The University of Piraeus and Eurobank, through the egg Accelerator, have launched a strategic partnership designed to bring academic knowledge and research closer to innovation, entrepreneurship and the real economy.
On 31 August 2026, Professor Michail Sfakianakis, Rector of the University of Piraeus, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on behalf of the University. Michalis Vlastarakis, General Manager of Group Marketing and Corporate Communications at Eurobank and Chairman of the egg Steering Committee, and Stavroula Bachtalia, Head of Venture Banking at Eurobank and member of the egg Steering Committee, signed on behalf of Eurobank.
The partnership focuses on three key areas: connecting science and academic knowledge with innovation and entrepreneurship, expanding Greece’s innovation ecosystem, and supporting research teams and spin-offs at the University of Piraeus.
Through this partnership, students, researchers and faculty members will take part in educational initiatives, seminars, bootcamps, lectures and thematic events that will connect them directly with emerging entrepreneurs and the egg ecosystem. The partnership places particular emphasis on turning academic research into entrepreneurial opportunities. University research teams and spin-offs will have the opportunity to join the egg Pre-Acceleration Platform, where they can gain the knowledge and tools they need to develop research ideas into viable business ventures.
The partnership will also support initiatives aimed at empowering women researchers, students and entrepreneurs, encouraging greater participation in STEAM fields and helping innovative research projects develop their entrepreneurial potential.
Professor Michail Sfakianakis, Rector of the University of Piraeus, said:
“At the University of Piraeus, we consistently invest in openness, innovation and stronger links between academic knowledge and the real economy. Our partnership with Eurobank and egg marks another important step in this direction. We want the knowledge and research generated at our University to move beyond the laboratory and develop into innovative applications, new businesses and new opportunities for our people and our country. We are building an outward-looking and creative University that turns scientific knowledge into innovation and innovation into value for the economy and society.”
Roula Bachtalia, Head of Venture Banking at Eurobank and the egg Accelerator, said:
“Eurobank’s partnership with the University of Piraeus marks another important step in bringing the academic community closer to the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Through the egg Accelerator, one of Greece’s most established business acceleration programmes, we aim to create the conditions that allow knowledge and research to develop into innovative business ideas with strong growth potential. Our partnership with the University of Piraeus strengthens this pathway by bringing researchers, students and emerging entrepreneurial teams closer to the market and the innovation ecosystem. We believe that harnessing research and transforming innovative ideas into sustainable businesses can make a meaningful contribution to the competitiveness and international reach of the Greek economy.”
