The “next day” for Greek reality, as shaped by our country’s enhanced presence in Space, was the focus of the Greek Space Tech Forum 2026 – #gstf26, which was held with great success and massive participation. The Forum gathered executives from public administration and the Greek business ecosystem in the space market, who analyzed the opportunities and challenges for the further development of the Greek presence. At the same time, it served as a platform for strengthening collaborations and networking the Greek space ecosystem with critical sectors of the Greek economy, as well as abroad, both within the EU and in the wider region of the Southeastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
The #gstf26 took place during a milestone year, as our country celebrated 20 years of participation in the European Space Agency (ESA) and completed the National Microsatellite Program funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Furthermore, it was organized shortly after the doubling of the national contribution to ESA programs, which paves the way for more and larger European space projects in our country.
The Greek Space Tech Forum 2026 was held on Tuesday, July 7, and Wednesday, July 8, 2026, by ethosEVENTS, co-organized with the Hellenic Association of Space Industry (HASI/EBIDITE) and the Hellenic Space Technologies and Applications Cluster (si-Cluster) of Corallia. Participation in the event was possible in person at the Athens Conservatoire and online through the LiveOn Expo Complex, the innovative 3D exhibition and conference center of LiveOn, the digital platform for Business Communication and Events.
Institutional framework & national strategy
The Forum opened with statements highlighting Greece’s shift from a technology consumer to an active industrial partner. Mr. Athanasios Potsis (Chairman of HASI) noted that the maturity of the Greek ecosystem laid the foundations for the national microsatellite program, proving Greece’s capacity to produce high-end space hardware. Mr. Jorge-A. Sanchez-P. (Chairman of si-Cluster) emphasized that with 19 satellites launched recently and more to follow, Space has become a national strategic choice with tangible impacts on security, civil protection, and the economy.
The Minister of Digital Governance, Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, and New Democracy Secretary General, Mr. Konstantinos Kyranakis, praised the rapid execution of the National Microsatellite Program, emphasizing how real-time satellite data is already providing solutions for civil protection and national grid tracking. Representing the European Space Agency (ESA), Ms. Simonetta Cheli and Mr. Dominique Gillieron lauded Greece’s “historic” contribution to the ESA Ministerial Council and its exemplary execution of Earth observation projects, noting that joint infrastructure investments have turned innovation into operational capability.
Emerging space services & technology
Expert panels explored the deployment of Greek constellations. Key industry figures, including Ms. Maria Kalama (Open Cosmos Aegean), Mr. Vasilis Chaloulakos (ICEYE Greece), Mr. Ioannis Lantouris (OroraTech Greece), and Mr. Omar Qaise (OQ Technology), discussed the hurdles of European launch shortages alongside the massive success of receiving actionable, sub-metric, and thermal data from recently launched Greek satellites. Academics and tech leaders, such as Mr. Vaios Lappas (University of Athens) and Mr. Alkiviadis Hatzopoulos (AUTH), underscored how deep collaboration between universities and the space ecosystem is successfully curbing the brain drain.
Further sessions focused on secure satellite communications and quantum projects led by the Hellenic Space Center and ESA representatives Mr. Dimitrios Christopoulos and Mr. Frederic Rouesnel, who labeled Greece’s space trajectory an “absolute success story in the global economic chain.”
Defence, sovereignty & space diplomacy
The second day shifted toward strategic autonomy. Major General Georgios Panousis (HNDGS) and Major General Ioannis Bouras (GDDIA) emphasized that Space is an operational necessity and a dual-use force multiplier. They highlighted Greece’s participation in NATO programs and the planning of microsatellite Earth observation capabilities utilizing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology. Mr. Pantelis Tzortzakis (HCDI/ELKAK) confirmed the pilot development of an all-weather ISR radar microsatellite for maritime and border surveillance.
Bilateral partnerships took center stage with updates from the European Defence Agency (EDA), EUSPA, and representatives from the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Embassy of Poland, who detailed growing Greek-Italian and Greek-Polish commercial collaborations.
The Forum also featured Mr. Adrianos Golemis, the first Greek Astronaut in Training (ESA), who illustrated the high return on investment (up to 4:1) in microgravity research, emphasizing how the space sector accelerates private startup funding.
Ecosystem growth & investment
Closing discussions focused on commercial sustainability. Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, Deputy Minister of Development, presented the 5-year metrics of the business incubator ESA BIC Greece (managed by Corallia), which has supported 32 startups, generating €5.3M in revenue and creating 90 permanent jobs. Looking forward, the government’s “HELLAS-SPACE 2.0” program will see financial scaling up to €350M. Mr. Antonis Tzortzakakis (5G Ventures) highlighted that the Phaistos Investment Fund has dedicated 28% of its capital to space-tech companies like OQ Technology and D-Orbit, signaling robust market trust in “Space Technology Made in Greece.”
For the full list of sponsors, institutional supports, and event photo credits, please visit the official website of ethosevents here.