“This initiative reflects the glorious transformation underway in our country,” Deputy Minister to the President Irene Piki said, addressing US tech giant Plug and Play’s launch event in Nicosia.
Speaking to stakeholders at the Presidential Palace launch, Piki underlined the government’s strategy to make Cyprus a modern, resilient, and forward-looking location with international connectivity.
She went on to note that the international collaboration with Plug Play was a tangible outcome of President Nikos Christodoulides’ visit to the US and Silicon Valley roadshow in April last year.
This, the Deputy Minister explained, had been followed by a year of deliberations leading up to Plug and Play’s launch in Cyprus.
“This arrival of a global name is a wow moment for me, and a great vote of confidence, proving Cyprus can compete,” Piki added.
She also pointed out the importance of the move at a time of global uncertainty, which had also had a particular impact on this region.
Piki underlined that the arrival of the Plug and Play Tech Center would fill a specific gap in Cyprus’ startup and tech ecosystem, as the country was also taking steps to strengthen the pathway from research to market through a revised framework for spin-offs from public universities.
She mentioned Cyprus’ other efforts to attract and retain talent, including the Startup Visa Scheme and Minds in Cyprus initiative to reverse the local brain drain.
“This is exactly where Plug and Play will be an ideal platform,” Piki concluded, within the government’s objectives to be a catalyst for high-quality jobs, sustainable growth and more.
