The activities offered to nine (9) companies / potential entrepreneurs, who had joined the pilot action " Central Macedonia Office for micro & small Enterprises", were successfully completed. CEMaO – misme has been implemented in the context of “Pure Cosmos - PUblic authorities Role Enhancing COmpetitiveness of SMEs” Project, co-financed by INTERREG EUROPE.
Its main goal was to promote the digital transformation of micro and small enterprises, either by upgrading the digital skills of existing businesses, or by integrating digital applications into new business initiatives.
The pilot action was implemented by ANATOLIKI SA in collaboration with the Region of Central Macedonia (RCM), Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), the Association of ICT Companies of Northern Greece (SEPVE), the Centre for Business and Cultural Development (KEPA), OK! THESS pre-incubator and the Saxony-Anhalt Investment Bank.
The nine (9) beneficiary companies selected by a committee, participated in the following actions:
A) Training Workshops, 48 hours in total, on the following subjects: Conditions for creating a successful business, Digital innovation in entrepreneurship, Facilitated access of micro and small enterprises to financing.
B) Events:
• "Small & Big Business Success Secrets"
• “Overcoming difficulties… on the road to success”
C) Individual Consultation, participating in 360 individual sessions, with the aim of developing a business plan to transform their idea into a viable, profitable business. The business ideas developed by the participants cover a wide range of activities:
• Pump Maintenance Systems
• Alternative tourism for people with special needs
• Women's clothing store & e-shop
• Secondary education tutoring
• Breakfast store
• Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing, Circular Economy
• Legal services
• Olive oil processing company
• Service provider, Communication - Content Management in unions, NGOs and organizations
C) Mentoring, participating in 36 sessions with executive mentors that have successful professional career in the market. Mentors guided, motivated, encouraged, passed on knowledge and suggested ideas for digital applications / tools that met the needs of each participant. Seven (7) out of nine beneficiaries requested and received additional 26 mentoring hours proving the effectiveness of the pilot action.
Finally, three (3) beneficiaries have already started their own business:
• Legal service Office
• Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing, Circular Economy- deconsup.com/about/
• Secondary education tutoring, counting 20 students, www.psomiadis.edu.gr
An existing company, in operation for over 30 years, is in the phase of completing its website (www.hydrokinisi-zika.com ) and building a complete online store.
The pilot action was completed after presenting its results at the final, international online conference of PURE COSMOS on "One Stop Shop & digital applications for Small and Medium Enterprises: Eight Regions of Europe design Services for Entrepreneurs" and the peer to peer meeting between an RCM innovation expert and Fraunhofer Institute, good practice owner of the Center of Expertise 4.0.
