The University of Crete concluded its participation at InnoDays 2025 with two major distinctions at the “Artemis Saitakis” Innovation Marathon, part of the three-day innovation fair held in Gouves, Heraklion and organized biennially by the Region of Crete. InnoDays is a regional showcase of research, technology, and entrepreneurial initiatives, bringing together academic institutions, industry, and the wider innovation community.

The University presented part of the research output of its laboratories, highlighting the day-to-day work carried out across diverse scientific fields. The presence of the participating teams drew strong interest from visitors, institutions, and businesses, who engaged directly with researchers and explored current applications and emerging research directions.

Five student teams from the University of Crete joined the Hackathon, with two of them earning first and third prize among 17 teams from across Crete.

1st Prize – Cretan Artisan Cube
The team of Angeliki Giannouli, Christina Fiotaki, and Danielita Danai, mentored by Markos Kourgiantakis, won first prize for the Cretan Artisan Cube—a natural, traditional stock cube based on Cretan lamb, PDO olive oil, and local herbs. The idea uses exclusively regional raw materials, supports local producers, and applies circular-economy principles by utilizing lamb parts that typically remain unused. Aimed at visitors, delicatessens, and young consumers seeking quick yet high-quality traditional flavors, the product aspires to become a culinary ambassador of Crete in Greece and abroad.

3rd Prize – Agro BioSolutions
Third prize went to the team of Renia Fotiadou, Eva Polenta, Fotini Batsolaki, and Chara Rakopoulou, mentored by Ioannis Papadimitriou, for Agro BioSolutions. The proposal outlines a biotechnology unit that produces proteins and enzymes to support Crete’s primary sector through three pillars:

• developing a new protein-based sweetener derived from an endemic Cretan plant;
• producing enzymes for the dairy industry to create innovative products based on Cretan milk;
• generating enzymes that enable the transformation of agri-food bio-waste—such as olive-mill wastewater—into new products including antioxidants and dietary fibers.

Together, these tools aim to strengthen Crete’s food ecosystem in collaboration with local producers and the industry, grounded in sustainability and circular-economy practices.

The “Artemis Saitakis” Innovation Marathon is one of Crete’s leading initiatives supporting youth entrepreneurship, fostering an environment where knowledge, technology, and creativity converge under real-world conditions of development and collaboration. The University of Crete warmly congratulates the teams for their achievements and their meaningful contribution to the island’s innovation landscape.