The Information Conference on “Investing in Deep Tech: Dual-Use Technologies” held at the Hellenic Armed Forces Officers’ Club in Athens was successfully completed yesterday.

The Conference was organized by the General Directorate of Defence Investments and Armaments (GDDIA) of the Ministry of National Defence, in collaboration with the National Centre of Scientific Research “Demokritos”, a member of the DIANA Network. The NATO Innovation Fund and the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic are the co-organizers of the conference.

Furthermore, the support of Elevate Greece, which continues to provide networking and funding opportunities for its members, should be highlighted.

Mr. Dimitrios Filiagkos

The event started with a greeting by Mr. Dimitrios Filiagkos, Captain and Director of GDDIA/DDITR on behalf of the General Directorate of Defence Investments and Armaments.

Mr. Pantelis Tzortzakis

Next, Mr. Pantelis Tzortzakis, Executive Vice President at the Hellenic Development Bank, took the floor, followed by Mr. Frangiskos Theophylaktos, CEO at Elevate Greece. Both referred to the vision and action taken for the benefit of the Greek Ecosystem of Innovation and Young Entrepreneurs.

Mr. Fragkiskos Theofylactos 

The Director and Chairman of the Board of the National Centre of Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Mr. Georgios Nunesis, chosen among the new members of the NATO Secretary General’s Advisory Group on Emerging Disruptive Technologies, took the floor, followed by Mr. Patrick Schneider Sikorsky who represented the NIF and finally Mr. Adrian Dan who spoke on behalf of DIANA.

Mr. Georgios Nounesis

They detailed the existing opportunities for the exploitation of dual-use technologies, the modern tools offered by the North Atlantic Alliance for the promotion and strengthening of advanced dual-use deep-tech technologies and the capabilities of the domestic defence innovation Ecosystem.

Mr. Sikorsky

Mr. Adrian Dan

This was followed by notable startups whose pitch presentations focused on their innovative “dual-use” products – military and civil – in the full hall of the Club, demonstrating the maturity and relevance of technology with the fields of interest of the bodies present.

Specifically, the companies that spoke at the event were the following: Cyrus, FEAC, Traqbeat Technologies, Cogitat, Akronic, Vertliner, iCOMAT, SOTIRIA Technology, Velos Rotors, Argo Semi, Lambda Automata, SARM, Qubiom and Solmeyea.

The goal attained to the maximum was the utmost utilization of the interaction of the representatives of the NATO Innovation Fund and DIANA with the startups and the Greek funds, which were represented by Marathon, Big Pi, Metavallon, Uni.Fund and Phaistos/5g ventures.

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The mission of the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) and the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) is the promotion of advanced dual-use deep tech, which can be applied in the sectors defence, security and resilience.

These sectors include the following technologies: Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber, autonomy, quantum, biotechnologies and human enhancement, hypersonic systems, space, novel materials and manufacturing, energy and propulsion and next-generation communications networks.

This event allowed Greek startups to inform the public about their products and to network with market executives and VCs, an opportunity fully leveraged.

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