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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The 'Platforma Startowa Unicorn Hub – edycja II' grant aims to help individuals and teams with innovative ideas develop them into profitable products or services. This program provides comprehensive incubation support and a small financial grant, acting as a preparatory step for larger follow-on funding opportunities within Eastern Poland. This grant is SECTOR-AGNOSTIC, focusing on product innovation rather than specific industries. It targets individuals or teams who are ready to establish a capital company in Eastern Poland after the incubation period. The core objective is to foster the creation of new, innovative businesses in the specified geographic area. Key filtering criteria include the novelty and exclusivity of the innovative idea, and the applicant's commitment to establishing a business within Eastern Poland.

Financial Structure

The 'Unicorn Hub 2.0' program offers a combination of in-kind support and a direct financial grant:

Total Estimated Support Value: The estimated total value of support provided to a startup within the incubation program is approximately 100,000 PLN. It's important to note that this figure includes a wide range of services, not just direct funding.
Direct Financial Grant: Startups can receive a financial grant of approximately 32,000 PLN. This grant is specifically intended to cover costs associated with creating an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and/or other activities necessary for developing or testing your business model. It's earmarked for services or resources not available through the program's primary partnership offerings.
Eligible Costs (Covered by General Support): The program covers various operational and specialized services, including:
- Basic services: organizational support, workspace, accounting services, legal support, basic marketing assistance.
- Specialized services: investor presentations, financial analyses, design and execution of business experiments, intellectual property protection, competition analysis, internationalization support, industry-specific support.
Eligible Costs (Covered by Direct Grant): Costs related to the creation of the MVP and other business model development/testing activities that fall outside the scope of the general in-kind services provided by the platform.
Co-financing/Matching Funds: The grant materials do not mention any co-financing or matching fund requirements from the applicant's side for participating in this specific incubation phase.
Payment Mechanisms: The general support is primarily delivered as in-kind services. The mechanism for disbursing the 32,000 PLN grant is not explicitly detailed but is tied to the development of the MVP and other activities outlined in the incubation plan.
Financial Reporting: While specific financial reporting for the 32,000 PLN grant is not detailed, progress is tracked via milestones and a comprehensive final report is prepared by the Incubation Manager.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the 'Unicorn Hub 2.0' program, you must be an individual or a team of individuals who meet the following strict criteria:

Organization Type: Applicants must be individuals or teams of individuals who intend to establish a capital company (spółka kapitałowa) in Eastern Poland (Polska Wschodnia) after the incubation period. This means existing businesses are not the primary target.
Idea Requirements: Your business idea must represent product innovation at least at a national level (na poziomie co najmniej krajowym), and you must possess exclusive rights to this idea.
Exclusion Criteria: Your idea must not be, nor have it ever been, the subject of a previous business activity. You cannot be currently participating in an application to another Startup Platform, nor can you be receiving support from another Startup Platform.
Geographic Requirement: You must be prepared to establish your business in Eastern Poland (Polska Wschodnia) and commit to the project's implementation within this region. This is a non-negotiable geographical criterion.
Commitment: You must be ready and willing to actively work on developing your idea within the framework of an individual incubation plan provided by the program. This implies a significant time commitment to the incubation process.

Definition of terms: * 'Startup': In this context, it refers to an innovative idea held by individuals/teams that has not yet been formalized as a business entity, with the intention of forming a capital company upon completion of the incubation.

Application Process

The application process for 'Unicorn Hub 2.0' is designed to be flexible, running in continuous rounds:

Application Submission Window: Applications are accepted in rounds, allowing you to submit your application at your convenience. The submission period starts on March 18, 2024, and the final deadline for accepting applications is May 10, 2027.
Application Procedure: Applications are submitted online via the provided application portal. You will need to fill out the required application form.
Required Documentation: The grant materials do not explicitly detail specific documents required at the initial application stage beyond completing the online form. However, documentation for a potential follow-on funding (Component IIa) will be required later.
Types of Support Offered: This program provides substantial non-monetary support in addition to the financial grant:
- Monetary: A direct financial grant of approximately 32,000 PLN for MVP development and business model testing.
- Mentorship & Expert Support: Access to an Incubation Manager who coordinates your incubation process, helps develop your individual incubation plan, and assesses progress. Access to industry experts for specialized support (e.g., IP protection, financial analysis, marketing, pitch training).
- Training & Workshops: Participation in workshops like 'Design Sprint' for strategic development, 'Roadmap execution' meetings for progress review, and 'Demo Day' events to present your idea to investors.
- Resources: Access to basic services like organizational support, workspace, accounting, legal, and basic marketing assistance.
Project Implementation Timeline: The incubation process consists of two main phases:
- Pre-incubation: Approximately 6 weeks.
- Incubation: Approximately 4 months. This intensive period includes 'Sprint' phases (2x initiating sprints, 5x proper incubation sprints including Demo Day).
Reporting Obligations: You will be required to track progress against milestones, and a final report summarizing your startup's development will be prepared by your Incubation Manager at the end of the process.
Post-Award Requirements: Successful completion of the incubation process and a positive evaluation from the Expert Panel leads to a recommendation for participation in Component IIa of the FEPW 1.1 program (Support for startup business development), which offers up to 600,000 PLN in further funding. This highlights that 'Unicorn Hub 2.0' is a foundational step towards larger funding.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation process for 'Unicorn Hub 2.0' is continuous, with key assessment points leading to a final decision:

Initial Screening: Based on the hard eligibility criteria listed above, focusing on the innovation level of the idea and the applicant's readiness to form a company in Eastern Poland.
Progress Assessment (During Incubation): Throughout the incubation period, your progress in developing the idea will be assessed by an assigned Incubation Manager. This evaluation is based on defined checklists ('kamienie milowe' - milestones) and the progress made against your Individual Incubation Plan. Key factors include the effective execution of business experiments and validation of your business concept.
Innovation Requirements: A high degree of product innovation at a national level is essential. The program emphasizes developing an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and validating a business model through structured methodologies.
Final Evaluation (Demo Day): The culmination of the incubation is a Demo Day, where an Expert Panel evaluates your startup. This final assessment is based on:
- A comprehensive report summarizing all stages of your startup's development.
- Your presentation of the idea and progress.
- A Q&A session with the Expert Panel.
Selection Criteria: The Expert Panel creates a ranking list based on this final evaluation. The primary goal is to identify startups that demonstrate significant progress and potential for developing a 'profitable product' (rentowny produkt). A positive recommendation from this panel is crucial for accessing subsequent funding (Component IIa - Wsparcie rozwoju działalności gospodarczej startupu). While not explicitly stated as scoring criteria, commitment to the incubation process and the strength of the business model validation are implicitly key factors for success.

Compliance & Special Requirements

This grant has several specific compliance and unique requirements:

Regulatory Compliance: A key requirement is the establishment of a capital company (spółka kapitałowa) in Eastern Poland (Polska Wschodnia) after the incubation period. This implies adherence to Polish company law and regulations.
Intellectual Property (IP) Policy: You must possess exclusive rights to your innovative business idea. The program explicitly offers support for intellectual property protection as a specialized service, indicating its importance.
Exclusivity: Your idea must be new and not have been previously subject to business activity. You cannot be simultaneously engaged with or receiving support from another Startup Platform.
Unique Program Structure: 'Unicorn Hub 2.0' functions as a pre-incubation and incubation program primarily offering services and expertise, with a relatively small direct financial grant. Its strategic significance lies in providing a pathway to a much larger follow-on grant (Component IIa of FEPW 1.1, up to 600,000 PLN). This is a crucial consideration for applicants – the value is not just the immediate grant but the opportunity for further substantial funding.
Geographic Constraint: The mandatory requirement to establish the future business in Eastern Poland is a significant geographical limitation. Applicants outside this region must be prepared to relocate or structure their operations accordingly.
Innovation Focus: The core of the program is product innovation at a national level, emphasizing the development of an MVP and the validation of a business concept through structured methodologies.
Risk Tolerance: The program is designed for early-stage ideas, meaning it tolerates the inherent risks of developing a new product. Success is measured by the ability to develop a 'profitable product' and secure a recommendation for further funding, rather than immediate market success.
No Explicit Cross-Cutting Themes: The grant does not explicitly mention requirements or preferences related to cross-cutting themes such as gender equality, social inclusion, or environmental sustainability in its evaluation or operational criteria.

Grant Details