Greece sees rising R&D spending amid innovation challenges

Greece is seeing a rise in research and development spending, which reached €3.66 billion in 2024, representing 1.54% of its GDP. This marks a €1.3 billion increase compared to 2019 and has moved the country from 16th to 13th place in the EU regarding research intensity. However, a study by Neosis highlights an innovation paradox: despite higher spending and a growing startup ecosystem, the country struggles to convert research into economic value. Greece records only 10.3 patent applications per million inhabitants, significantly lower than the EU average of 152.2.

In other news, Athens has climbed to a top position in global wellness travel rankings. According to a study by BookRetreats and psychologist Natalie Dattilo-Ryan, the city ranked highly based on pillars such as sunlight, sleep quality, healthy food, nature, and walkability. Athens specifically led in pedestrian accessibility and the percentage of restaurants focused on healthy nutrition.