Athens, October 24–25, 2025
The Emerging Tech Conference Edge Intelligence 2025 (ETCEI 2025) took place on October 24–25, 2025, at the Ancient Olive Grove Conference Center of the University of West Attica in Athens.
The conference was organized by HETiA, in collaboration with the University of West Attica, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and National Technical University of Athens, within the framework of the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC), with the support of the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) and the Hellenic Government.
The event brought together the academic and industrial community around the future of emerging technologies and semiconductors in Europe.
A Premier Technical Conference on Emerging Technologies
Under the central theme “Empowering Europe’s Semiconductor Ecosystem through Emerging Technologies,” ETCEI 2025 gathered leading researchers, professionals, and industry executives from Greece and across Europe, highlighting the country’s contribution to the fields of microelectronics, artificial intelligence, and edge computing.
The conference program featured research presentations, industry talks, and peer-reviewed papers, along with poster sessions and specialized panels that fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange between research and industry in the domains of emerging technologies and semiconductors.
Technology, Human Capital & Innovation
The first day of the conference began with opening remarks by Professors Ioannis Voyiatzis and Cleopatra Sgouropoulou (University Of West Attica), Dr. Emmanouel Zervakis (President of HETiA) and Eleftherios Kritikos (Secretary General for Industry, Hellenic Ministry of Development and Investment).
The opening addresses highlighted the importance of strategic collaboration between research, education, and industry in advancing the field of emerging technologies in Greece and Europe.
Conference Chair Professor Grigorios Doumenis presented the structure, objectives, and vision of ETCEI 2025, emphasizing the conference’s role as a convergence point of technology, human capital, and innovation.
The keynote speeches and thematic discussions focused on the technological challenges of the European Chips Act, the development of specialized skills, and the evolution of intelligent, interconnected systems.
Among the keynote and invited speakers, notable contributions came from Prof. Constantinos Daskalakis (MIT), Dr. Dionysios Diamantopoulos (IBM Research Europe) and Dr. Christoforos Kachris (University Of West Attica), who offered complementary perspectives on artificial intelligence, semiconductor innovation, and the skills shaping the future of the technological ecosystem.
The event featured three thematic panels showcasing Greece’s innovation potential, investment priorities, and collaboration opportunities, and was attended by more than 100 representatives from across government, academia, industry, and the startup community.
Particular interest was drawn to the special session by Power Factors, held in collaboration with METLEN, which showcased real-world industrial applications of artificial intelligence and data analytics for the optimization of energy systems and the promotion of sustainable development.
The session highlighted how innovation in the energy sector and the use of real-time data contribute to enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of industrial infrastructures, fully aligned with the vision of the European Chips Act for smart and efficient technologies.
The conference was further energized by the participation of the student teams TALOS and POSEIDON (University of West Attica) & IEEE Students Branch and Microlab (National Technical University of Athens), who presented original projects and innovative applications in the fields of electromobility, autonomous systems, and embedded sensors.
Research, Innovation & The HCCC Initiative
A highlight of the second day was the presentation by John Kikidis, Vice President of the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC) Executive Board, titled “The HCCC Initiative: Opportunities and Impact for the Greek Semiconductor and Emerging Tech Ecosystem.”
Mr. Kikidis outlined the strategic priorities of the HCCC, emphasizing skills development, innovation promotion, and the connection between research and industry, while highlighting the Centre’s role as a catalyst for collaboration and technological advancement within Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem.
The HCCC initiative contributes to strengthening the domestic value chain, facilitating knowledge transfer, and supporting new investments and research infrastructures, fully aligned with the objectives of the European Chips Act.
Side Event – Chips Act Greece: Research, Innovation and Industrial Opportunities
The conference concluded with the side event “Chips Act Greece: Research, Innovation and Industrial Opportunities,” organized within the framework of the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC).
The side event focused on the European Chips Act, showcasing the research, innovation, and industrial collaboration opportunities it creates in Greece and across Europe.
Keynote speaker Romano Hoofman (imec) delivered the talk “EUROpractice and Beyond: Empowering Europe’s Semiconductor Innovation under the Chips Act,” presenting Europe’s strategy for strengthening semiconductor innovation.
Two thematic discussions followed: the first on collaboration between research institutions, industry, and startups, and the second on strategies for reinforcing the European value chain—from lab to market.
Participants emphasized the importance of international partnerships and the need to build a resilient semiconductor ecosystem, which the HCCC aims to support through continuous networking and knowledge transfer initiatives.
In parallel, the conference hosted the Career Day & Exhibition, an initiative dedicated to connecting students, researchers, and companies active in the field of emerging technologies and semiconductors.
Synergies and Next Steps
ETCEI 2025 highlighted the synergy between the academic community, research institutions, and industry, contributing significantly to strengthening Europe’s capabilities in microelectronics, artificial intelligence, and intelligent systems.
Held within the framework of the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC), the conference actively supported the objectives of the European Chips Act, promoting technological excellence, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration at the European level.
Building on the momentum of 2025, the next ETCEI 2026 will take place in Ioannina, co-organized by HETiA and the University of Ioannina, aiming to further deepen the collaboration between research and industry and to showcase emerging technology trends in Greece and across Europe.
HCCC project is supported by Chips JU and its members, and is co-funded by European Union and the Greek Government via the “Competitiveness” Programme.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EYDE-VEK. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.