"HELP-FORWARD (Hellenic Project for Wider Application of R&D, "PRAXI" in Greek) is the strategic alliance of the Research and the Industrial world in Greece. It was established in 1991, aiming primarily at the promotion of the participation of Greek firms and laboratories in the EU RTD programmes. Since December 1995, HELP-FORWARD partnership ( the Hellenic federation of enterprises - SEV, the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece - FING - and the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas - FORTH -) has become a member of the Innovation Relay Centre (IRC) Network, with the mandate of promoting RTD exploitation and European co-operation in research and technology. From April 2000, under the new IRC mandate, HELP-FORWARD has focused its role οn technology transfer and all related services. Since 1999, GSRT has appointed HELP-FORWARD as a National Contact Point (NCP) for the Framework Programmes for RTD.

SEV, based in Athens, its regional associations and FING, based in Thessaloniki, encompass virtually every important industrial and service enterprise in Greece. FORTH, one of the strongest and most successful RTD organizations in the country, with its 7 Institutes and 2 Technology Parks in Crete and Patras, provides the technological and scientific backbone of HELP-FORWARD. The above network offers wide and balanced coverage to the whole country, utilizing in a cost-effective manner the human resources and providing the best value-for-money service.

Mission
HELP-FORWARD mission is to make Greek enterprises and laboratories more competitive via technology transfer, to facilitate the exploitation and utilization of RTD results, to strengthen the links between research and industry, to promote and facilitate innovation in enterprises and to contribute towards enhanced European cooperation. Since 1991, HELP-FORWARD has been organized in order not only to give answers and information, but primarily to stimulate technological awareness in enterprises, provide a guide to innovative solutions, assist firms and RTOs in technology transfer processes, facilitate the introduction of new technologies and offer access to a Europe-wide list of potential partners in business and research.

Fields of activity: information, mediation, advice

• Awareness and information services on private and public financing for R&D and Results exploitation.
• Assistance in the identification of funding sources & opportunities.
• Preparation / promotion of proposals for technological and business collaboration in Greece & Europe.
• Mediation for RTD and business partner search.
• Support in the preparation of technology assessment and technology marketing plans.
• Consultancy support in technology transfer negotiations."

Source: help-forward website