OCTOBER 15, 2025
VC Demo Day
📌 The Bridge Hotel Wroclaw - MGallery Collection
The Bridge Wroclaw Hotel
VC Demo Day ✨ is an exclusive gathering of investors, business angels, ecosystem leaders, and top startups, bringing together the key players of Wroclaw and Lower Silesia’s innovation ecosystem, along with our partners from Poland and abroad, cultivated over years of supporting business growth in the region. This invitation-only event offers a unique platform to connect, exchange insights, and explore new collaboration and investment opportunities.
BY JOINING THE EVENT, PARTICIPANTS WILL 🔔
📊 Get early access to the first-ever comprehensive ecosystem report.
🧲 Connect directly with local and international investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders.
🦾 Discover high-potential startups driving technological growth in Central Europe.
👩🎓 Exchange knowledge, share experiences, and build partnerships.
🎤 Attend exclusive sessions with actionable insights for startups and investors.
BY JOINING THE EVENT, PARTICIPANTS WILL 🔔
📊 Get early access to the first-ever comprehensive ecosystem report.
🧲 Connect directly with local and international investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders.
🦾 Discover high-potential startups driving technological growth in Central Europe.
👩🎓 Exchange knowledge, share experiences, and build partnerships.
🎤 Attend exclusive sessions with actionable insights for startups and investors.
vc Demo Day: OCTOBER 15th
🔗 Registration
🔔 This event is designed for investors, business angels, leaders of organizations supporting innovation, ecosystem builders, and high-potential scale-up startups. All applications are carefully reviewed by the organizers to ensure a curated, invitation-only audience, creating the perfect environment for meaningful connections, knowledge exchange, and potential collaborations.
Agenda 💎
⏰ 8:30 Registration 🥁
9:30-9:35
👋 Opening & Welcome by Startup Wroclaw and partners
- Paulina Muszyńska - Head of Startup Wroclaw @ Wroclaw Agglomeration Development Agency (ARAW)
- Gabriele Tatzberger - Director Startup Services @ Vienna Business Agency
- Jan Arpe - Program Manager GO AUSTRIA @ Global Incubator Network (GIN)
Kick off the day with a warm welcome from the Startup Wroclaw team & partners, setting the stage for a day full of insights, networking, and innovation.
9:35-9:40
🌍 Message from Dr. Michiel Scheffer - President of the European Innovation Council (EIC) Board
9:40-10:00
⭐️ KEYNOTE SPEAKER ⭐️
TBA
10:00-10:20
🔎 Presentation of the Wroclaw & Lower Silesia Startup Ecosystem Report
Dr. Yash Chawla - Deputy Head @ Department of Computational Social Science, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology; Lead Researcher for Wroclaw & Lower Silesia Startup Ecosystem Report
Discover key insights, trends, and opportunities within the Wroclaw and Lower Silesia startup ecosystem, providing a comprehensive overview for founders, investors, and ecosystem partners.
10:20-11:00
🧬 Panel discussion: Crafting the future of Wroclaw & Lower Silesia innovation DNA
MODERATOR: Dr. Yash Chawla - Deputy Head @ Department of Computational Social Science, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology;
Lead Researcher for Wroclaw & Lower Silesia Startup Ecosystem Report
- Anna Sawkiewicz - Coordinator for the InvestUp Initiative @ Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone INVEST-PARK
- Paweł Florkiewicz - Partner @ WP2 Investments
- Tomasz Szarek - Managing Partner @ SDZLEGAL SCHINDHELM
- Dr. Magdalena Miecielica - Business Development Director for Innovative Companies @ BNP Paribas Bank Polska
- Natalia Świrska-Załuska - Startup Program Lead CEE @ OVHcloud
Lower Silesia’s innovation ecosystem blends heritage, talent, and ambition, a living DNA continuously shaping the region’s trajectory and fueling Poland’s progress. This panel discussion explores how we can intentionally craft the ongoing evolution of this dynamic ecosystem. Drawing on insights from the newest startup ecosystem report, the conversation will focus on drawing practical solutions that drive deeper collaboration, smarter investment, clearer regulation, and sustainable growth. Together, we craft not just strategies but the evolving identity of innovation in the Lower Silesian region.
11:00-11:15
💬 Q&A on the Discussion Panel & Startup Report
Engage directly with the speakers and authors, ask your questions, and gain deeper insights into the startup ecosystem and key findings from the report.
11:15-11:30
🚀 Round 1: Startup Pitches from Wroclaw & Lower Silesia
1 - LUPA Labs - LUPA is Cursor for Scientists: an AI-native workspace that supports the full scientific research process.
2 - NJORD Energy - NJORD develops kite-based wind power systems, harnessing high-altitude winds to deliver clean, scalable energy.
3 - SEMIQA - SEMIQA developed semiconductor accelerator of data processing to create real artificial intelligence (AI).
4 - ALLEGORY - First AI-Platform solving the $400B funding problem. Funding without friction, every innovator backed, maximizing capital.
5 - FRIDEE - Fridee is reinventing water sports with the first bidirectional e-wakeboard for wake-style tricks without cables or ropes.
Five local startups will each deliver a 3-minute pitch. This round is designed for concise presentations without jury questions, paving the way for in-depth discussions during the networking breaks.
11:30-12:10
🌎 Ecosystem Exchange: Innovation network - how we collaborate and learn
MODERATOR: TBA
- Dr. Gabriele Tatzberger - Director Startup Services @ Vienna Business Agency
- Dr. Jan Arpe - Program Manager GO AUSTRIA @ Global Incubator Network (GIN)
- Kristína Mončeková - Portfolio Success Manager @ Zero One Hundred, Operations Manager @ 0100 Ventures
- Dr. Hiroyuki Suzuki - Senior Executive Vice President and Representative Director @ Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), President and CEO @ XBorder
Innovations, Inc. (XBI)
An interactive session exploring how startups, investors, and ecosystem partners collaborate and share knowledge, with practical insights for building stronger networks.
12:10-13:10
12:10-13:10 
13:10-13:30
⚡️ KEYNOTE SPEAKER ⚡️ Jeni Chang - Managing Director @ Founder Institute
13:30-13:45
🚀 Round 2: Startup Pitches from Wroclaw & Lower Silesia
1 - CLONE - Building the world’s first biomimetic androids with human-level hands for real-life problem solving.
2 - FREE FALL ENTERTAINMENT - Equity funded Wroclaw gamedev startup seeking to bring your childhood floor back to you.
Five local startups will each deliver a 3-minute pitch. This round is designed for concise presentations without jury questions, paving the way for in-depth discussions during the networking breaks.
13:45-14:15
💥 KEYNOTE SPEAKER 💥 Dr. Kamil Pruchnik - Senior Regional Representative for Poland @ European Investment Fund
How do you grow innovative companies?
Startups, Innovation, Unicorns. All this sounds exciting. And very magical. But how much “magic” is actually involved in creating successful companies? Are they really unicorns, or perhaps – something else? Let’s find out!
🍩 14:15-14:45 ☕
14:45-15:30
🏆 Wroclaw Success Stories
MODERATOR: Dominika Duda - Program Director @ Venture Café Warsaw
Foundation
- Piotr Orzechowski - CEO @ Infermedica
Meet the best of Wroclaw’s startup scene in one place. This session showcases inspiring success stories from local startups, highlighting their journeys, achievements, and the strategies that propelled them to growth and impact.
15:30-16:00
💸 What modern CVC looks like: When corporations think like startups
Explore how corporate venture capital is evolving, and how corporations are adopting startup-like thinking to drive innovation, invest strategically, and collaborate effectively with the startup ecosystem.
🍵 16:00-16:30 Coffee Break & Closing 👋
Guests and speakers
Dominika Duda
Dominika Duda
Program Director at Venture Café Warsaw Foundation and Vice Chair of TechPL. Graduate of Erasmus University Rotterdam (MSc in Health Economics, Policy and Law) and the University of Silesia (BA in Political Science).
She gained international experience in Brussels at the think-tank Epposi, worked as a researcher at CenEA in Szczecin, and authored scientific articles on European aging (SHARE 50+). Since 2017, she has been involved in the Dutch startup ecosystem through CIC Rotterdam, and since 2020, she has been building the Innovation Campus CIC Warsaw. Passionate about diversity, equal access to knowledge, and inclusivity.
Since March 2023, she has overseen Venture Café programs that attract around 350 participants.
Yash Chawla
Yash Chawla
Deputy Head of the Department of Computational Social Science and Assistant Professor of Innovation and Marketing Management at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. With close to 15 years of international experience in academia and business, he specializes in research on diffusion of innovation, societal impact of technology, sustainable development, social media communication, and energy policy. He leads prominent projects, including the National Science Centre (Poland) funded MoSAic project and the Lower Silesian Startup Ecosystem Report - an initiative by ARAW and Startup Wroclaw. He regularly publishes in top academic journals while collaborating actively with industry as a consultant in R&D communications, C-suite personal branding, marketing, and sustainability.
Piotr Orzechowski
Piotr Orzechowski
Founder and CEO of Infermedica, a health AI company improving healthcare accessibility through AI-driven symptom analysis and triage. Since 2012, he has led Infermedica to secure over $50 million in funding and expand to 32 countries. Piotr holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the Technical University of Wrocław and has participated in programs like the Google for Startups Global Alumni Program and the Leadership Academy for Poland. Recognized as a thought leader in digital health, he is also a husband, father of two boys, and enjoys tennis and playing guitar.
Tomasz Szarek
Tomasz Szarek
Attorney-at-law and Managing Partner at SDZLEGAL SCHINDHELM – an international law firm, where he heads the Corporate & M&A as well as IP/IT practice. Tomasz is also a Management Board Member of ITCORNER.
He supports domestic and international startups as well as companies in the IT and new technologies sector, particularly in the areas of financing and international expansion.
Paweł Florkiewicz
Paweł Florkiewicz
Partner @ WP2 Investments. He brings extensive expertise in communications, with a strong track record in financial and investor relations, as well as management experience across banking, gaming, and renewable energy sectors. Since joining WP2 Investments in 2021, he has been crucial in developing one of the largest biomethane projects in Poland.
Previously, he supported strategic partnerships with companies from the fintech segment of the investment portfolio, driving innovation and growth.
Paulina Muszyńska
Paulina Muszyńska
Head of the Development Projects Department at the Wrocław Agglomeration Development Agency, where she leads the Startup Wrocław project. For over a decade, she has combined project development with event management, creating flagship initiatives such as Made in Wroclaw, Evolutions, Startup WRO Meetup, Tech Tap Tuesday, and WRO Venture Connect.
She co-founded the Wroclaw Tech Business Angels Club, connecting startups with investors, and the TechSHEroes foundation, supporting women in STEM. In 2024, she was awarded Business Angel of the Year in the Investment Ecosystem Mentor category.
Anna Sawkiewicz
Anna Sawkiewicz
Coordinator for the InvestUp Initiative
Anna Sawkiewicz is an expert in innovation and business development, currently coordinating the InvestUp project at the Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone “INVEST-PARK.” This strategic programme connects entrepreneurs with start-ups ready for implementation and fosters stronger collaboration between large companies and the innovation ecosystem. She is actively involved in the development of the start-up scene in Lower Silesia.
Gabriele Tatzberger
Gabriele Tatzberger
Gabriele Tatzberger has been the Director of Start-up Services at the Vienna Business Agency since 2010 and is a member of the Supervisory Board of INiTS, Vienna’s high-tech incubator. She studied Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Technology in Vienna and earned her doctorate from the University of Technology in Delft, Netherlands, in 2008. From 2010 to 2022, she served as the Managing Director of Vienna Region GmbH. As the initiator and mastermind behind the international start-up festival ViennaUP.com, she played a pivotal role in its success, attracting 15,000 participants to Vienna in 2025 and positioning the city as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Jan Arpe
Jan Arpe
Jan Arpe has been Program Manager of the Global Incubator Network Austria (GIN) at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) in Vienna since 2018. He studied mathematics and computer science, earned a Ph.D. in theoretical computer science in Germany, and held a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley. In 2008, he joined the Bertelsmann Stiftung, leading policy projects in Gütersloh, Brussels, and Vienna, and developing an award-winning data visualization tool.
Kristína Mončeková
Kristína Mončeková
Kristína has a strong foundation in the venture capital landscape and entrepreneurial ventures. As a key member of the Zero One Hundred team, a venture capital firm based in Slovakia, she holds the role of Portfolio Success Manager. In this capacity, she plays an integral part in the firm’s mission to support and invest in technology startups from the CEE and MENA regions. In her role as Portfolio Success Manager, Kristína is dedicated to the growth and development of the startups within the Zero One Hundred portfolio. Her work ensures these companies receive the strategic guidance and support necessary to thrive.
Magdalena Miecielica
Magdalena Miecielica
She is the Director of Business Development with Innovative Companies at BNP Paribas Bank Polska SA, where she is responsible for implementing the Bank's strategic goals in the area of developing cooperation with innovative companies. Magdalena has over 15 years of professional experience in banking. Over the years, she has been involved in many banking projects related to financing corporate clients from various sectors in Poland, as well as improving business processes and applications as part of the Bank's digital transformation. In 2021, she joined the Open Innovation Office, where she successfully combines the world of banking and finance with the world of innovation and startups, supporting the development of the ecosystem in Poland and demystifying banking for startups.
Natalia Świrska-Załuska
Natalia Świrska-Załuska
Natalia Świrska-Załuska is the Startup Program Manager for Central and Eastern Europe, where she designs initiatives to support tech startup growth. Previously, she founded and led an AI real estate startup focused on automated property valuations, earning recognition such as Businesswoman of the Year 2016, Forbes 30 Under 30, and Strong Women in IT. A finalist in the New York Startup Competition (Propel by MIPIM), Natalia is also passionate about women’s leadership in technology and mentors aspiring professionals. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling.
Kamil Pruchnik
Kamil Pruchnik, Ph.D.
Currently works as the Senior Regional Representative of the European Investment Fund (EIF) to Poland. In this capacity, he acts as the ambassador of EIF and promoter of EU initiatives in Poland, with the ultimate goal to boost private investments in Poland and enhance competitiveness and innovativeness of the Polish economy. For his contribution in promoting EU instruments in Poland, he received a special recognition by the Polish Banks Associations. Before moving to Warsaw, Mr. Pruchnik led EIF commitments in 15 countries (worth EUR2.5bn) to financial intermediaries (banks, investment funds, leasing companies and fintech). In the past, Mr. Pruchnik worked at HSBC Group (in Poland and in the UK) in various roles including: corporate governance, strategy and commercial banking. Before transitioning to corporate banking, he started his career as an economist working at: NBP (Polish Central Bank), the World Bank and the UN.
Hiroyuki Suzuki
Hiroyuki Suzuki Ph.D.
He is the Senior Executive Vice President and Representative Director at the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), and the President and CEO of XBorder Innovations, Inc. (XBI), both based in Kyoto, Japan.
He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Science from the University of Tokyo, and then joined the R&D Laboratories of NTT Corporation. He later moved to ATR as a board member and is now responsible for corporate management, strategic planning, and innovation co-creation at ATR and across the ATR Group. In addition, he is working to build a global innovation ecosystem and to develop various startup support platforms in Keihanna Science City. To further strengthen startup support activities, he founded XBorder Innovations (XBI) in 2021.
He is contributing to EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and Keihanna EXPO 2025 by leading a variety of startup and innovation initiatives.
Marek Malinowski
Marek Malinowski
Marek works at the crossroads of technology, innovation, and people. As an IT professional and IBM Champion, he leads innovation and tooling strategy in IT Operations, focusing on AI-driven solutions that improve efficiency and security. Beyond his corporate role, Marek is a mentor, coach, and workshop leader who has introduced thousands of professionals and students to topics like AI, machine learning, and Design Thinking.
He is also an active community builder rooted in Wrocław, with initiatives reaching well beyond the city - from running I Am Remarkable workshops that empower confidence, to coaching consultants, to inspiring the next generation of innovators at the Children’s University. Marek has a knack for making complex topics accessible and engaging, often with a touch of humor.
Startups on the stage
Partners
Partners of the Wroclaw and Lower Silesia Startup Ecosystem Report
Contact
Any questions? Feel free to contact us and let’s work together!