The Western Macedonia Entrepreneurship & Innovation Forum was held on 23 June 2026 at the Municipal Library of Kozani, following an invitation from the Business Support Mechanism for the Just Development Transition. Dimitris Mavromatidis took part in his capacity as Director General of the Western Macedonia Regional Development Fund.
The presentation, entitled “The research, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Western Macedonia”, introduced the Strategic Hub as a shared effort to coordinate regional support structures, based on the unanimous decision of the Regional Council and the strategic direction of the Region of Western Macedonia.
Three central issues emerged from the discussion:
- Access to services must be straightforward for citizens and businesses, regardless of which organisation holds the formal responsibility.
- During a demanding period of productive transformation, fragmented resources, data and services weaken the overall result.
- The Strategic Hub is not a new organisation. It is a common system that connects existing platforms, workflows and services through a “No Wrong Door” approach: one request, one route.
Implementation requires cooperation among the Region of Western Macedonia, the University of Western Macedonia, CERTH, ANKO, the Chambers of Commerce, PPC, CluBE, METAVASI S.A./ELEDAM, the municipalities, scientific bodies, and the research and business communities.
The presentation and its preparation are the result of collective work by the Regional Development Fund team and the partner organisations. The common direction is clear: shared tools, shared data and a consistent experience for citizens and businesses.