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Frequently Asked Questions

Here is where you’ll find answers to all your questions about the Poland Prize II powered by Huge Thing. If there is anything else you would like to know, please email us: hello@hugething.vc

Do we have to stay in Poland during the program?

To a large extent, we run the Acceleration Program online. Hence, presence in Poland is not necessary throughout the entire program. However, it would be great to have you in Poland for a month during Softlanding. Our experience shows us that for Softlanding – the stage when our legal team helps you open the company in Poland, sign the acceleration agreement, and more – your presence would make everything go more smoothly. Later on, it can be helpful to come to Poland regularly while working closely with Technology Recipients during the Acceleration phase.

 

You can cover those costs with a grant – either PLN50k or PLN 300k.

 

If – for any reason – you or your team cannot stay in Poland for that long, we need you to purchase a Qualified Electronic Signature as soon as you get accepted. Certum, KIR (Szafir), PWPW and others issue such software – free electronic signatures (like DocuSign etc.) won’t make the cut for signing many documents i.e. the acceleration agreement and its annexes. According to Polish law, documentation signed using an electronic qualified signature is valid

Technology Recipient - who is that? What should the cooperation look like?

Business partners are key stakeholders of the Poland Prize program. They are often corporations, investment funds and entrepreneurs operating on a large scale, both in Poland and abroad. Here you can find a short description of these entities and their areas of interest. Their role starts as early as the recruitment – they have a final say on who gets invited to the Bootcamp and gets into the program. Later, they negotiate with you the scope of the budget (basically how you are going to spend your budget) and milestones.

 

The recruitment process is designed in a way to help you establish a relationship with at least one business partner. If you gain their interest, specify to them how you can develop your solution according to their needs and the partner may give you the opportunity to validate it during the Acceleration phase. If you fail to secure the partner – or you decide that it is not in line with your strategy – you will leave the program early with a smaller grant.

 

There are two types of partners: Technology Recipients (corporate, enterprise, local government) and investors. In case of meeting the needs of the Technology Recipient (OT) you work together towards piloting your solution and – who knows – maybe long term implementation of your solution. With an investor you have a chance to validate your product under their watchful eye – and they can initially declare an investment under certain business conditions.

What are milestones and when do we work on them?

This edition of the Poland Prize is not our first rodeo. In the past years, we have developed a system of accelerating startups. Together with the Huge Thing team, mentors and experts, they will support you to accelerate as much as possible. Between you get into the program and start of the acceleration (during the Development phase to be exact) you will be defining exactly 2+3 milestones to be delivered throughout the program. The first two milestones are assigned to a startup (it’s opening the company and securing the partner’s interest). The other 3 are defined by a startup in consultation with Huge Thing and its partner and are going to be delivered in 6 months. All milestones are also verified by Huge Thing, additionally during the Acceleration phase, the business partner will verify if you have achieved the milestones.

How many people can be in the team? Who can open a company?

We do not limit the number of people that can form a startup team as long as there is at least 1 person without Polish citizenship. Formally, 50% of shares need to be owned by non-Polish physical persons – so your original enterprise cannot own 100% of shares of the Polish entity. It can be the team of non-Poles only or a mixed team of Poles and non-Poles. As you probably know, acceleration is quite a challenge, hence we encourage building a team of no more than a few people. You will be able to quickly start developing the project and setting up the company in Poland will be more frictionless.

What kind of support can we count on during the program?

At the beginning of the program you can count on our legal team to help you establish a business in Poland – they will gather all necessary documents on your behalf and visit the offices and banks. During the program you can participate in workshops, 1:1 meetings with experts, mentors and tutors. We want to provide you with knowledge in many fields. How does it work? You will usually participate in the same events as other startups, but some types of advisory support will be intended for startups cooperating with Technology Recipients, and others for startups cooperating with Investors. We will also prepare some industry- or area-specific events for your team. We have planned classes i.e.: Pricing, Sales (B2B, B2B), Team Management, Mindfulness, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Human Resources, Marketing, Public Relations, Sales Campaigns as well as technological areas useful for your project. Additionally, you can ask for support in areas such as settling in, starting a business in Poland, employment or translations.

What can we spend the grant on - what amount and at what stage?

When you sign an acceleration agreement, you take part in the first stage of the program: Soft-landing and Development phase. During Soft-landing and Development, we offer you a grant up to PLN 50,000. Part of these funds may be spent on remuneration of team members, “concierge” services (a person supporting a startup in starting a business in Poland), consulting services (such as mentoring and expert services) and other expenses related to its startup (e.g. financing the technological development of your venture, marketing costs). Concierge services are provided only during Soft-landing.

 

If Soft-landing is completed successfully, Business Partners is willing to work with you, and you stand out from other startups participating in the Acceleration Program – we will invite you to the second stage – the Acceleration phase. During Acceleration, you receive a grant of up to PLN 250,000 to further develop the project. The goal is to validate the solution with the Technology Recipient or reach KPIs agreed on with the Investor. After the Acceleration phase is over, you do not receive any further financing, however you might enter the post-acceleration and receive other forms of support (including networking) to further develop in Poland.

How do you check our budget spending?

When preparing the budget you will need to prepare some details – categories of spending, actual budget positions, the unit costs and total costs of them. We will also need the proof that these are market-value prices of those. However, that’s when the difficulties end.


After we send you the money assigned to particular stages of the program we will be checking them in the form of lump sumes and wherever particular costs have appeared rather than asking you for detailed invoices.

Who is the organizer?

Hi! It’s us – Huge Thing – the operator of the “Poland Prize Program powered by Huge Thing” project. We are one of the oldest Polish accelerators – soon it’s going to be our 10th anniversary. The first edition of the Poland Prize program (2021-2023) constitutes our tenth acceleration batch! We’ve been through a lot with startups: accelerating, facilitating their cooperation with all kinds of corporations – global ICT companies, multi-sector corporations or banks, sharing know-how on developing their idea in Poland and abroad.

 

We lead the Acceleration Program on behalf of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP). PARP is a government agency operating since 2000, which stimulates business development in Poland, focusing, inter alia, on supporting startups and another micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. For this reason, the grant received by a startup is a public aid (also known as de minimis)

Is the program free?

Participation in the Acceleration Program is voluntary and free on any stage. You don’t pay any fee during enrollment either. You should have a “financial cushion” – only in some exceptions we are able to transfer the grant before you achieve individual milestones. Using the grant you can pay for the costs of consulting services (mentoring or expert) that you decide might be useful for you. You can use the grant to cover costs earlier described in the budget for both stages: Soft-landing and Development) as well as Acceleration. You may not include VAT in your budget – you can apply for tax return by submitting an appropriate application to the tax office – as well as other expenses not related to the acceleration

When does the Program take place and how long does it last?

We will make the final decision about the participants of the Acceleration Program in the second half of July. The Soft-landing phase will take place in November, and the 2-month Development starts in December. We plan for it to finish by the end of January. Then, we will invite top startups for the Acceleration.

Is there any to-do list before the program?

After you receive the confirmation of your participation in the program you will need to:

  • go through the acceleration agreement in detail (it is available here)
  • establish a Polish capital company (with at least 50% of the shares or stocks to people without Polish citizenship and include at least one person on the company’s management board without Polish citizenship.
  • sign an acceleration agreement on behalf of the Polish entity

When establishing the company remember that the Polish company to participate in the program has to have rights (including intellectual property rights) to develop its solution during the program so must be entitled both to work on this technology as well as commercialise it in the future

Is the Partner or a startup required to work together at the end of the Program?

We have created the programme with the long-term development of your startup in mind – if you successfully complete this Program. To achieve that, at the very early stage of the program a startup, a Partner and Huge Thing define goals to be achieved during the Acceleration. Even if you fail to achieve these goals, it does not jeopardise your chances of commercial cooperation with the Recipient of the Technology or investment from the Investor. Successful Acceleration, however, makes it much easier and gives you know-how on how the solution fits the market needs – to do so we work with business partners who are determined to support you in focusing on product development. It is worth keeping in mind that during the Acceleration you should develop your project to answer the needs of the Technology Recipient or achieve goals in line with the Investor’s ticket. For a number of reasons both the commercial pilot or the investment may not be possible.

What’s in it for us?

Poland Prize has more stakeholders than most accelerator programmes you might be familiar with. You already know about partners and the Huge Thing team. We are running the program on behalf of a Polish governmental agency responsible for developing entrepreneurship nationwide. The general goals of the program are:

  • Encouraging foreign startups to do business in Poland, including thanks to supporting in the start-up and development of activities and inclusion in the Polish startup ecosystem
  • Scouting and bringing to Poland startups with innovative technological solutions and support in developing business in a new ecosystem.
  • Connecting startups brought to Poland with Business Partners to test the technology or support in obtaining capital investment.
  • Enabling corporations to create innovation implementation paths and conduct technological tests with low risk and involving little resources within the company.

What does it mean that founders or the company cannot be linked to Poland?

The Poland Prize was created with foreign startups in mind. We want to create top conditions for starting a business in Poland. A person without Polish citizenship is considered a foreigner. Thus, a person who has Polish citizenship as well as the citizenship of another country is not treated as a foreigner for the Poland Prize program purposes. Non-Poles may start a company with Polish citizens in the founding team, but they must have at least half of the shares in the company that signs the acceleration agreement, and at least one foreigner must be in its governing body.

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Orlen

1. Tools for econometric analysis in the MarTech

We are looking for a solution that will enable econometric analyses in the context of planning marketing campaign activities. The system should have the capability to create econometric models (automatically, manually, inference systems based on distributed databases)

 

2. Electricity management in pilot energy community to to increase efficiency

We’re seeking a new energy billing model and compatible control system for a 50 kWp PV and 120 kWh energy storage project within an energy community. The solution must optimize electricity management based on dynamic pricing, enable monitoring, forecasting, and flow control for maximized self-consumption and adaptation to local energy needs. Scalability for future offerings is important.

 

3. Innovative technologies to improve the energy efficiency of process steam production

We are looking for a technology based on the cascade conversion of energy from hot air to improve the efficiency of steam production processes and generate additional electricity from previously unused thermal resources.

 

4. Tools to detect potential irregularities/frauds in the handling of transactions at petrol stations

We are looking for a solution to increase the level of detection and prevention of activities that may occur in transactions at service stations. The solution should use self-learning mechanisms.

 

5. Tools to optimise the management of the vehicle fleet (forklifts and tractors) on the production site

We are looking for a tool to coordinate the movement of vehicles (forklifts, tractors and semi-trailers up to 12 tonnes) within the company to enable the automation of company intralogistics.

 

6. Tools for measuring process steam flow using non-invasive techniques

We are looking for non-invasive tools to improve the accuracy of steam measurements on production facilities.

BNP Paribas

1. We are looking for an AI tool (agent) that will support BNP Paribas in a quick analysis of sme companies using available and up-to-date online sources for banking products.

 

2. Anti-fraud and KYC tool
We are looking for tools to support anti-fraud, anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) processes. These tools should demonstrate an innovative, proprietary approach to detecting fraud and money laundering patterns. We expect them to provide functionality to detect dormant accounts used for cybercrime, significantly speed up and simplify KYC activities, and effectively cross-check information between different data channels.

Carslberg Polska

Complaints and inquiries module in Hoppy application 

 

We’re looking for a solution applicable in the Hoppy application which will support users in sending complaints. On the other hand the solution should support admin in effective management of reported complaints and inquiries.

PM3D

Data aggregator

We are looking for solutions that allow aggregation of data from different municipal systems. Current municipal systems are fragmented and poorly integrated due to disparate technologies and vendor lock-in, hindering public service and data management. This lack of a universal platform prevents efficient data exchange between key services.
The business need is an open, secure, and scalable integration platform to unify systems, improve management, and enhance citizen service.

Saint-Gobain

1. AI Agent

We are looking for an AI tool that will function within the website and, based on the company’s data resources, answer customer questions and create personalized recommendations for the use of Saint-Gobain materials and services. The agent must understand project requirements, suggest optimal materials and ensure compliance with sustainability and construction standards. His main task will be to provide Investors, Contractors and Designers with reliable information on the company’s products and complete system solutions tailored to the client’s needs.  The solution should be scalable to include data covering various brands and capable of being implemented across various websites.

 

2. Building analysis

We are looking for a sales tool that will allow an in-depth analysis of the client’s planned investment – construction or renovation of various types of buildings. The tool should take into account basic as well as advanced parameters, such as primary energy demand, CO2 emissions, the amount of renewable energy needed to balance CO2, energy demand for cooling, acoustic analysis, daylight comfort or fire safety.
The tool should analyze the various parameters of the building depending on the material used (from the company’s portfolio) and recommend materials whose use will improve the parameters of the building to comply with current legislation and meet the customer’s needs

PZU - challenges

1. Mass process optimisation

Optimisation and automation of mass processes (e.g. benefits processing, claims settlement, underwriting, automation of back office processes, customer relationship management), particularly through tools using GenAI.

 

2. Pricing excellence

The challenge can be solved by a tool to better estimate and price insurance risks, both for individual and corporate clients, or by increasing the dataset for estimation or adding new variables to assess the risk of an event.

 

3. Insurance prevention

We’re looking for startups providing technologies and tools such as digital customer service platforms, advanced risk analysis tools or artificial intelligence to help manage risk and improve safety. The area of interest includes solutions for both corporate and individual clients. 

 

4. Emerging technologies supporting insurance customer experience management.

 

5. All insurtech startups

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Franek Domachowski

Junior Program Manager

At Huge Thing, Franek actively supports programme managers in running acceleration programmes. He is an innovation and technology enthusiast with a deep passion for fashion and fabrics.

He studied at the School of Innovations at SWPS University in Warsaw, where he gained valuable knowledge about cutting-edge solutions. During his studies, he also worked as a researcher, conducting interviews for various projects, including a collaboration with Sexed. He gained valuable experience as a junior insight specialist, where he was responsible for creating UX reports.

Franek is a true people person, always eager to start conversations and meet new people. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors and unwinding with a good film.

Veolia Poland - challenges

1. AI-assisted notes from meetings
We’re looking for a solution which will support Veolia’s employees in creating notes after meetings which will be used to share in the organisation. The tool should have a feature for self-correcting notes by users.
 
2. Tool to verify ability to perform complex activities such as driving vehicles and machinery
We are looking for a tool to quickly and comprehensively verify the ability of workers to undertake work, especially in production facilities where they are dealing with advanced equipment.
 
3.  Tool for analysing contract terms
We are looking for a solution which will analyze customer’s contracts in order to verify the validity of clauses against changes in the contract template over the years. Based on the results, Veolia will be looking to conclude an addendum making the necessary adjustments.
 
4. Sending customers the GDPR consent
We are looking for a tool simplifying the sending of personal data consent, which will make it easier to send offers to customers.
 

5. Customer experince improvement

We’re looking for startups that use the latest technology to improve customer experience while filling the forms and increasing customer egagement.
 
6. We are looking for solutions in HR Tech

Rossmann - challenges

The main challenge for this batch is to support Rossmann customers in the independent purchasing process, which can be delivered due to:

  • Connecting the online and offline worlds;
  • Providing personalised content for social groups and individual customers;
  • Activities within marketing using AR, rich content. virtual assistants, augmented reality to enrich cosmetic information. Solutions to engage younger generations entering the shopping market;
  • Technologies to ensure security at self-service checkouts (video analysis, fraud detection).

PZU

We are looking for:

    1. Mass process optimisation. Optimisation and automation of mass processes (e.g. claims settlement, underwriting, automation of back office processes, customer relationship management), particularly through tools using GenAI.
    2. Pricing excellence. The challenge can be solved by a tool to better estimate and price insurance risks, both for individual and corporate clients, or by increasing the dataset for estimation or adding new variables to assess the risk of an event.
    3. Insurance prevention. We’re looking for startups providing technologies and tools such as digital customer service platforms, advanced risk analysis tools or artificial intelligence to help manage risk and improve safety. The area of interest includes solutions for both corporate and individual clients, particularly in the areas of health prevention and wellbeing, road safety, and property damage prevention.
    4. AI solutions for weather prediction and sudden weather events.
    5. All insurtech startups.

 

Żabka Group - challenges

1. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (ONLINE AND OFFLINE)

New products & services to expand on our convenience ecosystem in areas of health, entertainment, betting, financial and insurance services.

Modern convenience foods such as: nutrition products (especially for school-aged children), nutritious snacks, dietary supplements, functional beverages & snacks.

2. FOODSERVICE & STREET-FOOD SOLUTIONS

Increase the attractiveness of our offer, improve the quality of service and increase operational efficiency in foodservice and our street-food offering. We are looking for innovations in: systems, processes, equipment, self-service facilities and food storage.

3. SALES AND MARKETING

Solutions aimed to: increase and optimise sales in-store, foster better business decision making and innovative in-store marketing. Mechanisms and products that support customer loyalty and influence positive daily habits and routines.

4. MOBILE APP/PHYGITAL

Engaging our customers in mobile app and physical stores. Creating & fostering community of dedicated customers through gamification and new technologies.

5. RETAIL TECHNOLOGIES

Disruptive solutions to transform the traditional retail with the help of new technologies i.e. AR/VR, IOT, blockchain, payment solutions, ESL.

6. NEW BUSINESS VERTICALS

Exploring and developing new business verticals that fit within our modern convenience strategy and further expand our ecosystem.

PKO BP - challenges

PKO BP is seeking solutions to meet the needs of the bank’s many customer groups and to support the organization in its transformation.  In particular, the bank is looking for solutions that:

  • will enrich the bank’s offer to young users (aged 13 and over);
  • allow the bank to offer additional services that will enrich the bank’s services, including from the mobile application;
  • Solutions for VR/AR/XR;
  • GreenFinance.

At the same time, PKO BP is looking for solutions applicable within the organization, including:

  • Digitalization of claims handling processes;
  • Automation of internal processes;
  • development of remote channels;
  • employee benefits.

Rossmann - challenges

People & Culture Solution

We are looking for a tool that will help structure the onboarding process and allow us to easily design an employee’s career development, from monitoring competence development to planning a set of trainings. The solution should also include monitoring the fulfillment of formal obligations arising from labor law.

Building the Drugstore of the Future

We are looking for tools that will create a personalized omnichannel shopping experience. We are looking for solutions that work both online and offline, for use in drugstores addressing, for example, the possibility of purchasing or checking information about the full product range of Rossmann. We want to support decision-making, make it easier to move around the drugstore while relieving our staff. The solutions should support all customers, avoiding digital exclusion.

Improving e-commerce experiences

We are looking for solutions that will improve the quality of customer experiences in the Rossmann online store, from reaching customers, through the entire purchase process and the stage of receiving the order from the courier or in the drugstore. We are looking for both online and offline solutions with MarTech, Industry 4.0, Logistics and others supporting this process.

Zduńska Wola - challenges

Cyber Security

We are looking for solutions to increase the level of cyber security in the city and to protect the data of residents and businesses in Zdunska Wola. The area of interest also includes technologies to repel cyber attacks to which the public administration is exposed in the current geopolitical situation. As part of the challenge, we are also looking for solutions to increase citizens' awareness and knowledge of cyber security.

Rainwater channels

We are looking for technology that will allow us to inventory technical data on rainwater channels and drainage ditches and monitor their filling status. Based on the data, the local government should be able to estimate the necessary materials and the cost of repairs in case of failure.

Attractive city app

We are looking for solutions that will create an attractive city application that will allow us to integrate existing solutions, such as reporting faults, checking public transportation schedules and making medical appointments. The city also aims to increase users of three types of Zduńska Wola cards.

CPI Property Group - challenges

Digitalization of building documentation

We are looking for a solution that will enable secure and fast digitization and archiving of building documentation, which will be carried out directly at the facility to which the documentation relates. The solution should provide quick, easy and intuitive access to the archived documents.

Joanna Kozioł

Project Manager/ Innovation Specialist

Joanna joined Huge Thing in 2024. As an Interim Innovation Specialist she is responsible for cooperation with bigger organisations in the area of innovations management.

Her professional experience is based on academia and R&D projects related to Disaster Risk Reduction and safety engineering. Moreover last year she decided to switch industry and entered the “innovative” ecosystem of start-ups and acceleration which inspires her more and more.

She is a huuuge fan of city breaks and the art of cafe hopping.

Alior Bank - challenges

Omnichannel

We search for solutions which can help us to provide the best possible customerexperience for our clients, regardless of the chosen customer service channel. The solutions should provide seamless connection between various channels (mobile app, phone-calls, branches etc.)

Main digital relationship

We search for solutions which can intensify customers’ engagement in our banking mobile app. We want to provide new, innovative functions and value-added services for our customers and encourage them to use our mobile app more frequently. The solutions should address our clients’ needs on daily basis or help us to improve banking processes inside the app to make it more engaging. New functionalities and services can be implemented on-premise or using mobile SDK.

EIT InnoEnergy

EIT InnoEnergy is looking for solutions in the following areas:

  • Hydrogen Economy Equipment
  • Water Tech
  • Raw materials (mining efficiency & impact)
  • Point source carbon capture
  • Biogenic CO2 (BECCS: carbon capturing, removal, and storage)
  • Decarbonization of industrial heat
  • Aluminum value chain & aluminum-air batteries
  • Heavy road transport electrification
  • Digital solutions (smart grid and energy consumption management)
  • Textile recycling

Saint Gobain - challenges

Efficient and ecological recovery of flat glass

We are looking for solutions to recover as much flat glass as possible in a safe manner. We are not limited to the technology used, but at the same time we want a solution that is environmentally friendly and does not use toxic chemicals.

Waste glass collection technology

We are looking for solutions that can be used in manufacturing plants to collect flat glass waste generated during the production and handling of glass products. We want to automate the process of cleaning glass cullet that can be reused in the production process. Consider that the distance between the floor and the production line at the lowest point is 60 cm.

Laminated glass production process

We are looking for solutions to identify bottlenecks on a laminated glass production line . The line handles the production of different types of glass, with different process parameters. The purpose of the test is to improve the efficiency of production by minimizing the duration of its various stages, based on information obtained from the system planned for implementation.

We received your survey, we will contact with you soon.

Do you have any questions?
Marketing strategy for startups

kuba.radzikowski@hugething.vc

+48 662 508 994

Kuba Radzikowski

Marketing Strategy Consultant

PZU

We are looking for:

    • Technologies supporting PZU in insurance prevention and mitigation of life, health and property insurance risks for individual and corporate customers, this includes solutions that support physical and mental prevention;
    • Technologies which will support call center workers in their everyday job – simplify their job and reduce the risk of errors;
    • Ideas and technologies that will help our distribution partnersto increase sales and improve workflow. These solutions can include development of alternative sales channels and improvements in the process.
    • Actuarial solutions for risk assessment and pricing excellence in motor insurance
       
    We aim not only to respond to development in insurtech but also to stay ahead of these trends. PZU is looking for startups operating in various areas, particularly in insurtech, advanced analytics solutions, digitalization, and new customer interactions.

    • Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship

    The Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship of the University of Nevada, Reno was founded in 2014 by a gift from Eren and Fatih Ozmen. Headquartered in Sparks, NV, Sierra Nevada Corporation is a privately held company under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer, Fatih Ozmen and President, Eren Ozmen. SNC-owned Sierra Space has been tasked by NASA to build a Dream Chaser Space Plane.Ozmen Center’s goals are to focus on the development of entrepreneurial skills, improve northern Nevada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and attract high- growth tech companies from all over the world to successfully land and succeed in the US with a help of our mentors & entrepreneurs in residence. Our major initiatives include an international startup school, Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition, LaunchNevada, International Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium, IREX Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge, and Aerospace and Defense Academy.

    Jagoda Bujno

    Junior Communication Specialist

    Jagoda joined Huge Thing in 2024 as part of the communication team. She’s responsible for creating content, managing social media channels, and supporting marketing activities to ensure consistent and engaging communication. She also takes care of the visual side of Huge Thing’s materials and supports the team in organizing events and building relationships with partners.

    What she enjoys most about her work is telling good stories and connecting with people both online and offline :)

    Before joining Huge Thing, she was involved in projects related to the Erasmus+ program. Outside of work, you’ll probably find her planning her next trip, taking care of her houseplants (there’s a lot of them), or with a book in hand.

    Katarzyna Maryanska

    Program Manager

    Kasia joined Huge Thing in 2024 and strengthened the acceleration team.
    Together with Maria and Mateusz she creates and leads acceleration programs and creates the startup environment.

    Before joining the Huge Thing team, she gained experience in other startups organizations such as Business Link, Digital Knowledge Observatory and Startup Academy, where she was responsible for coordinating incubation, acceleration projects and community events.

    Huuuuge fan of Erasmus + project (especially related to gamification and visual thinking topics). During her spare time she enjoys low cost traveling, festivals, and good tea :)

    ACE.SG (Action Community for Entrepreneurship)

    ACE.SG (Action Community for Entrepreneurship) is the national voice for the Singapore startup ecosystem, and a key trade association representing the interests of startups in Singapore. Working closely with the Government and startups, ACE.SG aims to promote entrepreneurship, catalyse new growth opportunities, scale startups and build champion enterprises.

    ACE.SG was established in 2003 by the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, and re-launched as a private sector-led, non-profit organisation in 2014. ACE.SG’s Patron is Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry.

    ACE.SG constantly seeks to build a vibrant and sustainable startup ecosystem in Singapore, and focuses on five key pillars: Startups, Corporations, Institutes of Higher Learning, Risk Capital, and Public Sector. As the driving force behind Singapore as an Innovation Island, ACE.SG is creating a virtual and physical space where ideas, knowledge, and capabilities are transformed into value efficiently.

    QUAY Acceleration

    Quay Acceleration is dedicated to designing, building, and launching accelerator programs that serve the needs of entrepreneurs and drive out-come driven results. We achieve this through partnering with government agencies, domestic and international, as well as institutions and universities to develop programming that supports these partners in their economic development goals.

    CIC Innovation Campus

    CIC is a global leader in building and operating innovation campuses that support the growth of entrepreneurs and startups. Founded in 1999 with a single location in Kendall Square, the company now operates more than 1 million square feet of shared workspace, wet labs, and event space in the US, Europe, and Asia. Its collaborative work environments support thousands of individuals in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors who are focused on innovating solutions to local and global problems. As part of the Go Global program, CIC offers customized packages to meet startups at their stage of growth and global exploration. Learn more at cic.com.

    Veolia Poland - challenges

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    Reporting tool for salespeople

    We are looking for an extensive online tool in the area of reporting for salespeople, which will have the following functions: location, meeting opening, meeting closing, checklist of sales steps and good practices. Thanks to which the salesman will avoid time-consuming reporting after visits to customers, better supervision and control of the quality of the salesman’s work.

    Offer configurator

    We are looking for an offer configurator – a tool for salespeople that will be used during the meeting and guarantees ease of making offers of many products from the mix of energy efficiency, electricity, gas, total waste management, services, etc. The solution should also be able to be hosted on Veolia.pl to ensure customers self-service by unchecking data, selecting products and preparing a “preliminary” offer, which includes benefits and costs.

    Management of distributed heat sources (off-grid heat) platform

    We are looking for a solution to measure the exact parameters of the building and estimate how much heat energy should be supplied. We will obtain results on the balance of energy demand (in water- domestic hot water and central heating) from distributed heat sources, i.e.: cogeneration solutions in a hydronic hybrid system (PH (heat pumps), CHP (cogeneration of heat and electricity), photovoltaic panels, gas boilers, tanks (buffers, storage tanks) of domestic hot water and with the use of heat storage) and additional information on the possible benefits/savings that may result from the use of these heat sources.

    Recycling of plastic waste

    We are seeking management solutions for soft PVC waste, on a polyester matrix.

    Berlin Innovation Agency

    Berlin Innovation Agency​ is a boutique transformation studio and academy. We partner with organizations of all sizes to create bespoke learning, change, and innovation journeys.

    We have an extensive track-record supporting entrepreneurs, having accelerated +80 startups through our own accelerator programs: Future City, Future Health, and ClimateX Accelerators. In addition to open-cohort startup programs, we create customized learning journeys based on the challenges and needs of our customers.

    Our learning formats include interactive masterclasses, coaching, as well applicable and actionable workshops (including compact and/or multi-day Bootcamps, Blueprints, Design Sprints, etc.). In the startup acceleration realm, our services cover the entire acceleration span – from ideation to investment readiness, expansion and growth (see comprehensive list below). Additionally, we also support our clients with stakeholder mapping, market analysis, soft landing (incl. event organization, placement and introductions), and more.

    Starta Capital

    Starta.vc is a New York-based venture ecosystem that includes three early-stage VC funds, a co-investment platform for angel investors, and acceleration & immersion programs for startups and scale-ups. Its flagship batches run twice a year in the New York office. In addition, Starta also runs four associate programs annually in collaboration with some of the Ivy League and top schools around the world.

    This in-person program takes place in both New York and Silicon Valley and focuses on entering and validating the US market, as well as building a strong client and investor network. It’s an ideal option for companies looking to establish sales, launch pilot projects, fundraise, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the US ecosystem. Key focus areas include market research and competitive analysis, hands-on work on building a client pipeline, identifying grant opportunities, setting up an effective investor outreach campaign, guidance on incorporation and business immigration, and legal advice on fundraising tools and processes. The program also emphasizes in-person connections, featuring multiple networking events per week and two Investor Showcases (Demo Days), one in Silicon Valley and one in New York. Duration options are 12 weeks or 6 weeks.

    The program also emphasizes in-person connections, featuring multiple networking events per week and two Investor Showcases (Demo Days), one in Silicon Valley and one in New York. Duration options are 12 weeks or 6 weeks.

    Maria Tyka-Majewska

    Acceleration Lead

    Expert in creating innovation and acceleration programs. As a member of the Huge Thing team, she is responsible for the creation and coordination of acceleration programs and direct cooperation with startups.

    Before joining the Huge Thing team, she gained experience at the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, Startup Academy and the Polish Development Fund, where she was responsible for coordinating incubation and acceleration projects.

    Italian and Spanish cuisine enthusiast.

    Olga Dzieciątkowska

    Innovation Manager

    Olga joined Huge Thing in 2024 and strengthened the consulting team. Together with Maryla, Magda and Asia she supports large organizations (both private and public) in processes related to innovation.

    Before joining Huge Thing, Olga was driving the adoption of digital and innovative solutions across the city of Poznan. As the Coordinator and Inventor of Poznan CityLab she managed the City App and Open Data Platform and championed projects aimed at empowering digital skills.

    Her focus extends to digital health and education, advocating for civic education and the concept of smart cities, particularly among the youth. As a certified city guide, she leverages her deep understanding of Poznań’s urban landscape to foster sustainable development by integrating local businesses, NGOs, and public sector into the city’s growth initiatives.

    Alongside her work with Huge Thing, Olga is also a Local Officer in the European Commission’s 100 ICC Initiative and an Urban Policy Expert on electric cargo bikes in a project with the Adam Mickiewicz University.

    She is an occasional triathlete and half-marathoner, a dedicated yogi, and a passionate Iga Świątek fan.

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    Wkrótce otrzymasz Playbook na podany adres email.

    Kontakt
    Sektor publiczny

    publicsector@hugething.vc

    +48 662 508 994

    Magda Stachowiak

    Project Manager

    We want to share our Playbook with you.

    In order to get Playbook, we ask you to fill out a form. After that, you’ll receive the download link directly to your inbox!

    Dziękujemy za wypełnienie formularza.

    Kontakt
    Sektor publiczny

    publicsector@hugething.vc

    +48 662 508 994

    Magda Stachowiak

    Project Manager

    Download this resource

    In order to download this resource, we ask you to fill a form. After that you’ll receive the download link diretcly to your inbox!

    Download this resource

    In order to download this resource, we ask you to fill a form. After that you’ll receive the download link diretcly to your inbox!

    Maryla Wojcieszek

    Head of Knowledge, Head of Innovation Management & Strategy, Change Manager

    As the Head of Innovation Management & Strategy, Maryla supports large organizations in innovation-related processes. This includes, among others: creating innovation management strategies, structuring the work of innovation teams and facilitating effective cooperation with startups. Additionally, as Head of Knowledge, she’s responsible for knowledge management within the Huge Thing team. She is also a designer and workshop facilitator. On behalf of Huge Thing, Maryla cooperates with brands such as Rossmann, Tetos, Żabka, Novartis, Saint-Gobain, Veolia and the Zduńska Wola City Hall. She’s also a co-host of a podcast focused on innovation-related topics – Huge Talks by Huge Thing, created together with Mam Startup and Google for Startups.

    Maryla is an experienced designer of (public) programs supporting startup ecosystem in Poland. She has co-created, among others, Scale UP – the first public acceleration program connecting startups and corporations.

    A gardener and a LEGO fan.

    Download this resource

    In order to download this resource, we ask you to fill a form. After that you’ll receive the download link diretcly to your inbox!

    Mateusz Szymański

    Program Manager

    Tech and innovation enthusiasts, especially those with positive social impact, Greentech, and health tech solutions. In Huge Thing, Mateusz is responsible for co-running acceleration programs. In 2022 he was co-running the 12th edition of the Google for Startups pre-acceleration program. 

    Previously he worked in the sales and product departments, where he was responsible for outreach activities and product communication. He’s also gained experience in project coordination and internal communication, working as a Spokesperson for Poznań’s department of NGO organization The Polish Forum of Young Diplomats. He was a co-creator of the social campaign “Paragraphs without blunder” which mission was to educate high school students about their rights.

    During his spare time, he likes to read about international politics and the economy. Strategic games enjoyer. He’ll surely like to play chess with you.

    Magda Stachowiak

    Project Manager

    Magda joined Huge Thing in 2021. Responsible for our Gov Tech inno_Lab acceleration programs and cooperation with the public administration. She runs projects for smart city. She is also responsible for building bridges between innovators – corporations, startups and the administration.

    Previously, since 2015, she cooperated on our projects for Gov Tech and corporations. Connected with the Poznań Startup Community. Experience in organizing events for the MedTech community. She worked in advertising and interactive agencies, creating brand campaigns and loyalty programs. She helped implement technologies into the organization.

    Passionate about personal development, psychobiology, and supporting women in creating businesses. The creator of the projects Kobiecy Poznań Przebudzenie and Joy of Life.

    Damian Wielechowski

    Senior Marketing and Communication Manager

    Damian manages the external and internal communications of SpeedUp Group, including Huge Thing. He joined the team in 2017 and since then has been working with business representatives, business environment institutions, public administration, media, and the academic community.

    In addition to activities related to Speedup Group, Damian supports the fund’s portfolio companies in the area of marketing and PR. He has served on the jury of many competitions, including ImpactCEE, and acted as a mentor at startup events such as hackathons and Startup Weekend.

    Damian is also the author of the Poznan Startup Guide and co-author of the Krakow Startup Guide, as well as organizer of many events dedicated to startups and investors.

    Natalia Litman

    Delivery Lead, Senior Program Manager

    Natalia joined Huge Thing in 2019. As a Senior Program Manager, she implements acceleration and educational programs (Poland Prize, PlusJeden do Rozwoju) in line with Huge Thing’s standards.

    As a Delivery Lead, she focuses on the operation of Huge Thing as an organization, financial issues, team planning, and quality of activities carried out by the company. Natalia loves to sail around Masuria and Croatia, and on gray days eats sushi and watches tennis.

    Monika Synoradzka

    CEO of Huge Thing, Innovation Strategist, Change Manager

    Monika specializes in developing and implementing innovation strategies within organizations, as well as building a culture of innovation across companies from various sectors. Since 2012, she has been associated with the VC fund group SpeedUp Group, and till 2025, she was a Partner at the funds. 

    She is an experienced facilitator, innovation readiness researcher, and innovation strategist. I have worked with organizations such as (among others) Rossmann, Żabka Polska, Novartis, Atlas Ward, and TETOS. 

    After hours, I’m huge book lover and co-create Bookowski – independent Bookstores located in Poznań.

    For big companies and corporations

    Preparing the resources

    • Setting the innovation team/roles
    • Create a strategy framework
    • Defining or/and validating path of innovation in the organization
    • Diving into the startup world
    • Mapping the innovation needs in the company

    Acquiring innovation

    • Overview of startup technologies
    • Scouting
    • Test laboratory
    • Acceleration program
    • Design sprint/service jam

    For public sector organizations

    Preparing the resources

    • Setting the innovation team/roles
    • Create a strategy framework
    • Defining or/and validating path of innovation in the organization
    • Diving into the startup world
    • Mapping the innovation needs in the company

    Acquiring innovation

    • Overview of startup technologies
    • Scouting ..
    • Test laboratory
    • Acceleration program
    • Design sprint/service jam

    For startups

    Huge Thing Programs

    • Poland Prize 2022

    Monetizing innovation

    • Test laboratory
    • Acceleration program
    • Design sprint/service jam

    Acquiring innovation

    • Create a strategy framework
    • Diving into the startup world
    • Mapping the innovation needs in the company
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