A Memorandum of Cooperation for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship was signed on Friday 22 July 2022 by the PRAXI Network and the Hellenic Development Bank ( HDB) - HDB.

The Director of the PRAXI Network, Mr. Panagiotis Karniouras and the Vice President of the Hellenic Development Bank - HDB Mr. Pantelis Tzortzakis sealed the will of the two parties to cooperate and launch joint actions that will support the Greek ecosystem knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship ecosystem.

More specifically, they agreed that they would join forces to:

• "Accelerating partnerships". With emphasis on shaping the conditions for accelerating collaborations of Greek companies for the creation of international competitive schemes.
• "Networking with international ecosystems". Through access to international digital networking platforms, with the primary goal of extroversion, raising investment capital and seeking trading partners.
• "Education to enhance competitiveness". With the tools of organizing, together with the PRAXI Network, webinars in thematic units in order to educate, exchange knowledge and enhance the competitiveness of businesses.
• "Promotion of Innovation". Cooperation with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of Greek businesses, promoting innovation and business idea to researchers, supporting sustainable development and improving employment.
• "Access to finance". The Hellenic Development Bank (EAT) and the PRAXI Network will work together to provide advice to businesses seeking finance.
• "Development of business tools". Further assessment criteria will be developed for the development of automated methods for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of business plans, as well as the control of the application of hybrid financing tools combining loans, guarantees, co-financing, grants and capital participations.

Panagiotis Karniouras, Director of the PRAXI Network

"The strategic partnership signed today with the Hellenic Development Bank (Hellenic Development Bank) is an essential step in the direction of coordinated and integrated support for innovation in the Greek research community and the knowledge-intensive business community. The PRAXI Network will henceforth act as an "innovation agent" of HDB. Together they will design targeted interventions that will lead to a visible impact in the mid-short term."

Pantelis Tzortzakis, vice-president of EAT

"At Hellenic Development Bank- HDB (EAT) we continue to create constructive and strategic partnerships, such as the current one with the PRAXI Network. Our strategic goal is to take advantage of the reach of the PRAXI Network and the synergies that will emerge. Especially in the field of technology transfer. In this way we will also support the new entrepreneurship that can arise from successful university research projects. Our common goal is to be creative in offering multiple tools to businesses. With solutions and means for more innovation and extroversion".