«The Science and Technology Park of Crete encourages enterprises that want to be located in its premises through a variety of potentials, techniques, infrastructures and products with the help of which their own innovation will be realized contributing, therefore, to the creation of new companies of a technological and / or developmental nature and ecological consciousness, providing special incentives,» stressed Artemis Saitakis, Special Operational Scientist and Director of the Science Technological Park of Crete.
Question: What is the role of the Science and Technology Park of Crete?
Answer: The Scientific Technological Park of Crete was established by the Foundation for Research and Technology in 1993 and it is located in Heraklion, in the Vasiliki Vouton region, next to the University and the University Hospital.
The activities of the Scientific Technological Park are managed by the Management and Development Company of the Scientific and Technological Park of Crete SA having shareholders in FORTH, Piraeus Bank as well as in companies and entities.
The facilities of the Scientific Technological Park are located in two buildings (A & B) where today companies are housed. These buildings covering a total area of about 4000 square meters are located at the premises of FORTH in the area of Vasilika Vouton, 7 km from the center of Heraklion, next to the new buildings of the University of Crete and the University Hospital.
The aim of the Scientific Technological Park Crete is to play the role of catalyst for the development of innovation in the region of Crete and additionally to actively participate in the development of the small innovative enterprises that are established.
Businesses that could be located at the premises of the Scientific Technological Park are found in the following categories:
• New enterprises from spin-offs who seek to exploit the results of their technological research productively
• New, high-tech private enterprises
• Research and development (R & D) departments of existing enterprises seeking to exploit the Scientific Technological Park’s technological research in order to upgrade technologically
• Foreign businesses or foreign business R & D departments
The basic requirements for a company to be accepted are the following:
• The company should be active in the field of technology and there should be a cooperation or a prospect of cooperation with research institutes
• The company should be sustainable and have growth prospects,which shall be documented
• There should have been a business plan that covers the company’s objectives, market and competition information, costs and cash flows
• There should be a commitment from its executives that they will be personally involved in the development of their company
• There should be a matching between the needs of the business and the services provided by the Park
The services provided to the established companies are the following
• Email (e-mail) through its server
• Hosting Internet pages on the Park server
• Linking business PCs to the Scientific Technological Park network and the Internet
• Collection and distribution of correspondence
• Cleaning of offices & common areas
• Use of printer and photocopy machine
• Use of meeting room and equipment
• Coordination of Park operation
• Secretarial support
• Support for setting up a business, drafting rights-granting agreements, safeguarding and protecting intellectual property
• Participation and cooperation in Research Technological Development and Innovation projects
• Use of the logo of the Scientific Technological Park and the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation
• Free use of parking spaces
• Free access to FORTH library
• Collaboration with FORTH research laboratories
The cost charged by the business beyond rent is the telephone cost through the use of the telephone lines. Electricity is charged only when space is used as a laboratory with high consumption.
Question: What are the activities of the Scientific Technological Park ?
Answer: Since its establishment, the Scientific Technological Park has been involved in major Innovation, Research & Technology and Regional Development programs under the umbrella of Scientific Technological Park / FORTH.
More particularly, it has organized many seminars and training sessions especially on intellectual property management issues, innovation and regional development, quality assurance and new management techniques, as well as business meetings in order to promote new technologies throughout Greece.
There has also been a significant experience of more than 20 years in supporting the creation and development of new businesses as well as in setting up and operating a safe environment for the new enterprises , training young entrepreneurs and networking them locally and internationally while managing and harnessing intellectual property.
In order to achieve its objectives, the Scientific Technological Park
– Encourages businesses that want to be established on its premises through a variety of capabilities, techniques, infrastructures and products through the help of which their own innovation can be realized
– Develops international training, learning and cooperation activities
– Contributes to the creation of new companies with technological and / or developmental character and ecological consciousness through the provision of special incentives
– Assists the development of the region through relevant business activities and partnerships with local entities such as Local Authorities, Periphery, Chambers etc along with other local, regional and national authorities for regional development
– Participates in projects promoting entrepreneurship, especially youth and academic and offers specialized services for business development and intellectual property management
– Cooperates with various bodies and other Science Technology Parks across Europe.
At the same time, the Management and Development Company of the Science and Technological Park of Crete SA has participated in a large number of R & TD projects funded by various national and European projects concerning:
• Regional Development and Innovation
• Intellectual Property Management
• Entrepreneurship especially academic and young
• Energy
• Tourism
Scientific Technological Park SA supports innovation management bodies and businesses and participates in ongoing projects supporting innovation and intellectual property management actions. It is a founding member of the ASSOCIATION OF GREEK SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGICAL PARKS and member of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation.
Question: Tell us about the hosted companies?
Answer: Since 1995, when the «incubator» of Scientific Technological Park was established andoperated, more than 50 companies have been supported to develop their business goals.
Moreover, it has implemented and still materializes a large number of Research,Technological Development and Innovation projects on enhancing entrepreneurship, particularly youth and academic entrepreneurship, Regional Development and Innovation, Tourism, Renewable Energy Sources, Intellectual Property Management etc.
Today, it hosts about 25 businesses and activities, most of which are new, in the development phase. Particularly new potential entrepreneurs, groups of students and graduates are supported to develop their business idea.
Question: Tell us about the history of the Park?
Answer: The Science and Technology Park of Crete was founded in 1993 under the initiative of the Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH), one of the biggest Research Institutes in the country, funded by the European Union, the Greek Government and the Region of Crete. Adapted to the changing needs of the periphery and to the research developments of the Research Institutes of FORTH as well as the Academic and Research Institutions of Crete, Scientific Technological Park offers, apart from the Incubator facilities and services for start-ups which seek the exploitation of their know-how, specialized professional services in order to help and guide new businesses.
• Focus es on developing know-how in innovative technologies
• Evaluates and enforces their intellectual property rights
• Achieves stronger bargaining power in pursuing their business goals
• Conveys and materializes their technology through the production of innovative products and services
Curriculum Vitae
Artemis Saitakis studied Chemistry and did postgraduate studies in Biotechnology and Business Administration.
Since 1985 he has been working at the Research Technology Foundation (FORTH) as a Special Operational Scientist. Director of the Scientific Technological Park of Crete from 1997 until today. He has been the Managing Director of the Management and Development Company of Scientific Technological Park SA since 2005. He was the Director (1996-1999) and has been the Quality Assurance Manager (1999-present) of MINOTECH Biotechnology (FORTH / IMBB).
He has participated as a coordinator or partner in the implementation of a large number of regional, national and European projects concerning entrepreneurship, with emphasis on young and academic entrepreneurship, Regional Innovation, Renewable Energy, Tourism, Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer. He was the EU TAIEX external consultant, member of the EURAXESS Researcher Mobility Network and National Contact Point for the Marie Curie Actions program (FP7). Since 2009, he has been participating in the Erasmus Project for Young Entrepreneurs which supports the mobility of new entrepreneurs to EU countries as well as to third countries.
He has more than 25 years of experience in Technology Transfer and Utilization, Intellectual Property Management and Protection, Business Development, Intellectual Property Management and Exploitation, Technology Parks and Business Incubators, Regional Development and Innovation and Smart Specialization Strategy.