Athens, Greece – June 22, 2011 – Cisco today announced its participation in the "Make Innovation Work - MIW" competition in Greece, a dynamic innovation and entrepreneurship competition organized by the American Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, with the collaboration of Cisco.

The objective of the MIW competition is to foster innovation and competitiveness in Greece by recognizing an innovative idea which can be implemented in the country and generate jobs and revenue. The participants submit a structured concept of their idea which will be evaluated with regards to innovation, sustainability and impact to the society. The evaluation will be done by consultants, distinguished professors and successful entrepreneurs. The winner will be awarded with $100,000 USD and aided to have their idea implemented.

The competition "Make Innovation Work" is held under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr George A. Papandreou.

Full details of the competition are available at www.miw.gr

Highlights

• The competition is organized by the American Hellenic Chamber of Commerce with the collaboration of Cisco, to foster innovation and competitiveness in Greece. The objective of the MIW Competition is to recognize an innovative idea of great magnitude that can be implemented in Greece, generating jobs and revenue for the country. Important local and multinational companies are sponsoring this significant initiative.
• A basic factor for the development of the Greek Economy is to prioritize those sectors in which Greece, due to the country's geopolitical position and characteristics, has -or could have- some competitive advantages.
• These sectors are selected for the thematic categories of the competition "Make Innovation Work", and are the following: Green Energy, Tourism, Alternative Agriculture, and Transportation and Shipping.
• Any person or company residing in Greece or Cyprus, and any member of the Greek diaspora worldwide is eligible to participate in the MIW Competition. The necessary requirements for participating are the following:

o        The idea/proposal must be the original creation of the participant.

o        The idea/proposal must follow the MIW Competition terms and conditions, as described at www.miw.gr

o        The proposals, which will be selected and awarded under the supervision of the MIW Competition Organization Committee, should be implemented within Greece.

Supporting quote

• Odysseas Charalambous, general manager, Greece, Cyprus and Malta, Cisco:

"Greece can become more competitive by standing upon its feet and taking advantage of its geophysical and human assets. Private initiatives may play a significant role to this. I urge you to participate in this competition, submitting your own proposal for development. With the power of the human network, we can change the way we work and live, and make a difference."

Supporting resources

• Video:Chris Dedicoat, president, European Markets, Cisco, introduces the "Make Innovation Work" competition
• Visit the MIW Competition website
• Follow the MIW Competition on Twitter: @MakeInnWork

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.  Cisco products in Greece are supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

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