Eurobank, remaining steadfast to its strategic commitment to enhancing the Greek innovation ecosystem, is taking another significant step to become the preferred bank for new entrepreneurs.
Specifically, the Bank has established the Venture Banking unit aimed at developing a comprehensive strategy, improving operational efficiency, and further expanding its activities in a sector that expected to play a crucial role in the future of the economy.
The new unit will serve as an integrated framework for operating and mediating the innovation ecosystem, alongside the Bank's business units. With the creation of Venture Banking, Eurobank aims to support new and innovative businesses by providing them with appropriate financing tools and personalized advisory services and solutions, with the goal of fostering their further development.
The Target Audience
Through the Venture Banking unit, Eurobank targets:
- Fast-growing new businesses that have a limited transaction history and low profitability, but a proven business model with strong growth prospects.
- Innovative companies that are rapidly expanding in Greece and abroad and require appropriate capital and comprehensive banking services to secure their next phase of development.
- Venture Capital Funds that seeking co-investment collaborations with the Bank participating as a private investor to support innovative investments. Additionally, they seek information, knowledge, and experience in specific productive sectors and markets, as well as connections that can benefit their investment portfolios, enhancing the chances of successful exits.
- Private investors, startup founders, and business clusters who need further advisory services and tailored banking solutions.
The Venture Banking unit falls under the Deputy CEO, Mr. Konstantinos Vassiliou, with Mrs. Roula Bachtalia as the Head, previously the Head of EGG – Enter Grow Go.
Deputy CEO & Head of Corporate & Investment Banking, Mr. Konstantinos Vassiliou, stated: “Eurobank has played a pivotal role in the development of the Greek innovation ecosystem by undertaking a series of initiatives to support new businesses in the sector. From the business accelerator EGG – Enter Grow Go, which has supported more than 450 startups, to the development of financing tools and products for innovative growth-stage businesses and the Bank's participation as a private investor in venture capital funds, the Bank has become a steadfast ally of innovation and new entrepreneurship. Today, we are taking another significant step by creating a new unit focused on developing our strategies to support the Greek innovation ecosystem, which we deeply believe will become a driver of growth for the Greek economy in the coming years.”.
With the aim of providing comprehensive, integrated solutions and services to enhance Greek innovative businesses, the Venture Banking unit will serve as a collaborative umbrella for the Large Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking, Structured Finance, Investment Banking & Principal Capital Strategies, and Transaction Banking units.
Finally, the business accelerator EGG – Enter Grow Go is now incorporated into Venture Banking, with the ultimate goal of transforming into a growth accelerator for all investment stages. Currently, EGG is one of the leading hubs of innovative entrepreneurship in Europe, ranking 48th among 220 candidates, while also being the largest business accelerator in Greece and the second largest in Eastern Europe. To date, it has supported more than 450 innovative startups and implements a multifaceted outreach plan, maintaining partnerships with global organizations, foreign universities, and other business accelerators worldwide, thus providing networking and development opportunities for new entrepreneurs.