M. Vlastarakis (Eurobank): More than 1,000 entrepreneurs have been supported by “egg”

The egg innovative entrepreneurship support program has supported more than 1,000 entrepreneurs and contributed to the creation of 150 companies, says the General Manager of Marketing and Corporate Communication of the Eurobank group and chairman of the Coordinating Committee of egg, Michalis Vlastarakis, on the occasion of the start of the new cycle egg Start-Up platform, of the egg – enter • grow • go now entering its tenth year of presence in the Greek start-up scene.

The egg, designed and implemented by Eurobank, in collaboration with Corallia of the Athena Research Center, since 2013, to support innovative entrepreneurship in Greece, supports multidimensional participants seeking funding, extroversion and business networking, while contributing to the effective interconnection of the Greek academic, business and investment communities. In the tenth cycle, utilizing its experience and modern structure, egg upgrades and intensifies the guidance of the business teams that will join, seeking to accelerate the implementation of their business plans.

As mentioned in the relevant announcement, crucial for the maximization of the benefit for the participants is their inclusion, depending on the stage of maturity / readiness of their business plan, in appropriate business acceleration cohorts, within the egg Start-Up platform , with correspondingly tailored business milestones and advisory follow-up under the program. The aim is to identify their real needs and seek synergies with the other participants as members of a development “ecosystem”, enhancing funding opportunities.

According to Mr. Vlastarakis, Eurobank, a pioneer in supporting new entrepreneurship, prioritizes the development of innovation based on international standards. “We invest in egg and support every dynamic development initiative that is developed through the State, such as the establishment of a cooperative innovation scheme in the fields of tourism and culture for the modernization of the Greek tourism and cultural product.”

The new framework

According to what was announced, in the tenth cycle, further dynamic characteristics of the egg strategy are further strengthened, taking into account the new framework that is being formed, post-pandemic, in the economy.

– Business groups that are innovative companies, already successfully registered in the National Register of Start-ups “Elevate Greece”, can apply for participation in the Start-Up platform and, if they successfully qualify from the AD Phase of the finalization of the evaluation (check of standard conditions) qualify directly for the final stage of the evaluation.

– All business plans have the opportunity to participate, provided that they meet specific conditions of business innovation, excellence and sustainability in the context of trends in the Greek and international market. However, business projects in competing industries such as 5G technologies, integrated solutions to ESG standards (Environmental, Social, corporate Governance) are also encouraged, as well as projects that leverage many years of research activity or make extensive use of innovations in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cybersecurity, Travel Technologies and Modern Services, Fintech, Robotics, Virtual / Augmented Reality, Industry 4.0, Biotechnology, Medical Technologies and Methods, Agricultural Technology, Environmental Technologies, Energy, Education.

– Modern Methods and Tools as well as business plans from schemes that empower women entrepreneurship in practice.

-A package of financial options is provided for the utilization of different financing channels for the implementation of the business plan (under the necessary condition of existence of a company-body implementing the business plan):

-Possibility of microfinance within the European EASI program and in collaboration with AFI (Action Finance Initiative) in the stages of “hatching” in egg.

-Opportunity for working capital loans aimed at improving the company’s liquidity, as well as loans that include installation loans and professional equipment loans.

-Possibility of interconnection for access to fundraising through private investment participations for companies that have a highly competitive and innovative idea at an advanced stage of development, through their networking and support and the presentation of their business ideas in active Venture Capital Funds (VPCs), strategic investors or other partners and / or representatives of investment organizations.

– The Extroversion Program for the business groups that will be integrated, through business missions, in advanced innovation ecosystems abroad, is strengthened, as well as through actions of their connection with the real economy by activating the business networking pillar with recognized domestic and international bodies.

Applications for participation in egg – enter • grow • go are submitted from Friday, February 18, 2022, at 12:00, until Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 15.00, while the first Open Day will be held, online, on Wednesday, 2 March 2022, at 17.00. More information on the egg – enter • grow • go website.