1st NTUA Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition – Demo Day

The Demo Day of the 1st NTUA Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition was held with great success on Friday, 27 February 2026, in the Events Hall of the NTUA Administration Building.

The Competition was organised by the NTUA Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the framework of the Action “Strategic Research Plan of the National Technical University of Athens” (MIS 5180665), which forms part of the Operational Programme Greece 2.0 and is co-funded by the European Union. The aim of the Competition was to identify and support innovative business ideas from members of the Institution’s academic community.

The event was opened by the Scientific Coordinator of the Action and Rector of NTUA, Professor Ioannis K. Chatzigeorgiou, as well as the Vice Rector for Research, Innovation and Outreach, Professor Emmanouel Varvarigos, who spoke about the strategic importance of the initiative in reinforcing innovation, outreach and the entrepreneurial exploitation of research at the Institution.

The Demo Day represented the culmination of a structured process that included an intensive programme of training and mentoring. During the event, teams presented their proposals before the Evaluation Committee and the academic community, showcasing the creativity, research dynamism and entrepreneurial potential developing at NTUA, as well as the way in which their ideas had evolved and matured through the support process.

The Competition attracted students, doctoral candidates, researchers and faculty members, confirming the strong interest across all levels of the academic community in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Following the completion of the presentations and the deliberations of the Evaluation Committee, awards were presented to the three teams that distinguished themselves for the quality, substantiation and exploitation potential of their proposals:

1st Prize: Project Black Feather

Project Black Feather, comprising Mr. Ioannis Boubalis and Mr. Mario Giannikopoulos, designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles, expanding users’ operational capabilities through innovation.

2nd Prize: Builtstop

BuiltStop, comprising Mr. Antonios Mantakas and Mr. Morris Calderon, is developing NegSV, a passive, non-invasive seismic protection system for existing multi-storey buildings.

3rd Prize: Appify

Η Appify, αποτελούμενη από την κα. Όλγα Κοντακιώτη και τον κ. Κωνσταντίνο Κακκαβά αναπτύσσει AI no-code πλατφόρμα που μετατρέπει κάθε ιδέα σε έτοιμη εφαρμογή ή website μέσα σε λίγα λεπτά.

The successful completion of the Competition was made possible by the contribution of the Evaluation Committee, which comprised Professor Ioanna Zergioti, Professor Vissarion Papadopoulos and Professor Angelos Tsakanikas.

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On Monday 3 November, at the Eugenides Foundation, the official presentation of Greece’s first Master’s programme on «Ship Performance Analysis and Management» was held with great success and wide participation.

The event was hosted at a venue of deep significance for shipping and education — the Eugenides Foundation, which has long supported and promoted maritime education in Greece and internationally.

The event was opened by the Rector of the National Technical University of Athens, Professor Ioannis Chatjigeorgiou, who spoke about the historical journey and enduring contribution of the School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering to education, while highlighting the vision and strategic plan of NTUA for continuous development and academic excellence in the years ahead. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of the new master’s programme for the future of Greek shipping, with warm thanks expressed to the Eugenides Foundation for its hospitality and steadfast support.

A greeting was delivered by the President of the Eugenides Foundation, Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Eugenidis, who referred to the long-standing collaboration between the Foundation and NTUA and to the importance of investing in knowledge and in young Greek seafarers and engineers, who continue to excel internationally. He also underscored the importance of collaboration between the academic community and the shipping industry as a decisive factor in shaping a sustainable and innovative future for the sector. Speaking about the new Master’s Programme and the School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering at NTUA were:

Professor Konstantinos Belibassakis, Dean of the School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering at NTUA, who presented the School, its modern facilities and technological equipment, and its dynamic research activity.
Dr. Nikolaos Kakalis, NTUA alumnus and LR Global Bulk Carriers Segment Director, who highlighted the current needs and challenges of the shipping market that the new programme aims to address.
Associate Professor Giorgos Dimopoulos, Director of the Programme and member of the School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering at NTUA, who presented in detail the structure, content, and objectives of the Master’s Programme.

The event brought together a large number of distinguished representatives of the Greek shipping community, founders and senior executives of major shipping companies.
Following the presentations, a productive discussion and exchange of views took place among the participants, confirming the strong interest of the shipping industry in this new academic initiative.

This Programme arrives at a time when Greek Shipping, a global pioneer, is called upon to respond to a new, complex, and demanding environment, full of challenges but also opportunities, such as:

The energy transition and the increasing need for green and sustainable maritime transport.
The digitalisation and automation of ships and maritime processes.
Stricter regulatory and environmental requirements.
The need for strategic thinking and specialised human resources.

The National Technical University of Athens, with its long tradition and expertise, aspires through this new Programme to contribute actively to shaping the next generation of leaders in naval technology and science, strengthening Greece’s role as a global centre of excellence in shipping and maritime technology.