We are incredibly honoured and grateful to announce that SocialTech Lab has been named the Gold Award Winner at the Stelios Bi-Communal Awards for Business Co-operation in Cyprus 2026.
Presented by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, the awards celebrate bi-communal entrepreneurship and collaboration between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots working together to create a more innovative, peaceful, and prosperous future for Cyprus.
This year’s ceremony, held at the Stelios Foundation Headquarters in Nicosia, brought together inspiring entrepreneurs, public leaders, and representatives from the international community, highlighting the growing importance of entrepreneurship as a bridge for cooperation and coexistence across the island.
For us, this recognition is deeply meaningful.
A Decade of Bi-Communal Collaboration
2026 marks 10 years of bi-communal collaboration for SocialTech Lab.
Over the past decade, we have worked to leverage entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology as tools for dialogue, opportunity creation, and meaningful collaboration between communities in Cyprus and beyond.
What started as a shared vision has grown into a thriving innovation ecosystem that has:
- Supported approximately 8,000 beneficiaries locally and regionally
- Delivered more than 170 innovation-related programmes and events
- Distributed over €125,000 in non-dilutive funding to startup teams
- Helped alumni raise more than €1.7 million in follow-on funding
- Built a growing community of over 600 programme alumni across the region
Throughout this journey, the Stelios Bi-Communal Awards have played an important role in supporting and encouraging our work. More importantly, they continue to inspire others to pursue collaboration beyond division and to build peace through entrepreneurship.
As we shared during the ceremony:
“These awards have played a transformative role in bi-communal business collaboration in Cyprus, creating opportunities for people like us to build, create, and grow beyond the boundaries of our communities.”
Investing the Gold Award Back Into the Ecosystem
The Gold Award includes a €150,000 financial support mechanism, and we are excited to announce that we will dedicate this support toward launching the next edition of our Venture Builder programme.
This initiative is designed to empower the next wave of innovators and entrepreneurs across Cyprus by providing aspiring founders with the tools, mentorship, resources, and early-stage support needed to transform impactful ideas into sustainable ventures.
Participants in the upcoming Venture Builder programme will gain access to:
- Hands-on industry training
- Free technology tools, workspace, and events
- One-on-one professional mentorship and subject matter experts
- Regional networking opportunities and alumni community benefits
- Early micro-funding opportunities for selected teams
We believe that talent and innovation exist everywhere, and this programme aims to ensure that people with ambitious ideas have the opportunity to develop them regardless of background or community.
Looking Ahead
As SocialTech Lab enters its next chapter, this recognition reinforces our belief that innovation can be a powerful force for cooperation, inclusion, and sustainable development.
We remain committed to building an ecosystem where people can collaborate across communities, exchange ideas, and create ventures that contribute to a more connected and forward-thinking Cyprus.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, our partners, mentors, alumni, and every individual who has been part of this journey over the last 10 years.
Most importantly, we thank the incredible community of innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers who continue to believe in the power of collaboration.
Join the Next Venture Builder Cohort
Those interested in joining the next edition of the Venture Builder programme can already express their interest and learn more through our dedicated platform:
https://venture.socialtechlab.org/
Together, we look forward to building the next generation of ventures shaping the future of Cyprus.
