With numerous attendees from the technology and innovation ecosystem, including representatives from the government, the National Bank of Greece, investment firms, chambers of commerce, and universities, the 16th annual awards ceremony for the NBG Business Seeds Competition took place.
A total of 12 new and innovative companies and teams were recognized at the awards ceremony, having distinguished themselves from the 344 total entries in the 16th Innovation and Technology Competition. Cash prizes were awarded to the top three winners of the competition, while prizes were also awarded for the two special categories related to Financial Empowerment and Property Technology. Specifically:
- The first-place winner was MammoCheck from Cyprus, which received a cash prize of €20,000. MammoCheck makes preventive breast cancer screening available to all women, regardless of location or time, through a small medical device compatible with mobile phones.
- The second-place winner was Tinkery from Barcelona, which received a cash prize of €12,000. Tinkery is the first AI-native data warehouse that transforms raw commercial data into a reliable database.
- The third-place winner was Steganomos from Attica, which received a cash prize of €8,000. Steganomos is an AI-native cloud platform that transforms independent hotels into digitally intelligent businesses. It unifies reservation management, sales channels, and guest communication, providing independent accommodations with enterprise-grade tools.
- In the Special Financial Empowerment Award, the first-place team was SplitSave App, which received a cash prize of €4,000. The app automates price comparisons across all supermarket chains with online stores. The second-place team, winning a cash prize of €2,000, was InvestPlay, an educational digital investment simulation app for young people.
This award is being presented for the second consecutive year as part of the Innovation pillar of the ENNOIA initiative, which aims to strengthen households’ financial empowerment through research, innovation, and outreach. The initiative is funded exclusively by National Bank of Greece and implemented in collaboration with Accenture, Professor Michalis Haliasos (Goethe University Frankfurt), and the non-profit organization Komvo, actively supporting, through the Competition, ideas that promote rational economic behavior and strengthen economic resilience.
- In the Property Technology Special Award, presented in collaboration with Uniko, the winning team was Scoopterra, which received a cash prize of €4,000. Scoopterra is a location analysis platform that leverages market, mobility, and competition data, helping real estate businesses and professionals evaluate areas and locations with greater confidence.
Honorable mentions were awarded to the remaining six teams that advanced to the final phase of the Competition:
- Doitforme.eu: An automated advertising platform for small businesses,
- THALASSA-AI: An autonomous underwater vehicle for monitoring ports, ships, undersea installations, and aquaculture facilities.
- CRIPTIA: A comprehensive real-time rodent detection and monitoring system.
- dikaio.ai: A specialized AI legal and regulatory assistant for professionals and organizations operating in regulated environments.
- VELO by NEEMALABS: A plant-based material that can be used by the fashion industry as an alternative to leather. VELO™ is produced from agricultural waste from prickly pear cacti, specifically from prunings, contributing to the utilization of local, waste biomass.
- Placy AI: An AI-powered automation platform designed for real estate agencies, developers, and property management companies.
In addition, swimming champion Apostolos Siskos honored the event with his presence and spoke about his remarkable journey, while Alexandros Christodoulakis, CEO of Wealthyhood, shared his experience as last year’s competition winner and discussed his subsequent career path.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of National Bank of Greece, Gikas Hardouvelis, emphasized:
“The NBG Business Seeds Program launched in 2010, in the midst of the crisis. Where almost everyone saw dead ends, National Bank of Greece saw an opportunity to invest in the talent and fresh ideas of its people. Sixteen years later, we look back with pride. The competition has evolved from a simple initiative into one of the longest-running and most recognizable institutions of innovation in Greece.
I warmly thank all the Rectors, professors, and presidents of research institutions for their active and consistent participation. I congratulate the participants for their courage and dedication, as well as the program team members for their support. I urge young people to continue to dare, to take risks, and to innovate. The NBG Business Seeds program is part of our commitment to ensure that National Bank of Greece serves as the pillar of support for the real economy, innovation, and the necessary transition to a digital, green model of sustainable development.”
The event was attended by Stavros Kalafatis, Deputy Minister of Development responsible for Research and Innovation, who, after congratulating the competition organizers and the award winners, emphasized that:
“In the innovation ecosystem we are creating under the guidance of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, we aim to connect new knowledge and the scientific output generated by our universities and research centers with society, the economy, and the everyday needs of citizens.
We are optimistic that we have an organization like the National Bank that supports this vision. And no matter how much Artificial Intelligence—as a modern industrial revolution—will catalyze change, our most invaluable asset remains the human being. We honor today’s true heroes and tomorrow’s leaders. Innovation everywhere—Prosperity for All!”
Ernestos Panagiotou, General Manager of Transformation, Strategy, and International Operations at National Bank of Greece, emphasized:
“We have announced the winners of the 16th NBG Business Seeds Competition—startups that stand out for the technologically advanced solutions they offer in sectors such as healthcare, the environment, financial services, financial empowerment, and proptech. For two decades, National Bank of Greece has supported the innovation ecosystem through fund participations, direct investments and financing, strategic partnerships, as well as the continuous operation of the NBG Business Seeds accelerator.”
At the end of the event, Spyros Arsenis, Head of Innovative Entrepreneurship Development at National Bank of Greece, announced the launch of the 17th Innovation and Technology Competition.
Over time, the NBG Business Seeds Program has become the most comprehensive support program for innovative and outward-looking entrepreneurship, with a focus on Fintech, ESG (Cleantech, Climate tech), e-business, and financial technologies such as IT, AI/GenAI, and Blockchain. NBG Business Seeds includes initiatives for funding, acceleration, promotion, and visibility of innovative ideas and companies, as well as training, mentoring, infrastructure provision, and networking.
The Program, and specifically the Innovation and Technology Competition, has now become an established institution for promoting and financially supporting startups and innovative businesses in our country, confirming the way in which National Bank of Greece perceives, acts, and supports innovation and technological advancement as key drivers of competitiveness, outward orientation, and the growth of the Greek economy.