The Hellenic Innovation Forum 2017, which will take place on 1st and 2nd of March at the Divani Caravel Hotel (Vassileos Alexandrou 2, Pagrati, Athens) is being organized by Ethos Media S.A. and the non-profit Organization SciCo under the Auspices of the General Secretariat for Industry, the Minitry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs and the General Secretariat for Research and Technology. The Hellenic Innovation Forum (HIF17) multi-conference intends to contribute to the dynamic reform and growth of the Greek economy, by bringing together the researchers, academics and entrepreneurs behind new innovative ideas, products and services, the State and institutional officials who set the regulatory and legal framework, as well as business developers and executives of private and public funding organizations.
The organizers aspire to establish the “Hellenic Innovation Forum” (HIF17) as a permanent platform for the promotion of innovation and the development of partnerships and synergies between the members of the triangle: “State Officials – Academic & Research Community – Corporate World”.
This multi-conference consists of the following three parallel activities:
Activity A – Main Forums for Applied Innovation
Wednesday 1/3/17 - 1st Day: Keynote speeches by renowned Greek and foreign speakers and four round table discussions on the three sides of the Applied Innovation Triangle: Institutional & Legal Framework, Corporate Innovation and Scientific Research; while a fourth issue of paramount importance will be addressed: the Funding Infrastructure available to applied innovation.
Internationally acclaimed academics and researchers, entrepreneurs, politicians and public figures from the cultural sector will participate in these panels, co-ordinated by experienced journalists specialising in the corresponding fields.
Thursday 2/03/17 – 2nd Day: Keynote speeches by distinguished Greek and foreign experts, as well as thematic presentations on nine different research and innovation areas.
Activity B – Corporate Presentations on Innovation
During both days of the event, in parallel to the main programme of the conference, companies will have the opportunity to invite their own professional audience and present to them their innovative products and/or services. The presentations will take place simultaneously in halls adjacent to that of the main conference. There will be six presentations per venue, per day.
Activity C – Exhibition of Innovative Ideas, Services and Products
An exhibition area will be set up in the specially arranged open space between the conference halls, where there will be stands of variable dimensions (4mx3m, 3mx2m, 2mx2m). of the will be free to walk through the area and visit any stand that draws their attention. This area will serve as an exhibition of innovative ideas, activities, products and services. The exhibitors may be universities, research institutes and centers, businesses or individual researchers, who will have the opportunity to present the results of their work to entrepreneurs, manufacturers, business people and potential investors who may be interested in developing their idea further and bringing it to market.
During the second day of the conference, on Thursday 2 March, 10.45-12.00, National Documentation Centre organizes the event 'European Funding for Innovation & Entrepreneurship' with three interesting speeches:
Funding instruments for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Georgia Tzenou, National Documentation Centre
European programme COSME for SMEs, Timos Rekkas, Evaggelia Solomou, General Secretariat for Industry, National Representatives for the programme COSME
Mapping the business needs of Greek start-ups, Ioannis Plemmenos, General Secretariat for Industry, Policies & SME Support, StartUpGreece administration
In the exhibition area of the multi-conference the participants will also be able to visit “Innovation Hotspots” where exhibitors will be grouped by field of innovation, in correspondence to the fields covered in the agenda of the second day of presentations.
Israel, one of the leading countries in the fields of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, will be the honoree of this two-day event. The country’s innovative and technological activities will be highlighted through impressive exhibits and information stands in the exhibition area. Israel will be represented by high-ranking officials and politicians as well as executives from the business and technology transfer sectors.