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Poland is becoming one of the best places to build a startup, but most of the early-stage entrepreneurs we speak to aren't aware of the local tech resources that are available to help them.

With applications for the Poland Founder Institute now open, we're excited to release the Poland Startup Resource Guide, which is currently in Draft v4 below! It was developed by the Poland Founder Institute and local leaders: Alex M. Dascalu (Lead Director, Founder Institute Eastern Europe), Eastern Europe, Ivan Germanov (RSM, Founder Institute), Ivaylo Ivanov (Director, Founder Institute Eastern Europe), Maria Mihes (Advisor, Start-ups)

This is just a draft, and while we spent many hours on this research, more input is needed. Please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document to help us complete the list. There are definitely omissions on this current version. 

Are you looking to build a startup in Poland? Then apply to the Poland Founder Institute today!

Text version included below, for ease of searching:

Startup Stages


There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.

1. Idea Stage

This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.

A. Inspire

  • Poland Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters)
    1. 150sec.com
    2. Antyweb.pl
    3. Buisnessnsider
    4. MamStartup.pl
    5. TEDxWarsaw
  • Inspirational Poland Startup Events: Open, inclusive startup events that often focus on ideation. (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
    1. Impact
    2. InfoShare
    3. Startup Grind Warsaw 
    4. TEDx Talks Warsaw
    5. Thursday Gatherings
    6. Wolves Summit

B. Educate

  • Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing tech events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire).
    1. Crossweb
    2. GDG Warszawa
    3. Startup Founder 101
  • Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development events and startup bootcamps for entrepeneurs. (Includes comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, General Assembly, Lean Startup Machine, code camps, etc)
    1. Founder Institute
    2. Startup Support
    3. Szkoła Pionierów PFR

C. Validate

  • Team Formation: Events for Finding Co-founders in Poland.  (i.e. tech networking events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
      1. Startup speed dating (various organizers)
      2. Warsaw Startup Jobs
      • Build First Product: Hackathons & product events in Poland.
        1. Geek Girls Carrots
        2. Girls Code Fun
        3. GirlsInTech Poland
        4. Mobile Warsaw

            2. Launch Stage

            In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.

            A. Start

            • Establish: Poland law firms & banks for startups
              1. F&K Attorneys at Law
              2. mbank
              3. SSW Pragmatic Solutions
              4. Wardynsk&Partners
            • Poland Workspaces: Co-working and flexible workspaces for startups in Poland.
              1. BeIN Offices
              2. Bobo Cowork
              3. Business Lab Nowy Świat
              4. ChilliSpaces
              5. Mulitcowork
              6. Workin Senatorska

            B. Develop

            • Formalize: Poland accounting, development and HR tools for early-stage startups.  
              1. SSW Solutions
            • Poland Incubators: Groups that prepare companies for seed investment and provide advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources)
                1. Mini Seedcamp Warsaw
                2. Startup League
                3. Startup School

                  C. Launch

                  • Poland Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)
                      1. Founder Institute
                      2. Accelpoint
                      • Pitch & Demo Events: Tech events that showcase Poland startups for investment. 
                      •      1. Needs Improvement

                      3. Growth Stage

                      Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.

                      A. Recognition

                      • Poland Investor Networking:  Events and groups that connect professional investors with founders. 
                      • 1. Needs Improvement

                      • Major Media: Mainstream local business press that often showcase local startups.
                          1. bizpoland
                          2. Brief
                          3. MamStartup
                          4. Naszemiasto Warszawa
                          5. Onet
                          6. The New Poland Express
                          7. Warsaw Voice
                          8. Wirtualna Polska
                          9. Wyborcza

                                        B. Funding

                                        • Poland Angel Investors: Seed-stage investors and micro-vcs.
                                            1. Point Nine
                                            2. SSW Pragmatic Solutions
                                            • Poland Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
                                              1. Polish Investment Fund

                                            C. Growth

                                            • Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
                                                1. ChilliSpaces
                                                2. BeIN Offices
                                                3. Bobo Cowork
                                                4. Workin Senat
                                                    • Expansion: Poland Growth accelerators and consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
                                                      1. Bain&Company
                                                      2. KPMG
                                                      3. MDDP
                                                      4. PwC

                                                    4. Poland Startup Success Stories

                                                    Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.

                                                      1. Brand24
                                                      2. Booksy
                                                      3. Brainly
                                                      4. Docplanner
                                                      5. iTaxi
                                                      6. LiveChat
                                                      7. Telemedico

                                                                  Supporters


                                                                  To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.

                                                                  1. Poland Startup Leaders

                                                                  Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.

                                                                      1. Aleksander Szybilski
                                                                      2. Anna Walkowska
                                                                      3. Artur Kurasinski
                                                                      4. Borys MusielakJan Zając
                                                                      5. Konrad Latkowski
                                                                      6. Mariola Bitner
                                                                      7. Mateusz Stasiak
                                                                      8. Michal Sadowski
                                                                      9. Piotr Boulangé
                                                                      10. Raeed Ali 
                                                                      11. Ralph Talmont

                                                                                        2. Poland Government Startup Resources

                                                                                        Public organizations that facilitate local economic development

                                                                                          1. Centrum Przedsiębiorczości Smolna 
                                                                                          2. Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce
                                                                                          3. Narodowe Centrum Badań i Rozwoju
                                                                                          4. Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency

                                                                                            3. Talent

                                                                                            Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.

                                                                                            • Local Poland Tech Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)
                                                                                              1. Kozminski University
                                                                                              2. Politechnika Warszawska
                                                                                              3. Uniwersytet Warszawski
                                                                                              4. Warsaw School of Economics
                                                                                            • Poland Tech Employers
                                                                                              1. Asseco Poland SA
                                                                                              2. Cybercom Poland
                                                                                              3. Cushman&Wakefield
                                                                                              4. Facebook
                                                                                              5. Google
                                                                                              6. Grupa Pracuj
                                                                                              7. Intel
                                                                                              8. Microsoft
                                                                                              9. SAP
                                                                                              10. Samsung
                                                                                              11. T-Mobile

                                                                                            *  *  *

                                                                                            Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on the Poland Canvas on this collaborative Google document (This is just a draft, and more input is needed!)

                                                                                            Are you looking to build a startup in Poland? Then apply to the Poland Founder Institute today

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