Entrepreneurs are critical to economic recovery and renewal — they are creating opportunity today and providing role models to change the hopes and aspirations of a new generation. By reigniting the Greek entrepreneurial spirit we can unleash a wave of innovation and creation, slowing the “brain drain” of young professionals by giving them a reason to stay in Greece and transform ideas into successful businesses.
Greece can grow its way out of this crisis, but growth requires vision, capability and capital. Amidst the troubling headlines and statistics, there are viable businesses that can grow with our collective investment, creating jobs and delivering solid returns for investors. And there are visionary leaders eager to build companies and indeed an economy on stronger, more sustainable foundations. THI is investing in the future by supporting two initiatives that promote near-term job growth while laying the foundations for long-term strategic development:
The Hellenic Investment Fund is an impact investment fund targeting a “double bottom line” of investment returns and job growth. The fund will provide growth equity to small and midsized companies that are the backbone of the Greek economy and whose success is critical to fueling its recovery. Many THI board members are anchor investors, but it is a standalone, for-profit fund and THI will have no management or investment authority.
Since inception, THI has directly invested $13 million in Greece through 96 grantees focused on economic development, entrepreneurship and job creation.
In 2024, see what we accomplished with your gift to these partner programs:
Accelerate Greece, founded in California in 2019, is now hosted in Toronto, Canada. Its mission is to drive innovation in Greece by supporting entrepreneurs in building the next generation of successful Greek tech companies through an intensive acceleration program.
What we accomplished with your gift:
AFI was established in 2014 through a collaboration between Action Aid Hellas and Adie International. As Greece’s pioneering microfinance institution, AFI aims to empower grassroots micro-entrepreneurs and unemployed individuals who lack access to traditional banking
What we accomplished with your gift:
Founded in 1982 by visionary Greek shipowners and seafarers with the vision to “Save the Seas” and ensure a clean and healthy marine environment, HELMEPA stands as one of the most historic and influential environmental organizations. Nearly 40 years later, HELMEPA boasts a community of nearly 300,000 volunteers and has evolved into an open participatory platform for 344 companies, over 2,312 ocean-going vessels and 14,200 seafarers, forming an extensive global network of stakeholders.
What we accomplished with your gift:
Odyssea supports vocational job creation and training for young Greeks (ages 18-34) who are from disadvantaged groups, low income, refugees or migrants, and are not in education or employment situations. Odyssea provides hard and soft skill vocational training and employment placement services.
What we accomplished with your gift:
ReGeneration is Greece’s largest human resources firm, formed in a joint venture between THI and the Coca-Cola Company to reverse Greece’s “brain drain.” Regeneration places college-educated Greeks under age 29 in six-month paid job placements to launch their careers. In over 90% of cases, these internships turn into permanent positions. The program provides extensive training programs to up- skill, re-skill, and train candidates for employment.
What we accomplished with your gift:
The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation is dedicated to a comprehensive range of impactful charitable initiatives, with a focus on regions intimately connected to the founder’s life and work – specifically the UK, Monaco, Greece, and Cyprus.
What we accomplished with your gift:
VentureGarden launched in 2014 as a joint venture between Anatolia College in Thessaloniki and ALBA in Athens, with THI as founding donor. VentureGarden is a free comprehensive, educational, and training program for entrepreneurs who wish to create viable start-ups in Greece.
What we accomplished with your gift:
Founded in 2020 and run by THI, the Venture Impact Awards Program is an annual series of awards providing direct financial support to Greek early-stage start-ups. Teams are vetted on their overall ability to generate financial results while demonstrating impact at large for Greek society. Grants are awarded to all of those seeking capital to expand, create new jobs in Greece or address social and/or environmental problems. The awards were established with the support of the Charles C. Condes Trust and the Helidoni Foundation.
What we accomplished with your gift:
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