Sixteen Promising Greek Startups to Showcase their Solutions at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival

NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hellenic Initiative and the Libra Group are proud sponsors of the Greek Exhibit at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive/Startup Village on March 7, 2014 in Austin, TX. Sixteen promising high-tech startups will participate, representing the first time so many Greek startups have exhibited together at a world-class event outside of Greece.

Since its inception in 1994 the SXSW Interactive Festival has emerged as an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to preview the technology of tomorrow today. Startups as diverse as AirBnB, Foursquare, and Gowalla have debuted at prior SXSW events.  More than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend.

"Startups like ours represent a new future for Greece," said Lefteris Ntouanoglou, Co-Founder & CEO of Schoox, an online learning platform. "The economic crisis has fueled new interest in the creative economy.  Greece has the talent, we just need exposure on a global stage.  We are proud to be part of such a strong group of startups representing Greece at SXSW."

The Greek startups represent fields as diverse as energy monitoring and management; social media, web and mobile app development; personal intelligence; eLearning; wireless communications; nano-tech; and advanced materials. Participating companies will showcase their technologies, pitch live to a panel of judges, and network with potential customers, partners and investors. This is an important opportunity for the 16 participating companies and for other startups in Greece that will ultimately look for US-based customers and capital.

"Entrepreneurs like these will help Greece build new economic foundations. They demonstrate the innovative spirit required to overcome the ongoing economic crisis," commented Libra Group CEO, George M. Logothetis, chair of THI's Entrepreneurship Committee, "we hope the Greek Exhibit will accelerate their growth."

Participation is organized pro bono by AngelouEconomics, an economic development consultancy in Austin, TX, with the operational support of the Embassy of Greece in Washington, DC.

About The Hellenic Initiative

The Hellenic Initiative (THI) is a global, nonprofit, secular institution whose vision is to mobilize the Greek diaspora and philhellene community to invest in the future of Greece through programs focused on crisis relief, entrepreneurship and economic development.  Please visit: www.TheHellenicInitiative.org and www.onegreece.org

SOURCE The Hellenic Initiative