Chief Scientist strengthens Cyprus’ innovation standing as regional gateway to Europe during UAE visit

The Chief Scientist, Demetris Skourides, has concluded a high-level business visit to the United Arab Emirates, reinforcing Cyprus’ positioning as a forward-looking hub for artificial intelligence, deep technology, and innovation-led economic growth.

The visit formed part of Cyprus’ broader strategy under Vision 2035 to foster cross-border partnerships, attract international investment, and accelerate the global competitiveness of Cyprus’ research and innovation ecosystem. Throughout the trip, the Chief Scientist engaged with government leaders, startup founders, institutional stakeholders, and investors, underlining Cyprus’ commitment to becoming a launchpad for regional collaboration and technological leadership.

The Cypriot government delegation was invited under the courtesy of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and the Emirates Group, Second Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, for the signing of an MoU between Dubai Silicon Oasis and Doers Cyprus Festival, which will see the expansion of the Cypriot-born Reflect Festival to Dubai Silicon Oasis.

The signing ceremony took place at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) under the auspices of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) and was witnessed by H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ and Vice Chairman and CEO of the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, and Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus, who acted on behalf of Deputy Minister Nicodemos Damianou. The MoU was signed between Stylianos Lambrou, Co-Founder and CEO of The Doers Company, Dusan Duffek, Co-Founder of The Doers Company and Managing Partner at Zero One Hundred, and Badr Buhannad, Deputy Director General of Dubai Silicon Oasis. Also present during the event were Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Director General of Dubai Silicon Oasis; Dr. Constantinos Kleovoulou, Director of Research and Innovation at the Deputy Ministry of Digital Policy, Research and Innovation; and George Partasides, Commercial Counsellor in Dubai at the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry.

The Chief Scientist, together with Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi and Mr. Badr Buhannad, also witnessed the signing of an MoU between Mr. Avinash Mudaliar, Co-Founder and CEO of HT Labs, the innovation and product arm of India’s HT Media, and The Doers Company Co-Founders Mr. Stylianos Lambrou and Mr. Dusan Duffek. The MoU sets the foundation for tri-nation collaboration between Cyprus, the UAE, and India in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and entrepreneurship, with coverage of Cyprus’ largest technology and innovation festival in India, also paving the way for the expansion of Reflect Festival to Dubai in 2026. Its planned expansion to Dubai marks a strategic step in strengthening regional connectivity, talent mobility, and cross-border innovation exchange.

As part of his visit to Dubai Silicon Oasis, the Chief Scientist also visited a number of pioneering companies and institutions located within the innovation district. These included meetings with Ralph Debbas, CEO of W Motors, the first manufacturer of high-performance luxury sports cars in the Middle East; Hans Christensen, Vice President of the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec); Ms. Anna Lootah, Director General of Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA); SIG, a global leader in sustainable and innovative packaging solutions; and Mr. Mustafa Al Hariri, Director of Outreach at Rochester Institute of Technology – Dubai, a U.S.-affiliated research university that focuses on applied innovation and developing talent in emerging technologies.

The Chief Scientist also held meetings with Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni, Chief AI Officer at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and CEO of the Dubai Blockchain Center, during which they discussed opportunities and best practices for preparing small nations for AI adoption across the public and private sectors, and how Dubai has managed to reduce public sector overhead by USD 1.3 billion through blockchain solutions.

In addition, a series of meetings were conducted with emerging technology companies and startups, including DistiChain, a blockchain-based supply chain integration firm, and Datanuum, a data analytics and monetization company that is now considering setting up European offices in Cyprus. He also held discussions with both global and regional venture capital funds, including Oraseya Capital.

A key bilateral meeting also took place with Dr. Waddah S. Ghanem Al Hashmi, Vice Chair of the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, Board Member of the Emirates Shipping Association, and Chairman of the UAE National Committee for Occupational Health and Safety (ESMA). Their conversation focused on responsible innovation and the potential for sustained cooperation between Cyprus and the UAE across sectors such as maritime, energy, and health.

To conclude the visit, the Chief Scientist was hosted by Anton Golub, Chief Business Officer at Freedx, and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou, CEO UAE at BlockFills, in a podcast where he shared insights into Cyprus’ evolving national AI strategy, the strength of its research institutions, and the country’s ambition to serve as a trusted regional gateway for innovation, investment, and emerging technologies across the region.