08/02/2008

The Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative (HTCI) has taken on a new name and a new image: its distinctive new name is Corallia, which was selected to express the values which dominate the initiative. The word combines the following elements: Co, Coral, Core, Rally, Co-Rally, All, Allia and Alliance. The combination of design and colours in the new logo incorporate the concepts of ecosystem and cooperation, development and assertiveness, optimism innovation, networking and polycentricism.

The new name was presented by the Minister of Development, Christos Folias, at a special event which took place at the Microelectronics Innovation Centre (μIC) in Maroussi, Athens, which also celebrated the end of the Centre's first year of operation. Folias discussed the first year of μIC's operations, describing it as an "important Greek achievement which has brought us into the heart of the most progressive and up-to-date quest to connect research, innovation and entrepreneurship, showing through our actions that research combined with production can achieve miracles." He closed his speech by saying that "the Ministry of Development is creating the conditions necessary to cultivate a favourable climate for developing innovation in all sectors of the Greek economy that are able to create the conditions for competitive advantages on an international level." In its first year of operation, the Innovation Centre has achieved great success, such as the initial establishment of Research and Development Centres by foreign companies, the creation of start-up and spin-off companies, and collaborations between Industry and Greek Universities and Research Centres.

Professor Vasilis Makios, Vice President of Corallia, made the following statement about the new name: "We have achieved 365 days of Innovation and Development, and our vision has become reality and is expanding. We have turned from the acronym HTCI to the name Corallia, and have directed our attention to international promotion and recognition. We are reinventing the Greece of technology, of innovation, and of entrepreneurship. Our new name has the power to refer to everything we envisaged and have now made reality, beyond the borders of both Greece and Europe."

Under its new name, Corallia will develop new activities relating to further progress in the Microelectronics sector, developing clusters in new subject areas, creating a designated area for innovative clusters, developing new Research & Development collaborations between Industry (domestic and foreign), Universities and Research Centres, as well as creating stable partnerships with venture capital investment companies.

The Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative Corallia aims to develop clusters, in specifically chosen sectors in which Greece can achieve a globally competitive advantage. Within this context, it provides support to member-companies of these clusters, with the final aim being to increase their productivity, strengthen their export activity, and secure financial growth, via the promotion of their innovations on the international market.

Corallia is funded by the "Competitiveness" Operational Programme of the third Community Support Framework, and is also the result of the joint vision and collective effort to create selective partnerships within specific technology sectors by the Hellenic Ministry of Development, a group of private companies, rising entrepreneurs, Research Centres and University Labs in Greece.

Source: Corallia, Hellenic Ministry of Development