Nikos Zaharis
Director
South East European Research Center (SEERC)
Greece

Biography
Mr. Nikos Zaharis is the Director of South East European Research Center (SEERC). He has more than 20 years experience as a consultant and manager working for industrial as well as public sector organizations on issues ranging from management of innovation to environmental management, economic and regional development in Greece and in a series of eastern European countries. He has been the first director of the i4G incubator in Thessaloniki. His research interests lie with innovation policy, regional development and entrepreneurship with a special focus on South East Europe. He is currently involved in Start-up Europe (https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/about-startup-europe) and the ICT2B and STARTIFY7 projects which aim at transforming European funded ICT research into investment opportunities.

Abstract
Innovation in South-East Europe: Challenges and opportunities for innovators and start-ups

A presentation of the challenges and opportunities for the innovation and start-up ecosystem in South East Europe. Reference will be made to available policy instruments and strategies and how they differ between member states and enlargement countries. A summary of various opportunities to support start-up creation and development as well as initiatives at the local level and across borders, will be made. Finally a unique directory search tool that facilitates users to detect key actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in South-East Europe will be presented.