Top accelerators and startup programs in Greece

Greece is a country that has consistently developed and nurtured over recent years and is now home to numerous accelerators, startup programs, and initiatives. These are connected to universities, science parks, and corporate partners, offering structured support for early-stage companies and research-driven startups. These programs range from pre-incubation for idea validation to full acceleration tracks that guide startups through product development, market-entry, and scaling. 

In this article, we’ve selected ten of the most popular accelerators and startup support programs currently operating in Greece. These initiatives provide access to expert mentorship, corporate partnerships, investor networks, EU funding opportunities, and even workspaces to support founders in growing their companies.

1. Athens Business Incubator — THEA

‍The Athens Business Incubator has been operated by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry since July 2014, offering startups in Athens mentoring, networking, and modern facilities to support their growth. 

THEA supports ventures across sectors, from tourism and culture to tech and traditional industries, providing expert consulting, training programs, and connections to funding and investor networks

2. Athens Digital Lab

Athens Digital Lab is the City of Athens’ first municipal smart-city innovation hub, launched in 2017 and funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in partnership with COSMOTE and Nokia. Through annual Open Calls, selected teams receive up to one year of access to city data, IoT infrastructure, and testing environments in real urban settings, such as schools, cultural centers, and public buildings. 

The program includes on-site workspace at the Serafio Innovation & Culture Center, maker facilities, hardware and software resources, as well as guidance from city officials and corporate partners. Athens Digital Lab has incubated multiple cohorts, launching IoT pilots for air quality monitoring, EV charging, urban farming, and digital tourism tools such as interactive apps.

3. Athens Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center — ACEin

Athens Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center is the official incubation and acceleration arm of the Athens University of Economics & Business, operating since 2014 and serving both students and external founders. 

The program provides access to expert coaching, scientists, and mentors, along with modern facilities, workshops, and networking events, all designed to accelerate high-potential startups.

4. Deloitte's Innovation Hub in Patras

Hosted at Brainzone, Deloitte’s Innovation Hub in Patras, this open-innovation program supports early-stage and existing startups within the Patras innovation ecosystem. Chosen teams gain access to a dedicated workspace, hands-on mentorship, advisory services, and connections with Deloitte’s extended network of industry experts and investors.

The program supports founders at all phases, whether they’re ideating, building an MVP, or aiming to scale, and aims to help refine business models, enhance market impact, and accelerate growth through structured guidance and collaboration.

5. Endeavor Entrepreneur & ScaleUp by Endeavor Greece 

‍Endeavor Greece runs two flagship tracks: the Endeavor Entrepreneur program and the ScaleUp Program. The Entrepreneur pathway selects visionary founders with high-impact potential, connecting them with curated global mentorship, peer networks, and access to capital. 

The ScaleUp Program is tailored for mature, high-growth tech companies, typically lasting six to 18 months. It offers executive-level coaching, peer-group learning, fundraising support, and resources to help companies elevate themselves into globally competitive players.

Check out also Greeking Out 2.0 - Video Interviews Series: Endeavor Greece.

‍Read more about Endeavor programs from our interview with ​​Panagiotis Karampinis, Managing Director at Endeavor. 

6. Incubation 4 Growth — i4G

Incubation 4 Growth or i4G is a private incubator based in Thessaloniki, founded in 2003. It offers early-stage tech and science startups fully-equipped office space, coaching, mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to a dedicated seed investment fund. Over the years, i4G has supported a vibrant community of around 120 entrepreneurs and has participated in at least nine pre-seed and seed funding rounds, deploying over €2M to help promising companies grow.

The main program, called Founders’ Lab, is a 12-month incubation path that starts with three months of team formation and progresses to nine months of market entry. The Entrepreneurship Training (ET) program offers a fast-track, three-month curriculum designed to prepare startups to succeed.

7. Patras Science Park

‍Patras Science Park, established in the early 1990s near the University of Patras, is one of Greece’s premier science parks and accelerators. It supports the growth of over 30 high-tech companies across various sectors, including ICT, biotechnology, clean energy, aeronautics, nanotechnology, and blue innovation.

PSP runs several key programs, including the Proof-of-Concept grant, which provides up to €50,000 to help researchers and scientists at TRL 1–4 turn ideas into viable market prototypes, with around 10 projects funded annually.

Since 2019, PSP has served as Greece’s national CERN Business Incubation Center (BIC), giving startups access to CERN technologies, up to €40,000 in funding, office space, technical mentoring, licensing support, and up to 40 hours of engineering consultation. It also hosted Orange Grove Patras, a pre-incubator that provides coworking space and mentoring to early-stage entrepreneurs in Western Greece, thereby boosting the local startup ecosystem.

8. STEP‑C Incubator

STEP‑C Incubator is the business incubator within the Science & Technology Park of Crete, established in 1993 by the Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas (FORTH) in Heraklion, Crete. The incubator currently hosts around 30 resident companies and provides both office and lab space across ~2,000 m², including over 100 offices and 12 specialized labs.

It focuses on the commercialization of research-driven solutions, helping tech startups, particularly in IoT, biotech, materials science, and ICT, grow in a collaborative environment with access to FORTH’s facilities and strong ties to the University of Crete and regional partners. STEP‑C also operates a Virtual Incubator, enabling off-site startups and international teams to benefit from STEP‑C’s network, support services, and credibility, even without a physical presence.  

9. Thermi Accelerator

‍Thermi Accelerator is a pre‑incubator and co‑working accelerator run by Thermi Group in Thessaloniki. Participants receive full access to modern workspaces, including offices, labs, conference rooms, and coworking areas, with on-site support available for legal, accounting, technical, and back-office needs. 

Accepted teams then benefit from weekly coaching sessions and a series of masterclasses that cover product development, market fit, sales and marketing, entrepreneurial finance, and investment readiness. Alongside mentorship and structured support, Thermi offers networking opportunities and corporate partnerships, enabling startups to secure investor capital or licensing agreements through its investor network and venture capital arm.

10. Orange Grove

‍Orange Grove is a startup incubator and collaborative workspace founded in 2013 by the Netherlands Embassy in Greece and operated by the non-profit Ithaca, with offices in Athens and Patras. 

It helps early-stage and idea-stage entrepreneurs, both Greek and Dutch, through a mix of offline and remote programs, including incubation, acceleration, bootcamps, and masterclasses. Participants benefit from tailored training, 1:1 coaching, workshops on core business topics, mentoring from international experts, and access to a global network of trainers, peers, and sponsors.

In Patras, Orange Grove operates locally within the Patras Science Park, offering six-month incubation rounds that typically involve boot camps, advisory workshops, and investor introductions, supported by the Dutch Embassy and local partners.

Stay connected! 

This article is part of a series that presents the top startup incubators and accelerators across Europe. Stay tuned!