COALition Investment Forum – Roadshow Central Macedonia

Validating the Joint Action and Investment Plan and Showcasing Pilot Projects

December 9^th 2025, 13:15-16:00, Daios Luxury Living Hotel, Thessaloniki

The COALition project is a direct response to the core European policy focus on sustainable energy, climate neutrality, and the decarbonization of coal regions under initiatives like the Green Deal. While vast financial instruments and platforms exist to support this transition, it presents a significant challenge for regions historically reliant on fossil fuels, risking local economic stability and skill obsolescence. COALition seeks to address this by fostering a just and inclusive transition in selected widening EU states (Western Macedonia - GR, Centru - RO, Southeastern - BG). It will achieve this by strengthening regional innovation ecosystems through the creation of excellence hubs and defining a joint strategic agenda for sustainable energy, ultimately aiming to maximize the impact of forthcoming large-scale public funding by attracting and mobilizing external investments and creating a multiplier effect.

The transformation is driven by several key tasks within the project, including the elaboration of the Joint Action Plan where the consortium will outline specific, impact-oriented actions and/or projects that align with the project’s Joint R&I Strategy. These measures may involve investments, pre-commercial public procurement, regulatory, or financial reforms. This is directly followed by the elaboration of the Joint Investment Plan, accompanying the Action Plan, by identifying suitable funding sources (e.g., JTF, National Funds, ERDF, RRF, private investors) and selecting the most appropriate financing schemes (e.g., loan, grant, vouchers). The final essential component in this strategic framework is the Specification of Pilot & Demonstration Projects which will precisely detail 30 pilot and demonstration projects. This includes specifying the necessary equipment, infrastructure, and costs, ultimately ensuring these concrete projects are ready for tangible implementation and seamless integration into the existing energy network.

Objectives and who it is aimed at

The COALition Investment Forum aims to validate the strategic direction of the Joint Action and Investment Plan, moving the plan from theoretical concept to concrete action. The discussion will unpack the plan's core Actions, assessing their investment readiness and matching them with available financial instruments to ensure immediate funding pathways which will constitute valuable input for the project’s Joint Investment Plan. The Forum will also showcase the identified Pilot and Demo Projects (PDPs), evaluating their Technical Readiness Level (TRL) and economic parameters. Most importantly, a direct pathway will be created to link high-potential projects to scale-up financing, driving the overall investment objective forward. 

The event is aimed at potential investors, mainly private (VCs, business angels, bank representatives), as well as public authorities and innovation support entities, who, with their participation and expertise, will contribute substantially to the validation and further shaping of the aforementioned project actions, as well as to the strengthening and sustainable development of the broader innovation ecosystem.

Format

The format of the Forum is structured around two Pitching Sessions. The first session will concern the presentation of key Actions from the Joint Action Plan and will be followed by a discussion with the investors on the panel, regarding investment readiness, financing tools and the general evaluation of these Actions in market terms. This will be followed by the second session, with a presentation of key Pilot Projects and Demonstration Projects, while the discussion with investors will focus on the TRL assessment, the technical specifications and financial parameters of each project, as well as the possibilities for their further scaling. Each session will be guided by the Moderator, who will use questions to ensure a targeted and constructive discussion.

AGENDA

13:15 – 13:30: Registrations 

13:30 – 13:40​​: Welcome and Introduction

CERTH-RDF WM

Round No1 - Joint Action and Investment Plan: Validation and Investment Readiness

13:40-13:50: General framework of the Joint Action and Investment Plan 

Dr. Rumyana Grozeva - SZ REDA

13:50-14:30: Pitching Session and discussion with the panel

Theodoros Stavrakas – RDF WM

Facilitator: Kostas Nikou - JTIG

14:30–15:00​​: Coffee break​

Round No2 - From Technical Specification to Scale-up: Technical Maturity & Cost Assessment of Pilot and Demo Projects

15:00 – 15:10: General framework of the Pilot and Demo Projects 

Ioannis Aviziotis – PPC

15:10 – 15:50: Pitching Session and discussion with the panel

Ioannis Aviziotis – PPC

Facilitator: Kostas Nikou - JTIG

15:50 – 16:00​: Conclusions and Final Remarks

Panelists

Dr. Evangelos Kosmidis, CEO & General Partner at Loggerhead Ventures Fund

Dr. Evangelos Kosmidis is a serial entrepreneur and High-Level Expert in Environmental ICT and Decision Support Systems. With over 25 years of experience, he has led and managed strategic environmental projects for ministries, research bodies, and the European Commission. He has successfully exited three technology and consulting startups in the past five years and has mentored numerous scientific teams, helping them transform research into market-ready innovation. He holds a BSc in Physics (AUTH), MSc in Atmospheric Sciences (UCLA), PhD in Atmospheric Physics, and a Business Excellence Certificate from UC Berkeley. He is also an internationally certified Future Strategist.

Michalis Orfanakos, Director - Head of Corporate Banking Middle Office, CrediaBank

Mr. Michalis Orfanakos is the Director - Head of Corporate Banking Middle Office at CrediaBank. With over 20 years of experience in the banking sector, having served as Director of Corporate Banking at Attica Bank and as a team leader at Piraeus Bank, he has significant knowledge in financing Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Large Corporates and in the utilization and management of Development Programs. He holds a degree in Economics from the Athens University of Economics and Business and a Master's Degree (MA) in Marketing from Kingston University, London.

Nikolas Takas, CEO THERMI VC SA

Mr. Nikolas Takas is the CEO of THERMI VC SA which manages the NORTHERN GREECE INVESTMENT FUND, the only growth VC Fund based in Thessaloniki, with 30mil EURO under management. He has a 20-year experience in Venture Capital Investments having managed Funds of more than 100mil EURO since 2004.

He is the Vice President of THERMI GROUP, a group investing in the Renewable Energy, ICT, Real Estate & Tourism, and Shipping sectors. He is also the Managing Director of BALKAN REAL ESTATE (Construction Company) and the President of DOMOS GROUP (Construction Materials).

Mr. Takas is a Member of the BoD of the Federation of Industries of Greece (SBE), Member of the BoD of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) and Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovenia in Northern Greece.

He holds a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Winchester, a Master of Science (MSc) in Shipping Trade and Finance from Cass Business School (City University London), and a Bachelor of Science in Economics (BA) from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is also a Phd candidate in Economics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.