At the Polytechnic School of Xanthi, on an important day for the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTh) and the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Thinc Thrace incubator—the new Business Incubator of DUTh—was officially presented to the Secretary General for Public Investments and the NSRF of the Ministry of Development, Mr. Dimitris Skalkos.

The Vice-Rector for Research and Lifelong Learning, Ms. Maria Michalopoulou, had the opportunity to inform the Secretary General about the projects being implemented by D.U.Th., followed by a presentation of the operation and services of the newly established incubator.

The project "Sub-project 3: Business Incubator of Democritus University of Thrace – Operation and Provided Services" is implemented by the consortium of ena Development Consultants and FM-EPIXEIREIN Business Consulting Company.

The project is funded under the ESPA 2014–2020, Operational Programme of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and National Resources.
 
Based at the Polytechnic School of Xanthi, the Thinc Thrace incubator will host 48 entrepreneurial teams or businesses over the next two years. It aims to support startups and entrepreneurial teams from all sectors of the RIS3 Strategy of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, with a focus on the following areas:
  • Innovation in the Agrifood sector
  • Information and Communication Technologies
  • Energy Saving & Integrated Systems for reducing the energy footprint of businesses and urban installations
  • Environment and Sustainable Development
  • Transportation – Logistics
  • Materials – Construction
  • Tourism – Culture – Creative Industries
The Business Incubator of Democritus University of Thrace will serve as a hub offering a comprehensive set of specialized services to entrepreneurial teams, such as:
  • Mentoring and coaching
  • Accounting, tax, and financial consulting
  • Legal support
  • Guidance on securing funding and connecting with Business Angels networks.
  • Access to research data and business databases
  • Support for extroversion and export expansion
  • Networking with key stakeholders to attract international investments
Incubation Stages:
  1. Stage A [Entry Level] – up to 3 months:
    Team role formation, familiarization with business practices, and final shaping of the entrepreneurial idea.
  2. Stage B [Pre-seed Level] – 3 to 6 months:
    Acting as an accelerator: idea development, networking, and market research.
  3. Stage C [Seed Level] – 6 to 9 months:
    Business creation, IP rights protection, and the start of funding exploration.
  4. Stage D – Graduation:
After the incubator presentation, a discussion followed on entrepreneurship, development, and funding opportunities for D.U.Th. in the new programming period. The discussion included the Vice-Rector for Financial Planning and Development, Mr. Fotis Maris, Department Chairs of the Polytechnic School, and members of the incubator’s team.
 
The mission of the Thinc Thrace incubator is to foster, develop, and internationalize an innovation ecosystem by offering advisory and support services to startups. It is addressed to people with innovative and pioneering ideas, who—through expert guidance during their early steps—will have the opportunity to transform their ideas into viable and dynamic businesses.
 
The mission of ena Development Consultants remains the promotion of entrepreneurial, economic, and social development in Xanthi and the broader region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. With the creation of the Thinc Thrace incubator, ena continues to faithfully serve its mission by contributing to innovation, startup entrepreneurship, and broader social benefit.