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Young Greeks become entrepreneurs as they expect higher wages and greater flexibility compared to salaried employment, while others take over the family business, though most do so out of necessity, as they find no alternatives. By taking on their own business, they aim low in terms of growth from the start and are afraid to take risks, lacking a financial safety net.
This is the profile of the entrepreneur under the age of 30, according to a recent OECD report on the difficulties of young Greeks in achieving financial independence. As a result, these firms neither innovate much nor create many or quality jobs.
The percentage of young people in Greece who are interested in entrepreneurship and self-employment is higher than the global rate and even increases noticeably in the first years after graduating from university. According to 2025 data, more than one in 10 Greeks (11%) between 20 and 29 years old declares to be self-employed – mainly in agriculture, forestry and fishing – compared to 6% in the EU.
Their strongest motivation is the lack of career opportunities: Approximately one in three young Greeks who founded or started to manage a new business ended up with this choice precisely because they could not find a good job.
