Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition

The Crazy Business Ideas competition is open to the public, so anyone with an innovative idea, adults and minors (with the necessary consent) can participate.

Description of the tender

The Crazy Business Ideas competition is open to the public and therefore anyone with an innovative idea, adults and minors (with the necessary consent) can participate. Participation can be individual or group. In case of group participation, the maximum number of people, per group, is four (4). Each participant (individual or group) is allowed to participate with one or more ideas. Applicants who have competed in the “CRAZY BUSINESS IDEAS” Competition in previous years are permitted to participate in the Competition, but not with the same idea.

To participate in the competition, the candidate must submit his/her idea via landing page within the website www.ist.edu.gr, submitting a short text describing the idea, together with a photo or video of the idea including his/her personal details (name, e-mail and age) and (if a minor) the written consent of his/her parents.

Ideas are evaluated by a panel of selected entrepreneurs, professors, and personalities.

The 10 shortlisted teams/candidates will be invited to prepare, under the guidance of IST College and with the help and advice of academics and market executives (mentors), the Business Plan for their idea and then participate in a “Crazy Business Ideas Fest”, where the ideas will be presented, based on the Business Plans, and networking will take place.

The short idea presentations for each of the 10 teams will be made in front of the jury and the audience attending the event at the IST premises.

It is noted that as part of the competition we will organize an open Entrepreneurship Seminar.

Crazy Business Ideas Competition Objectives – 2025

IST College’s Crazy Business Ideas Competition aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit and skills of young people and works by supporting in practice, youth entrepreneurship, innovative ideas and the young generation in general. With this premise, the aim is to create incentives and conditions for young people who will consciously choose to become active through their first entrepreneurial efforts. The aim is therefore to create all those synergies and partnerships which, on the one hand, will lay the foundations for an ‘ecosystem’ of cultivation and support for the initiative and, on the other hand, will bring compensatory benefits to all supporters and promoters of the action through interactive and ‘differentiated’ communication with the general young public.

2025 Competition Awards

The prizes of this year’s Competition are as follows:

1st prize winner:

3,000€ seed capital to turn his idea into a business (seed capital).

One (1) full scholarship for a Diploma programme of his choice

2nd prize winner:

One (1) full scholarship* for an undergraduate programme of his/her choice

3rd prize winner:

One (1) full scholarship* for a postgraduate programme of the winner’s choice

* The scholarship will cover full tuition fees, except for royalties to the partner university. In the event that the 2nd and 3rd winners are a group rather than individual entries, the scholarship for the undergraduate and graduate program respectively, will be awarded to all members of the group distributed at a discounted rate, depending on the number of individuals interested in attending the respective program.

Action Character

Educational institutions are a source of knowledge, but also a reservoir of ideas, so they must adopt a new educational philosophy, based on modern knowledge and continuous training of young people, fostering entrepreneurship, promoting innovation and opening new horizons.

IST College listens to the needs of Greek society, understanding that today’s conditions require the development of close and effective cooperation between educational institutions and businesses. Thus, it adopts the innovative model of studies called “business facing”. It is no coincidence that the majority of the universities with which IST College collaborates (Catholic University of Lyon, Glyndwr University, IDRAC, etc.) have invested substantially and have distinguished themselves for promoting entrepreneurship among young people and for linking education with the labour market.

This action was designed with the aforementioned in mind, aiming to encourage young people from all over Greece to think of an innovative idea and dare to transform it into a business act, thus giving ground for young start-up entrepreneurship to flourish.

The action is non-profit and does not aim to create financial profit. On the contrary, as mentioned above and in order to facilitate and properly guide the participants in preparing their participation, IST College offers free support activities such as business plan training seminars as well as prize money and scholarships.

The resources required to run and promote the competition will be covered by IST College and potential sponsors. It is worth noting that, due to the intense interest and ongoing contacts between IST College and numerous business companies, sponsorships have not yet been finalized.

Once the sponsorships are finalised, they will be communicated to the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs.

Added value for the new generation

This action is addressed to the general public, involving a large number of young people who, either as participants or as observers, are motivated to think and act entrepreneurially.

In addition, young people are given the opportunity to experience a “virtual business reality” which can, if they so wish, become a reality as they seek solutions and outlets for developing, promoting and implementing their proposal through their business plan. And since the purpose of the competition is to encourage the young generation to dare to put their ideas into practice, IST College, provides them with all possible support in this direction. In this way, in addition to giving young people the opportunity to make contacts with renowned entrepreneurs, thus opening a channel of communication with the business world during the competition, IST College guides young people in their first steps, offering advice, putting them in contact with the relevant services, planning with them promotional and publicity activities, etc.

Sustainability of action

As an educational institution, IST has both the experience and the know-how to organise and support an entrepreneurship and innovation competition. This particular competition, which we would like to place under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs for 2023, has been conducted with great success over the past four years, with the contribution of renowned academics and entrepreneurs as members of the jury, as well as the participation of academic and administrative staff of the institution with many years of experience and market knowledge. Moreover, in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, Crazy Business Ideas was held under the auspices of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which gave prestige to the competition and undoubtedly contributed to its even greater success compared to 2011, the first year of the competition.

The current competition is also under the auspices of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family.

In addition, IST College has significant experience in the organization of competitions and important events, since for many years it has been organizing various activities such as:

The “Business Voice” lecture and presentation series, which consists of speeches given by guests – important business executives from all sectors of the economy, in order to inform students on issues that concern the companies they work for and represent.
The “IST on Site” event, which involves a series of educational visits of students to companies and organisations, in the context of which students are guided around the company’s premises and come into contact with its executives, gaining knowledge and perception of the working environment.

Finally, the fact that IST College has the general mechanism, experience and know-how to support and implement major projects and events is also evident from the fact that IST College has for many years undertaken and implemented, either as a leader or as a partner in international synergies, projects co-funded by the European Union, which in most cases had an educational or research dimension and concerned young people.

Indicatively, IST College’s participation in PETRA II, Leonardo Da Vinci, Lingua, Tempus-Jep, Recite II, Do Business Online, CEDEFOP programme, etc.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria Crazy Business Ideas

Business Plans (Table 1) Score/Severity

Jury (Business Plans)

Degree of idea implementation 20%

Realism 10%

Opportunity/market niche 10%

Quality/relevance of business plan 30%

Performance 10%

Structure 10%

Financial figures 10%

Innovation 20%

Vision 10%

Idea differentiation 10%

Presentation 30%

Total 100%

The criteria of the quality of the presentation and essentially the ability of each team to explain, promote and “sell” its idea will play an equally important role in the final evaluation of the committee.

Out of the 10 ideas presented, the 3 best ideas will be awarded (1st, 2nd and 3rd winner). The final score will be derived from the evaluation based on the degree of idea implementation, quality/value of business plan and innovation (Table 1).

Finally, the 3 highest scoring teams will also receive an award from IST College at an event at IST premises.

Competition Jury

Michalis Dritsas

Mr. Michalis Dritsas is an executive with 33 years of experience in leadership roles across the private and public sectors.

He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a BSc/MSc in Industrial Management and Operational Research, and an MBA (Lancaster University) with Distinction.

He is a member of:

The Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE),
The Economic Chamber of Greece (OEE),
The Hellenic Association of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (PSDMH),
The UK Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

He is an executive at the Ministry of National Economy and Finance / Management Organisation Unit of Development Programs (MOU SA) / Special Service for the Coordination of Planning, Evaluation, and Implementation (EYSSEA) of the NSRF (National Strategic Reference Framework).

Mr. Dritsas was the first CEO of Elevate Greece SA (2023), actively contributing to the initial development of the initiative under the Ministry of Development and Investments with the support of the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI).

Eleni Foti

Eleni Foti is the Director of International Trade Relations at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (www.acci.gr) and the Director of the Athens Startup Business Incubator (THEA – www.THEAthensincube.gr).

She holds academic degrees from the Athens University of Economics and Business (M.Sc. in Marketing and Communication with New Technologies), from ALBA Graduate Business School (Professional MBA), and from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (B.Sc. in Economics). She is also a Ph.D. candidate at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences.

Additionally, she is responsible for European and national projects focusing on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Youth Employment. She actively participates in working groups and committees on these topics at both the European and national levels.

Maggy Kontou

Maggy Kontou is the co-founder and Lead Product & UI/UX Designer of SimpleApps, a multi-award-winning mobile app agency with accolades from numerous youth entrepreneurship/innovation competitions and design awards. She is an instructor in the Diploma in Digital Marketing program at IST College, co-organizer of the Google Developers Group Athens and Women Techmakers Greece communities, and a speaker at workshops on digital product design, mobile app marketing, and startups.

She has been included twice in Fortune Greece’s 40under40 list, represented Greece at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2016 (GES), and is an active mentor in programs and initiatives such as Women On Top, Women Do Business, and Tipping Point.

A tech enthusiast and gamer, she channels her creativity through “playing” with LEGO and is known as a night owl. She holds a BSc in Computer Science and an MSc in Mobile Computing from the University of Hertfordshire (UH).

Dr. Kouskoukis Marios-Nikolaos

Dr. Kouskoukis Marios-Nikolaos is the Head of Business & Economics Department and External Academic Affairs at IST College, as well as Scientific Collaborator at the Department of Management and Marketing of European University of Cyprus. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Democritus University of Thrace, a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) Degree in Total Quality Management from University of Piraeus and a Ph.D. in Economics with high distinction from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences. In addition, he has been a member of the academic staff in the past in different Departments of different Universities and Colleges, and he has supervised and evaluated undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations. Moreover, he has working experience, both in public and private sectors, specifically in the fields of Consulting, Education, Finance and Health Economics. His published work includes articles, book chapters and papers in the research fields of Investment, Accounting, Regional Economic Development and Economic Evaluation of Renewable Energy Sources.

Olga Stavropoulou

Appointed as Director General of the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA) in 2021, she has led a major transformation of the organization, driving a comprehensive restructuring, an eightfold increase in membership (353 leading companies from the maritime community and beyond), and the establishment of the award-winning HELMEPA Academy and Sustainability Programs.

A Senior Executive with over 27 years of expertise, she has a proven track record in leading complex, large-scale transnational and cross-sector sustainable projects. She combines an in-depth understanding of European policies with knowledge across Sustainable Development, Environment, Blue Economy, Entrepreneurship and Training.

With hands-on experience across sectors, she has played key roles in founding companies, navigating corporate environments, contributing to the public sector, and leading social enterprises and NGOs.

For 24 consecutive years, she has served as the National Editor of the European Commission’s Standard Eurobarometer Surveys and as a Senior Consultant for over 85 European projects. Actively promoting gender equality, she was appointed National Ambassador for the World Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) in partnership with the United Nations and U.S. State Department (2014). She has also coordinated the Greek section of the European Network of Mentors for Women Entrepreneurs, chaired the European Center for Women and Technology Entrepreneurship Alliance, and served as Lead Ambassador for the award-winning Employability Skills Accelerator, recognized with multiple awards.

She has personally envisioned and developed impactful training programs, including courses, masterclasses, and labs on topics such as Sustainable Development, Soft Skills, and Diversity. She has also led awareness campaigns that engage and inspire thousands of European citizens, earning numerous awards for their impact.

Her portfolio includes strong collaborations with distinguished institutions and key market players, such as Prince’s Trust International (founded by HM King Charles III), the European Parliament Office, European Commission Representation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and leading corporations like Vodafone, METLEN, Alpha Bank, and Papadopoulou, to name a few. She has also partnered with numerous Greek municipalities, government bodies, and academic and research institutes.

Her published papers, interviews, and media features highlight her contributions to social issues, education, and lifelong learning. She has been recognized as a mentor in the MIT Greece Startup Competition, CapsuleT Travel & Hospitality Accelerator, Mellon Angel, and as a Branding Heritage Ambassador, among others.

Born and raised in Athens, she lived abroad for ten years (USA, France, Belgium), and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology (Honors – Cum Laude, Northeastern University, Boston) and a master’s degree in International Politics (Honors, University of Brussels).

Thanos Mytilinaios

Thanos Mytilinaios serves as the HR Manager at the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA/OLP-COSCO Shipping). He holds a degree in Economics and a master’s degree in human resource management.

He began his career in London, where he worked on the development of innovative e-recruitment and career management applications. Upon returning to Greece, he played an active role in the establishment of Citizens’ Service Centers and subsequently worked on various staffing, evaluation, and human resource development projects as a Business Consultant.

For the past 15 years, he has held HR Director positions at the Athens Euroclinic Group and in the pharmaceutical companies DEMO and FAMAR.