The final dissemination event that took place at the amphitheatre of UCLan Cyprus on the 18th of November 2021 marked the end of the 3-year EU funded project SPRING. The project closed with a top-notch and inspiring Ceremony showcasing the finalists of the SPRING Family Enterprise Innovation Awards Competition.

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Prof. Panikkos Poutziouris, the Rector of UCLan Cyprus, opened the ceremony welcoming all members of the partner organisations that travelled to Cyprus from 9 different European countries. The aim of the SPRING project was to foster innovation-based growth and succession planning in family businesses. Prof. Poutziouris pointed out that family businesses are the most prevalent form of business organisations representing 85% of all enterprises and contributing to 65% of economic activity and therefore supporting family businesses is important not only for their survival and growth, but also to generate jobs and opportunities for the next generation and to boost Europe’s economy.

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During the final dissemination event, a top-notch panel discussion took place with experts in the area of family businesses including:

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• Prof. Panikkos Poutziouris, Rector of UCLan Cyprus, Professor in Entrepreneurship & Family Business, Chair of the Centre for Entrepreneurship (CEDAR)

• Mr. Marios Loucaides, Business Consultant and Founder of Synpraxis Management Services Ltd

• Prof. Salvatore Tomaselli (PhD), Professor of UNIPA and international Consultant of Family Businesses in the past 25 years

• Dr. Rania Labaki (PhD), Associate Professor, Director of the EDHEC Family Business Research Centre and family business advisor with more than 15 years of international experience

• Mr. Demetris Vakis, Board member, Head of Markets, KPMG Limited

• Mrs Stella Papaphilippou Mavrommati, Deputy General Manager, P&P Ice Cream Group

 

The company Golden Donkeys Farm based in Cyprus and the family business REVOL based in France were awarded for their innovative practices and innovative product, respectively. The Golden Donkeys Farm was established in 2000 and it serves as a theme park and a production farm that produces donkey milk and several other products, such as cosmetics, liqueur and chocolates with the use of donkey milk. REVOL is a family business in France with a unique expertise in manufacturing culinary porcelain. REVOL has survived 9 generations and has developed the very first 100% recycled porcelain following a process allowing for the waste from the production activities to be recycled and re-used to manufacture new products.

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Dr Celia Hadjichristodoulou, the Managing Director of GrantXpert Consulting Ltd presented the results of the SPRING project that include a hands-on training programme for family businesses developed by trainers, consultants and academic experts in the area of family businesses, a practical Succession Handbook for the owners, managers and successors of family businesses and a mobile app that serves as a self-assessment tool for family business members to help them evaluate the company’s needs and challenges in terms of succession and strategic growth planning.

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The organisers of the final dissemination and Family Enterprise Innovation Awards were the UCLan Cyprus and GrantXpert Consulting Ltd, leading partners of the EU funded project SPRING.

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The event was broadcasted live on Facebook. The recorded event can still be watched by clicking here.

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