Greece's EUR 150M AI Support Package: How Hyperion Consulting Can Help Greek SMEs

The Opportunity: EUR 150 Million for Greek SMEs

On February 8, 2026, Greek Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos announced a landmark EUR 150 million support scheme exclusively targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for AI adoption and modern technology integration. This isn't just another funding round—it's a signal that Greece is betting its economic future on AI-enabled businesses.

The scheme funds three primary activities:

1. Staff training in AI and emerging technologies
2. Hiring AI consultants and domain experts
3. Adoption of cutting-edge AI methodologies and tools

With roughly half of the investments directed at Northern Greece—particularly Macedonia and Thrace—the initiative is also designed to drive balanced regional development.

As Theodorikakos stated: "AI is advancing at breakneck speed—reshaping economic frameworks, labour relations, education, and research. AI must remain a tool in human hands—not the other way around."

Why This Matters: Greece's AI Gap Is a Growth Opportunity

The numbers tell a stark story. Only 4% of Greek enterprises currently use AI, compared to the 8% EU average. Greece ranks 25th out of 27 EU member states on the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). Only 39% of Greek SMEs have even a basic level of digital intensity, versus the EU average of 55%.

But here's the opportunity: this gap means Greek SMEs that adopt AI now will leapfrog competitors who wait. With EUR 150 million in government support, the financial barrier to entry has never been lower.

Greece's AI Ecosystem Is Accelerating

This EUR 150M scheme doesn't exist in isolation. Greece is building an entire AI ecosystem:

OpenAI for Greece Partnership

Greece is one of the first countries in the world to deploy ChatGPT Edu in secondary schools. The OpenAI partnership, backed by the Onassis Foundation and Endeavor Greece, also runs a startup accelerator providing access to OpenAI technology and credits for Greek startups in healthcare, climate, education, and the public sector.

Mistral AI Partnership

In November 2025, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis signed a memorandum of understanding with Mistral AI—Europe's leading AI startup, headquartered in Paris. The collaboration focuses on training large language models within the European AI ecosystem, adapting models to the Greek language, deploying AI in public administration and key sectors like shipping, and training Greek students and graduates through Mistral's specialization programs. This is significant for SMEs because Mistral's sovereign, European-built models offer a GDPR-compliant alternative to US-based AI providers—and Greece's early access to this technology gives local businesses a competitive edge.

Pharos AI Factory

The EUR 30 million EU-funded Pharos project—one of only seven AI Factories in Europe—brings supercomputing power to Greek businesses. Powered by the Daedalus pre-exascale supercomputer, Pharos provides SMEs access to computing power, AI tools, large-scale datasets, and specialized talent.

Track Record of Investment

112 investment projects have already been approved under existing schemes, with total budgets exceeding EUR 550 million (EUR 290 million in public funding) and expected job creation of 1,500+ positions.

The Challenges Greek SMEs Face with AI Adoption

Despite the funding, money alone won't solve the AI adoption problem. Research from the ahedd Digital Innovation Hub identifies critical challenges:

• Data readiness: Most SMEs lack the structured, quality data that AI requires
• Skill shortages: There aren't enough AI-literate workers, and existing staff need retraining
• Cultural resistance: Leadership teams often don't understand AI's potential or fear disruption
• Governance gaps: No frameworks for responsible AI use, data privacy, or bias mitigation
• Strategy vacuum: Businesses want AI but don't know where to start or which problems to solve first

This is exactly where Hyperion Consulting steps in.

How Hyperion Consulting Supports Greek SMEs

At Hyperion Consulting, we help small and medium-sized businesses transform AI ambition into measurable business results. Our approach is built for the realities of SME budgets, timelines, and team sizes.

1. AI Strategy & Roadmap Design

Before writing a single line of code, we help you answer the critical question: where will AI create the most value in your business?

• AI readiness assessment and data audit
• Use case identification and prioritization using RICE framework
• 12-month AI adoption roadmap aligned with the EUR 150M funding requirements
• ROI modeling so you can justify every euro of investment

2. RAG/LLM Implementation

We specialize in practical, deployable AI solutions using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and Large Language Models—the technology behind ChatGPT, adapted for your specific business data.

Real use cases for Greek SMEs:

• Customer service automation in Greek and English
• Document processing for compliance and invoicing
• Knowledge management so institutional expertise isn't lost when employees leave
• Sales intelligence that finds and qualifies leads automatically

3. AI Product Management

We apply rigorous product management discipline to AI projects, ensuring they deliver business impact rather than becoming expensive science experiments.

• Define success metrics before building
• Build iteratively with measurable checkpoints
• Ensure ethical AI deployment with governance frameworks
• Scale what works, kill what doesn't

4. Team Training & Capability Building

The EUR 150M scheme specifically funds staff training. We design and deliver:

• Executive AI literacy workshops for leadership teams
• Hands-on AI tools training for operational staff
• "AI Champions" programs to build internal capability
• Data literacy programs to prepare your organization for AI

5. Funding Application Support

Navigating Greek and EU funding programs can be complex. We help SMEs:

• Identify the right funding windows and eligibility criteria
• Prepare compelling applications that demonstrate clear AI adoption plans
• Structure projects to maximize funding coverage
• Report and document outcomes for compliance

A Practical Engagement Model

We understand that Greek SMEs need practical, cost-effective support—not open-ended consulting engagements. Here's our typical model:

Case Study: What Success Looks Like

Scenario: A Greek manufacturing SME (150 employees) in Thessaloniki wants to use the EUR 150M funding to modernize operations.

Hyperion approach:

1. Discovery: We audit their data systems, interview department heads, and identify that 40% of their customer support queries are repetitive and could be automated
2. Strategy: We design a 3-phase roadmap: (a) Customer support chatbot in Greek, (b) Predictive maintenance using sensor data, (c) AI-powered demand forecasting
3. Pilot: Deploy a multilingual RAG-based chatbot using Mistral AI—the same European AI provider that signed a national partnership with Greece—handling 60% of support queries in the first month
4. Impact: 30% reduction in support costs, faster response times, and a funded application for phases 2-3 using the government scheme

Take Action Now

The EUR 150M AI support scheme for Greek SMEs represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The businesses that move first will secure the best funding, attract the best talent, and build competitive advantages that late movers can't easily replicate.

Hyperion Consulting is ready to be your AI partner.

Whether you're a family-owned business in Thessaloniki looking to automate operations, a tech startup in Athens preparing to scale, or a regional enterprise in Northern Greece seeking to modernize—we have the expertise, the methodology, and the track record to turn this opportunity into results.

Next Steps

1. Book a free 30-minute AI readiness consultation—we'll assess where you stand and what's possible
2. Receive a custom AI roadmap aligned with the EUR 150M funding criteria
3. Start your pilot within 6 weeks of engagement