Held on May 15 at Limassol’s Kolla Factory as part of the Reflect Festival, the TechIsland Summit 2025 brought together more than 300 attendees, 30 speakers, and 8 hours of thought-provoking content—all under the theme “Unlocking Opportunities.” The annual flagship event of TechIsland, Cyprus’ largest tech association, served as a powerful forum for reimagining the island’s economic future through technology and innovation.

The Summit came at a pivotal moment for Cyprus. With tech now accounting for an estimated €8.5 billion—or 16% of national Gross Value Added, according to KPMG—the sector has become a cornerstone of the country’s economic transformation. Government officials, entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate leaders shared the stage to assess progress, debate challenges, and propose forward-looking strategies.

Opening the event, Natasa Pilides, former Minister and current CEO of Med Energywise, in her role as Chairperson of this year’s Summit, emphasized the need for alignment between private and public sectors. Her remarks were followed by a keynote from KPMG’s Christophoros Anayiotos, who presented economic data underscoring the tech sector’s momentum.

One of the day’s focal points was “Reclaiming Talent: Cyprus’ Strategic Brain Gain,” a panel on reversing the brain drain. Led by Deputy Minister by the President Irene Piki, entrepreneur Tasoula Hadjitofi, and Exness CEO Petr Valov, the discussion highlighted initiatives to repatriate skilled Cypriots through competitive salaries, remote work options, and targeted tax incentives.

Education emerged as another priority. In the “Space to Grow” panel, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, MP Nikolas Papadopoulos, and leaders from the education and tech sectors addressed the strain on Cyprus’ private school system—calling for expanded infrastructure to support international families and long-term economic growth.

The startup ecosystem also took center stage, with a panel titled “Fuel for Founders” identifying key levers to improve startup success—from digital nomad visas and stock options to venture capital access. Entrepreneurs like Michael Economou, co-founder of Foody, and StartupBlink CEO Eli David called on policymakers to treat Cyprus as a “launchpad for scalable innovation.”

Looking to the future, Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides delivered a compelling roadmap for advancing artificial intelligence, data infrastructure, and national digital strategy. His speech was complemented by insights from Dr. Fares Alaboud, who shared lessons from Saudi Arabia’s AI deployment at scale.

One of the most practical highlights of the day was the unveiling of the Mentors’ Hub, an initiative by TechIsland and Capacitor Partners designed to connect promising startups with seasoned mentors. Tanya Romanyukha, TechIsland’s General Manager, presented the program alongside Systems Deployment Consultant Yioulika Antoniades.

Crypto regulation also took the spotlight with a discussion on MiCA—the EU’s new crypto regulatory framework—and how it positions Cyprus as a credible jurisdiction for blockchain innovation. Industry voices from CySEC, Invest Cyprus, and the private sector discussed how clear rules can boost investor confidence and attract global players.

The Summit concluded with a keynote from Cyprus Stock Exchange Acting GM Nicos Trypatsas, exploring how local tech firms can leverage public markets to scale sustainably and gain visibility.

In a key development during the Summit, TechIsland Chairperson Valentinos Polykarpou and Tanya Romanyukha met with Dubai Silicon Oasis Director General Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi. The two sides discussed signing a Memorandum of Understanding focused on data exchange, innovation synergies, and ecosystem collaboration.

“This Summit showed what’s possible when Cyprus embraces tech not just as a sector, but as a vision for the future,” said Polykarpou. “Whether it’s aligning with international innovation hubs or building a stronger local ecosystem, the momentum is real—and we must act now.”