Cyprus is preparing to make a dynamic entrance into the artificial intelligence (AI) era and aiming to transform itself into a technological hub for research, development, and the implementation of innovative solutions across the public and private sectors in the Eastern Mediterranean.

As Brief reports, to this end, contacts have been initiated with major U.S. technology corporations in an effort to explore strategic partnerships in areas such as artificial intelligence, innovation ecosystems, and startup development.

The global innovation and investment platform “Plug and Play,” led by founder and CEO Saeed Amidi, has already held meetings in Cyprus with President Christodoulides and other key officials from both the public and private sectors. A Letter of Intent was signed with the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Nicodemos Damianou.

Plug and Play – Connecting Startups to Global Innovation

Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Plug and Play is a recognized innovation platform and early-stage venture capital firm. It focuses on connecting startups, corporations, investors, and government agencies to drive technological progress across industries.

Its flagship “Plug and Play Tech Center,” also based in Silicon Valley, serves as a bridge between local startups and global markets. The center provides startups with access to a vast network of corporations, investors, and strategic partners, while enabling corporations to test and develop innovations with reduced risk. The platform maintains a global presence with offices in the US, Germany, China, Brazil, and beyond.

Tenstorrent – AI Chips of the Future

A second U.S. tech company, Tenstorrent, led by Jim Keller, has announced its intention to open an office and launch operations in Cyprus. Founded in 2016 by Ljubisa Bajic, Milos Trajkovic, and Ivan Hamer, Tenstorrent is a next-generation computing company specializing in the development of advanced processors tailored to AI workloads. Headquartered in Toronto, the company also operates in Austin, Santa Clara, Belgrade, and Bangalore.

Tenstorrent's flagship product is the Blackhole™ chip, designed to efficiently manage heavy AI workloads. The company emphasizes an open-source approach, providing developers with accessible tools and resources to foster innovation in AI computing.

Amazon Eyes Cyprus for Strategic AI R&D Center

Executives from Amazon are also mapping Cyprus as a potential site for a dedicated research and development center or for collaboration with the local innovation ecosystem. Discussions have focused on AI applications for solving complex issues such as early wildfire detection, traffic management, and more.

OpenAI is also on the radar of President Christodoulides, who sees the company as playing a key role in boosting public sector efficiency through AI integration. Meetings have explored collaboration within the government’s broader strategy to strengthen startup activity, attract investment to Cypriot startups, and connect them to global innovation networks.

Amazon was reportedly the first to send a delegation to explore the feasibility of establishing R&D centers, a local government cloud (g-cloud), and AI training programs in Cyprus. The tech giant views Cyprus as a strategic, EU-compliant sandbox in the Mediterranean for public sector AI workloads.

Amazon's interest is consistent with its global network of R&D hubs stretching from Seattle to Tel Aviv, driving innovation in cloud computing, AI, and logistics.

Other Tech Giants Join the Map

Google LLC is among the interested companies. Founded in 1996 as a research project at Stanford University, Google has grown into one of the world's most powerful internet services companies.

Also in discussions is Oracle Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, which develops GPUs, APIs for data science and high-performance computing, and system-on-chip units (SoCs) for laptops and the automotive industry. Oracle is a leading provider of AI hardware and software, including the world’s first autonomous database and one of the largest electronic health record systems globally.

Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has also expressed interest in Cyprus. Known for backing bold entrepreneurs across tech sectors such as AI, biomedicine, fintech, gaming, and infrastructure, the firm manages $45 billion in committed capital and maintains a broad network of industry leaders, academics, and investors.

In January, the Council of Ministers approved the establishment of a National AI Taskforce. This advisory body will support the development, integration, and implementation of artificial intelligence in Cyprus. Its mission is to prepare the country for both the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and will submit recommendations to the President via the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy.