Start for Future

Start for Future (SFF) – ACE & the European Innovation Alliance

The Athens Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACE) is an active member of Start for Future (SFF) – one of the fastest-growing European alliances for innovation, entrepreneurship, and systemic change.

A European Platform for Sustainable Innovation

SFF is the fastest-growing open alliance of academia, startups, industry, and public organizations, acting as an open entrepreneurship hub that currently connects

More than

0 universities

0 +

ecosystem partners and companies

A growing portfolio of

0 + startups

All working together towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

SFF Open Incubator

Is a collaborative network of incubators, pre-accelerators, and entrepreneurship centers across Europe. Within this framework, partner organizations deliver localized startup support programs—while jointly offering a unified incubation pathway designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential startups and facilitate their integration into regional and international ecosystems.

SFF Education & Research

Is a dynamic platform that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaborative learning. Through a wide range of educational programs, hands-on workshops, and cross-sector initiatives, it equips participants with the mindset, skills, and tools needed to drive systemic change and deliver meaningful, long-term impact.

SFF Regional Ecosystem

Empowers local innovation ecosystems to design and implement sustainable development strategies, strengthen their business models, and scale their impact. By fostering cross-regional collaboration, this pillar connects regional stakeholders with peers across Europe and beyond—enabling knowledge exchange, resource sharing, and systemic growth.

SFF Platform

Is a digital ecosystem that facilitates the matching of resources, capabilities, and opportunities among innovation stakeholders across Europe and beyond. It serves as a collaborative space where needs meet solutions, enabling seamless co-creation, knowledge sharing, and cross-sector partnerships.

Why Join the Start for Future

As the national hub of the Start for Future Alliance in Greece, ACE actively connects students, researchers, and entrepreneurs from the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) with the broader European innovation landscape. Through its involvement in SFF, ACE contributes to building an open, collaborative, and challenge-driven innovation culture.

Access emerging talent and innovation, shape the future.

Collaborate with top-tier universities, promising startups, and other ecosystem leaders. Gain early access to cutting-edge technologies and solutions while positioning your organization at the forefront of sustainable innovation. Strengthen your ESG strategy and drive meaningful economic and societal impact

Accelerate growth and scale through a connected ecosystem.

Tap into expert mentorship, access financing pathways, and leverage state-of-the-art infrastructure—both digital and physical. SFF helps you navigate the challenges of early-stage growth and opens doors to new markets, partnerships, and international visibility.

Boost your impact in education, research, and innovation.

Use SFF as a strategic lever to enhance your institution’s role in entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and regional development. Strengthen curricula with experiential learning, expand research collaboration, and bridge the gap between academic innovation and real-world application.

Co-create policies and foster regional innovation.

Support startups as engines of economic resilience and digital transition. SFF provides a pan-European platform to design and implement sustainable policies, promote innovation at the local level, and connect with forward-thinking regions across Europe and beyond.

Grow your skills, launch your journey, shape the future.

Gain access to entrepreneurial resources, mobility opportunities, internships, and real-world challenges. Whether you're a student or early-career professional, SFF empowers you to upskill, build your network, and actively contribute to shaping a more sustainable and innovative future.

The role of ACE

We support the initiative by:

Designing and delivering local bootcamps and challenge-based programs

Facilitating participation in international SFF activities and co-creation labs

Bridging Greek startups with European partners, incubators, and networks

Promoting knowledge exchange and talent mobility across ecosystems

By acting as a gateway between academia and the innovation economy, ACE empowers the next generation of changemakers to grow and thrive within a European framework.