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Poland's startup ecosystem is rapidly growing, with Warsaw and Krakow being key hubs for innovation. As of 2023, Poland is home to around 3,000 startups. The Polish government supports entrepreneurship through initiatives like the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) and the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR), which provide funding, resources, and mentorship for startups.
In 2022, Polish startups raised approximately €800 million in venture capital. This substantial amount of investment highlights the growing confidence in Poland's startup ecosystem. The market size is expanding as more startups emerge, supported by government initiatives and increasing interest from local and international investors.
Strengths of the Polish market include a highly educated workforce, a strategic location in Central Europe, and a strong tradition of engineering and innovation. These factors create a fertile environment for startups to thrive, attracting significant investments and fostering technological advancement.
Warsaw is known for its strengths in fintech, healthtech, and artificial intelligence, attracting significant investments and producing notable startups like Booksy and Brainly. The capital city serves as the primary hub for innovation in Poland, with a dynamic tech scene and numerous support systems for entrepreneurs.
Krakow has a vibrant tech scene with strengths in software development and creative industries. The city is becoming an important center for startups, driven by a collaborative environment fostered by world-class universities and research institutions. Krakow's growing reputation as a tech hub is attracting both talent and investment.
The Polish startup ecosystem benefits from a strong network of incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces. Initiatives like the Warsaw Stock Exchange's NewConnect market and the Krakow Technology Park provide mentorship, resources, and international exposure, significantly boosting the ecosystem.
Challenges include regulatory complexities and limited access to late-stage funding. These hurdles can impede the growth of startups, making it difficult for them to scale and compete on a global level. Addressing these issues is crucial for sustaining the momentum of Poland's startup ecosystem.
Despite these challenges, Poland is making significant strides in innovation and entrepreneurship. Substantial growth opportunities are driven by continuous investment and technological advancement. Poland's strategic location in Central Europe and its role as a bridge between Eastern and Western Europe provide startups with opportunities for international expansion.
Poland's strong focus on sustainability and green technology is driving innovation in sectors such as renewable energy and environmental technologies. Additionally, Poland's pro-business policies and robust infrastructure make it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors. As Poland continues to invest in its startup ecosystem, it is poised for further growth and development, contributing significantly to the European and global markets.
Poland's startup ecosystem has seen remarkable growth over the past decade, driven by a combination of strong governmental support, a vibrant entrepreneurial culture, and increasing interest from both local and international investors. The country has emerged as a significant player in the European startup scene, with a diverse range of startups spanning various sectors such as fintech, healthtech, and artificial intelligence.
Poland is home to several prominent angel investors who have played a crucial role in nurturing the startup ecosystem. Notable angel investors include Marek Fodor, co-founder of Kantox and SeedRocket, and Jakub Krzych, co-founder of Estimote. These investors provide not only capital but also valuable mentorship and industry connections to early-stage startups.
Poland boasts a robust network of venture capital firms that are instrumental in funding and scaling startups. Leading VC firms include Inovo Venture Partners, Experior Venture Fund, and Innovation Nest. These firms focus on various sectors, offering significant funding and strategic support to startups aiming to expand their operations and market reach.
In 2022, Polish startups raised approximately €800 million in venture capital, reflecting a growing confidence in the market. The investment size varies widely, with seed rounds typically ranging from €100,000 to €1 million, while later-stage investments can exceed €10 million. This diverse funding landscape supports startups at different stages of their growth journey.
The number of investments in Polish startups has been steadily increasing. In 2022, there were over 200 investment deals, spanning various stages from seed to series A and beyond. This growing number of deals highlights the dynamism of the Polish startup ecosystem and the increasing willingness of investors to back innovative ventures.
Support and mentorship are critical components of Poland's startup ecosystem. Organizations like the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) and the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) provide extensive support. Additionally, numerous incubators and accelerators, such as ReaktorX and Startup Hub Poland, offer mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities to help startups succeed.
The future outlook for the Polish investment market is highly optimistic. Continued governmental support, coupled with increasing interest from international investors, is expected to drive further growth. Sectors like fintech, healthtech, and AI are poised for significant advancements, with startups in these areas likely to attract substantial funding.
Poland's strategic location in Central Europe offers startups unique opportunities for regional and international expansion. The country's focus on innovation, sustainability, and green technology is expected to drive future growth. Additionally, the increasing integration of digital technologies across various sectors presents numerous opportunities for startups to innovate and scale.
Despite challenges such as regulatory complexities and limited access to late-stage funding, Polish startups have demonstrated resilience and adaptability. The ecosystem's robust support structures and proactive policies continue to foster a conducive environment for growth. As Poland invests in its startup ecosystem, it is well-positioned to make significant contributions to the European and global markets.
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Istanbul, U.S.A. - Germany
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Hospitality (& Events) • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Insurance (& InsurTech)
Most Interested In Consumer-facing e-businesses, including marketplaces, e-tailers, SaaS and SME-focused software companies targeting local markets in CEE & Turkey. Enterprise technology innovators with roots in CEE & Turkey. Not Interested In Life sciences, material science, clean tech Cem Sertoglu serves as Partner at Earlybird Venture Capital. He has several years of experience as an Investor, focusing web-enabled services and consumer internet. Previously, he was a Partner at iLab Ventures, Co-Founder and CEO at Mondus.com, Founder & CEO at SelectMinds and Vice President at Farmer & Company. Pioneering the technology investment sector in Turkey since its inception with his personal investment vehicle Young Turk Ventures, his investments include propertyfinder.ae, Wikimart.ru, Civic Solar, Gittigidiyor.com (Turkey's leading online auctions portal), Yemeksepeti.com (Turkey's leading food order platform) and Grupanya (Turkey's leading daily deal website). He holds a BA in Economics from University of Texas (Austin). He served as Board Member at Fite and Grupanya.
Boston - Massachusetts, U.S.A. - Russia
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Education • Retail (& E-Commerce) • IoT (& Wearables) • Advertising
Investment Director at Flashpoint VC
San Francisco Bay Area, Germany - U.S.A. - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Icela
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • FinTech (& Financials services) • Blockchain (& Cryptos)
Dr. Marek Olszewski is a Co-Founder of Celo. He is a Co-Founder and served as the Chief Technology Officer at Locu. Prior to Locu, Marek was a senior PhD candidate at MIT CSAIL. He is a Facebook Fellow and the recipient of the J. Edgar McAllister Fellowship. He has prior work experience at a number of technology companies including Google, Microsoft (Research) and Sun (Labs). He is also an angel investor.
London, U.K. - U.S.A. - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland,
Media • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Entertainment (& Sports) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Future Of Work • Mobility
Denver - Colorado, U.S.A. - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland, Monaco
PropTech • AgroTech • CleanTech • Impact • Real Estate (& Construction)
President PeakChange
Social Venture Investor, Tech Executive & Leadership Mentor
Poland, Poland
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..)
Executive Chairman at Netguru, Angel Investor, YPO'er
Co-Founder at Supercharge Capital
San Francisco Bay Area, U.S.A. - France - Luxembourg - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg,
Advertising
Most Interested In
Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, SpaceTech, DeepTech, AI, ML
Not Interested In
FinTech, AdTech, Ecommerce, CleanTech, BioTech
Dallas - Texas, U.S.A. - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland, Monaco
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • PropTech • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Analytics • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Real Estate (& Construction) • Woman Focused
Fractional CTO and Investor
I am a serial entrepreneur and technologist who started coding at 14, launched my first business at 19, and made by first angel investment before age 30. Including my companies, my portfolio, and my clients I have been involved in multiple exits as a founder, investor, advisor and team member. In this broad-ranging experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and consultant, I have worked in Group Travel, Telemarketing, Digital Out of Home Advertising, Light Manufacturing, Digital Marketing, Occupational Therapy, e-Commerce, Retail, Non-Profit, Ticketing, Sports & Entertainment, Public Agencies, Alternative Asset Management, Consumer Services, and Professional Services and bring domain-specific knowledge to these industries. I am looking to engage with people that want to leverage technology to make money, save money, or improve customer experiences. As a consultant, this means middle market companies looking to add strategic value to their technology investments. As an investor and advisor, it’s usually early stage, AI-enabled SaaS companies. Additionally, I have a passion for helping build sustainable social impact businesses that serve our communities with less reliance on philanthropic funding.
Paris - Berlin - Amsterdam - Moscow - New York City - Sydney - Stuttgart - Istanbul Turkey - Bonn - Warsaw Poland - San Francisco Bay Area - Melbourne Florida, Netherlands
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • BioTech • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Consumer
Partner at Hummingbird Ventures
Mr. Wouter Gort served as a Partner at Greyhound Capital. He also serves as Advisor at Hadrian (Network Management Software). He also serves as Advisor at Wouter Gort. Previously he served as Managing Director at Atomico, responsible for helping portfolio companies with business development in Turkey and Continental Europe. He also managed the Open Office outreach program, which is a global program to encourage entrepreneurship, expand Atomico's network to benefit portfolio companies, and find new investment opportunities. He was previously a serial entrepreneur and angel investor and has a passion for technology companies, entrepreneurship, and new business models. In 2004, he founded BST Company, an investment company in the Netherlands that helped develop start-ups, and then worked as an angel investor. In these roles, he backed companies including o.a. Yelloyello (sold to Truvo), Social (sold to Viadeo), 1dayfly, and Zecco. He has an MSc degree in Business Administration from RSM Erasmus University in Rotterdam. He was involved in setting up two university incubators. He has also advised the Netherlands government on stimulating entrepreneurship and made a documentary series about entrepreneurship for Dutch Television.
Poland - Warsaw, Poland
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Energy • IoT (& Wearables) • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Human Resources • Logistics (& Distribution) • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Robotics • Mobility
Investing in early-stage European companies with a clearly defined technological advantage.
Founder @netsprint ⢠CEO @the-fundingbox-group-s-l ⢠Investor @intersys-sp-z-o-o ⢠Studied at @vienna-technical-university, @warsaw-university-of-technology
Warsaw, Poland
BioTech • Businesses Solutions • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Analytics • Developer tools • Impact • Robotics
Marcus is a founding partner of Sunfish Partners, an early stage VC that invests in Polish deep tech startups.
Most Interested In
Sunfish Partners is an early stage VC that invests in Polish tech startups. #deeptech
Warsaw, Poland
FinTech (& Financials services) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Robotics
Partner and Co-Founder at ff Venture Capital
