Smart Business in the Region of Thessaly (for start-ups and new businesses).

Programme Overview

The initiative aims to support investment projects by new and start-up SMEs in the Region of Thessaly, in sectors and priorities identified by the Thessaly Region's Business Discovery Process for the 2021–2027 period and specified in the ESEE Regional Specialization for the Thessaly Region.

Eligible applicants are new and start-up, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that meet all the eligibility criteria described in the Detailed Call for Proposals and intend to implement an investment project in the Region of Thessaly that relates to at least one eligible investment NACE code included in ANNEX III "ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (NACE CODES)" of the Detailed Call.

"Under formation" refers to enterprises that will be established after the electronic submission of the funding application for this action. "New" in the context of this call refers to enterprises that have commenced operations with the competent Tax Office on or after January 1, 2023.

Key Figures at a Glance

  • Eligible budget per proposal: €50,000 to €425,000
  • Public expenditure (grant): 70% of the subsidized budget
  • Private participation: 30% of the subsidized budget
  • Total programme budget: €20,000,000

The evaluation methodology is comparative for all applications submitted by the deadline under the detailed call for proposals for the action.

The Action is implemented at all stages (submission, evaluation, appeals, eligibility, audit, certification, amendment, payment, audit of long-term obligations, etc.) through the Integrated State Aid Information System (OPSKE) on the website app.opske.gr, through which aid beneficiaries are required to submit all requests to the EYD / EF (e.g., submission requests, appeals, audit requests, amendment requests, etc.).

Visit the OPSKE portal

Objective

The objective of the action is the production of innovative products and services, to increase exports, create jobs, and improve the competitiveness of businesses by supporting the investment priorities identified by the Regional Specialization of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE) for the Region of Thessaly.

Aid under this measure is granted pursuant to the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 2023/2831 (OJ EL L 15.12.2023) of the Commission of December 13, 2023, on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid.

The public expenditure is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and by national contributions under the "Thessaly" Program 2021-2027 of the NSRF 2021-2027.

Who Is Eligible

New and start-up, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that meet all the eligibility criteria described in the Detailed Call for Proposals and intend to implement an investment project in the Region of Thessaly that involves at least one eligible investment NACE code included in ANNEX III "ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (NACE CODES)" of the Detailed Call.

"Under formation" refers to enterprises that will be established after the electronic submission of the funding application for this action. For the purposes of this call, "new" refers to enterprises that have commenced operations with the competent Tax Office on or after January 1, 2023.

Submission Period

From November 27, 2025, to January 30, 2026 (by 3:00 PM).

The funding application must be submitted exclusively online via the Integrated Information System for the Management of State Aid (OPSKE) using the standard Funding Application Form available on OPSKE (Sample Electronic Submission Form in Annex I) and accompanied by all necessary supporting documents, as applicable, as provided for in ANNEX II "SUBMISSION/ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS."

Submit your application via OPSKE

Terms and Conditions

The start date for the eligibility of expenses is set as August 7, 2025.

What Is Funded

Personnel Costs

  • Full salary costs for newly hired staff, up to 20% of the funded budget and up to €30,000.
  • New staff up to 2 FTE and up to €15,000 per FTE.
  • Using shared support (Article 25 of EU Regulation 1060/2021).

Equipment, Transportation, and Instrument Costs

  • Equipment for environmental protection and energy saving.
  • Circular economy equipment.
  • Equipment for the installation of photovoltaic stations and storage systems for electricity generation and self-consumption (self-generation), up to 25% of the subsidized budget.
  • Other business equipment, up to 5% of the subsidized budget.
  • Digital office equipment.
  • Production and mechanical equipment.
  • Electric vehicles, up to 40% of the subsidized budget and up to €100,000, with a maximum of €50,000 per vehicle.

Expenses for Buildings, Land, Facilities & Surrounding Areas

  • Buildings, facilities, and surrounding areas, up to 70% of the funded budget.

Expenses for the Provision of Services

  • Expenses for submitting the funding application, up to €1,500.
  • Consulting support for monitoring the implementation of the investment plan, up to 4% of the subsidized budget and up to €5,000.
  • Software procurement and usage services under a "Software as a Service," "cloud computing," or similar model, up to 20% of the subsidized budget.
  • Costs for the provision of product and/or process development study services, up to 10% of the funded budget.
  • Certification of services and processes in accordance with national, harmonized, and other European and international standards, up to 3 certificates, up to €10,000 in total, and up to €5,000 per certificate.
  • Packaging, labeling, and branding design services, up to 7% of the subsidized budget and up to €15,000.
  • Intellectual property, patents, and know-how transfer, up to 10% of the subsidized budget and up to €20,000.

Software Expenses

  • Software and software program licenses, up to 30% of the subsidized budget.

Indirect Costs

  • Indirect costs amount to 7% of the eligible direct costs of the investment plan.
  • This is a mandatory category, using shared support (Article 25 of EU Regulation 1060/2021).

Note: For the purpose of preparing the budget, the above amounts and percentages are the maximum eligible amounts for each cost category.

The above amounts and percentages for expenditure categories and individual expenditure subcategories must be adhered to during the evaluation and approval stage of funding applications, as well as during the implementation stage when evaluating and approving submitted requests for amendments to the investment plan.

Total Programme Budget

€20,000,000

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