A powerful new chapter in India–Cyprus technology collaboration is unfolding following the recent engagement between Cyprus Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides and HT Labs CEO Avinash Mudaliar.

Reflecting on his meeting with Mudaliar, Skourides expressed deep admiration for HT Labs’ work at the intersection of media, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. He described India as a nation defined by scale — scale of data, talent, ambition, and proven capability — highlighting how companies in the world’s largest market have demonstrated exponential growth.

Cyprus, he noted, complements this scale with structured regulatory innovation aligned with European frameworks such as the EU AI Act. The country offers access to extensive European research networks, attractive visa programs, a 120% R&D tax deduction, and a competitive IP box regime of 2.5 percent. “Partnerships like these are how we move from isolated innovation to meaningful global impact,” Skourides shared during his India visit.

Witnessing firsthand how AI powers platforms like OTTplay reinforced his belief that India–Cyprus collaboration can unlock transformational outcomes across industries.

From Doers Summit to Strategic MoU

The foundation of the relationship between HT Labs and Cyprus was laid earlier at the Doers Summit, hosted at Dubai Silicon Oasis. The summit brought together entrepreneurs, policymakers, and ecosystem builders to catalyze cross-border partnerships across emerging markets.

It was here that conversations between HT Labs and The Doers Company evolved into a broader strategic vision.

That vision culminated in a landmark partnership announcement, with HT Labs and The Doers Company signing a strategic MoU to strengthen the India–Cyprus–UAE innovation corridor. The agreement aims to:

  • Facilitate startup exchange programs

  • Encourage AI and deep-tech collaborations

  • Enable structured policy dialogue between governments

The MoU was witnessed by Dubai Silicon Oasis Executive Chairman of DIEZ, H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, marking what Skourides described as “structural collaboration” rather than symbolic diplomacy.

“Cyprus can serve as a gateway to Europe for Indian innovators,” he emphasized. “Partnerships like these ensure that innovation travels with governance, trust, and shared values.”

Government as an Enabler of AI

As Chief Scientist, Skourides has played a key role in positioning Cyprus as a forward-looking AI nation. Through national AI task forces and regulatory sandbox initiatives aligned with European standards, Cyprus is actively accelerating its AI innovation ecosystem, now comprising more than 110 innovators, startups, and centers of excellence according to the GAIA AI ecosystem study sponsored by the Office of the Chief Scientist.

During discussions in India, Skourides reiterated a central belief: governments must act as enablers of innovation, supporters of research-driven breakthroughs, and catalysts of growth — not deterrents.

This philosophy resonated strongly with HT Labs’ AI-driven approach, particularly its focus on personalization, trust, and user-centric design.

Building Thought Leadership Across Borders

In September 2025, Skourides visited India following the historic visit of Narendra Modi to Cyprus, hosted by Nicos Christodoulides, during which the Strategic Partnership 2025–2029 framework was established.

During his India visit, Skourides participated in the ICC Global Business Summit panel titled “Accelerating Global Impact Through Innovation, Collaboration and Sustainable Progress.” He also contributed to discussions at the eCell Summit, joining Mudaliar on the “Build for Billions” panel, offering IIT entrepreneurs insights on building startups for scale.

The collaboration extended into thought leadership with Skourides joining HT Labs for special episodes of the Fearless Future Podcast Series. In one episode focused on healthcare, he emphasized that AI should augment human expertise rather than replace it, highlighting the potential of combining India’s vast healthcare data with Cyprus’s European research networks to accelerate early diagnosis and precision care.

In another discussion on digital transformation, he described AI as “the new energy,” powering smarter cities and resilient systems. Mudaliar showcased how OTTplay leverages AI for mood-based personalization and intelligent content discovery — a model Skourides praised as a masterclass in adapting digital content strategies for the AI age.

A Structured Corridor of Trust and Innovation

The India visit, the Doers Summit engagement, the strategic MoU, and continued dialogue across summits signal the emergence of a structured innovation corridor:

  • India — scale, startups, data, digital ambition

  • Cyprus — governance, European access, regulatory foresight

  • UAE — infrastructure, capital, global convening power

At the center of this evolving corridor stands a shared conviction: AI must be responsible, collaborative, and purpose-driven.

Reflecting on his time in India, Skourides described meeting Mudaliar and the HT Labs team as both reaffirming and inspiring.

“The transformation of the business model of OTT and the way AI is used to personalize the experience for each subscriber is a master-class strategy by Mr. Mudaliar on how digital content providers can adjust their value proposition in the age of AI,” he said. “This business model creates powerful network effects that aim at accelerating revenue growth.”

His remarks underscore a broader truth — when policymakers, technology leaders, and innovators align, progress accelerates not only faster, but more responsibly.

As Skourides often notes, Cyprus can be a gateway — not just to markets, but to a model of AI that balances ambition with accountability. And through partnerships like these, that future is already taking shape.