What StartUp HUB Poland does

StartUp HUB Poland (legal entity: Fundacja Startup Hub Poland) is a Warsaw-based non-profit foundation that operates as a multi-program startup accelerator and ecosystem platform focused on high-technology ventures in Central and Eastern Europe. The organization runs a portfolio of concurrent acceleration programs — Poland Booster (up to 400,000 PLN in non-equity grants), Warsaw Booster (sustainable cities), V4 Startup Force (Visegrad B2B), Budimex Acceleration Program (construction tech, in partnership with the largest CEE contractor), EWA: Empowering Women in Agrifood (with EIT Food), Greenpact Startup Stage (ESG/sustainability), and GAEA Challenge (green energy) — and serves early-stage and growth-stage startups from Poland, Estonia, Ukraine, Germany, the UK, the US, and other geographies, with more than 20 nationalities represented and 400+ startups accelerated since founding.

The foundation does not develop proprietary technology products; instead it operates as a program-delivery and matchmaking layer that connects startups with three counterparties: (1) corporations seeking innovation pipelines (e.g., Budimex, Huawei, Santander, MTP/GREENPACT), (2) government bodies and public agencies (e.g., PARP, Visegrad Group governments, Warsaw Stock Exchange venue partnerships, MOST Foundation), and (3) venture capital and grant funders (e.g., Nasdaq Foundation-funded Energeia Project). Distribution is event-driven — Demo Days, the Greenpact Startup Stage at the European ESG Summit, and program-specific showcases — supported by organic social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), the startuphub.pl website, and direct outreach.

Revenue mechanics are typical of a non-profit foundation: incoming funds are sourced from foundation grants (Nasdaq Foundation), corporate co-development agreements (Budimex, Huawei, Santander), and government / public-policy grants (Visegrad Grants, PARP-aligned programs, EIT Food via EWA). Outgoing value to startups takes the form of non-equity grants (up to 400,000 PLN for Poland Booster; up to 50,000 EUR in the now-completed Poland Prize 2018-2019; up to 10,000 EUR in EWA), mentorship, soft-landing services, and access to investor and corporate networks. Customer segments are horizontal across startups, corporations, governments, and VCs, with no equity taken in accelerated companies.

Name

StartUp HUB Poland

Legal name

Fundacja Startup Hub Poland

Website

https://startuphub.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

StartUp HUB Poland is a Warsaw-based non-profit foundation operating multiple accelerator programs that connect high-tech startups from Central and Eastern Europe with corporate partners, government institutions, and venture capital. It has supported 400+ startups through grant-backed programs offering mentorship, non-equity funding, and market access.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accelerator and Business Incubation Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

Keywords

• Startup accelerator programs
• Business incubation services
• Corporate innovation partnerships
• Startup ecosystem development
• Venture mentoring services

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding from Foundations: Startup Hub Poland receives grant funding from organizations like the Nasdaq Foundation to run programs such as the Energeia Project supporting female entrepreneurs in Central and Eastern Europe.
2. Corporate Partnership Programs: Revenue generated through co-developed acceleration programs with corporate partners such as Budimex, where the construction company partners with SHP to run innovation programs for startups in the construction/real estate sector.
3. Government-Sponsored Programs: Programs co-financed by government bodies including Visegrad Grants (governments of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) and initiatives aligned with PARP (Polish Agency for Enterprise Development) public policy goals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

StartUp HUB Poland operates a portfolio of startup accelerator programs that connect early-stage companies with corporate partners, public-sector backers, mentors, and investors. Programs such as Poland Booster, Warsaw Booster, V4 Startup Force, the Budimex Acceleration Program, EWA: Empowering Women in Agrifood, and Greenpact Startup Stage deliver structured mentorship, training, and demo-day experiences for participating startups while providing sponsors with curated access to the Polish and Central European startup ecosystem.

Product overview

StartUp HUB Poland is an accelerator and startup support organization offering a portfolio of dynamic programs for tech innovators at every stage. The core offerings include current acceleration programs such as Poland Booster (up to 400,000 PLN in non-equity grants), Warsaw Booster (sustainable development focus), V4 Startup Force (Visegrad regional), Budimex Acceleration Program (construction industry), EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood with EIT Food), and Greenpact Startup Stage (sustainability/climate). The organization also provides services facilitating connections between startups and corporations, government institutions, and venture capital. Past programs included Poland Prize (2018-2019, up to 50,000 EUR grants for foreign startups), Academic Startup League, Energeia Project (200 female entrepreneurs), and V4ATB. The organization acts as a bridge between startups, investors, corporations, and governmental institutions, fostering collaboration and growth within the Central and Eastern European startup ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Poland Booster: Acceleration program providing startups with up to 400,000 PLN in non-equity grants, mentorship, and business development support for growth and international expansion
• Warsaw Booster
• V4 Startup Force
• Budimex Acceleration Program
• EWA: Empowering Women in Agrifood
• Greenpact Startup Stage

Products and services

• Poland Booster National-level accelerator cohort for early-stage Polish startups, providing structured mentorship, training, and investor/corporate introductions through a fixed-term program culminating in a demo day. Targeted at founders seeking ecosystem visibility and growth support.
• Warsaw Booster City-level acceleration program focused on Warsaw-based startups, offering mentorship, corporate and city stakeholder introductions, and demo-day exposure to the local innovation ecosystem.
• V4 Startup Force Cross-border Visegrád (V4) regional program supporting startups from Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary with mentorship, regional stakeholder introductions, and cross-border market access.
• Budimex Acceleration Program Corporate-branded acceleration cohort co-delivered with Budimex (a major Polish construction company), providing startups with mentorship, industry-specific guidance, and a pathway to commercial pilots within the construction and infrastructure sector.
• EWA: Empowering Women in Agrifood Vertical-specific program supporting women entrepreneurs in the agrifood sector, offering mentorship, training, and investor/corporate introductions tailored to food and agriculture innovation.
• Greenpact Startup Stage Sustainability-focused accelerator stage operated under the Greenpact brand, supporting startups working on environmental and sustainability solutions with mentorship, partner introductions, and ecosystem visibility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ startups accelerated
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• EIT FoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIT Food is a key strategic partner with Startup Hub Poland operating as the Polish operator for the EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood) program. SHP delivers the six-month EWA program providing female entrepreneurs in agrifood with mentorship, training, and grant opportunities up to 10,000 EUR.
• Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarsaw Stock Exchange hosted the Energeia Project's Grand Finale event, celebrating female entrepreneurship and innovation. GPW serves as a venue partner for major ecosystem events.
• BudimexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBudimex, the largest construction company in Central and Eastern Europe, partnered with SHP to create the Budimex Acceleration Program. The program offers startups and technology providers unique opportunities to collaborate with an industry leader, gaining access to expert knowledge and real construction projects.
• PARP (Polish Agency for Enterprise Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPARP collaborates with SHP on multiple programs including Poland Booster and participates in events like Greenpact. PARP is the Polish government agency supporting enterprise development and innovation.
• HuaweiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuawei is listed as a partner organization, indicating collaboration in the startup ecosystem.
• SantanderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSantander is listed as a partner organization, indicating financial/institutional collaboration.
• Design Terminal (Hungary)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign Terminal collaborates on the V4 Startup Force accelerator program for B2B startups from Visegrad countries, supporting international growth with final activities in Budapest.
• GREENPACTmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHP partners with GREENPACT to launch STARTUP STAGE, a special platform at the European ESG Summit connecting startups with corporations and investors to drive sustainable innovation.
• MOST FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOST Foundation co-organized the Academic Startup League (ASL), an accelerator program for young companies in the Mazovia region of Poland focused on socially and environmentally responsible innovations.
• Digital Knowledge ObservatoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the Academic Startup League program alongside MOST Foundation and SHP.
• KIG (Polish Confederation of Private Business)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIG collaborates with SHP on innovation initiatives including the High-Tech and Diversity Innovation Committee and participates in events like Greenpact.
• MTP (Międzynarodowe Targi Poznańskie)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTP (International Poznan Fair) hosts the Greenpact Summit where SHP's Startup Stage takes place, collaborating on sustainability-focused startup events.

Scale indicators7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global corporate-startup accelerator that pairs startups with large enterprise partners across verticals. Structurally comparable to SHP given SHP's corporate-tied programs (Budimex, EIT Food).
• Techstars: World-leading accelerator network running equity-free and equity-based cohort programs with corporate and VC partners. Directly comparable to SHP's Poland Booster, Warsaw Booster, and V4 Startup Force cohort model.
• MassChallenge: Non-profit global accelerator offering equity-free programs to early-stage startups, often in partnership with corporations and governments. Same non-equity, partnership-driven structure as Startup Hub Poland.
• Founders Factory: London-based venture builder and corporate-startup accelerator running industry-specific programs co-developed with corporate partners (similar to SHP's Budimex and EWA programs).
• Station F: World's largest startup campus in Paris hosting accelerator partners and programs. Comparable as a hub-and-spoke ecosystem orchestrator serving startups, corporates, and government stakeholders.
• Antler: Global early-stage investor and startup generator running cohort-based programs across emerging markets including Europe. Comparable in pre-seed/seed focus and international cohort composition.
• Google for Startups (Campus Warsaw): Google's Warsaw-based startup hub offering community programming and resources to Polish and CEE startups. Direct geographic competitor serving the same Warsaw/CEE founder community.
• Seedstars: Swiss-based accelerator with strong emerging-markets focus, running regional programs across CEE and beyond. Comparable to V4 Startup Force and SHP's emerging-market gateway positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Wayra (Telefónica): Corporate accelerator arm of Telefónica operating globally. Comparable to SHP's corporate-partnership model, though part of a much larger telecom conglomerate rather than an independent non-profit.

Emerging players

• EIT Food (EWA): European food-system innovation body running the EWA program that SHP delivers as Polish operator. Comparable in mission (agrifood acceleration) and program structure, though at a pan-European scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StartUpHubPoland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startup-hub-poland-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/startup_hub_poland
• Xx.com/HubSHP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about StartUp HUB Poland