Entrepreneurial Start

Start Date: 6/5/2026

End Date: 30/6/2026 (at 15:00)

The Action aims to activate human capital by strengthening self-employment and developing new entrepreneurial initiatives that contribute to increased employment.

The target population is primarily specialised & trained young people with entrepreneurial ability and mindset to operate in sustainable & modern sectors (e.g. ICT, Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, Tourism, etc.). Particular emphasis will be placed on business activities that create new, sustainable jobs.

Who It Is Addressed To

Pre-establishment and newly established Small and Very Small enterprises, as defined in Annex IV of the Detailed Call, founded by individuals who have obtained their first degree from a higher education institution (University/TEI) after 1/1/2016, as well as new businesses (self-employed individuals or corporate/multi-shareholder structures with legal forms as defined in the present Call) that commenced operations after 1/1/2025, which will operate or are already operating under the eligible business activity codes (KAD) of the present Call (Annex II ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (KAD)).

Specifically, the following categories of enterprises are eligible for this Action:

Category A. Pre-establishment. Enterprises to be established after the date of submission of the Funding Application and no later than 365 days from the date of electronic notification of the final approval of the funding application, which will operate exclusively under eligible KAD throughout the entire duration of the business plan implementation and until repayment of the investment, in accordance with Annex II ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (KAD).

Category B. Newly established. The term newly established refers to enterprises that have been incorporated from 01/01/2025 up to and including the date of submission of the Funding Application.

It is noted that they must have operated continuously and exclusively under the eligible KAD of the Action (Annex II ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (KAD)) from the date of the enterprise's registration with the Tax Authority (AADE) and throughout the entire duration of the business plan implementation until repayment of the investment.

Grant Rate

Public funding amounts to 100% of the total (subsidised) budget for each business plan and is paid directly to the business plan operator as follows:

Implementation Milestone	Lump Sum – Sole Trader	Lump Sum – Corporate/Multi-shareholder Structure
1st Six-Month Period	€4,400	€7,000
2nd Six-Month Period	€4,300	€7,000
3rd Six-Month Period	€4,300	€7,000
Total	€13,000	€21,000

The above grant amounts per category may be increased by a maximum of €15,000 (unit cost) where the creation of a new job position (1 Annual Work Unit – AWU) has been declared in the funding application and verified during the implementation period.

The enterprise is required to complete a minimum of two (2) six-month periods of verified operation (two milestones). Failure to do so will result in the revocation of the inclusion decision and the recovery of any public funding received, in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework. Completion of the above minimum verified operation is a prerequisite for the certification/payment of aid for one (1) AWU (or a fraction of an AWU).

The grant period may cover twelve (12) or eighteen (18) consecutive months of verified operation, from the date of commencement of the enterprise's activity [i.e. a minimum of two (2) milestones/six-month periods of verified operation from the date of registration with the AADE].

Where the investment concerns an establishment other than the enterprise's registered office, the eligibility start date for expenses is the date on which that establishment commences operations, provided that all other conditions for participation and continued inclusion in the Action are met.

Aid is granted in accordance with EU Regulation 2023/2831 (OJ EL L 15.12.2023) (De minimis).

Type of Aid

Grant / Subsidy

Area of Application

All of Greece

Terms and Conditions

Beneficiaries must, among other things, meet the following eligibility conditions:

Submit a single and unique funding application per Tax Registration Number (AFM), either as a business or as a partner in a corporate/multi-shareholder structure under the present Action.

In the case of a pre-establishment enterprise:

Commit to operating exclusively under eligible KAD throughout the entire duration of their business plan implementation and until repayment of the investment.

In the case of a newly established enterprise:

Operate exclusively under the eligible KAD of the Action from the commencement of business activity and throughout the entire duration of the business plan implementation and until repayment of the investment.

The prospective beneficiary or beneficiaries, in the case of a corporate/multi-shareholder structure, must hold a higher education degree (University/TEI) or a degree from recognised Higher Schools of Artistic Education under the Ministry of Culture, as well as from music schools (conservatories) recognised and supervised by the State, obtained after 01/01/2016 (first degree).

Where two or more higher education qualifications exist along with a higher-level degree, the score of the higher level is awarded.

Declare as the place of implementation of the Action's activities exclusively one Regional Category of the Country (registered office or branch). It is clarified that the enterprise may incur expenses at only one professional establishment (the enterprise's registered office or branches).
Operate from an independent, exclusively professional premises. An independent professional premises is defined as a space that operates autonomously without functional dependence on other spaces and serves exclusively the conduct of the enterprise's activity.
The place of investment implementation must not coincide — and must be committed not to coincide — with the residence of the Beneficiary or any first- or second-degree relative (primary or secondary residence).
Must not be co-located — and must commit not to be co-located — with another enterprise in a manner that would enable that other enterprise to benefit from the subsidy received by the beneficiary enterprise under the present Action.
The individual income of the prospective beneficiary/partner for the most recent available tax year, as shown in Table C of the Summary of the Administrative Tax Assessment/Tax Clearance, must not exceed €30,000.

In the event that the prospective beneficiary/partner is a dependent family member with no obligation to file a tax return, the household income for the most recent available tax year, as shown in Table C of the Summary of the Administrative Tax Assessment/Tax Clearance, is examined and must not exceed €75,000. The most recently filed and assessed tax form E1 (tax year 2024 or 2025) will be taken into account.

It is noted that: this condition is examined for all partners in the case of a corporate/multi-shareholder structure.

In the case of a newly established enterprise:

The enterprise must have commenced operations from 01/01/2025 (date of registration with the AADE) up to and including the date of submission of the Funding Application under the Action.
The prospective beneficiaries/partners must not be in an employment relationship and must not be receiving an old-age pension at the time of the enterprise's establishment and throughout the entire duration of the business plan implementation.
Must not have been included in or have submitted a funding application currently under evaluation in other subsidised programmes (national or co-financed) in the capacity of a sole trader/self-employed individual or as a partner in a subsidised company, from 01/01/2025 and throughout the entire duration of the business plan implementation.
Must not participate as a partner/shareholder with a stake equal to or greater than 25% and must not exercise dominant influence over other enterprises of any legal form from 01/01/2025 and throughout the entire duration of the business plan implementation.
The physical scope of the investment must not have been completed prior to the submission of the funding application.

It is noted that: co-location of enterprises is not permitted in a manner that would enable another enterprise to benefit from the subsidy received by the beneficiary enterprise under the present Action. The term co-location refers to the installation of the supported enterprise in the same, non-distinct premises as another enterprise.

The full eligibility conditions for beneficiaries are presented in detail in the Action's Call.

What Is Funded

Indicative operating expenses eligible under the Action, within the framework of the simplified cost option and lump-sum calculation, may include the following:

Operating expenses (professional premises rent, electricity, fixed and mobile professional telephony, water, heating, other common charges, incubator hosting costs, etc.)
Third-party service fees (legal, advisory, accounting support, drafting and monitoring of business plan, incubator services, specialised vocational training seminars, etc.)
Promotion, networking and trade fair participation expenses
Procurement of consumables
Equipment procurement / Equipment finance lease / Fixed asset depreciation
Social security contributions of the beneficiary (entrepreneur/partners)
Unit cost for the creation of new job position(s) under a dependent employment relationship — one (1) Annual Work Unit (AWU)

Budget

€70,000,000

€55,000,000 for Less Developed Regions: North Aegean, Eastern Macedonia – Thrace, Central Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Western Greece, Crete, Western Macedonia, Ionian Islands, Central Greece, Peloponnese.
€15,000,000 for Transition Regions: Attica and South Aegean.

Submission Period

Applications for funding will be evaluated through a comparative assessment process.

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