The press conference for BEYOND 2025, the International Exhibition for Digital Technology and Innovation, was held on Wednesday, March 26, at a central hotel in Athens. The event served as the official prelude to this year’s edition of BEYOND, which will take place from April 4 to 6 at Metropolitan Expo in Athens.
Opening the event, TIF-HELEXPO President Anastasios Tzikas presented the vision of BEYOND as the leading international tech exhibition in Southeastern Europe, highlighting the strategic decision to alternate the hosting of the event between Athens and Thessaloniki, which he noted plays a key role in the exhibition’s development. Reflecting briefly on BEYOND’s five-year journey, he remarked, “We cannot talk about new technologies without Greece hosting an event like BEYOND.” Mr. Tzikas thanked the co-organizers and supporters of the exhibition and outlined the structure of the three-day event, including the exhibition, conference, and parallel activities.
Welcoming the event, Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou stated that “BEYOND has the potential to grow,” as Greece is emerging as a technological hub in Southeastern Europe, aiming not only to consume AI, but also to produce it. He also noted that the market is showing increasing interest in Greece’s digital technology sector, which serves as a strong foundation for the future of the event.
Be-Best Managing Director Evangelos Charalambous emphasized the importance of technology exports from Greece and the opportunities BEYOND offers as a true “technology marketplace.” He provided a detailed breakdown of the exhibition’s
content areas and their respective target audiences, concluding that “BEYOND is both a reflection of Greece’s tech ecosystem and a multiplier for its development.”
Industry Disruptors Game Changers Co-Founder Michalis Stangos addressed the defining question of what sets BEYOND apart from other similar events, pointing out that “only BEYOND brings all stakeholders to the table.” He detailed the roles of these stakeholders and stressed that for an exhibition to make a difference, it must not only raise issues but foster collaboration—a defining trait of BEYOND. Mr. Stangos also referred extensively to the original research that will be presented during the conference, as well as its thematic pillars and key speakers. He made special mention of the startup ecosystem, referring to the Startup Village that will serve as a connection point between startups and potential investors.
TIF-HELEXPO General Director Alexis Tsaxirlis, after addressing logistical and organizational aspects of the exhibition, expressed the view that “this year’s strengthening of BEYOND will make the next edition in Thessaloniki an even more significant event for the Balkans.”
The event concluded with greetings from supporters and gold sponsors, including:
Giota Paparidou, President of SEPE
Manos Makromallis, President of SEKEE
Manolis Fratzeskakis, on behalf of HETIA
Nikoleta Divari-Valakou, President of ODAP
Alexandros Tarnaris, Director of Marketing & Communications at Intracom Telecom
Tasos Karaliotas, representing Synapsecom Coolblock
Nikos Karadimitris, Sales Director at Realty Digital
About BEYOND
BEYOND is an international exhibition and conference for digital technology and innovation, serving as a meeting point for leading tech companies, visionaries, pioneers, startups, scale-ups, research centers, and academic institutions. It aspires to become the leading event of its kind in Southeastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
After four successful editions in Thessaloniki, the fifth edition of BEYOND, under the theme “AI Reality Bites,” will take place from April 4 to 6, 2025, at Metropolitan Expo in Athens.
BEYOND is organized by TIF-HELEXPO, Be-Best, and Industry Disruptors Game Changers (IDGC), with co-organizers including the Ministry of Digital Governance, the Ministry of Development, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), and the Municipality of Thessaloniki.
It is held under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, and the Region of Attica.
Supporters of BEYOND include ODAP, SEPE, SETPE, SEKEE, and HETIA.
