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 /[email protected]
Neoklis Stamkos, European projects officer at the Microcredit
Department, Project Manager «microSTARS», KEPA/stamkosn@e-
kepa.gr