The Initiative
With the aim of cultivating a new generation of world-class scientists and visionary entrepreneurs, a bold new initiative is launching in Greece — a collaboration between Columbia University and the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), entitled “Lab to Market: Bridging Innovation and Entrepreneurship.”
The programme operates under the auspices of Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and the National Technical University of Athens, and is implemented by the Columbia Global Center in Athens, with the strategic support of Columbia Business School, Endeavor Greece, and the Hellenic Institute for Advanced Studies (HIAS). Its goal is to create, for the first time in Greece in such a systematic manner, a meaningful bridge between academia and entrepreneurship.
Through a structured and rigorous programme, undergraduate students, graduate students, and young researchers from across the country gain the knowledge, networks, and resources needed to transform their scientific research and innovative ideas into viable businesses. The initiative is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, which has a long-standing commitment to supporting leading researchers and future leaders worldwide, contributing to the resolution of some of humanity’s greatest challenges.
The inaugural event of the Programme was honoured by the presence of the Prime Minister’s spouse, Mrs. Grabowski-Mitsotakis, Founder of Endeavor Greece and Member of the Advisory Board of the Columbia Global Center in Athens; the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Mrs. Niki Kerameus; and the Deputy Minister of Development responsible for Research and Innovation, Mr. Stavros Kalafatis. The event was also attended by distinguished members of the community and supporters of the initiative, including Mr. Efthychios Vassilakis, Mr. Achilleas and Mr. Christos Konstantakopoulos, and Mr. Nikos Tsakos.
The Four Pillars of the Programme
As stated by the Dean of Columbia’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Shih-Fu Chang, “The new programme fully leverages Columbia’s deep knowledge and extensive experience in translating research into tangible benefits for society, and is also fully aligned with our shared vision, Engineering for Humanity.” The four core pillars of the programme are grounded in this philosophy:
- Education
Specialised seminars delivered by Columbia and NTUA faculty, covering the fundamental principles of entrepreneurship: from drafting a business plan and identifying the target market, to product design and development. - Mentoring and Networking
Systematic mentoring and active engagement with the Greek and international innovation ecosystem, through the networks of Endeavor Greece and HIAS. - Trip to New York
Participation in NY Tech Week (early June), with the aim of giving teams direct exposure to the leading entrepreneurial and academic environment of Columbia and New York City. - Competition and Funding
A business plan competition with cash prizes totalling up to €10,000, to support the most mature and innovative proposals.
The programme is offered entirely free of charge to all participants, including the trip to New York, thanks to the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. As stated by Len Blavatnik, Founder of the Foundation and Columbia alumnus, “It is our great pleasure to support this initiative and to help young people in Greece fully realise their tremendous potential.”
The initiative has a five-year horizon, and this year’s cohort focuses on three critical sectors: Artificial Intelligence, Energy and Sustainability, and Health Technologies.
The First Participants
The inaugural cohort of the programme consists of 90 undergraduate students, graduate students, and young researchers, selected through a highly competitive process. “The applications exceeded all expectations,” notes Stefanos Gandolfo, Director of the Columbia Global Center in Athens, “as we received more than 105 applications from teams representing a total of over 400 students, the majority of whom are NTUA graduates.”
Applications were reviewed in depth by a committee comprising faculty from Columbia and NTUA, as well as representatives from Endeavor Greece and HIAS. The primary selection criteria were the quality and innovation of the proposals, as well as the composition and dynamics of the teams.
Profile of selected participants:
- Gender: 60% male, 40% female
- Geographic distribution: From 18 cities and towns across Greece, including Drama, Xanthi, Trikala, Ioannina, Heraklion, Aigio, Preveza, Athens, and Thessaloniki
- Fields of study: Enrolled at 8 Greek universities, with primary disciplines being Computer Science (33%), Electrical Engineering (24%), Civil Engineering (8%), and Medicine and Life Sciences (8%)
The Mentors
A group of internationally recognised mentors plays a pivotal role in the programme’s success, volunteering their time and expertise. The President of Endeavor Greece and NTUA alumna, Costanza Spbow-Konstantakopoulos, notes: “Greek academic research is one of our country’s most important strategic assets. Lab to Market launches with a clear objective: to bridge the gap between knowledge and the market, transforming research into viable entrepreneurial ventures. With the launch of the programme and the free participation of 90 graduates and researchers, we are making a substantive investment in the country’s human capital, creating new opportunities both for Greece and for the next generation.”
The voluntary contribution of these professionals — many of whom are alumni of NTUA and Columbia University — brings to the programme practical knowledge from the “front lines” of entrepreneurship and investment. As emphasised by Petros Koumoutsakos, Professor of Computing at Harvard and President of HIAS: “The mission of HIAS is to build and promote international collaborations and exchanges among Greek, American, and diaspora Greek scientists, academics, and policymakers. HIAS is an active member of the Lab to Market initiative and will play a decisive role in its success, contributing expert guest speakers and helping to curate specialised academic or business workshops. It will provide guidance through HIAS-affiliated experts and researchers, and will connect participants’ research initiatives with international programmes focused on entrepreneurship.”
The Need for Outward Orientation in Greek Universities
The initiative is part of the broader context of internationalisation of Greek higher education, strengthened by government reforms dating back to the first term in office, under Minister Niki Kerameus, which gave universities greater flexibility to establish partnerships with leading universities abroad. As the Minister of Labour and Social Security and former Minister of Education stated, “Lab to Market exemplifies the model of strategic international collaboration — it connects education with employment and invests in our invaluable human capital. Embedding a culture of outward orientation and innovation is a fundamental step in the transformation of Greek Universities, and young people are the most critical group in which we must invest.”
The Deputy Minister of Development responsible for Research and Innovation, Stavros Kalafatis, noted: “This initiative is a bold step towards connecting scientific excellence with entrepreneurial innovation. At the Ministry of Development, we support every effort that strengthens the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem so that new knowledge is converted into solutions, products, and services that improve the daily lives of citizens, enhance the country’s competitiveness, and contribute to sustainable development. By establishing Technology Transfer Office Networks, funding actions for spin-offs and deep-tech startups, and international cooperation programmes, we are opening pathways to outward orientation and empowering the new generation of entrepreneurs. We are transforming Greece into an international hub for research, technology, and innovation.”
The Rector of NTUA, Professor Ioannis Chatzigeorgiou, underlined that “the change in mindset at universities is perhaps the most important step towards Greece’s transition to a sustainable knowledge economy.” He noted that fostering a culture of outward orientation and innovation is decisive for the transformation of Greek universities, with young people at the forefront of progress and development. NTUA, as the oldest and most powerful technological institution in the country, contributes scientific excellence, possessing a strong research capacity and high-calibre students, thereby substantially enhancing the momentum of the initiative.
About the Partners
The Columbia Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science demonstrates its strong and enduring commitment to advancing entrepreneurship and innovation, supported by a robust ecosystem for ensuring that research outputs have practical impact. Through initiatives such as Lab to Market, the Ventures Competition, Start Me Up, and the Silberstein Family Executives in Residence programme, the School empowers its faculty, students, and partners to launch and develop technologies with meaningful reach. This capacity is further strengthened by Columbia Global, which connects the University’s intellectual strengths with partners around the world to accelerate scientific progress and societal benefit.
The National Technical University of Athens is the oldest and largest technological institution in Greece and one of the leading polytechnic universities in Europe, producing pioneering research in the fields of Engineering Sciences, Technology, Construction, Artificial Intelligence, and Energy. It is internationally recognised for the high quality of its education, its distinguished teaching and research staff, its significant collaborations with international bodies, its iconic place in Greek history, and its substantial contribution to society. Its educational and research programmes are renowned for their high quality, its graduates achieve exceptionally high employment rates, and admission to NTUA is the most competitive of all Greek universities. It maintains a strong bond with Columbia’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, as 15 members of its faculty are NTUA alumni.
The Columbia Global Center in Athens serves as Columbia University’s hub in Greece and the broader region. Its goal is to build bridges between Columbia and the Greek academic community through innovative and impactful programmes in education and research. The Center supports students and researchers from both communities, fostering academic exchange, facilitating collaborative research, and promoting dialogue.
Endeavor Greece, the world’s leading network for supporting high-impact entrepreneurs — co-founded by a Columbia alumnus and today led by members of the Columbia community — and the Hellenic Institute for Advanced Studies, the network of leading Greek scientists worldwide, will provide additional mentoring and access to a broader entrepreneurial ecosystem, further enhancing the success of the initiative.
The Blavatnik Family Foundation, founded by Sir Leonard Blavatnik, provides many of the world’s best researchers, scientists, and future leaders with the support and funding they need to address humanity’s greatest challenges. The Blavatnik Family Foundation is funded exclusively by its founder and has contributed over $1.3 billion to more than 250 world-renowned institutions and philanthropic organisations over the past decade.
