In recent days, the ESPA program titled “I Start Entrepreneurially” was announced, with committed funding of €70,000,000, aimed at activating human capital by strengthening self-employment and developing new entrepreneurial initiatives that contribute to employment growth. The target population is primarily specialized and trained young people, graduates of universities/technological educational institutes with entrepreneurial ability and mindset, active in sustainable and modern sectors (e.g. ICT, Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, Tourism, etc.). Particular emphasis will be placed on business activities that create new, sustainable jobs. Grants amount to 100% of expenses and range between €13,000 and €36,000 (see below).
The program is quite demanding (it is a purely ESPA program, evaluated and monitored by EFEPA — i.e. it is not a DYPA/former OAED program), comparative evaluation of submitted proposals will take place, and a large number of supporting documents are required at all stages of submission, approval, and disbursements, which must be uploaded to the platform of the Integrated State Aid Information System (OPSKE).
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PERIOD Start date of electronic submission: Wednesday, 06.05.2026 at 15:00 End date of electronic submission: Tuesday, 30.06.2026 at 15:00
BUDGET €55,000,000 (North Aegean, Eastern Macedonia – Thrace, Central Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Western Greece, Crete, Western Macedonia, Ionian Islands, Central Greece, Peloponnese) €15,000,000 (Attica and South Aegean)
KEY INFORMATION
The Action is implemented using the simplified cost method, without requiring the submission and certification of corresponding invoices and proof of payment of expenses.
Grant rate: Public funding amounts to 100% of the total (subsidised) budget for each business plan and is paid directly to the business plan’s entity as follows:
| Sole Trader | Corporate/Multi-shareholder Scheme | |
| 1st Semester | €4,400 | €7,000 |
| 2nd Semester | €4,300 | €7,000 |
| 3rd Semester | €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) when the creation of one new job (1 AWU — Annual Work Unit) has been declared in the funding application and verified during the implementation period.
The business is obliged to complete at least two (2) semesters of verified operation (two milestones). Otherwise, the business plan will be subject to revocation of the inclusion decision and recovery of any public funding received, in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework. Meeting the above minimum verified operation requirement is a prerequisite for the certification/payment of one (1) AWU (or a fraction thereof).
The duration of the grant may cover continuous verified operation of twelve (12) or eighteen (18) months from the date of commencement of the business’s activity [i.e. a minimum of two (2) milestones/semesters of verified operation from the date of registration with the AADE].
In cases where the investment concerns an establishment other than the business’s registered address, the eligibility start date for expenses is the date that establishment commences operations, provided all other conditions of participation and continuation in the Action are met.
Grants are awarded in accordance with EU Regulation 2023/2831 (De Minimis).
ELIGIBLE BENEFICIARIES
Pre-established and newly established Micro and Small Enterprises, as defined in Annex IV of the Detailed Call, set up by natural persons who have obtained their first degree from a higher education institution (university/technological educational institute) after 01/01/2016, as well as new businesses (self-employed persons or corporate/multi-shareholder schemes with legal forms as defined in the present Call) that commenced operations after 01/01/2025, which will operate or are operating in the eligible NACE codes of the present Call.
Specifically, the following categories of businesses are eligible for this Action:
Category A. Pre-established. Businesses 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 in eligible NACE code(s) throughout the entire duration of the business plan’s implementation and until the investment is fully paid out.
Category B. Newly established. Newly established businesses are defined as those established between 01/01/2025 and the date of submission of the Funding Application. It should be noted that they must have operated continuously and exclusively in eligible NACE codes of the Action from the date of business registration with AADE and throughout the entire duration of the business plan’s implementation until the investment is fully paid out.
ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS (All of the following criteria must be met affirmatively)
- Operating or intending to operate within Greek territory.
- Submitting a single, unique funding application per tax identification number (TIN), either as a business or as a partner in a corporate/multi-shareholder scheme under this Action.
- NACE code eligibility:
- In the case of a pre-established business: commitment to operate exclusively in eligible NACE code(s) throughout the entire duration of the investment plan and until the investment is fully paid out.
- In the case of a newly established business: operating exclusively in eligible NACE codes from commencement of activity and throughout the entire duration of the investment plan and until full payment.
- The prospective beneficiary or beneficiaries (in a corporate scheme) must hold a higher education degree or a recognised degree from higher artistic education schools or recognised conservatories, obtained after 01/01/2016. In the case of multiple degrees, the highest one is taken into account.
- Declaring a single place of implementation of the action in one Regional category only (registered address or branch). Expenses are implemented at a single professional establishment.
- Operating or intending to operate in an independent, strictly professional space with functional autonomy.
- The place of implementation must not coincide with the residence of the beneficiary or first- and second-degree relatives.
- The physical scope of the investment must not have been completed prior to submission of the application.
- Not co-located with another business in a way that generates a benefit for another business from the subsidy.
- Individual income for the last tax year must not exceed €30,000. For dependants, household income must not exceed €75,000. The last cleared E1 (2024 or 2025) tax return is taken into account. Applies to all partners.
- Operating or intending to operate under permitted legal forms (SA, Ltd, Private Company, General Partnership, Limited Partnership, sole trader, cooperatives, etc.) and maintaining single-entry or double-entry bookkeeping.
- Meeting the conditions of the De Minimis Regulation (EU 2023/2831).
- Operating or committing to operate lawfully with the required licence, or with documentation that no licence is required.
- For newly established businesses: commencement of operations between 01/01/2025 and the date of application submission.
- Beneficiaries/partners must not be in an employment relationship and must not be receiving an old-age pension at the time of commencement and during implementation.
- Not subject to bankruptcy, liquidation, or compulsory administration, nor having filed a restructuring application.
- No pending recovery of state aid following a European Commission decision.
- Commitment that expenses have not been co-financed nor will they be submitted under another programme.
- Not having been included in or having submitted an application to another grant programme from 01/01/2025 and during the implementation period.
- Not holding a stake of ≥25% or exercising dominant influence over another business from 01/01/2025 and during the implementation period.
- The physical scope of the investment must not have been completed prior to submission of the application.
- Possessing or committing to possess infrastructure ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities, where required.
- No grounds for exclusion under Articles 39 and 40 of Law 4488/2017.
- Having or committing to having the status of a Small or Micro Enterprise in accordance with EU Regulation 651/2014.
- De Minimis aid must not exceed €300,000 over a three-year period.
- Being registered or committing to register in the Beneficial Owners Register.
- Commitment that the project complies with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- In a corporate scheme, all shareholders must meet the participation requirements.
SCORING CRITERIA
Proposals are scored on a scale of 0–100 according to the following groups of criteria:
GROUP A — Professional experience & level of education (35%)
- A.1 General professional experience — 50%: Total professional experience of the beneficiary or principal partners, calculated via a weighted average.
- A.2 Higher academic qualification — 50%: Possession of a second or higher academic qualification (postgraduate degree, doctorate, postdoctoral qualification), taking the highest qualification into account.
GROUP B — Macroeconomic & regional conditions (35%)
- B.1 Per capita GDP of the Regional Unit — 30%: Ten-year average per capita GDP of the implementation area.
- B.2 Demographic trend of the Regional Unit — 35%: Population change (2014–2025), with emphasis on declining trends.
- B.3 Special (affected) area — 35%: Classification of the area as fire-affected, earthquake-affected, or flood-affected pursuant to a Government Gazette (FEK) publication.
GROUP C — Funding application details (15%)
- C.1 Corporate/multi-shareholder scheme — 50%: Existence of or intention to establish a corporate scheme.
- C.2 Creation of AWU — 50%: Intention to create at least one (1) Annual Work Unit.
GROUP D — Social criteria (15%)
- D.1 Certified disability — 100%: Existence of a certified disability at the level of the beneficiary or partner.