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H I G H L I G H T S
A series of events entitled "Rediscover Greece: Technology,
Innovation, Entrepreneurship" was organised by the Hellenic
Technology Clusters Initiative (HTCI), from 17 to 20 October,
in Boston and New York, within the frame of the "US
University and Business Roadshow" programme. The
programme, coordinated by HTCI, aims to promote new
technological and business opportunities in Greece and to
attract graduates from US universities, including researchers
and professors in the frontier technologies sector, as well as
investors, to our country. HTCI is an initiative supported by
the Ministry for Development, aiming to foster competitive
technology clusters in export-oriented knowledge-intensive
business sectors. The Innovation Centre in Microelectronics
is the first technology cluster in Greece to house under one
roof 15 rapidly growing Greek and foreign high-tech
companies operating in the fields of microelectronic design
(chip design) and embedded systems.
HTCI events in the USA
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of
the Greek as well as the European economy. In Europe, 23
million SMEs account for 99% of all businesses and provide
more than 100 million jobs. Greece is literally the country of
small enterprises, since 99.8% of all companies employ less
than 100 workers.
The role of SMEs is essential for economic growth, production,
employment, decentralisation and social cohesion. However,
their "survival" is not easy in the competitive global market:
they need new production and management methods,
innovative products and services, new technologies, dynamic
partnerships and competitive ideas. SMEs cannot easily cope
with these requirements, since most of them do not have
access to specialised R&D services, information, funds, etc.
New policies and initiatives, at national and European level,
aim to cover these specific needs for the SMEs: new funding
opportunities are available to foster the utilisation of
research results by the SMEs; European networks have been
established to promote technology transfer and partnerships
around Europe; specialised information and support services,
tailored to the needs of the SMEs have been developed, etc.
Research and Innovation
for the SMEs
European portal for SMEs
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sme
Hellenic Organization of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises
and Handicraft
http://www.eommex.gr
Mobile World Congress Brokerage 2008: The international
brokerage event in the mobi le technologies and
telecommunications sector wi l l take place on 11-14
February 2008, in Barcelona, within the framework of the
Mobile World Congress. EKT, the Coordinator of the IRC
Hellenic, is supporting the event.
CERAMICA INNOVA: The f i rst CERAMICA INNOVA
technology–business brokerage event will be held on 6-11
February 2008, in Valencia, during the CEVISAMA 2008
trade fair. CERAMICA INNOVA is an international brokerage
event where organisations, companies, and people with
innovative technology proposals and/or that seek to solve
daunting technological chal lenges can meet leading
companies and organisations from the ceramic sector.
MIRTC, a partner of the IRC Hellenic, is supporting the event.
IRC Hellenic: Forthcoming
Brokerage events
IRC Hellenic
http://www.hirc.gr
Mobile World Congress Brokerage 2008
http://www.cidem.com/mobile-brokerage
CEVISAMA 2008
http://cevisama.feriavalencia.com
The role of prenatal and early-life exposure to genotoxic
chemicals present in food and the environment in the
development of childhood cancer and immune disorders is
being investigated under the European research project
NewGeneris. The project, co-funded by FP6, gathers 26
research organizations from 16 countries, among which is the
Institute of Biological Research and Biotechnology of the
National Hellenic Research Foundation.
During recent decades there has been an accelerating
increase in the incidence of childhood cancers, especially
leukemias, as well as in the prevalence among children of
immune
diseases,
including
asthma,
al lergic
rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema/dermatitis. NewGeneris
is examining the possible role of exposure to such chemicals
during pregnancy in the induction of increased risk of cancer
and immune disorders in childhood. The relevance, for such
risks, of analogous exposures of the fathers at the time of
conception, as well as of the children themselves during their
very early lifetime, is also being investigated.
New Generis: Research on
the newborns' health risks
NewGeneris
http://www.newgeneris.org
HTCI
http://www.htci.gr
Dr J. Chatzimarkakis, a Member of the European Parliament
for the German Liberals, has been awarded the MEP Award
2007 for Research and Technology for his contribution to
the European Inst i tute of Technology and the
Compet i t iveness and Innovat ion Programme. In the
interview given to our magazine, he talks about the leading
role of Europe in research, as wel l as to the need for
transferr ing the research resul ts to the market . He
underlines the gap between scientists and industry and the
role of EIT in establ ishing Knowledge and Innovation
Communities. Dr. Chatzimarkakis refers to the excellence of
Greek researchers, but also stresses the low publ ic
investment for research in our country.
Interview with
Dr J. Chatzimarkakis,
MEP Award 2007 in
Research and Technology
Dr. Jorgo Chatzimarkakis MEP
http://www.chatzimarkakis.gr
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INNO
VATION
RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGY
&
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER
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