Dr. Nikolas Mastroyiannopoulos
Chief Scientist for Research and Innovation
Chairman, Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF)
The world is changing faster than ever before. Finding our path through change requires focused and sustained effort, as well as embracing innovation in all its manifestations.
Supporting basic research and fundamental science is the stepping stone for innovation. It is a key success factor to expand knowledge conquering new frontiers, leading to discoveries, disruptive technologies and creating a strong and sustainable research base.
Adopting and expanding an entrepreneurial mindset, is crucial in translating the best ideas, the most promising research results, into innovative products, services and technologies. By enhancing and supporting business orientated research and PhDs, in parallel to providing mentorship and motivation to the startup community, we can create opportunities for our young scientists and entrepreneurs.
In order to realize all these, we commit to nurturing a culture for research and innovation at all levels of our society, businesses, Government and Organisations. We aim at educating the new generation, providing them with the knowledge and fundamental skills to respond to the changing needs of the society and the workplace. We aim at supporting social innovation and entrepreneurship, focusing primarily on building up the social economy, opening up public services and addressing acute social problems in synergy.
In this journey, the team of the Research and Innovation Foundation works closely with the Government and all stakeholders involved, engineering, enabling and augmenting an efficient and well-performing ecosystem, fit-for-the-future and adding value horizontally across all sectors of the economy. An ecosystem, where research and innovation flourish and build opportunities for economic and social prosperity.
In closing, I would like to reach out and extend a call to all individuals and stakeholders of our ecosystem: Drop indecision! Build on your passion and the work you have been doing and create your own momentum. As a famous quote goes “Innovators succeed through momentum, and momentum comes from doing!”
Our job is to enable that momentum.
Theodoros Loukaidis
Director General
Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF)
The Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation has a remarkable mission. To support our national research and innovation ecosystem grow further and be a pillar of sustainable development.
From a single programme, over 20 years ago, to a wide portfolio of programmes and services that address the needs of, what is today, a much bigger and far more developed ecosystem, RIF has always been leading from the front and we are very proud of our contribution to the evolution of our national ecosystem. We wouldn’t have achieved it without the hard work of RIF’s staff.
Today, under its extended role as the execution arm of the newly formed Deputy Ministry for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, RIF has an even more important role to play in the delivery of the national strategy for R&I and the country’s vision to become a dynamic and competitive economy, driven by research, scientific excellence, innovation, technological development and entrepreneurship, and a regional hub in these fundamental areas.
It is still very early days for me at RIF and in Cyprus, having spent the last 7 years living and working abroad. Nonetheless, I am seeing tremendous potential and I truly believe that through collaborative working and partnering, with innovative programmes and new initiatives and with our strong commitment to drive growth, we will bring the ecosystem even closer, strengthen its capabilities and allow R&I to flourish in Cyprus.
We may be a small country but there is some great talent here. While we support them deliver world class research and innovation, we nurture new talent to take further the work of past and present generations and we also demonstrate the great value and benefits of Research and Innovation to the wider public.
Let us embrace the opportunities that lie ahead of us and focus on delivering outcomes that have true impact on our economy and our society.