Cities Network for The Sustainable Development and Circular Economy
Established in 2017, SusCITY is a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting municipalities in accessing European funding through technical assistance, networking, and proposal development. With over 85 members, including small and medium-sized municipalities, institutions, and research organisations, SusCITY fosters collaboration for sustainable growth. The organisation provides expertise in research, project implementation, and policy development across key areas such as Sustainable Development, Environmental Protection, Circular Economy, Smart Energy Management, Energy Efficiency, and Capacity Building, aiming to drive innovation and impactful changes at local and regional level.
About the partnership
SusCITY’s main contribution to the THESEUS Project focuses on smart waste management solutions, policy-making, co-creation and participatory approaches, stakeholders engagement, as well as facilitating the replication of project results and enhancing cooperation among local authorities. SusCITY is involved in the deployment and optimisation of smart bins, integrating waste sorting infrastructure in urban environments, supporting water reuse initiatives for urban farming, and rainwater harvesting strategies as part of Water Symbiotic Flows and replication activities. SusCITY contributes to urban policy frameworks, enhances municipal participation, and promotes knowledge sharing through exploitation and dissemination activities. In addition, the organisation supports all the main project management, exploitation and dissemination activities of the THESEUS project.
Stakeholder Engagement & Co-Creation (WP2 & WP10): Develop Athens SA will play a key role in fostering participatory approaches and co-creation processes within the Industrial-Urban Symbiosis (I-US) ecosystem for the Attica Hub for Circularity (H4C). This includes engaging stakeholders and facilitating collaboration between public and private entities
Governance & Policy Development (WP2 & WP11): As a key municipal entity, Develop Athens SA will contribute to the development of governance models and policies aligned with national circular economy strategies
Smart Waste Management (WP4 & WP5): Develop Athens SA is actively involved in the deployment of smart waste management solutions in Athens. This includes optimizing waste collection and segregation through smart bins and AI-driven digital tools, improving material recovery efficiency
Meet the Team
Ioannis Georgizas
General Manager of SusCITY
Ioannis Georgizas is a physicist with an MSc in Information Technology and an Executive MBA. He is a seasoned business analyst and project manager with expertise in ERDF projects, overseeing initiatives in both the public and private sector. His experience includes IT, sustainable development, energy efficiency, and circular economy projects, along with a strong background in software development. He has successfully led numerous projects across these fields. Since 2024, he is also serving as the CEO of Develop Athens S.A.
Penny Kazaki
Project Management and Coordination
Penny is a Project Manager at Sustainable City Network, specializing in the coordination and implementation of national and European projects in sustainability and energy transition. For the past five years, she has focused on supporting Greek municipalities in advancing the energy transition through pilot projects and capacity-building initiatives. With a background in international relations, European affairs, and energy markets, she supports municipalities in developing and implementing innovative solutions for sustainability and energy transition.
Eleni Lytra
Engineer, Urban Planning and Regional Development MSci
Eleni Lytra holds an Integrated Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Regional Development. She is engaged in the coordination and preparation of studies, while also providing consulting and technical support in municipal procedures. She also contributes to the management of EU projects related to energy transition and municipal development.
Dimitris Papaleloudis
IT Project Manager
Dimitris Papaleloudis is a Computer and Information Technology Engineer with experience in the analysis, design and implementation of information systems. He is a Project Manager for Sustainable City, participating in various EU Research Projects (Horizon, Life etc), supporting energy transition, circularity and IT transformation across Greek municipalities and EU.
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions programme under grant agreement No 101095303, under topic HORIZON-CL4-2024-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-38 – Hubs for circularity for industrialised urban peripheral areas (Processes4Planet partnership) (IA).
