StartSaloniki
Where Founders, Investors and Innovation Meet
22 May 2026| 15:00 - 18:00 | TechSaloniki X | Thessaloniki Port, Warehouse D, Hall B
StartSaloniki is a founder-centric side event launched as part of the 10th anniversary edition of TechSaloniki.
Co-organised by Loggerhead Ventures, TECS Capital and Thermi VC the event brings together early-stage founders, venture capital investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders for a focused afternoon of honest discussions and live startup pitches.
Rather than showcasing polished success stories, StartSaloniki creates space for real conversations about the startup journey — the decisions, challenges, and lessons that shape the path from idea to impact.
Through founder discussions and live pitches, the event connects innovation with opportunity and enables emerging startups to engage directly with investors and industry leaders.
Inside StartSaloniki
Founder Realities | Raw & Unscripted
StartSaloniki opens with an honest conversation among founders about the realities of building a startup.
Rather than polished success stories, this session focuses on the decisions, challenges, and lessons that shape the early stages of a company.
Founders share their experiences openly, offering insight into the paths, missteps, and turning points that define the startup journey.
The discussion concludes with questions from the audience, creating space for dialogue and reflection.
Next Gen Stage | Pitching Arena
In the second part of the event, selected startups take the stage to present their ideas in front of investors, corporates, and members of the regional innovation ecosystem.
The pitching session highlights emerging teams developing ambitious solutions across climate tech, deep tech, and artificial intelligence.
Beyond the presentation itself, the session creates an opportunity for direct interaction, feedback, and new connections between founders and the people who can help move their ideas forward.
Join StartSaloniki
StartSaloniki is open to founders, students, researchers, investors and anyone interested in the startup ecosystem.
Join us at TechSaloniki X for an afternoon of honest founder discussions, live startup pitches and meaningful conversations with innovators and industry leaders.
Pitch at StartSaloniki
Who Should Apply
We invite early – stage startups developing ambitious and scalable solutions across the areas:
Thematic Areas
Selected startups will have the opportunity to present their ideas live on stage at StartSaloniki and engage directly with venture capital investors, corporates, and members of the regional innovation ecosystem. Participation offers visibility within the TechSaloniki community and creates opportunities for meaningful conversations and potential collaborations beyond the event itself.
To support preparation, selected teams will also be invited to one or two short online preparation sessions ahead of the event. These sessions will walk through the pitching format and expectations, offer practical guidance on structuring a clear and focused presentation, and provide space for questions so that teams feel confident on stage. The goal is not to standardise pitches, but to ensure clarity, time discipline, and a shared understanding of how the live pitching session will run.
Application Timeline
