In the bustling world of entrepreneurship, stories often begin with a blend of passion, frustration, and a bold vision to challenge the status quo. For Lukas and Jiri, the founders of Patron GO, their journey from corporate roles to startup pioneers is a testament to their determination to revolutionize personal finance.

Patient experience building and the soul of experimenter – a mixture of these seemed to bring Marcel Veselka to the startup world. What is his boarding pass? Wopee.io – a software test optimisation tool meant to become the top e-commerce virtual “security guard”.

This article is a part of cycle inspired by the PFR School of Pioneers recruitment. While gearing up for our top-tier Venture Building Program, we invited some promising startup founders to share their experiences and lessons learned.

Meaningful survey results on any matter always within your arm’s reach – that’s what was Kamila Zahradnickova and her team’s dream when calling Lakmoos into being. A visionary founder shares insights into the journey of creating a company that listens intently to the voice of the customer. With a mission to achieve the elusive perfect product-market fit, this founder’s story is one of resilience, passion, and the power of asking the right questions.

From February 12, 2024, VC funds will be able to apply for investment programs funded by the EU's the FENG program. PLN 2 billion that will come from the program and PLN 1.1 billion from private investors is expected to be allocated by PFR Ventures to approximately 40 funds.

December is not only a time for summaries but also the month when most of us think about gifts for our loved ones. The PFR Ventures team has reviewed the investment portfolios of its funds and selected companies whose products or services would make great Christmas gifts. In the "Startup Gift Guide," you'll find over 40 companies, some of which have decided to share special discount codes. The list is open, so if you represent a B2C startup, feel free to add yourselves!

The VI edition of the PFR School of Pioneers has concluded with a final gala – out of the 17 teams developing their technological solutions during this batch of our venture building programme, the top 8 presented themselves on stage during a Demo Day. Jidoka – a team creating a platform that enables small and medium-sized businesses to automate processes and implement AI solutions more quickly emerged victorious, winning 50kPLN. The gala also focused on the program's previous successes.

Dealroom aggregates information on startups and tech investments from around the world. What makes it different from its competitors like Crunchbase or AngelList is a much stronger focus on European ecosystems. Therefore, all reports prepared by this company are particularly interesting for the Polish ecosystem. The ranking of the top 500 VC funds in the world published at the beginning of this month also includes Polish investors.

As of today, we have received statistics on recruitment to the DIANA NATO accelerator. NATO and the Ministry of Defence used the Polish Development Fund S.A. as a national recruitment point for the program. Polish startups submitted the largest number of applications to the programme in the European Union. Enrolment has also begun for IDA - a new programme aimed at Polish companies.

Foodtech – technologies related to food – is a broad field. What solutions can be defined as foodtech? What Polish startups can you find in this industry?

The Polish tourism market has been affected by both the pandemic and inflation. However, have these factors influenced the travel tech market as well? Looking at solutions for travelers, it seems not. From tourist portals catering to various groups, to different technological areas, let's explore Polish startups that can enhance your vacation!

For a while now, we've been observing the situation of Polish startups and VC funds, as well as global markets, with a focus on the participation of women. How does it look in Poland and around the world?

Znika, winners of the School of Pioneers PFR, have started a collaboration with Warta Poznań – products from the football club's fan store will be shipped using biodegradable packaging and tapes from the startup.