Enterprises active in tourism are among the top startups in Greece, according to startup registry Elevate Greece.

The data was presented last week during the first National Awards for Startup Entrepreneurship by Deputy Development & Investments Minister Christos Dimas.

Based on Elevate Greece data, startups in life sciences lead the way with 14.1 percent, followed by tourism at 9.1 percent, and the environment with 9.1 percent.

Life sciences also account for startup companies with the most employees accounting for 11 percent of the total, followed by advertising at 8.3 percent, and e-commerce with 7.4 percent.

In terms of concentration of startup activity, Dimas said two in three startups are created in the Attica region, followed by 14.7 percent in the Central Macedonia region, 6.5 percent in Crete, and 4.2 percent in Western Greece.

In view of the data, Dimas said the government priority was to create more startup activity outside large cities. “We have already initiated discussions with regional governors, and in particular with governors in regions where the rates are too low – below 1 percent – to find ways to create financial incentives together so that more startups emerge outside large urban centers,” he said.

Dimas and Development & Investments Minister Adonis Georgiadis told a press conference ahead of the event that 600 million euros from the EU recovery package would be directed to startup activity and research in the coming years, 100 million euros of which towards the creation of science parks. An additional 30 million euros will be channeled into technology transfer startups, the minister said.

Athens turns into a vast, open-air cinema! Summer blockbusters, all-time classics, local gems and special events in the biggest open-air festival in the city!

The most cherished film institution is returning for the 11th time, assuring that all the screening of the Athens Open Air Film Festival will take place  providing a premium audiovisual experience and, of course, strictly complying with the measures for public health protection and social distancing, as required in open-air cinemas.

Entrance is free but you will first need to acquire an admission pass, at least three days before each screening

To reserve an admission pass or view the screenings schedule click HERE!

More information about the festival's schedule can be found here! 

Athens Epidaurus Festival proudly presents the young musicians of El Sistema Greece for the second time in its history at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, in collaboration with producer, musician and DJ Blend Mishkin.

On July 5, members of El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra and El Sistema Greece Youth Choir join forces with Blend Mishkin reggae band Roots Evolution and favorite Greek singers, in an artistically unexpected meeting at the iconic Odeon of Herodes Atticus and present new performances of songs that marked contemporary music, based in turn on older hits, thus introducing past music to younger audiences.

El Sistema Greece is a community music project that since 2016 provides free music education to children and young people in Greece. All children —no matter their origin, nationality, or religion— are not only inspired to strive for a better future, but thanks to music, they are given a platform for dialogue and togetherness across diverse communities.

Music is a universal language which can be a powerful tool for social inclusion. Musical education has been proven to be an incredibly effective medium for achieving long term social change for both the children involved, and their families, worldwide.

It’s been a difficult year for humanity, but together, we have the power to help each other get back on our feet. Οn August 25-29, 2021, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation's (SNF) SNF Nostos events that ordinarily take place each June at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens, Greece, will give us a chance to get together, to start talking, and to get moving once again. We look forward to experiencing SNF Nostos in person this summer with all of you.

SNF Nostos is an international, multidimensional festival bursting with art, conversation and ideas, music, dance, performances, participatory entertainment, and sports activities. SNF Nostos combines a fresh lineup of beloved Greek and international artists with annual signature events: the SNF Nostos Conference featuring luminaries from diverse spheres, the evening SNF Nostos RUN, and the SNF DIALOGUES in collaboration with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Discover

How can we make sure that artificial intelligence technology emboldens the human spirit, rather than diminishes it? How might we use AI to build a healthier, greener, and more equitable world? Can we limit the risks of AI, and ensure its benefits are widely shared? Can we use AI to overcome our limitations instead of simply reinforcing them?

The 2021 SNF Nostos Conference, dedicated to Humanity and Artificial Intelligence, will explore these questions and more from August 26 to August 28.

Register HERE!

Discuss

On August 25th, SNF DIALOGUES, a series of events held through journalism nonprofit iMEdD (incubator for Media Education and Development), will host an open discussion as part of SNF Nostos on the topic of Humanity-AI Symbiosis in collaboration with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Guided by expert perspectives and driven by the audience’s curiosity, the DIALOGUES discussion will address the ethical, philosophical and social issues that arise from the use of developed AI systems in everyday life, and what the future holds for society and democracy. The event will feature a live discussion with an AI system, giving food for thought and setting the stage for further discussion, including a Q&A with young people at the end of the event.

Register HERE!

Run

It may be the most satisfying activity at the SNF Nostos celebration, and it’s certainly the sweatiest. On August 25th, the SNF Nostos Run returns with an opportunity to join other runners from all over Greece and around the world in shaking off those lockdown cobwebs. The run will be held in-person and will also include a virtual option. Organization of the race is supervised by the nonprofit Regeneration & Progress and medical supervision is provided by the First Orthopedic Clinic at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).

Registration for the SNF Nostos Run opens on June 23rd.

Enjoy

Artists from Greece and around the globe will present original works and installations that help us appreciate and rethink the world around us, including the mesmerizing potential artificial intelligence holds for humanity. Games, puzzles, and computer science conundrums will ignite curiosity and stretch brains of all ages. Electrifying musical acts will get us on our feet and moving to the beat.

Twitter LinkedIn Email Date & Time 01 June - 30 June 2021 Tuesday 01 June 2021 21:00 Wednesday 02 June 2021 21:00 Thursday 03 June 2021 21:00 Friday 04 June 2021 21:00 More dates (23) Place Canal Admission Free The Fountains of the SNFCC dance daily to disco, opera, classical music and well-known soundtracks.

From Tuesday 1 June, the program of the Fountains is enriched with impressive water shows that will present daily at 21.00 and 21.30 thematic choreographies on a different type of music per day. The program follows in detail:

Monday - Opera & Greek Composers
Georges Bizet, Carmen: Habanera Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Don Giovanni: Fin che dal vini Giacomo Puccini, Madama Butterfly, Act II, Un bel di vedremo (Instrumental) Nikos Skalkottas, Epirot dance (Ser. I/4) George Koumentakis, Serra

Tuesday - Disco
The Jacksons, Blame it on the boogie BeeGees, Saturday Night Fever Weather Girls, It's Raining Men Boney M, Daddy Cool ABBA, Dancing Queen

Wednesday - Soundtracks
Michael Nyman, theme from The Piano John Williams, theme from Harry Potter Carlos Gardel, Por una Cabeza (Scent of a Woman) Vangelis, theme from Conquest of Paradise Ennio Morricone, The Ecstasy of Gold

Thursday - Classical Music
Antonín Dvořák, Furiant, No. 1 in C major, from Slavonic Dances, op. 46 Dmitri Shostakovich, Waltz II, from the Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2 Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker Ludwig Minkus, Don Quixote, Kitri Entrance Vivaldi, Four Seasons, Autumn (1st mvt)

Friday - Disco
The Jacksons, Blame it on the boogie BeeGees, Saturday Night Fever Weather Girls, It's Raining Men Boney M, Daddy Cool ABBA, Dancing Queen

Saturday - Soundtracks
Michael Nyman, theme from The Piano John Williams, theme from Harry Potter Carlos Gardel, Por una Cabeza (Scent of a Woman) Vangelis, theme from Conquest of Paradise Ennio Morricone, The Ecstasy of Gold

Sunday - Classical Music
Antonín Dvořák, Furiant, No. 1 in C major, from Slavonic Dances, op. 46 Dmitri Shostakovich, Waltz II, from the Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2 Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker Ludwig Minkus, Don Quixote, Kitri Entrance Vivaldi, Four Seasons, Autumn (1st mvt)

The leading golf tournament for the shipping community, Greek Maritime Golf Event, is expected to gather the Greek and global shipping industry for the 7 th year, on September 3-5, 2021, at Costa Navarino, Messinia.

The Greek Maritime Golf Event is a tournament that is always distinguished not only for the competitive level of its participants but also for its social work. This year, the great golf event will strengthen through its actions the Non-Profit Organization KARKINAKI. More specifically, during this year’s award ceremony to the winners, and winning teams respectively, on Saturday, September 4, participants will have the opportunity to directly contribute with their desired amount at the specially designed area. The total amount to be collected will be given to the Non-Profit Organization KARKINAKI, which claims intervention in the effort of stopping Childhood and adolescent cancer being a taboo issue, but also finding as many allies as possible so that every child who suffers from cancer has equal access to high-quality hospitalization, effective treatment and, ultimately, the right to life. 

The awards ceremony will be glamorous and full of surprises and gifts for its participants. The event will be presented by the Euroleague legend, Joe Arlauckas and the international model Ioanna Papadimitriou. The shipping community is expected to “embrace” and actively support the event’s good cause for yet another year.

Registration for this year’s tournament continues with an undiminished pace, as participants are already forming their teams. Amateur golf enthusiasts, all of them being shipping executives, will have the opportunity to compete in the two signature 18-hole courses, The Dunes Course and The Bay Course, in an idyllic landscape of Messinia with a unique view of the Ionian Sea and the historic Bay of Navarino.

At the same time, non-golfers will have the opportunity to discover the secrets of the Olympic sport of golf. They will learn the rules and the basic hits by attending the golf lessons that will be implemented within the golf clinic of the schedule.

MOTODYNAMICS SA is the Signature Sponsor of the Greek Maritime Golf Event, actively supporting the Greek golf industry. The company is the official importer of Porsche AG in Greece, the German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars.

Greek Maritime Golf Event is attended by some of the leading shipping companies from Greece and Cyprus as well as great Greek companies that support the event.
The Marshall Islands Registry IRI is the event’s Platinum Sponsor. Mainline Shipping Company, Onego Shipping Company, Jotun Hellas and Swift Marine are Golden Sponsors. Arrow Hellas, DNV and Drew Marine are Silver Sponsors.
MOTODYNAMICS SA is the Signature Sponsor.
Marine Tours is the event’s Official Travel Partner.
IYC is the Official Sponsor.
Tototheo Maritime, Standard Club and Poseidonia are the Official Supporters.
Under Armour is the Official Clothing Partner.
The Margi, Domotel Kastri, Karalis Beach Hotel, Dinner in the Sky, Athi Rodi and Unique Flowers Creations are the event’s Partners.
Boo Productions is the Audio Visual Partner.
Greek Maritime Golf Event, is organized by Birdie Events, through an initiative of the recognized Greek PGA golfer, Mr. Thanos Karantzias.

The award-winning sports marketing agency of ActiveMedia Group has undertaken the event’s Golf Production.

The tournament is addressed exclusively to distinguished executives of the Greek shipping community. The tournament will be held in a completely safe destination, with a health protocol and the necessary approvals of the Health Scientific Committee of the General Secretariat of Sports, taking into account the strict specifications set by the Hellenic Golf Federation. More information about the full schedule of this year’s event will be announced in the coming weeks.

Hashtag: #greekmaritimegolfevent

Photo credit: Charis Akriviadis

The pandemic has opened many "digital doors" in plenty of businesses and sectors this past year, giving them the chance to flourish and create new opportunities all over the world. One of these new opportunities has been to create a more "Digitally Intelligent" Athens in regards to environmental awareness with the help of 21st-century technology.

In co-operation with Microsoft and ATCOM, the municipality of Athens has launched “Project Athena”. A system of sensors scattered around the city, (starting from the center of Athens, in Plateia Kotzia, and in Kolonaki) which will collect data on various pollution markers like air quality and noise levels, quality of life markers like a number of wheelchair ramps on the city’s streets, and much more.

With the help of these sensors, the municipality will know which action needs to be taken and in which location by analyzing the sensor’s data through a custom-built management platform. Since June 15th, a total of 10 sensors have been installed in waste bins to measure their level of fullness, and several more have been put in place near pedestrian crossings and crossings for individuals with special needs to ensure that their access is not being inhibited.

With “Project Athena” in motion, Athens is one step closer to becoming a cleaner, safer, and more accommodating version of itself, both for the environment and for the daily lives of the locals.

During a Covid-19 media briefing, Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias informed that the epidemiological picture of Greece continues to show improvement, as the number of new cases and those hospitalized is decreasing.

More specifically, the deputy minister announced that as of Saturday, June 19, amusement parks and wellness services will be permitted to resume operations.

Amusement parks will operate under strict social distancing measures while all customers and staff must wear masks at all times.

The resumption of wellness services includes the reopening of spas, therapeutic baths, and thermal springs and will take place in accordance with strict health measures.

The deputy minister also announced that indoor movie theaters will reopen as of Thursday, July 1 under a 50 percent capacity limit. Moviegoers will be allowed to enter after booking their seat online and showing either a Covid-19 vaccination certificate or a negative self-test result at the door. Masks must be worn at all times in indoor movie theaters.

With regard to people wearing masks while exercising in gyms, he said that those with a vaccination certificate are exempt from the rule.

To read this article in full, please visit: news.gtp.gr

Are you dreaming of crystal clear waters, stunning white sand, and swaying palm trees? Well, you don't have to travel thousands of miles away to find your exotic paradise. The miniature archipelago of Petalioi, consisting of 10 unspoiled islands, is located southeast of Euboea - just one hour from Athens!

Rocky shores, golden sand, emerald waters, and lush vegetation create a scenery of pristine beauty - one that majestically combines wild nature with peaceful tranquility. The islands' beaches, hidden in scenic coves, are ideal for swimming, surfing, sailing, and diving. Access is only by boat, attracting international jet setters and wealthy travelers. 

Most of the islands are uninhabited except for three that belong to private citizens. Megalonisos, the complex's largest island, is the property of two shipping families, while 200 acres belong to Picasso's children, Claude and Paloma. 

Impressive are the imposing villas, one on each island, giving the feeling of a true VIP neighborhood. On the second largest island, one can admire the white mansion belonging to the Empirikos family, while, right across it, Karnezis' villa sits gracefully. 

Although direct access to these private islands is prohibited, one can always enjoy these glorious crystal waters by boat hire or small cruise. Sounds lovely doesn't it!?