Innovation for Society Awards

By project DeepTechValleys

Published on 14 February 2025

Greece

Kentriki Makedonia

About this good practice

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Mechanism of R.C.M, in collaboration with the entire innovation ecosystem, organized the open innovation initiative known as the Innovation for Society Awards (IFS) 2024, where creativity, technology, and collaboration converge to showcase Central Macedonia as a benchmark for innovation in Southeastern Europe. The IFS Initiative marks the first award-giving action by the Central Macedonia Region, significantly contributing to positioning Central Macedonia as a regional innovation hub in Europe.
Through the commitment to tackling real-world challenges via open innovation, startups, researchers, professional teams, and individuals gained access to advanced solutions that fuel progress and enhance their competitive position within their industries.
Innovators of solutions were offered a valuable platform to make a significant impact, showcase their expertise, and accelerate the path of their ideas to the market, fostering greater opportunities for growth and success. The initiative is spearheaded by the Region of Central Macedonia (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Mechanism), and supported by esteemed partners of the innovation ecosystem, such as business associations.

Resources needed

Approximately [22,5] man-months were dedicated to setting up and organizing the initiative.Organization cost: €20,000,covering expenses such as the website,venues,promotion,events,and catering.Furthermore, €35,000 was funded by the Regional Operational Program (RoP) of Central Macedonia 2021-2027.

Evidence of success

A total of 55 teams tackled 10 real corporate challenges.Τeams collaborated with coaches and attended 9 Masterclasses covering topics such as sales,lean startup methodology,exporting,collaboration,funding and more.
Three teams received €35,000 in cash prizes,while one team earned the chance to progress directly to Stage 2 of the NBG Seeds Capital Award initiative.Additionally, five teams are currently collaborating with challenge owners in various ways and at different stages of their projects.

Potential for learning or transfer

Innovation is a critical driver of regional development,as the promotion and implementation of innovative ideas play a crucial role in the sustainability and growth of a region’s technological and industrial ecosystem.The IFS Initiative provides researchers,startups,professional teams the opportunity to network,exchange ideas and align their visions for the future.
The IFS Initiative introduces a new model for transferring knowledge from research to the market,focusing on the real challenges faced by corporations.
This initiative fosters the coexistence and collaboration of diverse innovation stakeholders,from researchers and academics to entrepreneurs and industry professionals,creating a dynamic ecosystem that encourages knowledge exchange and the development of partnerships with tangible outcomes.Also,IFS strengthens the region's position on the global stage and creates new opportunities for business and techn development,boosting both local and international competitiveness.