Welcome to the

Athens Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACE)

Whether you're a startup founder, a curious student, a researcher or an established business seeking to spark innovation, ACE is here to empower you.

Open Calls

Are you a student or researcher and wish to turn your innovative entrepreneurial ideas or scientific research into a sustainable business? This is your place.

Startups

The Digital Gate

OpenApply now The Digital Gate is a pilot-driven open innovation program in partnership with Athens International Airport, giving selected startups structured access to real operational challenges and live deployment environments. Apply now & pilot your solution into the real world!

Students

YES Summer School

OpenApply now The YES Program is a two-week summer initiative for high-school students across Greece with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Through action-based training, students design hands-on projects, transforming ideas from prototype to presentation.

European, Researchers, Startups

GAIA-X Accelerator

The GAIA-X Accelerator invites startups, research teams, and digital innovators to develop solutions in secure, sovereign, and interoperable data infrastructures. Participants gain access to mentoring, technical support, and a strong European innovation network. Apply now!

Researchers

Research Commercialisation

OpenApply nowTechnology Transfer When it comes to turning innovative research into products or services, there are several pathways researchers can explore.

The Incubator and the Technology Transfer Office of Athens University of Economics & Business

ACE is open and accessible to everyone, extending beyond the boundaries of Athens University of Economics & Business. Regardless of your background or affiliation, our doors are wide open to individuals who aspire to embark on entrepreneurial endeavours or seek to commercialise research outcomes. Recognised as the leading startup hub in Greece for the second consecutive year, ACE also ranked 95th among the 180 best accelerators and incubators in Europe, according to the “Europe’s Leading Startup Hubs 2026” report published by the Financial Times and Statista.

Our services

Explore our dynamic programs designed to empower entrepreneurs, foster innovation, and turn ideas into successful ventures

Startup Acceleration & Incubation

From ambition to acceleration
We support start-ups and founders at all stages.

Entrepreneurial Skills Development

Learning entrepreneurship – through our hand-ons workshops, lectures and executive programs for founders and corporates.

Technology Transfer

Create a university spinoff & get support on patents.

Proof-of-Concept Funding

We help startups and founders secure prototyping funding and pilot implementation.

Innovation for Corporates

Unlocking the potential for innovation through scouting startups & technologies, co-developing products, boosting the entrepreneurial mindset.

Get access to a vibrant international network

Get access to a vibrant local ecosystem, an extended regional and international network

A decade of milestones

Celebrating a decade of impact, ACE has supported countless startups, nurtured innovation, and driven entrepreneurial success through key milestones!

10.5+

More than 15 startups have raised VC funding

235+

To empower employment in more than 10 industries

250+

Supported and endorsed by AUEB to run innovation

8000+

engaged & educated through our programs

With programs tailor made for you

Our teams have gone and created outstanding companies

The ACE team helped us believe in our vision, chase it with all our strength, and after every obstacle, they were there to help us get back on our feet.

When Inagros was just an idea, the ACE team believed in it and helped us take our first steps. They’ve been by our side at every stage of our journey, as we continue to grow. Thank you so much for everything!

ACE played a significant role in helping us evolve from a research team into a team that understands entrepreneurship and the market.

The ACE team helped us turn our idea into action and take our first steps into the world of entrepreneurship. They stood by us throughout the entire program, providing meaningful and practical support that allowed us to launch our commercial activity. Thank you very much!

ACE was a huge help at Uplodio. They gave us the kind of support every early-stage startup needs. Great coaching to solve everyday problems, mentorship from industry experts, and connections that opened doors for us. Thanks to ACE, we joined the startup ecosystem and felt part of a community. Really appreciate everything they did for us.

Thanks to ACE, a game-changing pilot opened the door to our first impact funding, and their support has been a catalyst for our growth and purpose ever since.

ACE played a crucial role in Clio Muse’s early growth, helping us build a scalable business model, understand product-market fit, and learn how to effectively sell to real customers.

Stay in touch

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