What Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation does

Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation (Ίδρυμα Αικατερίνης Λασκαρίδη) is a Greek private non-profit cultural and educational institution headquartered in Piraeus, with publishing activity tracing to 2003 and formal founding in 2007. It operates two physical library branches in Piraeus — a Historical Library housed in the renovated 1917 Stringos Mansion containing rare collections (Maritime Collection, Nelson Collection, Velimezis Icons Collection) and the Kaiti Laskaridou Lending Library serving the public with reading rooms, children's programs, and book delivery — alongside a state-of-the-art Conservation Laboratory for maritime antiquities supporting underwater archaeology at Delos, Fourni, Kythira, and the Antikythera shipwreck.

The foundation's product surface extends to digital platforms including an interactive Digital Gallery featuring Konstantinos Volanakis paintings with 3D animations, audio guides, tactile/Braille accessibility, coloring applications, and self-guided tours; a Digital Library with online catalog systems; the Travelogues digitized archive platform; and a mental health education subdomain. Publishing operations have produced over 24 scholarly and cultural publications since 2003, with prices ranging from €7 (coloring books) to €150 (deluxe volumes such as the 1,600+ page 'Those Infidel Greeks' containing 700 Ottoman documents, and the Thesaurus of Ancient Greek Literature documenting 3,200+ authors). The foundation reaches audiences through structured school programs, free-admission exhibitions, conferences, and seminars, and supports academic research through chairs and fellowships at universities abroad.

The foundation's revenue model is donation- and sponsorship-driven, with Laskaridis Shipping Co. Ltd. serving as a core financial backer (including funding for Antarctic missions and polar research), supplemented by book sales. Its go-to-market is event-driven and partnership-led, leveraging international academic collaborations including the Marilena Laskaridis Chair at Tsinghua University, Laskaridis Visiting Fellowships at the University of Amsterdam, and the Center for Chinese Studies (CACCS) with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences established in 2019. Panos Laskaridis serves as President, the institution employs approximately 20 staff, and it is associated with the Laskaridis family's broader cultural and shipping interests.

Name

Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation

Legal name

Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation (Ίδρυμα Αικατερίνης Λασκαρίδη)

Website

https://laskaridisfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A Greek private non-profit cultural foundation headquartered in Piraeus, operating a historical research library, a public lending library, digital humanities platforms, and a publishing program. It preserves Greek maritime and artistic heritage through conservation, educational programs, and international academic partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage and Educational Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

Keywords

• Cultural heritage preservation
• Library and archival services
• Educational programs
• Digital humanities platforms
• Maritime historical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Piraeus

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Book and Publication Sales: Sale of publications including books, exhibition catalogs, and scholarly works. Publications range from €7 to €150, with some available for free digital download.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: The foundation receives donations and sponsorships to fund its operations, educational programs, research initiatives, and conservation work. Sponsors such as Laskaridis Shipping Co. Ltd. support polar research expeditions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation is a Greek non-profit cultural institution that operates a Historical Library with rare collections, a public Lending Library, a digital gallery and archive platform, and a scholarly publishing program. It runs structured educational programs for schools, supports maritime historical research including underwater archaeology, and funds international academic chairs and fellowships — primarily serving students, scholars, schools, and the general public in Greece and abroad.

Product overview

Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation operates as a cultural institution in Piraeus, Greece, offering two physical library branches (Historical Library and Lending Library) alongside multiple digital platforms. The core offerings include the Historical Library (research library with rare collections in the Stringos Mansion), the Lending Library (public lending service with children's programs), the Digital Gallery (interactive platform featuring Volanakis paintings with accessibility features), and the Digital Library/Archives. Supporting services include Publications (publishing since 2003), Educational Programs, Maritime History and Research, Scholarships/Fellowships, Mental Health initiatives, and Conservation Laboratory facilities. The foundation maintains digital collections and exhibitions accessible both in-person and online.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kaiti Laskaridou Lending Library: The lending library of the foundation, named after Kaiti Laskaridou, offering library services, children's activities, and educational programs.
• Digital Gallery
• Marilena Laskaridis Center for Modern Greek Culture
• Travelogues

Products and services

• Historical Library (Ιστορική Βιβλιοθήκη) A research library housed in the Stringos Mansion featuring old and rare materials, named collections, and a reading room. Houses the Maritime Collection, Nelson Collection, and Velimezis Icons Collection. Open to researchers, scholars, and the public for exhibitions and research access.
• Lending Library (Δανειστική Βιβλιοθήκη) A public lending library serving city residents of Piraeus with reading rooms, children's spaces, recreational areas, and home book delivery services. The Kaiti Laskaridou Library offers library services, children's activities, and educational programs.
• Digital Gallery (Ψηφιακή Αίθουσα Τέχνης) An innovative multi-application platform and free-access digital gallery featuring works of Konstantinos Volanakis, offering navigation, explanatory texts, audio descriptions, favorites storage, e-cards, coloring features, image reconstruction, and self-guided tours. Includes Braille/tactile accessibility for visually impaired users.
• Digital Library (Ψηφιακή Βιβλιοθήκη) Online digital collections including digitized archives and the Travelogues platform featuring Eastern European travelers' accounts of Asia Minor.
• Archives (Αρχεία) Digitized archival collections accessible to researchers, scholars, and the public, managed through omeka CMS.
• Publications (Εκδόσεις) Publishing program producing scholarly works, exhibition catalogs, and academic books covering Greek history, literature, shipping, culture, and art. Publications range from €7 (coloring books) to €150 (deluxe scholarly volumes), with some available for free digital download.
• Educational Programs (Εκπαιδευτικά Προγράμματα) Programs for schools including Knowledge Beyond Programme, Mental Health Department activities, seminars, workshops, and remote education offerings. Aligned with school curricula and providing teacher training on information literacy.
• Collections and Exhibitions (Συλλογές και Εκθέσεις) Physical and digital exhibitions including permanent displays (Maritime Collection, Velimezis Icons, Volanakis works) and temporary exhibitions on various cultural themes. Free admission to the public.
• Scholarships and Fellowships (Υποτροφίες) Fellowship programs including Laskaridis Visiting Fellowships at University of Amsterdam and the Marilena Laskaridis Chair at Tsinghua University. Supports Greek studies through academic exchanges at international universities.
• Conservation Laboratory Workshop facilities for the maintenance and preservation of maritime antiquities, supporting underwater archaeology research from Delos, Fourni, Kythira, and Antikythera.
• Maritime History and Research (Ναυτική Ιστορία και Έρευνα) Program focused on highlighting Greek maritime and naval cultural heritage, including the Antikythera Shipwreck research and Maritime Collection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 new libraries added to the Historical Library in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2019Establishment of the Center for Chinese Studies (CACCS) housed at the foundation's premises in Piraeus. The center focuses on humanities and social sciences, promoting Chinese culture in Greece and producing scientific research. First joint event was the conference 'Greece-China relations and the Belt and Road Initiative' in November 2019.
• Tsinghua UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2015Establishment of the 'Marilena Laskaridis Chair – Classics and Modern Greek Studies' at Tsinghua University's School of Social Sciences. The foundation supports Greek studies through academic exchanges, sending Greek university professors and hosting Chinese students conducting research in Greece. As an evolution of this collaboration, Tsinghua University introduced Modern Greek Language teaching into its program as of spring 2020.
• Hellenic Navy General StaffcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the publication 'Hellenic Navy: History and Art', showcasing over 170 works of art from the Navy's collections. The publication highlights the Naval Epic through paintings depicting important maritime events and ships from antiquity to present.
• Hellenic Institute for Maritime History (EL.IN.I.S.)coreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on the nautical collection research and documentation. Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian, President of EL.IN.I.S., contributes captions and bibliography for the nautical collection.
• Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists (EEBEP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organization of the annual EEBEP 2026 conference on 'Spaces of knowledge and memory: Redefining the image of libraries, archives and museums in a changing world'. Foundation hosts presentations at Historical Library and workshops at Lending Library.
• Onassis Foundation LibrarymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint workshop on information literacy, media literacy, countering misinformation and gamification, organized under the NEDLib European project. Scientific responsibility by the Metadata Laboratory of International Hellenic University.
• BlueCycleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarine environmental initiative included in the foundation's network of related organizations and causes.
• Ephorate of Underwater AntiquitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComplete reconstruction of conservation workshops funded by the foundation's donation. The laboratories support preservation of antiquities from Delos, Fourni, Kythira, and Antikythera shipwreck research.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bodossakis Foundation: Greek private foundation funding education, health, and cultural programs. Comparable as a Greek private foundation focused on cultural and educational giving, though smaller in scale and with a broader social-grant remit.

Broad incumbents

• Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: US private research library and cultural institution holding rare manuscripts, art collections, and exhibitions, with active scholarly fellowships. Comparable as a private cultural foundation combining a research library, art collection, exhibition program, and visiting fellowship model.
• Onassis Foundation: Largest Greek cultural foundation, running the Onassis Library, scholarships, and educational programs. Directly comparable as a Greek private family foundation offering library, scholarship, and educational programming — and explicitly named as a partner of the Laskaridis Foundation.
• Stavros Niarchos Foundation: Major Greek private foundation funding the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, libraries, and grants. Comparable as a large-scale Greek private foundation with cultural-heritage, library, and educational giving at its core.
• Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation has no clear direct Greek peer of equivalent scale; Bodleian Libraries at Oxford are listed as a comparable heritage research library operating rare-collections, digitization, and visiting fellowships broadly analogous to the Laskaridis Historical Library's role. One of the world's leading heritage research libraries, combining rare-book collections, digitization initiatives, and visiting fellowships. Comparable as a benchmark institution for the historical-library, digitization, and scholarly-publishing functions of the Laskaridis Foundation.

Direct peers

• Benaki Museum: Athens-based private museum founded by the Benakis family, holding collections of Greek art, history, and rare books. Closely comparable as a Greek family-founded cultural institution operating libraries, archives, and exhibitions with educational programming.
• Gennadius Library (American School of Classical Studies at Athens): Research library in Athens with rare Greek manuscripts, archives, and a scholarly fellowship program. Directly comparable as a Greek historical research library supporting Modern Greek studies and academic fellowships — overlapping with Laskaridis's core mission.

Regional players

• Morphou Foundation / Friends of the Hellenic Institute: Greek-Cypriot heritage foundation supporting Greek cultural preservation and scholarship. Comparable as a diaspora-focused cultural foundation underwriting heritage preservation and academic programs analogous to Laskaridis's Modern Greek studies abroad.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaskaridisFound
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@idrimaaikaterinislaskaridi
• Facebookfacebook.com/LaskaridisFoundPage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aikaterini-laskaridis-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/laskaridisfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation