Should Universities Take Equity in Startups?

Good day, and welcome to this week’s edition of Techincider.

This week, we're diving into an interesting question: Should it become standard practice for universities to take equity in startups that emerge from their spinout programs?

With ongoing cuts to government funding for higher education (referencing the United States), institutions are already seeking paths toward greater financial independence. At the same time, universities continue to be green area of innovation which is fuelled in large part by public funding. From breakthroughs in health and agriculture to advancements in AI, Social Sciences, DeepTech, research conducted within academic institutions plays a vital role in shaping the future.

Given this, there's a compelling argument for universities to adopt structures similar to global startup accelerators that support long-term entrepreneurial ventures born on campus. By taking modest equity stakes, they could ensure a sustainable return on public investment while reinvesting in future research, talent, and innovation ecosystems.

Of course, implementing such models isn't without challenges, from founder equity dilution to questions of ownership and commercialization and even the fact that innovators pay a fee to be part of the university programs. But as the landscape of innovation shifts, experimenting with new ideas may be necessary to keep universities both relevant and resilient.

What do you think? Should universities act more like VCs, or stick to their traditional academic mandate?

Weekly Roundup

• Wocap SA Secures €450,000 Pre-Seed Round Led by Genesis Ventures to Revolutionize Payables & Receivables Financing.

• Viva.com Expands Tap to Pay on iPhone in Greece and Six New European Countries — Enabling Seamless Contactless Payments for Businesses.

• How Well Do You Understand the Economy? Find Out in the 2025 Financial Literacy in Greece Study by Found.ation.

• EnviroCopilot Places 3rd in Space Innovation at the 9th CASSINI Hackathon Grand European Finals — Europe’s Largest Space Hackathon.

• FAMAR Group Acquires Sterile Manufacturing Site in Germany to Boost Capabilities in Aseptic and Lyophilized Fill & Finish.

• Evercurious Becomes the First Greek VC to Join the CERN Venture Connect Program.

• Cauis, an AI Startup Using Satellite Data for Forest and Nature Solutions, Selected Among 20 Space Companies by the European Commission for Business Accelerator Program.

• Athens International Airport Announces Winners of A41 — A Joint Call for Startups Shaping the Future of Travel.

• Narratologies, CALT, and FameJam Win Hack2Bridge Hackathon by Corallia, Egg, and the Regional Development Fund of Attica.

Funding and Startup Opportunities

• Join the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition Round 2 by PRAXI Network and Brookstreet Equity Partners LLP. Apply by June 25.

• Calling Women in Agrifood: Apply Now for the 2025 EWA Programme by EIT Food
  Get expert training, mentorship, funding opportunities & join a vibrant network of 500+ women agrifood entrepreneurs.

• Apply to Growth Academy: AI for GovTech — A Hybrid Program for Startups Using AI to Improve Government and Community Services. Deadline: June 30.

Featured Job Openings

• Checkout Career Opportunities at OKTO Cash.

• Cybersecurity Experts Wanted: Get Hired by Top Companies – Curated by Hack The Box.

• Head of Customer Experience at Wocap.

• Business Intelligence Analyst at Hellas Direct.

• Athens International Airport is Hiring a Senior Specialist, Training and Development.

• Investment Associate or Principal in CEE at Venture Friends.

• Digital Business Analyst at Accenture Greece.

• Software Engineer at Progressive Robotics.

• Office Administrator at Natech Banking Solutions.

• Senior Software Engineer (Backend) at Morphoses.

• Head of Consulting, CEE at Mastercard.

• Junior Operations Manager at Startup Greece.

Events

• Take Back The City Meetup #7 by Astylab | May 27

• Data Week Spring Gathering | May 27 - 28

• Athens Python Meetup: Clean Code & FastAPI Talk by Orfium’s Antonis Markoulis | May 28

• Innovation Northern Greece 6.0: AI the Day After, Thessaloniki | May 28 - 29

• Attica Green Expo 2025 | May 28 - 31

• Webcast #4: Valuation & Value | May 29

• Open Coffee Athens #123 | May 30

• Civic Engagement Beyond Voting: Everyday Actions for Change | May 30

• ECDM & RetailTech Expo SEE | May 30 - 31

• Thessaly Tech Forum 2025: Building a Smarter, and Sustainable Future | May 30 - 31

• Authentic Growth in a Fast-Moving World – NextGen Networking | June 1

• Digitization, Cultural Heritage & Smart Tourism: Info & Matchmaking Day | June 3

• Big Pi Ventures Taratsa Drinks x La French Tech | June 3

• 10th ΗΑΕΕ Energy Transition Symposium | June 3 - 5

• START Your Night UP_ Rooftop Session #SYNU | June 4

• 9th WIB Forum: Impact Unleashed | June 4

• Friends of Figma Athens Meetup | June 4

• LeadDev Athens Meetup #1 | June 5

• 24th Fintech Talks: Decoding the Chain | June 5

Things Worth Reading, Listening and Watching

• Watch Hellas Direct Co-Founder & Executive Director Alexis Pantazis at Minds Cyprus – a bold initiative by Invest Cyprus and the Cyprus Government to bring Cypriot talent back home and create real opportunities.

• Strategic Maritime Synergies Between Greece and France – by Nautical Chronicles Perspective.

• How Evercurious VC Invests Based on Conviction, Not Trends — EUROPEBUILD Podcast S2E8 Featuring George Georgiadis, Founding Partner.

• Watch Full: SEV Conference on “AI in Practice – How to Apply Artificial Intelligence in Our Businesses” (Athens, May 12, 2025)

Thanks for staying up-to-date with the latest in Greek startups and innovation! We look forward to sharing more next week. If you would like to submit a deal, event, tech jobs or news to be featured next week, get in touch here.

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