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Initiative

INNOVATHENS-Hub of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Technopolis City of Athens

INNOVATHENS-Hub of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Technopolis City of Athens
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TECHNOPOLIS SA

Technopolis City of Athens is a unique cultural complex in the city centre which promotes arts, development, entrepreneurship and innovation, life-long and creative learning, industrial heritage & public awareness. 

 

Read more:  www.technopolis-athens.com


Contact

Objective Action

The main objectives of INNOVATHENS is:

  • to create sustainable technical and organizational conditions (for physical and digital operations) by hosting innovative ideas,
  • to provide personalized tutoring and mentoring services to start-ups,
  • to encourage and strengthen partnerships that promote the development and the application of new technologies in all economic sectors,
  • to network with - and get connected with - ecosystems and financial resources in Greece and abroad.
 

Target Audience

INNOVATHENS is addressed at:

  • People, with priority to young unemployed, who seek to get connected with the ecosystem of innovation and have the ambition to become entrepreneurs
  • Groups of students, graduates and researchers with creative ideas which they want to transform into sustainable businesses
  • Start-ups and ventures that have already made their first steps in the market
  • Innovative companies that want to expand in the international market
 

Duration

The begining: May 2014.


Description

One of the old gasholders in Technopolis, converted into a versatile, pleasant, "open space" with modern equipment, inaugurated its exemplary operation with unprecedented attendance as a meeting point, a hub for discussion, networking and information for young people on new technologies, innovative ideas and business examples.

This was the venue where, during the period of May 2014-June 2016, INNOVATHENS:

  • organized diverse events for the exchange of ideas and information, including targeted thematic workshops, exhibitions, innovation festivals and hackathons, in the fields of technological development, innovation and entrepreneurship. Through this series of activities, the participants were not only able to become acquainted with the new recognized business experience but also to learn about the difficulties involved in the business-especially in innovative activities; how to deal with failure and conditions for restarts, to benefit from the transfer of expertise in various fields, and to appreciate the importance of openness and entrepreneurial risk-taking.
  • A series of seminars and education / training workshops on technical skills and soft skills were also offered there by experienced instructors of partner organizations. All seminars awarded certificates and several students were able to find employment.
  • An ambitious business accelerator was organized and launched with the purpose of supporting innovative ideas and business through fast-track seminars, personalized tutoring and intensive mentoring / coaching in a total of 58 groups.

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Impact on Society

1. The qualities which we consider that marked our first cycle were: 

  • The massive participation of interested parties, as well as of all the innovation ecosystem actors
  • Multiple networking possibilities among the participants: unemployed youth were connected with each other to collaborate and came into contact with experienced business people• universities and research centers came into contact with entrepreneurs• state and municipal entities were introduced new ideas, products and / or high technology and open design services that they can make use of• financing institutions presented their requirements, and so on
  • The high-quality information on the transfer of know-how, innovation, entrepreneurship and extroversion
  • The strengthening of the spirit of collaboration and the development of synergies which were born out of the hub activities

2. These qualitative elements are translated into the following figures:

  • More than 105,000 beneficiaries and guests to events and festivals organized in our venue. Many among them (who were mostly of higher education background) said they wanted to start their own business
  • Over 4,900 received certified knowledge from recognized educational institutions and companies such as Samsung, the British Council, People for Business, Google, the Research Center "Athena", the National Technical University of Athens and the Athens University of Economics and Business
  • 100 presented their ideas to prospective partners and investors
  • 8,000 children and adolescents became familiar with science and technology in a creative way
  • And finally, more than 25 new ideas were supported by INNOVATHENS and KEMEL advisors - on a non-systematic basis.


Initiative Location

Technopolis City of Athens.


Working with Organization

For its optimal operation as a hub supporting innovation and entrepreneurship INNOVATHENS collaborates with:

  • 6 ATHENS ΣYNERGIES (HAMAC, HASI, HSIA, ΗΒΙΟ, HSA and GFOSS) and KEMEL,
  • with Samsung Electronic Hellas, both as strategic partner and sponsor,
  • with the IEUs of Higher Education Institutes / Universities in Attica (NTUA, UOA, AUEB, Agricultural University of Athens, PANTEION, HAROKOPIO) and
  • ATHENS Technological Educational Institute with the Agricultural University of Athens.

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Workers Participation

6 employees:

  • 1 General Director
  • 1 Site Manger
  • 1 Communication Manager
  • 1 Business Accelerator Assistant
  • 1 Administrative Assistant of events and training seminars
  • 1 Project Director

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Photos

Benefits for Οrganization

The integrated approach to the challenge of innovation and entrepreneurship resulted in a number of benefits for INNOVATHENS, the most important of which are summarized below:

  • Our hub excelled in a number of innovation competitions and was bestowed awards as a model center supporting entrepreneurship (*).
  • It succeeded in being recognized as a point of reference by the ecosystem of new entrepreneurship. It ensured the continuation of the sponsoring by Samsung Electronics Hellas, which won the first CSR award by Samsung Europe for its participation in INNOVATHENS.
  • It widened the circle of partnerships with the business world, universities, research centers and a number of organizations, active in the field of technological innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • It gained the necessary experience in order to expand its mentoring/ supporting activity in collaboration with key market players, including the crucial financial sector.
  • It created the necessary conditions for sustainability in the future in a difficult socioeconomic situation and beyond the completion of the initial financing plan in which it was incorporated (NSRF 2009-2013)

(*) More specifically, it won:

  1. The 1st Prize in the category of Bravo Sustainability Awards 2015
  2. The Award for Best Initiative in sturtupper.gr open competition with over 4,500 public votes
  3. An Award in the category Youth Entrepreneurship for its training program "Innovation and Design Thinking in Mobile Applications and Services" in Education Business Awards 2016 (co-organized with ELTRUN, Samsung and HAMAC)



Connection with Global Goals



No Connection with Global Goals found




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