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Maciej Marszałek and Jędrzej Iwaszkiewicz Take Over The Heart, Secure New Investors, and Launch an Investment Fund

COMPANIESMaciej Marszałek and Jędrzej Iwaszkiewicz Take Over The Heart, Secure New Investors, and Launch an Investment Fund

In a management buyout (MBO), the leadership of the Polish venture builder The Heart has been assumed by its long-standing executives, Maciej Marszałek (CEO) and Jędrzej Iwaszkiewicz (CCO). Supporting the duo are new investors Dominik Wieliński, founder and CEO of the Polish Debt Collection Network, and Arkadiusz Pernal, co-founder of Ten Square Games and Nasza Klasa.

The Heart plans to establish a dedicated investment fund by Q1 2025 to support projects in the pre-startup phase.

A History of Innovation

Since opening its doors in Warsaw in 2016, The Heart has served as a hub for startups and corporations looking to collaborate. Initially a first-of-its-kind organization in Poland, it transformed into a venture builder (VB) after a year. Over the years, it has solidified its reputation as a leading corporate VB in Poland.

Under the guidance of Maciej Marszałek and Jędrzej Iwaszkiewicz, the ecosystem built by The Heart has significantly increased the Group’s overall valuation, which now approaches PLN 100 million. Its portfolio includes innovative ventures such as Digital Gateways (comprehensive client onboarding), ScanPay (a digital platform for restaurants), AIS Gateway (financial credibility verification), and Flatte (rental property management).

Driving the Next Chapter

“The existing model of The Heart has enabled us to create scalable and successful businesses. We’ve learned a great deal during this journey and feel ready to accelerate significantly. To do so, a streamlined ownership structure and access to capital are critical, which is why we opted for a management buyout,” said Maciej Marszałek, CEO of The Heart.

Marszałek joined The Heart in 2018 as a managing partner, becoming CEO two years later. His extensive managerial experience includes roles at Bank Millennium, Link4, AXA, and Unilink. Jędrzej Iwaszkiewicz, a co-founder of The Heart, oversees business development, strategic partnerships, and digital transformation projects.

The company has also welcomed Natalia Bielecka as a partner and Chief People Officer (CPO). With The Heart since 2018, Bielecka will now lead HR strategy, focusing on talent acquisition and retention across the company and its portfolio ventures.

New Financing and Bold Goals

The management buyout ushers in a new era for The Heart. Two individual investors have joined forces with the new leadership: Dominik Wieliński and Arkadiusz Pernal.

“Venture building represents the highest level of business expertise. Starting with market analysis and trend monitoring, we identify opportunities for products or services. Then we test concepts, recruit top talent, and launch startups ready to compete. Over five years, we plan to exit these investments. By 2030, I want to see a portfolio of startups valued at PLN 1 billion—and The Heart is uniquely positioned to achieve this in Central and Eastern Europe,” remarked Wieliński.

Building a Comprehensive Ecosystem

The new leadership plans to use the fresh capital to expand The Heart’s team and invest in pre-startup projects, as well as develop its existing portfolio through the upcoming investment fund.

“Our experience has prepared us to scale corporate venture building further. The planned investment fund will help us create an ecosystem fostering the dynamic growth of innovative and scalable businesses,” said Jędrzej Iwaszkiewicz.

A new strategic area for The Heart involves partnering with leading Polish universities to commercialize technology projects at Technology Readiness Level 3 (TRL 3). The focus areas include fintech, medtech, and energytech. Financing will be sourced through partnerships with corporations and private investments supported by the upcoming fund.

A Proven Venture Building Model

The Heart’s venture building model allows corporations to test and implement innovations while minimizing internal development risks and costs. This enables companies to focus on core operations while building competitive advantages with complementary products and services. For private investors, this model offers portfolio diversification, tailored risk strategies, and access to cutting-edge projects across various sectors.

Market research highlights the advantages of the startup studio model. Startups from such studios achieve key funding milestones significantly faster: seed funding 51% quicker (1.49 years vs. 3.03 years), Series A funding 41% faster (2.75 years vs. 4.68 years), and Series C funding 47% quicker (4.59 years vs. 8.67 years). Additionally, studio-created startups reach IPO 31% sooner on average, taking 7.5 years compared to 10.8 years.

With its ambitious goals and a proven track record, The Heart is poised to lead the next generation of venture building in Poland and beyond.

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