Enterprise Europe Network Convenes in Western Macedonia

The consortium meeting for the 2022-2025 period was successfully held on November 21 and 22, 2024, hosted at the facilities of ANKO Western Macedonia S.A. in Kozani.

During the two-day event, consortium members and European Commission officials discussed the project's progress and exchanged ideas to improve support services for small and medium-sized enterprises.

EKT representatives attending the meeting explored the University of Western Macedonia's contemporary facilities, engaged with innovation ecosystem stakeholders and identified promising collaborative opportunities.

In an area where the violent and rapid lignite phase-out has deeply impacted the entire ecosystem, which is now being reconstructed, presentations by entities leading the new research and entrepreneurial landscape of the Western Macedonia Region were particularly compelling.

The first day began with a warm welcome from ANKO's General Director, Anastasios Sidiropoulos, and institutional representatives of the Western Macedonia Region, Nikos Lyssaridis, Vice Governor of Entrepreneurship, and Tasos Rafailidis, Vice Governor of Digital Transformation. The speakers emphasized the strategic importance of Enterprise Europe Network in enhancing the competitiveness and extroversion of local small and medium-sized enterprises.

A Local Success Story: Innovation Bee

The presentation by Innovation Bee, delivered by Tasos Garinis, a founding team member, made a significant impression. Mr Garinis showcased the company's high-quality product and service portfolio, highlighting the crucial support provided by ANKO and Enterprise Europe Network in developing and enhancing the company's international presence, especially during its initial operational stages.

Agrifood Sector Group Presentation

Spyros Kellidis from ANKO, chair of the Network's Sector Group Agrifood, presented the group's objectives, current actions, and future initiatives.

SYNERGiNN EDIH

The first day concluded with a presentation of SYNERGiNN EDIH at the University of Western Macedonia by Professor Nikolaos Ploskas and his colleague Fotis Tsampouris. The hub aims to play an active role in strengthening local business innovation - a particularly critical goal for transforming the region's previous productive model within the framework of green transition. The presentation also explored potential collaboration axes between SYNERGiNN and EEN Hellas.

The Value of Collaboration in a Challenging Region

Dr Yannis Fallas, director of the BioEconomy cluster CluBE, discussed the importance of collaboration and the significant challenge of economic reconstruction during the second day's opening. Attendees learned about the Green Hydrogen economy and the numerous initiatives developing around green energy, biodiversity protection, and climate neutrality of the region's urban centers.

Research institutions, businesses, and policy-making bodies can collaborate to produce remarkable results, he emphasized, also informing about plans for a hydrogen production and refueling station in Kozani.

Notably, in an area with impressive photovoltaic installation expansion, discussions have widely opened about technical interventions that will simultaneously enable and protect agricultural cultivation.

Updates from the European Commission and Project Monitoring

Dr Achilles Barlas, consortium coordinator, began by reviewing Work Packages, analyzing management issues, and ensuring all members remained aligned and fully informed.

Christos Skouras from DG GROW provided an extensive update on the New European Commission's priorities.

Makis Tikfesis, project officer responsible for monitoring the Greek consortium from EISMEA, presented data and indicators demonstrating the significant contribution of the Greek consortium to the Network's results.

The importance of continuous improvement in communication and showcasing Network results was particularly emphasized, with Panagiotis Frantzis, Communication Advisor at EKT and the consortium's Communication Correspondent, presenting best practices followed during the recent period in promoting the Network in Greece.

Finally, Angelos Angelidis, EKT project team coordinator, presented the content of the new proposal for the 2025-2028 period, ensuring the continuity and sustainability of Enterprise Europe Network Hellas.

About EKT in Enterprise Europe Network

Enterprise Europe Network is the world's largest business support network. Since 2008, it has supported small and medium-sized enterprises in innovating and developing internationally. In Greece, it is represented by the Enterprise Europe Network Hellas consortium, coordinated by EKT and PRAXI Network. Sixteen organizations provide comprehensive services to businesses with international ambitions, supporting sustainability, resilience, innovation, and digital transition. For the 2022-2025 period, EKT coordinates the Communication program of the Greek consortium and plays an active role in three international sector/thematic groups of the Network.