The road map and the necessary conditions for regional centers in the country to emerge as poles of business, economic and social development were highlighted, on Friday, April 5, by the speakers, during the first day of work at TechFuse, which is the first annual conference in Greece, which combines technology and innovation with culture. It was organized by the Non-Profit Company “Knot of Innovation and Digital Economy” in collaboration with the community of digital nomads C.Ioannina, while it is supported by domestic and international public and private bodies.
In particular, with reference to the example of Ioannina, which from an isolated city, in recent years has developed an ecosystem of innovative entrepreneurship, it was emphasized that by capitalizing mainly on technology and “digital” conquests, it can be an example of “excellence” in the field of economic and social development.
Characteristically, Haris Antoniou, Founder and CEO of Neptune Maritime Leasing LTD and Treasurer – Member of the Board of the Global Hellenism Networks Hub, compared the city of Zug in Switzerland, which is the headquarters of many international companies, with the prospects that Ioannina has.
“Ioannina used to be a very poor area” contrasting the city of Switzerland with the capital of Epirus. “The town of Zug in Switzerland is much smaller than Ioannina, and it is also lakeside. It was very poor, but they made decisions and developed much faster than Switzerland itself, which raised its GDP 3.5 times, from 190 billion to 700 billion. At the same time, Zug moved eight times faster than the increase of the GDP” said Mr. Antoniou.
The pillars
Against this background, Nikos Kalogiannis, Partner, FS Leader, PwC Greece clearly set out the main pillars that can support new pockets of decentralized development in relation to the future of the Greek region
“The crisis hit the region. Important issues, therefore, for the transformation in the region, are for the companies there to have business plans based on the data of the individual regions, to have access to foreign markets, but also to have basic innovation characteristics. They must also have an orientation towards sustainable development, have access to qualified personnel, since staffing issues for businesses are key. to upgrade their technological infrastructure but also to utilize all available financial tools”.
Earlier, the Regional Governor of Epirus, Alexandros Kahrimanis, stated that a significant area of land has been granted next to the University, in order to form a basis for the development of business ecosystems, while he spoke of two new research and development centers, which are in orbit, from the Region, under the “umbrella” of the Research Institute in Ioannina with reference to the primary production sector.
And the Mayor of Ioannina, Thomas Begas noted that Ioannina has joined the network of 100 smart cities of the EU and 2 million projects have already been launched from the Recovery Fund.
The CEO of Piraeus Bank Christos Megalou, speaking at the same conference, said that in the next 10 years there is a need to invest 380 billion euros in the country. He also emphasized that changes should be promoted in the meantime. “Many dynamic things will have to be done to shape the conditions that will bring this value” he said and noted that Piraeus Bank is proud of its participation in the economy of Epirus. “We have 35% of the lending and deposit market in Epirus. There is no other region where we have such a market share,” he added, saying that “we want to give back much of the value we create and help make the investments.”
“We are interested in the fact that there is a University that creates great value, that brings talent that will find people who will create in the region” he emphasized and focused on the importance of the infrastructure, which is, as he said, necessary “so that international and domestic organizations can come”
He concluded by saying that Epirus has a number of ecosystems that can bring it forward. “It is proof that things are happening here,” he emphasized.
For his part, Nikos Maniatis, CEO of IBM Greece & Cyprus, emphasized that artificial intelligence will bring activity and economic development to the region as well. “Artificial Intelligence (AI) will give 16 trillion. until 2030 and will bring values to the region as well. The companies that will take advantage of it will have an advantage”, said K. Maniatis.
“Many complex projects will be made easier but there will also be a strong green footprint with better use of resources,” he added.
Business consulting will increase with the use of AI. .
An energy e.g. investment in the region will be weighted if it is profitable, if it will have the right footprint to make it easier for an investor to finance it.
Life expectancy will also increase as AI helps solve problems. Many jobs will be upgraded and can be done remotely and the district will be able to support new jobs. The companies will support this effort,” he stressed.
The infrastructures
At the same time, Nikos Kalogiannis, Partner, FS Leader, PwC Greece after mentioning that his company already has business centers in
Thessaloniki, Crete, Rhodes, Patras and Ioannina and plans to open three more in Greece, he stressed that “the infrastructure has attracted important businesses”.
“Businesses should contribute to the preservation of the wealth and character of the area and have a dynamic and extroverted orientation.”
After quoting the example of “Myrtali”, a local company that produces and trades herbs even in regions such as Korea or the USA, where the Bank of Epirus has significant support, Ioannis Vougioukas, CEO of Epirus Bank, underlined that in the threefold “synergies – production – commercial development” can suppress an effort to highlight dynamic companies from the periphery.
The TecFuse
It is worth noting that the main objectives of the conference are the following: To make Ioannina a regional hub of innovation and digital economy To contribute to the strengthening and wider development of the local and regional ecosystem To promote the sustainable development of Epirus and create multiplier value for local community Broadly, TechFuse covers issues related to ecosystem development, cutting-edge technologies, the evolution of innovation and start-up entrepreneurship, the impact of technology on society and work, the relationship of technology to culture and the wider regional economic and social development. Its agenda is multi-topic and includes Greek and international speakers from politics, entrepreneurship, the research community, society and culture. Within the framework of the conference, actions of a social nature are carried out, with a basic orientation to the strengthening of culture in Ioannina and Epirus, and free educational seminars for students and professionals who are at the beginning of their careers.
#Ioannina #technology #hub
2024-04-14 21:19:15