Vicious cycle of innovation in Greece
The companies are not stable and the government can’t help them
PROFESSOR GIORGOS GIANNOPOULOS AT THE EVENT ORGANIZED BY HIT AND THE REGION OF CENTRAL MACEDONIA
On Friday, October 19th, ΗΙΤ (the Hellenic Institute of Transport of the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas -CERTH), and the Region of Central Macedonia, organized a workshop on the theme of the European Green Mind project entitled “Exploitation of Competitiveness and Innovation in green and smart mobility industry – tool for cooperation and networking of SMEs in Central Macedonia”. The project supports small and medium-sized enterprises in terms of innovation in order to be able to function in cooperation with authorities, research organizations and market opportunities.
Professor George Giannopoulos, Transport Engineer, Professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Associate Member of the Academy of Athens and Former Director of HIT / CERTH, referred to innovation in the transport sector, highlighting the pathogens of the innovation ecosystem in Greece. The main elements missing from our country, according to Mr. Giannopoulos are:
- Strong economy in private-sector, willing to invest in innovation (with some exceptions) and
- Effective Public Administration, undertaking its role in solving problems without perpetuating bureaucracy.
The lack of these elements is emphasized by the lack of Long-term Planning, the absence of a coherent and long-term policy in the field of innovation across the board, and the devaluation of Higher Education in our country. Moreover, the unstable fiscal climate, the lack of incentives and the absence of funds (outside the EU), in a small market such as Greece is, creates a vicious economic cycle, from which the Greek ecosystem of innovation has difficulty to escape. It is, therefore, expected that the attractiveness of innovation will be minimized.
