Peace and Reconciliation Cyprus Project #52125

Building Peace Through Entrepreneurship in Cyprus

by SocialTech Lab

Building Peace Through Entrepreneurship in Cyprus

Project Report | Jan 8, 2026
Dec 2025 Quarterly Impact Report - SocialTech Lab

By Steven W. Stavrou & Burak Berk Doluay | Directors

EIT Food Startup Networking Event & Bootcamp

As we close the final months of 2025, we reflect on a dynamic quarter marked by community-driven action, international engagement, and key milestones for SocialTech Lab and CyprusInno, bringing together innovators, youth, and partners to advance peacebuilding, sustainability, and inclusive growth.

This quarter, our work focused on strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, empowering youth-led urban transformation, and contributing to global conversations on responsible and inclusive technology, building bridges from local neighbourhoods to international forums.

In this update, we showcase key initiatives that have driven our impact, including:

Hosting the EIT Food Startup Networking Event & Bootcamp – From Ground to Scale (G2S), supporting 56+ agrifood innovators through hands-on workshops, mentorship, and ecosystem building.
Co-organising Tech Without Borders: Digital Innovation Across the Green Line, advancing intercommunal dialogue on the role of emerging tech in trust-building and peace.
Introduced the Y-PLAN Erasmus+ project, engaging youth and local stakeholders in discussions on neighbourhood challenges and co-creation activities at the OPU House.
Gathered youth and community feedback at the Agioi Omologites open-street event to shape future youth-led urban development for the Y-PLAN project.

As a community center, we also partner with other organisations to host impactful events at The Base:

Hosted the Building Bridges Business & Social Networking Event at The Base, in collaboration with UN Cyprus and CSI, creating space for meaningful connections, cross-sector collaboration, and new partnerships.

In this quarter, we’re proud to celebrate key milestones and recognitions that highlight our ongoing impact:

Widened the reach of our Alumni App to support networking and collaboration among innovators.
Presented our Social Impact Generator as a finalist at the NEB Prizes Champions during the New European Bauhaus Regions and Cities 2025 event in Brussels.
Selected as one of 15 Promising Projects at Social Innovation Forum 2025 in Brussels, showcasing our Social Impact Generator.
Completed NEBA South Hub trainings in Cyprus and Türkiye on XR, phygital cities, and human-centered sustainable urban design, as part of the NEBA Academy.
Joined Digital@UNGA: WSIS+20 at the UN HQ in New York, contributing to global dialogue on inclusive digital cooperation and PeaceTech.
Became a member of the Anna Lindh Foundation Network

We close 2025 with gratitude for our partners, community, and supporters. Looking ahead to 2026, we remain committed to building inclusive innovation ecosystems that drive peace, opportunity, and lasting impact.

Tech Without Borders Panel Event

NEBA Academy trainings!

Building Bridges Networking Event

Y-PLAN Neighborhood Engagement

Presenting at the Social Innovation Forum 2025

Links:

View/Download our Full Q4 2025 Quarterly Donor Impact Report

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Nov 6, 2025
Sept 2025 Quarterly Impact Report - SocialTech Lab

By Steven W. Stavrou & Burak Berk Doluay | Directors

STL joins the opening panel of European Dialogues

As we move through the second half of 2025, we’re excited to share some new highlights! The past months have been dynamic - filled with impactful programmes, international recognitions, and events uniting innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers across Cyprus and beyond.

At SocialTech Lab, we continue to create meaningful opportunities for collaboration, learning, and impact. From global forums to local initiatives, our work this quarter focused on peacebuilding, sustainability, and youth empowerment, supporting young innovators as they turn ideas into action and shape more inclusive, connected communities.

In this update, we showcase key initiatives that have driven our impact, including:

Represented SocialTech Lab at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, showcasing our work and co-organising a session on Harnessing ICTs for Peacebuilding.
Hosted a workshop on our peace innovation model at the European Dialogues in Sarajevo, contributing to discussions on reconciliation and trustbuilding through technology.
Joined the 9th Up To YOU(th) Festival, engaging young people through our initiatives on innovation and community impact.

As a community center, we also partner with other organisations to host impactful events at The Base:

Hosted the Startups4Peace 2025 Info Session & Networking at The Base by CyprusInno, focused on bringing together entrepreneurs from across Cyprus to learn about the competition offering €20,000 in awards and a trip to SLUSH 2025 in Helsinki.

In this quarter, we’re proud to celebrate key milestones and recognitions that highlight our growing impact:

Showcased The Base by CyprusInno’s Social Impact Generator as a finalist in the NEB Prizes Champions under the Regaining a Sense of Belonging category, during the NEB in Regions and Cities 2025 event in Brussels.
Joined the NEBA South Hub as the coordinator of a consortium of four partners from Cyprus and Türkiye, to co-develop lifelong learning programmes promoting sustainability, circularity, and human-centered design in the built environment.
Officially launched the Y-PLAN Erasmus+ project in Athens, coordinated by SocialTech Lab, empowering youth to lead urban transformation across Cyprus, Greece, Serbia, and Belgium.

We’re excited for the road ahead with new programs, partnerships, and opportunities, and deeply grateful for your ongoing support and belief in our vision.

STL peace innovation workshop in Sarajevo

Kick off event of YPLAN in Athens!

Coordinating YPLAN with regional partners

STL at NEB in Regions and Cities 2025!

STL at the 9th Up To YOU(th) Festival in Nicosia!

Links:

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Sep 4, 2025
June 2025 Quarterly Impact Report - SocialTech Lab

By Steven W. Stavrou & Burak Berk Doluay | Directors

STL Alumni panel @ Reflect Festival with DCO

As we move through the first half 2025, we’re excited to share some new highlights! The past months have been vibrant - with impactful programs, engaging workshops, and events bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

At SocialTech Lab, we continue to foster meaningful opportunities through hands-on workshops, masterclasses, and community events. Across our platforms, young entrepreneurs and innovators are turning ideas into prototypes, building inclusive networks, and launching initiatives that create real change.

In this update, we showcase key initiatives that have driven our impact, including:

Concluded UNDP BOOST with a Demo Day showcasing urban innovations from the Western Balkans to 50+ stakeholders, with €30K in funding going to winning teams.
Partnered with the Digital Cooperation Organisation to co-host an STL Alumni Panel at Reflect Festival, sharing insights on impact entrepreneurship.
Co-hosted the UNFICYP Fair bringing together artisans, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders from both sides of Nicosia.
Co-hosted an interactive webinar on Entrepreneurship & Innovation for Peace with UNITEE and the New European.

As a community center, we also partner with other organisations to host impactful events at The Base:

Hosted Dialogue of Civilizations students from Northeastern University and MA Design for Social Innovation students from UCY to discuss our initiatives on social innovation and entrepreneurship for peace.
Hosted our first Pizza & Pitch night, giving founders and creatives the chance to share ideas and connect with fellow changemakers.
Hosted a Masterclass with Danetha Doe, a hybrid session on aligning passion with profitability, securing capital, and scaling.
Hosted From Idea to Impact: Rapid Prototyping with AI on how to create working MVPs in a few hours using AI without coding or a budget.
Hosted the 2025 Startups4Peace Info Session presenting programme insights.

We’re also thrilled to share some of our accomplishments from this period with you:

Recognized at the Stelios Bicommunal Awards for our Bicommunal Business Cooperation in Cyprus.
Named a finalist for the NEB Prizes 2025 with our hub, The Base by CyprusInno

We look forward to the journey ahead - with new programs, partnerships, and opportunities, and sincerely thank you for your continued support and trust in our vision.

Hybrid Masterclass with Danetha Doe at The Base!

Rapid Prototyping with AI workshop at The Base!

The first Pizza & Pitch night at The Base!

Finalist for the 2025 NEB Prizes!

Winners of the 2025 Stelios Bicommunal Awards

Links:

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