The Hellenic Mediterranean University achieved a significant recognition with a tourism footprint at the Artemis Saitakis Innovation Marathon Hackathon 2025, strengthening Cretes image as a hub for research, technology, and sustainable tourism development.
ELMEPA participated in the competition held on November 2930 as part of InnoDays 2025 at the Crete International Exhibition Center, securing second place among seventeen teams of students and researchers from the islands academic institutions. At the same time, the distinction highlighted the growing role of the academic community in shaping tools that align with the evolving needs of the tourism product.
Standout recognition went to ELMEPAs Team 3, consisting of Vasiliki Eirini Chatzea, Angeliki Nikiforidi, Sofia Matthaiaki, and Giorgos Nikiforidis, who leveraged different scientific fields to create a unified, mature proposal of applied innovation.
Supporting this achievement, the award-winning MinoEats proposal is a comprehensive suite of digital educational games with interactive and experiential elements, designed to showcase the value of Cretan cuisine, local culture, and sustainable development. It should be emphasized that applications of this type add value to tourism, enhancing the educational dimension of the travelers experience and expanding the promotional tools for a destination.
At the same time, ELMEPAs recognition is part of a broader strategy by the Region of Crete to systematically invest in digital innovations that serve a more sustainable and diversified tourism model.
