Greek entrepreneurs remain cautiously optimistic and are planning hires and investments, but are concerned about the legal and regulatory framework, shortages of skilled human resources, and labor costs. These are some of the findings of the second edition of the EY Greece, EY Entrepreneurship Barometer Greece 2026.
The survey was conducted between 2 February and 9 March 2026 on a sample of 167 Greek entrepreneurs, as part of a broader EY research program in 14 countries of Northern, Central and Southeastern Europe and the wider region (Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Malta, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic).
Strong interest in innovation, small budgets for artificial intelligence
Entrepreneurs in our country recognize the decisive role of innovation in the growth of their businesses, and appear more willing to integrate modern technologies compared with other countries in the sample: 83% report increased use of AI and machine learning over the past 12 months, versus 76% in the survey’s total sample. Investments in artificial intelligence and other digital technologies remain limited, with three in five entrepreneurs reporting that over the past three years they either invested up to €25,000 (39%), or made no such investment at all (20%). Nevertheless, particularly encouraging is the improvement by 8 percentage points in the overall share (18%) of those who stated that they have invested from €100,001 to €250,000 (8% from 5% in 2025) and more than €250,000 (10% from 5% in 2025).
Reservations about the business climate
Compared with the previous year, participants from Greece appear less optimistic about the overall course of the business environment. However, their level of optimism continues to exceed the average of the countries that participated in the survey. At the same time, despite efforts toward digitalization of the public sector, bureaucracy and the complexity of the regulatory environment (78%) emerge as the most significant obstacle to entrepreneurship in the country.
Investment intentions with own resources and emphasis on digital transformation
As regards their investment plans, Greek entrepreneurs state a greater willingness to invest over the next 12 months compared with entrepreneurs in the other countries in the survey. Their interest is focused mainly on short-term investments related to digital transformation, such as upgrades or new applications of information systems and software (63%). Investment financing comes mainly from own resources, with 66% of businesses relying on the reinvestment of profits and equity.
Hiring on a strong trajectory, but labor costs are a concern
Although the prospects for strengthening employment remain more positive compared with the average of the countries that participated in the survey, greater restraint is recorded compared with 2025. The intention for hiring more full-time employees continues to dominate (53%), while interest in working with external partners is also strengthening, reaching 20%, up from 14% in 2025. Finding talent with the necessary skills is the main difficulty when hiring employees for 69% of respondents, while the most significant challenge in human resources management for 2026 is identified as labor costs and offering competitive compensation and benefits, according to 52% (45% in 2025).
Commenting on the survey findings, Giorgos Papadimitriou, CEO of EY Greece, stated: “Entrepreneurs in Greece seem now to be moving decisively from intention to implementation. In an environment shaped by the regulatory framework, inflationary pressures on costs, and the lack of talent, success depends increasingly on disciplined investments, operational efficiency, and the ability to turn strategic plans into actionable and consistent actions.”
Eftychia Kaselaki, Partner at EY Greece, Head of EY Private in Greece and Head of Organization, Change and People Consulting, noted: “The challenges and risks created by today’s fluid global environment, combined with the need for our economy to transition to a new productive model, leave no room for complacency for Greek businesses. Today, they are called upon to move even more dynamically in their transformation and to invest in artificial intelligence and human intelligence, as well as in flexible structures that facilitate innovation, in order to ensure their long-term resilience.”
Read EY’s full survey on Greek entrepreneurship in 2026, here.