The Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP) is making a significant move towards professionalising the domestic innovation ecosystem by launching a call for applications in the Startup Booster Poland – Tech Impact programme. With a total budget of PLN 40 million, funded by the European Funds for the Modern Economy (FENG), the initiative is focused on identifying specialised operators who will take on the burden of guiding young companies through the most risky stage of their development. Organisations such as technology transfer centres, technology parks or incubators can apply for funding of between PLN 15 and 20 million. The deadline for applications is 17 July, and what is at stake is not only capital, but above all a change in the survival statistics of young companies.
The current landscape of the Polish SME sector, which accounts for almost half of the country’s GDP, shows a clear gap in the resilience of the youngest players. Only 68 per cent of startups continue to operate after the first year, while for two-year-old companies the figure rises sharply to 91 per cent. This data sheds new light on PARP’s strategy – the Tech Impact programme is not just another grant mechanism, but an attempt to systemically secure the ‘valley of death’. The focus on *impact* projects, i.e. solutions to the social and environmental challenges of the UN’s Agenda 2030, suggests that the Polish administration is beginning to see sustainability as a real competitive advantage, not just a regulatory requirement.
In view of these developments, it is worth noting the need for future operators to build interdisciplinary mentoring teams. Successful acceleration in the area of Tech Impact today requires a combination of hard business competencies and expertise in ESG reporting or environmental certification. It also seems reasonable for operators applying for operator status to integrate their activities with private investors already at the application stage, which will allow startups to make a smoother transition from the incubation phase to market funding rounds.
Greater intensification of educational activities aimed at traditional business should also be considered; after all, the role of the operator is only successful when the innovative solution finds a viable customer or strategic partner. Building such bridges between science, startups and mature industry may prove to be a key factor that will determine the sustainability of the effects of this programme in the long term business perspective.
Innovation actors with relevant experience in the implementation of acceleration programmes, in particular, can apply for funding:
- technology transfer centres,
- innovation centres
- technology incubators
- academic business incubators,
- technology parks.
How to apply? Applications for the operators of the FENG Startup Booster Poland – Tech Impact programme are accepted until 17 July via the LSI platform: https://lsi.parp.gov.pl.
More information about the call can be found on the PARP website.
