Cyprus RIF Deploys €18M Funding Program To Empower Private Sector Competitiveness

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 3, 2025

Introduction

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve), in its role as coordinator for the Enterprise Europe Network Cyprus, has announced that the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) is extending substantial funding opportunities to the private sector. This initiative underscores Cyprus’s commitment to advancing research, innovation, and competitiveness across industries.

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Investing In The Future

As a pivotal component of Cyprus’s research and innovation ecosystem, the RIF has unveiled a series of funding programmes backed by a total budget of €18,015,000. These programmes are designed to enhance competitiveness, promote international market engagement, and stimulate groundbreaking innovation that can drive businesses on a global scale.

Strategic Information Sessions

To ensure that the business community is well informed, the RIF is organizing a series of personalized information sessions across all districts. A designated RIF officer will be available at the Keve offices from 08:00 to 15:00 on specific dates, including 4 and 18 September, 2, 16 and 30 October, 13 and 27 November, and 11 December. These sessions are set up by prior appointment, guaranteeing that each company receives tailored guidance and can gain direct access to critical funding details.

Driving Competitiveness Through Support

These one-on-one meetings are structured to provide comprehensive support to company representatives, ensuring they have all the information required to capitalize on these funding opportunities. By fostering an environment of direct communication and expert advice, the RIF is proactively strengthening the bridge between innovative research and practical business applications.

Conclusion

With this targeted funding initiative, Cyprus is strategically positioning its private sector for enhanced global competitiveness. The structured outreach and personalized support provided through these sessions are poised to unlock significant growth opportunities, marking a decisive step forward in the nation’s innovation agenda.

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Mobile Apps Surpass Games Globally In 2025 As AI Fuels Unprecedented Growth

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

January 22, 2026

In a landmark shift for the mobile industry, 2025 marked the first year that global consumer spending on non-game mobile apps exceeded that of mobile games. Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported in their annual State of Mobile report that worldwide spending on apps reached approximately $85 billion, a 21% increase year-over-year and nearly 2.8 times higher than five years ago.

Generative AI Drives Revenue And User Engagement

The rapid ascendance of generative AI has been a major catalyst in this growth. Revenue from in-app purchases in the generative AI category more than tripled in 2025 to exceed $5 billion, while downloads doubled to 3.8 billion. Leading the charge were AI assistants, with top performers including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and DeepSeek. Notably, ChatGPT generated $3.4 billion in global in-app purchase revenue, underscoring its critical role in reshaping consumer behavior.

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Surge In Engagement And Session Metrics

Consumer engagement reached new heights, with users spending 48 billion hours in generative AI apps—3.6 times more than in 2024 and 10 times the volume of 2023. Session volume surpassed one trillion, indicating that existing users were deepening their interaction with these apps at a rate that outpaced new downloads. This intense engagement is reflective of how seamlessly AI is integrating into everyday mobile activities.

Big Tech Intensifies The AI Battle

Big technology players, including Google, Microsoft, and X, have significantly ramped up their investments in AI assistants to compete with ChatGPT. Their concerted efforts have led to rapid advancements in coding assistance, content generation, and multimedia capabilities. Recent upgrades such as ChatGPT’s GPT-4o image generation model and Google’s Nano Banana exemplify the transformative improvements that are driving consumer adoption.

Consolidation And Expansion In The AI Space

Among the top AI publishers, OpenAI and DeepSeek commanded nearly 50% of global downloads—a substantial increase from 21% in 2024. Concurrently, big tech publishers grew their market share from 14% to nearly 30%, effectively crowding out early ChatGPT alternatives. In addition to AI assistants, other innovative apps, including AI music generation by Suno, ByteDance’s text-to-video solution Jimeng AI, and companion apps such as Character.ai and PolyBuzz, contributed to the expanding AI ecosystem.

Mobile: The Key Connector To Generative AI Services

Sensor Tower’s report underscores the critical role of mobile platforms in mobilizing access to generative AI. In the United States alone, the total audience for AI assistants topped 200 million by year-end, with more than half (110 million) relying exclusively on mobile devices. This stark contrast to the 13 million mobile-only users in 2024 highlights a significant shift in consumer preferences and the increasing indispensability of mobile applications as conduits for innovative AI technologies.

Diverse Revenue Streams Beyond AI

While AI was the dominant revenue driver, the report also notes robust contributions from social media, video streaming, and productivity apps. In particular, social media apps commanded an average of 90 minutes of daily user engagement, culminating in nearly 2.5 trillion hours spent globally—a 5% year-over-year increase. This diversity in revenue streams underscores the resilience and dynamism inherent in the mobile app ecosystem.

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