Research organizations by countries/regions

STEP-C

http://www.stepc.gr/index.php

The Science and Technology park of Crete (STEP-C) was created in 1993 as an initiative of the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), one of the largest Research Organizations in the country with the financial support of the EU, the National Government and the Region of Crete. Adept to the rapidly evolving needs of the region and the research advancements at FORTH and the local Academic and Research Institutions, STEP-C offers, in addition to incubating facilities and services to start up companies with new and emerging technologies, specialized professional services that are difficult to find under one roof and geared to assisting and guiding companies to unleash their potential through innovation

INNOVATION POLE OF CRETE

www.i4crete.gr

The Pole develops a range of activities with the aim to reinforce the technological – innovative performances at a regional level on the one hand, and on the other, to diffuse new technology and innovation into all fields of the social and economic activity throughout Crete. It is one of the first five Regional Innovation Poles (RIP) active in Greece. The other four cover the regions of Thessali, Central Macedonia, West Macedonia and West Greece. The Innovation Pole of Crete focuses its activities on the following scientific/ technological areas in which Crete has a comparative advantage due to the significant performances of the scientific community: a) Information Society, b) Biotechnology and c) Medical Technology. The Central Goal of the Innovation Pole of Crete is to render Crete as a “Development Centre of specialized technology and technological training”.  In order to achieve this goal, the IPoC is aimed to a) rreinforce the research/technological activities implemented in the region in the research/ technological areas which have a comparative advantage, sufficient infrastructures, skilful research staff and excellent technological achievements. These areas are: Information Society, Biotechnology and Medical Technology.  b) diffuse the produced knowledge and innovation achieved in the foregoing technological areas and c) promote education and training of the human resources e ngaged in these specific sectors of economic and social activity as well as of the scientific staff to be induced in the production process by applying new technologies, new procedures and innovative systems.  

Chambers of Commerce & Industry in Crete

http://www.epimlas.gr 

http://www.chania-cci.gr

http://www.eber.gr

http://www.ebeh.gr

Each prefecture in Crete has its own Chamber of Commerce & Industry. In total, there are 4 Chambers, the Chamber of Lasithi, the Chamber of Heraklion, the Chamber of Chania and the Chamber of Rethymnon. All of them are Legal Entities of Public Law and administratively belong to the Ministry of Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping. The oldest is the Chamber of Heraklion established in 1923 with 23.000 members, 34% of which belong to the secondary sector, 65% to the tertiary sector (trade, services and tourism) and 1% in the primary sector. The Chamber of Rethymnon was established 1935 and amounts up to 4.800 members, with enterprises activated in all sectors of local economy (industry, manufacturing, craft making, trade, tourism, etc.). The Chamber of Lasithi was established in 1947 and its headquarters are in Agios Nikolaos and among its main activities is also the promotion of Cretan diet. The Chamber of Chania is a founding member of the Development Company of Crete which manages various community programs for SMEs, the Association of Chambers in Greek islands as well as the Association of Chambers of transportation.

THE EXPORTERS’ ASSOCIATION OF CRETE

http://www.crete-exporters.com/

The  Exporters’  Association  of  Crete, a  Legal  Entity  of  Private Law – of  non profit  character, was  founded  in  December  1994, by  the  initiative  of  the  businessmen  and  exporters  of  Crete  with  the  collaboration  and  support  of  the  Region of Crete, the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO), the  Exporters’ Association  of  Northern Greece (S.E.V.E.) and the Chambers of Crete. Today, 160 Cretan exporting businesses are its members, which are active in the sectors of Foods & Beverage, Industrial products, Agricultural products- Alteration and Popular Art. The purposes/ targets of the Exporters’ Association of Crete as mentioned in the Articles of Association of its Memorandum of Association are the consolidation, the protection and the promotion of the business, financial, social and moral interests of its members with the joined study and dealing of departmental problems, general and local, the application of the deontological action rules of the exporting trade and the securing of colleague solidarity, the organization of common initiatives and the promotion of exports as the research and studies on import and export issues, the promotion and support of the Greek products abroad, the cooperation with community institutions and with the relative business unions, organizations and Chambers of Greece and abroad, especially the countries of the European Community and the Balkans etc.

REGIONAL ENERGY AGENCY OF CRETE (REAC)

http://www.crete-region.gr/greek/energy/

The Regional Energy Agency of Crete (REAC) is part of the General Administration of the Region of Crete and was established in December 1993. The areas of excellence of the Agency include energy, eenvironment, renewable Energy Sources, energy saving promotion of the rational Use of Energy and European and International Co-operation projects. The main objectives of the Regional Energy Agency of Crete are to contribute to the formation of the Regional Energy Policy, co-ordinate the energy programmes and activities (Innovation, Research and Technology, Environment, Tourism etc.) and to participate in European and National energy programmes, projects and networks, as well as to promote (through information, dissemination) programmes and technologies and provide impartial consultancy services to interested bodies and to raise awareness of citizens, consumers and energy users theough the realization of training programmes, seminars, technical visits, conferences.

DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION OF EASTERN CRETE (OANAK)

http://www.oanak.gr

Eastern Crete Development Organisation (hereafter OANAK), is a Public Organisation Operating under Private Law, was established in 1992. It covers the two Prefectures of Heraklion and Lassithi. Its shareholders are the Greek Public Sector, the Union of Local Authorities (ULA) of Heraklion, the Union of Local Authorities (ULA) of Lassithi, the Union of the Prefectural Administrations of Heraklion and Lassithi and the Unions of Agricultural Cooperatives of these prefectures. The aim of the organisation, according to its Charter, is to bring “more efficient support of the development process and the greatest possible contribution to the sustainable and endogenous development of Eastern Crete”. This is to be accomplished by “…the drawing up of every kind of development programme for its area, the study, financing, execution, operation and exploitation of utilities and public works in general undertaken by the organisation… and the undertaking of every kind of entrepreneurial activity to the public benefit…”. The main strategic tasks of OANAK are focussed on better support and technology - know how transfer to its shareholders as well as to the Regional and Public Administrations, integrated management of resources, of solid and liquid wastes, rural development (local produce and products, export promotion, organic farming), and coordination of local authorities and stakeholders in the areas of urban and rural development planning and infrastructure. OANAK promotes and implements projects of transnational, interregional and cross-border partnerships with EU and Mediterranean countries.

DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION OF WESTERN CRETE (OADYK)

http://www.oadyk.gr

The Western Crete Development Organization (OADYK), founded in 1979, covers the Prefectures of Chania and Rethymnon. It is the oldest, regional development organization in Greece, with headquarters located in Chania. It is a semi-governmental organization operating as a non-profit company51 with the following objectives: a.the execution of development projects and b. the design, financing, construction, operation, and utilization of public works projects.

One of the major activities of OADYK is construction and operation of infrastructure projects for the utilization of water resources in Western Crete. Other activities include the design and execution of major infrastructure projects; the realization and implementation of environmental protection studies; the construction of public work projects for environmental protection; the provision of technical advice to municipalities; and the design, submission and execution of European Projects. OADYK cooperates with other Greek and Foreign agencies and collaborates in European Information and Research Networks.