Funding for technology startups

That is, what tigers do best. We coordinate competitions for startups, evaluate submitted applications, are mentors in accelerator projects and are happy to share our knowledge on these topics.

Funding for technology startups

Are you thinking of starting or have you already launched a startup utilizing new technologies? Are you thinking how to finance your idea and the thought of EU funds crossed your mind? Have you been bombarded with information about Platformy Startowe (Startup Platforms), Akces NCBiR, Booster Poland, Ścieżka SMART and other programs with enigmatic names and don’t know which is the right solution for you? We have prepared material for you that will help you navigate through the maze of programs and choose something suitable for you.

A great idea, an excellent team, and a determined founder are very important for the success of a startup, but without proper funding, they may not be enough. Some ideas may attract support from private investors (business angels, VC funds). However, in some cases, funding from private investors may be unavailable or unwanted by the founder for various reasons. Public funding can come to the rescue, which can either be the sole support obtained by the startup or a valuable supplement to funding from private investors.

Which Programs Are Addressed to Startups?

The offer of public funding programs for startups is broad and designed as a system enabling the gradual development of a business from idea to the realization of R&D and implementation projects worth millions of złotys. Among the most interesting programs allowing for obtaining EU grants, we can find:

Each of these programs is different. Various programs can be utilized by startups at different stages of development (including the idea stage within the framework of Startup Platforms), foresee different levels of own contribution (or no own contribution, as in the case of acceleration programs), and foresee different minimum and maximum budget levels (from budgets up to PLN 300,000 within the Akces NCBiR framework to multi-million budgets within the SMART Path framework), as well as different outcomes of program implementation.

The Startup Platforms competition is particularly close to us because in 2022 our grant team achieved a 100% success rate, which was possible thanks to the “magic” of serial calls for proposals within this competition and the specialization we developed. In the current EU financial perspective, our team is involved not only in preparing application documentation but also actively participates in the work on the side of the accelerator preparing the incubation process for startups that will be selected in the competition.

We shared our experiences working with Startup Platforms here:

Another “gem” among grant competitions is the Startup Booster Poland acceleration program, which allows for obtaining grants of up to 400,000 PLN / 200,000 PLN, depending on the chosen path. A significant advantage of the Booster Poland program is the lack of mandatory own contribution, i.e., the received grant covers 100% of the cost included in the individual acceleration budget. We discussed more about the Booster Poland program and how to combine funding from Booster Poland with startup platforms in our webinar:

Certain programs can be an interesting alternative to investments from business angels or VC funds. Public funding can allow for the construction and implementation of all or part of the technology without giving away part of the startup’s shares to a private investor. Public funding can also be an excellent supplement to private funding, where public funding will co-finance the development and implementation of the product, allowing a larger part of the private funding to be allocated to operational activities, particularly business scaling.

EU grants can thus be a great solution for startups with a well-defined business idea, especially its technological component, and determined to devote time to realizing this project.