A new funding programme under “Epirus 2021–2027” provides financial support to unemployed individuals and people in part-time, rotational or seasonal employment who are planning to start a new business in the Region of Epirus, with funding covering up to 90% of eligible costs.
The application deadline has been extended to 21 October 2026 at 15:00, giving prospective applicants additional time to prepare a complete and well-structured proposal.
Who is eligible for the funding?
The programme is aimed at individuals under the age of 60 who plan to establish a new business in Epirus and fall into one of the eligible categories:
- individuals registered as unemployed with DYPA at the time of application;
- individuals who were in part-time, rotational or seasonal employment on 12 May 2026;
- individuals who were unemployed on 12 May 2026 and subsequently entered part-time, rotational or seasonal employment before submitting their application.
Additional weight is given, among other factors, to young and female entrepreneurs, the relevance of the applicant’s educational background to the proposed business activity, and business ventures involving more than one eligible applicant.
How much funding is available?
The eligible project budget ranges from:
€10,000 to €50,000
and may reach €60,000 where the business venture involves more than one eligible applicant.
The funding rate is:
90% under Sub-action 1 80% under Sub-action 2
Eligible social security contributions for the beneficiary may be funded at a rate of 100%.
The programme’s two Sub-actions
The programme is divided into two separate Sub-actions, depending on where the new business will be established.
Sub-action 1 – 90% funding
This Sub-action covers specific areas included in the strategy “Route to the Ancient Theatres, Nature and Culture in Epirus”, including designated areas within the Municipalities of Konitsa, North Tzoumerka, Central Tzoumerka and Souli.
Sub-action 2 – 80% funding
This Sub-action covers other eligible areas across Epirus and specific sectors of economic activity, including:
- Materials, Construction & Industry
- Agri-Food Chain
- Manufacturing, Materials and Construction
- Environment and Circular Economy
- Life Sciences, Health & Pharmaceuticals
- Sustainable Energy
- Digital Technologies
The appropriate Sub-action depends on both the location of the investment and the type of business activity.
Which expenses can be funded?
The programme can cover a significant proportion of the costs involved in setting up and operating a new business.
Eligible expenses include, among others:
- social security contributions;
- payroll costs for newly hired employees;
- machinery and business equipment;
- digital and office equipment;
- improvements to business premises;
- commercial property rent;
- software and licences;
- website, e-shop and mobile app development;
- consultancy services;
- staff training;
- marketing, promotion and participation in trade fairs.
The programme can therefore support both the initial investment required to establish the business and a range of operating expenses during its early stages.
Key eligibility requirements
Applicants must meet a number of requirements, including:
- being under 60 years of age;
- having an individual income for 2025 of up to €22,000, or family income of up to €35,000;
- not having closed a sole proprietorship after 1 January 2025;
- not having received previous funding to start a business after 1 January 2023;
- meeting the applicable requirements regarding employment status and educational qualifications.
Particular attention should be paid to the supporting documentation. Following the second amendment to the programme, certain documents are now mandatory eligibility requirements, and failure to provide them may result in the application being rejected.
Important: Do not start the business before submitting the application
One of the most important requirements is that the new business must be formally established after the final submission of the funding application.
The programme also requires the business to operate from an independent commercial property within the eligible area. A residential property, shared business premises or co-working space cannot be used as the registered business premises for the purposes of this programme.
Applications are assessed competitively
Meeting the basic eligibility requirements does not automatically guarantee approval.
Applications are assessed competitively based on a number of criteria, including the applicant’s circumstances, the quality and viability of the business plan, financial projections, length of unemployment, educational background and age.
A minimum overall score of 35/100 is required, together with a positive score in specific business plan criteria. This makes the quality and proper preparation of the proposal particularly important.
AFS handles the entire process
A successful funding application requires more than simply submitting the required documents. Eligibility must first be assessed, the business plan needs to be properly structured, all supporting documentation must be reviewed, and the project must continue to be managed correctly after approval.
AFS – Athens Financial Services provides end-to-end support throughout the entire process, from the initial eligibility assessment and preparation of the proposal to its submission and, once funding has been approved, the monitoring and management of the project through to completion.
This means that applicants do not have to navigate the programme’s individual procedures, requirements and deadlines on their own.
Interested in the program?
Contact AFS – Athens Financial Services to find out whether you meet the eligibility requirements and how the programme could support your new business in Epirus.
📞 210 8317 702
📧 info@afs.gr
Alternatively, complete our contact form and a member of the AFS team will get in touch with you.
