Launch a Startup in 54 Hours

Even If You Have No Idea

How

Techstars Startup Weekend is a three-day program where aspiring entrepreneurs can experience startup life by learning the ins and outs of launching your own startup. Over three days you’ll pitch your ideas, team up with co-founders to prototype your product, get feedback from mentors, present to industry judges – and celebrate with a party. Learn more. Techstars invests in early-stage startups led by unstoppable entrepreneurs with transformative businesses. With 45+ accelerators worldwide, an unrivaled network of alumni, mentors, commercial partners, investors, and dedicated operating teams, Techstars supports entrepreneurs throughout their entire startup journey while helping to build thriving startup communities. Since 2006, we have invested in more than 4,400 portfolio companies, accelerating the growth of businesses including Chainalysis, Zipline, DataRobot, Alloy and many, many more. www.techstars.com How you can be part of Techstars Startup Weekend Thessaloniki:
    • Participants Dive into an intense 54-hour experience, collaborate with a team, build a prototype, and pitch your idea to the judges.
    • Mentors Offer your expertise, inspire teams, and guide them through challenges on the way from idea to execution.
    • Volunteers Join the organizing crew, support the preparation and live operation of the event, and gain hands-on experience behind the scenes of a global startup initiative.
    • Sponsors Empower the event with resources and visibility, connect with the startup community, and showcase your brand in a high-impact environment.
picture of Nikolaos Tzollas, Αντιπεριφερειάρχης Ψηφιακής Διακυβέρνησης

Through Techstars Startup Weekend, we give young people the opportunity to learn, create and innovate, just like in the world's largest startup hubs. The Region of Central Macedonia, through continuous outreach and digital innovation actions, creates fertile ground for the next generation of startups

—Nikolaos Tzollas, Deputy Regional Governor for Digital Governance Region of Central Macedonia

December 5th 2025

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Winning Prizes

Pitch Your Idea Gather Your Team Build Your Startup & Win

Startup Resources

Get ready to build, learn, and grow!
By clicking the button below, you’ll find a collection of tools and resources designed to help you prepare for Startup Weekend, from shaping your idea and understanding the startup process, to collaborating effectively with your team.
All materials will remain available during and after the weekend, so you can keep creating long after it’s over.

Global Sponsors

GOOGLE FOR STARTUPS

Google for Startups is Google’s initiative to help your startup thrive, no matter where you live. 

DEEL

Deel is the only all-in-one platform bringing together hiring, payroll, and compliance for international and US-based contractors and employees.

BREX

Brex is a financial technology  company that offers a financial operating system for modern businesses.

JOIN THE

Ἀρχὴ ἥμισυ παντός

Be a Mentor!

At Techstars Startup Weekend Thessaloniki, mentors play a decisive role in shaping the experience. In just 54 hours, teams need expert guidance to validate their ideas, explore their market, and turn concepts into actionable plans.

As a mentor, you bring your expertise, perspective, and critical questions that push participants beyond assumptions. Your insights can be the turning point between an idea that stays on paper and one that evolves into a real venture.

Beyond supporting teams, mentorship is equally rewarding for you: it’s a chance to connect with fellow professionals, expand your network within the startup ecosystem, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Main Supporter

Local Sponsors

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Cosmin Pirvu

Founder, Community Builder, Program Designer

Cosmin Pirvu has spent more than a decade working in, with, and around startups as a founder, community builder, and program designer. 

He has facilitated 23+ Startup Weekends across Europe and Asia and has been involved in over 30 hackathons and innovation programs, guiding thousands of participants from first idea to working prototype.

His background spans product management, community leadership, and early stage acceleration, shaped by both running his own startup and supporting founders through university programs, corporate innovation tracks, and national multi-city initiatives like Startup Weekend Romania. He also created VibeHack, a vibecoding and AI powered hackathon format designed to help people build fast using accessible tools and playful challenges.

Across all events, his goal stays the same: create the right mix of structure and excitement so people feel supported enough to take risks and build something that matters.

Ilias Louis Hatzis

Tech Entrepreneur

Ilias Hatzis is a tech entrepreneur with 30+ years in building startups. He’s built and scaled companies across the U.S. and Europe—from early search and adtech to e-commerce, crypto, and web3—alongside roles at Google and JWT.

He’s launched companies, raised capital, invested in founders, run a startup accelerator, and mentored teams at MITEF, Techstars, and MassChallenge.

Today he’s the founder and CEO of Inkjin, a full-stack AI tattoo platform operating in Greece and the UK, making getting a tattoo as seamless as booking an Uber or finding an Airbnb.