Deadline: 23 October 2023
The Venture Impact Award (VIA) is now open for applications to support Greece’s brightest and most talented teams, helping them create ventures that are scalable, sustainable and able to demonstrate not just a quick return on the investment but also a broader impact on the society at large.
VIA is founded with the initial support of The Helidoni Foundation, founded by Dimitris and Sarah Georgakopoulos and the Estate of Charles Condes.
The Helidoni Foundation is bearing the Greek name for the swallow, a bird that has symbolized rebirth, hope and good fortune since ancient times, the foundation aims to promote renewal and progress by nurturing philanthropic and social impact ventures from ideation to viability.
The VIA runs under the broader umbrella of programs that The Hellenic Initiative administers and supports on the economic development sector. The Hellenic Initiative has supported thousands of entrepreneurs with millions of dollars, helping them unlock third party investments, salaries and boost their revenues. The Hellenic Initiative’s economic development efforts follow a long term approach aiming at job creation through the promotion of entrepreneurship.
The Prize
- Minimum $10,000 max $150,000 in prize money per winner.
- Each award will be split into 2 equal payments that will lie 6 months apart. Before releasing the 2nd payment winning teams should submit a 6-month report detailing how they used the funds previously transferred to them and also how they plan to use the future ones. Sponsors will review and approve the 6-month report before releasing the 2nd payment. At the end of the 12 months, winning teams should submit a 12-month report detailing how they used the cash awarded together with a cover letter addressed to the award’s sponsor.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding through the VIA, you need to meet the following criteria:
- The proposed idea/business plan should showcase impact in Greece’s economic and/or social sectors.
- Applicants must have incurred less than $2,000,000 in debt, grant, equity or other sort of funding.
- Early-stage applicants should be able to demonstrate a complete proof of concept.
- Applications are welcomed from for-profit entities only.
- Ventures are expected to be able to demonstrate a high impact, be sustainable and scalable.
For more information, visit The Hellenic Initiative.
