The Fourth Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award opens for Entries

December 7, 2015

The Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award (HEA) has announced that its fourth annual award is now open and invites start-up businesses in Greece to enter by submitting their business plans at the HEA website, www.hellenicaward.com, by 10 March 2016. The total prize funding for the latest award has risen by 25% to € 1,250,000.

Participants will compete for a share of the interest-free start-up funding plus a wide range of business support services, as well as mentorship from highly experienced business professionals in order to assure the successful implementation of their business plans. HEA supporters provide assistance spanning legal, accounting, marketing, IT, communication and HR services.

The HEA is managed and funded by the Libra Group on behalf of The Hellenic Initiative and declares between one and five winners each year. The programme which was founded in 2012 is designed to stimulate entrepreneurial spirit by supporting Greece’s most promising new businesses, especially during the country’s extended period of crisis and economic recession. There are now 11 past winners operating in eight different business sectors including medical technology, mobile applications development, culture, food & beverage and energy. These businesses are generating revenues, attracting external investors and collectively creating many hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.

During its first three years of operation, more than 1,500 business plans have been submitted to the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award. Between 2012 and 2015, the HEA has provided interestfree funding amounting to approximately € 2,300,000.

Jimmy Athanasopoulos, Chairman of the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award, stated: “Within just three years, the award has fulfilled its aims of turning commercial dreams into realities through both financial assistance and hands-on support from experts in their field. But the real heroes of the programme are the entrants and eventual winners who have the vision to contribute to economic growth in Greece. We hope that the demonstrable success of the 11 winners to date will be an inspiration to others, giving them the courage and self-belief to turn an idea into a business proposition that can make a difference.”

The Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award accepts applications from both experienced and firsttime entrepreneurs in Greece. Additionally, participation is open to existing private – not listed – companies with a new business idea that does not derive directly from their core business and cannot be financed sufficiently from their own resources. Business proposals are judged on the basis of sustainability, financial prudence, innovation, and job creation, primarily in Greece.

The deadline for applications is March 10, 2016. Finalists will be announced in May 2016 and winners will be announced in June 2016.

The following is a list of past winners of the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award:

2015 Winners:

1. Yoleni’s (www.yolenis.com) – An online delicatessen that enables European and American customers to purchase authentic products from every corner of Greece.

2. Smart Guide – A wearable electronic mobility guide that senses nearby obstacles and obstructions for the blind and visually impaired. This innovative product will be produced in the facilities of “Lighthouse for the Blind of Greece” by employees who themselves have impaired vision.

3. Heliix (www.heliixinc.com) – A ground-breaking technology which converts thermal energy into electricity. The company’s first implementation of the technology, Phaethon™, is a device that can reduce a household’s annual electricity costs by up to 30%.

2014 Winners:

4. Anassa Organics (www.anassaorganics.com) – A company that produces and markets premium herbal teas and infusions, addressing Greek and global markets.

5. e-satisfaction (www.e-satisfaction.gr) – An independent platform that records eshoppers’ entire online shopping experience from browsing through ordering to delivery – set to become a comprehensive e-commerce rating tool.

6. Open Circle (www.opencircleproject.com) – A web-based community/ platform, where visionary entrepreneurs present their business concepts in order to promote collaborations with prospective investors through equity crowdfunding.

7. RTsafe (www.rt-safe.com) – A revolutionary approach to optimising the effectiveness of radiotherapy for cancer patients while minimizing the likelihood of harmful side effects.

2013 Winners:

8. Stella Mare (www.stellamare.gr) – A seafood processing and marketing business which is targeted at both domestic and global markets.

9. Casa Parlante (www.casaparlante.gr) – A “Living Museum”, depicting the everyday life of a noble family in a historic 19th century mansion in Corfu.

10. Different & Different (www.differentanddifferent.gr) – A culinary academy and innovative catering company.

11. Rabt (www.rabt.co) – A platform and mobile/ tablet application which generates curated, personalised video content for every user.

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