Leading representatives of the political, business, and investment communities from Greece and abroad gathered in Athens on June 22 for the third consecutive year for the Growthfund Investor Summit 2026. Under the theme, "Navigating the New Geoeconomic Order: Greece as a Strategic Hub for Capital and Growth," the summit highlighted the opportunities emerging for Greece from the evolving global geoeconomic landscape. Discussions focused on the forces shaping the next chapter of growth for the Greek economy, spanning investments and strategic infrastructure, artificial intelligence, energy, innovation, and tourism.

Growthfund, the National Fund of Greece, is the asset manager of a major portfolio of state-owned enterprises (https://growthfund.gr/en/)

Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis delivered the opening remarks, while Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou and Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Dimas also spoke at the event. The summit concluded with an address by National Economy and Finance Minister and Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis. Representatives of major international organisations and investment institutions also took part, including the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), along with executives from leading Greek and international corporate groups.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr/en/  ,  https://www.naftemporiki.gr/english/ )

Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis stated at the GFI Summit 2026, among others, that the Greek Innovation and Infrastructure Fund is now fully operational, with its first investment in digital infrastructure expected to be announced shortly. The Fund aims to mobilize more than €1 billion in investments over the next three years, while projects financed in the longer term are expected to reach €20 billion. He noted that the Fund, established under Law 5131/2024, forms part of a broader reform of Growthfund and its subsidiaries, supporting co-investments in strategic sectors and strengthening Greece’s development prospects. This is an instrument that has existed for years in most European countries but was missing from Greece. “Growthfund is no longer a vehicle serving the repayment of public debt; it is gradually being transformed into a major national development fund,” he said. Hatzidakis also highlighted the progress achieved by Growthfund and its subsidiaries in upgrading public services, improving the management of public assets, and accelerating investments in strategic infrastructure through the Strategic Contracts Unit.

Kostis Hatzidakis highlighted investors’ strong confidence in the Greek economy, noting that Foreign Direct Investment has exceeded €44 billion since 2019 and that Greece has recorded the highest increase in investment in the EU over the same period. He stressed that the country is increasingly attracting long-term capital and establishing itself as a stable and reliable investment destination.

He also announced the signing of the concession agreement for Kalamata International Airport with the consortium of Fraport, Delta Airport Investments, and PILEAS Holdings. The project is of particular importance for Messinia and the Peloponnese as a whole and is expected to upgrade the airport’s infrastructure and services, create jobs, and boost the local economy, while complementing the successful concession model already implemented at Greece’s 14 regional airports and soon to be extended to 22 smaller regional airports.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr/)

Concession agreement for Kalamata International Airport

The panel “Scaling Up Greece’s Investments Pipeline” brought together Giannis Papachristou, CEO of Growthfund, Nikos Stathopoulos, Chairman of Europe at BC Partners, and Giovanni Callegari, Head of Economic Risk Analysis at the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). The discussion focused on investment opportunities emerging in Greece and Europe, the role of artificial intelligence, competitiveness challenges, and the conditions needed to create the next generation of business champions, against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, and evolving global economic challenges.

Giannis Papachristou, CEO of Growthfund, highlighted Greece’s emergence as a pillar of stability and an increasingly important hub for energy, logistics, transportation, and digital infrastructure in the Eastern Mediterranean. He noted that the country’s EU membership, skilled workforce, and strategic location continue to strengthen its investment appeal, while estimating that an additional €15 billion in annual investment is needed to accelerate economic transformation.

Emphasizing Growthfund’s role in attracting capital, Papachristou said investors look for three key factors: credibility, speed, and a strong project pipeline. He pointed to strengthened corporate governance standards, including merit-based board appointments and performance-based management evaluation. He highlighted the contribution of Growthfund’s Strategic Contracts and Projects Unit, which has launched more than 850 tenders, awarded projects worth €2.5 billion, and built a pipeline approaching €10 billion. Papachristou also pointed to the successful listing of Athens International Airport and the improved performance of Growthfund’s portfolio companies, with eight out of ten now profitable. Looking ahead, he said Growthfund is shifting its focus from successful divestments to strategic investments in sectors such as technology, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure. He also highlighted the Invest10 initiative, developed with McKinsey, which identified 30 mature investment opportunities from an initial review of around 100 sectors. The next step is to select ten fully investable projects to be presented to the international investment community.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr/ )

A Memorandum of Understanding between Growthfund and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) was signed as part of Growthfund’s conference. Giannis Papachristou said that Greece has all the conditions to significantly strengthen its position in the global meetings and exhibitions industry. He highlighted the country’s strong brand, strategic geographic location, highly skilled workforce, and rich tourism experience, as well as a unique cultural legacy spanning more than 40 centuries.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr/  )

Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, described the Pharos AI Factory as a tool capable of creating real value, speaking at Growthfund’s Investor Summit 2026. He noted that the initiative will serve as an open hub for artificial intelligence in Greece. “We are not simply building a supercomputer. We are building the country’s capacity to develop, test, and deploy AI solutions with a Greek footprint and in line with European standards,” he said, outlining the structure of the Pharos AI Factory, which is being developed in Lavrio around Greece’s first national supercomputer, Daedalus. Papastergiou added that “Daedalus is only the beginning,” emphasizing that the ecosystem of training, access, and expertise being built around these infrastructures will be expanded through new facilities currently being developed by GRNET in Kozani. “Artificial intelligence requires talent, and Greece has an abundance of it. It also requires data, which is why we recently made available 22,000 open, high-quality datasets through data.gov.gr, as well as the necessary infrastructure,” said Papastergiou, emphasizing the importance of AI for productivity, competitiveness, and the country’s long-term development prospects.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr/  )

Christos Dimas, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, speaking at the Growthfund Investor Summit 2026, emphasized that strengthening supply chain resilience, facilitating international trade, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and safeguarding the free and secure movement of people and goods are key priorities for Greece. Describing Greece as a “bridge of stability connecting Europe, the Balkans, the Black Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East,” Dimas highlighted recent efforts to advance regional connectivity. He noted that, during a meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania reaffirmed their commitment to completing the Black Sea–Aegean axis as part of the Baltic–Black Sea–Aegean (BBA) Corridor. He also said he held discussions with representatives from the Western Balkans, Moldova, Ukraine, as well as investors and financial institutions, on accelerating the infrastructure projects needed to ensure the smooth and profitable operation of the Western Balkans–Eastern Mediterranean corridor.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr/  )

Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance, announced the renaming of Growthfund to the National Development Fund, describing it as both a symbolic and substantive reflection of Greece’s transformation beyond the crisis years. He said the organization’s mission is now to convert public assets into productive capital, mobilize investment, and support long-term economic growth. “The time is now,” Pierrakakis stressed, calling on Greece to invest, accelerate reforms, and seize new development opportunities.

Pierrakakis said Growthfund’s transformation marks a shift from crisis management to a strategic development role, acting as a catalyst for investment and long-term growth. He noted that Growthfund currently manages assets worth approximately €12.3 billion, with a portfolio of 23 subsidiaries and holdings, operations across 11 strategic sectors of the economy, and more than 25,000 employees within its companies. These assets span critical national infrastructure in energy, transport, logistics, real estate, and networks. Growthfund provides the institutional framework needed to align investments, infrastructure, productivity, and public administration reforms into a coherent engine for long-term economic growth.

Pierrakakis said this is precisely Growthfund’s strategic role: to mobilize capital, mature projects, and accelerate investment in key sectors of the economy. He highlighted the Invest10 initiative, developed jointly by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, Growthfund, and McKinsey, which identifies priority sectors on both emerging industries—such as semiconductors, data centers, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and high-tech startups—and established strengths, including infrastructure, energy, logistics, agrifood, medical tourism, and the “silver economy.” He also stressed that competitiveness depends on concrete factors such as energy costs, financing access, licensing speed, logistics efficiency, and productivity, with Growthfund positioned at the center of these dynamics as Europe advances integration in capital markets, energy, and infrastructure.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr/)

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Greece is set to join in the elite club of 15 European countries that host their own high-performance computers. By the end of 2025, a cutting-edge supercomputer named Daedalus, is set to be operational and installed at the Lavrio Technological Cultural Park. With this development, Greece will not only significantly boost its technological infrastructure and research capacities, but it will also be positioned as a significant player in Europe’s digital landscape.

Daedalus will be the most powerful supercomputer in Greece and one of the top 30 globally, with its potential entry into the prestigious TOP500 and GREEN500 lists. The project is spearheaded by the Ministry of Digital Governance as part of its Digital Transformation Plan 2020-2025, and is managed by the National Technology and Research Infrastructure Network (EDYTE S.A. – GRNET). GRNET, an arm of the Ministry of Digital Governance, has a proven track record with ARIS, Greece's current supercomputer, which has significantly supported national research efforts.

The new system’s performance will exceed 60 Petaflops, enabling it to conduct over sixty million billion floating-point operations per second. This computational prowess marks a quantum leap from ARIS, making Daedalus approximately 120 times more powerful. The implication of such power is profound, equating to the computational might of more than a million computers working simultaneously.

The total investment for Daedalus, including the infrastructural modifications of its host building, is valued at approximately €50 million. The funding comprises resources from Greece’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0,” supported by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU initiative, alongside contributions from the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU).

This initiative underlines the government's strategy to enhance Greece’s public digital infrastructure, which forms part of its broader Digital Transformation Plan for 2020-2025. The project’s completion is expected to strengthen Greece’s technological ecosystem, positioning the country as a significant player in Europe’s digital landscape.

One of Daedalus’s core objectives is to support an array of complex research activities. The supercomputer’s hybrid architecture, combining high-density CPUs and accelerator units, is optimized for diverse applications spanning artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and big data analytics. Its capabilities will facilitate advancements in natural language requests, personalized medicine, spatial planning, fire protection and disaster response as well as smart mobility and autonomous vehicle technology.

For scientists in computational fields such as chemistry, physics, and biology, the supercomputer offers unprecedented resources to expedite research cycles, simulate complex phenomena, and conduct large-scale experiments previously constrained by limited computational power.

Research and Development Opportunities

The implications of Daedalus extend beyond national borders. With a system of such magnitude, Greece is set to become a hub for international research.  Deadalus’s power of 60 Petaflots, means that it will be able to perform infinite (60 million billion) calculations per second, while a human can perform one to two operations (per second). President of GRNET, Nektarios Kozyris, noted that without such powerful supercomputers, many scientific computations would take millennia or be impossible due to resource limitations. With Daedalus, simulations that used to take weeks or months can be completed in days, dramatically accelerating research timelines and enhancing the reliability of findings.

At present, supercomputers exist in 15 countries in Europe, with the Greek supercomputer, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, estimated to be among the 500 most powerful corresponding infrastructures in the world. Research centers, universities and companies inside and outside Greece will be able to “run” their experiments on the Greek supercomputer.

That is, researchers and scientists in fields such as computational chemistry, physics, biology, biomedicine, meteorology and seismology will have the opportunity to carry out their tests on the "Daedalus", which will allow Greece to strengthen its position on the global map of scientific research.

The installation of Daedalus marks a significant step forward for Greece’s digital strategy. By hosting one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers, the nation is poised to enhance its competitive edge in scientific research and technological development. This strategic initiative sets the stage for Greece to emerge as a leader in high-performance computing, securing its place in the rapidly evolving landscape of global technology.

Environmentally Conscious Design

Sustainability is a cornerstone of the Daedalus project. The Lavrio Technological Cultural Park, with its rich industrial heritage, has been chosen as the installation site to foster an environmentally responsible approach. The supercomputer facilities will use renewable energy systems and modern cooling technologies that leverage the local climate’s ambient temperatures and humidity, significantly reducing operational energy consumption by up to 50%.

This "green" approach aligns with broader European goals of reducing carbon footprints and promoting energy-efficient infrastructure. The innovative cooling solutions integrated into the design are expected to set a benchmark for future HPC (high-performance computing) facilities worldwide.

A new technological hub in the area of Lavrio

The installation of Daedalus at the Lavrio Technological Cultural Park is to contribute to the creation of a new technological hub in the area of Lavrio, with additional benefits. Specifically, it is estimated that it will be able to become a pole of attraction for important scientific conferences and other events, tourist inflows of researchers and technology enthusiasts. Also, according to the Ministry of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou, the greatest economic benefit may be the one that will arise in the form of investments, with the valuable resources of Daedalus being exploited for research and development, optimization of production processes, analysis and processing of big data, and other features that provide the "technological solution" for a huge number of businesses, from startups to multinational giants.

Minister Dimitris Papastergiou has often emphasized the strategic importance of this investment, framing it as pivotal for Greece’s digital modernization. He has highlighted that significant investments in computing power and data center are essential to harness the full potential modern AI offers in innovation, entrepreneurship and development of reliable citizen services. According to mr. Papastergiou, Daedalus is a strategically important investment for the digital transition of our county, and a future where Greece will be among the pioneers of technological development.  

I.L. with information from Lavrio Technological Cultural Park, Ministry of Digital Governance, EDYTE-GRNET, CNN.gr and APE-MPA

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Maira Myrogianni was appointed as Secretary General for International Economic Affairs in the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 2023. She is a graduate of the School of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lille II in France. She is also a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Peloponnese, her scientific interests focusing on the fields of Human Rights and European Law.

Maira Myrogianni has a wide and diverse experience in public administration, having served for several years as a legal advisor for international relations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Ministry of Culture & Sports, the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Labor & Social Affairs.

Secretary General Myrogianni spoke to Greek News Agenda* on Greece’s comparative advantages and why it attracts foreign investments at such high rate; the Greek economy’s more competitive sectors and its openness to international trade and markets; the importance of reforms outlined in the National Strategic Plan for Extroversion; how Greece has established itself as a digital innovation hub as well as an energy hub for Southeastern Europe, and is among the more climate-ambitious EU member states. Finally, the Secretary General spoke on the goals and initiatives of Enterprise Greece, the national state agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and promoting Greek exports.

What do you think are Greece's comparative advantages? Why should someone invest in our country?

Our country is now considered a leading investment destination attracting large-scale investments. It's not just momentum and favorable conditions that contribute to this, but other important factors as well, such as the improvement of the macroeconomic environment and the brave reforms promoted by the government, including rapid digital transformation, the reform of the tax system and the expansion of  available financing tools (National Recovery and Resiliency Plan - Greece 2.0). At the same time, more than 1,500 public services were digitized, which contributed to speeding up the necessary administrative procedures for making an investment.

One of the country’s main comparative advantages is the availability of professionals  that are highly trained, academically qualified, and proficient in multiple languages, while, according to recent data from the Ernst & Young “European Investment Monitor,”  most prominent among the country's appealing factors are: quality of life (75%), transport infrastructures and logistics (73%), telecommunications infrastructure / digital infrastructure (72%), Greece’s internal market (72%), and, as mentioned, skilled human resources (70%).

It is also worth bringing up the reform of investment incentives, both with the promotion of the new Development Law in 2022 that offers competitive investment incentives in the form of tax breaks, grants, wage and other subsidies, as well as with the substantial improvement of the framework for strategic investments, where investors can also enjoy an extremely wide range of incentives.

What are the most competitive productive sectors of the Greek economy and the most important markets for Greek exports? Are they venturing into new markets and if so, which ones?

Tourism, shipping, and agriculture by tradition comprise the Greek economy’s competitive sectors, while other strong productive sectors include the food and agri-food industry, energy production, management and conservation, construction and building materials, information and communication technologies (ICT).

In 2022, 55.1% of the country's total exports was directed to the European Union, demonstrating the bloc’s special significance for Greek foreign trade, while other very important markets include geographically distant countries, such as the United States of America, China, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates.

In addition, there are ventures into new markets in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. For example, I recently visited Jakarta where I participated in the Indonesia-Europe Business Forum 2023 and presented on the occasion the opportunities that our country offers, especially in the areas of shipping, transport & interconnectivity, energy transition & Renewable Energy Sources and tourism. While in Jakarta, I also had the chance to discuss the promotion of bilateral economic and trade relations between Greece and Indonesia with political leaders and businesses entities.

Could one say that Greece has built a brand name in the investment sector, for example as a hub for technological/green investments or as a bridge between Europe and Asia in the framework of the National Strategic plan for Extroversion?

It is clear that the Greek success story has attracted investors to Greece, but also that Greek companies have become more extroverted, thanks also to the reforms outlined in the National Strategic Plan for Extroversion. The creation of a Greek brand name in the investment sector is now something tangible.

In recent years, Greece has been promoted as a digital innovation hub, with significant strategic investments in the field of IT and digital technology. What’s more, our country has been successfully positioned internationally as an energy hub in the wider region of Southeast Europe, thanks to its key geo-strategic position but also to the design and implementation of high-potential international connections, both in the electricity and natural gas markets.

Moreover, Greece is among the more climate-ambitious EU member states, supporting the goal of reducing emissions by at least 55% (as compared to 1990) by 2030, with the ultimate goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The ambitious National Climate and Energy Plan (NECP) and the National Climate Adaptation Strategy (establishment of a National Council and preparation of regional adaptation plans), are fully consistent with ecological and other EU priorities, and in particular with the European Green Deal.

The National Strategy for Extroversion is a necessary tool for coordinating the country's extroversion initiatives, but also an important tool for identifying and classifying target markets, actions and priority sectors for the Greek government and Greek enterprises, with the aim of supporting extroverted businesses and the organized promotion of the country's international position and image. This is the road map for Greece's extroversion actions.

Out of the 779 initiatives in total included in the 2023 National Strategic Plan for Extroversion, 130 concern the energy, environment and technology sectors, while the majority of initiatives (470) focus on the countries of Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East.

Could you briefly describe the goals Enterprise Greece? What initiatives has the organization planned for 2024 to attract new investments and reinforce the extroversion of Greek businesses and foreign trade?

Enterprise Greece, as the national state agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and promoting Greek exports, takes care every year to formulate the appropriate strategy relating to target markets, promotion sectors and types of business activities, depending on both the country’s needs and international conditions. We have laid the foundations for a new development model, which favors domestic entrepreneurship as well as direct foreign investments. The pillars of our development strategy focus on digital and green economy, but also on promoting social equity and long-term sustainability.

For 2024, our business planning includes a series of actions, such as holding targeted investment seminars or forums; organizing national participation in important sectoral investment exhibitions abroad; preparing and planning one-on-one meetings with international investors and organizing trade missions. At the same time, we continue to maintain and update an extensive portfolio of investment opportunities which currently includes 419 projects in various sectors of the economy.

Regarding the export sector, Enterprise Greece has designed and provides to export-oriented businesses an integrated, coherent program of services, actions and tools. The program focuses on providing three types of services: Networking, Training & Empowerment and Consulting & Information. It is also worth mentioning that Enterprise Greece has recently launched a new service for Greek exporters and potential export companies, the Export Help Desk, an innovative online platform offering daily updates to exporters on issues and procedures of foreign trade, as well as on the implementation of training programs.

Given the increase in foreign investment, as well as the new wave of investment expected following the recent recovery of Greece’s investment grade, in which areas does Enterprise Greece expect interest to be focused on in 2024?

It is a fact that Greece’s performance as regards direct foreign investment in recent years has been impressive. Greek exports have recorded a historic high: During the 3-year period 2020-2022, exports of goods increased by 77.6%, reaching a momentous 55 billion euro in 2022 (from 30.8 billion euro in 2020). These achievements of the Greek economy are expected to lead to a new investment wave, not only in its traditionally strong sectors like tourism, shipping and agriculture, but  also  in knowledge-intensive sectors, such as technology, research and development, health sciences, interdisciplinary innovation and start-up entrepreneurship.

We have already seen the first important instances of this, both with the dynamic investment entry into Greece of large multinationals corporations such as Microsoft, Google, Pfizer Cisco, HP, Digital Realty, Accenture and Deloitte in the fields of research, development and innovation, as well as with the significant investment wave attracted by the rapidly growing startup ecosystem in the country. It is worth noting that in 2021, the startup ecosystem attracted investments amounting to 540 million euro, while in 2022 the corresponding amount exceeded 325 million euro. It is worth noting that the vast majority (73%) of these investments were from abroad. In terms of target sectors, our operational action plan for 2024 aims at countries with significant investment potential –according  to official data from the OECD and the Bank of Greece–  while emphasizing sectors where Greece has a comparative advantage and in which significant investment mobility is observed, as for instance in tourism and real estate, IT and communication technologies, health sciences, agri-food, smart manufacturing, energy (RES, but also thermal production, electricity and natural gas networks, hydrocarbon research and development), environmental technologies, supply chain, business service centers and audiovisual productions.

* Interview to Ioulia Livaditi | Translation from Greek to English: Ioulia Livaditi; Editing: Magda Hatzopoulou

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