Pasta, Sunsets, and Startup Equity: Moving your capital to the Mediterranean

Hello everyone, Sebastian here.

For years, the "Golden Visa" was simple: you bought a nice apartment in Athens or a villa in the Italian countryside, and the government gave you a residency card. But the rules of the game are changing. European governments have realized that while luxury apartments look great, they don't create jobs or drive innovation. Now, they are asking for something more: they want your expertise and your capital to help build the next generation of European companies. It is no longer about just owning a piece of land; it is about owning a piece of the future.

If you are an investor and your capital is in low-growth assets, or you are tired of being a "passive" property owner, Greece and Italy have a new deal: stop buying houses and start buying equity (you can do both if you like). They are trading residency permits for startup checks. And really, how hard could it be to check a seed round while watching a Mykonos sunset?

Greece: The New Startup Golden Visa 🇬🇷

Greece has officially launched a new investor "Golden Visa" that replaces the real estate requirement with an innovation-based requirement. This move aims to shift foreign capital into active businesses rather than property to improve job creation.

The Deal:

• The Investment: You must invest at least €250,000 into a Greek startup listed on the national registry, Elevate Greece.

• The Rules: You cannot hold more than 33% of the equity or voting rights.

• The Job Target: The startup must create at least two jobs in the first year and keep them for five years.

• The Reward: You get a five-year residence permit as a non-EU citizen.

While the permit starts as a one-year residency, it can be renewed in two-year increments as long as you meet the requirements. It is a clear signal that the country wants productive capital tied to growth, not just property buys. More here

Italy: Funding and Food 🇮🇹

Italy is also inviting you to enjoy the world’s best pasta while investing in the next big thing. Their program positions the country as a major European base for international founders seeking residency.

The Deal:

• The Investment: A minimum of €250,000 into a qualifying startup.

• The Reward: The initial permit lasts two years and can be renewed multiple times if you keep the investment.

• The Goal: To attract international talent and capital to help the local startup ecosystem grow.

The "Off the Radar" Take

This is not just about a visa; it’s about Investment + Impact. Instead of securing a permit through a purchase alone, you are linking your residency to entrepreneurial success and ecosystem momentum, which I think is pretty smart and gives you the location a long-term deeper relationship.

Ask yourself:

• Is your capital currently sitting idle in low-growth assets?

• Could you use Greece or Italy as a base for your global expansion or R&D?

• Does your investment strategy align with creating real economic value and jobs?

Might be the case that the days of getting a permit just by buying a house are ending. The era of backing founders while securing your European mobility is just beginning. You support innovation and move capital into teams building real products, and help foster a new type of knowledge-based economy.

Ready to start? Take a look at the startups on Elevate Greece, map out projects that fit your investment thesis, and plan a capital deployment that aligns with your growth and residency goals.

See you at the office (or your favorite trattoria). ✌️

Sebas