Tech founders build AI platform for Cyprus in just three months

The AI Cyprus Expo will return to Limassol in April of next year, with its organisers aiming to turn the event into a regional platform for applied artificial intelligence and business collaboration across the Eastern Mediterranean.

Empactio, the company behind the expo, spoke exclusively to the Cyprus Mail about its plans to expand the event, the development of its technology platform and its ambition to position Limassol as a gateway for applied AI.

Empactio was founded by Wassim Monzer and Briken Bufi, neither of whom came from the traditional events industry.

Bufi’s background is in sales, operations and growth, having spent more than a decade building and training startups, while also being founder and CEO of Sainni AI and Aella Creative Force.

The other founder, Maxim, has a background in architecture and an MBA, and has worked across startups, fintech and events, including as founder and CEO of Kartatek.

The founders said their experience had led them to identify what they saw as a gap in Cyprus, where there was strong interest in technology, a capable ecosystem and institutional support but no major platform bringing these elements together around practical technology adoption.

“Events, for us, were simply the vehicle. The real objective was to build that platform,” they said.

That thinking led to the creation of the AI Cyprus Expo, which they described as a platform intended to bring together technology providers, businesses, startups, investors and the wider innovation ecosystem.

The first edition was held in 2026 and brought together AI solution providers and companies from a wide range of industries, reflecting the growing role of AI across the Cypriot economy.

The organisers said the first expo was produced by the two founders in roughly three months and attracted more than 1,285 attendees, 35 exhibitors and 65 panellists across more than 22 topics, with 45 ecosystem supporters.

“That told us the demand was real,” they said.

The organisers said Cyprus had developed a strong reputation as a technology-oriented and internationally connected business hub and that they wanted the expo to build on that position by bringing the AI ecosystem together in one place.

They also pointed to Cyprus’ geographical and commercial position as a major opportunity.

Limassol has developed into an international business centre with links to Europe, the Middle East and the wider Eastern Mediterranean, creating an environment that the organisers believe can support an event increasingly aimed beyond the domestic market.

The longer-term ambition is for Limassol to become more than simply the location of the expo.

The organisers want the city to become a regional meeting point where businesses can discover AI solutions, develop partnerships, explore investment opportunities and identify practical ways of implementing AI within their organisations.

The second edition, known as Chapter 2, will be held on April 22-23, 2027, and is expected to be significantly larger, with more exhibitors, attendees, international participants and business-focused discussions.

The organisers see the event as a step towards strengthening the expo’s regional reach and establishing Limassol as a gateway for applied AI across the Eastern Mediterranean.

From AI theory to practical adoption

The expo was deliberately structured around applied AI rather than theoretical discussion, with the organisers arguing that businesses have increasingly moved beyond asking what AI is and towards asking how they can actually implement it.

There is already extensive information available about artificial intelligence, including how the technology works, the development of large language models and predictions about its future capabilities.

“But businesses are increasingly asking a different question: how do we actually implement AI?” the organisers said.

They identified a gap between understanding AI and applying it, and said the expo had been designed to address that gap.

This approach was also intended to distinguish the event from more entertainment-oriented technology conferences.

“Our starting point was substance and credibility rather than spectacle,” the organisers said.

The event therefore focused on practical applications across departments including accounting and finance, sales, marketing, customer service, operations, human resources and management.

The organisers said the value of an AI event should continue after a presentation ends, with businesses able to meet AI providers, understand their solutions, identify genuine business needs and establish a route towards implementation.

“For us, an AI event should not end when the presentation ends,” they said.

The expo therefore placed particular emphasis on business-to-business interaction, solution providers and actionable opportunities.

The objective was to move the conversation from the broad claim that AI will transform business towards identifying how individual companies can use the technology now.

“Our goal is to move the conversation from ‘AI is going to change business’ to ‘Here is how your business can use AI today’,” the organisers said.

Startup ecosystem

The first expo also included a startup competition, which the organisers said provided an insight into the strength and diversity of Cyprus’ technology ecosystem.

The participating startups presented what the organisers described as innovative and relevant solutions, demonstrating that Cypriot companies are not only adopting technology developed elsewhere but are also capable of developing their own solutions.

The competition also highlighted the diversity of the local technology scene.

Innovation was not concentrated in one particular field, with ideas emerging across different industries and business models.

The organisers said this breadth was an important characteristic of a healthy ecosystem and would help shape the content and direction of future editions.

The competition also showed the appetite among founders to interact directly with technology providers, investors and larger companies.

That experience will inform where Empactio invests its efforts in subsequent editions.

Linking the expo to Cyprus’ digital ambitions

The participation of Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides was described as particularly important in connecting the expo with Cyprus’ wider technology and digital transformation strategy.

The first edition was held in partnership with the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry and received the backing of Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis, while EY joined as anchor sponsor.

The organisers said the combination of government, municipal, professional-services and chamber support helped distinguish the event from a purely commercial conference.

Skourides participated in discussions and panels and delivered a keynote address on Cyprus’ national strategy for artificial intelligence and the role AI is expected to play in the country’s future.

His participation also helped connect private-sector discussions with the wider national strategy for technology, innovation and digital transformation.

The organisers said Cyprus had a clear ambition to strengthen its position as a technology hub and that AI would inevitably form a major part of that effort.

They stressed, however, that achieving this would require cooperation between government, businesses, technology providers, startups, academia and investors.

“We see the AI Cyprus Expo as part of that broader ecosystem,” they said.

The role of the expo, they added, was to create a platform where those stakeholders could meet, exchange knowledge, develop partnerships and turn strategic ambitions into practical business activity.

Bigger second edition planned

Chapter 2 will be considerably larger than the inaugural event, with the organisers saying the first edition’s results had given them confidence to expand.

The second edition is being developed with a longer preparation period, a growing team and institutional relationships already established through the first event.

The organisers expect increased attendance, more exhibitors and greater participation from AI solution providers, alongside more startups and broader representation from industries and international markets.

They stressed that growth in numbers was not the sole objective.

“Our objective is not simply to make the event bigger for the sake of scale. We want to make it more valuable,” they said.

This will involve bringing in more relevant international speakers, tighter curation and vetting to protect the quality and credibility of content, stronger business matchmaking, a wider range of practical AI use cases and more meaningful discussions between companies and solution providers.

The organisers also want to strengthen the international dimension of the expo.

Cyprus, they said, provides a base from which European businesses can connect with companies and markets across the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

The 2027 edition is therefore being viewed as an important milestone, with the first event establishing the concept and demonstrating demand, while Chapter 2 will focus on scaling the concept and increasing its regional impact.

HealthTech expansion

Empactio is also expanding its portfolio with the launch of the HealthTech Cyprus Expo, which the organisers described as a natural extension of the philosophy behind the AI Cyprus Expo.

Healthcare is undergoing substantial technological change, with artificial intelligence, digital health, data, automation and other emerging technologies affecting how healthcare organisations operate and how services are delivered.

The new event is intended to create a dedicated platform where healthcare professionals, technology companies, startups, investors and other stakeholders can meet to discuss and implement these technologies.

The focus will again be on practical applications rather than technological theory.

“We want to address real challenges within healthcare and explore how technology can provide practical solutions,” the organisers said.

The HealthTech initiative forms part of a broader strategy of identifying sectors undergoing significant technological transformation and creating platforms that connect innovation with organisations capable of implementing it.

The organisers said this was also how they viewed the company’s future, with Empactio developing a portfolio of focused and credible platforms rather than a single event.

Proprietary technology platform

A further element of the company’s strategy is its proprietary technology platform, which has been built in-house and runs the event from registration through to networking.

The platform is intended to extend the expo beyond its physical exhibition.

The organisers said a traditional expo is concentrated into a few days, with attendees meeting people, exchanging contact details and then returning to their normal business activities.

Empactio instead wants to create a continuous ecosystem around the event.

The platform allows attendees and exhibitors to interact with the expo before, during and after the physical event.

It provides access to exhibitors, speakers, sessions, business information and networking opportunities while helping companies identify relevant connections.

For exhibitors, the system provides additional opportunities to present their solutions and continue conversations with potential customers beyond the exhibition floor.

For attendees, it is intended to create a more structured and connected experience that makes it easier to discover relevant companies, technologies and people.

“Ultimately, we want the physical Expo to be the centrepiece of a broader technology ecosystem rather than a standalone event that exists for only a few days each year,” the organisers said.

International speakers and partners

Ahead of the 2027 event, Empactio is seeking international speakers, co-creators and strategic media partners.

The organisers said they were interested in meaningful international partnerships rather than simply collecting high-profile names.

They are seeking global AI leaders, technology companies, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, business executives and innovators who can bring practical knowledge and international perspectives to Cyprus.

Particular emphasis will be placed on people who can address questions facing businesses today, including how to implement AI, measure its impact, transform business processes and manage AI responsibly.

The organisers also want speakers and partners who can examine how organisations can remain competitive as the technology develops.

They are seeking co-creators and strategic partners who share their vision of developing Cyprus as a regional technology and innovation hub.

Strategic media partnerships are also regarded as important because international visibility will be required to position Cyprus, and particularly Limassol, as a destination for technology, innovation and business collaboration.

The ultimate goal for 2027 is to bring together technology, business, investment, expertise and international reach.

The founders said the first AI Cyprus Expo had demonstrated a strong appetite in Cyprus for practical AI adoption and showed that two people with the right concept and partners could build a platform that the market wanted.

“The next chapter is about taking that momentum to the next level and creating a platform that has significance not only for Cyprus, but for the wider Eastern Mediterranean region,” they said.