VIBE (Venture Initiative in the Balkan Europe) is an EU co-funded project in the framework of the ‘SEE Transnational Cooperation Programme’ with the primary objective to support facilitation of innovation and entrepreneurship in the region of South-East Europe. VIBE (www.vibeproject.eu) aims at fostering the creation and growth of innovative SMEs and start-up companies through a large array of actions, such as:

1) Mapping existing actors, activities and needs for coaching, financing and supporting innovative companies;

2) Coaching companies throughout the SEE region to fast-track investment and growth readiness of selected showcase companies in various industry sectors through a combination of peer group seminars/webinars, assignments and expert and peer group feedback;

3) Fostering financing networks by involving business angels, regional funds, corporate investors, banks, venture fund investors

4) Discussing, defining and testing pragmatic new potential investment incentives support actions by public support agencies especially at the cross-border (co-)investment level

5) Joining forces with the organizers of the highly successful bi-annual Balkan Venture Forum (BkVF). The BkVF (http://www.balkanventureforum.org) is the largest venture capital, private equity and investment forum in the region. It rotates through the SEE region to bring together the relevant key actors of the region, Europe and beyond, and to enable successful match-making between innovative business ideas with investors, support agencies and policy makers. VIBE will have a duration of two years.

Outputs & Documents

SEERC Seminar "Venture Capital Opportunities in South-East Europe: From Idea to Profit"

On 28 March 2013, SEERC organized at the premises of Technopolis Thessaloniki its very successful seminar "Venture Capital Opportunities in South-East Europe: From Idea to Profit".
- SEERC local seminar poster (greek)
- Seminar agenda (greek)
- After seminar press release (english)
- Impressions (english + pictures)

 3rd "Balkan Venture Forum", Sofia
The Balkan Venture Forum was held at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia on 21st and 22nd of May 2013.
- Impressions of the Greek Delegation at the BkVF in Sofia (english)
- Comments of Greek participants at the BkVF in Sofia (english)
- BkVF TYPOS (greek)
- After BkVF press release (english + pictures)