From Greece to New York: Columbia and NTUA Join Forces for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Columbia University and the National Technical University of Athens have launched Lab to Market: Bridging Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a five-year initiative that supports early-career researchers in translating academic work into viable, globally oriented ventures. Offered free of charge and implemented through the Columbia Global Center Athens, the program combines entrepreneurship education, mentoring and international networks, exposure to New York’s innovation ecosystem, and a competitive business plan pathway focused initially on artificial intelligence, energy and sustainability, and health technologies. With support from the Blavatnik Family Foundation, and in collaboration with partners including Columbia Business School, Endeavor Greece, and the Hellenic Institute for Advanced Studies, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening links between universities and the market—equipping a diverse cohort of young scientists across Greece with the skills, confidence, and connections needed to turn scientific excellence into meaningful economic and social impact. Read the whole story here.