With the theme “BEYOND FRACTURES. Where Innovation Meets the Real Market,” BEYOND 2026 returns from June 17 to 19 at the Metropolitan Expo, aiming to be, for yet another year, the most important meeting point for the innovation ecosystem in Southeast Europe.
During the press conference, the Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, Dimitris Papastergiou, commented that BEYOND has now become a mature institution that is evolving alongside the Greek technology and innovation ecosystem. In fact, he argued that Greece is playing an increasingly significant role in the European and international Artificial Intelligence landscape, leveraging its geopolitical stability, investments in critical digital infrastructure, and the dynamic growth of its technological ecosystem.
In turn, Michalis Stagos, Co-Founder of Industry Disruptors – Game Changers, presented the thematic identity of this year’s event, explaining that BEYOND 2026 will focus on the “fissures” created by the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence in the economy, society, and everyday life.
According to him, this year’s event significantly broadens its scope, incorporating new industries and application areas. The focus will be on the pharmaceutical industry, data centers, smart building technologies, local government, water resource management, education, and the social dimension of technology.
What’s on the exhibition agenda
BEYOND 2026 has brought together over 230 exhibitors from 11 countries—Cyprus, Belgium, Slovakia, Hungary, Denmark, Germany, France, Portugal, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Hong Kong—and approximately 100 startups.
In the context of bridging science and the market, the strong participation of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the Technology Transfer Offices, as well as the academic and research community from Greece, Cyprus, and Slovakia.
The exhibition also features the participation of Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance and Cyprus’s Ministry of Energy & Trade, signaling the two countries’ commitment to the digital transition, while six regions of our country will be represented, a strong testament to the fact that the new digital world cannot help but encompass the entire Greek territory. These are the Regions of Central Macedonia, Attica, Epirus, Crete, Western Macedonia, and Central Greece.
Furthermore, the Beyond Tomorrow Start Up Village will play a significant role in the exhibition’s program, through which ten startups will compete for international funding opportunities. One of them will participate in the grand final of the Startup World Cup 2026 in San Francisco and compete for an investment prize of up to $1 million, while two others will represent Greece at the international Creative Business Cup Final 2026 in Copenhagen.
At the same time, the exhibition will host a series of special themed events and collaborations. These include Netflix’s participation in an initiative that will highlight creativity in the field of audiovisual production, while separate sessions will be held on fake news and misinformation, as well as the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the digital environment.
On the first day of BEYOND, at Stage 1, a conference organized by KEDE will take place, featuring over 300 mayors from across Greece, highlighting the role of local authorities in the digital transition.
Finally, as part of the exhibition, a series of specialized workshops will be held by leading organizations and companies such as the General Secretariat for Public Administration (GSPA), the Hellenic Institute of Public Administration (HIPA), Microsoft & KPMG, the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), and the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).
It is worth noting that BEYOND is co-organized by the Ministry of Digital Governance, the General Secretariat for Communication and Information, the Region of Attica, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), and the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), while the exhibition is held under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior and the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE).