Public Awareness Event of UniStart Hubs in Kalamata
The 6th public information event of UniStart Hubs, titled "Sustainable Development and Business Opportunities," was held with great success on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at the Phaos multipurpose venue in Kalamata. The session highlighted the challenges and prospects associated with the transition to a sustainable development model, through the meaningful contribution of institutional bodies, representatives of the academic community, and innovative enterprises.
The first part of the event featured a discussion panel on the topic “Institutional Framework and Partnerships that Promote Sustainable Development.” Participants included Vasilis Papaefstathiou, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Planning and Climate Neutrality of the Municipality of Kalamata; Prof. Odysseas Spiliopoulos, Dean of the School of Management at the University of the Peloponnese; and Kostas Markopoulos, Vice President of the Chamber of Messinia. The panel was moderated by Dr. Vaggelis Siokas, Associate Professor at the University of the Peloponnese, who facilitated a highly productive discussion on the role and strategy of local government, the challenges of regional economic development, available funding opportunities, and the necessary regional partnerships and education required to support sustainable development.
The second panel, titled “Innovative Applications and Opportunities,” focused on examples of modern technological and business solutions. Alexandros Maniatopoulos, CEO of Yodiwo; Kostas Vlachodimitropoulos, Co-founder of Local AI; and Giannis Pazios, General Director of the Agricultural Cooperative Union of Messinia, shared their experiences and presented practices that integrate sustainability into business strategy. The panel was moderated by Antonis Papadopoulos, Head of Development and Strategic Partnerships at Break Even Consulting, with an emphasis on showcasing practical solutions, as well as innovative ideas and approaches that support and leverage sustainable development through the use of technological platforms, artificial intelligence, big data, and predictive models.
The evening concluded with an open networking session, offering participants and speakers the opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen collaborations, and explore new prospects in the field of sustainable development.
The event was coordinated by Mr. Dimitris Voulgaris, Coordinator of the UniStart Hub Kalamata.
The public information event was implemented as part of Subproject 1, "Organization and Operation of Structures," under the Action "Creation of Support Structures for Knowledge-Intensive Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Region of Peloponnese," co-funded by ESPA 2021-2027, MIS: 6004735.
