News

The contract for the operational and energy upgrade of the central building of the Athena Research Center in Paradisos Amarousiou was signed on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, between Athena, the Technical Service of the Management Organisation Unit of Development Programmes (MOU S.A.) of the the Ministry of Development, and the contractor Ergasin Technical. The signing took place in the presence of the Minister of Development, Mr. Konstantinos Skrekas, and the Deputy Minister of Development, Mr. Maximos Senetakis. Also present at the signing were the Secretary General for Research and Innovation, Professor Athanasios Kyriazis; Mr. Panagiotis Stampoulidis, Executive Director of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF); and the project manager, Mr. Vassilis Kyriakopoulos.

 

The signing of this contract marks a very important step in the developmental trajectory of the Research Center and is part of the broader project to upgrade Athena’s infrastructure. The project aims to modernize the facilities and align them with current green transition policies. As Mr. Skrekas noted in his brief speech: “The cheapest and greenest energy is the energy we save and do not consume.”

 

The Minister and Deputy Minister were guided by the President of Athena, Professor Mr. Yiannis Emiris, through the premises where researchers from Athena’s Institutes and Units carry out their work. They had the opportunity to get acquainted firsthand with research outcomes and technologies.

 

Mr. Skrekas had discussions with representatives of Athena’s Institutes and Units, stating: “I am convinced that achieving our country’s development goals depends on the utilization of research and innovation. It is essential to connect research with manufacturing and the market in order to enhance the competitiveness and outward orientation of Greek businesses for the benefit of our citizens.”

 

On his part, Mr. Emiris emphasized Athena’s dynamic growth in recent years, both in terms of thematic expansion and numerical development, highlighting partnerships with both public and private institutions. Athena is at the core of the digital transition, upgrading the level of research conducted in Greece in digital technologies and winning the battle of brain gain.

 

The upgrade works are expected to begin in the coming days.

 

The operational and energy upgrade of Athena’s privately-owned building, with a budget of €2.72 million and a duration of 12 months, is part of Subproject 2: “Construction/Reconstruction of Building Facilities for Athena RC”, under action ID16624: “Creation – Expansion – Upgrade of Infrastructure of the Research Centers supervised by the GSRI”, with a total budget of €55 million, supported by the Recovery & Resilience Facility and the European Investment Bank.