Start Entrepreneurially

The amount of the grant depends on the legal form you choose and whether you create a new job position:

The grant is provided as a one-off lump sum (Simplified Cost Option - SCO), which means something important: you are not required to submit invoices or proof of payment. This significantly reduces bureaucracy and frees up your first year of operation from the burden of detailed expense documentation.

The action concerns two distinct categories of applicants:

• Category A - Businesses to be established

This includes those who have not yet established their business. You first submit the application and, if approved, you have 365 days from the electronic notification of the decision to complete the establishment of the business and start operations.

• Category B - Newly established businesses

This refers to businesses that were registered with the tax authority (AADE) from 1 January 2025 up to the date of application submission. In other words, if you recently started your own business, you are not excluded from the programme – on the contrary, you may be eligible for funding retroactively for your startup phase.

Before investing time in an application, make sure you meet the following criteria:

1. University degree after 1/1/2016: You must hold a first-degree higher education qualification (AEI/TEI in Greece or an equivalent foreign degree) obtained after 1 January 2016.

2. Personal income ≤ €30,000: Your personal income for the last tax year (E1 2024 or 2025) must not exceed €30,000. The programme targets those who truly need support to start their business.

3. Eligible activity (KAD): The business must operate exclusively under eligible activity codes (KAD). The list is broad and covers a wide range of sectors.

4. Independent business premises: The headquarters must be in a distinct professional space, not identical to the beneficiary’s residence. An exception may apply for incubation/accelerator facilities.

5. Commitment to 18-month operation: You commit to keeping the business active and operating exclusively under the eligible KAD(s) for the entire implementation period (18 months) and until final payment.

The list of eligible KAD codes is one of the most extensive we have seen in an ESF programme and includes indicatively:

• Forestry and primary sector (selected activities)
• Mining, quarrying and manufacturing
• Industry and handicraft production
• Trade (wholesale and retail)
• High value-added services
• Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) - ideal for startups
• Tourism and catering
• Education and lifelong learning
• Health and social care
• Cultural and creative industries

Accurate verification of your KAD eligibility is a critical first step - a wrong selection here can invalidate the entire application.

Because the funding is provided as a lump sum, the amount you receive is intended to cover the standard operating expenses of starting a business. The eligible expense categories include:

Operating expenses

Rent for professional premises, electricity, landline and mobile phone services, water supply, heating, utilities, as well as costs for hosting in incubators or co-working spaces.

Third-party services

Legal, accounting and consulting support, preparation and monitoring of the business plan, and specialised training seminars related to the business activity.

Promotion, networking and marketing

Corporate identity creation (logo, branding), website development, digital marketing and advertising, participation in trade fairs and professional networking activities.

The logic of the programme is clear: it provides liquidity at the most critical stage - before the first revenues arrive – allowing you to focus on building your business without being burdened by day-to-day bills.

Here is perhaps the most important point that many applicants overlook: the evaluation is comparative. It is not enough to meet the criteria – your application must collect enough points to rank high. The more applications there are, the tougher the competition becomes.

The scoring is based on four main pillars:

1. Experience and Studies (≈35%) – Professional experience is taken into account, as well as additional qualifications (Master’s degree, PhD, specialised certifications).

2. Geographical criterion (≈35%) – Priority is given to areas with low GDP per capita and regions affected by natural disasters. If you operate in a regional area, you have a significant competitive advantage.

3. Quality of the business plan – Viability, realism, strategy, and innovation.

4. Beneficiary characteristics – Gender, age, unemployment status, and other social criteria.

In other words: how you prepare your application is just as important as whether you are eligible. A well-structured business plan can make the difference between approval and rejection.

The timeframe may seem long, but in reality a well-prepared application takes time: business plan, financial forecasts, collection of supporting documents, selection of KAD, legal structuring of the company, and proper scoring optimisation. Those who leave the application until the last minute usually submit something rushed – and end up with lower ranking scores.

From our experience with hundreds of ESF programmes, these are the most common mistakes that lead to rejection or low scoring:

1. Incorrect selection of KAD – an ineligible KAD is chosen or it does not match the actual business activity.

2. Home-based business address – the strict requirement for a separate professional space is ignored.

3. Income limit exceeded – the last tax declaration (E1) is not properly checked.

4. Unclear business plan – lack of financial justification and strategy.

5. Wrong legal structure for the profile – choosing a sole proprietorship when a corporate structure would be more appropriate (or vice versa).

6. Omission of scoring elements – master’s degrees, experience, and geographical criteria are not properly documented.

7. Late submission – leaving it until the last week, resulting in uncorrected errors.

“Start Entrepreneurship” is comparative in nature – meaning that not all applications that meet the criteria are approved, but only those that achieve the highest scores until the budget is exhausted. In a programme with €70 million budget and expected demand of thousands of applications, the quality of the application file is the only real differentiating factor.

An experienced ESF consultant:

• Checks your eligibility before you spend time on the application
• Selects the optimal legal form for your case
• Prepares a business plan that meets the OPSKE requirements
• Maximises scoring by highlighting every possible advantage
• Monitors the process until disbursement and beyond

Bonus: The consultant’s fee is an eligible expense of the programme – meaning it is effectively covered by the subsidy itself.

From 2006, Entec Consultants has supported hundreds of businesses and individuals in successfully joining programmes such as ESF, development laws, the Recovery and Resilience Fund, and European funding schemes. We have a team of engineers, economists, and legal advisors in Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, and Chania.

For the “Start Entrepreneurship” programme we offer:

• Free eligibility assessment of your case
• Preparation of the complete application file (business plan, financials, documents)
• Strategy to maximise scoring
• Legal and accounting support for company formation
• Monitoring until final payment and support for the 18-month compliance period

Ready to Start?

If you are reading this and already have an idea, a name, or a vision in mind – don’t leave it sitting in a drawer until June. Preparing a high-quality ESF application takes weeks, not days, and getting into the programme can be the step that turns a “good idea” into a real business.

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Can I apply if I am already self-employed?

Yes, provided you started after 1/1/2025 (Category B) and meet the other criteria.

Does the programme cover equipment purchases?

Not directly – the grant is a lump sum and is mainly intended for operating costs, third-party services, and promotion. However, you can manage the amount at your discretion.

When is the subsidy paid?

Usually in instalments: an advance upon approval and the final payment after completion of the 18-month period, provided all obligations are met.

If I am not selected, can I reapply?

It depends on whether a new call is announced. That is why the first application must be prepared with maximum care.

How long does the evaluation process take?

From submission to approval it usually takes 3–6 months, depending on the number of applications.

Is “Start Entrepreneurship” compatible with other programmes?

In most cases, double funding for the same expense is not allowed. Our consultant will guide you on compatibility issues.

Read also

• Active Subsidy Programmes
• Business Funding Services
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