OpenAI partners with Greek government to launch ChatGPT Edu pilot and AI startup accelerator

A LinkedIn post from Shaig Abduragimov, Solutions Lead, Education & Countries, confirmed the launch of OpenAI for Greece, combining a secondary education pilot with ChatGPT Edu and a new program to accelerate AI startups.

In a LinkedIn post, Shaig Abduragimov, Solutions Lead, Education & Countries, announced the launch of OpenAI for Greece, a partnership with the Government of the Hellenic Republic, the Onassis Foundation, and Endeavor Greece. The program combines an education pilot with ChatGPT Edu and an accelerator to support local startups.

Abduragimov writes: “Today we launched OpenAI for Greece — a new partnership with the Government of the Hellenic Republic, the Onassis Foundation, and Endeavor Greece to expand access to AI in education and accelerate the country’s start-up ecosystem.” He adds: “This is one of the first programs globally to pioneer ChatGPT Edu in classrooms, starting with a pilot for upper-secondary teachers. The goal is to build AI literacy, support educators, and help integrate AI responsibly into their work.”

The initiative was formalized with a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Hellenic Expo by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and ministers of the Hellenic Republic, alongside Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation, Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI, and Kevin Mills, Head of Education and Government GTM at OpenAI.

The agreement builds on Greece’s national AI blueprint, which spans innovation, education, research, and public sector integration. According to OpenAI, weekly active ChatGPT users in Greece have increased seven-fold in the past year, with nearly 60 percent of users under the age of 35.

Education pilot to pioneer ChatGPT Edu

Greece will be among the first countries to deploy ChatGPT Edu, OpenAI’s version of the tool designed for academic institutions with enterprise-grade security and GDPR compliance.

The pilot, launching this academic year, will involve upper-secondary teachers selected to reflect regional and socio-economic diversity. It will focus on building AI literacy, boosting teacher productivity, and testing how AI can be embedded responsibly in daily teaching.

The Onassis Foundation will lead implementation, with local partners including The Tipping Point in Education. OpenAI will co-design training, provide technical support, and share best practices. Oversight will come from a task force with representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Education, and the Onassis Foundation.

Chris Lehane comments: “From Plato’s Academy to Aristotle’s Lyceum—Greece is the historical birthplace of western education. Today, with millions of Greeks using ChatGPT on a regular basis, the country is once again showing its dedication to learning and ideas. Recognizing that nearly 60% of these users are under the age of 35, the Greek Government is opening a new educational chapter that prepares its people to seize the economic opportunities of the Intelligence Age. We are proud to stand alongside Greece as it pioneers how nations can bring AI into education for the next generation.”

Accelerator program for Greek AI startups

Alongside the education pilot, OpenAI has launched the Greek AI Accelerator Program with Endeavor Greece. The program is designed to support local founders in developing AI solutions aligned with national priorities, including education, public services, healthcare, and climate.

Selected startups will receive access to OpenAI technology and credits, technical mentorship from OpenAI engineers, tailored workshops on scaling and compliance, and international exposure through visits to OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters. Showcase events will include the Thessaloniki International Fair, and an impact report will be published to guide policy and investment.

The program is intended to address what OpenAI describes as a persistent challenge: Greece produces one of the highest proportions of STEM graduates in Europe, yet many leave to pursue careers abroad. By supporting founders directly, the initiative aims to create more opportunities within the country.

Broader OpenAI for Countries initiative

OpenAI for Greece is part of the company’s wider OpenAI for Countries program. Other recent deployments include the Stargate Norway infrastructure partnership, a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government, and a collaboration with Estonia to deploy ChatGPT across secondary schools.

The initiative marks Greece as one of the first national governments to adopt ChatGPT Edu at scale in classrooms, while also linking AI education with workforce and innovation policy.

Shaig Abduragimov concludes in his post: “It’s exciting to see a country with such a deep history in education and ideas leading the way in how AI can be used for learning and innovation.”