Intelligent Cross-Border Accelerator for Innovative ICT-enabled start-ups
INTERREG IPA CBC PROGRAMME “Greece the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2014-2020”
Alexander Innovation Zone S.A., Lead Beneficiary, implements the project entitled ‘’Intelligent Cross-Border Accelerator for Innovative ICT-enabled start-ups“/ INTERREG IPA CBC PROGRAMME “Greece the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2014-2020” in collaboration with the following partners , South East European Research Centre (SEERC), Technopolis Thessaloniki SA, University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle” Ohrid (UIST), Association National Centre for Development of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Learning Skopje (NCDIEL) and Youth Entrepreneurial Service Foundation (YES) .
Few words for the project
The Greece-FYROM cross-border area has a significant knowledge capital but limited capability to attract investments because of difficulty to approach and tempt investors by providing them with the required information about their potential product. In addition, its economy is suffering from several problems, including high unemployment, high brain-drain and low growth.
Potential scientists and entrepreneurs involved in the accelerator process will go through a stage-gate process of training and mentoring, starting with general ICT-enabled business development trainings, continuing with dedicated webinars conducted by some of the area’s top experts, and culminating in a process of intense, personalised, one-on-one mentoring for the 25-30 most promising business ideas developed either in mature start-ups or in cooperation with high level experts.
The process will result in 15-20 investment-ready ideas with high potential, which will be presented to a number of investors, and can lead to new start-ups and new jobs throughout the CB area before and after the end of the project.
The iCBA project will provide added value by applying a joint and common model for the CB area, covering its common needs. This joint effort will result in a valuable exchange of experience and know-how between organisations and stakeholders from Greece and FYROM, as well as between start-upers themselves as a strong emphasis is placed on joint events, binational meetings and binational networking and cooperation events bringing entrepreneurs, stakeholders and authorities from the two countries closer, and aiding in the medium-to-long-term goal of FYROM’s accession to the EU and integration in the common market.
The consortium consists of institutions with excellent capacity and experience in similar types of actions, as well as in promoting and supporting innovative entrepreneurship in the CB area and beyond. This experience is reflected by several international initiatives.
