💻 Future prospects of Data in Greece 🚀
💡 We've had a Gold Rush. We've had an Oil Rush. And now we are going through a Data Rush. Yes, it is true and not just hyperbole: Data are worth more than oil, they are worth more than gold. How? Through analytics, forecasts, and insights. Today, let us see how we can leverage this (not so) new resource to create value in our (greek) ecosystem.
📊 Data analytics involves the collection, processing, and analysis of data to extract actionable insights. In the Greek context, the proliferation of technology, government digital initiatives, and a growing ecosystem of tech startups have laid the groundwork for its expansion. Sectors such as tourism, shipping, agriculture, healthcare, and fintech play critical roles in Greece's economy, resulting in unprecedented opportunities to bring new value to businesses.
⛔ However, Greece also faces unique challenges. Fragmented data sources, limited data infrastructure, lag in government regulation, and sluggish digital maturity among smaller enterprises hinder progress.
⚙️ Even in our small country, there are markets that can benefit greatly from high-performance data pipelines. My favourite bet would be shipping where the country's central role could be leveraged to great extent. Predictive maintenance, route optimization, fuel consumption analysis are just a few examples of places where data could shine.
🧠 Despite the shortcomings though, we do have access to a treasure trove of raw data waiting for us to make sense of them. Diavgeia, Data.gov.gr, and ELSTAT are only some of the open datasets that can be freely used. There are also international ones like the ODYSSEA project, data.europa.eu, World Bank Open Data, European Space Agency, and Copernicus Open Access Hub. There is also an abundance of competent and talented data professionals that are getting brain-drained abroad because they can't find a good use of their skills here. Universities and other training institutions are producing much more professionals than the domestic job market can support.
⚙️ The industrialists of the past would rub their hands at the sight of this combination of both raw resources, human expertise, and market demand. So I'd encourage data leaders and entrepreneurs to look into such domestic opportunities. Invest in data literacy, leverage open data, develop proof-of-concepts, create new innovative solutions that scale, and build businesses that bring value and solve problems. 🚀⭐
CEO of GolTech, Hydrogel Diagnostics | Nanomaterials Engineer
1moFuture leader of digital sovereignty 🙏