The Founder Institute is the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator. The Founder Institute helps founders raise funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more.
We are a leading early-stage venture capital fund actively investing in Central and Southeastern European (SEE&CEE) tech startups in Seed and Series A stages.
NEO Ventures is one of the first open-ended early-stage investment companies, based in Eastern Europe. It has raised and invested €10m in 7 early-stage data-driven companies, focused on 3 markets with exponential growth potential: space, health and security.
Eleven Ventures is one of the leading early-stage VCs in Southeast Europe, investing in startups since 2012. With 150 collective investments over 9 years, Elevens team has been instrumental in catalyzing the regional startup ecosystem.
Kristiyan is a co-founder and COO or REINNO. Prior to REINNO, he worked with some of the biggest banks (like Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank) and IT companies in Western Europe. His motivation comes from his dreams of innovation and change. His goal is to do something new, to be sustainable, and to reinvent everything well-known. Kristiyan is the regional director of Startup Grind in Sofia – a global community for founders. He was also a mentor in Teenovator – a program that aims to inspire high school students to become entrepreneurs and give them useful tips on how to start their own business. The high school students that Kristiyan was mentoring won the Audience Award at Teenovator Startup Weekend.
Teofil (Theo) Shikov is a Founder and CEO of Out2Bound – sales development agency that helps technology companies attract more B2B clients and find new markets around the globe. A true fan of the bootstrapping process, hes always been fond of starting and scaling organisations from the ground up. Part of Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2018 in Business category, Theo is an AIESEC alumnus, ABLE member and Clean tech startups consultant. Part of the management body of BAIT. He has a business experience on 4 continents and personal track record of closed deals for over $500k. Previous experience include: running non-profit; living in Finland and India and working for the ICT giant TCS (part of Tata Group) in their Mumbai HQ.
Digital entrepreneur for the past 10 years; Founder & CEO @ Noble Hire. Was founder & CEO @Enhancv (www.enhancv.com). Exited in 2018. The company was the best performing startup from Eleven Ventures portfolio in terms of revenue:EBITDA ratio (2,4M EUR : 1,56M EUR for 2019). Also admin in the biggest developer facebook group in facebook (33k members) and host at devcast.bg. Member @ Podkrepi.bg and Partner @ Club-Mate Bulgaria
Cardinal Bites is a company operating in the field of production, distribution and marketing of protein products with distinct taste and no added sugar, which help maintain optimal physical shape.
I founder of web/desh – small web design studio in Sofia, co-founder of kreslo.studio – we renovate old furniture, as well as a former member of Start It Smart – the biggest entrepreneurship organization in Bulgaria. I just started an initiative with some fellow ladies in Bulgaria – a community called Female Entrepreneurship Bulgaria. It’s goal is to meet other women who have started a business and to share know-how and support each other.
I am a domestic violence survivor, a gender equality activist and a women and gender scholar, as well as a social entrepreneur with a track record in creating impact-oriented organizations and initiatives since the age of 9. I have a BA in Sociology from Middlebury college, USA, and I’m currently pursuing a MA in Women and Gender History. Being brought up in poverty, in a family where domestic violence was a daily reality, yet receiving unique opportunities to travel to 35+ countries and represent Bulgaria as a youth delegate to various international forums, I dedicate my work, my passion and voice to empowering individuals and communities to collectively pursue social change with innovation, empathy and dialogue at the core of what we do.
I am a founder of Her impact – a first career platform for women. I am known for my talents to lead, ability to energize people and the community I build. I founded Her impact in 2019 as the culmination of my passions for business, education and networking. In addition to my degree in law from The University in Warsaw, I also studied Art History in Paris. My proudest accomplishment is closing the seed founding all by myself and building a community of over 30k within 1 year. My favorite part of being a business owner is the people. I am a big believer that everyone has a story to tell and loves hearing all of them at Her impact. When I am not at #HERQuarter, you can find me engaging in new projects, writing articles or volunteering
I have professional experience in the European, African, Latin American and South-East Asian startup ecosystems and am passionate about empowering researcher turned entrepreneurs and about collaborating with world-leading organisations and entrepreneurs in some of the world’s fastest-changing environments. Together with my sister, I am the co-founder of the social venture Sofia2Go. From 2017 to 2019 I was the Executive Director of the Association of the Bulgarian Leaders and Entrepreneurs. In 2019 I was part of the founding team of ABLE Activator which is an exclusive early-stage entrepreneurship programme that provides 30 ambitious self-starters with hands-on training and practical experience to design and launch their ventures.
Founder and advocate for diversity in tech, passionate about startups and innovation. She is Founder at Coding Girls, a global non-profit helping girls and women to get into technology and develop a tech-career as well as Founder and CEO at the Global WomenTech Network & Tallocate, connecting diverse professionals with companies that put diversity and inclusion first and provide an environment of belonging. As a Talent Partner at Tech Family Ventures she helps fast-growing startups to build diverse tech-teams through Tallocate.
Campus X is a leading coworking and flexible serviced office hub & an end-to-end ecosystem where great companies come to give life to innovative ideas and accelerate on their path to success.
We created Puzl CowOrKing to help IT humans and teams make better products and services. How? By giving them a gorgeous place to work from and a supportive community of like-minded people to share the journey with.
I founder of web/desh – small web design studio in Sofia, co-founder of kreslo.studio – we renovate old furniture, as well as a former member of Start It Smart – the biggest entrepreneurship organization in Bulgaria. I just started an initiative with some fellow ladies in Bulgaria – a community called Female Entrepreneurship Bulgaria. It’s goal is to meet other women who have started a business and to share know-how and support each other.
As part of Endeavor for 5 years already, I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs scale their ventures and teams to such an extent that they leave a lasting positive mark on society. Prior to joining Endeavor, I built expertise in sales forecasting, business process optimization, and product launch in the automotive and telecom sectors, which also helps me navigate founders’ challenges in my current position. I hold an MBA degree from IESE Business School, Spain and a Bachelor’s degree in International and Global Studies from Brandeis University, USA.
Gergana is part of Eleven Ventures, one of the most active VC funds in the SEE region, where she’s heading their Visa Innovation Program. She’s also part of the fintech and healthtech investment teams, looking for promising founders in the region. Prior to joining Eleven she was a Strategy Manager at Paynetics, working closely with all fintech companies from the group and Director of the Bulgarian Fintech Association, which she helped building from the ground up. Gergana is also a co-founder of 180 Degrees Consulting Sofia, a student driven consultancy, built upon informal education. She holds BSc in Business Administration from LMU in Munich and MSc in Finance from Bocconi University in Milan
ONDO Solutions has been founded in Jan 2020 by a team of IT and agriculture experts. ONDO’s key solution is an automated system for precise irrigation, fertigation and climate control for various crops, grown in both greenhouses and open fields.
Space3ac is an acceleration program that brings together large business and technological startups. Space3ac provides financing up to 65k EUR, corporate customers, mentorship, and soft landing in Poland. Since 2016 Space3ac accelerated over 200 startups from all over the world.
MIT Enterprise Forum CEE is a CEE based, equity-free startup acceleration program affiliated to the worldwide recognized Massachusetts Institute of Technology that provides financial, legal and consultancy support to startup founder from the CEE region.
Inovo Venture Partners is a $70M first-choice VC for ambitious founders from Poland and the CEE region. We back early-stage, post-traction startups with up to €3M of initial investment, and help them build global brands while driving growth of the local startup ecosystem.
We are a group of Venture Capital funds formed by people who have been supporting the development of technology companies and involved in the development of the VC environment in CEE for years.
We implement a precise strategy. We don’t chase unicorns. We invest mainly in experienced teams that have found an innovative idea in the course of their basic activity, which has commercial potential and needs support in its implementation.
Born in 1979 in Jelgava (Latvia), I spent his childhood in the Moscow region (Russia). I am married, a father of three children. I graduated from the School of Physics and Mathematics, studied at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT). Later I received MBA at the University of Massachusetts. I worked as a programmer in the USA in Cyber Vision and Digital Five companies. Then I was a product manager in the Google team from 2007 and 2009. After that I was employed by LG to develop a cloud project. In 2013 I and my partners launched our own cloud platform Cloudike. In 2017 we co-founded Novakid.
Graduate of the SGH Warsaw School of Economics. For six years, I have held the position of a cofounder and co-CEO of Westwing Home & Living CEE, one of the largest online shops in Europe. One of my biggest successes was the expansion of the CEE branch to a market leader position. I gained experience in the field of logistics by implementing projects related to the opening of the Polish Logistics Centre, creating cost-effective cross-border logistics, and launching Europe’s first brick-and-mortar Westwing store. Currently, at Omnipack, I hold the position of CEO.
I have been dealing with business since I was 13. I have taught in both the technology industry and business development. 14 years of experience in the travel industry. Dozens of presentations as a speaker. I have 3 sons. I was kicked out of 7 high schools, and was studying 5 fields of study. Of all the scientific paths, psychology helps me the most. I founded my first company at the age of 18. Hotailors is my 7th business. I went bankrupt several times, but Hotailors, did not go bankrupt even during the COVID pandemic, despite its a business travel industry. I am an amateur boxer, I take part in charity boxing events – the upcoming one is on June 30th. I meditate and I am interested in mindfulness.
Nanoseen is a team of passionate nanotechnology engineers and scientists who prove remarkable properties of the nanomaterials as a core component of the company’s products solving many problems related to climate change.
Holo4Labs is a mixed reality solution, changing the way labs work. Created by Solution4Labs, it brings together the possibilities of Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Thermo Scientific™ SampleManager LIMS™ software.
We are an innovative company offering unique, new-generation healthcare solutions which will change rehabilitation for people after stroke or brain damages.
Founder of RoboKoba, a startup providing multisensory interface prototyping services for the e-health and creative technology industry. In May 2020, she was awarded as one of the most innovative female socially engaged tech startups in Poland. She is the Volunteer Managing Director of the local chapter at Girls in Tech Poland and one of the authors of a Product Design Magazine. Together with a team of cognitive scientists, therapists, engineers and creatives, she leads the SensiVR Health project – an innovative remote sensory therapy tool dedicated to children aged 7 to 12 to improve learning results through sensorimotor rehabilitation and mental health prevention.
Kasia Gola founder at GeekGoesChic, industry advisor at WEARFITS – researcher, analyst and strategist of new technologies and new business models in fashion. Co-founder of Flowbox.io (Luna programming language and software to VFX in movies – Flowbox), founder and creator of GeekGoesChic – WGSN Global Fashion Awards nominated company where she connects the fashion industry with new technologies. Initiator and organizer of fashion and technology meetups – GGC Fash&Tech as well as GGC LAB – fashion tech hackathon. Lecturer at AGH University of Science and Technology and Lazarski University. 2019 Global Converse Ambassador.
I am a founder of Her impact – a first career platform for women. I am known for my talents to lead, ability to energize people and the community I build. I founded Her impact in 2019 as the culmination of my passions for business, education and networking. In addition to my degree in law from The University in Warsaw, I also studied Art History in Paris. My proudest accomplishment is closing the seed founding all by myself and building a community of over 30k within 1 year. My favorite part of being a business owner is the people. I am a big believer that everyone has a story to tell and loves hearing all of them at Her impact. When I am not at #HERQuarter, you can find me engaging in new projects, writing articles or volunteering
Karolina Cwalina-Stpniak is a true polymath – she is a Co-Founder & Chief Business Development Officer at Her Impact, as well as a professional and certified coach in ICF, author of bestselling books for women, and specialist in personal development. She has many successes in working with individual units and conducting motivational workshops and public appearances. She built her brand by founding a training company, writing bestselling books, and organizing development expeditions. She often appears in the media as a top specialist in personal development and writes expert columns in various business and lifestyle portals. Karolina also runs a youtube channel and podcast, where she conducts talks with inspiring women.
Expert on gender equality and women empowerment. Social entrepreneur and business journalist. Founder of the first Polish organization empowering women to achieve their economic potential and promoting diversity, inclusion and equity by involving both men and women as advocates. In 2009 Olga launched The Business Woman of the Year competition In 2019 she founded Champions of Change Coalition. Olga is a violinist and an economist by educational background graduated with a MIAB degree from universities in the UK and the Netherlands. She has over 27 years of experience in business including 12 years of holding managerial positions in international corporations in CSEE Region. She is married and have three children.
Mindspace is a boutique flex space provider, presenting a global mindset with a local flavor. Mindspace redefines the workplace experience for companies of all sizes. The operator has a total of 32 locations in 17 cities in 7 countries across Europe, the US and Israel.
Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) is an American real estate services company with locations in the US, the Netherlands, Poland and Japan. The company was founded in 1999 in Cambridge, MA. Over the last 21 years, it was home to over 6500 startups, scale ups and corporations.
Yolk is a community-focused workspace and social hub in central Krakow. We are expat-friendly and designed around flexibility and convenience. Come experience it for yourself.
I work for Ringier Axel Sprinigier as Head of Investment and Innovation and previously I was the head of innovation at Cyfrowy Polsat. I mainly deal with the development of cooperation between the companies and startups (e.g. creating a partnership programs, acceleration, investment). In my practice, I use previously gained experience in the field of the capital market and M&A from the American legal advisory company. I’m also a serial startup mentor and coach (coaching ceritfication) and co-founder of TeenCrunch acceleration program for teens startups. I’m master of law and political science with additional LLM degree (MBA) from business law. I completed several courses, including postgraduate studies in innovation management.
Co founder & CEO of Plan Be Eco – Digital Green Manager & tool to analyze and report carbon footprint , Co-founder of Evenea.pl – a system for registering participants and selling tickets online (exit in 2019). Until May 2018, Advisor to President Robert Biedron on New Technologies. Previously, she built and managed the Polish edition of the world’s largest accelerator from the Silicon Valley – Founder Institute. Winner of the Central European Startup Award for the most influential woman in startups in Poland. Expert and juror of many social innovation and positive impact programs like: Chivas Venture. Co-founder of the “Niewykluczone” project, dealing with the issues of inclusiveness and diversity.
I have sixteen years of experience in the IT industry. I worked with companies from all over the world. During this time, I managed my own software house and had the pleasure to co-create and engage in many startups. Currently, I’m Head of Development at Inwedo. Previously, I was a mentor and expert in the acceleration programs Startup Spark and S5, the city of Lodz, and the AIP Foundation. I was a member of the scientific board of the only Polish Automation and Robotics Technical College, a member of the program board of the Intelligent Technology Mixer at the University of Lodz, and a board member of an association helping people with disabilities.
Microamp Solutions is a deep tech company focused on the design and development of innovative RF Solutions for b5G & 6G network systems. The company is solving the industry’s most complex engineering 5G deployments with high performance technology in 5G mmWave infrastructure.
MNM Diagnostics is a Polish biotech startup leveraging whole genome sequencing and AI to discover biomarker signatures and develop diagnostic tools predicting clinical drug response rate of cancer patients based on their genomic profiles.
Omnipack is a company that provides a full-stack fulfillment. We offer full logistics services for the eCommerce companiesstorage, packaging, shipping, return management, and a number of additional services. Currently, we support over 100 companies from all over Europe.
