Public Awareness Event of UniStart Hubs in Sparti
The public awareness event organized by UniStart Hubs, titled “Sports and Business Opportunities,” was held with great success on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at the Amphitheater of the University of the Peloponnese in Sparta.
The event showcased the dynamic potential that arises in the field of sports when it intersects with entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development. More than 70 students, researchers, faculty members, as well as representatives of local government and the business community participated in the event. Students showed particular interest in the services and opportunities offered by the UniStart ecosystem.
The event opened with a brief welcome address by the President of the Municipal Council of Sparta, Mr. Stefanos Vrettakos, who represented the Mayor of Sparta and emphasized the importance of connecting sports with local development, innovation, and youth entrepreneurship.
The central part of the event featured a discussion panel titled "Sports and Entrepreneurship: Opportunities, Trends, and Prospects." Participating in the panel were: Spyros Tzinieris, Thematic Deputy Regional Governor for Spatial Planning and Real Estate Management of the Region of Peloponnese; Gina Baksivanaki, Freelance Professional in Sports Marketing and Commercial & Marketing Director of Panathinaikos FC; and Georgios Kypraios, Professor at the University of the Peloponnese and President of TechnAthlon IKE, the first spin-off of the University of the Peloponnese focusing on the sustainable management of sports facilities and services.
Mr. Spyros Tzinieris spoke about the role of the Region in supporting sports as a development tool. He highlighted the comparative advantage of the Peloponnese, which links culture, tourism, and sports, emphasizing the quality of infrastructure, local academies, and the hosting of events that attract sports tourism.
Ms. Gina Baksivanaki presented the complex nature of the business model of a major sports club. She discussed the need for continuous brand renewal, the use of digital tools, the strengthening of community engagement, and the challenges involved in balancing tradition with innovation.
Mr. Georgios Kypraios emphasized the value of connecting academic knowledge with practice. He stressed the need for practical market examples, the protection of intellectual property, and the support of initiatives such as university spin-offs.
During the discussion, sport was highlighted as a public good — a field of social cohesion, empowerment, and inclusion, with particular emphasis on accessibility for all, especially for people with disabilities. Special attention was given to gender-related challenges in the field: as Gina Baksivanaki noted, important progress has been made, yet the very existence of the discussion indicates that there is still room for improvement. The panel was moderated by 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.
