Opinion

November 26, 2025

There is a point to startup ecosystems

Forget unicorns — the real value of startup ecosystems is the jobs, skills and innovation they generate


Steph Bailey

4 min read

Athens Innovation Summit 2025

The scene beneath the Acropolis could have been mistaken for a play: the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus lit up in gold, rows of techies spilled over the cobbled seats and security guards lined the aisles. On stage sat Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Google DeepMind CEO and 2024 Nobel Laureate, Demis Hassabis, framed by the towering Roman stone of the amphitheatre.

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Steph Bailey

Steph Bailey is head of content at Sifted. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn

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