ena Development Consultants, a proud member of the EIT Food Hub Greece and a partner of #DigiAgrifood, successfully organized, through its #enaevents service, the event “Business Growth and Innovation: Trends, Tools and Strategies” as part of StartUp Week Greece 2024.
The event took place on Wednesday, October 23, at #enahub, a meeting point for people and ideas from every sector, with a shared goal of growth, education, innovation and entrepreneurship, and drew a large crowd from many fields, including students, entrepreneurs, farmers and academics.
The goal of the event was to offer opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing, in order to strengthen competitiveness and attract new investment in the agri-food sector, opening up prospects for sustainable growth in the future.
The speakers at Xanthi StartUp Week Greece
The event was opened and moderated by Theodora Tsokanari, Executive Manager of Thinc Thrace incubator, who welcomed the audience with a short presentation of ena Development Consultants and its mission.
This was followed by highly engaging talks from leading professionals, covering the event's 5 core themes:
New Technologies & Artificial Intelligence:
The first session revealed the secrets of artificial intelligence and new technologies in business. The speakers were Stavros Amoiras, Director of Strategic Planning and Development at ena Development Consultants, and Stergios Tegos, Software Engineer and CEO of Enchatted.
The speakers highlighted the prospects that artificial intelligence opens up for businesses, focusing on how it can be embedded effectively in organizations to optimize their processes. In their analysis, they discussed reducing working time and increasing employee productivity, while stressing the value of Artificial Intelligence as a tool for strategy and growth.
In the same session, Giorgos Koutsoudakis, Founder and CEO of Smiling Machines, presented the latest developments and emerging trends shaping the industry internationally. Drawing on innovative technologies and new strategies, he showed how businesses can adapt to today's demands and challenges, becoming more agile and competitive.
Design Thinking
In this session, Ioannis-Marios Psimadas, Business Consultant at WOW Innovation, presented the Design Thinking methodology as a key tool for business growth and innovation. His presentation focused on the importance of understanding the needs of companies and customers, and of generating ideas through systematic feedback and refinement. Mr. Psimadas stressed how Design Thinking can offer flexibility and boost business creativity, contributing to long-term competitiveness.
Entrepreneurship in Practice
Angelos Vasileiou, Tech Lead at Mantis Beyond Innovation, presented the challenges and strategies involved in moving from an idea to a finished product. Focusing on the “intention–action gap” that many startups face, he analyzed why new businesses often fail to take the first step, citing fear of failure, burnout and the need for perfection. He also showed how tools such as the Business Model Canvas and the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) can help businesses demonstrate the value of their ideas quickly and effectively, prioritizing customer needs and continuous feedback.
Agri-food & Challenges
In the Agri-food session, Izaskun Valle Mendieta, Senior Project Officer at EIT Food, presented remotely the role of EIT Food in supporting innovation and startups in the agri-food sector, with an emphasis on programs that strengthen entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Next, Angeliki Drakou, CEO & Co-Founder of Grizo & Prasino and a beneficiary of the Empowering Women in Agrifood program, shared her own experience as an entrepreneur. Through her story, she highlighted the challenges and demands of farming and the innovation behind her botanical products, stressing the importance of teamwork and of seeking specialized support for sustainable growth.
Microfinance
Neoklis Stamkos, CEO of Microsmart, presented his company's innovative approach to microfinance, offering flexible and transparent financing solutions for small businesses and professionals. Through digital processes and assessment based on each customer's credit profile, Microsmart enables businesses to obtain financing of up to 25,000 euros, promoting business growth in areas with limited access to traditional banking products. With artificial intelligence supporting credit assessment and improved customer service, the company aims to broaden financial inclusion and develop sustainable business solutions.
During the breaks between these highly engaging presentations, participants enjoyed homemade and traditional flavors from Thrace, which conveyed the “warmth” of the homely hospitality that #enahub offers.
“This event was part of #StartupGreeceWeek – a week of events hosted by VCs and startups to bring the tech ecosystem together.”
