THEME OF THE 2019 EDITION: "CO-CREATING INNOVATION: SCALING-UP FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL"

Why Co-creation?

  • Key component of User-driven Innovation  
  • Turning into buzzword, fear of losing quality
  • Horizon Europe plans

Why “from local to global”?

  • Up-scaling and transferring innovation
  • Connecting innovation pockets
  • SME Internationalisation: how does innovation jump between borders?

MEET THE ORGANISERS

European Network of Living Labs

The European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) is the international federation of benchmarked Living Labs in Europe and worldwide. Founded in November 2006 under the auspices of the Finnish European Presidency, the network has grown in ‘waves’ up to this day.

The European approach to Living Labs was created in the Unit “Collaborative working environments” of the DG INFSO (now DG CONNECT) in close collaboration with an industrial advisory group on Open Innovation (Open Innovation Strategy and Policy group – OISPG) which was founded by Bror Salmelin. The original concept was updated to open innovation environments attracting inwards investment, both intellectual and financial one.

ENoLL counts today over 130 active Living Labs members worldwide (440+ historically recognised over 12 years), including active members in 20 of the 28 EU Member States, 2 of the candidates and it is present in 5 continents in addition to Europe. Directly, as well as through its active members, ENoLL provides co-creation, user engagement, test and experimentation facilities targeting innovation in many different domains such as energy, media, mobility, healthcare, agrifood, etc. As such, ENoLL is well placed to act as a platform for best practice exchange, learning and support, and Living Lab international project development.

Thessaloniki Active and Healthy Ageing Living Lab

Thess-AHALL, operational since 2014, and a unique setting in the city of Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia region (Northern Greece). The lab fosters initiatives encouraging regional development and healthcare systems sustainability by the provision of novel technologies and innovation. The lab is actively engaged with the end-users and relevant community stakeholders, actively pursuing co-creation and co-design of technological solutions to improve health and social conditions and facilitate independent living. The main goal is to facilitate the ultimate aim of speeding up innovation, collaboration, development and testing of more accurate services, which is achieved by the early involvement of users as co-creators.

The lab’s main strengths lie with the operation in actual community settings and residences following a paradigm of actual in-the-wild collection and processing of data, offerring ecological validity schemes, a strategic geographical location and a wide, trans-national network with strong collaboration capacity with the Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA) ecosystem in Greece and the Balkan region and along experience in user driven innovation and evidence-based research in the AHA domain. The underlying Big Data infrastructure with the existence of big and heterogeneous volumes of data stemming from the large scale pilots with seniors puts ThessAHALL in a pivotal  position. Finally, Thess-AHALL aims to develop a business plan for self-sustainability, in line with the ENoLL’s strategy, facilitating the people demand with the active involvement of SMEs within pilots.

The Thess-AHALL is governed by the Laboratory of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki which has essentially spinned-off two commercial entities: the self-funded (University based) initiative LLM Care and Neuroanadrasi which was founded by members of the Lab based on exploiting the neuroscientific capacity of the Lab. Apart from the involvment of exernal SMEs and research groups, Thess-AHALL has also built strong collaborations with nursing homes, daily care centres, municipalities, Regional Health Authorities of Attica and Central Macedonia, Elderly care centres of the Greek Federation of Alzheimer’s Associations (some 20 units, spread throughout Greece).

GETTING AROUND THESSALONIKI

The city of Thessaloniki offers the visitor an exciting experience. Set on the northern shores of the Thermaikos Gulf that opens into the Aegean Sea, Thessaloniki is located approximately 550 kilometres north of Athens and in close proximity to Chalkidiki’s beautiful beaches. It is the metropolis of the region of Macedonia, one of Europe’s oldest cities and the second largest city in Greece.

Thessaloniki has a good public transportation system. Getting around is feasible by bus and taxis as both are easily available at low cost. Thessaloniki is not a big city (population around 1,000,000 people). Hence, most famous attractions can be easily explored on foot. All major car rental companies have branches at Macedonia Airport.

QUICK FACTS

APPLIANCES

Electricity supply in Greece is 220-230 volts, 50 Hz. Plugs are European standard with two round pins.

HEALTH CARE

Tap water is drinkable all over Greece. Residents of EU countries are eligible to receive free emergency care.

TIME ZONE

Greece is in the Eastern European Time Zone (GMT+2). Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is (GMT+3).

COUNTRY CODE

Greece’s Country Code is: +30

SHOPPING

Shops are open (during summer period) Monday through Friday from 09.00 till 21.00. On Saturdays shops stay open from 09.00 till 15.00, while they are closed on Sundays.

CURRENCY

Euro (EUR) is the currency of Greece

VENUE Thessaloniki Concert Hall M2

TRAVEL INFORMATION

PASSPORT / VISA

Passport and visa requirements vary from country to country. Delegates requiring a letter of invitation in order to attend the Conference may address themselves to the Scientific Secretariat. Please note that this procedure aims to assist delegates who need to obtain a visa or permission to attend the Conference. The invitation is strictly limited to visa issues and there is no connection, whatsoever, to financial support etc.

For more details please visit:

TRAVELING FORMALITIES

EU Citizens

  • Greece is a Member-State of the European Union and has signed the Schengen Agreement. While traveling within the EU, you will need your Identity card. However, a passport is necessary for a number of other transactions, such as currency exchange, etc.

Non EU Citizens

  • A valid passport is required for all non EU citizens traveling to Greece. Please consult Greece’s Foreign Ministry’s website to find out whether you require a VISA. 

PRINTING SERVICES IN THESSALONIKI

In the city centre:
Xirografia
Melenikou str. 7
54 635, Thessaloniki, G
Tel: 00302310209211
Fax: 00302310248944
Email: info@xirografia.gr

Eastern part of the town:
Galonis print shops
Delfon Str 195
Tel: 00302310 427 273,
Tel/Fax:: 00302310 420 264
Email: delfon@galonis.net