This workshop will feature an assessment of the barriers SMEs experience in managing the
transition from a traditional business model to a green business model. Additionally, it will
identify enabling factors for overcoming these barriers and utilising green business
opportunities. In this context, the workshop will present and discuss how the GreenEcoNet
platform addresses these barriers and what kind of tools it offers to SMEs wishing to incorporate
green economy elements in their business. Stakeholders will be asked to provide their view on
the main elements of the platform and share their insights on its usefulness in general. The event
will furthermore include a discussion on the added-value of the platform which aspires to
become a key enabler for greening SMEs.
The results of the workshop will thus help to sharpen the main features of the platform which will
be available free of charge to all SMEs interested in win-win outcomes of green economy both in
financial terms and more -broadly – in societal terms.
Summary of the Innovation Lab Event
Presentations
GreenEcoNet: A best-practice platform to support SMEs transition towards a green economy – Corrado Topi, Senior Research Fellow, University of York – SEI
GreenEcoNet Innovation Lab – Silvia Donato, Research Programme Officer, DG Research, European Commission
GreenEcoNet: The first European wide online platform to connect SMEs for the transition to greener economies – Emily Benson, Project Manager, Green Economy Coalition (GEC)
Introduction of the GreenEcoNet platform – Sotiris Papadelis, Senior Expert, University of Piraeus Research Center
Key SME Barriers and Enablers – Sotiris Papadelis, Senior Expert, University of Piraeus Research Center (UPRC)
Improving Efficiency in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) – Henning H. Sittel, Project Manager, Efficiency Agency Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
GreenEcoNet: An opinion provided by the Austrian Economic Chamber – Franz Brudl, Advisor, Austrian Economic Chambers