Reflect Festival and Plug and Play announce strategic partnership

Reflect and Plug and Play aim to strengthen Cyprus startup links Reflect Festival and global innovation platform Plug and Play have announced a strategic partnership aimed at connecting Cyprus and the wider region more closely with the global startup, investment and corporate innovation ecosystem. The partnership brings together two organisations seeking to create connections between founders, investors, corporations, governments and people involved in developing new technologies and businesses. Reflect Festival has grown into a major regional meeting point for innovation, bringing more than 10,000 entrepreneurs, investors, executives, policymakers, creators and technology leaders to Limassol and connecting ecosystems across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Through the partnership, Plug and Play will bring its global network, startup expertise, corporate relationships and innovation capabilities closer to the Reflect ecosystem. The collaboration is intended to create opportunities for international cooperation, investment and business growth, while increasing the exposure of promising companies from Cyprus and the region to global investors, corporations and markets. “Reflect has always been about much more than organising an event,” said Stylianos Lambrou, co-founder of The Doers Company, which is behind Reflect Festival. “Our ambition is to help Cyprus become one of the most connected and exciting places in the region to build companies, invest, create and live. Plug and Play has built one of the strongest innovation networks in the world,” he continued. “So this partnership can create a real bridge between our local and regional ecosystem and opportunities globally,” Lambrou stated. Plug and Play operates an international innovation ecosystem connecting startups with corporations, investors, universities and governments across more than 60 locations worldwide. Its network includes more than 100,000 startups and more than 550 corporate partners. “Plug and Play is in Cyprus to build a startup ecosystem that is connected to the world, not just to itself,” said Filippos Kyprianou, director at Plug and Play. “That means bringing international founders, corporates and investors to the island, and taking Cypriot companies out to global markets,” he added. “Reflect is where all of that already meets in one place each year, and we’re proud to be joining the festival as a strategic partner,” Kyprianou said. “It’s the stage we want everything we are building in Cyprus to stand on, and we can’t wait to bring our global network to Limassol,” he continued. “Cyprus doesn’t need to be a big market to matter; it needs to be a connected one.” The two organisations said Cyprus had undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, attracting international technology companies, entrepreneurs, investors and talent while developing a more active local startup ecosystem. Reflect and Plug and Play said they believed Cyprus could play a larger role as a bridge between markets and a launchpad for companies targeting Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The partnership is intended to support that ambition by facilitating greater international participation at Reflect, helping startups access global networks, bringing international corporations and investors into the ecosystem and encouraging cooperation between the public and private sectors. For Reflect, the partnership also marks the next stage in the festival’s development. The event has grown from a gathering of around 300 people into a festival attracting more than 10,000 participants. Reflect is now seeking to increase its international impact and establish Cyprus as a meeting point for founders, investors, creators and business leaders. As part of the partnership, Plug and Play will take an active role in Reflect Festival through its startup programme, creating opportunities for participating founders and businesses. Reflect Festival is based in Limassol and focuses on technology, entrepreneurship, innovation and people involved in shaping future developments. Plug and Play is headquartered in Silicon Valley and operates across more than 60 locations worldwide, running corporate innovation and startup acceleration programmes across multiple industries. The platform has also built a global venture investment portfolio and connects startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities and government agencies. Its ecosystem includes more than 100,000 startups and more than 550 corporate partners globally.