The official launch of the company’s new office in Crete was announced during an event held on Wednesday, October 15th, at FORTH’s headquarters in Heraklion. This milestone seals the collaboration developed between Greece’s leading research institution and the global technology leader in networking technologies, while highlighting Crete’s growing role as a hub for technology and innovation.

The event was attended by: Mr. Stavros Arnaoutakis, Regional Governor of Crete, Mr. Nikolaos Kontarakis Municipal Councilor for Liaison with Academic and Research Institutions; Professor Panagiotis Tsakalides, Deputy Director of FORTH’s Institute of Computer Science; and Professor Maria Vamvakaki, Vice-Rector of the University of Crete.

Speakers included Sergio Freitas, Director of Engineering, Andreas Enotiadis, Global Provider Mobility Sales, and Nikolaos Lamprogiorgos, Client Executive. They referred to the background leading to Cisco’s decision to establish its operations at FORTH and STEP-C, emphasizing the company’s commitment to innovation and talent—qualities they recognize as inherent to Greek academic institutions, particularly FORTH and the University of Crete. During the event the members of Cisco’s local team “ThousandEyes” were also introduced.

Cisco’s growing interest in Crete’s research and academic ecosystem was first reflected in the acquisition of FORTH’s spin-off company, Code BGP, in August 2023-the company’s first investment in a Greek spin-off, that represents a tangible acknowledgment and reward for the high-quality research conducted by Greek scientists. It is also expected to strengthen the local community and economy by creating competitive job opportunities, internships, and training programs, while attracting talented individuals(brain grain), and linking Crete to Cisco’s global digital infrastructure network. This connection can bring the benefits of digital transformation promoted by Cisco, directly to the local community.

Code BGP was founded by Professor Xenofontas Dimitropoulos, Vasileios Kotronis, and Lefteris Manassakis, with the aim of developing a real-time method for detecting and mitigating BGP prefix hijacking attacks. The idea was born during a Hackathon and soon evolved into a business venture through the establishment of the spin-off company Code BGP. Today, only a few years after its establishment, it has become a key player in global Internet security, proving the outstanding importance of linking research with industry.

Cisco’s choice to establish operations at FORTH’s STEP-C premises is tangible proof of the exceptional scientific potential that exists at the University of Crete and at FORTH. Beyond their scientific contribution, these institutions create a dynamic that contributes to the economic development at both regional and national level.