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€10 Million Funding Pushes Cypriot Innovation into High Gear

As part of a landmark effort to bolster the innovation and production capabilities of Cyprus-based startups, the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has launched a major funding program, “STEP: Creating State-of-the-Art Production Facilities for New Products and Services” with a hefty budget of €10 million.

Set against the backdrop of the government’s commitment to economic reform as outlined in the 2025 Governance Program, this initiative underlines an enduring strategy aimed at fortifying the country’s industrial foundation.

The program aspires to convert innovative ideas into high-value products or services by facilitating the development of contemporary production facilities—a sectoral push that promises broad commercial viability.

Who Can Benefit?

Cypriot businesses of all sizes looking to enhance their production capabilities can partake in this groundbreaking financial opportunity. Each project could receive up to €2 million, covering expenses from facility establishment to staff training.

The new funding opportunity aligns with the EU’s Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) and is aimed at industries focusing on advanced digital technologies, clean technologies, and biotechnology.

General Director of RIF, Theodoros Loukaidis, emphasized, “STEP strategically invests in the evolution of Cyprus’s research and innovation ecosystem and industrial capabilities, empowering companies to transition from development to production, thus amplifying their global market presence.”

The program is open for proposals until September 5, 2025. For more details, interested parties can contact RIF’s Support Service at 22205000 or email support@research.org.cy.

€50 Million Luxury Resort Planned For Ayia Napa

Ayia Napa could strengthen its position in the premium tourism market with a proposed €50 million mixed-use resort combining a hotel, serviced apartments, luxury bungalows and a beach club.

Aesara Investments Ltd has submitted an information form to the Department of Environment for a development to operate under the name Atlantica Wavemaster Hospitality. The project is planned for the Limnara area of Ayia Napa, along the coast south of Kryou Nerou Avenue, between the town centre and Cape Greco.

Hotel, Apartments And Luxury Bungalows

The proposed resort will include a 324-room hotel with capacity for 648 guests, alongside a condo-hotel building containing 20 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Facilities are planned to include restaurants, bars, cafés, a spa with an indoor pool, a gym, shops, a multipurpose hall, a children’s club and a cinema.

A further 33 three-level luxury bungalows, each designed for two guests and featuring a private swimming pool, are planned for the southern part of the site. A beach club with a restaurant and an outdoor pool complex covering more than 6,300 square metres will also form part of the development.

The project includes 321 parking spaces, including 12 for people with disabilities, and 14,196 square metres of landscaped green space featuring local plant species.

Seasonal Hotel Operations And Year-Round Residences

The hotel is expected to operate from March to November, with peak occupancy during the summer season. The condo-hotel apartments, meanwhile, will be available for sale or long-term rental and intended for year-round residence. Owners and tenants will also have access to the resort’s facilities, including its pools, restaurants and fitness areas.

Construction is expected to take 24 months once the required permits are secured. At the busiest stage, the project could employ around 100 workers per day.

Environmental Restrictions Near Cape Greco

The site’s proximity to protected Natura 2000 areas has prompted strict environmental requirements. The Cape Greco Special Protection Area borders the site to the south, while a Special Area of Conservation lies approximately 50 metres away.

Conditions imposed by the Department of Environment include a maximum building height of five floors, or 18.5 metres, and restrictions on permanent structures near the coastline. The project must also use spider-web type glazing and low-intensity lighting to minimise disturbance to local birdlife.

According to the project’s consultants, the design has been prepared to comply with the environmental conditions and the final report on cumulative impacts for the Cape Greco Special Protection Area. The hotel and apartment building are positioned in the central and northern parts of the plot, away from the shoreline.

Within the designated no-build zone, located 40 metres from the boundary of the beach protection zone, only swimming pools are planned. The consultants state that these are not expected to affect protected species in the area.

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