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Much of the world is n’t paying skinny attention to Greece right now . That may be a fault . well known for its stunning islands , sun - soaked metropolis , and rich historic roots , Greece has been quietly laying the foundation for something less expected — a modernistic , live tech economy .
While the external glare often lose it , something real is fall out on the ground , as this editor discovered this hebdomad across loads of conversations in Athens . The country that once stood at the precipice of economic crash has n’t simply rebranded itself as an “ Innovation Nation . ” It ’s turning clever selling into reality , with policy shifts , investor interest , and a reincarnate gumption of aim around technical school and entrepreneurship .
Indeed , in asit - downThursday night with Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis , he made the case to TechCrunch that Greece is n’t just capture up but is also poised to surprise . “ There is significant room to grow , ” he confess , but “ the stars are aligned . ”
It did n’t happen without effort . Greece , Mitsotakis explained , made a “ witting decision ” half a dozen long time ago to extend beyond its traditional economic strengths like tourism and hospitality . “ technical school could be 10 % of our economy . This is perfectly doable , ” he said , citing climb inauguration formation , increased capital flows , and an energized and grow base of founder and VCs in the ecosystem . sop up from his own background in venture cap — he founded Greece ’s first incubator in 2001 — he spoke with a fluency not often hear from head of state .
While Greece may be arriving late to Europe ’s tech company , that timing could really prove to be an advantage . Because it did n’t have the capital to make bad bets , Greece has sidestepped some of the inflated valuation and failed venture that are weighing down more mature ecosystems . With a comparatively clean slate , the country is go quickly to seize on come out technologies — particularly artificial intelligence .
Thanks to AI , in fact , the prize minister sees a chance to potentially skip in front . “ We want to utilise technology to leapfrog , ” he said . “ Not just to overhear up , but to actually do better than many European countries . ” He pointed to Greece ’s winner in digitizing public services — say it had far exceeded even Germany in some respects — and to pilot programs like a Microsoft - backed AI system that whip government activity contract bridge review meter from hours to second .
That duple scheme of nurturing startup while modernizing government shape the gumption of Greece ’s AI ambitions . Mitsotakis visualise Greece as a laboratory for responsible origination , particularly in region like health , civic protective cover , and defense . “ We ’re not just talking about what the startup biotic community is doing . We are the client of the technologies . And we want to have more of a inauguration mentality as a governing . ”
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A critical ingredient of this transmutation is gift . Greece is working to reverse the brain drain that saw M of skilled workers get out during the financial crisis . “ The taxation break are there — a 50 % discount on income tax for seven year , ” he said . But he also acknowledge that “ hoi polloi are not going to amount back just for a tax pause . They will issue forth back if they have a beneficial job opportunity , if they finger they can do something rewarding and they can actually turn their line of work in Greece . ”
To that end , in our conversation , we touched on recentchangesto Greece ’s “ Golden Visa ” program that now grants a residence license to third - country subject who enthrone a lower limit of € 250,000 in a Greek inauguration register on the Greek National Startup Registry ; we also talked about two novel programs introduced last year designed to bestow skilled extraneous workers and entrepreneurs into the country . ( While the last initiatives are still in the word of mouth , they seem to reflect a broader committedness to receptivity . ) “ This is a world state of war for talent , ” Mitsotakis aver . “ We need to make it easy for either Hellenic talent to pass or for hoi polloi who can live anywhere to choose to work here . ”
Mitsotakis also emphasize the importance of expanding technical school beyond Athens , with hubs come out in Thessaloniki , Heraklion , and other university cities . “ This should also be a story about regional development . ”
Still , the prime minister of religion acknowledged ongoing challenges , include the dizzying pace of legal reform , the need for more previous - stage capital , and the complexness of doing business organisation across the European market . But what he consider Greece now offers , unlike during the depths of the crisis , is predictability , stability , and momentum . “ Is this country moving in the right direction ? ” he ask rhetorically . “ The answer is yes . ”
For Mitsotakis , the ultimate goal is to make Greece ’s progress “ irreversible . ” While legacy building is n’t his stress , both Mitsotakis and the some 300 investors and founders who get together for our sit - down — some of whom have jubilantly move back to Greece from the Bay Area , London , and elsewhere — clear want to assure that the country ’s progress continues apace .
“ We ca n’t [ perform ] miracle , ” tell Mitsotakis . “ We ca n’t make up lose ground in a duo of years . But I think we ’ve broken out of the cruel cycle of the past tense , and I do see technology as a neat chance , both for the individual sphere and for the government . ”
you could capture our full interview with Mitsotakis below .
