EIT Manufacturing South East successfully participated at the two-day Workshop for Strategic technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) on 9-10 January 2025focused on the implementation of the STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform) platform in Greece. The STEP initiative aims to develop critical technologies in digital technologies, clean and resource-efficient technologies and biotechnology. The event brought together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, highlighting Greece’s efforts to integrate innovative STEP technologies into its national framework. 

Over 80 participants attended the first day of the event. Among them high-ranking officials such as Vasiliki Pantelopoulou – Secretary General of ESIF, Nikos Papathanasis – Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Anna Mani-Papadimitriou – Deputy Minister of Development and Investment as well as members of the DG Budget’s STEP Task Force such as Carlos Arsuaga – DG Budget, STEP Task Force, participated and contributed in the discussion and work done.  

EIT Manufacturing South East, as the STEP consultation service provider for the national implementation, had a twofold contribution at the first day: on one hand, it presented a detailed Consultation Report on Greece’s innovation ecosystem, offering insights and recommendations on integrating STEP technologies into national co-funded programs. On the other hand, it delivered five parallel working sessions with ministry representatives to ensure effective implementation of new Open Calls for STEP technologies. 

Regarding day 2 of the event, there was an even larger audience of over 90 attendees. EIT Manufacturing South East representatives participated in a panel session, presenting key highlights from the Consultation Report to a broader audience, including government officials, industry leaders and representatives from academia such as Thanasis Kontogeorgis – Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Nikos Papathanasis – Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Anna Mani-Papadimitriou – Deputy Minister of Development and Investment and representatives from DG Budget, DG Regio, Greek industry, VCs  and academia.  

The event fostered a deeper understanding of how STEP technologies can support Greece’s strategic priorities and national programs. EIT Manufacturing South East’s expertise and collaborative efforts played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between policy and implementation, ensuring the STEP platform’s seamless integration into Greece’s economic landscape.