ACCELERATION PROGRAM TRAINING IN ACCI Support
Center, GREECE
Acceleration programs of the Gazelle Project, through their Support Centers, aim to strengthen the start-ups by promoting access to finance, scientific knowledge and expertise that can be directly “put into action”. Start-ups and teams participating in the ACCI’s acceleration program, within the framework of the Gazelle Project, had the opportunity, together with teams of the ACCI’s THEA Incubator, on April 15th, to participate in two workshops and round table discussions on issues regarding innovative female entrepreneurship and
female leadership in the corporate environment. The workshop discussions were organized by the ACCI’s THEA Incubator and the National Chamber Network of Women Entrepreneurs, in
collaboration with the US Market Access Center and Prospera Women. The purpose of the workshops was, after presenting the projects, the exchange of views and the discussion with practical examples and advice between participating start-ups and entrepreneurs with the two distinguished executives from the American market, as well as with representatives of institutions and the business community. The topics concerned female entrepreneurship, methods of expanding a company and penetrating new markets.
In July the programme was expanded at several meetings at the greek Support Center and included:
- Presentation by the National Documentation Centre (EKT) «Evaluating potential Innovation in corporates and European Funding Tools for Research, Development & Innovation».
- Presentation of the startups to representatives of Uni.Fund
The Greek innovative startups sellected and supported by the acceleration program were:
INTELIGG P.C./SMARTH-PROP: A Smart Thermostat System self learning and self adjusting using advanced AI and Deep Training algorithms resulting in a significant energy reduction in buildings.
DIGISEC SA: Bird Monitoring System which protects birds from the wind turbines, maximizing their operating time, almost eliminating their shut down time and minimizing noise pollution – Digisec offers also total security solutions, varying from physical security to homeland security and cyber security.
TRAQBEAT TECHNOLOGIES PC: Guard your health: a convertible wearable medical device providing continuous & synchronous health monitoring
ΚLEESTO: the next-generation back-office system for travel companies helping them digitalize, automate, and optimize their business
PROJECT PARENTING: the 1st Educational E-learning platform for parents in Greece with educational content
DATAPHORIA: Analytics-as-a-Service platform for any company, organization, or city who wants to measure, optimize, and communicate its sustainability transition
TICKETSELLER: the first host travel agency in Greece with the innovative service of the Independent Travel Agent with the aim of democratizing the Greek travel industry.
METIS SEAGRASS MON: Patented Natural fibre-based Eco surfaces from the dried seagrass, Posidonia Oceanica and eco friendly binders for use in indoor spaces, reducing indoor pollution.
CALTICA: High-quality products for pets. Product: a polyphenolic food supplement that has been awarded worldwide for its quality and innovation.
TALENT MINER: A Hiring Platform for tech companies and startups/scaleups who seek personnel in the Greek Universities talent
pool. Later, in June six start-ups of the greek ACCI’s acceleration program (Dataphoria, TicketSeller, Kleesto, Project Parenting, Traqbeat, Digisec S.A.) participated in TNWConference 2022, Europe’s leading tech technology festival in Amsterdam, having the opportunity to connect with international tech executives, policymakers, startups, scale-ups and get insights from industry pioneers and access to capital. Mr. Stavros Georgakis, Member of ACCI’ s Administrative Committee accompanied the delegation. The Attica Region, and the Regional Development Fund of Attica sponsored the start-ups’ trip.
THE ACCELERATING PROGRAM TRAINING IN CYPRUS
The Cyprus University of
Technology, in collaboration with
ARIS (A Really Inspiring Space)
invited innovative start-ups/ SMEs to apply for the Acceleration program that was implemented in Cyprus. The program was conducted in the early Spring of 2022 and gave a unique opportunity for innovative startups and SMEs to go through an intensive business acceleration program, helping them build their business model, benefit from technology transfer at the transnational level and enhance their international cooperation.
Startups selected to participate received valuable experience on how to improve their performance in front of investors, how to get successful funding for their businesses, as well as information on different funds to address their applications to. This programme was an important milestone of the project and directly supported 10 Cypriot start-ups. The following innovative companies were selected:
VERALITY: is a start-up that aims to bring the point-of-care back to the patient. With a patient–centric platform that enables remote patient monitoring by aggregating health-related data from wearables and wireless medical devices.
JJOBO: an online job marketplace platform which connects individuals or businesses in need of skilled help for any kind of service or project with freelancers or professionals.
IREROBOT: aims to develop and enter the market with a product based on a novel communication method for deaf people that uses the sense of touch, by converting sounds to vibrations that are transmitted to the skin through a unique interface.
NOT BUSY NOW: Availability booking platform.
RokiToki: Voice-based social media platform.
PLUTOS: Innovative investment platform.
POKERLOAD: the Pokeroload digital platform will bridge all gaps for the technological advancements needed in the physical world of the gaming industry and more precisely for the game of poker.
TYTOVIEW: Online drone e-shop building custom parts through 3D printing.
MINDSWAPS: Unified online educational platform, intended as a marketplace between educators and students, focusing specifically on parental control and protecting minors
FITOLIO: Platform for premium fitness mentorship
THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM IN ATHENS, GREECE
The enormous event took place in Athens on June 24th, with the participation of 19 start-ups from the Balkan Mediterranean countries (Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and North Macedonia), business angels and innovation development agents. On behalf of ACCI, participated Mr. Dimitrios Dimitriou, First VicePresident, Mr Theofanis -Panagiotis Matsopoulos, Member of BoD of ACCI & Business Angelmember of BANG. 10 Greek Start-ups: INTELIGG P.C./SMARTH-PROP, DIGISEC SA, TRAQBEAT TECHNOLOGIES PC, Κleesto, Project Parenting, Dataphoria, TicketSeller, Metis Seagrass MON, CALTICA, Talent Miner, Parallel holding of Hellenic International Business Angels Summit (HIBAS-2022) at the same venue maximized opportunities for the project’s startups to get in contact with Business Angels from all over the world. The Bulgarian delegation was presented by 3 inovative start-ups (Renairco Ltd, CARDINAL BITES and Hotfarm) and 2 Business Angels (INNOVATION STARTS and GRADORED). The Cypriot delegation participated with 3 innovative start-ups (Verality, JJobo and IREROBOT). A pitching session event took place, during which 19 start-ups from the 4 countries participating in the Program (North Macedonia, Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria) presented their business idea to the Forum audience.
The impact of the event was strong and It brought together SMEs that promoted innovation, which paved the way for our countries to work more closely together. It also bridged the financial gap between investors and startups, which is sometimes more critical than the idea itself. Since the entire above are met, the GAZELLE PROJECT ultimately promoted social well-being. The INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM in Athens, in general aimed to bring together, encourage and support innovate companies, SMEs and Business Angels (BA) in the Balkan Mediterranean countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus and North Macedonia. They had the chance to present their activities, business ideas and expectations in order to become more competitive on the market and to enhance the cooperation with other foreign companies, especially with the countries from the Balkan Mediterranean area.
FOURTH INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM IN LIMASOL, CYPRUS
The event took place on 19 October 2022, in ASBIS HI TECH CLUSTER, Limassol, Cyprus and was organized by Cyprus University of Technology, partner of the Project, in collaboration with ARIS A REALLY INSPIRING SPACE, at ASBIS High Tech Cluster. More than 70 participants attended the Forum. During the event the different activities of the Gazelle project were presented, such as the business acceleration and technology transfer for innovative SMEs, the supporting and networking activities and the start-up toolkit platform. Several public and private stakeholders from the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems of the three countries were also among the attendees. The Athens Camber of Commerce and Industry, the project Lead partner, presented innovative strt-ups who had tehir succeful pitches and they reported that the parallel holding of the tech & entrepreneurial Reflect Festival in Limassol, maximized the benefits of participating in the Investment Forum, since there were even more opportunities for networking and B2B meetings. The Greek delegation was presneted by the companies: Metis Seagrass MON, Metis Seagrass MON, Dataphoria, Talent Miner and 3 Business Angels in the person of Mrs Maria Arvanitopoulou , Mr Nikolaos Kestsoglou, Mr Theofanis – Panagiotis Matsopoulos. The Bulgarian delegation was presented by the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Indusrty, an active member of the Gzelle consortium and the members were 6 innovative start-ups (foodObox, SekMed, eVanco, CARS BY MODERN CLASSICS, HOTFARM and CARDINAL BITES) and 1 Investor, presented by Mr. Miroslav Dimitrov form Gradored company.
The 7 Cypriot companies who had the chance to participate with pitching sessions wre: JJobo, Irerobot (ACETT), Fitolio, Tytoview, RokiToki, Not Busy Now and Verality (Aceso). The event was a unique opportunity for seventeen innovative start-ups and SMEs from the Balkan MED region (Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria) to pitch in front of a wide audience, including business angels and investors and participate in matchmaking and networking activities. During the event the different activities of the Gazelle project were presented, such as the business acceleration and technology transfer for innovative SMEs, the supporting and networking activities and the start-up toolkit platform. Several public and private stakeholders from the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems of the three countries were also among the attendees.
A NEW PARTNER ON BOARD
In early November 2022, a new member joined our project consortium. We are pleased to welcome The Center for Knowledge Management (CKM)- a research and educational center (think and do-thank) established in 2008 in North Macedonia with an aim of enhancing and improving knowledge management processes in all societal spheres in North Macedonia and the SEE region. Covering a wide area of activities performed in collaboration with the civil sector, the state, and public administration, and the profit sector, CKM ‘s vision is to become an active actor in the institutional and economic development of the country, and the region in general. CKM works in the areas of competitiveness, innovation, technology transfer, digitalization, and entrepreneurship.
In particular, CKM’s activities can be classified in several areas of work:
• At macro level, CKM conducts research and analysis in the area of local, national, and regional development for the purpose of exploring current and proposing new policies, measures and projects in the area of economic development, science and technology,
business enabling environment, digitalization, and entrepreneurship.
• At micro level, CKM works in specific high growth industries where it supports clusters, R&D activities, technology transfer, innovation and competitiveness in the country and the wider Balkan Mediterranean region.
• At individual/organizational level, CKM works with youth, women, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the area of strengthening the available human capital, increasing the digital skills, and supporting the entrepreneurial mindset. The Center is an established center of excellence in Innovations with a small prototyping studio supporting individual SMEs and Startups in developing their potential and capacities in introducing innovations supporting the principles of circular economy in North Macedonia and the wider Balkan Mediterranean region. From 2018, CKM is an official EUROSTAT recognized Research Center and one of the three EU recognized centers in North Macedonia. The organization has more than 10 memorandums for cooperation with the main technical universities in North Macedonia and the Balkan region. In the past decade, CKM has successfully implemented many projects funded by the European Commission from the Erasmus plus program, the SEE Transnational program, Interreg BalkanMed program, CrossBorder Programs and has collaborated with UNDP, IFES and other partners and donors. The Center is established by respected members of the community coming from the civil, public and private sector, whose knowledge and experience provides a strong synergy of competencies in a vast array of disciplines. The combination of capabilities and competence make The Center for Knowledge Management an exceptional partner in developing of new ideas and implementing local and international projects in a wide range of expertise like knowledge management, digitalization, innovation, and competitiveness.
Partners Meeting
Within the two Investment Forums in June and October, two partners face to face meetings were held. Although they were hybrid, they were very important for the implementation of the next activities because during the meetings, the partners discussed key issues and topics. The discussion focused around work packages included all finished and forthcoming activities as: Overview and key takeaways from the last two forums; feedback from the participants. The partners also discussed technical and financial issues related to project implementation and reporting. As the project was extended, the partners agreed to organize further events to promote the project results, which will benefit the innovative start-ups as well.
