Business Support and Financing Structures in Central

Macedonia, towards innovation and smart specialization.

The case of KEPA and KEPA-ANEM

Ιoannis Tsitsopoulos, Head of Information & Publicity, KEPA-

ANEM

Neoklis Stamkos, European projects officer at the Microcredit

Department, Project Manager «microSTARS», KEPA

INDETITY KEPA & KEPA-ANEM

• The Business and Cultural Development Centre

(KEPA) is a private non-profit organization with

headquarters in Thessaloniki, Greece.

• KEPA was founded in 1991, by the Federation of

Industries of Northern Greece (FING), and the

Greek International Business Association (SEVE).

• It acts since 1993 as an Intermediate

Management Βοdy for National and co-

financed Programmes by EU at national and

regional level, (in particular for the Regions of

Central and Western Macedonia).

• In 1997 KEPA with Central and Western Macedonia Chambers of Industry,

Commerce and craft Industry, and Western Macedonia Development Company

ΑΝΚΟ formed the Union Development of Macedonia Agency (ANEM) .

• In November 2002 KEPA and ANEM formed the consortium KEPA-ANEM.

KEPA-ANEM is also an Intermediate Management Body on funded Programmes

for SME’s under the Operational Programme “Competitiveness”, NSRF 2007-

2013 (ESPA) and NSRF 2014-2020 (ESPA).

• Both bodies are certified according to ISO 9001 standard and have sufficient staff

with the necessary know-how and expertise in project management.

• Web-Site : www.e-kepa.gr

Experience in programme management and evaluation.

Qualified staff.

Wide network across Greece and Europe (public authorities local-regional-national, ministries, associations, universities, institutions, research centers,SMEs etc).

Significant number of projects.

Experience in transferring good business practices .

Key actor regarding entrepreneurship in Greece.

Recognition by the Greek business world and various decision-makingcentres (Ministries, Agencies, European Commission, etc), as businessbodies providing services with speed, high quality, and efficiency.

Point of Reference for small and medium-sized enterprises for action andcharacter development to update their financing opportunities, throughNational and European programmes.

KEPA & KEPA-ANEM STRENGTHS

Current Αctivities KEPA & ΚΕPA-ANEM

KEPA

Ιndermediate Management Body

European Programmes

Design

Μicrofinance-Microloans

Support Social Economy

KEPA-ANEM

Ιndermediate Management Body inCentral and Westrern Macedoniaparticipate as partner of EFEPAE.

KEPA & KEPA-ANEM function as a Intermediate Management Bodies

Μain Actions/Activities

Technical preparation of call of proposals in cooperation with the Authorities(Ministries, Regions, etc.).

Publicity, Promotion and Informing SMEs about open calls.

Receipt of submitted business plans and support the process of evaluation andthe development of specific IT tools.

Monitoring and auditing (project management) of approved proposals (technicalobject and economic control).

Disbursement of public funding to final beneficiaries (SME’s).

Inform stakeholders (Ministry of Development, EU, etc.) for the progress of theproject through technical reports and using modern IT tools.

Results

Management

Period

Number of

Programmes

Number of

Projects (SMEs)Budget (€) Grant (€)

Α’ CSF

1993-19951 44 5.779.278,96 4.334.459,22

Β’ CSF

1994-200128 2.520 314.378.428,10 154.985.698,67

Γ’ CSF

2001-201028 7.480 1.023.583.758,71 452.599.089,12

NSRF

2010-201615 6.681 776.439.244,70 321.238.634,57

NSRF

2016-….4* 3.308 258.539.177,21 152.415.632,38

Sum 76 20.033 2.378.719.887,68 1.085.573.513,96

Elements until 30/9/2017

Sectors– Programmes towards innovation and smart specialization.

FINANCING ΑREASManufacturing, Tourism, Commerce,

Services, Innovation, Training, Environment,

Quality, Energy

FINANCING BUSINESS SECTORS

Agri-food, Building MaterialsInformation Technology, Chemical Industries, Clothing-Footwear, Hotels- AccommodationsProduction and Saving Energy, Steel Structures, Plastics, ICT, etc.

FINANCING COSTS

Building infrastructure, equipment, software,personnel recruitment, promotion, studies,quality systems, , know-how, operating costs,etc.

Programmes

(Typical examples)

Period 2007-2013

New Innovative Entrepreneurship

Green Enterprise

Εnergy

Manufacturing under new conditions

Exports-Competitiveness

Green Tourism

Period 2014-2020

Start up Entrepreneurship

Modernization of a hotel with an environmental footprint

Safety holograms production using nanotechnology

Innovative applications in agriculture and geoinformatics

using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

Handheld Cardiograph

Production and processing of industrial steel products

Geothermal Greenhouse for tomato production (1)

Geothermal Greenhouse for tomato production (2)

2. European Programmes

• In March 2011, the KEPA extended its operational action to the management and implementation of European programmes funded directly by the EU, through the office function in Brussels.

• Until now, KEPA has been a partner in 17 projects, with a total budget of € 12 million, certifying the quality of the organization and its credibility as a partner.

• Through these projects, KEPA has developed know-how in areas such as design, microfinance and the social economy, while participating in relevant European networks and institutions (ERRIN, EMN, MFC, BEDA).

2.1 What is Design?

“Design is not just about the way things look, it is also about the way they

work. Design creates value and contributes to competitiveness, prosperity,

and well-being in Europe. The European Commission aims to accelerate the

take-up of design in industrial and innovation activities at European, national,

and regional level.

European Commission, DG GROW

2.1DESIGN

A more systematic use of design as a tool for user-centred and market-

driven innovation in all sectors of the economy, complementary to R&D,

would improve European competitiveness. Analyses of the contribution of

design show that companies that strategically invest in design tend to be more

profitable and grow faster .

European Commision - Action Plan for Design - Driven Innovation

SMEs from diverse industries and across Europe are under pressure to “out-

innovate” global competition as competition based on price is increasingly

difficult, notably for those SMEs based in countries with high labour costs.

The development of truly user-centred services as well as the integration of

creative, cultural and aesthetic elements into products and services is thus ever

more important in today’s experience economy.

SMEs often lack though an in-house expertise and understanding to implement

these changes.

They can therefore benefit from infrastructures provided externally.

Examples of such infrastructures are Design centres that promote and raise

awareness regarding the contribution of Design to business success as well as to

wider societal progress.

The Smart Guide to Service Innovation/ 3.2.1 Design centres,

European Commission DG Enterprise and Industry / Guidebook Series No 4

2.2 Why is Design needed ?

2.3 KEPA’s initiatives on Design

KEPA has participated in the following design-led project:

1. SEE Platform2. Design For Europe3. Tourism ID4. Design Shots5. Worth6. BEDA Policy Cluster7. BEDA Tourism Cluster8. Kapani Pilot Project9. Design 4 Innovation

KEPA has organized a plethora of seminars, workshops and conferences:

KEPA’s collaborations

Hellenic Design Centre

The next days KEPA will officially announce the launch

of its new initiative, the “Hellenic Design Centre’’.

The goal of this project is to accelerate the adoption

of design in innovation policies at both national

and regional level. At the same time, through a great

range of activities to be implemented in its two years

implementation, it aims to promote the use of design

in the Greek industry and the Greek public sector

to create added value, competitiveness and

efficient use of resources.

Stay alert for more info during the next days!!

In its efforts to further assist SMEs and entrepreneurs to override the

existing crisis, KEPA started in 2012, exploring the possibility of putting in

place a micro-finance scheme in the region of Central Macedonia, Greece.

Our goal is to establish a Greek model of non-banking micro financing

(loans up to 25.000€ without collateral, associated with non financial

support to beneficiaries)

Microcredit should always be offered alongside with Business Development

Services (BDS).

Granting just Loans —without an adequate business support at the same

time and from the same provider— will not serve as a real tool to support

existing SMEs or unemployed people that are willing to establish their own

business.

3. KEPA and microfinance

ΕΠΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΑ

ΕΝΤΑΞΗΣ ΣΤΟ

ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ

ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣ

ΗΚΙΛΚΙΣ

The microSTARS Project

ΕΡΓΟΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΑ

ΕΝΤΑΞΗΣ ΣΤΟ

ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ

Coaching

Individual Counseling Support

Start ups• Business Planning

• Market Research

• Personnel Selection

• Funding

Existing SME’s• Marketing Plans

• Exports Development

• Personnel Training

• Financing

ΕΡΓΟΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΑ

ΕΝΤΑΞΗΣ ΣΤΟ

ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ

Coaching

ΕΡΓΟΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΑ

ΕΝΤΑΞΗΣ ΣΤΟ

ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ

Workshops

Workshops upon issues of special

interest to existing SMEs and start ups

Topics :

o How do I start my own business?

o Sales Promotion

o Internet Use and Social Media Development

o Service Design Tools & Business Model Canvas

o Family Vs Business Budgeting

o Exports Development

ΕΡΓΟΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΑ

ΕΝΤΑΞΗΣ ΣΤΟ

ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ

WorkshopsΘεματικά Εργαστήρια

Workshops

ΕΡΓΟΔΙΑΔΙΚΑΣΙΑ

ΕΝΤΑΞΗΣ ΣΤΟ

ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ

ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣ

ΗΚΙΛΚΙΣ

e - Learning

o An indicative Course

e - Learningo Indicative courses (of a total of 24 in microSTARS academy – over 10.000

learning videos in schoox open library – more to come by the end of 2017)

• From the business idea to the enterprise : the business planning

• Identification of risks / external opportunities

• The segmentation of potential customers

• Competitors Analysis

•The product definition: the tangible and intangible features

• Pricing policy

• The Sales and Distribution Strategy

• Blogs and the blogosphere

• Job-sharing and cross-platform

• Company brand and e-commerce 2.0

• Profit & Loss account: revenues forecasting and allocation of operating costs

• Cash flows budget as a tool to assess the liquidity generation or absorption

• The legal forms of enterprise and how to choose

• Start-up costs: costs for the purchase of capital goods and other inputs

• Definition of costs: direct and indirect

microloans

o Eligible Costs

Purchase of Equipment

Purchase of Software

Purchase of goods and/or first raw materials

Staff Costs

Other Expenses (i.e. promotional activities, rents, etc.)

microloans

o On line platform for loan application – www.microstars.gr

o First Step – Basic information of applicant

microloans

o Second Step – Q&A assessment

microloans

o Third Step – Q&A Business plan submition (Business Model Camvasmethodology)

microloans

Evaluations and loan decisions are based, not only on the financial

data presented but also on qualitative characteristics of the borrower

(character, skills, personal commitment, integrity, experience),

elements that are evaluated in absolute conjunction with the

business idea and with a a realistic plan for how the borrower will

use the funded amount to generate sufficient cash inflows and be

able to repay the loan.

A credit scoring system is developed for this purpose, in order to

minimize human influence on loan approval, that provides results

from the application form.

o Evaluation

microloans

o microloans disbursed

microloans

Project’s Results

Actions 01/05-

31/12/2016

01/01-

31/08/2017

Dissemination of the project via Direct Mails (e-

mail/SMS campaigns), Newsletters, 3rd party

agencies / partners

37.000 42.549

Events organized by microSTARS – by others

with the project’s presence / Number of

Participants

12-

13/2.000

7-15 / 2.210

Meetings with potential beneficiaries /

entrepreneurs

340 312

Individual Counseling Support 57 25

Participations in Workshops 225 317

Access to the microSTARS e-learning Academy 36 18

Microloan applications / Disbursements/Pending 180/5/- 163/8/14

ΚΙΛΚΙΣ

Eνents

Sponsor

Support Banking associates

ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣ

Η

Next Steps• Geographical Expansion of BDS to Serres, Pella, neighboring prefectures

• New offerings, e.g.:

- Further development of the e-Learning platform

- Linear Programming Courses

- Expansion to new target group (agriculture)

- Psychological support facilities for entrepreneurs

• Joined actions with other initiatives (i.e. linked to subsidies, Fin-tech

platforms, alternative financing initiatives like micro-guarantees, micro-

leasing, micro-venture)

• Support further development of the legal framework for microcredit

Next Steps

Thank you for your attention!

Ιoannis Tsitsopoulos, Head of Information & Publicity, KEPA-

ANEM /tsitsopoulosi@e-kepa.gr

Neoklis Stamkos, European projects officer at the Microcredit

Department, Project Manager «microSTARS», KEPA/stamkosn@e-

kepa.gr