Innovation & Technology

Technology sector is one of the most promising in the Greek economy, driven mostly by the demand for automation and digitalization in the Greek public and private sectors.

Overall, the number of technology business opportunities is expected to increase significantly over the next years driven mostly by:

• the strong requirement to further automate and digitize the public sector, which is driven by several major public procurement projects in the ICT field
• the quick adoption of new technology by the Greek public, including for example new communication devices (smartphones, tablets), broadband telecommunications and smart TVs
• the significant growth of technology clusters, incubators, accelerators and VC activity focused on new ventures in ICT, and the large number of entrepreneurs, who are actively leveraging this infrastructure
• the several innovation and research activities currently being pursued in Greek polytechnic institutions and public RTOs in such areas as cloud computing, location-based services (LBS), nanotechnology and intelligent systems
• During the last years, Greece became the center of several important  investment initiatives announced by some of the largest companies in the global ICT industry such as Nokia-Siemens, Oracle and others.

Greece has a large concentration of U.S., Greek and international ICT companies. Many companies use Greece as a hub for operations in Southeast Europe because of the size of the market and connections to other markets. Technology companies in Greece are focusing on government projects that are in progress, delayed, or need to be initiated and are vital to improve the competitiveness of the Greek economy. 

Policy makers are facing a challenge in supporting the European digital economy strategy to enhance the use of e-Government services.  The Greek Government views broadband penetration, internet use, electronic transactions, cloud-computing services, and integrated Government ERP as increasingly important.

Digital services can be an important force economic development in Greece.  Increased digital innovation creates added value and new services for businesses and the government.  ICT adoption and usage by businesses, citizens, and the public sector will contribute to financial savings, increasing government revenues, and ultimately create the conditions for new business development and job creation.  The continuing development of fast internet in Greece will contribute to the increased demand for digital services that will enhance the competitiveness of the country and support employment.