The Municipality of Athens, the Athens University of Economics and Business and the National Technical University of Athens join forces to support innovation and entrepreneurship

Athens, March 11, 2022

PRESS RELEASE

The Municipality of Athens, the Athens University of Economics and Business and the National Technical University of Athens

join forces to support innovation and entrepreneurship

The three bodies work together, signing today a five-year memorandum of cooperation, aimed at supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the city. The Municipality of Athens will provide, among other things, hospitality at the Innovathens Technopolis area for the activities of the two Universities related to innovation and entrepreneurship. The two Universities have been supporting for many years students and researchers in innovative entrepreneurship, through courses, competitions, incubators, business acceleration actions and technology transfer. Their collaboration and the hosting of actions/events in the city centre can lead to the creation of new interdisciplinary teams and contribute significantly to the business acceleration and interaction with the market.

In particular, the Municipality of Athens looks forward to the promotion and development of the city centre as a pole of attraction and a host of innovative entrepreneurship actions in the standards of other European cities. In addition, through the action of the Athens Digital Lab, it expects to involve citizens in a creative dialogue and in actions to solve the problems of the city, contributing, among other things, to the testing and adoption of innovative products and services by the Municipality of Athens to its citizens.

The Mayor of Athens, Mr. Costas Bakogiannis stated: "Athens has the potential to become a reference point for the innovative business activity of the country. We are proud of this partnership with the two leading Greek universities in their field, as this cooperation is a guarantee for the strengthening of the innovation ecosystem of the city and ultimately for the stimulation of entrepreneurship and the economy. The Municipality of Athens continues its pioneering path, collaborating from the very start with all the Institutions of Higher Learning, in the fields of research, innovation and the development of entrepreneurship ".

Both the Athens University of Economics and Business, with the actions of the ACEin Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the National Technical University of Athens, with the actions of Invent, (the development of which was funded by the Municipality of Athens in 2015) have distinguished all these years for their course of action. Since 2022 the two institutions have partnered and planned to carry out many activities in support of entrepreneurship, technology transfer and startups, in addition to the individual actions of each institution, in the context of creating a technology transfer hub and innovation hub (s). These activities include conducting seminars / workshops, coaching, mentoring and incubating business groups, organizing open innovation programs and networking activities with the domestic and the international market and with potential investors to support and promote the city's innovation ecosystem.

The two Rectors stated respectively:

Professor Andreas Boudouvis, Rector of NTUA: «Cooperation and co-creation of value is a key component of innovation. The potential of our institutions and the international research conducted in our laboratories acquires through this partnership new means to substantially affect the economic and social life of the city. The municipal authority, with its vision and initiatives, hosts and promotes the important project of NTUA and AUEB».

Professor Dimitrios Bourantonis, Rector of AUEB: «The signing of this Memorandum is a milestone for the development of innovative entrepreneurship in our city. We warmly thank the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Bakoyannis, who recognizes in the most practical way the important role that AUEB and NTUA play and the important effort they make in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation».

 Public Relations Office at AUEB

e-mail:  nkyrezis@aueb.gr,  pr-office@aueb.gr

Photos:
https://www.aueb.gr/el/content/mnimonio-synergasias-dimoy-athinaion-emp-opa