Poland: Startup Guide

7 min readJan 28, 2023

In this article, you will learn about opportunities to grow your startup in Poland and get funded. The Polish startup ecosystem is quite developed and offers great opportunities for digital nomads and tech entrepreneurs.

Time to read: 7 min.

Get to know Poland

Poland is a country located in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and Lithuania and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad to the north. The capital and largest city are Warsaw.

Poland has a population of over 38 million people and covers an area of 312,696 square kilometers. The official language is Polish and the currency is the złoty.

Poland has a mixed economy that is the sixth-largest in the European Union and the largest among the former Eastern Bloc members of the EU. It is classified as a developed market and a high-income economy, with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and a very high Standard of Living Index.

Poland is a member of the European Union, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Poland has a rich cultural heritage, with notable contributions to the arts, science, and technology. Poland is also famous for its architecture, including Gothic churches, Renaissance castles, and Soviet-era buildings.

The Polish Startup Ecosystem

The Polish startup ecosystem has seen significant growth and development in recent years. The country has a strong technology sector and a highly educated workforce, which have helped to attract both domestic and international investors. The government has also implemented policies to support the growth of startups, including tax incentives and grants for research and development.

The existing Polish startup infrastructure: 3000+ startups, 2364 Rounds, 130+ VC firms, 100+ accelerators & incubators, 255,000 software engineers.

One of the most successful startup sectors in Poland is software development, with many companies specializing in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things. The fintech sector is also thriving, with several startups focusing on digital banking and payment solutions. Other promising sectors include e-commerce, health tech, and biotech.

Here are some examples of successful startups born in Poland:

Docplanner is the world’s biggest healthcare booking platform, with millions of appointments booked each month in 10+ countries globally.
Brainly: the world’s largest peer-to-peer Q&A learning community, amassing over 200 million users.
Booksy: top global beauty&wellness marketplaces, powered by software for providers of such services.
Cosmose AI understands, predicts, and influences
how 1 billion people shop offline
Infermedica: AI-powered preliminary diagnosis and triage technology used by the premier global enterprises.
Redstone: the company currently has two products, which are cross-chain data Oracles for both Web3 and DeFi protocols and their other product, ‘Warp’ which is a data-driven smart contract layer on Arweave.
Softwarehut: the company creates completely tailored software solutions for various businesses, ranging from startups to digital agencies and large enterprises. They have solutions for AR and VR, websites, IoT, mobile systems, and more. The startup is a Microsoft partner and has competed for a number of business awards in its category.
Codility: a recruitment platform for screening and testing tech candidates.
Wishbone Medical provides the required implants and sterile-packed instruments that can be used for single procedures. These tools are distributed to surgeons for use on their patients.
PayPo: offers the largest BNPL network across Poland.
Profitowi fulfills an advisory role for its clients and gives them up-to-date advice on loans, insurance products, and savings accounts.
Telemedi provides healthcare companies with a platform that allows them to digitize their healthcare offering.
Talent Alpha provides a marketplace to help connect global enterprises and businesses requiring technical expertise with software houses all over Europe, providing them with talent as a service
Sinterit provides SLS 3D printers and has a mission to make them cheaper and more accessible for public use. SLS is the next step in 3D printing technology as it allows for the printing of more complex and difficult items.

See here for more: list of interesting startups in Poland.

Polish Accelerators & Incubators

Poland has many accelerators and incubators, which provide mentorship and resources to help startups grow. The government has also established several programs to support entrepreneurship, such as the Start-in-Poland initiative, which provides funding and support to startups looking to expand into international markets.

For early-based startups: entrepreneur support at an early stage of the idea through programs, e.g. PFR Innovation Designers, PFR School of Pioneers or First Business — Startup Support
Startups having MVP and on its development stage can use the ScaleUp acceleration program or the Polish Prize (PARP)
international expansion stage — e.g. Technological Bridges or Localization Consulting (PAIH), Startup Poland Foundation

Incubators in Poland

Academic Business Incubators (AIP) (Country-wide): The biggest network of incubators in Poland: over 60 incubators located in 24 cities, most of them involved in a partnership with universities (however not limited to students). Anybody can join the incubator and get access to AIP mentoring, the network and workshops. For $65/month, entrepreneurs can start a company under AIP and get help with accounting, legal regulations, including the exemption from social security fees and income tax. (Source: Pilot)

Hub:raum Incubator (Krakow): Powered by Deutsche Telekom Group, the institution supports innovative startups from Southern and Central Europe. The incubator program offers mentoring, coworking space, access to Deutsche Telekom assets and both pre-seed and seed funding up to €80k for 10–30% equity. There’s also a free accelerator program, WARP, covering 5 days of pre-acceleration training and a 5-week long acceleration program. It’s dedicated to B2C communication, e-commerce, smart home solutions and similar. It’s doesn’t involve co-ownership. (Source: Pilot)

Huge Thing (Poznan): A pre-acceleration program from SpeedUp Venture Capital Group, dedicated for pre-seed startups with just an MVP or a prototype. Taking place in Poznan, the 3-week program is designed to prepare startups for their first funding and help them apply to the most successful accelerators like Y Combinator or 500 Startups. (Source: Pilot)

OrangeFab Poland (Warsaw): OrangeFab is a 12-week program run by the telecom company Orange, aimed at building innovative products or services from which Orange customers will benefit. Focus is placed on customer experience, AI, IoT, big data, e-commerce, VR and cybersecurity. Acceptance into the program guarantees access to the Orange brand, a wide range of customers, knowledge of experts, channels of promotion and distribution network. (Source: EU-Startups)

ReaktorX (Warsaw): Known as a pre-acceleration programme for first-time founders, this program is specifically targeted at industry experts, programmers and ambitious students with an entrepreneurial mindset, who need to develop core skills necessary for success on the market. Each accepted startup is assigned a mentor and has to follow a series of events, mentoring sessions and workshops, followed by a pitch presentation at ReaktorX Demo Night. (Source: EU-Startups)

Overall, the Polish startup ecosystem is thriving and has the potential to continue to grow and produce successful companies in the future.

Talent immigration

In recent years, there has been a significant influx of IT professionals from Ukraine and Belarus immigrating to Poland. This trend is driven by a number of factors, including the economic and political situations in both countries, as well as the growing IT industry in Poland.

One of the main reasons for the migration of IT professionals from Ukraine and Belarus to Poland is the economic and political situation in both countries. Ukraine has been struggling with a weak economy and high unemployment rates, while Belarus has been in a state of political turmoil since the presidential elections of 2020. Many IT professionals from both countries have been seeking better job opportunities and stability abroad, and Poland has been a popular destination.

Another factor contributing to the migration of IT professionals from Ukraine and Belarus to Poland is the growing IT industry in Poland. The country has a strong technology sector and a highly educated workforce, which have helped to attract both domestic and international investors. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the number of IT jobs available in Poland, making it an attractive destination for IT professionals from both Ukraine and Belarus.

Both Ukraine and Belarus have well-developed IT industries, and many of the IT professionals who are immigrating to Poland are highly skilled and experienced in areas such as software development, artificial intelligence, and big data. They are well-suited to the growing IT market in Poland, and are in high demand by Polish companies.

However, the immigration process can be challenging for IT professionals from Ukraine and Belarus, as they may face difficulties obtaining work visas and finding suitable housing. Additionally, language barriers may also be an issue for some.

Overall, the migration of IT professionals from Ukraine and Belarus to Poland is a trend that is likely to continue in the future, driven by both economic and political factors. While there may be challenges along the way, many IT professionals from both countries are finding opportunities and a better life in Poland.

Poland Business Harbour: digital nomads and IT entrepreneurs are welcomed

I shall create a new world for myself . — Frederic Chopin

The Polish Government introduced a program Poland Business Harbour (PBH) for people with IT experience to support their relocation to Poland with the advantage of the fast-tracked visa procedure, business set up, and immigration procedures.

There are several participating countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. So, if your IT team or you are a national of these countries, you can apply for the PBH program and easily move forward toward your startup relocation in Poland.

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