POLICY connect
Empowering the ecosystem of environmental and social innovation in Greece
The Policy Connect initiative includes a series of Policy Recommendations Focus Groups & Stakeholders Events for Empowering Entrepreneurship – Linking the social and environmental innovation ecosystem.
Impact Hub Athens, in collaboration with the Google Foundation, as part of the 10-year anniversary of empowering the ecosystem of social and environmental innovation in Athens, is launching a series of empowerment events in the region and Athens, focusing on joint proposal creation and commitment agreements (policy recommendations). The goal is to initiate an official dialogue among the different stakeholders of the ecosystem and to co-create proposals to strengthen and drive the community of social and environmental entrepreneurship in Greece. The series of events begins in Athens with six (6) Policy Recommendations Focus Groups in November 2023. Simultaneously, Stakeholders Events for Empowering Entrepreneurship are being organized in six (6) regions of Greece, with the final implementation horizon set for April 2024.
Why is Impact Hub Athens organizing Focus Groups & Stakeholders Events for Empowering Entrepreneurship?
Positive change doesn’t happen alone. That’s why we are creating a strong network through structurally connected spaces, groups, communities, and accelerators/incubators of entrepreneurship. Together, our aim is to support sustainable and participatory development, entrepreneurship, and innovation that targets resilience and environmental sustainability
Policy Recommendations Focus Groups in Athens
Our intention is to co-create and document a roadmap aimed at the joint creation of proposals and agreement on commitments (policy recommendations) from a broad network of participants with diverse backgrounds. This includes representatives from the research community, officials from Embassies and funding institutions, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) executives of private companies, active members of the Civil Society, and governmental as well as municipal representatives. The goal is to empower the ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation with a focus on environmental sustainability in Greece.
1st: Linking research with entrepreneurship development
November 23, 2023, Athens
2nd: Empowering entrepreneurship by Greek Foundations
January 2024, Athens
3rd: The role of Embassies in the Greek business ecosystem
February 28, 2024, Athens
4th: Civil Society as a driving force for local entrepreneurial empowerment
March 2024, Athens
5th: Connecting governmental mechanisms with Greek entrepreneurship
March 2024, Athens
6th: Empowering local entrepreneurship through CSR and ESG processes
April 2024, Athens
The methodology
The Policy Recommendations Focus Groups represent a dynamic method utilized for gathering opinions and creating recommendations on a specific topic. Their methodology involves gathering interested individuals or groups and organizing them into working groups to develop ideas and discuss central questions with sub-questions.
The results of these workshops are compiled and published as policy recommendations, which are then sent to relevant institutional bodies, partners, and stakeholders in innovation both in Greece and in the European Union for review and adoption.
The results of the workshops are compiled and published as policy recommendations that are sent to relevant institutional bodies, partners, and innovation stakeholders both in Greece and the European Union for review and adoption.
The workshops represent an excellent opportunity for experts, entrepreneurs, academics, and community members to collaborate towards creating common proposals and strategies for the benefit of local communities and the environment. Participants will have the opportunity to coexist and engage in dialogue with representatives of organizations, professionals, and active citizens who share a common vision, expanding their scope of action and participating in a broad network throughout Greece.
Stakeholders Events for Empowering Entrepreneurship in the Regions
The Impact Hub Athens has mobilized six (6) focal points in the Greek regions, where entities acting as Members of the Community of Practice coordinate the local ecosystem, under the guidance of Impact Hub Athens. The goal is to empower groups, organizations, and active individuals aspiring to bring about change in terms of social and environmental innovation in their respective areas. The aim is to envision a sustainable plan for each region and its inhabitants in the long term.
The six (6) regions and the active entities acting as Members of the Community of Practice are as follows:
Thessaly – ΑΝKΑ ΑΕ
Epirus – The High Mountains, Boulouki
Western Macedonia – OENΕF
Eastern Macedonia & Thrace – LightHub
Crete – Bizrupt