Polish start-ups are primarily concentrated on developing modern information technology and digital solutions. A strong emphasis on software, applications, big data, and data science reflects a significant interest in analytical tools and solutions supporting digital transformation across various industries, according to the 2024 report “Start-up Market in Poland: Technological Trends” prepared by the Ministry of Development and Technology (MRiT). Members of the European Parliament believe Poland has the potential to become a Silicon Valley of Europe; however, the growth of start-ups is hindered by limited access to financing and unfavorable, excessive regulations.
Data included in the report, prepared by the Department of Innovation and Industrial Policy at the Ministry of Development and Technology, indicates that the Polish market is dominated by start-ups based on IT technologies, partly due to the relatively low entry barriers for this type of entrepreneurship. These companies operate across a broad range of industries, with software technologies playing a dominant role and e-commerce steadily gaining influence. This trend reflects global patterns and the market potential in these areas. Interest in deep tech among start-ups is also on the rise.
“Poland can and should become the technological development hub of Europe. We have incredible experts and young talent. Today, many of them work for Polish start-ups that are emerging here but often later move abroad, seeking development opportunities and financial possibilities in other markets,” said Michał Kobosko, a Member of the European Parliament from Poland 2050, in an interview with Newseria agency. “We have Polish technological solutions that we sometimes do not promote enough worldwide — like the BLIK payment system. Few people in Europe or globally know that such a system exists in Poland, and I believe we should internationalize these solutions. I gave one example, but there are many more.”
The MEP emphasized that Poland has a chance to dominate in Europe provided that start-ups, which are not afraid to take risks and explore previously unknown areas of business, science, and technology, receive adequate financial support for their development. Legal regulations also play a crucial role.
“Of course, I want Poland to become a Silicon Valley, and we must work toward that goal. The problem is that Europe, in general, does not have Silicon Valleys because it is overregulated, with a hyperinflation of various rules. European companies are burdened by green regulations, which cause them to lose competitiveness on the global market. So, we will not be able to create anything that could realistically compete with Silicon Valley in the U.S. or Singapore — the most advanced countries in the world — as long as we stick to all these senseless regulations,” said Patryk Jaki, a Member of the European Parliament from the Law and Justice party. “If we want to compete, we must remember that our companies compete with the same products as companies that are not burdened by ETS or other green levies. So how can they cope under such conditions?”
Kobosko added, “It is about business operating conditions — essentially a broad deregulation package currently discussed in Poland. I want to see tangible effects soon, in the form of completed laws or amendments, because it concerns the conditions for conducting business.” He stressed another important element: “We must provide financing to companies that are not afraid to take risks and explore completely unknown areas of business, science, and technology. We need to encourage such companies to take risks.”
The MRiT report shows that unfavorable legal regulations were identified as a barrier by 21% of surveyed companies. This may indicate that start-ups struggle with legal complexities or a changing regulatory environment, which can complicate business management. The most common forms of external financing used by start-ups are funds from academic centers, venture capital, and government support programs. However, there is a lack of funding availability in very early development stages. Students and novice entrepreneurs trying to validate their business models often encounter difficulties due to the lack of access to appropriate financial resources.
Furthermore, 45% of start-ups do not use external financing. About 29% raise funds from capital investors, while 23% rely on grants, crowdfunding, loans, or other forms of financing aimed at technology or product development.
