This Action aims to activate human capital by bolstering self-employment and developing new business initiatives that contribute to increased employment. The target population is primarily specialised & trained young people with entrepreneurial skills and intention to participate in sustainable and modern sectors (e.g. ICT, Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, Tourism etc.). Special focus will be given to business activities which lead to the creation of new, sustainable jobs.
Online submission start date: Wednesday, 06/05/2026 at 15:00
Online submission end date: Tuesday, 30/06/2026 at 15:00
Action Budget: €70,000,000
The Action is co-funded by the EU European Social Fund+ (ESF+).
- €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.
The action is implemented based on the simplified cost methodology, without the obligation to submit and certify the relevant invoices and receipts showing payment of expenses.
Grant rate
The public funding will amount to 100% of the total (subsidised) budget for each business plan and shall be payable directly to the body implementing the business plan as follows:
Implementation milestone | Lump sum | Lump Sum
Sole Proprietorship Corporate/Joint-stock scheme
First Semester €4,400 €7,000
Second Semester €4,300 €7,000
Third Semester €4,300 €7,000
Total €13,000 €21,000
The above aid amounts per category may be increased by a maximum of €15,000 (unit cost), if the creation of one job (1 AWU) was declared on the funding application and confirmed over the course of the implementation period.
The enterprise is required to complete a minimum of two (2) semesters (two milestones) of verified operation. Otherwise, the business plan will result in revocation of the decision granting aid and any public funding provided will be collected as per the applicable institutional framework. Coverage of the above minimum verified operation is a condition for the certification/payment of aid for one (1) AWU (or fraction of AWU).
The duration of the aid may cover a period of continuous verified operation of twelve (12) or eighteen (18) months, from the date of commencement of business activity [i.e. at least two (2) milestones/semesters of verified operation from the date of registration with the IAPR].
In case the investment concerns another establishment separate from the registered office of the enterprise, the start date for eligibility of the expenses shall be the date on which said establishment commenced operation, provided that the other conditions for participation and remaining in the Action are met.
Aid shall be granted on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 (OJ L 15.12.2023) (de minimis).
Beneficiaries
Newly established and under-establishment micro and small enterprises, as these are defined in Annex IV of the Detailed Call, established by natural persons who obtained their first degree from a higher education institution (HEI/TEI) after 01/01/2016, as well as new enterprises (sole proprietorships or corporate/joint-stock schemes in the form of legal persons as defined in this Call) which first registered after 01/01/2025 and which will be or are already active in eligible NACE codes of this Call (Annex II ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (NACE)).
More specifically, the following categories of enterprise are eligible for this Action:
Category A. Under establishment. Enterprises that will be established after the date of submission of the application for funding and up to 365 days from the date of electronic notification of final approval of the application for funding, which will be active exclusively in eligible NACE(s) throughout the term of implementation of the business plan and until full repayment of the investment, as per Annex II ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (NACE).
Category B. Newly established. The term ‘newly established’ means enterprises established from 01/01/2025 through the date of submission of the application for funding.
It is noted that said enterprises must have continuous operation exclusively in eligible NACE codes of the Action (Annex II ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (NACE)) from the date of registration of the enterprise with the IAPR, throughout the term of implementation of the business plan and until full payment of the investment.
Beneficiaries should, inter alia, meet the following eligibility criteria. They must:
- Submit a single application for funding per TIN either as an enterprise or as a partner in a corporate/joint-stock scheme as part of the current Action.
- In the case of enterprises under establishment:
They must undertake to operate exclusively in eligible NACE codes throughout the term of implementation of the business plan and until full repayment of the investment.
In the case of newly established enterprises:
They must be active exclusively in the eligible NACE codes of the Action from the time of commencement of the enterprise, throughout the term of implementation of the business plan and until full repayment of the investment.
- The potential beneficiary, or beneficiaries in case of a corporate/joint-stock scheme, must hold a higher education degree (HEI/TEI) or a degree from certified Higher Schools of Artistic Education of the Ministry of Culture, as well as music schools (conservatories) recognised and supervised by the State after 01/01/2016 (first degree).
In case of two or more degrees from higher education institutions and a higher-level degree, the grade of the latter shall be taken into account.
- They must declare only one category of region in the country (registered office or branch) as the place of implementation of the measures under this Action. It is clarified that the enterprise may incur expenses in only one professional establishment (registered office or branches).
- They must operate in an entirely independent professional space.
The term independent professional space is defined as a space with functional autonomy, entirely functionally independent from other spaces and serving exclusively the activity of the enterprise.
- The place in which the investment is located must not be the same as that of the residence (primary or secondary) of the beneficiary or any of his/her first- and second-degree relatives or an assurance to that effect must be provided.
- The enterprise must not be co-located or an assurance must be provided that it will not be co-located with any other enterprise in such a way as to enable said other enterprise to receive any benefit from the aid provided to the beneficiary enterprise within the framework of this action.
- The personal income of the potential beneficiary/partner in the most recent available financial year, as shown in table C of the summary of administrative tax assessment/clearance, must not exceed €30,000.
In case the potential beneficiary / partner is a dependant and has no obligation to file a tax return, the family income of the last available tax year, as shown in table C of the summary of administrative tax assessment/clearance, will be taken into account, and must not exceed €75,000. The most recent submitted and cleared E1 tax form (2024 or 2025 tax year ) shall be taken into account.
It is noted that: this condition is checked for all partners in the case of a corporate/joint-stock scheme.
- In the case of newly established enterprises: They must have first registered on or after 01/01/2025 (date of registration with the IAPR) and up to the date of submission of the application for funding under the action.
- The potential beneficiaries / partners must not be in any form of salaried employment relationship and must not be receiving and old-age pension at the time of registration of the enterprise and throughout the term of implementation of the business plan.
- They must not have been included in or submitted an application for funding that is at the evaluation stage via other funded (whether nationally or co-funded) programmes in the capacity of sole proprietor or partner in a funded enterprise, from 01/01/2025 and throughout the term of implementation of the business plan.
- They must not be a partner/shareholder with a stake of 25% or more and must not exercise a dominant influence on other enterprises regardless of legal form from 01/01/2025 and throughout the term of implementation of the business plan.
- The physical scope of the investment must not have been completed before the funding application is submitted.
It is noted that:
- Co-location in such a way as to enable any other co-located enterprise to receive any benefit from the aid provided to the beneficiary enterprise within the framework of this action is strictly prohibited.
- Co-location means that the aided enterprise has its establishment in the same (and not separate) premises as another enterprise.
The eligibility requirements for beneficiaries are presented in detail in the Action’s Call.
Eligible Expenses
Indicative operating expenses eligible for the Action with the application of a simplified cost option and lump sum calculation may include the following:
- Operating expenses (professional space rents, electricity, fixed and mobile business telephony, water, heating, or other shared expenses, incubator accommodation expenses, etc.)
- Expenses for third-party fees (legal, consultancy, accounting support, business plan drafting and monitoring, incubator services, specialised training seminars, etc.)
- Promotional, marketing, networking costs as well as participation in trade fairs
- Supply of consumables
- Supply of equipment / Leasing of equipment / Depreciation of fixed assets
- Beneficiary insurance contributions (entrepreneur/partners)
And unit cost for the creation of a new job(s) with an employment relationship of one (1) AWU.
Action Communication Material
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Application submission procedure
The funding application must be submitted online via the Integrated State Aid Management Information System (iSAMIS at the website https://app.opske.gr/). Applications for funding submitted through iSAMIS with mandatory fields left blank will not be accepted.
The applications for funding will be evaluated by comparative assessment.
