K. Mitsotakis: Greek know-how and Greek minds globally competitive

The student team Minders, which won the 5th place in the Olympiad of Educational Robotics 2021, representing Greece, was welcomed at the Maximos Palace by the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The students of the 2nd lyceum, Giannis Gamaletsos, Dionysis Kanellis, Giorgos Klonis and Thanos Kotsokolos, together with the computer science teacher and team leader Dimitris Moraitis, told the Prime Minister about their experience and presented him with “Project Airfield”, in which they took part. in the competition, in which 65 countries participated.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis congratulated the team for its success, noting that interventions have now been made so that students in Greek schools become familiar with computer science and its applications from a very young age.

In this context, the Skills Laboratories were instituted, which are part of the compulsory program of kindergarten, elementary and high school, aiming, among other things, at the cultivation of skills related to new technologies. At the same time, the curriculum in courses such as Informatics, Physics and Chemistry is modernized, connects theory with practice and acquires an interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary character.

“We have been very supportive of robotics, it is starting now and it is entering as a pilot course at much smaller levels. I imagine you did not expect it when you started, that it will start teaching at a much younger age in Skills Workshops. But it always makes us very big “I am impressed by how much young children embrace robotics,” he said.

“I am very happy that overall robotics starts and enters dynamically at all levels of education. And the fact that we have distinctions inside and outside Greece is extremely important and I think it certifies how much you love what you do,” he added.

A bridge between innovation and entrepreneurship

The project concerns the development of an aerial wind turbine, which flies thanks to a construction that uses sun. The wind turbine utilizes the strongest winds that blow at altitudes above the level reached by the typical pylons used in wind farms. It then supplies electricity to a greenhouse with automated functions, enhancing the efficient green transition to agricultural production.

The four students and Mr. Moraitis stood by the needs of the project in terms of planning, while they pointed out that the business dimension of the project was of particular importance, in order to develop a proposal which is innovative but at the same time has practical utility.

“The bridge between research innovation, but also the possibility of turning the idea into a viable business that will have revenue. It is very important that you enter into this logic. It is not only innovation for innovation – which in itself “It is very interesting – it is the innovation to improve, in the end, our lives, let alone in an object as relevant as dealing with the climate crisis,” the Prime Minister replied.

Greek know-how and Greek minds, globally competitive

Mr. Mitsotakis also underlined that the ecosystem of start-ups that has now emerged in Greece offers more and more opportunities for creation and employment, while it is distinguished by a new participatory culture that allows the diffusion of benefits to all employees.

“We have Greek companies, with Greek know-how, Greek capitals, Greek minds, that develop applications and products that are globally competitive. And that is why they can and do attract capital from abroad, acquisitions from abroad. And I think this whole ecosystem of startups, in addition to being very creative, are also very participatory “, said Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“I was a few days ago at Viva, of which JPMorgan acquired a significant stake and the interest always with all these companies is that the founder, the employee, are essentially all shareholders, shareholders but also shareholders, in an effort. And “Everyone will benefit if this effort ultimately succeeds,” he added.

The students spoke to the Prime Minister about their ambitions and the studies they want to pursue and Mr. Mitsotakis wished them good luck in their future endeavors.