In less than two years, the Pomeranian Development Agency has successfully concluded a pilot project aimed at attracting innovative businesses to the region. Innovations have long been shaping the direction of modern technology development.
Innovative projects need to thrive in an environment where relevant scientific and business communities intersect. In 2022, Invest in Pomerania initiated a program to attract start-ups ready to develop their ideas in the region. Ten young businesses, already advancing their models based on the local scientific environment, were invited to the province.
Pomeranian Incubators
In the Pomeranian province, institutions supporting start-up development are actively involved. The offer of the Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Incubator Starter includes specialized advice, mentoring, and training for individuals planning to start their economic activities, including start-ups. The foundation introduces young entrepreneurs to the business ecosystem, providing them access to an international network of contacts. As part of the STARTER initiative, the foundation offers its office spaces to companies. In 2019, the “Startup Inspire” project was launched to provide substantive support to local entrepreneurs. This space serves as a platform for exchanging experiences and building business relationships with seasoned practitioners and experts.
The technological parks in the Tricity – PPNT in Gdynia and GPNT in Gdańsk – provide their spaces and laboratories to young entrepreneurs on highly favourable terms. The aim is to focus most attention on developing technology and securing research funding. These institutions aim to support the integration of the business, science, and innovation worlds, enabling the exchange of experiences and collaboration between entities implementing advanced technologies.
The Słupsk Technology Incubator provides not only office and conference space but also production space, automation, robotics, vision systems, and renewable energy labs, including a 3D printing centre. Start-ups can take advantage of modern hotdesk solutions, coworking spaces, subleasing laboratories and production stations on an hourly basis. This high flexibility is designed to meet the needs of young, aspiring entrepreneurs who can implement innovative ideas in Słupsk from concept to prototype.
Entrepreneurship incubators also operate in Tczew, Chojnice, Cierznie, Kartuzy, Kościerzyna, Bytów, Lębork, Malbork, and Kwidzyn. Although their offer is primarily aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, young people who are not yet engaged in economic activities can also count on assistance. In smaller urban centres, they can receive accounting and legal support, as well as office space on preferential terms.
“Units and organizations present in the Pomeranian province offer excellent conditions for the development of start-ups. Such a foundation provides solid grounds and significantly facilitates the development of innovative projects. In turn, a dynamically operating business environment is ready to implement solutions proposed by young companies. Collaboration and connecting large players with smaller ones constitute the best tool for the economic development of the province,” says Mieczysław Struk, Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
The offer of Pomeranian entrepreneurship incubators, combined with the Invest in Pomerania environmental grant, led to the decision of 10 start-ups to develop their concepts in Pomerania.
Drones, E-commerce, and Diabetes Treatment
Young companies from Belarus, Croatia, Lithuania, Hungary, Turkey, Latvia, Romania, and Ukraine will soon change the daily lives of each of us. Bioengineering, recruitment automation, project management, a shopping platform, or even drone production – such diverse fields are within the interests of start-ups. Belarusian aOrion specializes in the production, programming, and operation of electric drones, as well as vibration-resistant lenses and stabilizing gimbals. The devices have been tested during industrial inspections, coastal patrols, and stability checks of power lines.
Bioengineering is considered a future science, and Lua Biosciences from Turkey is developing exosome research technologies that can revolutionize many branches of medicine. The tools prepared by the start-up will be used in exosome measurement, mapping, and detection. Due to the diversity of applied technologies, Lua Biosciences will respond to the needs of the nano- and microtechnological market.
Different goals guide the start-up Immune-S, seeking solutions in biotechnology. In its Gdańsk headquarters, the company conducts research on drugs that, from a broad perspective, have the potential to change the lives of many patients. The developed immunomodulator, 30-50% more effective than those currently available on the market, will rapidly restore patients’ immunity after chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the company’s second project, a drug supporting the treatment of type 1 diabetes, regenerates beta cells in the pancreas, potentially leading to the complete recovery of patients.
AllZap and Vendue Tech are developing sales platforms, although their profiles are radically different: the former is a SaaS solution for selling spare parts, while the latter, in the broadest sense, is used for collecting data and trading real estate of bankrupt companies. Both platforms operate in the cloud, making real-time updates much easier.
Optimization as a Product
Serfy ambition is to optimize task management. Thanks to the software developed by the start-up, companies servicing devices can directly improve the maintenance of their client’s production, making the task management process efficient, reaction time shorter, and communication transparent. Information is conveyed in real-time, significantly facilitating the repair of damaged equipment.
Similarly, efficient algorithms have been developed by specialists from Benchmark Games and Mocapp. The Hungarian start-up, despite appearances not being involved in the gaming industry, supports recruitment processes, utilizing data such as performative abilities, behavioural patterns, and cognitive skills.
Mocapp is a very active company that connects influencers with brands in need. Through a matching platform, they have conducted over 1500 campaigns, all beginning the same way: e-commerce stores and agencies identifying buyers through AI tools and initiating contact that resulted in effective campaigns.
On the other hand, Tapbox develops software for self-service stations, seen at fast-food restaurants, cinemas, and small shops. Continuous monitoring of system efficiency allows adjusting the environment not only to global customers but also to individual stations, for example, by intuitively highlighting the most frequently purchased items.
This is Just the Beginning
The completion of the pilot project does not mean the end of efforts to acquire start-ups. The Pomeranian Development Agency is making efforts to make the region’s offer noticeable to talented, creative individuals regardless of their country of origin. During events such as Gdańsk Infoshare or Lisbon Web Summit, the economic advantages of the region are presented; the fight for innovation acquisition also continues. Each subsequent small revolution in everyday life attracts more.
“We support unconventional thinking and want people with original ideas to develop them here, whether they present solutions for the automotive, educational, or AI industry. To join the leading technological centres, we must continuously increase the attractiveness of the city and the region for innovators and their young companies. We believe that the future can be shaped in Pomerania, and we are doing everything to make it happen.” says Marcin Grzegory, Deputy Director at Invest in Pomerania.
