On Wednesday, the project results were presented, focusing on the continuation of the innovation support initiative.
With hubs in Kalamata, Tripoli, Corinth, Nafplio and Sparta, UniStart Hubs contributed to fostering an active regional innovation ecosystem, bringing students, researchers, businesses and local organizations closer together. Through consulting and educational activities, innovation competitions and networking events, they strengthened the academic community’s connection with market needs. The initiative does not end with the completion of the funded project, but instead aims to serve as a springboard for entrepreneurship and innovation in the region, encouraging further collaboration and leveraging knowledge as a starting point for new entrepreneurial initiatives, supporting entrepreneurship driven by knowledge and innovation.
The event opened with a presentation of the project’s results by Eleni Mitsea, representative of UniStart Hubs. Over its three years of operation, 100 events and activities were organized, involving 2,500 participants in person, while 200 beneficiaries received more than 1,800 hours of consulting support. The presentation also highlighted European recognition, as UniStart Hubs were showcased as a good practice by the European Commission within the framework of the Talent Booster Mechanism initiative.
In his address, Mr. Kostas Vlasis, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, praised the project’s impact on people and the partnerships developed throughout its implementation, noting: “Behind these numbers lies something far more meaningful, and that is all the people who, within this network, met, collaborated, exchanged knowledge and created new opportunities for both the University and the labor market. It is precisely these projects that bring the UniStart Hubs initiative closer to its goal of supporting the Peloponnese.”
For his part, Mr. Anastasios Sideris, Deputy Regional Governor for Development and Entrepreneurship, emphasized: “For us, in the Region of the Peloponnese, UniStart Hubs are a model for how we want the relationship between the University, innovation and entrepreneurship to function. We believe in connecting knowledge with the productive economy, with a tool that can reach the scientist, the entrepreneur and the person who has a good idea and wants to turn it into something real and sustainable.”
During the presentation of the project, the following speaker also took the floor: Prof. Sofia Zyga, Rector of the University of the Peloponnese, who stressed: “The completion of the project marks the end of an important cycle, but at the same time the beginning of a new journey. The legacy of the project, its network, its partnerships, the expertise developed and, above all, the human foundation that has been created, will further strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation in the Peloponnese through the University’s next initiatives.”
Mr. Athanasios Sofos, Senior Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) In his address, he referred to the contribution of the current Cohesion Policy to linking universities with the productive economy and emphasized the need to maintain continuity in such initiatives. “It is important that UniStart Hubs do not remain an isolated project and that we ensure their sustainability and effectiveness through the funding opportunities provided by the Region of the Peloponnese. At the same time, they should be linked to complementary initiatives, such as the Innovation Office of the Region of the Peloponnese.”
The event concluded with a discussion on “From Knowledge to Growth: The Next Day of Innovation in the Peloponnese,” coordinated by Ms. Anna Argyrelis Simka, Deputy Professor at the University of the Peloponnese. Participants included Antonis Psimas, Head of the Special Programme Management Service “Peloponnese”; Angelos Tsakanikas, Professor at the National Technical University of Athens and Director of the IOBE Entrepreneurship Observatory; representatives from Start PC; as well as project beneficiaries, presenting a comprehensive assessment of the project beyond numerical indicators and focusing on the real needs of businesses and the next steps for supporting them.
The main themes included the contribution of consulting, mentoring and networking to entrepreneurial growth; international outreach and access to funding; knowledge and technology transfer; and the role of universities in entrepreneurship. For example, it was highlighted that universities play a catalytic role and that entrepreneurship should be integrated after the completion of individual projects, through the utilization of technology, the connection with market needs and the development of stable support mechanisms for entrepreneurship and innovation in the Peloponnese.
The presentation and overall coordination of the event were undertaken by Mr. Dimitris Voulgaris, Coordinator of UniStart Hubs in Kalamata.
For more information, please visit the website:https://unistarthubs.gr/
The event was held within the framework of Subproject 1 “Organization and Operation of the Innovation Hub – Innovation Support Structures for Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in the Peloponnese Region,” project code MIS 6004735, which is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Programme “Peloponnese 2021–2027.” Subproject 1 is implemented by the Association of Economic Entities under the name “BREAK-EVEN CONSULTING IKE and EAKE EMP,” consisting of the companies “BREAK-EVEN CONSULTING IKE” and “Special Account for Research Funds of the National Technical University of Athens,” under the name “NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS – Special Account for Research Funds.”
