The Hellenic Initiative’s award program for Greek entrepreneurs reveals the ten who are in line to win a share of €500,000 in business start-up funding
ATHENS, Greece APRIL 8th, 2013 – The Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award today revealed the ten entrepreneurs who are finalists in line to receive up to €500,000 in funding for a new business venture, as well as business support services and a personal mentor from the Libra Group who are funding and administering the program on behalf of The Hellenic Initiative (THI). Later this month, between one and five entrepreneurs in Greece will be chosen as award recipients based on their business start-up plans. The award judges are looking for ideas that demonstrate innovation, job creation, financial discipline, sustainability and social responsibility.
“We were extremely impressed with the applications this year, which included a range of ideas across many business sectors, but our finalists really stood out; they represent the qualities of business acumen and leadership that will be essential to Greece’s economic revival. We will have a tough job selecting only a few to receive the award,” said Jimmy Athanasopoulos, Director of the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award.
The ten finalists and their business ideas are:
• Punctum – Targeted at the Greek performing arts sector, Punctum creates unbiased audience-generated theatre reviews. Audience opinion is summarized on the basis of a structured survey. The outcome is in part available publicly and in part targeted at theatre professionals as a consultancy service.
Applicant: Mr Kostas Karakounis, Mrs Jevgenia Lakissova, Mr Thanasis Kotsis
• Mezolift – An ultra-efficient, solar powered elevator concept that stores energy into batteries, offering energy independence as well as environmental, running cost and safety benefits.
Applicant: Mr Ioannis Saxsamanoglou
• Training Experience Centre – An experiential business training centre, designed to be especially attractive and engaging to each participant. A unique approach to imparting knowledge and gaining experience.
Applicant: Mr Konstantinos Mitropapas
• RabT – A smartphone and tablet application that generates a curated video sequence for every user based on a dynamic algorithm that analyzes users’ profile and feedback on every video watched.
Applicant: Mr Yiannis Broustas, Mr George Lentzas, Mr Leonidas Garyfallos
• Stella Mare – A seafood business focusing on sardine and anchovy from the Greek seas. Stella Mare fillets and organically processes the fish, preserving the finished product in a unique blend of organic olive oil, vinegar, herbs and spices.
Applicant: Mr Giorgos Terizakis, Mrs Aggeliki Tsimpli
• Sports Management Index – Sophisticated real-time performance tracking tool for sports teams and individual players. The business is targeting both game-day outcome prediction and individual performance enhancement based on training session analysis.
Applicant: Mr Costas Galanis, Mrs Christina Colombos, Mr Costas Chountis, Mr Alex Tallas
• Great Catering – A catering concept for corporate or private entertaining. Great Catering does not utilize standard menus but offers a wholly bespoke service with a special emphasis on presentation, based on the host’s individual preferences.
Applicant: Mrs Margarita Vitali Sarantopoulou
• Solar Electric Tricycle – An ultra-modern eco-friendly enclosed electric tricycle. Light and easy to ride, it is equipped with high tech controls and roof-mounted solar panels.
Applicant: Mr Antonis Patrikios
• Corfu Living History Museum – Recreating the environment of an historic mansion on Corfu, the Living History Museum depicts the everyday life of 19th century nobility. It will include animated figures and the essences and sounds of the age to create an authentic and involving experience.
Applicant: Mrs Ekaterini Rantou, Mrs Theodora Efthimiou
• Greek Food Obsessions – Carefully selected Greek rural food products designed to appeal to global markets. The concept includes some unique food combinations in a ready-to-eat format.
Applicant: Mrs Danai Bezantakou, Mrs Mary Rose Andrianopoulou, Mrs Maria Alefragi, Mrs Eleni Plessa, Mrs Cathy Van Der Ha, Mrs Georgia Kollia
The Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award was launched in 2012 to help experienced and new entrepreneurs bring new business ideas to fruition through the provision of funding, business support and mentoring. Driven by a belief that entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of economic growth, the Libra Group is committing €5,000,000 to the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award to enable Greek entrepreneurs to support their communities and drive economic growth. Other supporters within The Hellenic Initiative include the Australia-based property investment and development company, Jalouise Pty Ltd, which has contributed US$500,000 to the award program. The Award seeks to help entrepreneurs break through the economic disadvantage that has plagued Greece and provide the necessary support needed for businesses to flourish once again.
”Each of these finalists is worthy of the award,” said George Logothetis, CEO of the Libra Group and a THI founding member. ”The business ventures proposed were creative and inspiring and we were encouraged by the overwhelming number of applicants to expand the program and welcome other funders to the effort.”
838 people registered on the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award website resulting in 295 business plans submitted within the application deadline. The judges carefully scrutinized each plan before selecting the ten finalists. The recipients of the Award will be announced later this month in Athens. More information about the Award can be found at https://www.hellenicaward.com/en/.
About The Hellenic Initiative:
Founded in 2012, The Hellenic Initiative (THI) is a global, non-profit, non-governmental, secular institution whose vision is to mobilize the Greek Diaspora and philhellene community to support sustainable economic renewal for Greece and its people. Oli Mazi – All Together. www.thehellenicinitiative.org
Like THI on Facebook and follow the finalists and winners: https://www.facebook.com/thehellenicinitiative
Follow THI on Twitter: @THI_Hellenic (https://twitter.com/THI_Hellenic)
About The Libra Group
The Libra Group is an international business group with principal operations in five core sectors: shipping, aviation, real estate, hospitality and energy. Developed from a shipping business founded in 1976 and owned by the Logothetis family, Libra is distinguished by a combination of traditional values, new ideas and an agile mindset that allows it to take advantage of opportunities. For more information please visit www.libra.com
For further information please contact:
Maria Gatsou
V+O Communication, Athens
Office: +30 211 7501230
Mobile: +30 6937 089858
Email: mg@vando.gr
Gareth Zundel
Gareth Zundel, Libra Group
Office: +44 20 7245 8700
Email: gareth.zundel@libra.com
