The Hellenic Development Bank (HDB) and JOIST signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, shaping a common framework for action to strengthen entrepreneurship, innovation, and broaden Greek businesses’ access to tools, networks, and new business opportunities.
The collaboration focuses on the exchange of know-how and best practices, with emphasis on supporting SMEs and scale-up businesses, strengthening business innovation and growth, facilitating access to capital, and leveraging HDB’s financial and non-financial tools. At the same time, it includes the exploration of joint actions for mapping and activating the innovation ecosystem, with particular emphasis at the regional level.
The central pillar of the collaboration is the interconnection of JOIST with HDB’s digital community InnoAgora. In this context, selected startups and solutions of JOIST will be able to be presented on InnoAgora, while members of the community will likewise be able to be showcased on JOIST’s network and be connected with businesses seeking solutions for specific business needs. In this way, the possibilities for networking and creating new business synergies are expanded.
The cooperation framework also covers topics of immediate interest to Greek businesses, such as digital transformation, ESG, the green transition, access to financing tools, and skills development. The joint actions include educational webinars and thematic workshops, events and networking initiatives, as well as the implementation of joint Innovation Challenges to highlight and support innovative solutions and teams. Within the same framework, the mutual promotion of the actions and opportunities of the two organizations to their respective networks and communities is included.
At the same time, possibilities for connection with European networks and outreach tools, such as EuroQuity, will be explored, with the aim of creating additional opportunities for startups and innovative businesses. Members of the InnoAgora community will also have the opportunity to register free of charge on the JOIST Marketplace as Providers, further strengthening their channels for visibility and business networking.
The collaboration between the Hellenic Development Bank and JOIST creates the conditions for new synergies between financing, innovation, and entrepreneurship. With the needs of Greek businesses at the center, the two organizations seek to broaden access to financing tools, know-how, and networks, contributing to the strengthening of their competitiveness, extroversion, and sustainable growth.