VentureGarden celebrates 7 years of continuous support and contribution to the Greek entrepreneurial community. The program was co-designed in 2014 by two leading Greek business schools, Alba Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece, and the American College of Thessaloniki member of the Anatolia. VentureGarden’s scope is to offer curriculum-based workshops and mentoring, in order to help entrepreneurs implement ideas. The Hellenic Initiative stepped in and made VentureGarden possible through its continuous support, contributing far more than the much-required funds. THI’s holistic approach to supporting economic development in Greece offers a wide selection of options and opportunities for growth, networking, and guidance.
Since 2014, VentureGarden has welcomed 1,243 participants with 662 ideas in Athens, Thessaloniki, and 14 smaller Greek cities. It has offered 1118 hours of curriculum-based entrepreneurial training and 2,376 hours of mentoring. The Hellenic Initiative made it possible for VentureGarden to become the only entrepreneurship-training program that has systematically trained entrepreneurs beyond Athens and Thessaloniki by running a GreenHouse, the special VentureGarden version, in Korinthos, Volos, Kavala, Kalamata, Heraklion, Kozani, Xanthi, Patra, Trikala, Chalkida, Ioannina, Sparti, Chios and Alexandroupoli. In order to achieve this, the VentureGarden team has worked with numerous local organizations to design localized activities that have accelerated location-specific entrepreneurial initiatives.
These 1,243 VentureGardeners form a unique community of growth-oriented startuppers, family business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and individuals re-designing their life. The program brings university students, seasoned executives, individuals in career transition, and senior entrepreneurs together, creating a dynamic ecosystem of personalities, aspirations, and ideas. Over the years, we have celebrated with our VentureGardeners their successes in moving on to incubators or accelerators, raising venture capital, receiving microfinancing, expanding to new markets, and achieving their first sale. We have also shared disappointment and failure in a way that has made us all wiser.
The vibrant VentureGarden alumni base is here to stay connected and welcome the newcomers! A community of entrepreneurs, educators, mentors, and supporters that has a solid commitment to Greece’s future.
