Entrepreneurs in Messinia, Laconia and Arcadia can apply for loans of up to €25,000 through a new program backed by The Hellenic Initiative.
The program is run by AFI Microfinance with support from The Hellenic Initiative and the Captain Vasilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation. It combines fixed-rate financing with training and continued business guidance. Applications remain open through September 30, 2026.
People preparing to start a business may apply, along with companies that have been operating for no more than one year. The one-year limit does not apply to businesses in the agrifood sector.
Applicants must live permanently in Messinia, Laconia or Arcadia, and the business must also be based in one of the three regional units.
Loans begin at €3,000. New ventures may receive up to €15,000, while existing businesses may qualify for up to €25,000 in financing.
The loans carry a fixed interest rate of 3.5 percent and can be repaid in up to 48 equal monthly installments. Borrowers may receive a grace period of up to six months and pay a reduced processing fee of 1.5 percent. No guarantor or property collateral is required.
The money can cover working capital and investment costs, including equipment, raw materials, payroll, rent, renovations, marketing, certifications, websites and other digital services. AFI also lists the purchase of new or used vehicles, equipment, and business property as eligible expenses.
Although the program is open to all sectors, it places particular emphasis on the Peloponnese’s agrifood economy. Farms, food processors, traders, exporters and agricultural technology companies are among the businesses it is intended to support.
The partners expect the program to assist about 60 agrifood businesses across Messinia, Laconia and Arcadia, according to The Hellenic Initiative.
Financing is paired with required training in entrepreneurship, financial management and sustainable agricultural practices. Participants working in primary production will receive training in collaboration with the American Farm School.
AFI advisers will help eligible applicants prepare a realistic business plan and assemble their financing file. The organization will continue advising participating businesses six, 12 and 18 months after their loans begin.
For THI, the program also connects economic development in Greece with regions that sent generations of emigrants to the United States, Australia and other countries.
George P. Stamas, president and co-founder of The Hellenic Initiative, called the partnership “Diaspora investment in its purest form,” with capital and business knowledge returning to the villages and towns that many Greek families once left.
“This program lets us turn that connection into real jobs and real businesses on the ground,” Stamas said.
Applicants begin by completing AFI’s online form. Those who meet the initial requirements are assigned an adviser who helps them prepare a business plan and submit the required documents.
AFI lists identification, recent income-tax records, tax and social-insurance clearances, proof of residence and an ENFIA property-tax statement among the required materials. Approved applicants are informed of the final loan amount and terms before signing the agreement and receiving the funds.
Applications close September 30, 2026.