Polish-Ukrainian High-Tech Hub 2017: Polish VC visited Kiev
Polish-Ukrainian High-Tech Hub 2017 project enables Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in the field of financing innovations. Under the program Ukrainian technology startups and investors, both from Poland and Ukraine, can establish business relationships that may result in increased supply of innovation in Poland. This is the first project of that kind in Ukraine. The meeting took place during the conference of the same name, which was held on December 8th in Kiev.
Polish-Ukrainian High-Tech Hub combines both Ukrainian and Polish expectations. Representatives of Ukrainian innovators are looking for financing and opportunities to enter the West European markets, and on the other hand, the Polish VC market is looking for new, prospective investment targets. Poland benefits from it because thanks to such projects the country receives an injection of specialist competences, and consequently – new jobs and tax revenues in rapidly growing sectors based on knowledge. Considering conditions of intensifying competition for high-tech talents, Poland is increasing its chances of taking the place of the innovation hub for the whole region
– Poland is the gateway for Ukrainian startups to Europe. Thanks to the nearly PLN 3 billion available in the Start in Poland program, we are today one of the best places in the world for this type of projects – commented PAIH president, Tomasz Pisula during Polish-Ukrainian High-Tech Hub 2017 in Kiev.
Every Ukrainian startup, innovator, inventor and author of an innovative project could apply for the program and have a chance to meet with Polish investors in Kiev. The only prerequisite for participation in the selection was filling in the application form in English. Over 100 startups from Ukraine have competed for the opportunity to meet with representatives of Polish VC. ICT projects (40%) and young specialized companies i.a robotics, medical devices and the Internet of Things constituted the largest group. The applications also included biotechnology specialists and even developers of solutions for the automotive and space industry.
Based on the applications, Startup Hub Poland Foundation have conducted a preliminary assessment of startups’ potential and selected 34 projects, which were presented at the event in Kiev. The organizers of the event also invited 15 Polish VC funds to Kiev. 11 Ukrainian funds also joined this group. Due to the great interest of the funds during the event, meetings were organized in the form of speed-dating.
– There are many startups which are seeking funding through the foundation in Poland and among them Ukrainian group is quite numerous. Therefore, Polish investors face a chance that their colleagues from the USA, Great Britain and Germany can envy them – says Maciej Sadowski, Startup Hub Poland Foundation president.
Polish-Ukrainian High-Tech Hub 2017 is a joint undertaking of Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), the Ministry of Economic Development and Startup Hub Poland Foundation. The program is implemented with the support of the Polish Development Assistance program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project was initiated on September 18th during the Kiev conference "Entrepreneurship Innovativeness – Regional Development", organized as part of the development assistance of the Polish Ministry of Development for Ukraine.
