Greek Deputy Minister Stavros Kalafatis Announces Major Boost to National Space Tech Industry

At the third Greek Space Tech Forum, Deputy Minister of Development Stavros Kalafatis said Greece is shifting from a passive user of space services to an active, internationally competitive producer of cutting‑edge space technology. He highlighted the 20‑year anniversary of Greece’s membership in ESA and the recent doubling of the country’s contribution, as well as the five‑year success of the ESA BIC Greece accelerator, which has supported 32 startups, 24 of which remain fully active, creating 90 permanent jobs and generating €5.3 million in revenue and €2.7 million in additional public funding.

Kalafatis announced a four‑year extension of the accelerator with increased grants of €80 000 per startup and the first invitation slated for October 2026. Emphasising that “satellites without domestic software, analytics, and microchips are just expensive hardware,” the ministry will fund the “image and brain” of the industry to turn infrastructure into a permanent national capability. As a result, domestic industrial participation in the upcoming Hyperion GR‑1 launch on SpaceX is projected to exceed 70 %.

He also promoted northern Greece, especially Thessaloniki, as a new “Space Hub,” citing projects such as the PeakSat nano‑satellite from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AI algorithms for civil protection developed by EKETA, and the activities of local firms like Prisma Electronics and AgroApps. The initiative is backed by €350 million under the HELLAS‑SPACE 2.0 programme, with additional financing tools from the EU and 5G Ventures.