Dr. Sintia Teddy-Ang of AI Singapore, who underscored Singapore’s experience in AI development since its national launch in 2017. Discussions centered on potential collaborations between Cyprus’s Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) and ASEAN-based organizations to share best practices and drive innovation.

Key outcomes included dialogue with Ashish Kapashi, CEO of ASEAN Scale Hub, about creating bilateral opportunities. These discussions explored how Cypriot companies could access the ASEAN market and how ASEAN startups could leverage Cyprus as a gateway to Europe. Skourides was invited to join the ASEAN Scale Hub Initiative, which is projected to unlock a $10 trillion market by 2030.

“These strategic meetings showcased Cyprus’s research and innovation strategy, facilitating the exchange of best practices and fostering collaborations in AI and emerging technologies,” Skourides said. He expressed optimism that by 2025, Cyprus will host startups and research organizations from Singapore, particularly in areas such as quantum computing.

Highlighting Singapore’s ranking among the top seven global innovation leaders and its position at fourth place in the Global Innovation Index, Skourides pointed to Cyprus’s steady progress toward Vision 2035. The initiative has already established agreements with countries like Japan and Israel, while laying foundations for partnerships with the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, and Singapore.

“These partnerships are vital to positioning Cyprus as a regional hub for innovation and technology,” Skourides concluded.