Nicosia: The Office of the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology announced on Tuesday that it hosted a high-level delegation from global AI chipmaker Tenstorrent. This visit underscores the Republic of Cyprus’ ambition to transform into a regional hub for advanced technology and research.
According to Cyprus News Agency, “Tenstorrent stands apart from competitors thanks to its open-source hardware design approach-a potential game-changer for Cyprus, which envisions an AI-first policy after 2028.”
The delegation, led by Eric Duffy, Senior Director of Business Development, and Isaac Salameh, Senior Director of Corporate Development at Tenstorrent, visited Cyprus following a strategic meeting in California, USA, between President Nikos Christodoulides and Tenstorrent CEO Jim Keller. This visit was Tenstorrent’s first direct engagement with Cyprus’ innovation ecosystem and is seen as a concrete step toward forming a meaningful and executable partnership, with plans for Tenstorrent to establish a local presence soon.
“This visit confirms that strategic partnerships demand more than vision-they require commitment and execution,” stated Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus. He emphasized that Tenstorrent’s engagement is a foundational step toward realizing a joint ambition.
The visit commenced with a meeting at the Presidential Palace, hosted by Deputy Minister to the President Irene Piki and attended by several key figures, including Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou and Chairman of Invest Cyprus, Evgenios Evgeniou. During the meeting, Eric Duffy acknowledged the high level of research excellence in Cyprus and indicated that Tenstorrent executives and engineering teams would return in the coming weeks.
The program for the visit, organized by the Chief Scientist’s Office in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry, focused on identifying and engaging with Cyprus’ talent and research capacity. Meetings were held with the University of Cyprus, the Cyprus University of Technology, and Centers of Excellence such as KIOS, CYENS, and CMMI, concentrating on key sectors like hardware, systems design, robotics, autonomous technologies, AI, and digital twins.
The delegation met with academic leaders, Heads of Engineering Schools, and engineers showcasing products and solutions developed in Cyprus. They also met Nicosia’s Mayor, Charalambos Prountzos, to discuss the city’s digital transformation, and Marios Tannousis, CEO of Invest Cyprus, whose support was pivotal in shaping the visit.
The engagement aligns with Cyprus’ broader national strategy, as outlined in Vision 2035, aiming to drive sustainable economic growth through innovation and technology, including AI sovereignty. This includes efforts to attract highly skilled Cypriot talent from abroad and investments in research excellence and ecosystem development.
Deputy Minister Nikodemos Damianou highlighted that Tenstorrent is “at the forefront of AI” and that opening an office in Cyprus would create new jobs and attract highly skilled Cypriots from abroad. Demetris Skourides, who also chairs the National AI Task Force, emphasized the importance of partnerships and government initiatives in accelerating R and D and innovation.
Skourides noted that cultivating an ecosystem that connects innovators, builders, orchestrators, and consumers while introducing sovereign AI capabilities is essential. Tenstorrent establishing an office in Cyprus would be a significant development for both research organizations and industry.