The Masterclass is a complimentary immersive training for selected food & agtech scaleups conducted by AgriBusiness Forum Scientific Partners about strengthening their entrepreneurial competences, optimizing their business plans and explore on business opportunities in Greece and the world.

SMEs entering to the Masterclass have a strong multidisciplinary team, passion for innovation, clear and positive impact on agrifood system and being founded less than 6 years ago.

On 2018, up to 13 innovative teams to participating to the Masterclass should meet the criteria listed below.

Evaluation is to the responsibility of an external Selection Committee.

• Being a scaleup: an SME company with a strong multidisciplinary team, passion for innovative entrepreneurship, a clear and positive impact on agrifood system and founded less than 6 years ago

• Being active in the Agri & Food value chain

• Participating with two company representatives

• Being available to dedicate time four days at least

• Having good command in English (training is in English)

• Submitting online request for participation through ABF website considering to accept the Privacy Policy and General Terms & Conditions of the AgriBusiness Forum.

Here the benefits provided to the Masterclass participants

• Training and workshops to improving their business value proposition and team competences about optimizing products/services distribution.

• Round-trip coach transportation by Serres KTEL from Athens or Thessaloniki to Serres

• 4 nights hotel accommodation (a twin bedroom per scaleup) including breakfast and 5 meals during the Masterclass and the conference

• Free attendance to the conference

• Networking meetings about increasing outreach and explore for business opportunities
• Participation to the Challenge
• Be potential panelists to the conference

Above benefits are provided complimentary to the participants by the organization.

1st Announcement – AgriBusiness Forum 2019

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Venue Website  •   Location

Venue Website  •   Location

The agri-food business environment in the Regional Unit of Serres

The Regional Unit of Serres is the largest in the Region of Central Macedonia in terms of acreage; with its arable area being irrigated at a percentage over 60%. The main source of irrigation is the Strimon River which flows throughout the valley of Serres, thus contributing significantly to the economic development of agriculture and animal husbandry.

The total cultivated area amounts to 140.000 Ha, placing the Regional Unit of Serres nationwide:

• 1^st place in irrigated areas
• 1^st place in the cultivation of alfalfa and Arachis Hypogaea (peanut)
• 2^nd place in arable areas
• 2^nd place in rice, barley and tobacco cultivation
• 3^rd place in corn and fodder plants cultivation
• 4^th place in cotton, wheat and sesame cultivation

In terms of animal husbandry, the Regional Unit of Serres occupies nationwide:

• 1^st place in beef and buffalo production
• 2^nd place for livestock (number of animals)
• 2^nd place in the total number of ovine and caprine animals and in rabbit breeding
• 3^rd place in cow milk production

Additionally, the sericulture and apiculture production of the Regional Unit of Serres is of the highest importance. Finally, there is a donkey breeding farm worth mentioning.

Regarding aquaculture, Serres is the only area where major units of Spiroulina production can be found.  Also, the trout breeding and processing unit in Aggistro is quite notable. In the alternative crops sector, the area covered by pomegranate groves is notable (200 Ha), while aronia berry farming and processing units can also be found. The forestry production is quite significant as well.

Industrial production is mainly based on the processing of agricultural products, as there are many companies that engage in relevant agricultural sectors such as dairy industries, creameries, slaughterhouses, cotton ginning factories, bio-diesel plants, a local branch of the Greek Sugar beet Factory, processing and cannery tomato factories, rice mills, flour mills, wineries, oil mills, distilleries, processing and packaging of peanuts, olives and potatoes, biomass power plants. Additionally, a significant number of agricultural producers have created small processing units (cottage industries). Lastly, there are many agri-tourism businesses which are primarily located around the area of Lake Kerkini.

Sectors with developmental prospects in the Regional Unit of Serres:

• A restructuring of the traditional cultivated crops is imperative, preferably on the cultivation of fresh fruits and vegetables. A prerequisite is the creation of units capable of receiving and forwarding agricultural products (sorting facilities and auction houses).
• The exploitation of the geothermal field that underlies the Regional Unit of Serres (the well-known Geothermal Arc of Strimon). This is a significant energy resource which might be able to contribute sizeable benefits in the agri-food sector of Serres.
• The conservation of existing branches of the Agro-industry (Greek Sugarbeet Industry, rice mills, tomato processing plants) and the further development of the processing of raw agricultural products in order to maximize their added value.
• Investment in the processing of the primary products of animal husbandry (milk, meat, buffalo products) where there is great room for improvement.
• The cultivation of a co-operative mentality among growers and the formation of farmer cooperative associations by overcoming the traumatic experience of the past. In this direction, and in light of recent legal status changes, 20 farm groups have been founded in the Regional Unit of Serres.
• The collaboration of relevant bodies in order to copyright P.D.O. and P.G.I. products for the Regional Unit of Serres.
• The construction of infrastructure for the preservation, packaging and storage of agri-products as well as for the supply chain services (Logistics). It should also be noted that if the shift of agricultural production to fruit and vegetables is realized, a commercial airport would prove to be very beneficial (certain preliminary actions have been already made for the attainment of this goal).
• The utilization of by-products from wineries and olive oil mills to manufacture bio-functional animal feed. Whey, the main waste of creameries, could also be used for this purpose.

The aforementioned offer significant business opportunities as long as there would be radical reduction of bureaucracy so that a grower will spend more time engaging in field work and managing their business than getting through paperwork (agricultural investment projects, growing plans, accounting, forest maps etc.)

Directorate for Agricultural Economy & Veterinary

of the Regional Unit of Serres

The Region of Serres

Wonderful mountains, historical and religious monuments, paleontological findings, waters, forests, bridges, caves with paintings from the Neolithic era, warm natural springs, a nature that is changing season by season, rich gastronomy, consisting an endless spectrum of sights and experiences at Serres.

The county of Serres is among the 7 regions of Central Macedonia, extended from Strymonikos bay to the south, up to the Greek-Bulgarian border to the North. The 48% of the region is mainly agricultural, which determines the main occupation of its inhabitants and is crossed throughout by Strymon river which the springs found in Bulgaria. In the area there are many archaeological and historical sites including the city of Serres, Amphipolis, several old monasteries and the fort Ruppel near the Greek-Bulgarian border. Favorite attractions of Serres region are the Amphipolis, Lailias forest, Lake Kerkini (Narura 2000), the village of Ano Poroia and the unique Alistrati cave.

Serres across time

The rich history of Serres starts in Mythical times and continues up today, left behind monuments from all historical periods: Archaic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Balkan Wars, the 1st & 2nd World Wars etc. Archaeological research has revealed remains of human settlement around 3,000 years BC. In 437 BC during the Athenian colonization was founded Amphipolis, and in 357 BC Philip II of Macedon has conquered the city and made it part of the Kingdom of Macedonia. It is from Amphipolis where Alexander the Great started his epic expedition to conquering Asia. Then Serres came under the Romans who established “via Egnatia” to connecting the East to the West. During the Byzantine period lots of marvelous churches and monasteries established, so that Serres to be called as “Great and wonderful city.” On 1204 until 1230 passed to the Franks, then conquered by the Bulgarian, and between 1383-1913 was under the Ottomans. Several Ottoman monuments dated from the 15th century, which are considered among the oldest in Europe. During the 2nd World War Serres conquered by the Germans, who failed to “break” the defense line of the fortresses of Ruppel and who later admired the guards of Roupel as heroes for their heroism about protecting Greece.