Proyecto CERES
Centers of Excellence for Resilient Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Solutions
Co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme
What is the CERES Project?
CERES (Centers of Excellence for Resilient Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Solutions) is a 36-month transnational cooperation project aimed at strengthening the resilience, competitiveness, and innovation capacity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across the Mediterranean.
With a total budget of €2,497,800, the project is co-funded at 89% by the European Union (€2,223,042) under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. The project establishes three Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Greece, Palestine and Lebanon, which will serve as regional hubs for advanced training, entrepreneurship support, digital-green capacity building, and collaboration among local actors.
Why is it necessary?
Many Mediterranean regions experience frequent energy disruptions, weak infrastructure, and difficulties in maintaining essential services. This limits the competitiveness of MSMEs, which often lack the technical skills required to adopt modern, digitalised renewable technologies.
CERES addresses this challenge by creating a collaborative ecosystem where MSMEs, students, professionals, and local actors can access specialised training, solar technologies, digital tools, mentoring, and real-life demonstrations of resilient energy solutions.
Objectives
- To establish 3 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) as regional hubs for training and innovation.
- To enhance the technical and digital capacities of MSMEs and young professionals.
- To promote entrepreneurship and job creation in green and digital transition sectors.
- To demonstrate affordable and scalable solar-based solutions that strengthen local resilience.
- To foster cross-border cooperation through knowledge exchange and shared experiences.
- To contribute to Programme Objective RSO1.3 – Sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs.
Espected outcomes
Estructura y capacitación
- 3 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) established in Greece, Lebanon and Palestine.
- 15 micro-credential training programmes developed and delivered.
- 3 Living Labs for experimentation, prototyping and business creation.
- Collaborative digital platform for training, materials, MOOCs and engagement with local actors.
Demonstration pilots
10 pilot projects implemented with open-source digital supervision systems:
Greece: 3 solar shadow stations for e-mobility charging, lighting and energy supply.
Lebanon: 5 solar stations for potable water, ice storage, aesthetic kiosks and public lighting.
Palestine: 2 photovoltaic installations for electric vehicle charging and wastewater treatment linked to agriculture and MSMEs.
Ecosystem and cooperation
Strengthening cooperation among MSMEs, researchers, universities and local authorities.
Creation of energy clusters in Greece and Palestine to ensure post-project sustainability.
Increased opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and innovation in green sectors.
Project beneficiaries
Target groups
MSMEs in the energy sector and energy-dependent sectors.
Students, graduates and young technical professionals.
Local authorities, energy communities, chambers of commerce and technical associations.
Entrepreneurs and start-ups in the green and digital fields.
Training institutions, universities and research centres.
Final beneficiaries.
MSMEs that will gain access to low-cost solar solutions and replicable business models.
Students and professionals who will receive specialised training and access to learning platforms.
Local ecosystems that will benefit from greater energy resilience and strengthened digital capacities.
Partners
Contact
- Link to the Programme’s official webpage.
- Project coordination:
- Nikolaos Margaritis (CERTH)
n.margaritis@certh.gr
- Nikolaos Margaritis (CERTH)
- Communication contact:
- Guillermo Amellugo (SOLARTYS)
gamellugo@secartys.org
- Guillermo Amellugo (SOLARTYS)
This webpage has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. The content of this page is the sole responsibility of SOLARTYS and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or the Programme management structures.
