New Business Opportunities in Canada for Greek Start-ups

A new way of enhancing youth entrepreneurship is being created by Eurobank and Ryerson University, based in Canada, with the signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding.

The Eurobank – Ryerson University alliance aims to secure new business networking opportunities for the Greek start-up ecosystem, as well as access to newer entrepreneurs in upgraded educational programs.

For the start of this collaboration, the Dean of the Ryerson University, Canada-based Dean of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Dr. Maria Boudrogianni, visited Athens.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, synergies are developing between Eurobank and DMZ, the business accelerator for start-ups, a Ryerson University unit. In the eight years it has been in operation it has come in at the top in the world ranking.

DMZ’s groundbreaking action is in line with the philosophy of Ryerson University, one of the most expanding universities in North America, and is specialized in innovative educational programs. DMZ has already supported more than 336 start-up companies since 2010, which raised $474.5 million in seed funding and helped create more than 3,000 jobs.

Eurobank Deputy Managing Director, Stavros Ioannou, said: “Eurobank strategically invests in healthy Greek entrepreneurship at all stages of its development, with vision and credible proposals, responding to international trends.

“Practical support for youth entrepreneurship, even during the Greek crisis, was a strategic choice for Eurobank. In this context, we created the Young Entrepreneurial Entrepreneurship Program egg – enter • grow • go, which has now become a reference point for the Greek start-up ecosystem.

“Agreements such as our strategic engagement with Ryerson University’s international prestige will multiply opportunities for extroversion and growth for promising young entrepreneurs.”

“Ryerson University is happy to work with Eurobank and the egg to support youth entrepreneurship. Our multidisciplinary bands, incubators and start-ups are a key component of Ryerson University’s institutional identity and are a powerful demonstration of our commitment to innovation.

“We believe that by supporting the next generation of Canadian business talent, we contribute to our country’s economic growth. By exchanging DMZ’s know-how with businessmen in the egg, Ryerson University helps support future growth in a great country like Greece,” said Boudrogianni.

The five-year agreement between Eurobank and Ryerson University — renewable for an additional five years — develops, in principle, into two pillars:

1. Strengthening and networking of youth entrepreneurship.
Young Entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneurial Entrepreneurship Program egg – enter • grow • go will be able to come in contact with the high level of know-how offered by Ryerson University and the Canadian start-up system.

2. Eligibility for participation in the e-learning programs of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education by Eurobank executives, young Greek entrepreneurs from the environment of the egg program and other Eurobank actions.

The first pillar will be developed under the egg program and provides that egg groups will be able to participate in a DMZ training and mentoring program.

During her visit to Athens, Dr. Boudrogianni had the opportunity to meet egg groups, the Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Program, designed and implemented by Eurobank in 2013, in collaboration with the Corallia Unit of the European Commission, Athens.

Boudrogianni also welcomed the launch of Eurobank’s 3rd FinTech “Beyond Hackathon” Regional Competition, where she participated as one of the judges.