Registrations

Formal Opening

• Apostolos Katsifaras, Head of Region of Western Greece
• Dimitrios Mpaxtsevanakis, Vice Ministry of Education, Research and Religion
• Nikolaos Theocharakis, President of the Centre of Planning and Economic Research (KEPE)
• Venetsana Kiriazopoulou, Rector of University of Patras
• Vasilios Triantafillou, Rector of Technical Institute of Western Greece
• Vasilios Kardasis, President of Hellenic Open University
• Platonas Marlafekas, Representative of PATRAS IQ

Coordinator: Konstantinos Karpetas, Deputy Head of Region in charge of entrepreneurship and development

Research findings

1^st Session: The regional economy and economic conjuncture

Coordinator: Ekaterini Tsouma

• General economic framework, monitoring and evaluating the economic juncture, Ekaterini Tsouma (KEPE)
• Regional differences in entrepreneurship, technology, input and spending effects across Greece: 2001-11, Prodromos-Ioannis Prodromidis (KEPE)
• Following the recent progress of Western Greece vis-à-vis other Greek and EU regions via a set of common indicators, Fotini Economou (KEPE)
• Workforce patterns and shifts across regions and sectors in Greece during the recession (2008-2017), Prodromos-Ioannis Prodromidis, Ioanna Kountouri (KEPE)
• Questions & answers. Discussion

2^nd Session: Business operation in a challenging economic environment

Coordinator: Christos Triantopoulos

• Τhe costs and burdens affected upon local businesses by policies applied during 2008-17, and the steps that (could had been or) should be taken to minimize the adverse effects, Ekaterini Tsouma (KEPE)
• Τhe catastrophic consequences on the Greek economy of the heavy taxation of real estate, Dimitrios Christelis (University of Naples Federico II)
• The role of local government institutions and regional development, Athanasios Chymis (KEPE)
• Business funding in Greece: Structural problems, funding gaps, and instruments, Christos Triantopoulos (KEPE)
• Questions & answers. Discussion

3^rd Session: Creating a framework for supporting local entrepreneurship

Coordinator: Athanasios Chymis

• Supporting sustainable entrepreneurship at the regional level: An in-depth case study of social entrepreneurship in the primary sector, Matina Kanaki (University of Aegean), Olivia Kyrakidou (Athens University of Economics & Business)
• Social responsibility and entrepreneurship by local governments, Athanasios Chymis (KEPE)
• The prospects of entrepreneurship in the region of Western Greece: Linking Business Characteristics with the Economic Environment, Maria Markaki (TEI Crete), Athanasios Bellas (University of Patras/POADEP)
• The EER-awarded plan as an opportunity for changing the environment: a first review, Prodromos-Ioannis Prodromidis (KEPE), Spyridon Papaspirou (Region of Western Greece)
• Questions & answers. Discussion

4^th Session: Research tools and findings at the service of policy makers and business actors

Coordinator: Georgia Skintzi

• Investigating technical efficiency of main crop farms in Western Greece, Ioanna Reziti (KEPE)
• Measuring comparative advantages in the Greek economy, Ioanna Konstantakopoulou (KEPE)
• Identifying export opportunities for selected Western Greek products, Nikolaos Kanellopoulos, Georgia Skintzi (KEPE)
• The Role of Regional Values of Social Capital, Trust, and Social Networks in Entrepreneurship in Greek regions: the Services case, Vasileios Kanellopoulos, Georgios Fotopoulos (University of Peloponnese)
• Questions & answers. Discussion

5^th Session: Economic analyses on R&D, innovation, and the use of new technologies

Coordinator: Alexandra Kontolaimou

• Determinants of inter-firm R&D collaborations: Evidence from a survey of 3500 SMEs in Greece, Ioannis Giotopoulos (University of Peloponnese), Alexandra Kontolaimou (KEPE), Efthymia Korra (General Secretariat for Industry), Aggelos Tsakanikas (National Technical University of Athens)
• Exploring the factors constraining and facilitating Greek entrepreneurs' innovative behavior and company performance, Konstantinos Vasileiou (Western Greece University of Applied Sciences)
• E-Invoicing: Present and Future, George Nathanael (Hellenic Federation of Enterprises)
• E-commerce adoption by Greek SMEs: The importance of digital identity management, Alexandra Kontolaimou, Georgia Skintzi (KEPE)
• Questions & answers. Discussion

6^th Session: Innovative entrepreneurship - modern research approaches

Coordinator: Konstantinos Tsekouras

• Cultivating an "entrepreneurial spirit": Insights from the OpEn online course, Victoria Daskalou (University of Patras), Margarita Komninou (University of Patras/National Centre for Social Research)
• Measuring the Innovative Performance of EU Regions, Αfroditi Sdraka, Konstantinos Kounetas (University of Patras)
• Analysis of Top R&D investors performance under a Technology Heterogeneity Regime, Ηariklia Katsigianni, Konstantinos Kounetas (University of Patras)
• Do Financial Constraints hinder the persistence of R&D activities?, Αreti Gkypali (University of Warwick, United Kingdom), Gabriele Pelegrino (World Intellectual Property Organization/École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Konstantinos Tsekouras (University of Patras), Marco Vivarelli (Catholique University of Milan, Italy)
• Questions & answers. Discussion

Discussion – Conclusions

• Georgios Aggelopoulos, President of the Regional Council of Western Greece
• Prodromos-Ioannis Prodromidis, Senior research fellow, KEPE

Clusters and methods/vehicles of promotion of entrepreneurship are self-presented:

• Corallia, Vasilios Makios, President of CORALLIA hub
• Science Park of Patras, Vasilis Anastasopoulos, President and Managing Director
• Orange Grove Patras, Alexandra Sarma, incubator co-founder
• Open Coffee Patras, George Melissaropoulos, co-founder
• Aroma hub, Foteini Lamari, hub director
• Mazinnov Hub, Christophe Chantepy, Embassy of France in Greece, Olivier Dovergne, project director
• Efimerida ton Syntakton: Experiences in the field of information, Ioannis Smyrlakis Director of Drafting, Dimitris Kanellopoulos President of the Employee Cooperative, Tasos Pappas Head of the weekend publication
• Mindspace, Odysseas Lamtzidis, Chief Operating Officer

Registrations

Presentations of official guests:

• Ioannis Dragasakis, Deputy Prime - Minister
• Corina Cretu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy
• Alexandros Charitsis, Deputy Minister of Economy and Development
• Markku Markkula, Vice President of Committee of Regions
• Konstantinos Agorastos, President of Association of Greek Regions
• Anna Danti, Acting Head of the sector "Communication/Partnerships & Networks"
• Kleomenis Barlos, Professor, President of Association of Entrerprises & Industries, Peloponesse & Western Greece, Member of National Council for R&D of Greece
• Konstantinos Michalos, President of Union of Hellenic Chambers

Coordinator: Katia Makri, Journalist

Round table / Panel Discussions

Coordinator: Katia Makri, Journalist

1^st Thematic Session "The enterprising state and the enterprising region – Role, fables and reality"

Participants:

• Costas Fotakis, Alternate Minister for Research & Innovation
• Napoleon Maravegias, Professor ,Vice Rector National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, ex Minister
• Efstratios Zafiris, General Secretariat of Industry
• Stavros Arnaoutakis, Head of Region of Crete
• Taina Tukiainen, Professor, Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Aalto University

2^nd Thematic Session "Building the future regional systems of Entrepreneurship and Innovation"

Participants:

• Lois Lamprianidis, General Secretariat of Strategic and Private Investments
• Dimosthenis Polyzos, Deputy Rector of Patras University and President of PATRAS IQ
• Vasilios Makios, President of CORALLIA hub
• Georgios Peroulakis, Representative of the Directorate for Regional Policy & Development of the European Union
• Georgios Strogylopoulos, Technology Transfer Officer NCSR "Demokritos"
• Panagiota Bithoulka, Businesswoman at Western Greece, Althea Apartments
• Dimitrios Ladikos, Director of Development, Quality and Supply of JOTIS S.A. (Food industry at Western Greece)

"Strategy for a sustainable economic growth"

John Podesta, Director and Founder of the Center for American Progress, Chairman of Hillary Clinton for America, Chief of Staff to Bill Clinton, Counselor to President Obama

3^rd Thematic Session "Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Development in Western Greece. Network members comment on the presence and future of the alliance"

• Kleomenis Barlos, Professor, President of Hellenic Federation of Enterprises, Branch of Western Greece
• Achaia Chamber of Commerce
• Aitoloakaranania Chamber of Commerce
• Ilia Chamber of Commerce
• Georgios Telonis, Western Greece association touristic offices
• Petros Mantas, President of Hellenic Federation of Industrial Parks Established Enterprises
• Vasilis Burganos, Director, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences Research, Vice President of Regional Council of Research and Innovation in Western Greece

Discussions - Conclusions

Coordinator: Katia Makri, Journalist

Opening speeches:

• Panagiotis Skourletis, Minister of Interior
• Apostolos Katsifaras, Head of Region of Western Greece
• Konstantinos Agorastos, President of the Association of Greek Regions
• Georgios Papanastasiou, President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Western Greece

European Regions exchange experiences

Coordinator: Dionysia Maratou, Executive Secretary of the Region of Western Greece

Round table / Panel Discussions

Coordinator: Konstantinos Magnis, Journalist

Greek Regions, Entrepreneurship and Reconstruction

Participants:

• Apostolos Katsifaras, Head of Region of Western Greece
• Rena Dourou, Head of Attica Region
• Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Head of Region of Central Macedonia
• Kostantinos Mpakogiannis, Head of Region of Central Greece
• Kostantinos Agorastos, Head of Region of Thessaly