The Pleiades Innovation Ecosystem, supported by Enterprise Greece, is opening a call to Greek startups building with AI. Applicants are invited to present an AI solution to a real-world problem in one of four categories.The winning teams will be supported to join the Greek national delegation at Web Summit Lisbon, 9–12 November 2026 — one of the largest tech events in the world, with 70,000+ attendees, 2,750+ startups and 1,000+ investors last year.
Four categories
- Smart Cities & Islands — municipal services, urban resilience and climate, mobility, location-based services. We’re looking for services that reach residents directly and hold up in daily municipal operation.
- Resilience & Security — situational awareness, autonomous systems, geospatial intelligence, cyber and critical infrastructure. We’re looking for dual-use technology with a credible civilian path and clear ethical guardrails.
- Human Performance — personalised learning, educational robotics, training and performance analytics, workforce upskilling. We’re looking for tools that measurably improve how people learn, train and work.
- Physical AI — factory automation, logistics and supply chain, predictive maintenance, energy and resource efficiency. We’re looking for AI on the factory floor or in the warehouse, with the operator in the loop and measurable gains in throughput, safety and sustainability.
What selected startups get*
- 1st place: an Alpha booth at Web Summit Lisbon 2026, plus tickets and flights
- 2nd place: Web Summit ticket and flights
- 3rd place: 1 Web Summit ticket
All three will receive a place in the Greek National Pavilion and delegation — a base to meet investors, partners and customers in Lisbon. *T&Cs apply.
Who should apply
Greek AI startups founded in the last 6 years, with their own product at MVP stage or beyond and fewer than 150 employees. Full eligibility and requirements are on the challenge site.
How to apply
Pick a category, tell us how your solution fits, share your team and traction, and add a deck or demo link if you have one. An evaluation committee from the Pleiades ecosystem reviews applications.
Deadline
28 September.
Apply at
https://innoconnect.app/pleiades-ai-open-challenge
About Pleiades Innovation Ecosystem
Founded in 2022, Pleiades Innovation Ecosystem is a non-profit organisation dedicated to building a dynamic and collaborative innovation ecosystem across Greece and internationally. Through its CityLab approach, Pleiades and its members drive initiatives across Smart Islands, Smart Cities and Smart Ports, leveraging technology and data-driven solutions to create more sustainable, efficient and resilient communities. Pleiades connects organisations, municipalities and technology partners to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies in real-world environments. Founding Partners: Quest Holdings SA and Uni Systems. For more information: www.wearepleiades.com
About Enterprise Greece
Enterprise Greece is the official agency of the Greek State, under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to promote investment in Greece, exports from Greece, and make Greece more attractive as an international business partner.
More information: https://www.enterprisegreece.gov.gr/en
Press & Marketing Contact: Anthi Preketes
Growth & Marketing Lead, Pleiades Innovation Ecosystem