- The New Heraklion International Airport (Kastelli) has launched the SkyImpact Challenge, a new accelerator program.
- The goal: turn innovative ideas into real, applied solutions for the aviation sector.
- The program aims to highlight talent from across Greece, support new ventures, and develop solutions for infrastructure and air transport.
- SkyImpact supports innovation, youth training, and entrepreneurship with a strong link to the local community and the aviation ecosystem.
- It offers:
- Personalized mentoring & coaching for 10 teams (2 months)
- Cash prizes: €5,000, €3,000, €2,000
- Networking with industry executives and academics
- 5 open educational workshops for professionals and interested stakeholders
- Possibility of pilot implementation at the New Heraklion International Airport
- The airport targets:
- airport operations optimization
- improved passenger & user experience
- sustainable and efficient growth of the aviation community
- The program is implemented with support from Bizrupt.
- It supports startups, research teams, and new entrepreneurial initiatives by creating partnerships with academia and industry.
The New Heraklion International Airport in Kastelli is not yet fully part of daily life—and it is already operating with ambition.
This is where the new initiative comes in: SkyImpact Challenge, a fresh accelerator program launched today with one clear intention: take innovative ideas and turn them into solutions that can actually be used in the aviation sector.
Not “innovation” as a word. Innovation as a tool.
And if Crete has learned anything from tourism, it is that good infrastructure is no longer optional. It is the line between growth and chaos.
SkyImpact Challenge: From Ideas to Working Solutions
SkyImpact Challenge is designed as an accelerator that draws talent from every corner of Greece, supporting innovation that applies directly to:
- airport infrastructure
- air transport systems
- airport operations
- passenger experience
The program places special emphasis on real-world aviation needs while also training and strengthening younger talent and emerging entrepreneurial teams. In other words, it is not just about startups; it is about building a culture.
Kastelli is quietly stating something important here:
Crete does not want to be only a destination. It wants to be a hub.
What the Program Offers
Let us be honest: most “innovation programs” give you a badge, a photo, and a handshake.
This one provides practical fuel.
SkyImpact Challenge offers:
- Personalized mentoring & coaching
- for 10 selected teams
- lasting 2 months
- Cash prizes
- €5,000
- €3,000
- €2,000
- Networking
- with aviation industry executives
- and academic experts
- 5 open educational workshops
- for professionals and interested stakeholders
- Pilot implementation potential
- with the possibility to test proposals at the New Heraklion International Airport
That last point is the real one.
A pilot opportunity within a major infrastructure project means ideas can move from PowerPoint to systems.
The Bigger Target: Crete as an Aviation Innovation Hub
Through SkyImpact, Kastelli Airport is openly investing in:
- optimizing airport operations
- improving passenger and user experience
- developing aviation growth sustainably and efficiently
And the long-term vision is bold: to position Crete as an innovation hub for aviation and transport.
Not because it sounds nice.
Because of tourism growth, climate pressures, and infrastructure demand.
The program is implemented with support from Bizrupt, and it is intended to support:
- startups
- research teams
- new entrepreneurial initiatives
— encouraging meaningful collaborations between the academic world and the business sector.
