With the support of SEKEE and the participation of its member companies, the competition run by the “Archimedes” unit of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens has concluded. The winning team has secured a place at MWC 2027 Barcelona.
Athens, 12 November 2026. The 4th Student Open Innovation Competition of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) concluded successfully on Sunday 8 November 2026. It was organised for the fourth consecutive year by the “Archimedes” Technology Transfer and Innovation Unit, with the support of the Association of Innovative Applications Enterprises of Greece (SEKEE), Snappi and the Innovation Centre of the Region of Attica.
The three-day event took place from 6 to 8 November 2026 in the University of Athens main building at Propylaia. 56 students from 14 NKUA departments formed 12 interdisciplinary teams and worked on five real technology and business challenges.
This year’s competition broadened the scope of previous student competitions towards Open Innovation, with particular emphasis on cooperation between the academic community and businesses and on developing solutions with practical application.
A substantial contribution from SEKEE member companies
Three SEKEE member companies — DOBBY, InsightsAI and Revival — played a particularly important role, contributing real business and technology challenges.
The student teams were asked to develop innovative approaches in areas such as the security of Artificial Intelligence systems, data analytics and demand forecasting, business process automation, the use of local AI models, and financial technology.
Throughout the competition, participants received technical guidance and mentoring from “Archimedes” staff, mentors from its partner network and representatives of the organisations that set the challenges. They also took part in a pitching workshop, strengthening both their technical and their business skills.
The involvement of SEKEE member companies highlighted the value of connecting university knowledge directly with the real economy, creating an environment of collaboration between young scientists and technology businesses.
From university innovation to MWC 2027 Barcelona
First prize went to team OptiServe — Aristomenis Fotakis, Nikolaos Straitouris, Ioannis Exarchos, Antonios Nomikos and Epameinondas Panagiotakopoulos, students of the NKUA Department of Informatics and Telecommunications.
The winning team will take part in MWC 2027 Barcelona, with all expenses covered thanks to joint sponsorship by SEKEE and Snappi.
Through this initiative, the young creators will experience first-hand one of the most important international events in the technology industry, connect with the global innovation ecosystem and gain valuable international networking experience.
SEKEE President Manos Macromallis said: “Greece has young people with outstanding knowledge, talent and creativity. What we must do is give them more opportunities to test their ideas in real conditions, to work with the market and to gain international exposure.
The participation of our member companies in the competition reflects exactly the role we want SEKEE to play: to act as a real bridge between the academic community and technology entrepreneurship.
At the same time, the opportunity we are offering, together with Snappi, for the winning team to attend MWC 2027 is not just a prize. It is an investment in our country’s human capital and a chance to open paths to the international market for the next generation of Greek technology creators.
For us, supporting innovation does not stop at recognising good ideas. It means creating the conditions for those ideas to grow into solutions with real value for the economy and society.”
The winning teams and prizes
According to the final ranking by the Evaluation Committee, the prizes were awarded as follows:
- 1st place – OptiServe: Participation in MWC 2027 Barcelona, with all expenses covered by SEKEE and Snappi.
- 2nd place – LaoCooN: Cash prize of €2,000, sponsored by the Innovation Centre of the Region of Attica.
- 3rd place – VORA: Cash prize of €1,000, sponsored by the Innovation Centre of the Region of Attica.
Winners were also announced for the individual technology challenges:
- DOBBY (SEKEE member): OptiServe
- InsightsAI (SEKEE member): GitCommit
- Revival (SEKEE member): VORA
- NKUA: LaoCooN
- Snappi: ByteRiders
Why university–business cooperation matters
NKUA Vice-Rector for Finance and Development and Scientific Director of the Archimedes Unit, Professor Aristeidis Samitas, said: “The Student Open Innovation Competition gives NKUA students the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice, develop innovative solutions to real market challenges and build skills through collaboration with the business world. It also strengthens the University’s links with the market, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and cooperation. Through the Archimedes Unit, our goal is to offer students meaningful stimuli and opportunities to show what they can do and to turn their ideas into solutions with real value for the economy and society.”
Professor Dimitris Kenourgios, Member of the NKUA Governing Council, said in his address: “Innovation is a strategic priority for the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. We focus systematically on developing a dynamic innovation ecosystem, supporting initiatives that encourage creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration and the use of new ideas. The Student Open Innovation Competition is a prime example of this effort, showcasing the potential of the university community and strengthening the link between academic knowledge, entrepreneurship and the market.”
SEKEE warmly congratulates all the participating student teams, the NKUA “Archimedes” Unit for organising the competition, and all the partner organisations and companies that contributed to the success of the initiative.
The Association will continue to support initiatives that strengthen cooperation between academia and business, promote the development of new technologies and create international opportunities for the Greek innovation ecosystem.
About SEKEE
SEKEE (Association of Innovative Applications Enterprises of Greece) was founded in 2010 and represents a dynamic, outward-looking sector of the digital economy, with 85+ member companies. These businesses produce cutting-edge technologies and develop innovative services, employing more than 1,000 highly specialised scientists and engineers. Its members are active in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), telecommunications, cybersecurity, mobile marketing and digital applications.
For more information: Vasiliki Mega, Member Activities Coordinator, [email protected]
This is an English translation of the original Greek text. In case of any discrepancy, the original Greek text prevails.