Promoting and establishing Cyprus as a reliable and competitive investment was part of the wider strategy and goals of the Nicos Christodoulides visit to the US in April last year, said minister to the President Eirini Piki, presenting the results of his contacts, with Research, Innovation and Digital Policy deputy minister Nikodimos Damianou and Head Innovation and Technology Scientist Dimitris Skourides alongside her.
As she noted, contacts and meetings in New York and San Francisco aimed at a policy of strengthening bjusiness extroversion and were not limited to statements of intention but were followed up with 'systematic work, technical consultations and policy decisions that are already yielding substantive results' and leading to the shaping of strategic partnerships of international stature, mainly in the fields of innovation and technology.'
HPC upgraded national infrastructure on the way through NVIDIA
Particular reference was made to the strategic partnership with American technology giant NVIDIA, having a global pivotal role in High Performance Computational Structures, AI data centres infrastructure and AI development platforms. In the framework of the NVIDIA cooperation, Cyprus will soon acquire a national HPC infrastructure through a supercomputer, which will fill up the critical gap missing from the country's computational capabilities.
This was referred to as a development of vital important in strengthening innovation, particularly during a time when AI is moving fast, demanding modern infrastructure and autonomy. The HPC will become operational by June this year.
As mentioned, 'the company will also provide know how for the practical implementation of these technologies in strategic sectors, such as clean energy and climate science, facing environmental challenges, preventing natural disasters and promoting biomedicine and biocomputing for rare diseases'.
Plug and Play Innovation Centre
Also referred to as a significant development is the decision by Plug and Play to operate in Cyprus through an Innovation Centre, a decision reached during the Christodoulides US visit and follow up contacts. Plug and Play is one of the leading innovation international organisations, with an active presence in dozens of countries and enjoying an extensive network of start ups, multinationals and institutional investors.
'It's Cyprus presence aims at supporting start ups and innovative companies, strengthening corporate innovation, connecting markets and research and providing access to international networks and know how', the deputy minister for Innovation Nikodimos Damianou said.
The company's operations in Nicosia were approved on December 23rd 2025, having a specific timeframe and targets.
Columbia University Cooperation
In the framework of the April US visit, cooperation was also initiated and developed with Columbia Univdersity, already yielding results. This includes the Future Founders Academy, aimed at financing graduates, up to three years following the conclusion of their studies with 25 thousand euro. This specific programme will provide training in business, developing a product and preparing individuals for investor contacts.
In addition, the Technological University of Cyprus, in cooperation with the Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science has agreed to a double exchange postgraduate 4+1 course to be awarded by Columbia and a graduate course to be awarded by the Technological University.
AI in education
As a result of the US visit, schools in Cyprus will now join the international Experience AI programme, developed by Google DeepMind and Raspberry Pi Foundation, while discussions are at advanced stage to utilise ChatGPT Education in technical and vocational schools at a pilot stage. The goal here, as noted, is to safely and appropriately induct snd integrate AI in the learning process, by training both pupils and teachers.
As part of the GCloud programme will also lead to the creation of an AI Development Centre, alllowing to integrate TN solutions in public services, as well as contacts with Amazon on the Kuiper Project, aimed at strengthening state digital resilience.
Based on the results of the President Christodoulides US campaign, the government is forging the next phase of financial bilateral ties with Washington, with a targeted 2026 campaign in Boston and New York, also part of the Minds in Cyprus initiative, aimed at attracting high added value investments and continuing the flow of knowledge, know how and human capital to Cyprus.
The Innovation Deputy Minister said that the meaning of investment is no longer restricted in the physical presence of companies in a country, but includes a wider range of strategic partnerships, technological synergies and active participation in the innovation ecosystem.
Irini Piki further said that investment evaluation is based on tangible macroeconomic data, such as the Cyprus economy growth rate, the low percentage of unemployment and increasing available positions, monitored at a regular basis and 'directly connected with attracting foreign investors'.
Synergies are a result of clear national strategy needs, it was noted.
India is the next strategic goal
On the next step in its extroverted financial policy, Irini Piki said that India was one of the fundamental strategic targets, underlining the close connection between active foreign policy and attracting investments. Piki stressed that the Presidents' visits abroad are now systematically accompanied with attendance at targeted business forums, adapted to the investment interests of each country. She cited the recent visit of the UAE President, who was accompanied by investors and the organisation of a relevant forum.|
Damianou said that both himself and the head scientist have made numerous contacts with Indian technology companies and many of them are already operating in Cyprus.