CEOs and self-made entrepreneurs. Game changers and innovators. AI, startups and the jobs of the future. Young people with ideas capable of creating real impact. Add street food, music, DJs and stand-up comedy, and you have INSPIRE 2026 — kicking off today and transforming the heart of Nicosia into one big entrepreneurial festival.
Today, you can listen to a CEO talk about the decisions that shaped their journey to the top.
A few metres away, you can hear an entrepreneur explain what it took to start without a roadmap and build something from the ground up.
Move to another stage and the conversation could be about Artificial Intelligence, the skills we will need ten years from now, or the startups trying to turn ambitious ideas into real businesses.
And later?
Street food. Music. DJs. Stand-up comedy.
Today, entrepreneurship takes to the streets.
INSPIRE 2026 – Entrepreneurial Festival begins on Makarios Avenue, bringing together people, ideas, stories and experiences across the centre of Nicosia for two packed days.
The first day opens with “Inspiring Cyprus: Leadership, Collaboration and the Power to Shape the Future”, bringing together prominent leaders to discuss their shared vision for a more ambitious, innovative and optimistic Cyprus.
Then comes a very different story of success. John Christodoulou shares his extraordinary journey from entrepreneurship and international business success to giving back and creating meaningful social impact.
From there, the action spreads across Makarios Avenue.
At the Success Stage, CEOs and self-made entrepreneurs step beyond their titles to talk about what really happens on the road to success: mistakes, difficult decisions, uncertainty, leadership, resilience and the moments that shaped who they became.
At the Disruption Stage, game changers and innovators challenge the idea that things should continue to be done simply because “that’s how they’ve always been done”. From entrepreneurs who changed the rules of established markets to small teams using speed, technology and creativity to challenge much bigger players, this is where disruption becomes personal.
At the Future of Work Stage, the questions affect almost everyone: What skills will matter tomorrow? How is AI already transforming the way we work? What will the jobs of the next decade look like? And what makes an organisation somewhere people genuinely want to work?
The NBG Start-up Stage brings startups, investors, universities, researchers and technology leaders together around innovation, funding and the challenge of turning research and ideas into scalable business value.
And at Young Ideas. Real Impact., the next generation is not simply talking about the future. It is already building it.
Young innovators present solutions ranging from smarter farming using satellite imagery and drone technology to new approaches to plastic recycling and personal safety.
But INSPIRE is not a conference that simply happens to take place outdoors.
It is a festival.
That means street food, music and DJ sets become part of the experience. And as evening arrives, the Outdoor Stage swaps business conversations for laughs, with Constantinos Psillides, Christina Tryphonos, Christodoulos Demetriou, Vasilis Panayiotou and Paolo M taking the stage for a stand-up comedy show.
You might come to hear a CEO and leave having met a founder.
Come for the AI and stay for the street food.
Listen to a business story, meet a potential collaborator and, a few hours later, find yourself laughing in front of a stand-up comedy stage.
Today, Makarios Avenue is not simply the road you take to get somewhere else.
It is the destination.
INSPIRE 2026 starts today. And the best way to experience it is to be right in the middle of it.
Location: Nicosia, Makarios Avenue and surrounding areas
Dates: Wednesday, 7 and Thursday, 8 October 2026
More information & Free Tickets: www.inspirecyprus.com
Strategic Partner: CYTA Business
Platinum Sponsor: Bank of Cyprus
Innovation Partner: Ίδρυμα Έρευνας και Καινοτομίας/Research and Innovation Foundation
Gold Sponsors: Cyfield Group, Zorbas Group
Silver Sponsors: Bioland Energy, Petrolina (Holdings) Public Ltd
Stage Sponsors: Invest Cyprus - CIPA , KPMG Cyprus, National Bank of Greece, Odyssey Cybersecurity
Academic Partner: University of Nicosia
Mobility Partner: Pilakoutas Group
Sustainability Partner: Electricity Authority of Cyprus
Hospitality Sponsor: Hilton Nicosia
Sponsor: IMR/UNIVERSITY OF NICOSIA , Αρχή Ανάπτυξης Ανθρώπινου Δυναμικού - Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus, Henry’s by Columbia, 33East
Panel Sponsor: Allwyn Cyprus
Technology Sponsor: Abasis.AI
Wellbeing Partner: wayfitco.
Supporting Organisations: National Betting Authority , SkillsCyprus
Exhibitors: drastyc, Emphasys Centre, Giorgio Armani, Factorial ,GrantXpert Consulting Ltd, onlyseo., Photos Photiades Breweries ,Wolt, Bank of Cyprus Nicosia Marathon
Supporters: Cloud Office,CP Herbal Skin Care, Farm Wisely Cyprus, Chr. Kapodistrias & Sons Ltd, Superhome Center, Alphamega Hypermarkets
Mimajo Healthy Snacks Ltd, Robura Asset Management, University of Limassol, Voici la Mode Group of Companies
With the Support of: Cyprus Computer Society, CITEA, CCCI, CPMA, OEB, Youth Board of Cyprus,TechIsland, StudentLife Academy, CSR Cyprus
Communication Sponsors: SuperFM, REPORTER, IN Business, Cyprus Business News, Alpha TV
Organiser: IMH
Under the Auspices: Nicosia Municipality
