The Digital Bridge & Business ICT Forum concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation

“One framework, two markets, a common European language”: With this statement as a point of reference, the Chairman of the Board of SETPE, Anastasios Manos, issued from Skopje a structured call for cooperation between companies from Greece and North Macedonia in the ICT sector.

During his intervention at the Digital Bridge & Business ICT Forum, held on 4 June 2026, Mr Manos highlighted the need for cooperation between the two technology ecosystems to acquire a stable, measurable and long-term framework, focusing on joint participation in European projects, the development of cross-border technological infrastructures, the mobility of human capital and the co-creation of digital solutions for the markets of Southeast Europe.

The flagship business event, organised by the Association of Hellenic Information Technology Enterprises (SETPE) in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce for Information and Communication Technologies (MASIT), brought together a total of 79 companies from Greece and North Macedonia: 17 SETPE member companies and 62 MASIT member companies. In parallel, more than 130 B2B meetings were held, creating the conditions for new partnerships in key technological sectors.

In his speech, Mr Manos highlighted that Greece and North Macedonia share complementary characteristics that can create a multiplier effect: Greece’s market offers greater scale, extensive experience in large-scale digital transformation projects and a strong presence in the ICT sector, while North Macedonia provides a flexible workforce, competitive costs and the status of an EU candidate country.

Mr Manos placed particular emphasis on the possibility of establishing a joint SETPE–MASIT framework for participation in European calls and tenders, particularly under funding programmes such as the European Competitiveness Fund, SAFE and Horizon Europe. This prospect is aligned with the new European landscape, in which cross-border consortia, multi-country partnerships and complementary technological capabilities are gaining increasing importance.

According to the proposal presented, cooperation between the two organisations can develop along five (5) key pillars: the joint pursuit of European projects, the creation of a cross-border cloud and data corridor, the mobility and training of IT professionals, the joint development of vertical software solutions for the markets of Southeast Europe, and cooperation in the fields of cybersecurity, critical infrastructures and dual-use technologies.

The signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between SETPE and MASIT constituted the first step towards the institutional and operational establishment of this new perspective.

On behalf of MASIT, the Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by its Chairman of the Board, Jordan Dimitrovski, who noted that the ICT sector is one of the key drivers of economic growth, exports and highly skilled employment in North Macedonia.

“The growth achieved in recent years is the result of continuous investments in human capital, knowledge and innovation, while also confirming that our companies successfully compete in international markets,” he stated. According to Mr Dimitrovski, the business meeting served as strong evidence that regional cooperation, the exchange of expertise and the creation of new business opportunities are the “key” to the further development of the digital economy in both countries.

Greetings were also delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Timcho Mucunski, the Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of North Macedonia, Radoslav Nastasijevikj Vardjiski, and the Ambassador of Greece to North Macedonia, Sofia Filippidou.

The SETPE delegation included, in alphabetical order, the following companies: BIZTEC, CHRONOGRAFIKI, COMITECH, CONSORTIS GEOSPATIAL, DATAVERSE, DOTSOFT, EINS, EPI SYSTEMS, EXEO, GNOMON INFORMATICS, INFOTEAM HELLAS, JOIST, LIONCODE, METAMIND INNOVATIONS, ROBOVISION, VIDAVO and UTILIZE.

With the institutional formalisation of the cooperation between SETPE and MASIT, alongside the active participation of companies from both countries, the Digital Bridge & Business ICT Forum marked the transition from networking to the development of joint initiatives with a European outlook. For SETPE, cooperation with North Macedonia’s technology ecosystem is part of its broader strategy for international outreach, aiming to strengthen the presence of Greek ICT companies in Southeast Europe.