The landscape of innovation in Northern Greece is mapped by representatives of 55 central agencies and organizations, who came to Northern Greece to meet and network with local agencies at the two-day conference “Innovation Greece 5.0: Innovation Initiatives and the Agencies that Support Them”, the which started today in Thessaloniki, in the context of the international exhibition of digital transformation, technology and innovation of TIF-Helexpo “Beyond 2024”.
“The integration of research and high technology in the final product, in the service and in the public policy is the only way to win the bet in the knowledge society”, said, welcoming the start of the conference, the Deputy Minister of the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace sector ) Stathis Konstantinidis.
“Technology per se ends up sterile if it does not reach the citizen in the form of better goods and services. This is the purpose, to make use of machines and new technologies in a way to improve our standard of living by protecting the environment and finally handing over to the next generations a better planet”, pointed out the deputy minister, noting that “we have very capable scientists who research and are trying, we have entrepreneurs who dare with new concepts and a broad view, we want the people who will turn modern knowledge into applicable technology”, therefore “the question is how the quadruple helix – citizen, educational institutions, industry, state/local government/organizations – it will evolve and move to the level of co-creation to optimize the output”, as “there can be no innovation without collaboration”.
The conference aspires in the next two days to record innovation in Northern Greece, stated in his greeting the Deputy of Operational Strategy of the Bank and the National Bank Group, Haris Vlatakis, making special reference to the example of the acquisition of BETA CAE by Cadence Design Systems , noting that “it was not only the amount that was impressive, but also the fact that a very large American group at the cutting edge of technology, invested such a large sum in an effort and an initiative that started in this very city.”
“For me this is something very important and it is one of the most important acquisitions that have taken place in Greece in recent years”, emphasized Mr. Vlatakis and spoke about the National Bank’s initiatives to support the local innovation ecosystem. He specifically mentioned the support for the creation of Thess INTEC “a very important innovation hub, where we are very excited to see this effort progress, which together with all of you we have funded and helped with the licensing and the next steps”.
“As a bank, we have invested in more than 15 start-ups, in more than 10 innovation funds throughout Greece, with quite large amounts. We also invest internally. We are one of the largest IT buyers and investors in the country. Indicatively, the updating of the bank’s core banking system is progressing and will be completed in the coming years, which essentially […] puts us on the same level as the big banks of the European Union in terms of capabilities”, he added, explaining that “now National Bank is not a bank that someone goes to the store to do their transactions and in fact more than 98% of our transactions last year they took place outside stores and not only simple transactions, but also more complex things, such as a new lending and complex processes.
In recent years, Greece has significantly improved its performance in the European innovation scoreboard and is now running at a consistently higher than average pace, as a result of which it is increasingly approaching the group of the most innovative countries in Europe, EBEA president Sofia noted in her greeting Kounenaki- Efraimoglou.
“Start-up entrepreneurship is a rapidly growing pillar of the Greek economy, increasing its share in GDP. The Greek ecosystem is maturing and growing steadily, both in number of companies and in capitalization. The environment for the development of innovation is being upgraded with an increase in funds for research, the provision of tax incentives for private investments, for the creation of new entities and infrastructures”, he noted and referred to significant international investments that Northern Greece has attracted in recent years.
The assessment that start-ups can be the best ambassadors of the extroversion of Thessaloniki was expressed by the mayor of Thessaloniki, Stelios Angeloudis.
“A tool for us is OK!Thess, this ecosystem of innovative entrepreneurship that the time has come to bring it out of the oblivion of the last years and run this body. We want it to develop into an arm of the Municipality of Thessaloniki. Knowledge, talent, ambition can, with the help of OK!Thess, develop into innovative and successful business ventures. More and more businesses are starting from Thessaloniki and the big bet for all of us – the State, the self-government – is the structures we offer them, so they can develop”, pointed out Mr. Angeloudis. “The completion of the ThesINTEC technology park, the Alexandria Innovation Zone, the upgrading of EKETA and OK!Thess, are emblematic actions that pave the way for Thessaloniki to become the capital of extroverted innovation,” he added.
For several years, Northern Greece and Thessaloniki have been a pole of attraction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship, both within and outside the borders, according to AUTH rector, Prof. Charalambos Feidas. “Educational institutions, research centers, incubators, business entities make up an ecosystem of innovation, which seeks the development of new technologies, which can directly benefit our fellow citizens on an economic and social level. AUTH, as the country’s largest educational institution, could not but be at the core of this innovation ecosystem”, pointed out Mr. Feidas. He also emphasized that “AUTH’s strategic goal is to strengthen innovation and utilize all innovative research tools”, which is why “the development of collaborations and joint initiatives of universities with the research centers of the region and industrial business and central bodies is deemed necessary, to build a strong innovation ecosystem for the benefit of the region and the country”.
The event “Innovation Greece 5.0: The Innovation Initiatives and the Agencies that Support Them” is an action of Smart Attica ΕDIH. It is co-organized by the NBG Business Seeds program of the National Bank of Greece, EBEA, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, EKETA, OK!Thess, Alexandria Innovation Zone, Tecs Capital, Athens Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation ( ACEin) of the Athens University of Economics, Uni.fund, Metavallon, Bayer Hellas, the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, and the Hellenic Development and Investment Bank.
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