Conference on entrepreneurship and innovation to be held in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (EMTh), through the Regional Development Fund and the Regional Council for Research and Innovation, is organizing a networking conference titled "Collaboration in Practice" on Monday, May 26, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:20 p.m., at the G. Pavlidis Hall (Rodopi Regional Unit building, Komotini).

The event will feature the presentation of the Support Mechanism for the Regional Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (s3remth), along with:

• A review of the first implementation phase of the Regional Smart Specialization Strategy (S3),
• Networking activities under the s3remth mechanism,Key findings from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) study on the EMTh region as part of the S3 Community of Practice initiative.

The event will also highlight funding opportunities available through the I3 Instrument, which supports interregional cooperation initiatives.

The conference aims to strengthen collaboration between the research and business communities through thematic discussion panels. Participants will include the Chamber of Commerce presidents from across the region and representatives from Democritus University of Thrace, the ATHENA Research Center, and the Fisheries Research Institute.

In addition, best practices in research application by regional businesses will be showcased, featuring companies such as:

• Vergina Brewery (Macedonia-Thrace Brewery)
• Pharmathen
• InterPlast
• PRISMA Electronics
• The DigiAgriFood European Digital Innovation Hub in the agri-food sector

“This event represents a significant step toward enhancing cooperation between research and entrepreneurship,” organizers stated. “By presenting results to date, highlighting needs and challenges, and encouraging the active participation of all stakeholders, we aim to foster an open dialogue and jointly shape the region’s next steps. Our main goal is to cultivate a stable culture of collaboration within the innovation ecosystem of EMTh.”