IS-Lab Leads €2M European Initiative to Revolutionize AI-Driven Entrepreneurship…

In a major milestone for academic innovation and European research leadership, the Information Systems Laboratory (IS-Lab) of the Department of Information and Communication Systems Engineering at the University of the Aegean has taken the helm of TALOS, an ambitious international initiative designed to reshape digital entrepreneurship through the power of Artificial Intelligence.

Selected through a highly competitive evaluation among hundreds of pan-European proposals, the project is backed by a €2 million grant under the EIT Higher Education Initiative (HEI). With its official launch underway, TALOS focuses on bridging the gap between scientific discovery and venture creation, empowering students, researchers, and academic staff across STEM disciplines to build viable, high-impact spin-offs and digital businesses.

Transforming Education and Scaling Startups with AI

Rather than treating entrepreneurship as an afterthought to technical studies, TALOS embeds cutting-edge digital intelligence directly into the academic and commercialisation lifecycle through two interconnected priorities:

• Applied Academic Curricula: Integrating tailored course modules into undergraduate and postgraduate programs covering practical opportunity recognition, value proposition validation, data-driven business models, ethical AI considerations, regulatory compliance, and go-to-market strategies.
• Intelligent Venture Acceleration: Developing agent-based AI mentoring solutions and digital evaluation tools. These systems will offer automated, evidence-backed critique on pitch decks and business plans, providing continuous tracking and actionable metrics for emerging startups.

A Strong Pan-European and Global Consortium

Coordinated by the University of the Aegean, the two-year initiative unites a diverse coalition of academic institutions and industry leaders across Europe and beyond:

• Academic Partners: University of Camerino (Italy), University of Koblenz (Germany), University of Nicosia (Cyprus), Istanbul Gelişim University (Türkiye), and Air University (Pakistan).
• Industry & Innovation Leaders: Maggioli Group, Athens Technology Center (ATC), Crowdpolicy, and TAGES, reinforced by an extensive network of 13 associated regional and cross-continental stakeholders.

Through TALOS, IS-Lab continues to reinforce its role as a leading digital innovation hub, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset that translates university research into real-world economic and societal value.

---

For more information, explore the official EIT TALOS Project Page or contact the team at info-islab@aegean.gr.