The Greek pilot is connected to a case of environmental and socio-economic interventions urgently needed in Thessaly, Central Greece, a region recently affected by extreme weather phenomena. The recent environmental catastrophe highlights the unique potential of social innovation to effectively address complex issues. As a result, all stakeholders need to become familiar with the processes and practices of social innovation.

Five groups of stakeholders participate in the workshops described below:

• Structures/initiatives promoting and supporting social innovation or offering services like coaching and mentoring;
• Research, academic society and capacity building organizations involved in education or vocational training;
• Social Economy Organizations (cooperatives, social enterprises, civil society organizations, societal organizations, foundations, associations, unions, etc.);
• Business or employers’ representatives or individual businesses creating employment opportunities;
• Policy design and implementation organizations (Managing Authorities, municipalities, regional authority, relevant Ministry departments/units, policy-makers).

The pilot has 3 phases:

1st phase: competence and knowledge transfer. Four workshops are organized around the goals related to each of the above mentioned stakeholders.

2nd phase: ideation and Hackathon events.

a) One Ideation event is organized aiming at the preliminary definition of possible innovative solutions to major regional or local challenges.

b) Two hackathons are organized to enhance the maturity of the ideas produced in the ideation event.

3rd phase: the implementation of at least two ideas emerging from the hackathons is planned, linking them to the regional action plan.

The Pilot is lead by ANKA, with the assistance of AUA, UnivSSE, Electra Energy, Kollectiva, and the Association of SSE entities of South Aegean.