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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The 'Startup Hub: Poland Booster' program aims to support startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through various acceleration paths. Its core objective is to foster business growth, facilitate market entry (both domestic and international), and prepare entities for investment. The program provides equity-free grants as de minimis aid. This grant is SECTOR-AGNOSTIC, with one specific acceleration path dedicated to it. However, the other paths (B2B, VC, Poland Prize, Go-Global) are also not limited to specific industries, focusing on business models, investment readiness, or international expansion regardless of sector. The target recipients are 'startups' (defined as micro or small enterprises operating for no longer than 5 years) and 'micro, small, and medium enterprises' (MSP). The geographic scope covers Poland and extends abroad, with explicit mentions of the Czech Republic and Hungary for international market entry. Key filtering criteria for this grant include the organization's legal classification (startup or MSP), its operational age (for startups), and its strategic interest in acceleration, B2B collaboration, investment, or internationalization. This is a recurring grant program with multiple application rounds.

Financial Structure

Funding Amount and Type

The program offers grants (equity-free) up to PLN 400,000 per startup.
Funding is provided in the form of 'de minimis' aid. This means the total amount of de minimis aid received by an entity from all sources over a three-year period cannot exceed EUR 300,000 gross (as per EU Regulation 2023/2831).
The funding is equity-free, meaning the grant recipient does not give up any ownership or equity in their company in exchange for the funds.

Eligible and Ineligible Costs

Eligible costs: Not explicitly detailed, but as de minimis aid, it is generally flexible and can cover a wide range of expenses essential for the startup's development, operations, and implementation of the acceleration plan. This could include expenses related to market verification, capacity building, product development, market entry, and operational costs as permitted by de minimis rules.
Ineligible costs: Based on de minimis regulations, funding cannot be used for:
- Activities in the primary production of fishery/aquaculture or agricultural products.
- Processing/marketing of fishery/aquaculture or agricultural products where aid is tied to price or quantity, or passed on to primary producers.
- Activities directly related to export, such as aid based on export quantity, setting up distribution networks abroad, or covering ongoing export-related expenses.
- Aid conditional on the use of domestic products over imports.

Co-financing and Payment

Matching fund requirements: No explicit matching fund or co-financing requirements are specified, as the grants are equity-free.
Payment schedule and mechanisms: The grants are described as 'wypłaty Grantów' (grant payouts), implying direct disbursement. Specific payment schedules or mechanisms (e.g., upfront payment, milestone-based) are not detailed in the provided information.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Organization Types

Startups: Must meet the criteria outlined in art. 41 ust. 3 ustawy wdrożeniowej. Specifically, they must be either a 'micro-enterprise' or 'small enterprise' that fulfills the conditions of art. 22 of KE Regulation no. 651/2014. Additionally, the startup must have been conducting business for no longer than 5 years from its date of registration in the appropriate register or records.
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSP): These entities must satisfy the criteria defined in Annex I to EU Regulation 651/2014. The definition of MSP is crucial and includes limits on employee count and annual turnover or balance sheet total. While the specific numerical thresholds are not in the provided text, they are referenced to the EU regulation, which categorizes them as follows:
- Micro-enterprise: Fewer than 10 employees, and an annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 2 million.
- Small enterprise: Fewer than 50 employees, and an annual turnover or balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 10 million.
- Medium-sized enterprise: Fewer than 250 employees, and an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million.

Geographic and Temporal Requirements

The program generally supports entities in Poland and those with aspirations or operations abroad.
For the 'Poland Prize' acceleration path, the program specifically aims to attract foreign startups or teams to establish a commercial company under Polish law within Poland.
For the 'Go-Global' path, the program supports market entry into selected foreign markets, with Czech Republic and Hungary being explicitly mentioned examples.
Startups must be no older than 5 years from their date of registration.

Exclusion Criteria (based on de minimis aid rules) While the grant itself does not list explicit exclusion criteria for applicants, the de minimis aid framework under which funding is provided has certain restrictions. You cannot receive de minimis aid for activities related to:

Primary production of fishery and aquaculture products.
Processing and marketing of fishery and aquaculture products, if the aid amount is determined by the price or quantity of products bought or sold.
Primary production of agricultural products.
Processing and marketing of agricultural products, if the aid is conditioned on the price or quantity of such products purchased from primary producers or placed on the market, or if the aid is conditional on being partially or fully passed on to primary producers.
Activities directly related to export to third countries or other Member States, such as aid linked to the quantity of exported products, establishing/operating distribution networks, or other current expenses related to export activities.
Activities conditional on the preferential use of domestic goods and services over imported ones.

Application Process

Application Deadlines and Submission

The program operates on a round-based application system, allowing applicants to submit proposals during specified windows.
The official announcement of the competition and the start of applications was 20 August 2024.
The overall end date for receiving applications is 31 January 2026.
There are specific rounds with their own start and end dates. The latest published round is:
- V Round: Start: 7 January 2026; End: 31 January 2026.
Submission: Applications are submitted online via the 'Poland Booster' accelerator's platform. The text provides links to 'Złóż wniosek' (Apply) and 'Wypełnij wniosek' (Fill out application).

Required Documentation and Materials

The specific documentation and materials required for the application process are not detailed in the provided text.

Types of Support Offered This grant provides multifaceted support:

Monetary Funding: Equity-free grants up to PLN 400,000.
Acceleration Program: Tailored support through five distinct acceleration paths:
- 'B2B Path' (Corporate Plugin): Focuses on industry collaboration and verifying solution implementation with business or public partners.
- 'Poland Prize Path': Aims to attract foreign startups/teams to Poland, supporting company incorporation, operational capacity building, and preparation for commercial cooperation in Poland.
- 'VC Path' (VC Forge): Prepares startups for capital entry (investment or loan with conversion rights) from VC funds or business angels.
- 'Go-Global Path': Prepares startups for international market entry, including potential participation in trade fairs, business rapprochement with foreign clients/partners, aiming for implementation or first sales.
- 'Sector Agnostic Path' (Agnostic): Supports the development of startups with market potential without requiring a specific business partner or investor at the outset.

Project Implementation and Reporting

Project Implementation Timeline: The specific duration for individual projects or acceleration cycles is not explicitly defined.
Reporting Obligations: Details on financial and progress reporting requirements are not provided in the available information.

Evaluation Criteria

The provided grant documentation does not explicitly detail a scoring system or specific evaluation criteria. However, based on the descriptions of the five acceleration paths, it can be inferred that applications will be assessed on aspects such as:

Market Potential: Especially for the 'Agnostic' path, the potential for market adoption and growth of the startup's product or solution will be a key factor.
B2B Collaboration Potential: For the 'B2B path' (Corporate Plugin), the feasibility and strategic value of the startup's solution for business or public partners will be important.
Investment Readiness: For the 'VC path' (VC Forge), the startup's readiness for capital investment from a VC fund or business angels, and its overall financial viability and attractiveness to investors.
Internationalization Potential: For the 'Go-Global' path, the potential for successful entry into selected foreign markets, the viability of the product/service abroad, and the strategy for achieving first sales or successful implementation internationally.
Attractiveness for Polish Market Entry: For the 'Poland Prize' path, the ability of foreign startups or teams to establish and build operational capacity in Poland, and their potential for commercial cooperation within the Polish business and industrial landscape.
Innovation: While not explicitly stated as a scoring criterion, the nature of a startup accelerator program inherently implies a focus on innovative solutions with strong market potential and a clear value proposition.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

De Minimis Aid Regulations: All funding provided under this program is classified as de minimis aid. Applicants must strictly comply with the rules and limits set out in EU Regulation 2023/2831 (which replaced Regulation 1407/2013 from 1 January 2024). This includes ensuring that the total de minimis aid received from all sources over a three-year period does not exceed EUR 300,000 gross. It's the applicant's responsibility to track this limit.

Legal and Structural Requirements

For foreign startups applying through the 'Poland Prize' acceleration path, there is a requirement to incorporate a commercial company under Polish law (spółka prawa handlowego) within Poland. This is necessary to build operational capacity and enable commercial cooperation in the country.

Unique Aspects and Strategic Opportunities

Equity-Free Funding: A significant advantage is that the grants are provided without requiring the startup to give up any equity, preserving ownership for the founders.
Tailored Acceleration Paths: The program offers five distinct and flexible acceleration paths, allowing startups to choose the one best suited to their current stage, goals (e.g., B2B sales, international expansion, investment readiness), and sector (with a specific 'sector agnostic' option).
Focus on Internationalization: The 'Go-Global' path explicitly supports market entry into foreign markets, providing valuable assistance for startups looking to scale beyond Poland.
Attraction of Foreign Startups: The 'Poland Prize' path is a strategic initiative to bring innovative foreign companies and teams to Poland, fostering growth within the Polish ecosystem.
Comprehensive Support: Beyond funding, the program emphasizes mentorship, networking, and capacity building, crucial elements for early-stage and growing businesses.

Potential Challenges and Considerations

De Minimis Aid Limit: Businesses must be aware of and carefully manage the cumulative de minimis aid they receive across all sources over the three-year rolling period to avoid exceeding the EUR 300,000 limit, which could make them ineligible for this or future de minimis support.
Legal Entity for Foreigners: Foreign startups considering the 'Poland Prize' path must be prepared for the legal and administrative process of establishing a Polish commercial entity.
Undefined Specifics: Some practical details, such as exact application document requirements, specific eligible cost breakdowns beyond de minimis rules, and detailed reporting schedules, are not provided in the publicly available overview and would likely require deeper engagement with the accelerator's official application materials.

Grant Details