On 27 March 2026, at the JOIST Innovation Park in Larissa, the Western Macedonia Regional Development Fund participated in Innovent Forum 2026. During the round-table discussion “Innovation Ecosystems as a Mechanism for Regional Convergence”, the Fund's Director General, Dimitris Mavromatidis, presented the collective effort to support Western Macedonia's productive transformation through the Western Macedonia Strategic Hub.
What is the Strategic Hub?
The presentation did not introduce another set of isolated actions, but a strategic and operational roadmap. Significant resources have been secured and ambitious initiatives have begun within the Just Development Transition framework. The central challenge is not to create more structures, but to enable them to operate together as a single, coherent ecosystem.
The objective is clear: moving from today's fragmented landscape towards a “No Wrong Door” environment, where every business and citizen has one point of entry, one route and a consistent service experience.
The four pillars
The Hub is organised around four pillars: Innovation Zone, Entrepreneurship, Employment & Skills and Social Economy. The central coordinating role is assigned to the Western Macedonia Regional Development Fund, making use of existing institutional capacity instead of adding the time and cost of a new organisation.
The Innovation Zone includes the Kozani Technology Park, the Hydrogen Hub in Ptolemaida (CERTH), and an extended network of Living Labs across the Region: the AgroWine Lab in Florina, the Lakes Economy Lab in Kastoria, the Mountain Economy Lab in Grevena and the CleanTech Lab in Ptolemaida.
The discussion at Innovent Forum
The discussion confirmed that the challenge of regional convergence through innovation concerns not only Western Macedonia, but the country as a whole.
Round-table participants included:
- Evi Dramalioti — Secretary General for Coordination, Presidency of the Government
- Stavros Kalafatis — Deputy Minister of Development, responsible for Research and Innovation
- Dimitrios Kouretas — Governor of Thessaly
- Alexandros Iosifidis — Deputy Governor for Development, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, East Macedonia and Thrace
- Takis Papadopoulos — Deputy Governor for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Western Greece
- Dr Panagiotis Ketikidis — Chair of the Board, Alexander Innovation Zone; EIC National Representative; Chair of HeBAN
Part of the presentation
The video presents part of the Western Macedonia Strategic Hub contribution at Innovent Forum 2026.
Dimitris Mavromatidis | Director General, Western Macedonia Regional Development Fund
Region of Western Macedonia