Since 2020 THI has awarded a total of $805,000 to 49 VIA winners, catalyzing impact across the Greek market and society.
At the 4th Annual Venture Impact Awards (VIA) ceremony of The Hellenic Initiative (THI) last December in Athens, twelve of Greece’s most promising startups were honored and awarded a total of $160,000, through the generous support of the Charles C. Condes Trust. not only for their commercial successes but also for their contributions to society and the future of Greece, already ‘giving back’ in various ways, including job creation.
Yannis Dionatos, publisher of Startupper.gr and founder and publisher of EMEA Media was the MC, introduced the winning teams and led a Fireside Chat about their triumphs and challenges with their leaders. In his remarks, he stressed his commitment to “being there the day after” the prizes are given and to programs like VIA, that provide vital funds at key times.
Michael Printzos, Greece – Country Head for THI welcomed the winners and the guests at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and THI interim Executive Director Peter Poulos offered concluding remarks. He thanked THI’s Board and staff, and especially the Charles C. Condes Trust, an original VIA anchor donor along with the Helidoni Foundation. Poulos spoke warmly about Harriette Condes Zervakis, Charles. Condes’ niece. She was unable to attend, but Poulos asked for a round of applause for realizing her uncle’s dream of funding a program like VIA that works to reverse brain drain in his beloved Greece. This year’s winners are:
$20,000 level:
College Link – Their eLearning Academies help students find courses leading to their dream jobs and provide online training by experienced professionals.
PDoT – Pioneers in nanotechnology and 3-D printing of electronic devices.
Proxy Foods – Optimize food industry recipe formulation with AI-Powered precision to accelerate food & beverage innovation.
Along Route – Focuses on developing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models to generate ultra-precise marine weather forecasts.
$10,000 level:
Aigle Health – Leverages clinical data and AI to optimize healthcare delivery and therapy discovery.
ASKLEPIEIA Health Cluster – A Cooperative network of healthcare providers and hospitality businesses focusing on wellness and medical tourism.
Click to Therapy – Provides access to top psychologists in their network of 250+ vetted practitioners.
Kleesto – Generates time savings for tourism professionals through operations efficiency and booking automation.
Managi – Bridges the gap between Greek food & beverage and natural cosmetics products and the global market.
My Team – Offers fully integrated solutions for operating sports clubs.
Pobuca – Its powerful AI platform and services help brands and retailers measure, design, and improve their customer experience.
TPL – Helps vendors sell online and deliver their products internationally.
Founded in 2012, THI is a global non-profit organization that brings together Diaspora Greeks and Philhellenes to invest in Greece today through programs focused on economic development and crisis relief. It is the largest Greek Diaspora organization in the world.
Since its founding THI has invested more than $21 million in Greece – 191 economic crisis relief grants in the amount of $8.7 million and economic development grants totaling $12.6 million to 97 grants – helping to stimulate Greece’s remarkable recovery and most importantly, building a brighter future by providing material and moral support to its most promising startups.
The VIA program has awarded approximately $800,000 in cash prizes to 49 winning companies since its launch, many of which report that the funds were crucial.
In his remarks, Poulos said that, “to the question ‘where do we look for hope for the future of Greece,’” he responds: “the answer is right here” pointing to the VIA winners. He then described the difficult but gratifying process of winnowing the more than 80 proposals first to 20, and then to 12. “Anyone wondering about the future of Greece can just come to our events.”
Harriette Condes Zervakis, a Charles C. Condes Trustee, stated that, “I am honored for our support to THI’s Venture Impact Awards. This program not only fosters innovation and entrepreneurship but also serves as a catalyst for positive change in Greek society. Together, we invest in the transformative potential of these ventures, creating a legacy of progress and prosperity for the generations to come – fulfilling my late uncle’s enduring vision and testament”
Andrew N. Liveris, THI’s Board Chairman, stated, “the Venture Impact Awards demonstrate THI’s holistic approach to promoting economic development. THI has become a magnet for attracting the most highly motivated entrepreneurs in Greece. We then honor them, reward them, and plug them into networks, programs, and mentors that help them move forward.”
