PwC and Cyprus Seeds join forces to support market-ready research
The PwC Cyprus Foundation on Friday announced a strategic sponsorship collaboration with Cyprus Seeds.
Cyprus Seeds is a private, non-profit organisation whose mission is to support the commercialisation of innovative research projects from Cypriot universities, research institutions and Centres of Excellence.
Additionally, Cyprus Seeds plays a key role in supporting innovative scientific projects to go to the market and become attractive to customers and investors.
This takes place through an 18-month programme, which offers financial support in the form of grants, entrepreneurial training, mentoring and networking opportunities with investors in Cyprus and abroad.
The PwC Foundation said that its support “aims to complement the support being offered to Cyprus Seeds by other important corporations in Cyprus and abroad, as well as the Cyprus government, who share the same vision of supporting the efforts of talented researchers in transforming their innovative ideas into successful commercial ventures”.
“One of the goals,” the announcement continued, “is to change the mindset of researchers and students in Cypriot academia to explore, develop, and commercialise their innovations”.
The foundation explained that this will contribute towards the growth of the knowledge-based economy in Cyprus and generate opportunities for employment through the creation of spinoffs.
Moreover, the announcement pointed out that “leveraging the extensive experience and resources of PwC Cyprus, the PwC Foundation is ready to assist early-stage researchers in bridging the gap between research and commercialisation”.
It further mentioned that this initiative is in alignment with PwC’s efforts of “nurturing talent and promoting innovation across various sectors”.
“At PwC Cyprus, we believe in the power of innovation and youth entrepreneurship to drive economic growth and social progress,” said Philippos Soseilos, CEO of PwC Cyprus & President of the PwC Foundation.
“Our strategic collaboration with Cyprus Seeds underlines our commitment to investing in people to maximize their potential,” he added.
Moreover, he said the organisation is “excited to be part of this journey and looks forward to seeing how these ideas will shape the future”.
Meanwhile, George A. David, founder of Cyprus Seeds, reiterated that the non-profit’s goal is to promote innovation in Cyprus.
“We have the talent, the determination, and high-performing academic teams,” he said, stressing that “what we need—alongside supportive government policies and incentives—is an entrepreneurial ecosystem that facilitates the transition from the lab to the marketplace”.
“And this is exactly where Cyprus Seeds and its partners, like PwC Cyprus & PwC Foundation, come in: to enable change, add value, and drive sustainable growth,” David concluded.