The Foundation of the Hellenic World (FHW) announces the creation of Innovation Cosmos, a new Innovation Hub at the "Hellenic Cosmos" Cultural Centre, which aspires to connect research and technology with entrepreneurship, contributing to the development and commercial exploitation of innovative solutions.
Beyond its significant work in culture and education, the Foundation has a long-standing research track record, which has been officially recognised by the Greek State since 2004. Focusing on advanced digital technologies, it develops innovative applications and participates in national and European research programmes, having acquired substantial expertise and experience in applied research.
Innovation Cosmos represents the next step in this journey, leveraging the Foundation's research experience and infrastructure to create a dynamic environment for collaboration among startups, research organisations, public bodies and companies. Its goal is to develop, test and evaluate new ideas and technologies, facilitating their transition from research to market.
In this context, Innovation Cosmos will provide research and innovation services to businesses, while also operating as a test bed where new technologies, products and services can be evaluated using real-world data and under real-life application conditions before entering the market.
Its services will include identifying innovative technologies and business opportunities (Opportunity Scouting), evaluating new solutions (Proof-of-Concept Validation), developing pilot applications, organising Demo Days, and connecting participants with investors and strategic partners. At the same time, the available infrastructure of Hellenic Cosmos will be utilised to support research and innovation activities. A significant advantage is the opportunity to leverage the high visitor numbers at Hellenic Cosmos, which welcomes more than 500,000 visitors annually, creating opportunities to test and evaluate new applications with the participation of real users and the collection of valuable feedback.
A central element of its operations will be the development of partnerships based on the quadruple helix model, bringing together academia and the research community, businesses, public bodies and civil society. Through collaboration across different scientific and technological fields, Innovation Cosmos aims to accelerate the transition from research and pilot testing to the wider implementation and exploitation of innovative solutions (scale-up).
It will also leverage international partnerships, European networks and innovation ecosystems, contributing to the creation of new research and business initiatives and strengthening the international outlook of the Greek economy.
Sophia Kounenaki Efraimoglou, President of the "Hellenic Cosmos" Cultural Centre and Executive Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Foundation of the Hellenic World , stated:
"The Foundation of the Hellenic World has consistently linked its development with technology and innovation, investing for almost three decades in the development and implementation of pioneering technological solutions.
With Innovation Cosmos, we are building on this valuable experience and opening a new chapter by creating a space where research, technology and entrepreneurship can come together and grow through meaningful partnerships. We aspire to offer startups and research teams the opportunity to test, evaluate and further develop their solutions using real-world data and assessing their effectiveness under real-life application conditions before entering the market.
Our vision is for Innovation Cosmos to evolve into an international point of reference for applied innovation, attracting businesses, research institutions and investors from Greece and abroad. We aim to create a space where international partnerships will flourish, new technologies will be tested and business opportunities will emerge, strengthening the international outlook and competitiveness of the Greek economy."
Open Call for Participation and Collaboration
Innovation Cosmos invites research and business teams, startups, universities, public bodies and investors to participate in its activities and explore new opportunities for collaboration in Greece and internationally.
Interested parties can register their interest
via the website:
