Nestled on the turquoise shores of the Thermaic Gulf, Thessaloniki has for over two millennia served as a crossroads of cultures, ideas, and commerce. Today, it is much more than the historical jewel of Northern Greece — it is a thriving hub of academia, research, art, and enterprise. As Aristotle University hosts the Aristotle Innovation Forum, there is no more fitting backdrop than Thessaloniki itself: a city that embodies the meeting point of past and future, of heritage and innovation.

With its strategic location in the southeastern corner of Europe, Thessaloniki offers access not only to the Balkans and Southeastern Europe, but also to paths leading East and West. Its port, its infrastructure, and an increasingly international outlook make it a gateway for ideas, trade, and collaboration. For attendees of the Forum, this means being at the nexus of possibility — where new ventures can link to regional networks, and where solutions developed in its laboratories can reach far beyond Greece’s borders.

Aristotle University, founded in 1925, stands at the heart of this energy. Its campuses are dispersed across verdant hills and the urban core, facilitating a fusion of rigorous scholarship and daily life in the city. The university’s tradition in the sciences, humanities, engineering, health sciences, and technology provides fertile ground for cross‑disciplinary dialogue. At the same time, students, researchers, and faculties live the city – its cafés, promenades, historic monuments, and waterfront. Ideas are born in the classroom, refined in informal discussion over coffee, and tested in labs, incubators, and maker spaces.

What makes Thessaloniki particularly compelling for the Forum audience is the unique balance it offers: ancient landmarks such as the Byzantine walls, the Arch of Galerius, the Rotunda, or the Church of Agios Dimitrios enable reflection on human endeavor across centuries; modern architecture, street art, and revival of neglected neighbourhoods illustrate design, planning, social innovation in action. The New Waterfront, for example, is not just a promenade; it is a reimagined public space where citizens gather, ideas circulate, and cultural events unfold.

Given its comparatively lower living cost, vibrant student population, and cosmopolitan feel, Thessaloniki invites participants to immerse themselves fully. Networking doesn’t need grand settings alone here — it happens at a taverna, in Ladadika’s alleys, or along the seashore at sunset. The city’s attitude is open, its pace human, its soul inspiring.

At the Aristotle Innovation Forum, we celebrate not only what innovation is, but where it takes place. Thessaloniki is more than a venue — it is a partner, a source of inspiration, a proving ground. As you reflect on research, entrepreneurship, collaborations, remember that this city and its university have long been aligned in purpose: to ask bold questions, bridge disciplines, and shape the future. Welcome to Thessaloniki — ancient, alive, and ready for tomorrow.