The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry at BEYOND EXPO 2026

With its focus firmly on the future of Greek entrepreneurship, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), together with the Athens Startup Business Incubator (THEA), participated in BEYOND EXPO 2026, the leading technology exhibition in Southeast Europe. Through a rich program of events held at its exhibition booth, the Chamber highlighted the opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, and international collaborations, providing Greek businesses and the startup ecosystem with practical tools to thrive in the new digital era.

Beyond Expo has rapidly evolved into one of the most influential technology and innovation platforms in Southeast Europe. Its positioning extends beyond a traditional exhibition format, functioning as a regional convergence point for technology, investment, digital policy and innovation ecosystems. It brings together: Technology companies, Startups & innovation organizations, Research and academic institutions, Institutional representatives, public organizations and local authorities, Innovation ecosystems from Greece and abroad. Beyond Expo therefore represents a knowledge triangle with a quintuple helix model – a meeting point of technology, innovation, and public policy. This makes the platform particularly relevant for international business communities seeking strategic visibility and engagement in the region.

The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry is one of Greece’s leading business organizations, representing and supporting enterprises across a wide range of sectors. Established in 1841, it promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, internationalization, and sustainable economic development. Through various initiatives, services, and business support programs, ACCI helps strengthen the competitiveness of Greek companies and contributes to the growth of the national economy.

The Athens Startup Business Incubator (THEA) is one of the most important initiatives of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (A.C.C.I.) aimed at supporting entrepreneurship. It focuses on nurturing innovative new business ideas with strong growth potential and an outward-looking orientation. Through THEA, the A.C.C.I. seeks to strengthen entrepreneurship in sectors related both to new technologies and technological innovation, as well as to traditional industries that demonstrate strong growth potential and international orientation.

In his welcoming address, the President of ACCI, Yiannis Bratakos, emphasized, among other things: “The next phase of the country’s development will depend on our ability to transform knowledge into products, technologies into business activity, and innovative ideas into export potential. This year, we chose to place special emphasis on Biotechnology and Health Sciences, a sector that combines scientific excellence with the creation of substantial added value. It embodies all the characteristics required for the country’s new productive model: innovation, outward orientation, high specialization, and the generation of strong added value.”

During the session “The Biotechnology and Life Sciences Ecosystem in Greece and Its Potential,” co-organized with Enterprise Greece and Bioinnovation Greece, participants examined the role of Artificial Intelligence in pharmaceutical development, , as well as issues related to sustainability and the transfer of research from the laboratory to the marketplace. The event concluded with the Biohealth-Biotech Competition, during which the sector’s most innovative ideas were presented and awarded.

Enterprise Greece is the official investment and trade promotion agency of the Greek State, operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It serves as the gateway to the opportunities Greece offers. Its mission is two-fold: to provide foreign investors with a one-stop shop for information, consulting, and assistance through every phase of their investment project, and promote Greek products and services in international markets.

BioInnovation Greece (BiG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing Greece’s biotechnology and life sciences ecosystem. Through innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic collaboration, it connects academia, industry, government, and international partners to drive scientific progress and economic growth. BiG’s goal is to position Greece as a regional hub for biotech innovation by supporting research, technology transfer, startups, and cross-sector partnerships. BioInnovation Greece Forum 2026, to be held on October 1–4, 2026 at Technopolis City of Athens, will convene leading figures from biotech, healthcare, research, startups, investment, and public policy.

The Greece–Slovakia Business Forum was co-organized by Enterprise Greece and the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), with the support of EEN Hellas.

The Open Innovation Challenge, a joint initiative of ACCI and the Ministry of Digital Governance, was launched by Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Dimitris Papastergiou and ACCI President Yiannis Bratakos.

The session on the “Positive Agenda Greece–Turkey” carried particular political and economic significance, highlighting the role of ACCI and THEA in strengthening entrepreneurship and innovation between the two countries. The discussion featured Mr. Bratakos, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Haris Theoharis, the Ambassador of Turkey to Greece H.E. Çağatay Erciyes, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital Governance, Konstantinos Karantzalos. Emphasizing the new dimension of economic diplomacy, Mr. Bratakos noted: “Economic diplomacy through innovation is gaining particular importance, as partnerships are no longer built only in official offices, but also in incubators, startups, and technology communities. Initiatives such as the Greece–Turkey Hackathon go beyond a simple activity. They function as platforms for collaboration and knowledge exchange with long-term impact. Most importantly, they are not limited to the duration of a competition, but create the conditions for continuity, building relationships of trust among young people who are shaping the future of the economy.” In this context, the upcoming Greece–Turkey Hackathon 2026 was also presented, with this year’s central theme being Artificial Intelligence.

The activities of ACCI concluded with the Ready 4 Invest: Investment Readiness Toolkit (EEN2EIC) workshop and the event “Strategies for the Internationalization of Tech Startups and SMEs,” co-organized with Enterprise Greece.

Throughout the three-day event, visitors also had the opportunity to meet 10 innovative startups supported by the Athens Startup Incubator (THEA) of ACCI: EmAIRging, Brainfood Intelligent Media Cloud, Papertrail, Wocap, Oinovation, Synergy Accounting Intelligence Network, CloudSignals, HORECA360, Run4More, and KORI.