Who We Are
Business and Cultural Development Centre (KEPA) is a non-profit private legal entity, founded in 1991 by the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece (SBE) and the Greek International Business Association (SEVE), with the aim of implementing and managing European and national programmes or parts thereof for the benefit of private initiative.
Since 1993, KEPA is the oldest Intermediate Managing Authority for National and Regional programmes for the establishment and the modernisation of SMEs. Since its establishment, KEPA has successfully implemented over 100 programmes/actions and managed more than 30.000 projects/business plans, with a total budget of above 3 billion euros.
What We Do
In 2011, KEPA decided to expand its activity by developing an internal European Projects Department, in order to incorporate all the knowledge and expertise raised out of the organisation’s participation in EU funded projects. KEPA’s focus is targeted in 3 main pillars: Design Thinking, Microfinance and Social Economy. Through its participation in several projects so far, KEPA has gained significant experience and know-how in the specific sectors, while it also participates as an active member to several European Networks (EMN, MFC, BEDA). Up-to-date, KEPA has successfully participated in 30 EU funded projects, with a total budget of around 21 million euros.
In 2017, KEPA started the initiative of Hellenic Design Centre (HDC), the first and most experienced organisation in Greece that provides integrated Design support services to private and public sector organisations, to assist them in problem solving and in driving innovation into services and processes by putting people in the centre. Since its establishment, HDC has been offering training and support services to a number of SMEs, public authorities and civil society organisations. Moreover, it has been promoting Design as a driver of growth and competitiveness of SMEs and in the economy in general.