The National Centre for Research and Development

The cohort of start-ups participating in the acceleration activity of the National Centre for Research and Development with the United States of America has just completed its acceleration process in the Silver State. Polish companies presented themselves before mentors and investors from Poland and the U.S. The visit was aimed at gaining unique experience in scaling business
on the US market, improving dialogue with demanding investors and establishing beneficial relationships with partners who are of key importance for the success of expansion on the American and global market.

NCBR-USA acceleration activity is meant to enable the start of a long-term cooperation between companies and institutions from Poland and the U.S. in various areas of innovation to contribute to the commercialisation of technological solutions on offer and to support cooperative forms of R&D activity. Polish companies participating in this year's 1st edition offer products and services related to innovative solutions, including water sports helmets designed as fashionable headwear; AI-driven optimization of retail space layout; an application facilitating real-world meetups; an online platform for video game designers; specialized, high value-added photochemical products; an AI-based geospatial decision support platform; a SaaS platform for automating the design and sales of rooftop photovoltaic systems; a SaaS application and proprietary 3D/BIM file format (.sim2) that bridges the gap between the digital and physical realms; an intelligent energy management platform for cities and municipalities; or a portfolio of marketplace platforms focused on sports vehicles..

Large dose of knowledge

After the Demo Day with pitches and presentations of companies which were subsequently assessed by experts from Poland and the U.S., the top 10 was selected in March. In May the group has travelled to Nevada to fulfil its American dream. Polish companies are developing technologies and products with high innovative potential — assets capable of competing on the global market. Entering the U.S. market is a demanding process that, on the one hand, entails analyzing the competitive landscape and, on the other, identifying the specific demand for a given product or technology. Such a dual approach enables companies to optimally tailor their offerings, secure business partners, or reach consumers directly. NCBR-USA delivers a wealth of knowledge and practical experience designed to guide companies through this very process. Gaining insight into local and state-level business support systems — along with the relationships established through them—can undoubtedly yield significant returns and prove invaluable to Polish companies that choose to register their operations in the USA. Nevada is a highly business-friendly state, offering advantages ranging from a favorable tax environment to robust support from local agencies and institutions in identifying business partners and building professional networks. Through our activity, we aim to empower Polish technologies and innovative products to compete successfully on the global stage, noted Agnieszka Ratajczak, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at NCBR.

Polish dynamism and American power

NCBR’s American partners from Nevada, including Granite Landings and the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED), are responsible for the preparation of the program and the acceleration process itself. The current edition of the NCBR-USA acceleration program continues to highlight the creative potential of global connections. This concept has again demonstrated the enduring value and possibilities of US-Poland business cooperation, providing a gateway to the American market for a select group of ten innovative Polish firms. The activity’s success builds on the foundation of collaborative relationships across industry, academia, and government. Access to these networks allows the companies to shorten time required to expand to the US. Launching Polish companies into the American ecosystem of capital, market size, and velocity is a strategic move to amplify the global presence of Poland and firmly establish their goods and services on the US stage. The Polish economy and startup ecosystem are growing seemingly without bounds, and the pairing of Poland's tech dynamism with the sustained power of the US economy creates a powerful engine for sustaining international growth and innovation, underscored Alex Wolfe, entrepreneur, mentor, and Founding Member of Granite Landings.

Intense acceleration

American partners have prepared a very intensive acceleration program. Every day was almost filled with various meetings from 9 to 5. Due to the differences in the way business is conducted in southern and northern Nevada, the entire group spent a couple of days in both Las Vegas and Reno. In Las Vegas, the startups visited the Nevada Department of Business and Industry. There, they delivered presentations to investors and business angels, and held discussions with representatives from—among others—the University of Nevada, Polish Investment and Trade Agency, Small Business Administration, Rebel Venture Fund, and Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, as well as staff members of Nevada’s representatives in the Congress, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford. In Reno, the companies met with representatives from organizations such as GOED, the Business Assembly – Platinum Group, Nevada Industry Excellence, the InNevation Center at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship.

The highlight of the program was a visit to Incline Village, situated on the border between Nevada and California. Famous for its magnificent location at 2,000 meters above sea level overlooking Lake Tahoe, this town is home to — among others — the co-founders of Facebook and Oracle, as well as other affluent U.S. citizens. It was there that Dr. Mark Stiving — one of America’s leading experts in the field of product and service pricing — conducted a multi-hour lecture and workshop session for the NCBR-USA participants. Incline Village also served as the venue for a pitching session, during which Polish startups presented their ventures to local investors and business angels.

The participants of the cohort themselves did not conceal their satisfaction. The NCBR-USA acceleration activity gives Polish startups something much more valuable than mere coming to the U.S. - real access to the American business ecosystem, mentors and partners who build global companies on a daily basis. For BangProof, it has been an opportunity to quickly verify our product on the largest water sports market in the world and establish relationships that can really accelerate our global scale of operations. A great value of NCBR-USA is also the practical preparation of startups for discussions with investors and partners in the U.S., summed up Michał Broniewicz of BangProof Sp. z o.o.

Professor Joanna Ortyl of Photo4Chem, a laureate of NCBR's LIDER (now LIDER Up) program, echoed his views. We derived significant benefits from NCBR-USA, particularly in terms of establishing business contacts with startup hubs in Nevada. As a company directly originating from a scientific institution, we also took advantage of the opportunity to forge scientific collaborations with the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nevada on its campuses in both Las Vegas and Reno. Other highlights of the program were intensive training sessions and mentorship provided by renowned experts — including Matt Westfield of Grantite Landings and the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno — whose incredible energy continues to drive us towards new business challenges.

More about NCBR-USA acceleration activity can be found at: https://www.gov.pl/web/ncbr-en/other-initiatives