The Athens Startup Incubator of the Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the National Chamber Network of Greek Women Entrepreneurs – E.E.D.E.G.E. is extending an open invitation to start-up innovative women's business groups and start-up innovative women's SMEs to submit an application for their inclusion in the structure of the " Athens Start-up Business Incubator – TH.E.A." of the "Center for Entrepreneurship – Konstantinos Michalos" and to join the hosting program of the E.B.E.G. Incubator.

The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) is an Institutional Supporter of the National Chamber Network of Greek Women Entrepreneurs (ECNI), which, through its daily work and long-term strategy, seeks to strengthen and consolidate existing women's businesses, develop women's entrepreneurship, and ­ women by establishing new businesses, promoting equal opportunities, eliminating professional stereotypes and reconciling family and professional life. The vision of E.E.D.E.G.E. is to inspire, guide and strengthen female entrepreneurship, as well as to solve the problems that women generally face in the labor market, by developing and implementing actions and initiatives throughout Greece.

The E.E.D.E.G.E. is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors, which consists of elected female entrepreneurs from Chambers throughout the country.

WHO IT CONCERNS:

· ­­­­­­­­ ­­ New innovative business groups in which at least 50% of their members are women.

· ­­­­­­­ ­­ ­ New innovative SMEs with female founders or co-founders, as well as businesses in which women hold the majority of the shares/stocks of the business and participate with a percentage of over 50% in the executive administration/management of the business.

In particular:

· ­­­­­­ ­ Each start-up women's business team and start-up innovative women's SME undertakes the commitment to participate in the programs and actions of the Incubator in the context of cooperation with its advisors and mentors, so that its progress can be monitored during the period of development of its business idea or the growth of its business.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Support Program

THEA provides the following services to the start-up women's business groups and the start-up innovative women's SMEs, which will be included in the SUPPORT PROGRAM:

1. ­­­ Consulting services (business planning, marketing planning, legal, accounting issues, etc.).

2. ­­­­ Specialized education/training services.

3. ­­­­ Networking actions to support business groups.

4. ­­­­ Access ­ in meeting rooms in the Incubator building.

Hospitality Program

THEA provides the above services to the start-up women's business groups and the start-up innovative women's SMEs, which will be included in its Hospitality Program, as well as:

1. ­­­ Hosting the teams in the Incubator premises.

2. ­­ Modern operating environment with appropriately designed spaces ­­­­­­­ offices, meeting rooms and common areas.

3. ­­­­ Modern infrastructure and provision of equipment.

4. ­­­­ Security, cleaning and secretarial support services.

5. ­­­­­ Additionally, the coverage of fixed operating costs is ensured, ­ consumables and other expenses.

BENEFITS

The benefits that all start-up women's business groups and start-up innovative women's SMEs secure from their participation in the T.E.A. include:

• ­­­­ Providing advisory support on management, marketing – sales promotion, legal and tax issues, etc.

• ­­­­ Promoting synergies between business groups. ­­­­­­­­­­­

• ­­­­ Support for access to investment funds related to the financing of the start-up business.

• ­­­­ Participation in training seminars.

• ­­­­ Business networking activities in Greece and abroad.

• ­­­­ Formation of common interests and goals at an operational level.

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PROCESS OF INTEGRATION IN THE WARM HOME & SUPPORT STAGES

Submitting Applications

Applications, which must be submitted by ­ on the 28th ­ April, 2023 , ­ will be evaluated immediately and on a first come, first served basis, by the Special Evaluation Committee of the T.E.A. The qualified business teams will be invited for an interview, to complete the evaluation before Phase A.

Phase A: ­ Pre – incubation / Pre – acceleration​​

Those evaluated positively Women's business groups and innovative female SMEs are invited to attend the pre-incubation and pre-acceleration program, respectively , lasting three (3) weeks, which will be provided to them by the Incubator.

During this period, women's business groups and innovative female SMEs will participate in focused Incubator activities aimed at determining the feasibility of implementing their business plan and strengthening the entrepreneurial skills of their members. A key milestone of Phase A is the structuring of the Technical Feasibility Analysis of the business idea.

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Phase B: ­ Incubation/ Acceleration Program

After the completion of the pre-incubation/pre-acceleration program, the incubation or acceleration program for women's business groups and innovative female SMEs follows, which includes a Hosting Program or Incubator Support Program, lasting up to six (6) months. In order for women's business groups and innovative female SMEs to be included in the Hosting or Support Programs of the Greek Institute of Innovation and Technology, they must have been positively evaluated upon completion of the Pre-incubation or Pre-acceleration Program.

The successful completion of the Pre-Incubation or Pre-Acceleration Program allows women's business groups and start-up innovative women's SMEs, respectively, to focus on enhancing the marketability of their business idea with the assistance of the services of THEA. Specifically, in this phase, the members of the women's business group or the start-up innovative women's SME, with the support and guidance of the mentors, consultants, staff of THEA. and E.EDEGE, are invited to formulate the basic tools of business development, namely a detailed Business Plan. At the same time, women's business groups and innovative women's SMEs, in addition to Hosting and Support services, also receive extensive networking services, utilizing the relevant experience and expertise of the E.B.E.A., as well as parallel initiatives that have been developed, such as their contact with the " Business Angel Network – BANG" of the E.B.E.A. and with investment funds, participation in events, demo days, participation in international exhibitions and more.

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Phase C: ­ Networking Program

Successful completion of the Incubation or Acceleration Program signifies:

• ­­­­­­­­­ The "graduation" of the start-up women's business groups and the start-up innovative women's SMEs from the program, as well as their departure from the T.E.A. facilities.

• ­­­­­­­­­ The continuous support of start-up women's business groups and start-up innovative women's SMEs through their privileged participation in the individual networking and entrepreneurship strengthening actions implemented by the E.B.E.A.

It is noted that the services of the Networking Program have no time limit.

Application

On the website www.theathensincube.gr ­ you will find the application form ­ proposal for inclusion in the Athens Startup Incubator – THEA, the evaluation criteria, as well as the instructions for completing and submitting it electronically.

For more information or any clarifications you may need, you can contact the e – mail [email protected] and the telephone numbers of the THEA Secretariat: ­­ 211 1036904, 211 1036958 from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Submission Deadline

Proposal Submission Requests can be submitted until the 28th ­ April, 2023.